Tame the Dragon

Episode2

"Glimpses of the Past"

Aria’s POV

"Arria! " Though Kaelen's scream was a desperate cry full of fear and rage, his shackles tied him far from me. His body resisted change and stuck fast, straying against the iron links.

My vision dimmed with every second, I could hardly hear him above the hammering of my own heart. Panic tore across me, making breathing, focus more difficult. I could afford to be feeble. Not right away. Not while I was so close to my aim.

Then, though, the sharp echo of feet on stone emerged. slows down. measured quantitatively. frightening.

Rising from the shadows, Malvenor wore his cloak like liquid blackness running behind him. Though his eyes flashed with hard, determined brilliance, the cowl concealed half of his face. That tortured my dreams for years as well.

"Do you actually think you might stop me, princess?" His voice was a silky, deadly whisper, a copy of tranquility. "You, who are so very desperately trying to play the hero, trying to save a Beast that should have been killed long ago?"

I tightened my teeth, calling every last ounce of strength within me. Slick with blood, my sword's hilt found my fingertips. "This isn't over," I spat, but my voice stammered from the suffering.

He walked gently forward, his eyes never moving from mine. Actually, though. You see, I know exactly what you're looking for. Everything, the prophecy, the dragon, everything. And you are too weak to stop me."

The weight of his words permeated and dragged me down into a deeper awareness hole. He noticed. He knew exactly what I meant. Pulling ropes, he had been one step ahead the entire time, employing us both like puppets in a game we knew hardly about.

Before I could answer, he lifted his palm; the air hummed with magic—dark, ancient power that made my skin prickle with the force of it. I felt the pull, a tug at my very soul, but I moved. The magic stopped and paralyzed my muscles, thus prohibiting any form of opposition.

"Kaelen," I yelled, my voice barely audible, but the crackle of electricity drowning our surroundings muted my call.

The dragon's bindings shook frantically, screeching in a desperate attempt to flee as he battled. Though not enough, his wrath pulsed in the air. not just yet.

Then Malvenor's lips twisted into a frigid, proud smile.

"Do you actually think Aria might save him? You both will die here tonight.

All inside of me screamed. Still, nowhere seemed to be turning. Not one minute remaining as well.

“She cannot be saved by you.

Kaelen's words cut through me like a blade, colder than the air cleaved across the night, sharper than the jagged rocks underfoot. Though the weight of generations of betrayal and loss still ached, I could feel the deep suffering behind his golden eyes—each one a reminder of how little control I had in this warped game we were playing.

His chains twisted, a dreadful sound that seemed to pulse through my bones. Desperate, he was dragging against them, but it was painfully evident that even his will was powerless. Though I had never seen him so raw, so vulnerable, there was something about his posture—proud even in his captivity—that set my heart pounding.

My voice was harder than I felt, "I'm not leaving you to rot, Kaelen," I said. "You shall be free." I guarantee."

He laughed, lips curving into a nasty smile. "Free? < You are giving me the promise of freedom? You, chained by a far more terrible curse than any chain could ever contain?"

I wanted to argue, convince him I would be able to save him. Still, a part of me wondered whether I could. What if the curse he carried, the inner anger, was too great for anybody to bear? Suppose I were exactly as lost as he was?

Before I could say another word, my concentration was pulled from him to a loud, deep growl. Breath caught in my throat as I stared at Kaelen; the weight of something massive was approaching the ground under us.

Kaelen snarled, his words hardly audible, driven by pure hate. He's here. You have to sprint.

I gave my head a shake. "not without you."

But even as I spoke, I sensed the weight of the air around us change, growing heavier in the presence of something evil and ancient. Malvenor was closing in on us, not only here; I could sense his magic—twisting, strangling, darkening everything it came into touch with.

Kaelen hissed, "Aria, listen to me," his eyes flashing with something more terrible than I had ever seen. "You are not ready for him. Though you cannot even save yourself from him, you think you can save me. Not a man, it is not. He is a monster among the darkest sorcerers to have ever walked this planet. You are not meant to survive him. Not without me either.

Heart racing, I shook my head. "What he is makes no difference. I am bidding you farewell not here.

The night was broken by a scream resonant off the mountains. I felt the sound so bone-chilling; it was the kind of scream that sent every nerve in your body cold and twisted through your insides.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a man emerge from the shadows sporting a cloak of darkness that appeared to swallow the light all around. Malvenor was choking; his own aura leaked into the ground, contaminating all in his path.

"Ah, Aria," Malvenor's voice rang out, smooth as silk, dragging a sense of fear into my chest. You brought the dragon with you, I noted. How... beautiful.

Tensing Kaelen's muscles, I could see the fire blazing in his eyes, the wrath of a creature bound for far too long. "Malvenor, this ends tonight. Let her off.

Malvenor laughed, the sound of it like dried leaves cracking underfoot. You are not in a position to demand anything, Kaelen. You assume I arrived for the princess? Not yet. I come for you. For the last fragment of the prophecy. And I will not depart until I get it.

The words strike me like a chest blow. The prophecy resides here. The same thing that had kept us all together—the reason we had come here at first. It was far darker, far more dangerous than only saving kingdoms or destroying curses.

"Prophecy?" I gasped. My voice shook. "what would you mean?"

Kaelen's eyes wrinkled and his lips parted as though he meant to speak, but Malvenor's sudden laugh cut off him.

"Ah, the princess is still in the dark, I see," Malvenor said, approaching. His movements were deliberate, slow, like a predator savoring its target. "You believe you grasp the stakes of this game? You believe you could rule a beast like Kaelen? Little princess, you are toying with forces much beyond your understanding. You are really only a pawn.

I scowled at him, not afraid at all. "Your games are not of interest to me. He won't be with you. Never will I be with you.

Malvenor grinned wider, dark enjoyment shining in his eyes. "Oh, Aria, you would find me already doing this. Everything—the curse, the dragon, the prophecy—has been guiding us to this moment. And nothing will remain but ashes when I am finished with you.

Once more the ground shook, and I staggered back while my heart hammered as I sensed something change underfoot. It was difficult to breathe; the air itself appeared to spark with magic, an oppressive weight. Kelsen was deep in his throat, his chains vibrating like they might have snapped at any time.

"Kelsen...," I murmured, my voice tinged with both desperation and terror. "Please."

He looked at me, his eyes full of something raw, vulnerable, but also something darker—an emotion I could not identify. With a tense jaw, he shook his head. "Aria, you must depart. I cannot shield you against this. You are not suited for what is ahead.

Every one of the phrases sank deep into my heart. My breath hung in my throat. I have to remain. I couldn't abandon him right now. Not when everything had finally brought about this moment.

But a blaze of light burst from the darkness before I could debate. Just in time, I saw Malvenor lift his hand—his fingers ablaze with black magic—his eyes glistening with hate.

Kaelen hissed, the urgency in his voice enough to cause me to stop and split in two my heart. Right now!

I didn't move, though. Could not.