A Dragon's Regret

Chapter 5: The One Who Devours All

Chapter 5: The One Who Devours All

Days could have passed, or perhaps only moments, as they remained locked in their silent vigil. Time had no meaning in the sanctum, where the only constant was the pulsing of their hearts and the gentle dance of their spirits. The unicorn's curiosity grew as she gazed around the corridor, her eyes finally focusing on the gleaming walls and floors that surrounded them.

"This place," she murmured, her ethereal voice a soft caress against his scales, "it's all...metal."

The gold dragon nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "The sanctum of the Eternal Flame Serpents," he said softly. "A place of power, where they've been guiding me."

The unicorn's spirit raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "What do they want from us?" she asked, her voice a mix of skepticism and hope. “Why are we here?”

The gold dragon took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling against her spectral form. "I don't know," he admitted, his eyes searching the ceiling as if the answers were written there. "But I trust that it is something important, something that will bring us together in a way we never could have imagined."

The unicorn's spirit leaned into him, her eyes closing as she focused on the rhythm of his heart. "I want to believe you," she whispered, her voice filled with doubt. "But how can I trust you after what you've done?"

The gold dragon's aura flickered with a mix of regret and determination. "Our bond," he murmured, "it's what brought us here. It's what will save us both."

Green, the most foreboding of the Eternal Flame Serpents, slithered closer. "Your togetherness is actually the most important aspect in dealing with what is to come," it said, its gaze intense, the eye on its chest foreboding. The dragon felt the weight of its words, the gravity of the situation pressing down on him. The serpents had given him the power of human speech, a gift that came with a price he was only beginning to understand.

They need something, not just from him, but his spiritual love as well.

The unicorn's spirit looked up at Green, who was then joined by the others of his kind, her eyes wide with surprise at the foreboding appearance of the four Eternal Flame Serpents before them. "What...what are they?" she stuttered, her ethereal form quivering with a mix of fear and anticipation.

The gold dragon's gaze remained steady on the serpents, his features a stark contrast to their fiery, serpentine forms. "They've been guiding me," he said, his voice low and filled with a newfound resolve. "They've shown me the path to redemption, the way to save you."

The unicorn's spirit looked up at the serpents, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and wonder. She had not noticed them before, her focus solely her misery and sorrow and then on the dragon and the intense emotions that had been building between them. Now, as she took in their forms, she realized the magnitude of the situation. They must be some kind of ancient, powerful beings, their auras pulsating with an energy that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.

The serpents' eyes bore into hers, and she felt a strange connection, as if they could see the very essence of her soul. They slithered closer, their expressions unreadable. "We have observed your plight," Red spoke, its voice a warm, comforting hiss that seemed to resonate within her. "We understand your pain and his regret."

The unicorn's spirit trembled, the weight of their gaze heavy upon her. "What...what do you want from us?" she managed to ask, her voice wavering.

Green waved its hands dismissively. "We'll explain later," it said, its features morphing into a serene smile. "For now, you two need rest." The serpents turned and began to slither away, their fiery auras leaving a trail of warmth behind them. "Come, we have prepared accommodations for you," it called over its shoulder, the sound of their movements echoing through the metal corridor.