THE PATH OF LEGACY
The morning began with a dense fog covering the forest. The sun barely managed to pierce through the clouds, casting a silvery glow over the ground. Zyrion stretched as the others started moving, each following their own routine. Karion, as usual, was already making noise.
“Zyrion! Don’t you get tired of waking up with that serious expression? Come on, smile a little. Not every day we face deadly challenges and live to tell the tale.”
Zyrion let out a soft laugh. “You’re right, Karion. Although I wonder how long that luck will last if you keep talking so loudly.”
Karion patted him on the back. “If we ever stop facing danger, that’ll be the day I stop making you laugh.”
Meanwhile, Caelithra sharpened her halberd under a nearby tree. Her face remained cold and impenetrable, but there was something different about her posture. Kyrahna noticed the change and leaned toward Zyrion, whispering:
“What did you do last night? She seems less… ready to cut us into pieces.”
Zyrion smiled slightly. “Let’s just say we had an interesting conversation. Maybe there’s hope for all of us after all.”
Before Kyrahna could respond, a sound broke the forest’s tranquility: a dry crack, followed by a deep growl. Everyone tensed.
“What was that?” Karion asked, gripping the hilt of his sword.
“Something big,” Caelithra replied, standing with her halberd ready.
The group formed a circle, senses heightened. The trees around them swayed slightly, as if something was surrounding them. Zyrion drew his sword, the blade glinting in the weak sunlight.
“Whatever it is, it’s coming this way,” Zyrion said, keeping his voice low. “Get ready.”
A deafening roar shook the air, and a colossal creature emerged from the trees. It was an earth dragon, its body covered in thick rock-like scales, with eyes glowing like embers. The monster moved forward slowly, its claws sinking into the ground with each step.
“Perfect,” murmured Karion, nervously smiling. “Just what we needed to start the day.”
Zyrion stepped forward. “Formation. Karion, left flank. Caelithra, keep your distance and strike when you see an opening. Kyrahna, cover us with your bow.”
The dragon roared again, lunging at them with a surprisingly swift movement for its size. Zyrion narrowly dodged, rolling to the side as the dragon’s tail swept the ground.
“It’s faster than it looks!” Kyrahna shouted from a high branch, nocking an arrow.
“Thanks for the warning!” Zyrion replied, standing quickly.
Caelithra seized the distraction to land a precise strike with her halberd, targeting one of the dragon’s joints. Her weapon sank partially, eliciting a roar of pain from the creature.
“Well done!” Karion shouted, taking the opportunity to attack from the opposite flank, his sword slicing one of the dragon’s hind legs.
The dragon thrashed, flapping its wings to try and clear its attackers. A gust of wind threw them all backward. Zyrion landed hard but rose quickly, his eyes blazing with determination.
“This won’t work unless we find a weak spot,” he said, observing the dragon as it turned toward them.
Kyrahna fired an arrow at the beast’s eyes. Although it missed, it managed to divert its attention briefly.
“Zyrion!” Caelithra shouted. “An earth dragon’s weak points are usually on its belly. But someone will have to distract it.”
Karion raised his hand, grinning sarcastically. “Leave it to me! I’ve always been good at being a decoy.”
Zyrion looked at him with concern. “Karion, this isn’t a game.”
“I know,” Karion replied, smiling more gently. “But someone has to do it, and nobody does it with more style than me.”
Without waiting for a response, Karion ran toward the dragon, waving his sword and shouting, “Hey, big guy! Is that all you’ve got? Come get me!”
The dragon turned its attention toward him, charging with a roar. Karion skillfully dodged, drawing the creature away from the rest of the group.
“Now,” Zyrion said, looking at Caelithra.
She nodded, and together they charged at the dragon, each attacking from a flank. Zyrion cut deeply into the creature’s side while Caelithra aimed for the belly, her halberd piercing the thinner scales.
The dragon roared in pain, staggering. Kyrahna fired another arrow, this time hitting the base of the dragon’s neck. With one final breath, the beast collapsed, its body trembling before going still.
The group gathered around the fallen creature, panting from exertion. Karion dropped to the ground, laughing.
“Well, that was fun,” he said, though exhaustion betrayed his voice.
Caelithra looked at him with a mix of exasperation and admiration. “You’re an idiot. But a brave idiot.”
Karion winked. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me since we met.”
Zyrion let out a laugh, then his expression turned serious. “We can’t stay here long. If this dragon was in this area, there could be more nearby.”
Kyrahna nodded. “We should move, but at least we got some loot. Earth dragon scales are valuable.”
As they began gathering their things, Zyrion looked at Caelithra. “Thanks for the info. Without you, this would have been much harder.”
She looked at him, surprised by the praise. “I did what I had to do. That’s all.”
“And that’s enough,” Zyrion replied, smiling.
The group set off again, leaving the dragon’s body behind. Though exhausted, the success of the battle gave them a boost of confidence. But deep down, they all knew this was only the beginning of the challenges ahead.
They walked through the dense forest, leaving behind the place where they had defeated the earth dragon. Though the atmosphere seemed calm, tension among them was palpable. Despite their recent victory, wounds and fatigue were beginning to show.
Karion, with a piece of the dragon’s scale tied to his belt as an improvised trophy, broke the silence.“So, who wants to admit I was the hero of this story? Come on, don’t be shy.”
Kyrahna raised an eyebrow, not taking her eyes off the path. “Hero? More like the lunatic who almost got crushed by a dragon. But yes, impressive… in a worrying sort of way.”
Karion put a hand to his chest, feigning offense. “Your words hurt me, Kyrahna. I did it all for the team. And that’s how you thank me?”
“We could thank you with a blow to the head,” murmured Caelithra, walking a little behind him.
Zyrion smiled as he watched the interaction. Though Karion’s humor often distracted from serious moments, it also lightened the mood. And right now, they all needed that.
“Karion,” Zyrion said finally, “you did a good job distracting the dragon. Though I must admit I almost stopped you. For a moment, I thought you were insane.”
“For a moment,” Karion replied, “but then you realized I’m a genius. Everything was calculated, Zyrion. Everything except the part where I almost lose my head.”
Everyone laughed; even Caelithra let out a faint smile, though she quickly returned to her serious expression.
After a while, Zyrion approached Caelithra, who walked silently, keeping her distance from the rest of the group.“Are you all right?” he asked gently.
She nodded without looking at him. “I’m fine. Just… thinking.”
“About what?” Zyrion pressed, keeping his tone neutral.
Caelithra stopped, staring ahead as if seeing something beyond the forest. “That dragon… wasn’t here by chance. Someone brought it or manipulated it to be here. Earth dragons don’t usually leave the mountains.”
Zyrion nodded, considering her words. “It’s possible. If you’re right, it means someone is watching our moves.”
“Exactly,” Caelithra said, turning to him. “And I don’t like the idea of being an easy target.”
“Then we won’t be,” Zyrion said determinedly. “We’ll work together. We’ll make sure whoever is behind this doesn’t catch us off guard again.”
The group continued walking until they reached a clearing where they decided to set up a temporary camp. Karion and Kyrahna gathered firewood while Zyrion and Caelithra kept watch.
Once the fire was lit, Karion began telling absurd stories about dragons, exaggerating details to make Kyrahna laugh until she could barely breathe.
“And then what happened?” Kyrahna asked, trying to catch her breath.
“Well, the last thing I remember is the dragon and I sharing a glass of wine. He confessed he was tired of being a threat and wanted to retire in peace.”
Everyone laughed, except Caelithra, who remained silent, sharpening her halberd by the fire. Zyrion approached her once more.
“You’re not joining the fun,” he commented, sitting beside her.
“I’m not good at that,” she replied without looking at him.
“Maybe you should try,” Zyrion said. “Being on guard all the time can be exhausting.”
Caelithra finally looked at him, her eyes glinting with a mix of frustration and something else Zyrion couldn’t identify. “What if I try to relax and someone gets hurt because I let my guard down? What then?”
Zyrion held her gaze. “That’s a burden we all carry. But here, you’re not alone. You don’t have to bear it all. We’re in this together.”
She looked away, visibly uncomfortable. “You don’t understand.”
“Then make me understand,” Zyrion said, leaning slightly toward her. “Caelithra, I want you to trust us. If something worries you, say it. If not for yourself, do it for the group.”
Silence stretched between them, only broken by the crackling fire. Finally, Caelithra sighed and set her halberd aside.
“All right,” she said quietly. “But I make no promises.”
Zyrion nodded, satisfied with her response. “That’s a start.”
As night fell, the group gathered closer around the fire, sharing stories, laughter, and plans for the next day. Though tensions still lingered, a tacit understanding began to form: despite their differences, they needed to trust one another if they wanted to survive what lay ahead.
TO BE CONTINUED…