Heir of the Dragon’s Blood

4 : The Hidden Village

Elden was still sitting, breathing heavily. The dream felt so real, as if he had truly stood before the massive black dragon speaking to him. Its words echoed in his mind, "You have awakened, my heir."

Kaelar watched him with a calm expression, as if he had expected this to happen. Elden swallowed hard, trying to steady himself before asking, "What does all of this mean? Why did I dream about that dragon?"

Kaelar sighed. "That was no mere dream, Elden. It was a call from your bloodline. The dragon within you is beginning to recognize your presence, and it is trying to speak with you."

Elden frowned. "So... there's a dragon inside me?"

Kaelar nodded. "Dragon blood is not just about power, it is a legacy of the soul. Every heir of dragon blood will experience a moment like this, where their ancestral dragon reaches out to them in a dream to test their readiness."

Elden stared at his own hands, trying to comprehend what was happening to him. It felt as if he was walking a dark path with no idea where to step next.

Before he could ask anything more, Kaelar suddenly stood up, his expression turning wary.

"Someone's coming," he whispered.

Elden immediately tensed. 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 went rigid. They had found his trail. Without wasting a moment, Kaelar signaled for Elden to follow. They needed to get out of the cave before they were surrounded. Swiftly and silently, they slipped out, heading westward into the denser part of the forest. Elden tried to control his breathing, making sure he didn't make a sound.

But after just a few steps, a shout rang out behind them.

"There they are! Don’t let them escape!"

Elden heard the pounding of footsteps rushing closer. An arrow whizzed past his head, embedding itself into a nearby tree.

"They've spotted us!" Elden cried.

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

Elden gritted his teeth and pushed himself forward. But the soldiers were closing in quickly, their pursuit aided by horses and tracking hounds.

It didn’t take long before Elden heard a thunderous sound from behind, someone was chasing him at an inhuman speed. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a silver-haired man with piercing, wolf-like eyes sprinting toward him with impossible swiftness.

Kaelar sensed the danger. "Elden, watch out!"

Too late. Before Elden could react, the man was already in front of him, swinging his sword. Elden barely had time to raise his arms to defend himself. And suddenly, fire exploded from his palms. The silver-haired man leaped back in shock, narrowly avoiding the blast of flames.

Elden collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. He hadn’t meant to use his power, it had simply erupted on its own when he felt threatened. Kaelar didn’t waste the opportunity. He grabbed Elden by the arm and pulled him to his feet. "We need to go! Now!"

Elden didn’t argue. They bolted back into the forest, leaving the silver-haired man standing behind them, his expression unreadable. The man brushed off the slight burns on his cloak and smirked.

"Interesting," he murmured. "The boy is beginning to awaken."

Elden and Kaelar finally broke free from the forest, arriving at a cliff overlooking a raging river below.

Kaelar glanced back to make sure they weren’t being followed. "We have to cross the river. They won’t be able to track us in the water."

Elden eyed the roaring current and swallowed hard. "Do we really have to jump?"

Kaelar clapped him on the shoulder. "Trust me. There’s no other choice."

Elden took a deep breath, then nodded.

"Get ready," Kaelar said. "Three… two… one!"

They jumped.

The icy river engulfed them instantly, pulling them into its powerful current. Elden struggled to swim, but the force was too strong. He felt himself being dragged under, his breath slipping away. Then, suddenly, something inside him reacted. The dragon mark on his arm began to glow faintly, and he felt his body become lighter in the water.

It was as if the river was no longer resisting him, but guiding him. With a single push, he broke the surface, gulping in air. Beside him, Kaelar surfaced as well, looking pleased.

"Good," Kaelar said. "You're starting to connect with your power."

Elden still panted for breath, but something felt different. It was as if his body was beginning to understand the power within him. They swam to the riverbank and climbed onto higher ground. From there, they could see the royal soldiers still searching for them on the opposite side.

Kaelar patted Elden on the back. "For now, we’re safe. But this is just the beginning."

Elden nodded. He knew their journey was far from over. Greater dangers awaited them ahead.

Elden sat on a large rock by the river, still catching his breath from the ordeal. His body was exhausted, but his mind was racing. He had nearly been captured. If not for the power inside him awakening, he might already be dead.

Beside him, Kaelar stood watch, scanning the river with sharp eyes, ever alert for danger. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "We can’t stay here for long. The royal soldiers will find a way across."

Elden nodded slowly. "Where do we go now?"

Kaelar turned to him. "There’s a village to the north, not far from here. It’s outside the kingdom’s direct control. We can find shelter there for a while."

Elden swallowed. "Won’t they recognize us?"

Kaelar smirked. "Not everyone bows to the kingdom, Elden. There are those who still resist. But we’ll have to be careful."

Elden sighed. He still didn’t fully understand the world beyond his small village. His whole life had been simple, hunting, living in peace, never worrying about being chased by royal soldiers. Now, he was a fugitive, trying to survive in a world much larger and more dangerous than he had ever imagined. Without another word, they started walking north.

They moved through the thickening forest as night began to fall. The hoot of an owl echoed in the distance, blending with the whispering wind through the trees.

Elden’s mind was swirling with questions. But one weighed on him the most. "Kaelar," he finally spoke, "why are you helping me?"

Kaelar glanced at him before answering. "Because I’ve seen this happen before."

Elden frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kaelar sighed. "I once knew someone like you. An heir of dragon blood, also hunted by the kingdom."

Elden tensed. "What happened to them?"

Kaelar was silent for a moment before answering in a low voice, "They didn’t make it."

The words hit Elden like a heavy weight.

"I won’t let the same thing happen to you," Kaelar continued. "That’s why I’m helping you. I refuse to repeat my past mistakes."

Elden stared at Kaelar, searching for the truth in his words. He didn’t know who Kaelar had lost, but it was clear the man carried deep regret.

After a moment, Elden finally said, "I won’t give up. I’ll survive, no matter what."

Kaelar turned to him and gave a small, approving smile. "Good. Hold on to that resolve."

They continued their journey in silence until a faint glow appeared in the distance. The village was near.

 

The village was much smaller than Elden’s old home, but it looked lively. Oil lamps flickered outside wooden houses, and the sounds of people talking drifted from the buildings.

Kaelar and Elden stopped at the village’s edge, surveying their surroundings. "We need to keep a low profile," Kaelar whispered. "Follow my lead."

Elden nodded, trailing behind him. They passed several houses before arriving at a small, quiet inn. Kaelar knocked three times in a specific pattern. After a moment, the door opened, revealing an elderly woman with sharp eyes and graying hair. She studied Kaelar, then turned her gaze to Elden.

"Kaelar," she said in a firm yet gentle voice. "It’s been a long time."