The Soul of a Dragon

Chapter 70

Vara

It's strange how quickly things can change. Just a week ago, the world felt like it was crumbling around us – dragons in chains, battles in the sky, the weight of survival pressing down on our chests. And now... now everything feels so different, so much lighter. I stand on the cliffs overlooking the village, the sea stretching out endlessly before me, the salty breeze tangling in my hair, and I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I'm relieved. Happy, beyond words. It almost scares me.

I close my eyes, inhaling deeply, the familiar scent of salt and pine filling my lungs. There's a joy in the air, a sense of celebration that lingers from the nights we spent dancing in the rain, laughter echoing through the village. We've helped so many hybrids, guiding them to safety, watching them reclaim their freedom. It's been exhausting work, but it's also healing. For them, and for us. It feels like closure.

But there's still one we haven't found. The Lycanwing.

I can't say I'm surprised. It's a creature of legend, an enigma, something beyond our understanding. Fishlegs has made it his personal mission to track it down, studying old maps and scrolls, searching for any clue that might lead us to it. But I'm okay with not finding it. That chapter of my life is closed. It's time to move on, to look forward, not back.

I know there will be other challenges ahead, other battles to fight. There will be things that hurt, things that test my confidence and my courage. As I watch Aria and Toothless playing in the meadow below, their scales glinting in the sunlight, a pang of sadness tugs at my heart. I know, deep down, that dragons and humans can't stay together forever. There will come a time when we have to say goodbye, when they must return to their world and we to ours. It's a thought that haunts me more than any nightmare.

Before I can dwell on it further, I hear footsteps approaching. I turn to see Malcom standing a few paces away, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his expression hesitant. Every time that grin of his is missing, I feel uneasy. He's one of the most expressive and sarcastic-in-a-funny-way person I know. Whenever he's silent, I feel the urge to do anything just to get him to smile again. But something seems different right now and I think I may know why.

"Hey," he says, his voice soft, almost uncertain. "How are you holding up?"

I smile, genuinely glad to see him. "I'm okay," I say, and I mean it. "Relieved, I guess. Everything's finally starting to feel normal again. And all of us came back unscathed."

He nods, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'm glad to hear that." There's a moment of silence, the two of us just standing there, looking out over the village. It's peaceful, a far cry from the chaos we've endured, and I realise how comfortable I feel with him now. There's no tension, no awkwardness, just a quiet understanding.

Out of nowhere, he says, "You wouldn't believe the things I've done to try to forget you." His voice is soft, but there's a raw honesty in it that catches me off guard. I turn to look at him, my eyebrows raising in surprise, but he's not looking at me. His gaze is fixed on the horizon, his eyes distant. "No matter what I do, I still somehow find myself crawling back to you. I thought time would heal my wounds, but even though the pain still feels fresh, I actually think I will be okay."

I blink, completely baffled by his confession, and then a slow and knowing smile spreads across my face. "It's because of Emmeline, isn't it?" I ask, my tone teasing.

He flushes, his cheeks turning a deep red, and I can't help but laugh. "What? No – I mean, yes, but...I don't know." He rubs the back of his neck, looking flustered, and I feel a warmth spread through my chest. It's good to see him like this, a little less burdened, a little more hopeful. Then he raises a single eyebrow and that familiar challenging glint returns to his dark eyes. "How the fuck do you know?"