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Scene: Inside Valora's Cave, the Aftermath of Battle
The eerie silence after the battle felt suffocating. The flickering light from the torches in the cave cast long shadows on the stone walls, their warmth a stark contrast to the cold tension between Mordryn and the young girl, Valora. He had come to slay a monster, but now he was left standing before a girl no older than ten, trembling in fear.
Mordryn's eyes narrowed, still wary, his mind struggling to process the shift from ferocious dragon to this fragile, childlike form. His thoughts raced—was this some kind of trick? A final play to escape his wrath?
Mordryn:
stern, voice low
"Speak. I've been patient, but that won't last long. Explain yourself, dragon."
Valora flinched at his tone, her small hands clutching the hem of her tattered dress. She glanced at the ground, her silver hair falling over her eyes as she took a deep breath.
Valora:
trembling, but determined to speak
"I… I never wanted to fight. I've never harmed anyone. Not like they say…"
Mordryn tilted his head, still on guard, but his curiosity piqued.
Mordryn:
skeptical
"You expect me to believe that? The fear, the chaos—the legends speak of your terror. How can you stand there and say it wasn't you?"
Valora's eyes widened, her voice rising in desperation.
Valora:
pleading
"No! I swear, it wasn't me! I've been hiding here, in this mountain, for centuries. I never attacked the village. I never destroyed cities. That was..."
She paused, her expression darkening as tears welled up in her eyes. She hugged herself, her tiny form looking even smaller under the weight of her words.
Valora:
"...that was my brother. Vlord."
Mordryn's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Mordryn:
confused
"Vlord? Another dragon?"
Valora nodded quickly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
Valora:
quietly
"Yes. Vlord was the one who caused all the destruction. The chaos, the killing, it was all him. He wanted power, control... and he used our kind to get it. But I—"
Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath, steadying herself.
Valora:
softly
"I refused to follow him. I didn't want to be part of his plans. So I hid here, in this cave, far away from the world... from him."
Mordryn's fists tightened. The idea of another dragon out there, even more dangerous than Valora, sent a chill down his spine. Vlord. The name echoed in his mind, unfamiliar yet filled with malice.
Mordryn:
frowning
"If what you say is true, why didn't you stop him? You let your brother wreak havoc for centuries."
Valora shook her head quickly, her face a mask of anguish.
Valora:
"I couldn't! Vlord is stronger than me. Much stronger. I tried to reason with him, but... he wouldn't listen. He wanted to be a god among mortals. He wanted to rule, to crush anyone who opposed him."
She looked up at Mordryn, her eyes pleading for him to believe her.
Valora:
desperate
"All I've ever wanted was to live in peace. But people feared me... because of him."
Mordryn remained silent for a long moment, his thoughts swirling. Could it be true? Could all the fear and devastation attributed to Valora have been the work of another? He studied her face, searching for any sign of deceit, but all he saw was fear and sorrow.
Mordryn:
calmly, but with authority
"If what you say is true, then where is your brother now?"
Valora looked away, her voice trembling.
Valora:
"I don't know. He disappeared long ago, after... after he destroyed so much. I think he's still out there, somewhere. Waiting."
Mordryn clenched his jaw, the weight of her words settling heavily on him. Vlord, a threat lurking in the shadows. A greater danger than he had anticipated. If this dragon truly existed, then it wasn't just the villagers that were at risk. It was the entire world.
But that didn't mean Valora was free of guilt. She had hidden, yes, but she hadn't done anything to stop the devastation her brother caused.
Mordryn:
seriously
"Hiding doesn't absolve you of responsibility. You could have fought. You could have stopped him."
Valora's eyes filled with fresh tears, and she fell to her knees, her hands clutching at his cloak in desperation.
Valora:
sobbing
"Please... I never wanted any of this. I was too weak. I— I just want to live in peace. I don't want to be hunted anymore."
Mordryn stood still, his gaze hard as he looked down at her. A part of him still didn't trust her, didn't believe that she was innocent. But another part of him, the part that had seen centuries of suffering and pain, saw the truth in her eyes.
She was scared. Alone. And in this moment, she was no more a monster than any other lost soul in this world.
Valora looked up at him, her voice small, almost a whisper.
Valora:
"Please... take me with you."
Mordryn's eyes widened in surprise.
Valora:
pleading
"I don't want to be left here... I don't want to be found by Vlord... or anyone else. If you leave me here, I'll be hunted again. Please, I beg you."
She clutched at his cloak tighter, her tears falling freely.
Mordryn stared at her, conflicted. He had no desire to take responsibility for a dragon, much less one who had been part of the same chaos that destroyed so much of the world. But her fear was real, and if Vlord truly was out there, hunting her might be the least of his problems.
He let out a slow breath, weighing his options. She was vulnerable now, at his mercy. But something about her story struck a chord with him. He had seen betrayal, and perhaps... she had too.
Mordryn:
gruffly
"I'll think about it."
Valora looked up, her eyes wide with hope.
But Mordryn turned away, his mind swirling with thoughts of Vlord and the looming threat that had been revealed. The battle with Valora had been hard, but this... this might just be the beginning of something much worse.
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End of Chapter 21