Six Years Later...
Aeron was now sixteen.
No longer the small boy who found a dragon in a cave. He had grown. Not just in size, but in strength. But Draco? Oh... he had grown massively, now over five tis Aeron’s size. Its wings were enormous, and its scales sparkled silver. It was the most breathtaking creature anyone could ever imagine.
But still... still, it remained gentle with him. It still nuzzled him when it was happy. Still lowered its head so he could pat it. Waited for him every day and played with him.
They had created their own world in that cave. A bond that no one else could understand.
And Aeron? He had been spending more and more ti inside the cave and was training in it.
Yes, training it... How to fly and how to breathe fire in a safe direction. Though Draco hadn’t flown yet, it actually refused to leave the cave altogether. But it could breathe a little fire now.
And still... no one knew.
No one in the entire village had any idea that hidden deep inside one of their mountains... lived a powerful, full-grown silver dragon, and a boy who loved him like a brother.
But change was coming. Deep inside, Aeron knew this secret couldn’t stay hidden forever...
One morning, Ronan went into the forest with his bow. He was hunting, as usual, trying to spot anything that moved. Yvarra was with him, just like old tis. She wasn’t holding a bow; she just walked beside him, humming softly and swatting at flies.
Suddenly, Aeron showed up.
He had his own bow slung across his back, breathing slightly heavier from running. Yvara saw him and smiled a little, but Ronan didn’t even look his way.
"Thought I’d join," Aeron said casually as he adjusted his grip on his bow.
Ronan gave a short nod, while his eyes were still scanning the bush ahead.
The three of them moved quietly through the trees. The silence between Aeron and Ronan was awkward and tense.
Then, movent.
A small boar darted out from between the trees and sprinted across an open patch of land. Ronan and Aeron raised their bows at the sa ti. Without saying anything, they shot.
Aeron’s arrow missed by a long shot, completely off target.
But Ronan’s? It hit dead on. Right in the neck. The boar tumbled forward and collapsed.
"Whoa!" Aeron shouted, genuinely impressed. "How... how did you do that?! From that far?"
Ronan still didn’t look at him. He simply walked over to where the boar lay and pulled his arrow out.
Aeron followed. "Hey, hello? That was insane! Seriously, how’d you land that shot?" No response.
"Okay, what is with you lately?" Aeron asked, annoyed. "You’ve been acting like this for long now. If you have a problem with , just say it."
Ronan turned slowly with a blank expression, but the anger in his voice was clear.
"A problem with you?" he said. "You think I have a problem?"
Aeron blinked. "Well... yeah."
Ronan laughed, but it wasn’t a happy laugh. "That’s rich. Coming from the guy who disappears every other day. Hiding in so weird cave like a ghost."
Aeron frowned. "It’s not like that."
Ronan stepped closer. "You think you’re the only one going through stuff? You’ve shut everyone out, Aeron. We used to train together. We used to do everything together. Now all you do is vanish."
Aeron opened his mouth to respond, but Ronan didn’t stop.
"You want to know why I’m better at archery now?" he said. "It’s because I’ve been out here. Practicing. Every damn day. While you’ve been off chasing fairy tales and talking about dragons like you live in so old storybook."
Aeron’s voice cracked. "I didn’t an to push anyone away."
"But you did," Ronan said. "You left. You left us."
Aeron turned to Yvarra. His voice was lower now, almost pleading.
"Do you believe that?" he asked her. "You really think I’ve been... distant on purpose?"
Yvarra’s eyes softened, but her answer was gentle and honest.
She said quietly. "You’ve changed, Aeron. You barely talk to us anymore. And when you do, you talk about things that don’t even make sense, myths, creatures... like your mind is sowhere else."
"I..." Aeron paused, at a loss for words.
Yvara took a step closer. "I don’t know what’s going on in your head, or where you go every ti you disappear... but I miss you," she said. "We miss you."
Aeron froze. His mouth opened slightly, but no words ca out. He didn’t even know what to say. He was still trying to make sense of everything when he noticed sothing behind Yvarra.
His eyes widened.
There, just beyond the trees, so n on horses were charging towards them. Their faces were half-covered in dirty clothes, and their clothes looked ripped and stained with blood. So carried rusty machetes, others had spears, and hamrs. Around their necks were necklaces made of teeth, human or animal, no one could tell.
They were running straight at them.
"Yvarra," Aeron said in a shaky voice as his eyes were still fixed on the group. "We have to run. Now."
Yvarra turned to look. Her face went pale. In one quick motion, Aeron grabbed her wrist with his right hand, still holding his arrow in his left.
Ronan, hearing the panic in Aeron’s voice, turned, and the mont he saw them, he didn’t hesitate.
They all ran.
The dry leaves crunched beneath their feet as they pushed through the thick forest. But the bandits were fast. Too fast. The sound of their horses kept getting closer.
"They’re catching up!" Ronan yelled, panting heavily. "They’ll take us if we don’t do sothing!"
"We won’t outrun them all the way to the village!" Aeron shouted back. Then he turned to Yvarra. "Listen! I’ll create a detour with Ronan. You go to the village. Get help. Call your dad!"
Yvarra shook her head, her voice panicked. "No! No, please, we can make it together!"
"No, we can’t," Ronan said firmly. "We don’t have a choice. Do it."
Before she could protest again, they pushed her forward. "Go!" Aeron shouted.
Yvarra stumbled, then ran, tears in her eyes.
Ronan and Aeron split off into different paths, they knew this forest better than anyone. They had their bows and their arrows. And this ti, they had no room for mistakes.
Ronan turned first, drew an arrow, and got a hit. He had pulled one of the bandits down.
Aeron turned quickly, drew an arrow, and fired... Miss.
He ran again. Another turn. Another shot, missed again.
"Damn it!" he cursed.
He stopped, focused, pulled the string back, aid, and released.
The arrow flew through the air with a strange energy... and struck a bandit in the chest.
The man scread. Not just from the wound, but because flas burst across his chest where the arrow landed. His clothes caught fire. Aeron gasped.
Then, he heard it again. That voice.
[IGNIS FANG SYSTEM – UNLOCKED]
« Triggered: First Kill in Combat »
| Weapon Infused with Fla
| Physical Strikes Now Cause Burn Damage
| Can Summon Spectral Fire Blade
Aeron’s shimred for a second. He didn’t understand what had just happened. Ronan who was a few trees away, saw it too.
"What the?" he muttered. "How did an arrow burn soone?"
He turned to Aeron, but before he could ask anything, a shadow lood behind him.
"RONAN!" Aeron scread. "Behind you!"
But it was already too late. The bandit’s machete was in the air, just inches from Ronan’s neck.
Then... CLANG!
Out of nowhere, a silver blur cut across the scene. A tall figure landed between them, raised his sword and in one clean motion, he sliced through the attacker. The bandit dropped, lifeless.
The figure straightened slowly, and Ronan whispered, stunned - Dad
"..."
"..."
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