The biting cold of stone against her back jolted Sylvara from a restless sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open, and a dull ache radiated from her stump.
Darkness surrounded her, broken only by the flickering glow of a campfire that cast dancing shadows on the rough walls of a cave.
She grimaced, trying to move, but her body protested—every muscle screaming with fatigue and pain.
A sharp crack made her flinch. Just a few steps away, the human woman crouched by the fire, snapping a branch to feed the flames. Her blonde hair was still tied in a tight bun. Her light armor was stained with sand and orc blood. She turned her head, her blue eyes locking onto Sylvara's.
"You're awake, elf. Tough skin you've got, I'll give you that."
Sylvara tried to sit up, awkwardly propping herself on her right hand. The makeshift tourniquet around her stump was tight, but blood still seeped through, staining the torn fabric of the human's cloak. She drew a deep breath, fighting off the dizziness that threatened to drag her back into unconsciousness.
"Where… are we?"
"A cave, sheltered by the cliffs. Far from the wind that carries the sand." The woman stood, wiping her hands on her trousers. She stepped closer, crouching before Sylvara. "Name's Zora. Adventurer. And you, elf? Got a name?"
Sylvara hesitated, lips pressed tight. "Sylvara." She looked away, fixing her gaze on the flames. "Thank you… for pulling me out of there."
Zora raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Don't mention it. But tell me—what's an elf like you doing so far from the sacred lands? And those orcs… they had no business being in that cove. Too far from their arid plains." She crossed her arms. "You're not here by chance, are you?"
Sylvara clenched her teeth. "That's none of your concern, human. Best you stay out of it."
Zora let out a dry laugh. "Stay out of it? You were seconds away from becoming those orcs' plaything, elf. Look at you." She gestured at Sylvara's stump, the blood-soaked fabric. "Half-dead, and still playing proud."
Sylvara lifted her chin. "I'm no warrior. But I could have managed."
Zora scoffed, settling onto a rock near the fire. "With what? One arm gone and pathetic spells? You muttered a name back there, in your delirium. Damaris. And something about a dragon." She leaned forward. "Where is she?"
Sylvara flinched, her fingers curling into the cave's dusty floor. "You're a fool, human. That's no ordinary dragon. Damaris… Forget it. Forget that name."
Zora narrowed her eyes, her smirk fading. She straightened, one hand resting on the hilt of the curved blade at her hip. "Damaris…" Then her eyes lit up. "Wait. Damaris. One of the Seven Dragon Kings. That's it, isn't it?" She turned to Sylvara. "They say she's awakened. And that the great paladin Aldric is hunting her."
Sylvara said nothing, her gaze fixed on the fire.
The human stepped closer. "You're not so noble yourself, huh? I could've left you to die with those orcs. You know that, right?"
Sylvara met her eyes. "I would have survived. My spells… they helped you, didn't they? Without me, that orc chieftain would have crushed your bones."
Zora barked a biting laugh. "My bones? Look at you, elf—you can barely sit upright. And yet you've got the nerve to lecture me? Elves… always so proud, so arrogant." She tapped the silver plate fastened to her armor. "See this? Silver rank. Not bad for a human, right?"
Sylvara gave a weak chuckle. "Silver? That's pathetic. You really think you stand a chance against Damaris? A dragon queen?"
Zora's face darkened, anger flushing her cheeks. She sprang to her feet, her hand cracking across Sylvara's face in a ringing slap. The sound echoed through the cave, and Sylvara toppled sideways, her vision blurring from the blow.
"I saved you, elf! You owe me your life, and you dare insult me?"
Sylvara slowly pushed herself upright, a red mark blooming on her cheek. She spat a thin line of blood onto the ground. "A mere human… against Damaris?" Her laugh was bitter. "You're going to die."
Zora stepped forward, her fingers closing around Sylvara's throat, pinning her against the cave wall. The cold stone bit into the elf's bare skin, and she groaned as the pain in her stump flared. "Talk, elf. Where is this Damaris?"
Sylvara coughed, struggling for air under the human's grip. Her lips parted: "The cliffs… to the south. A cavern… near the broken peak." She coughed again, her eyes half-closing. "But you're walking to your death, fool."
Zora released her, letting Sylvara slide down the wall. She straightened, wiping her hands on her trousers, a predatory smile stretching across her face. "A dragon queen. If I kill her, I'll be a legend." She rested a hand on her blade. "Thanks for the tip, elf."
Sylvara gave a faint, ragged laugh. "Always the same with you humans. Your pride… your hunger for glory. It'll be your undoing."
Zora turned, her expression hardening. "And you, elf? You with your so-called superiority? You look down on humans, but we're at war—don't forget that." She stepped closer again, her face just inches from Sylvara's. "If I hadn't saved you, you'd be dead. So keep your lessons to yourself."
Sylvara held her gaze, a bitter smile curling her lips. "It's in your nature, human. Always chasing glory, daring what you can't overcome. Damaris will break you."
Zora straightened. "We'll see." She turned away, picking up the two-handed sword leaning against a rock. She strapped it to her back. "Stay here. If you're still alive when I get back, maybe I'll take you home. Or maybe not."
She strode toward the cave's entrance. Without a backward glance, she vanished into the night.
Sylvara was alone.
The pain in her stump throbbed, but she clenched her teeth, her fingers scraping against the stone. She closed her eyes.
"Eavis… ortus…"
A light breeze swirled around her, lifting the dust into a subtle spiral.
"Warn him…"
The wind rose slightly, carrying her words like an invisible arrow into the night. It slipped from the cave, racing toward the unknown.
Sylvara slumped against the wall, her breathing shallow. Her eyes closed, and she slid once more into darkness, the fire crackling softly beside her.