The Soul of a Dragon

Chapter 63

Grimmel

I lean against the rough wall of the cave, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. The scent of damp earth, dragons scales, and fresh blood fills the air, mingling with the acid smell of fear. My favourite kind. The shackled beasts line the dark cave, their eyes either wide with terror or closed in pain, their scales glistening with all kinds of colours. Each one is a potential weapon of my growing army. Yet there is one in particular that captures my attention. My gaze drifts to my most recent addition: the legendary Lycanwing, bound and furious, its fiery eyes burning with hatred and most certainly picturing biting my head off. My smile widens.

But my thoughts take a turn and I release a growl similar to the ones being directed at me from all directions in this cave. I intended to leave that nuisance of a girl, my little miss do-gooder daughter, and her glitter puff dragon in peace. I admit, I longed to find her and build my empire with her at my side. Those wishes are long gone and I am weak for ever having had them in the first place. What did I expect? Her to take after me? Well, unfortunately she does not. Now, she's nothing more than a speck in my grand design, a bothersome insect not worth my time. Something I can step on and forget about. But a small voice in my head, perhaps a hunter's instinct, urged me to keep an eye on her; especially after kidnapping one of her friends. My Deathgrippers caught Vara's scent soon after. It amuses me, the irony of it all. My so-called daughter, helping me capture the very creature she sought to protect.

I walk towards the Lycanwing, my boots echoing against the stone floor. It growls lowly, not even baring its fangs, but I only grin. Even though it is shackled and trapped, it feels like I am beneath it. We are alike in that way - I look at it and think it is beneath me, too. Soon, it will be mine. Its will will break under the pressure of my Deathgrippers. I will forge it into the ultimate weapon of unparalleled destruction. The legends speak of its immense power, and now, that power and its blood will be under my control.

"Magnificent, isnt' it?" I murmur to none other than myself, tracing a finger along one of the Lycanwing's shackles. "The king of legends, soon to be the king of my hybrid army and, ultimately, the alpha of all dragonkind."

The other dragons cower, their chains rattling as they try to pull away. All the while, the Lycanwing remains holding its head high in defiance. Fear is a powerful tool, and I wield it expertly. Just like all the other dragons, the Lycanwing will surrender its will to me. Each dragon here will be fused with the deadliest traits of others, creating a legion of unstoppable hybrids. I imagine the devastation and destruction they will bring, the chaos they will ensue. At the centre of it all, I will stand, the master of dragons and the harbinger of doom.

"Soon," I whisper, leaning closer to the Lycanwing, "you will follow my every command. Your will is strong, but not unbreakable. Just you wait and see."

The dragons snap at me, its jaws mere inches from my face. I laugh and step back, admiring its defiance. I won't last long, though. I have broken strong creatures before. Only one of them seemed to have slipped to my fingers. I grind my teeth. That shadow kitten the little Haddock calls his best friend. The Lycanwing will become my weapon against them to achieve unfinished business. The night fury, last of its kind and current alpha of dragonkind, will become a nice prize to add to my collection.

"Let the bloodbath begin," I say and turn to exit the cave.

Tuffnut

Back at New Berk, the village is finally settling into a semblance of normalcy. Yes I know those words.

The warmth of the hearth fire illuminates the small cabin, casting shadow figures across the wooden walls. Liv is resting on her bed, her breathing steady but her face still pale from everything. I sit beside her, my hand gently brushing a stray fiery red lock of hair from her forehead. After we returned, I saw her feeling overwhelmed, which is why she fled to the library. I recognised the crease above her curled lips: she was thinking about something and needed to surround herself with books to find a solution. I let her be and made sure no one entered the library so she could study those books in peace. However, the only one that I allowed to enter was Vara. Granted, I am a little scared of her. She can be quite feisty and intimidating, okay? I'd rather pick a fight with Chicken - and she's like a monster with a lust for blood. But-