"Hmmm..."
Ren's gaze flicked to the direction of the voice, settling on a curtain that had been partly drawn to the side. Moonlight spilled through an arched balcony behind it, illuminating the outline of someone inside. He watched as the figure slowly moved, the rhythm elegant, as if they bathed under the night sky.
He froze, and suddenly he knew who it was. The princess.
Her form was partly veiled by the thin fabric, but the curve of her shoulders and the fall of her long, damp hair were visible. Steam curled around the curtain, catching the silver light and giving the scene an ethereal quality. The sound of water faintly trickled, blending with the stillness of the room.
"I presume you are Ren of Ashvale?" The princess's voice cut through the air like a blade, smooth but edged with irritation.
Ren snapped his head down, heat rising to his cheeks. He clenched his fists at his sides, forcing himself to focus on the intricate pattern of the stone floor beneath his boots.
"I'm sorry for intruding," Ren said, raising his head high enough to address the curtain. "I was instructed you wanted to see me."
There was a pause, then the sound of water draining away. The silhouette behind the curtain moved, and Ren saw her reaching for something—a towel, perhaps.
"I did summon you."
Ren gulped, his palms beginning to sweat. The tension in the room was palpable, felt even as the air was holding its breath.
The curtain slid aside, and the princess emerged, draped in a luxurious emerald-green bathrobe that clung loosely to her frame. The robe's hem draped all the way to her feet her, while the loose neckline exposed the curve of her collarbone and a tantalizing glimpse of her skin. Damp strands of her raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, glistening in the soft light.
Ren looked away quickly, his pulse racing. The room was filled with a golden light, but it did nothing to ease the growing heat in his cheeks.
"Hmm."
She tilted her head as if weighing him up. She walked over to the balcony, letting the night air caress her skin. Her robe moved in the wind, showing a small bit of leg before she turned back to him.
"Do you know why I summoned you, Ren of Ashvale?"
Ren hesitated, furrowing his brow.
"No, but I assumed it had something to do with my Leizage."
"Yes." She leaned against the balcony rail, her expression unreadable. "A creature long thought extinct, yet here you stand, its tamer. Tell me, Ren—do you even understand the significance of what you possess?"
He met her gaze, his voice steady despite the unease swirling within him.
"No, but please don't take it away."
The princess's lips curled into a faint smile, but her eyes stayed sharp, calculating. She stepped forward, her bare feet just a whisper away from his boots. Ren held his ground, though his heart thundered in his chest.
"You and your Leizage may be the key to something far greater than you realize," she said, her voice lowering to a near-whisper. "I've readed a book, about Ignumbra. You know it right?"
Ren furrowed his brow, the name tugging at a distant corner of his memory. Ignumbra. The word sounded ancient, heavy with meaning, but it slipped right past him. He shook his head slightly, his voice uncertain.
"I'm... not familiar."
The princess regarded him with faint disappointment, her amber eyes narrowing. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and strode to a tall bookshelf on the far side of the room. Her movements were fluid, confident, as if every step commanded the attention of the air itself.
She scanned the spines with delicate fingers, her bathrobe slipping slightly on one shoulder to reveal a glimmer of smooth skin. She didn't seem to notice—or perhaps she didn't care. Finally, her hand paused on a book bound in deep crimson leather, its edges gilded with gold.
She pulled it out of its place and turned back to Ren, the book held in both hands as if it were a relic.
"Ignumbra," she said, her voice softer now, almost reverent. "A beast of shadows and flames, a creature said to rival Albatross itself. It ruled the skies and the earth during the Age of Calamity, before the world was as it is now."
She took a step closer to him, extending the book. Ren hesitated before taking it from her, his fingers grazing the soft leather. The book felt heavier than he had expected, as if it held not only history but also power.
The princess gestured for him to open it.
"Your Leizage," she went on, her voice like a whispered secret on the wind, "Is of Ignumbra's blood. They say that the two are bound by blood, each of them able to wield unimaginable power."
Ren opened the book, his eyes scanning a beautifully illustrated page. It showed a massive dragon-like creature wreathed in dark flames, its wings stretching far enough to blot out the sun. Beside it was a smaller creature—sleek, with shimmering scales that seemed to pulse with light. A Leizage.
He swallowed hard, his mind racing.
"But… this is just legend, right? Stories to scare or inspire. How could my Leizage have anything to do with a beast like this?"
The princess tilted her head, a sly smile playing on her lips.
"Perhaps. But legends often hold a kernel of truth, Ren. And you… you may be the one to uncover it."
Ren closed the book carefully, his hands trembling.
"Why are you telling me this? What do you want from me?"
Her face clouded a little, the playfulness leaching out.
"Because if Ignumbra stirs again, if that bloodline awakens fully… the balance of this world will shatter. And I have no choice but to ensure that doesn't happen."
Her amber eyes met his, unyielding.
"You don't know it yet, Ren of Ashvale, but your Leizage is the key to either saving this world... or destroying it."
Her fingers creased the book, tightening the hold, and a wave of her words hit him hard. His heart was racing - a mixture of fear and defiance. Then, however, the sharp gaze of the princess softened slightly, and she gave a small almost dismissive shake of the head.
"Not that it matters," she said, with an amusement that calmed her voice. "Ignumbra will never stir again."
Ren blinked. Tension gave way to puzzlement.
"What do you mean? You just said—"
"I said that your Leizage shares its bloodline," she broke in smoothly, her robe shuffling as she crossed the room to stand by a small table. She poured herself a glass of wine from a crystal decanter and turned back to him, her amber eyes glinting in the dim light. "But Ignumbra itself? That beast has been sealed away in the depths of the Abyssal Vale for centuries. No mortal force could possibly release it."
Ren furrowed his brow, unsure if he was relieved or should be skeptical.
"But if it's sealed, why does my Leizage even matter so much? Why bring me here?"
The princess took another sip of her wine, still not letting her eyes leave him.
"Because the power that runs through Ignumbra runs through your Leizage."
She placed the glass down and walked up to him again, but her expression was unreadable.
"You see, Ren, while Ignumbra itself may never rise again, its legacy lives on. Through creatures like your Leizage. Through tamers like you."
Her voice dropped, and she was close enough now that he could catch the faint scent of lavender and rain.
"The question is, what will you do with that power?"