Dragonbound

4

Aric woke to the sound of crackling fire.

Not the elegant, controlled flame of the royal hearths he once knew.

No—this fire hissed and spat like a wild creature. Its glow painted the cavern walls in molten colors: orange, gold, scarlet. Shadows writhed like living serpents.

His muscles ached. His throat felt scorched. His lungs burned from inhaling smoke during training.

But he was alive.

Barely.

He pushed himself up on trembling elbows and found Kaeronth watching him from a raised stone outcrop, wings folded, molten eyes unblinking.

“Are you staring at me while I sleep?” Aric croaked.

“You were drooling.”

“I was not.”

“You were.”

Aric groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. “So dragons have jokes.”

“Only when the prey makes itself amusing.”

Aric glared at him. “I’m not prey.”

Kaeronth’s rumbling exhale sent embers swirling across the ground.

“Not yet.”

Aric froze.

“…Yet?”

Kaeronth rose, the movement alone enough to shake dust from the cavern ceiling. He stepped closer, each claw leaving deep grooves in the stone.

“Today,” Kaeronth said, “your training begins for real.”

Aric paled. “Yesterday you breathed fire at my face.”

“That was warm-up.”

Aric swallowed. “Warm-up.”

Kaeronth lowered his head until his golden eyes burned inches from Aric’s face.

“Tell me what you learned.”

Aric hesitated… then spoke.

“That my blood reacts under pressure. That emotion triggers heat. Anger makes it stronger. Fear too. And—”

His throat tightened.

“And when I was dying in the snow, it saved me.”

Kaeronth nodded slightly.

“Fire responds to instinct. To urgency. To will. You must learn to command it without death snapping at your heels.”

Aric folded his arms. “Easier said than done.”

“Then you will nearly die again.”

Aric blinked. “Wait—”

The dragon turned toward a massive stone gate on the cavern’s far side—its surface engraved with ancient runes that pulsed faintly like magma veins.

Aric felt heat radiating from it even at a distance.

“What’s behind that door?” he asked quietly.

Kaeronth’s tail scraped across the stone.

“Your first trial.”

Aric’s pulse quickened.

“What kind of trial?”

“The Trial of Flame.”

Aric frowned. “Sounds inviting.”

“Few have passed it.”

Aric stiffened. “…Few?”

“None of them were Dravenhart,” the dragon added.

Aric exhaled in relief—only for Kaeronth to finish:

“…because the others died.”

Aric’s eyes widened. “You could warn a man before traumatizing him.”

“I just did.”

Aric muttered something very un-royal under his breath.

Kaeronth raised one vast claw.

The stone gate shuddered… then split open, molten light flooding the cavern.

A wave of heat slammed into Aric, forcing him to shield his face.

The chamber beyond looked carved from fire itself—glowing walls, a labyrinth of stone pillars, and molten rivers flowing like living flame.

“This looks lethal,” Aric whispered.

“It is,” Kaeronth replied. “Enter.”

Aric hesitated.

“What exactly am I supposed to do?”

The dragon’s eyes narrowed.

“Survive.”

Aric stared. “That’s not instructions. That’s a threat.”

“It is both.”

Aric cursed under his breath. He walked toward the threshold, sweat already forming along his hairline.

Just before he stepped inside, Kaeronth spoke one more time.

“Aric Dravenhart. Listen carefully.”

Aric paused.

“Your brother sits on your throne.”

“Your mother’s blood cries for vengeance.”

“Your kingdom is rotting from within.”

The dragon’s voice rumbled like an earthquake.

“If you are to kill Vorren…”

“…if you are to reclaim Dragonspire…”

“…if you are to lead the Dravenhart line again…”

Kaeronth leaned close, exhaling fire-hot breath.

“…you must first conquer yourself.”

Aric’s throat tightened.

He stepped into the trial chamber.

The heat hit him like a wall.

His boots slid across scorched stone. Sweat blistered instantly. His lungs struggled for air thick with ash and fire. He shielded his face and pressed forward.

Behind him, Kaeronth’s voice echoed:

“Do not run from the fire.”

“Become it.”

Aric took three steps into the labyrinth…

And the door slammed shut behind him.

Darkness swallowed the cavern.

Only the molten rivers glowed.

Aric forced himself to breathe.

In. Out. In again.

The Mark on his shoulder pulsed softly—like a distant heartbeat guiding him.

He walked deeper.

The heat intensified.

The air shimmered.

Stone cracked under his boots.

He reached the first chamber.

A circular platform suspended above a chasm of molten rock.

On the far side—an exit.

Between him and it—

Six stone statues, carved like ancient warriors with dragon-headed helms.

Aric exhaled.

“Of course,” he muttered. “Giant murder statues. Classic.”

The moment he stepped onto the platform—

The statues’ eyes snapped open, glowing molten red.

Aric cursed. “I hate this place.”

The statues moved.

Stone cracked.

Molten light burst from their joints.

Their swords ignited in fire.

They advanced.

Aric backed away.

“Kaeronth!” he shouted. “Do these things kill people?!”

His voice echoed, but no answer came.

One statue lunged.

Instinct took over.

Aric threw himself aside—barely dodging a molten blade that sliced a burning line into the stone.

Heat surged inside him.

Anger.

Fear.

Fire.

He inhaled.

The Drake Mark scorched his skin.

A spark ignited in his throat.

He exhaled—

A small blast of fire shot from his mouth.

Barely a flame, but enough.

It struck a statue’s arm, melting through the stone slightly.

Aric blinked. “That… actually worked?”

The statues turned toward him, heat building.

“Oh no,” Aric whispered. “Now they’re mad.”

Another statue charged.

Aric ducked, rolled, scrambled to his feet. Sweat blurred his vision. Heat scorched his lungs.

He needed more fire.

He forced himself to remember—

The wolves.

Vorren’s face.

His mother’s body.

The chains.

The exile.

Rage surged through him.

His blood felt like liquid fire.

He roared—

And flame burst from his mouth, larger than before, swirling outward in a brilliant arc.

It hit two statues, cracking them, melting their faces.

Aric gasped. “YES!”

Then realized he was still surrounded by four.

One statue swung its blade downward—

Aric leapt aside—

The blade smashed into the stone where he’d been standing.

He inhaled sharply. More sparks. Not enough.

“I need more,” he growled.

The statues closed in.

Aric gritted his teeth, feeling the heat rising through his veins.

Come on.

More.

More!

The Drake Mark blazed white-hot.

Fire surged—

A molten burst exploded from his chest like a shockwave, knocking all four statues backward. They toppled over the platform and into the molten chasm below.

Aric stood trembling, panting, skin steaming.

He stared at his hands.

Fire curled from his fingers like smoke.

“I… did it,” he whispered.

He didn’t feel weak.

He didn’t feel cold.

He felt…

Powerful.

Aric took a step forward—

And the entire platform shook violently.

Cracks split the stone.

Heat surged upward.

The chamber roared.

Then, from the molten lake below—

SOMETHING—

rose.

A massive shape of molten stone and dragonbone.

A guardian.

Twice Kaeronth’s size.

Its eyes blazed white-hot—

And its body dripped lava.

Aric paled.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The guardian roared—

Fire erupting from its jaws.

Aric staggered back, shielding himself.

“This isn’t a trial,” he shouted. “It’s suicide!”

Kaeronth’s voice thundered faintly through the cavern:

“Then do not die.”

Aric glared at the molten titan.

“Fine,” he hissed. “But if I live—Kaeronth and I are going to have a very long talk.”

He braced himself.

The guardian lunged.

Aric inhaled—

And the fire within him

answered.