Chapter Three: The Dragon Beneath The Shadow
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Chapter 3: The Dragon Beneath The Shadow
Months had passed since my tenth birthday.
The little hatchling that I once carried in my arms was now big enough to carry me on his back.
Storm Rune had grown.
I stored him in the basement where he could fit, but it was no longer the same place. I made it bigger and changed things around so he had enough room.
But another problem had appeared.
Since I was ten years old, my father, Harald IronWolf, told me that from now on I would be joining dragon hunts too.
I needed time.
Time to train.
Time to help Storm Rune grow.
So I came up with a plan.
I acted like I was sick.
I made myself look pale and even hurt my hand so I could use it as an excuse.
After all the arguing and worrying from my father, I finally got some time away.
I secretly took Storm Rune into the woods.
There, we found a small hill beside a lake.
I looked at him.
It was time to try.
I wanted to see if he could fly.
I pushed him off the hill, hoping he would spread his wings and take flight.
But instead...
He fell.
And half the time, I ended up flying into the water with him.
After that, I started training him.
I used dirt to make bags and shaped them like targets so he could practise.
Day after day, we trained.
His aim became better.
His attacks became more accurate.
His speed was impressive, but when I rode on his back, he became slower.
His flying was still a problem.
He could only fly a few feet above the ground for around ten seconds before falling back down.
But he was still learning.
After days of training, I sat beside Storm Rune, watching him sleep.
My eyes moved towards the old scroll sitting in my room.
The words kept coming back to my mind.
"If one should ever hatch again, the fate of both dragons and mankind will change forever."
I had always wondered what it meant.
Did it mean destruction?
A war between humans and dragons?
Or...
Could it mean something else?
Could it mean a bond?
A friendship between a human and a dragon that had never happened before?
I looked at Storm Rune.
Maybe the answer was not hidden in books.
Maybe it was not hidden in the village.
Maybe the answer was waiting where I found him.
The ancient well.
If that place was where Storm Rune came from...
Maybe it was where I would find the truth.
The next day, the sun rose above us.
People in the village started wondering why I was spending more and more time in the workshop.
I simply told them I was trying to fix my arm.
But the truth was different.
I was preparing.
I grabbed weapons, armour, flint, and food.
Then Storm Rune and I left.
As we travelled, I picked up a stick and turned it into a torch using the flint.
The darkness surrounded us as we moved deeper.
As we entered the ancient well, Leif and Storm Rune stepped into the forgotten place where everything had started.
The walls were old.
The air felt different.
The torchlight moved across the stone, revealing something hidden for generations.
Paintings.
Harald’s eyes moved across the walls.
Dragons fighting humans.
Humans running from dragons.
Warriors battling powerful creatures.
But there were other paintings too.
Humans standing beside dragons.
Not fighting.
Not hunting.
Understanding.
Then one painting caught their attention.
A noble human stood before a dragon, his palm pressed against the dragon’s head.
Storm Rune stared at that painting.
His blue eyes stayed locked onto it, as if something about it felt familiar.
Suddenly, movement came from the darkness.
A figure stepped out.
The same white-haired stranger from before.
Before Leif could react, the stranger rushed forward and swung his knife.
The blade cut near Leif’s eye, leaving a deep scar across his face.
Storm Rune became furious.
A powerful growl echoed through the ancient well as the young dragon stepped forward.
But Leif raised his hand.
Five fingers spread.
Storm Rune stopped.
The stranger looked at Leif.
Then he spoke.
"You'll never be able to change the fate of the scroll."
Harald froze.
The stranger knew about the scroll.
For a moment, Harald stood completely still.
How did he know?
Why did he know?
But he reacted quickly.
Harald moved forward and punched the stranger directly in the nose.
Before the man could recover, Harald struck him again on the side of the head.
The stranger fell.
Unconscious.
The ancient well became silent once again.
But one question remained in Leif’s mind.
How did this man know about the scroll?
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