Morning light broke through the thick canopy, painting the world in soft gold. Kaelen awoke, the events of the previous day replaying in his mind. He had been on the verge of death, chased through the forest, only to be saved by a dragon rider—Seraphina, with her fiery red hair and fierce presence.
The small cabin he found himself in was simple but comforting. Shelves lined with jars and tools hinted at the life Seraphina led here, a mix of survival and knowledge. The smell of food reached his nose, and his stomach growled, reminding him he hadn't eaten since his escape.
Pushing himself off the bed, Kaelen winced at the soreness in his muscles. Outside, Seraphina crouched by a fire, tending to a pot of something that smelled delicious. The sight of her, calm and focused, made him pause. She had saved him without hesitation, swooping in on her dragon like a force of nature.
"You're awake," Seraphina called, glancing over her shoulder as Kaelen stepped out of the cabin. She was stirring a small pot of stew over the flames. "I thought you might need something to eat before you head out."
Kaelen walked over and sat beside her, feeling the warmth of the fire. "Thank you," he said, his voice a bit rough. "For everything."
Seraphina shrugged her gaze still on the fire. "You looked like you needed help. Besides," she added with a small smirk, "the soldiers were about to catch you. Couldn't let them get the best of you."
Kaelen chuckled, though the remainder of his pursuers dampened his mood. "Who were those men?" he asked.
"They belong to the Black Legion," Seraphina replied, her voice taking on a darker tone. "They hunt anyone who stands in their way, whether they're a threat or not."
Kaelen frowned. He had heard whispers of the Black Legion, but to see them in action was something else entirely. "Why are they after me? I didn't do anything."
"They don't need a reason," Seraphina said. "But they think you're important, and that's all the reason they need."
Kaelen fell silent, pondering her words. Important? To whom? And why? He glanced at Seraphina. "Why did you help me?"
Seraphina met his gaze, her green eyes intense. "Let's just say I don't like seeing innocent people die. And besides, there's something about you… something different."
Kaelen's heart skipped a beat. He didn't know what she meant, but there was a strange pull between them, something unspoken yet undeniable.
"Where do I go from here?" Kaelen asked softly.
Seraphina stared into the flames. "Wherever your path leads you. But you won't make it far alone. Not with them hunting you."
She stood up, offering him a hand. "Come on. Eat. We'll figure it out."
Kaelen accepted Seraphina's hand and stood, feeling the warmth of her grip linger as she let go. He sat back down by the fire, gratefully taking the bowl of stew she handed him. It was simple—meat and vegetables with some herbs—but after the days of running, it tasted like a feast.
Seraphina watched him quietly as he ate, her gaze intense but unreadable. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but it carried weight as if there was more unsaid between them than spoken.
As he finished the last bite, Kaelen put the bowl down and leaned back, glancing at her. "What will you do? After this, I mean."
She shrugged and smiled, a small, almost sad gesture. "I'll go back to what I do best—surviving. My life hasn't been much different from yours, always running, always hiding from something bigger."
Kaelen frowned, curious. "You live out here alone?"
Seraphina nodded. "It's better that way. Less chance of getting hurt. Less chance of people getting in the way."
"I know what you mean," Kaelen admitted, his mind drifting back to the loss of his village. "It's easier to keep moving when you don't have anyone holding you back. But…" He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to voice his thoughts, but Seraphina's open silence encouraged him. "But sometimes I wonder if that's living."
Seraphina's expression softened, and she turned to face him fully. "It's surviving. But I guess you're right—there's a difference between surviving and living." She sighed, her fingers tracing the edge of the bowl in her lap. "I haven't figured out how to live yet. Maybe one day."
Kaelen watched her carefully, noticing how her tough exterior seemed to crack just a little. The fierce dragon rider who had swooped in to save him also carried her weight of loneliness and pain. It was strange, but at that moment, he realized they weren't so different. Both of them were outcasts in their way, searching for something they couldn't quite name.
Suddenly, the sound of a low rumble filled the air, and Kaelen jumped slightly before he realized what it was. Seraphina's dragon, the massive beast he had only caught a glimpse of before, emerged from the trees and settled beside the cabin. Its scales shimmered in the morning light, a fiery red that matched Seraphina's hair. Its eyes, intelligent and fierce, scanned the surroundings as if always on guard.
"You've got a dragon," Kaelen said, awe slipping into his voice.
Seraphina's face lit up with a genuine smile for the first time. "Yes. Her name's Ember. We've been together for as long as I can remember."
Ember lowered her massive head, letting out a low rumble as Seraphina reached out to stroke her snout. The dragon closed its eyes, clearly enjoying the affection. Kaelen couldn't help but be amazed. He had seen dragons before, but none like this. None with the bond Seraphina had with Ember.
"How did you… I mean, how does one even become a dragon rider?" Kaelen asked, unable to keep the wonder from his voice.
Seraphina looked at him with a smirk, her eyes glinting with mischief. "You don't become one. A dragon chooses you. And Ember… she found me when I was just a girl, lost in the woods, kind of like you." Her smile faded slightly. "She saved me. And we've been together ever since."
Kaelen felt a pang of envy, but also admiration. "You're lucky," he said quietly. "To have someone—or something—that cares."
Seraphina glanced at him, her smirk fading as her expression turned serious. "Maybe you're not so different from me, Kaelen. You think you're alone, but you've got something, too. Something that brought you this far. Maybe it's luck, maybe it's fate. But either way, you're not as alone as you think."
Kaelen blinked, surprised by her words. He didn't know what it was about her—maybe the way she spoke so bluntly, or the way her gaze seemed to see through him—but she had a way of making him think about things he'd rather avoid.
Before he could respond, Seraphina stood up abruptly and began packing a small bag with supplies. "We need to leave soon," she said, her tone shifting back to practicality. "The Black Legion doesn't give up easily. If they're after you, they'll keep searching until they find you. And trust me, they're not the only ones you should be worried about."
Kaelen stood as well, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"
"There are others in these lands. Not just soldiers, but creatures far more dangerous. They live in the shadows, and they hunt the weak. You've heard of the Black Legion, but you haven't met the real dangers of this world yet."
A chill ran down Kaelen's spine as he remembered Eldric's warning. "I've heard stories," he admitted. "But I didn't think they were real."
Seraphina chuckled darkly. "Oh, they're real. And they're worse than you can imagine." She slung the bag over her shoulder and turned to Ember, who lowered herself, allowing Seraphina to mount. She looked down at Kaelen, her fiery red hair catching the light as she extended a hand to him. "Come on. If you want to survive, you're going to need help. And a dragon's a good start."
Kaelen hesitated only for a second before taking her hand. In one swift motion, he was lifted onto Ember's back behind Seraphina. The dragon let out a low growl, and Kaelen felt the power beneath him as Ember shifted her weight, preparing to take flight.
Seraphina glanced back at him with a small, confident smile. "Hold on tight."
Before Kaelen could fully brace himself, Ember leaped into the air with a powerful beat of her wings, sending them soaring above the treetops. The wind rushed past him, and Kaelen clung to Seraphina, his heart racing with a mix of fear and exhilaration.
As they flew higher, the world below shrank, the vast forest stretching out like a sea of green. Kaelen had never seen anything like it—the freedom of flight, the vastness of the sky. But even as they soared above the world, he couldn't shake the feeling that their journey was just beginning. And whatever lay ahead, it would be far more dangerous than anything he had faced before.
As the wind whipped around them, Kaelen tightened his grip on Seraphina, feeling the heat of her body against his. For the first time in a long while, he felt something more than fear—he felt alive.