Dragons breath

Chapter nine

For days, the forest around the Eldergrove had been peaceful. Kael and Draven had spent time together, basking in the calm after the storm of breaking the curse. It almost felt too good to be true, a rare moment of respite in their chaotic journey. But that calmness was shattered when something dark began to stir, an unseen force lurking in the shadows.

Kael woke one morning to find Draven missing from his side. He frowned, sitting up and looking around. The spot where Draven usually slept was cold, as if he had been gone for hours.

"Draven?" Kael called, his voice carrying through the quiet woods. No answer.

He stood, pulling on his cloak as a chill crept into his bones. Something was wrong. Draven would never leave without telling him. His heart pounded in his chest as he stepped out into the clearing, scanning the area for any sign of his dragon companion. His thoughts raced—where could Draven have gone?

Suddenly, a low growl echoed from the edge of the trees, and Kael turned just in time to see a figure emerge from the shadows. It was Seraphis.

Her silver eyes glowed eerily in the dim light, and there was something strange about her appearance—she seemed more ethereal, less human than before. "Kael," she said softly, her voice like a whisper on the wind. "Draven is in danger."

Kael's heart skipped a beat. "What? Where is he?"

Seraphis stepped closer, her expression unreadable. "He's been taken."

Kael's blood ran cold. "Taken? By who?"

Seraphis sighed, her silver hair shimmering as she looked toward the darkened forest. "By someone from Draven's past. A force that's been hunting him for years."

Kael's fists clenched, panic rising in his chest. "Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you warn us?"

Seraphis looked at him with a mixture of sorrow and something else—regret, perhaps. "Because I thought I could protect him. But the magic of the Eldergrove has drawn them here. They've been waiting for this moment."

Kael's breath hitched as he tried to process the information. "Who are they?"

"An ancient order of dragon hunters," Seraphis explained, her voice tight. "They've been searching for Draven for centuries. The moment the curse broke, it revealed his location. I didn't expect them to act so quickly."

Kael's stomach twisted with fear. "Where have they taken him?"

Seraphis's eyes darkened. "To the heart of the mountains. A fortress built long ago to imprison creatures of great power. Draven is their prisoner now."

"No," Kael whispered, dread filling him. "We have to get him back. Now."

Seraphis nodded solemnly. "I'll help you. But you must understand, this will be dangerous. The hunters have magic of their own, dark magic that can harm even a dragon as powerful as Draven."

"I don't care," Kael snapped, his voice trembling with determination. "I'm not leaving him in their hands."

Seraphis looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Then we'll need to move quickly. If they complete the ritual they've planned, Draven's power will be drained, and he may never recover."

Kael felt his blood turn to ice. "Ritual? What are they going to do to him?"

Seraphis's expression was grim. "They seek to harness his power—the essence of a dragon—by binding him to their will. It's a dark, forbidden magic. If they succeed, Draven will become a puppet, a weapon they can control."