The once-vibrant streets of Starshine City now felt like a distant memory as Denver trudged through the dense forest on the outskirts. The guards had dumped him at the edge of the wilderness, leaving him with nothing but the clothes on his back and the mysterious blue egg clutched tightly in his hands.
The weight of his father's words still echoed in his mind. "From this day forward, he is no longer a part of the royal family."
The forest was eerily quiet, save for the crunch of twigs beneath his boots. Shadows danced among the towering trees as the sun began to set. Denver stumbled to a halt near a rocky outcrop, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. He looked at the egg, its faint blue glow a small comfort in the growing darkness.
"You're all I have now," he muttered bitterly, staring at the egg. "You were supposed to be my spirit, my pride. And now… look where we are."
A sudden rustling in the bushes jolted him from his thoughts. Denver shot to his feet, his body tense. His noble upbringing had given him little experience with real danger. He had never felt this vulnerable before.
Out of the shadows emerged a figure—a girl, no older than him, with fiery red hair and piercing green eyes. She was clad in a tattered cloak, her hands holding a makeshift spear. Her gaze flicked from Denver to the glowing egg, a mixture of curiosity and suspicion on her face.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp and confident. "And why are you carrying… that?"
Denver hesitated. He wasn't used to being questioned, especially not by someone who looked like they had spent their life in the wilderness. "I'm…" He paused, the words catching in his throat. "No longer a part of the royal family." The truth stung.
"None of your business," he finally snapped. "Leave me alone."
The girl raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by his tone. "Suit yourself. But if you're wandering around here with that glowing thing, you're going to attract a lot of attention. And not the good kind."
As if on cue, a low growl echoed through the forest. Denver and the girl froze, their eyes darting toward the source of the sound. Emerging from the shadows was a massive beast, its glowing yellow eyes locked onto them. Its fur bristled, and sharp fangs glinted in the moonlight.
The girl cursed under her breath. "A Shadow Wolf. Great. Just what I needed."
Denver's heart raced. He clutched the egg tighter, his mind frantically searching for a plan. "What do we do?" he asked, his voice betraying his fear.
The girl glanced at him, her expression a mix of determination and exasperation. "We fight. Unless you want to end up as wolf food.
The Shadow Wolf's growl grew louder, echoing through the darkened forest. Denver's grip on the glowing blue egg tightened as the beast's yellow eyes locked onto him. It was massive, with muscles rippling under its dark fur, its sharp fangs bared as it crouched low, ready to pounce.
Denver's heart hammered in his chest. For all his training and royal upbringing, he had never faced a real threat like this. Fear paralyzed him. The weight of humiliation and exile still bore heavily on his shoulders, clouding his judgment.
"Hey, noble boy!" The girl's sharp voice cut through his panic. "Snap out of it! If you stand there gawking, we're both dead."
Denver blinked, turning to the girl. She was already moving, her spear poised and her green eyes gleaming with determination. In her tattered cloak, she looked like she belonged in this wild world, like she had fought for her life countless times before. He, on the other hand, was completely out of his element.
"What do we do?" he stammered, his voice unsteady.
"We fight," she said without hesitation, her tone fierce. "Or you can keep holding that shiny egg and pray it hatches in the next ten seconds."
Before Denver could respond, the Shadow Wolf lunged, its massive form a blur of dark fur and fangs. The girl darted forward with surprising speed, her spear aimed at the beast's side. She managed to graze its flank, but the wolf twisted mid-air and lashed out with a clawed paw. The force of the blow sent her sprawling to the ground.
"Get back!" she shouted, coughing as she scrambled to her feet.
Denver's legs felt like lead. His mind raced. What am I doing? I'm supposed to be stronger than this. I'm supposed to have a spirit to protect me. He glanced at the egg in his arms, its glow steady but faint. Why won't you hatch?
The wolf turned its attention to Denver now, its eyes narrowing. A low snarl rumbled from its throat as it prepared to strike again. Denver's grip on the egg tightened. If I don't act, we're dead.
The girl's voice cut through his thoughts again, sharp and desperate. "Throw the egg! Use it as bait if you have to!"
"No!" Denver shouted, surprising even himself. The idea of sacrificing the egg—the last remnant of his shattered destiny—was unthinkable. "There has to be another way."
The wolf lunged again, and instinct finally took over. Denver dove to the side, clutching the egg protectively. He hit the ground hard, the impact jarring his body, but the egg remained intact. The wolf skidded to a halt, growling in frustration.
The girl, now back on her feet, moved to Denver's side. "You've got guts, I'll give you that," she muttered, her voice tinged with grudging respect. "But guts won't save us. Do you have any weapons? Anything?"
Denver shook his head. "Nothing. Just… this." He held up the egg, its glow faintly pulsing.
The girl frowned, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the egg. "That's not just any spirit egg, is it?"
Before Denver could answer, a sudden surge of energy radiated from the egg. The faint blue glow intensified, bathing the surrounding area in light. The Shadow Wolf froze, its growl faltering as it stared at the egg, its ears flattening in confusion.
"What's happening?" Denver whispered, his voice filled with awe and fear.
The egg began to crack.
A series of thin, jagged lines spread across its surface, and the light from within grew brighter. Denver's heart raced. Is this it? Is it finally hatching?
The wolf took a cautious step back, its instincts warning it of the power emanating from the egg. The girl tightened her grip on her spear, her expression a mixture of wonder and wariness. "Whatever's in there," she said, "it better be on our side."
With a final, resounding crack, the shell of the egg shattered. For a moment, the light was blinding, forcing Denver and the girl to shield their eyes. When it faded, they lowered their hands, their gazes locking onto the creature now hovering in the air before them.
It was small—barely the size of a hawk—but its presence was undeniable. Its scales shimmered like silver lightning, and its wings, though still growing, crackled with tiny arcs of electricity. Its eyes, a striking shade of stormy gray, glowed with intelligence far beyond its apparent age.
"A… dragon," the girl breathed, her voice filled with awe.
The creature let out a soft chirp, tilting its head as it regarded Denver. Then, to his amazement, it flew toward him, landing lightly on his shoulder. The sensation was warm, electric, and oddly comforting.
Denver felt a strange connection—an unspoken bond forming between him and the dragon. For the first time since his exile, a spark of hope flickered in his chest.
The Shadow Wolf, however, was less impressed. It let out a furious roar, charging toward them once more. The dragon, small as it was, reacted instantly. With a sharp cry, it spread its wings and released a burst of lightning that struck the ground in front of the wolf, halting it in its tracks.
The wolf whimpered, its confidence shattered. With one last glare, it turned and fled into the shadows, its tail tucked between its legs.
Denver stared in disbelief. The girl let out a shaky laugh, her grip on her spear relaxing. "Well, noble boy," she said, her tone lighter now. "Looks like your little dragon isn't so useless after all."
Denver looked at the dragon on his shoulder, its bright eyes meeting his. For the first time in what felt like forever, he smiled.
"Yeah," he said softly. "I think we're going to be just fine."