Anna soared further east, her sharp eyes scanning the expanse below. "It couldn't have gotten far."
As she reached a dense forest, the sight of broken trees caught her attention. She descended, landing softly on the forest floor. Walking among the shattered trunks, she muttered, "It definitely came through here."
Her steps slowed as she spotted the dragon, lifeless on the ground. Its massive body was entwined with thick, pulsating vines, the scene both eerie and surreal.
Anna crouched closer, examining the vines. "No way," she whispered. "Who could have done this?"
Rising, she looked beyond the trees and spotted a quaint town nestled against the horizon. "One of the small towns in East Camelot," she murmured. Relief softened her features. "At least the dragon didn't make it here."
Taking to the air once more, she soared above the town, marveling at its serene beauty. "This place is really nice. But how did—?"
As if in answer, a faint surge of energy prickled her senses, pulling her gaze toward a small house perched on a hill. Her curiosity piqued, she descended near the house, her boots crunching softly against the gravel path.
"What could be giving off that kind of energy around here?" she wondered aloud, her eyes narrowing at the modest structure. She approached the door and knocked lightly. To her surprise, the door creaked open.
"Hello? Is anyone here?" she called, stepping cautiously inside.
The house was humble and tidy—a table with four chairs sat to one side, a shelf crammed with books filled a corner, and the scent of freshly cooked food lingered in the air. Two doors led to other rooms, but there was no immediate sign of life.
Just as she was about to call out again, the entrance door swung open. A young man stepped in, towel slung casually around his neck, his bare chest glistening with sweat. His dark hair clung to his forehead, and his piercing green eyes locked onto Anna. "Huh?"
"Huh?" she stammered, her face turning a deep shade of crimson as her gaze unintentionally lingered on his chiseled form.
The man's eyes narrowed, and in an instant, he dashed toward her, pinning her against the wall. His grip was firm but controlled as he held her left hand above her head.
His glowing green eyes studied her intently. "You're an elementiel," he said. "Why are you here?"
"I—uh—" Anna stammered, trying to gather her thoughts. "I was looking for a dragon. I sensed energy coming from here and—"
He released her abruptly, stepping back. "I see. Wait here."
Still flustered, Anna watched as he disappeared into another room. She exhaled deeply and sank into one of the chairs.
A moment later, he returned, now dressed in a simple shirt, and walked into the kitchen. He emerged with a bowl of steaming soup, setting it in front of her.
"Here," he said curtly, placing another bowl on the table for himself.
Anna blinked in surprise. "Oh, thank you," she said, lifting the bowl to her lips. The rich, savory flavor made her eyes widen. "This is… really good."
He sipped his own soup, his demeanor calm but guarded. "What's your name?"
"Annabelle Wayra," she replied, her voice softening. "But you can call me Anna. And you?"
He hesitated, staring into his bowl. "Jack. Just… Jack."
"Jack," she repeated, testing the name.
Jack stared at her. "Anna. I apologize for running up on you like that."
She looked at him, shocked by his words. "You don't have to apologize for that. I shouldn't have entered without permission anyways."
The silence between them stretched for a moment before Anna broke it. "So, you must be the one who took down that dragon."
Jack nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. If I hadn't stopped it, the entire town would've been destroyed."
Anna studied him, her curiosity growing. "A green elementiel… all the way out here? What are you doing in East Camelot?"
"This is my uncle's house," Jack explained, gesturing around. "He's away, so I'm looking after it. Besides…" His voice dropped. "The dragon activity in the south is getting worse. They're gathering there for a reason, and I still haven't figured out why."
Anna glanced at him. "You're not the only one fighting them. My friends and I have been doing what we can."
Jack leaned forward slightly. "Would one of those friends, happen to be Jason Marquoid?"
"I guess Jason is quite popular around here," she said, rubbing her neck.
"News about Jason has spread all over the country. I've even observed him once."
Anna chuckled. "I guess he's got a knack for drawing attention."
Jack set his empty bowl aside, his expression turning serious. "I'd like to join you. If we work together, we might be able to get to the bottom of this."
Anna smiled warmly. "We could definitely use the help. I was just about to regroup with the others."
Jack rose from his chair and in an instant, he'd changed into a more proper attire. "Alright then. Let's go."
Back at the ground of the canyon, Jason and Connor stood facing each other, their expressions marked by mild frustration.
"Hey, Connor. Any luck finding the dragon?" Jason asked, arms crossed.
Connor shook his head, his brows furrowed. "No, nothing. I take it you didn't have any better luck?"
"Yeah, no sign of it," Jason replied with a sigh. "Maybe Anna had better luck."
Just as he finished speaking, Anna landed gracefully beside them. "Hey, guys," she greeted, a sheepish smile playing on her lips.
Jason immediately perked up. "Did you find the dragon?"
Anna rubbed the back of her neck, hesitating. "Well… yeah. But someone else got to it before I did."
Jason and Connor exchanged puzzled glances until a shadow passed over them. A tall figure landed silently beside Anna.
"Guys," Anna said, pointing to the newcomer. "This is Jack. The green elementiel."
Jack gave them a small wave. "Hey," he greeted simply.
Jason and Connor stared at him, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"No way," Connor muttered under his breath.
Jason circled around Jack like an inquisitive child. "Incredible. The green elementiel. You're really tall."
Jack raised an eyebrow, glancing at him sideways. "Uh… thanks?"
Clearing his throat, Jack changed the subject. "Anyway," he began, scanning the landscape, "this is where you encountered the dragons?"
"Yeah," Anna confirmed. "But we still don't know why they came here in the first place."
Connor stepped forward, his tone thoughtful. "One of them was digging into the ground. It seemed like it was looking for something."
Jason crossed his arms. "They're dragons. What could they possibly be looking for?"
Jack walked past them and knelt down, placing his palm flat on the ground. His glowing eyes narrowed in concentration as he closed them.
"Uh… what is he doing?" Jason whispered to Anna.
Anna shrugged. "Beats me."
Moments later, Jack's eyes snapped open. Massive green vines erupted from the earth, tearing apart the rocky surface.
Jason froze, staring at the vines in shock. "Those vines…" he thought. "He was the one who brought down that black dragon back then. But why didn't he…"
Jack stood, brushing his hands off. "There's something down there. Let's check it out," he said. Without hesitation, he leaped into the dark opening.
The others exchanged quick glances before following suit, plunging into the depths below.
They landed in a cavernous underground chamber. The air was heavy with dust, and the faint smell of decay lingered. As their eyes adjusted, they saw rows of abandoned tools, shattered equipment, and scales scattered across the floor.
"What is this place?" Anna asked, her voice echoing softly. She ran her fingers over a rusty table littered with forgotten instruments.
Jack picked up a dragon scale, examining it closely. "This is a laboratory. Someone worked here—years ago, maybe decades."
Connor stepped cautiously through the rubble, his eyes scanning the space. "But why were the dragons searching for this place? What could they have wanted here?"
Jason knelt near a corner of the room where something had caught his eye. A thick, dust-covered book lay partially buried beneath cobwebs. He carefully picked it up and blew off the dust, revealing its deep red cover.
"Hey, guys! Come look at this," he called out.
The others gathered around as Jason opened the book. The pages were filled with intricate sketches of dragons, their scales and wings drawn in excruciating detail.
"Whoever owned this was obsessed with dragons," Anna remarked, flipping through a few pages herself.
Jason stopped on a page that depicted a massive, ominous egg with a dark figure curled inside it. His brow furrowed. "What is that?"
Connor leaned over to read the accompanying text but frowned. "I can't understand it. It must be written in a different language."
Jack reached for the book, his glowing eyes scanning the text. "This is written in an ancient tongue. I should be able to translate it."
He began reading aloud. "It says: My current body has its limits. But my final and perfect form will restore the world to its rightful owners."
Anna frowned. "Restore the world? To who?"
Jack turned the page, his expression growing darker. "My current form is flawed. She's fighting for control. It hurts. He warned me—he warned me about this experiment, but I didn't listen. I hate you, Mark Marquoid."
Jason's heart skipped a beat, his face paling. "Mark Marquoid?! That's my grandpa!"
Jack's eyes flicked to Jason. "Your grandfather, huh? This just got more intriguing."
Connor looked at Jason, concern etched on his face. "But why would your grandpa's name be in this journal? What connection does he have to this place?"
Jason clenched the book tightly. "I don't know. But we're going to find out. Let's head back to the kingdom and show him."
The group nodded in agreement, and they took to the skies once more, the mysterious journal clutched tightly in Jason's hands.
As they soared through the air, Jason's thoughts churned. "Grandpa… what's going on?"