Slowly, as the night deepens, Eric begins to understand, almost instinctively, what it means to be a dragonlord. His muscles tense, his breathing steadies, and his gaze sharpens like that of a hunter. The magic within him, an ancient force older than the stars themselves, begins to hum and stir. It's as if his very blood is speaking to him, guiding him toward what he must do to survive.
Suddenly, he senses the presence of a predator lurking nearby. A pair of fiery eyes gleam through the trees—a creature, both curious and hungry, lies in wait. Eric can feel the threat, but he does not flinch. Instead, a surge of determination fills him. The dragonlord within him refuses to flee, no matter how young he is. Though his body is small, his spirit is that of a warrior.
The First Battle
The creature, a large, feline predator with claws as sharp as knives and teeth that could crush bone, creeps closer, testing its prey. Once close enough, it pounces with a sudden leap, aiming for the helpless infant. But Eric's reflexes are strangely fast. His hands rise instinctively, as if to fend off his foe, and suddenly, a flash of raw, untrained magic bursts from his fingertips.
The magic strikes the creature, throwing it backward. Though it isn't fatally injured, the blast is enough to make it pause, confused and hesitant. Eric remains still, his bright eyes fixed on his adversary, while the magic crackles in the air around him. Eventually, the creature retreats, sensing it has encountered a force it cannot understand.
With this first victory, Eric feels something shift within him. His confidence grows, and a sense of power begins to simmer beneath the surface. For the first time, he glimpses his own potential. And though he still has much to learn, he knows deep down that he has the strength to survive this trial.
The Awakening Flame
Night falls, and the temperature drops. Still a newborn, Eric begins to feel the cold, but he quickly discovers that he can warm himself by channeling his energy in a peculiar way. A warmth fills his chest, and his skin no longer feels the biting chill. This self-heating ability grants him a small but crucial advantage against the deadly cold of the wilderness.
He learns to listen to the sounds of nature around him, to recognize when danger is near, and to hide among the roots of trees or under a blanket of leaves. His instincts guide him, the magic in his veins grants him strength, and his mind helps him turn every small victory into a lesson that ensures his survival.
And so he endures, the young dragonlord, in a wilderness that offers no mercy. With each passing day, Eric grows—not only in body, but in mind and magic. He begins to understand the land, and it seems almost as if the land, sensing a true dragonlord, begins to accept him as one of its own children.