Chapter 3: The First Bond
The wind howled against the cave where Riven had brought the stolen beast. The mythical creature he had stolen, Vorgar, was in the center of the dark cave, roaring with fury, its eyes glowing red like burning embers. The dragon had been subdued by Riven's determination, but the battle was far from over. Riven knew that he had only just begun the taming process, and what had seemed like a victory was barely the first step toward control.
At the entrance of the cave, Nyx, the small black cat that Riven had received from his grandfather, watched silently. Although Riven didn't know if the cat understood what was happening, he felt that Nyx's presence was comforting. The cat had been by his side for the past few days, and though small, it seemed to possess a tranquility Riven desperately longed for. The feline had become an unexpected source of support.
Riven sat on the cave floor, his body still exhausted from the struggle with Vorgar. The dragon remained chained to the cave walls, its colossal body straining every time it tried to move. The beast wasn't easy to control, but Riven knew that if he failed, both he and his village would be in danger. An untamable dragon was a disaster waiting to happen.
*"How can I do this, Grandfather?"* Riven murmured, gazing at the dragon with a mixture of awe and fear.
Vorgar responded with a low growl, as if also defying Riven, waiting for an opportunity to free itself. But Riven wasn't about to back down. *I can't fail now. My village needs this. I need this.* He thought with determination.
Nyx leaped to a nearby spot, settling in a corner of the cave. Riven watched it, a slight smile crossing his face. The little feline offered a kind of calm he didn't fully understand. But somehow, its presence gave him the strength to keep going. He decided he couldn't give up. He couldn't let the beast prevail.
*"Come on, Nyx."* Riven murmured, as if the cat could understand his words. He approached the beast, never breaking his gaze from Vorgar's eyes. The dragon, in turn, glared at him with contained fury.
The technique his grandfather had taught him wasn't easy to apply, especially when it came to a creature as powerful as Vorgar. The idea was to establish an emotional connection, a kind of bond that would transcend physical strength. Riven had to reach the heart of the beast, understand it on a level that few beast tamers ever reached.
But the first time he tried to connect, it was a complete failure. As he extended his hands toward the creature, a surge of dark, destructive energy overwhelmed him. Riven dropped to his knees, barely able to withstand the wild power emanating from Vorgar. The dragon, meanwhile, writhed with fury, letting out a roar that seemed to shake the very cave.
*"Damn it..."* Riven growled, trying to regain his composure.
Nyx jumped toward him, rubbing against his leg as if trying to comfort him. In that moment, Riven felt a small spark of calm. The cat didn't seem afraid of the dragon, nor of the intensity of what was happening in the cave. That small display of trust gave Riven a renewed sense of determination. *Maybe... maybe it's not just strength that I need,* he thought, breathing deeply.
He approached Vorgar again, this time calmer. He knew that the beast wouldn't be tamed by force. Instead of using brute technique, Riven began to focus on his own thoughts, his emotions. He remembered his grandfather's words, the lessons about how control came from harmony between the tamer and the beast. It wasn't a fight; it was a dance, a mutual surrender. *If I can connect with its pain, with its rage... if I can feel it as it feels, maybe then we'll understand each other.*
He stretched his hands toward the dragon again, but this time, he did it slowly, without forcing anything. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in the dark energy that emanated from the creature. Unlike before, he didn't try to resist. Instead, he allowed the energy to envelop him, like a cold current. At first, all he felt was fury, chaos. Vorgar didn't want to be tamed, didn't want to be controlled. But Riven continued, opening up more and more, allowing the dragon's pain to reach him.
It was then that he felt it. The deep sadness residing within the beast. It wasn't just rage. Vorgar had been hurt, betrayed by other tamers who hadn't understood its pain. It was trapped, isolated, and its fury wasn't just a desire for destruction. It was a response to suffering.
Riven hadn't expected this. The dragon wasn't just a destructive force. It was a wounded creature, a being with emotions and memories. And somehow, in that moment, something inside Riven changed. He began to feel empathy for the beast, a profound understanding of its suffering.
With that understanding, the connection between them began to grow, slowly. Vorgar stopped roaring with blind rage and began to calm. Its breathing, once erratic and heavy, became deeper and more controlled. Riven felt that the dark energy he had tried to control before now flowed more smoothly, like a river following its natural course. It was a bond, a link beginning to form.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Riven touched the beast's face, his hand trembling. Vorgar didn't react with aggression. Instead, it allowed Riven to touch it, its gaze still fierce, but now less challenging. It was the first sign of submission, the first step toward taming. Riven knew the process wasn't over, but this was a significant step forward.
When Riven stood again, looking into the dragon's eyes, something had changed within him. The internal battle had started to be won, and the bond with the beast had strengthened. At his side, Nyx jumped onto his shoulder, as if also celebrating his progress.
*"We did it."* Riven murmured, his voice calmer. He knew there was still much to be done, but for the first time, he felt hopeful.
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End of Chapter 3