Heir of the Dragon’s Blood

3 : The Awakening Flame

Elden was still staring at his palm, his breath ragged after what had just happened. He had never experienced anything like this before. He had always thought of himself as just an ordinary young man from a small village, not someone who could wield fire.

Kaelar, sitting across from him, gave a slight smile. "This is just the beginning, Elden. If you don’t learn to control it, that power could become your weapon… or your downfall."

Elden swallowed hard. "How do I control it?"

Kaelar crossed his arms. "Just like controlling your breath. You can’t force it, but you can guide it. You must understand the power, not fight against it."

Elden furrowed his brow. He wasn’t sure he could do it. When the fire had erupted from his hands earlier, it felt uncontrollable, an untamed explosion bursting from within him. If he wasn’t careful, he could burn himself… or worse, the people around him.

Kaelar seemed to sense his unease. "Don’t fear your own power, Elden. Fear will only make it wilder."

Elden took a deep breath. He had to try again.

He closed his eyes, feeling the mark on his arm begin to warm. Just like before, he sensed something surging inside him, like embers being fanned by the wind. But this time, he didn’t let it explode.

Instead, he imagined the fire as a part of him, not something foreign, but something he could shape and control.

Suddenly, he felt heat in his palm again, but this time, it was different. There was no explosion, just a small flame flickering above his skin. It felt warm but not painful.

Elden opened his eyes, astonished to see the fire hovering in his hand. It moved with his fingers, flowing like water in a stream.

"Good," Kaelar said, his voice filled with satisfaction. "You’re starting to understand its essence."

A small smile formed on Elden’s lips, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "I did it…"

Kaelar nodded. "But this is only the first step. There is still much to learn."

Elden nodded in agreement. He knew this journey was just beginning.

That night, Elden and Kaelar continued training. Kaelar taught him how to wield the fire more effectively, how to shape it into something more than just a flickering flame.

Elden learned that the fire within him was not just a wild force, it was something he could control with focus and will. But he also realized that using it drained his energy quickly.

"The more you practice, the less energy it will take," Kaelar said, sitting on a rock. "For now, you’re like a child learning to walk."

Elden sighed. "So, when will I be able to use this power without getting exhausted?"

Kaelar chuckled. "That depends on how hard you train."

Elden couldn't help but smile slightly. For the first time since fleeing his village, he felt a sense of purpose. He wanted to master this power, not just to survive, but to uncover the truth about who he really was.

But even in the stillness of the night, danger loomed.

Far away, deep within the forest, a group of royal soldiers camped beneath the moonlight. One of them, a silver-haired man with eyes as sharp as a wolf’s, stood near the fire, studying a map in his hands.

"He can’t have gone far," he murmured. "No village boy could escape us so easily."

Another soldier approached. "Lord Valdrik, his tracks lead northwest. But he’s not alone. Someone is with him."

Valdrik, the leader of the hunting party, narrowed his eyes. "Someone?"

The soldier nodded. "We found another set of footprints, larger and deeper. Likely a warrior or a trained fighter."

Valdrik scoffed. "Interesting. If the boy has help, we’ll need to move faster."

He gazed into the dark forest. Elden might have escaped for now, but he wouldn’t run forever.

Valdrik was the kingdom’s best hunter, and he wouldn’t stop until his target was caught… or dead.

Meanwhile, inside a cave, Elden was fast asleep after his exhausting training. But his sleep was anything but peaceful.

He found himself in a strange place, an endless plain under a blood-red sky. Around him, flames roared, and in the distance, a massive shadow loomed.

A dragon.

Its scales were black as obsidian, its golden eyes burning like embers. When it spoke, its voice rumbled like thunder.

"You have awakened, my heir."

Elden’s body trembled. "Who… who are you?"

"I am the legacy that flows in your blood. The power that has long slumbered is now stirring."

Elden looked down at his hands and saw fire engulfing his body, but strangely, it did not burn or harm him.

"But great power always comes at a cost," the dragon’s voice echoed. "And your time to choose your path is drawing near."

Suddenly, everything blurred. The fire, the crimson sky, the dragon itself vanished like smoke in the wind.

Elden awoke with a gasp, his forehead drenched in sweat. He sat up, staring at his hands as if expecting to see the flames from his dream.

Kaelar, sitting not far away, watched him with calm eyes. "A dream about a dragon?" he asked.

Elden turned to him, eyes wide. "How do you know?"

Kaelar gave a knowing smile. "Because you’re not the first to have it."

Elden swallowed hard. What did it all mean? Who was the dragon in his dream?

And more importantly… what path was he supposed to choose?

Elden sat in silence, still catching his breath. The dream felt so real, as if he had truly stood before that massive black dragon. Its words echoed in his mind: "You have awakened, my heir."

Kaelar observed him with his usual calm expression, as if he had expected this to happen. Elden swallowed, trying to steady himself before asking, "What does this mean? Why am I dreaming of that dragon?"

Kaelar sighed. "It’s not just a dream, Elden. It’s a call from your lineage. The dragon inside you is beginning to recognize you, and it’s trying to speak to you."

Elden furrowed his brows. "So… there’s a dragon inside me?"

Kaelar nodded. "Dragon blood isn’t just about power, it’s about legacy. Every dragon-blooded heir experiences this moment, where their ancestral dragon reaches out to test their readiness."

Elden stared at his hands, trying to grasp what was happening to him. He felt as if he was walking a dark path with no clear direction ahead.

But before he could ask further, Kaelar suddenly stood up, his expression turning alert.

"Someone’s coming," he whispered.

Elden tensed immediately. He grabbed his bow and scanned the area, but Kaelar was already moving toward the cave entrance, peering outside.

In the distance, footsteps echoed through the forest. Not just one or two, many.

Kaelar hissed under his breath. "Royal soldiers."

Elden’s body stiffened. They had found his trail.

Without hesitation, Kaelar signaled for Elden to follow. They had to leave before they were surrounded.

Silently, they slipped out of the cave, heading west toward the denser part of the forest. Elden held his breath, trying not to make a sound.

But before they got far, a shout rang out from behind them.

"There! Don’t let them escape!"

Elden heard footsteps rushing toward them. An arrow whizzed past his head, embedding itself in a tree.

"They’ve seen us!" Elden called.

Kaelar didn’t answer, he only ran faster. "Don’t stop! We have to lose them!"

Elden gritted his teeth and kept running. But the soldiers were fast, chasing them with horses and tracking hounds.

And among them, moving faster than any human should, was Valdrik.

Kaelar noticed him and shouted, "Elden, watch out!"

Too late. Before Elden could react, Valdrik was already upon him, sword swinging.

Elden barely had time to raise his hands.

And suddenly, fire exploded from his palms.