The air was thick with tension as Kaelen, Seraphina, and Elysia faced off against the hulking form of Garrick the Steel Claw. His reputation as a ruthless warrior had filled them with dread, but Kaelen couldn't shake the strange feeling that there was more to Garrick than just a brutal soldier. His instincts, though untrained, were often right, and something about Garrick felt...different.
Garrick's steel claw glinted in the fading sunlight as he advanced, each step sending vibrations through the ground. His cold eyes scanned the group, resting for a moment on Kaelen before he raised his claw, ready to strike again.
Seraphina stood firm, sword raised in defense, while Elysia readied her magic, prepared to unleash another attack. Kaelen, however, hesitated. The strange pull he'd been feeling since entering these mountains had only grown stronger, centering around Garrick. There was something off about this whole encounter.
As Garrick lunged forward, Seraphina met him head-on, her dragon-steel sword clashing violently with his claw. Sparks flew, the force of the blow sending her staggering back, but she quickly regained her footing. Elysia launched a blast of energy, aiming for Garrick's exposed side, but he dodged with surprising agility for someone of his size.
"You'll have to do better than that," Garrick growled, his voice a low rumble.
Kaelen's grip tightened on his sword. His magic surged within him, unpredictable and wild, as it often was in moments of tension. He needed to do something, but before he could act, the ground beneath them shook violently.
A deep roar echoed through the mountains, shaking loose stones from the cliffs above. Garrick paused, his gaze flicking toward the source of the sound, and for the first time, Kaelen saw something flash across the warrior's face—concern.
Without warning, the earth split open, and from the fissure emerged a massive creature—a dragon. Its scales shimmered in the twilight, a deep, molten red, and its eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, locked onto the battlefield. The dragon's wings spread wide, casting a shadow over them as it let out another deafening roar.
Seraphina's eyes widened in shock, and even Elysia, normally calm in the face of danger, took a step back. But Kaelen felt something different. It wasn't fear that gripped him—it was connection.
Garrick didn't flinch. Instead, he lowered his claw, his posture relaxing as the dragon landed between him and the group. The massive beast lowered its head toward Garrick, who reached out with his clawless hand, resting it on the dragon's snout in a gesture of familiarity.
"This," Garrick said quietly, "is why you cannot defeat me."
Seraphina's grip on her sword tightened, but Kaelen stepped forward, his instincts screaming at him to listen.
"You're not with Lord Thorne, are you?" Kaelen asked, his voice cutting through the tension.
Garrick's eyes met his, a glimmer of respect in the warrior's otherwise hardened gaze. "No. I fight for no man. I fight for what is mine."
"And the dragon?" Kaelen asked, feeling the strange pull in his chest growing stronger as he gazed at the magnificent creature.
"The dragon is mine," Garrick said, his voice softer now, almost reverent. "But it seems...it has chosen another."
Kaelen blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"
Garrick sighed, stepping away from the dragon. "The bond between dragon and rider is ancient and unbreakable. I forged mine with this beast years ago. But something's changed. The dragon has sensed something in you, boy."
Kaelen's heart raced as he looked up at the dragon. Its glowing eyes were now fixed on him, and he could feel the connection growing stronger. It wasn't just magic—it was something deeper, primal like the dragon could see into his very soul.
"I don't understand," Kaelen murmured, taking a hesitant step forward.
"The dragon chooses," Garrick said, his voice tinged with regret. "And it seems it has chosen you."
Seraphina and Elysia watched in stunned silence as Kaelen moved closer to the dragon. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly, and when his fingers brushed against the dragon's warm scales, a surge of energy shot through him. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before—powerful, raw, and ancient.
The dragon lowered its head further, allowing Kaelen to place both hands on its snout. At that moment, he knew—this dragon was no mere beast. It was a companion, a protector, and it had chosen him.
Garrick stepped back, a weary smile on his face. "The dragon's bond with me is broken. You are its new rider, Kaelen."
Kaelen could hardly believe it. Just moments ago, Garrick had been their enemy, but now, it seemed the warrior had only been protecting what was no longer his.
"You could have killed us," Seraphina said cautiously, still holding her sword at the ready.
Garrick shook his head. "If I wanted you dead, you would be. But I only protect the dragon. Now that it's chosen Kaelen, my fight is over."
Kaelen turned to Garrick, a mix of gratitude and confusion in his eyes. "What will you do now?"
Garrick's steel claw gleamed in the fading light. "I will return to the mountains. My time as a rider is done. But you, Kaelen—you have a destiny to fulfill. This dragon will be your greatest ally in the battles to come."
With that, Garrick turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the mountains, leaving Kaelen, Seraphina, and Elysia standing in stunned silence.
As the dragon curled around Kaelen protectively, he couldn't help but feel that his journey had only just begun. But now, with a dragon by his side, he knew that whatever challenges Lord Thorne threw at them, they would be ready.
The bond had been formed. And with it, a new power awakened within Kaelen, one that would change the course of the coming war.
As Garrick's silhouette faded into the distance, the weight of what had just happened began to sink in. Kaelen stood still, his hands still resting on the dragon's warm scales, trying to wrap his mind around the magnitude of this new bond. The dragon, though calm now, radiated an immense power that felt like it could burn through mountains and tear through armies. Yet, in its gaze, Kaelen saw not just strength, but trust.
Seraphina stepped closer, her eyes never leaving the dragon. "I've never seen anything like this before," she murmured, her voice soft with awe. "Dragon riders are so rare... and for a dragon to choose you, Kaelen… this is beyond anything we could have expected."
Elysia, her usual sharpness dulled by the sheer wonder of the moment, nodded. "We were meant to find him. The dragon must have known somehow. Everything we've faced so far led us to this point."
Kaelen felt the weight of their words but also the responsibility now placed on his shoulders. The dragon's presence was a reminder that their journey was far from over, and with Lord Thorne still looming as a threat, the stakes had never been higher.
The dragon nudged Kaelen gently, its enormous snout almost playful in its gesture. Kaelen smiled, feeling the warmth of the creature's spirit. "We'll call you... Ember," he said softly, the name slipping into his mind as if the dragon had chosen it herself.
Ember let out a low, rumbling growl of approval, her wings twitching as though she were ready to take flight at any moment. Kaelen glanced at Seraphina and Elysia, determination filling his chest. "This is just the beginning. Lord Thorne won't see us coming."
With Ember by his side, Kaelen knew their path would be fraught with danger, but now, for the first time, he felt like they truly had a chance to stand against the darkness. Together, they would face whatever came next.