In a bid to evade the bullies and unnecessary interactions, Andre had left school earlier as always. Asides this, he was eager to try out something new, the dragon's words ringing over and over in his head.
"The flame is a part of you now. You can only learn to control it." The dream replayed over and again.
The warmth in his chest a steady thrum that he had come to be familiar with, seemed to be in agreement.
Andre didn't know how to control it, but he couldn't sit idle and wait for answers to come to him. The flame felt alive, a restless force demanding to be wielded. He needed space, freedom to explore what it meant.
By the time Andre finally found the time to slip away from home, the sun had begun to dip down the horizon. On getting to his spot, he stopped to catch his breath, the crisp air filling his lungs.
As he stood there, the warmth in his chest pulsed suddenly, sharper than before. Andre staggered, clutching his chest. It wasn't pain, but it wasn't comfortable either; a tugging sensation, as if something deep within him was being drawn forward.
"What now?" Andre muttered.
The sensation didn't subside. Instead, it seemed to guide him, pulling him toward the mountains.
Andre hesitated. The mountain was a region only experienced mages ventured as it was considered immensely dangerous for people under the Marquise Class.
The flame usually burned like crazy but this… this felt different. It was instinctual, almost primal, as though the flame within him knew something he didn't.
Andre judged that with his current strength, he could not take on an Earl class beast with a guarantee of making it out alive. With a resigned sigh, he advanced deeper into the woods toward the mountains.
***
The journey was arduous. The terrain grew steeper and more treacherous as Andre ascended, the air thinning with each step. But the tugging in his chest didn't waver, driving him forward even as his legs ached and his lungs burned.
Luckily, he hadn't encountered any beast whatsoever. In contrast to the stories he had about the mountains, he was doing good so far.
After transversing several miles, Andre reached a narrow plateau. He paused to rest, collapsing onto a boulder. The wind howled around him, carrying with it the scent of snow and pine.
He closed his eyes, letting the warmth in his chest spread through his body. It was comforting in a way, like a small hearth against the mountain's chill.
The fire in his chest burned like it was trying to communicate with him. If there was something Andre had learned over the past few weeks, it was to listen to the flame. Closing his eyes to further enhance communication between him and the flame. It seemed to him, the flame was trying to tell him, he was in the right spot.
When he opened his eyes, something caught his attention; a faint glow emanating from a nearby crevice in the rock face. It was subtle but unmistakable.
Andre rose to his feet, his heart racing. The warmth in his chest surged, urging him toward the light. He approached cautiously, squeezing through the narrow opening.
The crevice widened into a cavern that seemed to stretch on for miles on end, its walls jagged with rocks sticking out like spears at various angles. The cavern was dark, save for the glowing object rested at the center of the chamber - a pendant suspended in midair - glowing with an otherworldly light.
It was an amulet, its centerpiece a crystalline orb encased in intricate metalwork, with runic symbols etched into it reminding him of the coin.The light within the orb pulsed rhythmically, mirroring the beat of Andre's heart.
He stepped closer, his breath catching. The warmth in his chest flared, almost painfully, as though the flame recognized the amulet.
Andre hesitated, his instincts warring with his reason. Everything about the amulet screamed immense power, but with power came consequences. He thought of the coin and the flame it had awakened within him. Was this another burden, another curse disguised as a gift? The amulet gave him a feeling of being a part of himself which confused him further.
Before he could second-guess himself, his hand shot forward, grasping the amulet.
The moment his fingers closed around it, the cavern was filled with blinding light. Andre cried out in pain, his body wracked with intense heat and energy. The flame within him roared to life, a tidal wave of power surging through his veins.
The flame shot out, encompassing the whole cavern. Images flooded his mind; ancient battles waged in fire and light, figures wielding both the flame and the amulet to shape the world. He saw mountains crumbling, forests igniting, and oceans boiling under the weight of their power.
The visions ended abruptly, leaving Andre gasping for air. Before completely passing out, Andre could make out a figure identical to the one he had seen in his dream; the dragon that had spoken to him, Kael.
"Was this real?" The last question that had popped into his head before completely slumping on the floor of the cavern.