The night after the awakening ceremony was the darkest of my life.
When the blue sun dipped behind the Sacred Grove and the families returned to their territories, I lay alone in our cave, staring blankly at the stone ceiling and replaying every humiliating moment of the day.
My mother's wounds, her battles, the blood she shed… all for nothing. In return, all I had given her was disappointment and disgrace.
The cave was silent. Too silent.
Mother was in the healing chambers—her condition severe. Father stayed with her, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
"Same worthless feeling," I muttered into the darkness. "Am I really destined to stay unawakened forever?"
This wasn't some primitive Jurassic forest where brute force ruled.
Even common dinosaurs here breathed fire. If I stayed like this… how was I supposed to survive?
I tapped the wall beside me.
"Then what's the solution? Hello? Knock knock—any system here?" I joked weakly, hoping the universe would answer.
Of course, it didn't. Only silence.
My thoughts drifted to Pallet—her three-star awakening, the molten glow under her scales, the way fire coiled between her teeth.
"So, my fear came true," I muttered bitterly. "She awakened brilliantly… three stars, extra skills… while I stayed useless."
Like those school days being the average boy while the top girl ignored me. Not smart enough, not rebellious enough just invisible.
I mocked myself in her imagined voice.
"You're not worthy of me, Rider. I'm a three-star awakener, and you're still an unawakened wyrmling. Forget about me."
I groaned loudly. "Ugh, I hate revenge storylines. Wasting your life to prove yourself to someone who moved on? Pathetic."
"Rider?"
The voice from the shadows nearly stopped my heart.
I jerked upright. "Pallet? What are you doing here?"
She stepped into the dim light, and my breath caught. In just a few hours, she had changed completely. Her body was larger, her crimson scales gleamed like molten glass, and every movement radiated refined power and maturity.
"You forgot we agreed to meet after the ceremony," she said softly, glancing around the cave. "I waited… but you never came. So I came instead. Are you… upset with me?"
"Of course not!" I blurted. "Why would I be upset with you? And even if I was, why would you care about an unawakened wyrmling like me?"
I told myself I'd reject her first, just to protect my pride.
Her cheeks puffed with annoyance. "Why would I care? You're my best friend! I sneaked here to help you, and you talk like that? Fine, I'm leaving!"
She turned to go.
Panic shot through me. I scrambled off the bed and grabbed her claw. "Sorry! I was joking. You know I'd never be rude to you."
"Mm-hmm. You better not," she muttered, irritation fading. Then her eyes lit up. "Actually, I came because I heard something important."
"What is it?"
"At my family's celebration, I secretly overheard Father talking with Uncle Scarletface about alternative awakening methods."
My heart thumped. "Alternative… methods? What do you mean?"
"I didn't hear much," she admitted, "but they mentioned ways to awaken without sacred fruits."
Hope flickered in my chest. "That's… possible?"
She nodded slowly. "There's an ancient method—making a direct pact with the Flame Spirit itself. The Ragnarok Flame Tree."
I froze. "The same tree from the ceremony?"
"Yes. It's stood here for thousands of years. Many T-Rex begged for its blessing, but all failed." A grin tugged at her lips. "Even my father and Uncle Scarletface tried as kids. They came back with scorched tails and swollen butts."
Despite everything, a laugh escaped me. "That sounds exactly like them."
But then the doubt hit. "If no one's succeeded, why would the tree choose me? I don't exactly look like 'chosen one' material."
"No," she blurted, then winced. "I mean—you're… a villain."
I stared. "Excuse me?"
"I mean—ugh! Not like that. Just forget it." She flailed her claws. "I can't explain it properly. Just trust me. You have to try before giving up."
Her determination sparked something inside me. After a whole day of humiliation, this was the first drop of hope I'd tasted.
"How would we even do it?" I asked. "The tree is sacred. It's guarded by adults—and you need the elders' permission."
"Then we don't ask." Her voice was firm. "We sneak in tonight while everyone's busy celebrating. I know how to hide our presence."
A chill crawled up my spine. Getting caught could mean exile… or worse.
But still—
"I have to try," I whispered. "If there's even a chance, I'll take it."
"Then follow my lead," she said, eyes glowing in the dark. "The grove is far, and patrols will be heavy. Stay close."
Then she did something that made my eyes narrow.
She closed her eyes, channeling flame energy through her body. Her tongue moved rapidly as if casting some secret incantation.
Suddenly, the thermal aura around me compressed, like my heat was sealed inside my scales.
"What is this, Pallet?" I asked in awe. "You didn't use this during the awakening. What skill is that?"
She smiled awkwardly. "Ah, nothing special. Just a little trick I developed after understanding flame essence better. I call it Flame Compression. Maybe you can use it too—after your awakening."
She placed a claw over my snout. "As long as you don't speak loudly, even adult tyrannosaurs won't sense our heat."
Not even a full day had passed, and she had already awakened another flame ability.
What kind of absurd talent was this girl?
I followed without another word.
We slipped into the night like shadows.
The Flame Forest after dusk was a different world entirely. Fire-trees dimmed to faint embers, and the wind carried whispers instead of warmth. Every step felt like trespassing through the dream of a god.
Pallet moved with fluid precision, her body flowing through darkness like molten silk. I followed behind, clumsy by comparison, every twig that snapped under my claws sounding like thunder.
When we finally reached the Sacred Grove, I froze.
The Ragnarok Flame Tree towered above us—silent, luminous, eternal. Its trunk pulsed with deep crimson light, its sprawling roots seeming to breathe. The power radiating from it pressed against my scales, making them tingle like lightning was crawling across my body.
"How do we contact it?" I whispered.
"I think…" Pallet hesitated. "We just ask."
I stepped forward, heart thundering, and knelt.
"Great Flame Spirit, eternal Ragnarok Flame Tree," I said softly. "Please… bless this wyrmling with your ancestral fire."
Nothing.
I bowed lower.
"I am Rider Rex of the Scorchclaw family. I seek your guidance your blessing to awaken."
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