The Phoenix Flare: Legacy/ Chapter:1

Chapter 6

When Dax awoke, the world was still hazy, the sounds of the forest a distant hum in his ears. The faint smell of blood, wet earth, and the recent battle clung to the air. As his vision cleared, he found Lyra crouched over him, her dark hair falling over her shoulder as she studied him with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"You're awake," she said, her voice calm but with a sharp edge of wariness. "You saved my life."

Dax pushed himself up slowly, every muscle in his body aching. His head throbbed, and he felt drained. "I think we saved each other," he replied, glancing over to where the massive water drake's body lay still. Its once-shimmering sapphire scales were now dull and lifeless.

Lyra studied him for a moment longer before offering her hand to help him up. "I'm Lyra, of the Skeldari tribe," she said. "And you are?"

"Dax," he replied, taking her hand and pulling himself to his feet. "From Caiden."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Caiden? You're far from home." Her gaze flickered down to his fingertips, where faint sparks of electricity still danced. "You're not just a hunter, are you?"

Dax hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But after the battle they had just fought together, it felt wrong to lie. "I have a Gift," he admitted, his voice quieter. "A Unique one."

Before Lyra could reply, Dax felt a sudden pull toward the drake's body. His skin prickled, and without thinking, he knelt beside the fallen beast. He reached out, his hand hovering above its massive frame. As soon as his fingers touched its scales, a surge of raw power rushed into him. Cold, like the depths of an ocean, the energy flowed through his veins with overwhelming force.

Lyra stepped back, alarm flashing in her eyes. "What are you doing?"

But Dax couldn't respond. His body glowed with a faint blue light, and he felt the drake's power filling him. As he absorbed the essence of the creature, its massive form began to dissolve into mist, leaving nothing behind but the echoes of its strength.

Then, a deep voice resonated in his mind, sharp and fierce, filled with ancient pride. You think you can wield my power, mortal? I am Nyros, lord of the rivers, the tide itself. You are nothing without me.

Dax's breath caught in his throat. The water drake—Nyros—wasn't just energy. It had a personality, a will of its own. The drake's voice was commanding, powerful, and filled with the fierce pride of a creature that had ruled its domain for centuries.

Who are you? Dax thought, the pressure of Nyros's presence bearing down on him.

I am Nyros, the voice boomed in his mind. You have taken my essence, and now you are bound to me. But do not think for a moment that I serve you. You are merely a vessel for my strength, and you will prove yourself worthy—or be destroyed by it.

Dax staggered back, his head pounding as Nyros's presence settled in his mind. The drake's consciousness wasn't entirely alive, but it wasn't gone either. It shared space with Dax's thoughts, fierce and indomitable, like a storm held at bay.

"Dax?" Lyra's voice broke through the haze. She stepped closer, her face tight with concern. "What happened?"

"I... absorbed it," Dax managed, his voice hoarse. "The drake's power is inside me now. It... it's talking to me."

Lyra's eyes widened. "Talking to you?" She glanced at the spot where the drake had dissolved. "That's... impossible. Absorbing a creature's power is one thing, but their mind? Their soul?"

Dax nodded, still trying to process what had happened. It's not just the power, he thought, his mind racing. Nyros is in my head. I can feel his strength, but also his will, his pride. He's not just a force—I'm sharing my mind with him.

Do not forget, Nyros growled, his voice like the crashing of waves. I am not yours to command. When you need my strength, I will give it—but only when I choose. Until then, do not presume to use me like some tool.

Dax grimaced, feeling the weight of Nyros's presence pressing against his mind. The drake was proud, fierce, and undeniably powerful. Controlling this new energy would be far more complicated than he had expected.

Lyra watched him closely, her eyes narrowing. "If you absorbed its power, then you've taken on something dangerous, Dax. You have no idea what kind of responsibility that is."

"I know," Dax replied, clenching his fists as electricity sparked around him. "But I can't let this power go to waste. If creatures like Nyros are getting stronger, then the villages are in danger. We have to stop them."

Lyra hesitated, then nodded. "There may be a way. My tribe has heard whispers of a resistance—a group of warriors and Gifted gathering to fight against the kings and their control. If you want to make a difference, that's where you'll find allies."

Dax took a deep breath, feeling the energy of the water drake coursing through him. Nyros was a constant presence now, a storm in the back of his mind, waiting to be unleashed. But there was more. Lyra had mentioned a resistance, and with his abilities—his ability to absorb and manifest the power of creatures like Nyros—he could be a powerful weapon in the fight against the kings.

"I'll go," Dax said firmly. "If it means protecting the people, I'll fight."

Lyra gave him a nod, respect flashing in her eyes. "Then we start by heading north. The resistance is gathering in the highlands. It's far from the reach of the kings, but getting there won't be easy."

Dax felt the weight of his decision settle over him. He had already absorbed Nyros, and with that came an immense responsibility. But he also knew there was no turning back. If he could gain more abilities, more allies like Nyros, he might stand a chance in the battles to come.

Together, they set off toward the mountains, leaving behind the battlefield and stepping into the unknown. Nyros's voice echoed in his mind, his tone both warning and fierce. Remember, mortal. You are bound to me now. I will lend you my strength when it pleases me, but do not mistake my power for yours. You will prove yourself, or you will fall.

Dax gritted his teeth, feeling both fear and excitement churn within him. With Nyros's power, and the others he would surely encounter along the way, he would become stronger. The phoenix had flared, and now the drake's legacy burned inside him.