The streets of the undercity had never felt so foreign.
Kaida moved through them with a hesitation that only came when everything in your world was shifting beneath you. The air around her was colder than usual, sharp and biting, but the chill didn't reach her heart. It was buried deep under layers of confusion, fear, and a growing fire she couldn't ignore. The weight of the tattoo on her back felt like it had doubled in mass. It wasn't just a mark anymore; it was a presence, a heavy reminder of the promise, the power, and the responsibility that she now carried.
She passed familiar alleyways and doorways, places she had always walked with a sense of ownership, but today, they felt different. These streets, the people, the shadows—they no longer seemed like her world. Her feet carried her forward almost as if her body was moving of its own accord, while her mind spun in a whirlwind of questions.
Why me?
What now?
What am I supposed to do with this?
The power that had awakened within her after her encounter with Warren had left her shaken. It surged in unpredictable waves, sometimes a distant hum, other times a roar in her veins. She had always been resourceful, but this—this was a force beyond anything she could control. She could feel it pressing against her chest, urging her to embrace it, to become it. But how could she? She wasn't ready.
Kaida found herself standing at the edge of the marketplace, watching the hustle and bustle of the city. It was the same scene she had seen hundreds of times, yet today it felt strangely distant. Her eyes drifted over the familiar vendors, the children running in the streets, the figures huddled in the corners, all oblivious to the storm that raged within her.
A shiver ran down her spine. She turned quickly, instinctively, only to come face to face with a familiar figure. Warren.
He stood a few steps away, his expression unreadable. The ever-present tension in the air was thicker now, the weight of unsaid words pressing between them like a physical barrier. Kaida's heart quickened, but she fought the instinct to run, to retreat into the shadows where she could hide from everything that was changing.
Warren's gaze was steady as it locked onto hers. He didn't approach immediately, sensing the wariness in her stance. But there was something different in his eyes, something that made her stomach tighten. There was concern there, yes, but there was also something else—something that hinted at a deeper understanding.
"Kaida," he said softly, his voice cutting through the din of the marketplace. "We need to talk."
She crossed her arms defensively, trying to quell the sudden surge of emotion that bubbled up at the sound of his voice. "I don't want to talk to you."
Warren's lips tightened, but he didn't back down. "I know you're scared. You should be. But running from this—running from yourself—isn't going to make it go away."
Her eyes narrowed. "You think I'm scared?"
"I think you're scared of losing control. And I think that scares you more than anything."
Kaida stepped forward, her voice low but sharp. "You don't know anything about me. You don't know what I'm feeling."
Warren's expression softened, and for a moment, it felt like he was seeing through the walls she had spent years building around herself. "I know enough to know that you're not the same person you were before you found out what you really are. And that's okay. But you need to accept it. Accept yourself."
Her breath hitched at the weight of his words. Kaida didn't want to admit it, didn't want to acknowledge the truth, but the reality was inescapable. Since the tattoo had begun to burn, since the voice of the God of Dragons had spoken to her, nothing in her life felt the same. She had always prided herself on being in control, on being the one who made her own choices. But now, she was being told that her fate had already been written—that she was destined to be something greater than she ever imagined. She wasn't ready for that. She wasn't ready to let go of who she had been to become someone—or something—else.
"I didn't ask for this," Kaida said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "I didn't ask for any of this."
Warren stepped closer, his voice gentle yet firm. "You don't have to ask for it. It's a part of you now. It's been inside you all along, Kaida. You just didn't know it. The dragon's power—it's been waiting for you. For this moment."
Kaida shook her head, as if denying it would make it all go away. "I'm not a dragon."
"No," Warren agreed, "you're not. But you carry the power of dragons within you. And that power is waking up. Whether you want it or not."
Kaida's hands balled into fists at her sides. She felt the heat of the tattoo flare against her skin, and her body tensed as if the power inside her was trying to force its way out. She clenched her jaw, trying to suppress it, but the surge was too strong.
"Make it stop!" she hissed, taking a step back as if putting distance between herself and the power would somehow stop the storm raging within her.
Warren reached out, his hand gently grasping her arm. "It won't stop until you learn to control it. Until you accept it, Kaida."
Her chest rose and fell with each strained breath. She could feel the power beginning to rise again, like a wave crashing against the shore. She wasn't ready. She couldn't be ready. There had to be another way. There had to be another way to avoid this—this destiny she had never asked for.
But then, something inside her snapped. She could feel the dragon's essence, calling to her, pulling at the very fabric of her being. The fire. The flames. The power. She couldn't fight it anymore.
She let out a strangled cry, and in that moment, it all exploded from within her.
The force of the release knocked her back against the nearby stone wall. Her body was engulfed in a burst of energy, and the air around her crackled with raw power. Warren stumbled back, eyes wide as he watched her.
Kaida felt the fire inside her surging, uncontained and wild, but now there was something different—something that felt like control. The flames of the power didn't burn her. They didn't consume her. They responded to her, as if acknowledging her as their master. She could feel them bending to her will, flowing in streams of heat and light around her, but not overwhelming her. For the first time, it felt right.
When the energy finally subsided, Kaida stood, her chest heaving as she stared at her hands, now glowing with a faint, golden hue. She was still shaking, but the fire within her had settled, and in its place was a strange sense of calm.
Warren stepped closer, his voice filled with awe. "You did it."
Kaida didn't respond. She could still feel the power within her, but it no longer felt like a threat. It was hers. She had claimed it. She had become the vessel, but she was also the one in control.
"What happens now?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
Warren didn't answer right away. Instead, he watched her, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and steady. "Now, we move forward. Now, you learn how to use that power to change everything. To save everything."
Kaida turned her gaze to the horizon. The sun was beginning to set, casting the undercity in a warm, golden light. For a moment, she felt a sense of peace—peace she hadn't known in years. But deep down, she knew that peace was fleeting. There were still choices to be made. And the fire inside her, while under her control for now, was not something that would go away.
"Let's go," Kaida said, her voice resolute. "There's no turning back now."
Warren nodded, and together, they walked toward the unknown.