The morning sky in Windfall village looked grim, despite the arrival of spring. A thin mist hung over the wheat fields, creating an eerie atmosphere. Kaelan, a twenty-year-old young man, stood at the edge of the field with a hoe in his hand. He stared far into the forest in the distance, sensing something unusual in the air.
"Kaelan! Stop standing there!" His father, Harwin, snapped him out of his trance. Harwin, though fifty years old, was still strong and firm. "We need to finish the field before the rain comes."
Kaelan nodded slowly, but his eyes remained fixed on the forest. There was something there—a sound, perhaps just the wind, but it sounded like a whisper. He felt as though he were being called, though he didn't know by what.
As he began to till the earth, a distant rumble echoed from the forest. He paused, listening intently. The rumble sounded like heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
"Father, did you hear that?" Kaelan asked.
Harwin turned, furrowing his brow. "Hear what?"
"That sound... it's like something big is moving in the forest."
Harwin looked warily toward the woods, then shook his head. "It's probably just the wind. Don't think about strange things, Kaelan."
But Kaelan couldn't shake the feeling. The sound grew clearer, as if it was drawing closer. His heartbeat quickened.
As the rumbling grew louder, the birds around the forest flew off in a frenzy, signaling that something was disturbing them. Kaelan swallowed nervously, a bad feeling creeping over him.
"Kaelan, get back to the house, now!" Harwin suddenly shouted, his voice commanding.
"What's going on, Father?"
"No time to explain! Quickly!" Harwin started walking briskly toward the house, leaving the field behind. Kaelan, confused, followed him, fear beginning to take hold.
As they neared the house, the rumble transformed into a roar that shook the air. The roar was terrifying, filled with an unnatural power. Kaelan turned toward the forest, his eyes wide.
From behind the trees, emerged a massive creature with glistening black scales, its red eyes glowing like burning embers. Its enormous wings beat the air, sending gusts of wind, and its mouth, filled with sharp teeth, let out a deafening growl.
"A dragon..." Kaelan whispered, his body frozen.
Harwin grabbed Kaelan's arm tightly. "Into the house, now!"
They rushed into their small home, where Kaelan's mother, Lira, was waiting with a panicked look on her face. She held a small leather pouch that seemed heavy.
"What's happening?" Kaelan asked, panting.
"The dragon..." Lira said, her voice trembling. "This isn't a coincidence, Kaelan. It's come for you."
Kaelan stared at his mother in disbelief. "For me? What do you mean?"
Harwin immediately took a rusty old sword from the wall, its blade worn but still sharp. "There's no time for explanations. Kaelan, listen carefully. You need to leave here."
"What? I can't leave you!" Kaelan protested.
"You must!" Harwin shouted, his eyes full of resolve. "The dragon won't stop until it finds you. If you stay, we will all die."
Kaelan's head spun. "But why? What does this dragon have to do with me?"
Lira walked up to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "My son, there's much we haven't told you. You're not just an ordinary farmer. This sword..." She pointed to the sword Harwin was holding. "It belonged to your ancestors. They were dragon slayers, protectors of this world."
Kaelan shook his head, disbelief written across his face. "That's just a legend, stories to scare children."
"It's real, Kaelan," Harwin said firmly. "And now, the dragons are back. They know who you are, and they want to make sure you can't fight back."
The dragon's roar echoed again, much closer this time. Their house trembled as if it might collapse.
"There's no time left," Harwin said, opening a wooden floor panel to reveal a hidden underground tunnel. "Use this to escape. Head north, to Eldwyn Fortress. Find Ardyn. He'll tell you everything."
Kaelan hesitated, but there was no other choice. He took the old sword from Harwin's hands, its weight making his hands shake. "I'll come back for you," he said quietly.
Harwin patted his shoulder. "We'll be waiting for you. Now go!"
Reluctantly, Kaelan entered the tunnel. As he moved deeper into the darkness, the sound of the dragon grew louder, followed by thundering impacts that shook the house above.
At the end of the tunnel, Kaelan emerged at the edge of the village, where he could see thick black smoke rising into the sky. The screams of the villagers mixed with the terrifying roars of the dragon. He wanted to go back, but his father's words echoed in his mind.
"Eldwyn Fortress," he murmured. "I have to go there."
Kaelan began to run northward, leaving the ruined village behind. The cold wind whipped against his face, but he did not stop. Behind him, the dragon's roars still echoed in the sky, like a shadow that continued to loom.
Deep in the forest, something began to awaken. An ancient power, hidden for centuries, was now stirring. And unbeknownst to Kaelan, his steps toward his new fate had already begun.