ECHOES OF TIME

Chapter 7: The Dragon's Breath

Ava remained frozen by the window, her mind racing. The encounter with Karl left a bitter taste of fear in her mouth. His words haunted her, especially the way he had said, “There’s no turning back.” It felt like a warning, a threat wrapped in certainty. Ava knew she was in over her head, but the sheer hopelessness of her situation was starting to suffocate her.

The attic grew colder, the air thick with dust and forgotten memories. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. There had to be a way out. She couldn't let Karl’s presence break her spirit. Not yet. Not now.

Moving carefully, she pulled herself away from the window. The attic was dark, but there was something about the shadows that felt alive, watching her. She took another step forward, her eyes scanning for anything useful—a way to fight back, or at least defend herself.

As she shuffled through old boxes and strange artifacts, something caught her attention. In the far corner of the attic, half-hidden beneath an old tattered cloth, was a large, ornate chest. Ava’s breath caught in her throat. It was unlike anything else in the room—polished, untouched by dust, its surface engraved with intricate patterns. It radiated something… ancient.

Drawn to it, Ava cautiously approached the chest, her fingers trembling as she lifted the heavy lid. Inside was a collection of items she couldn’t fully comprehend—books with worn, crumbling pages, strange metal objects with no clear function, and—

A soft glow caught her eye.

Buried beneath the pile was something pulsing with a faint light. Ava reached for it, carefully pulling it free. In her hands was a locket, similar to the one Karl wore, but smaller, more delicate. Its crystal gleamed with the same black fire she had seen in his eyes.

Her mind raced. What is this? she wondered, her fingers tracing the smooth surface of the crystal. Could this be the key to understanding Karl’s power? Or was it something even darker, more dangerous?

Before she could examine it further, a loud crash echoed through the attic, sending Ava’s heart into overdrive. The sound came from below—a door being slammed open. Her pulse quickened as the deep, guttural growl of something inhuman rumbled through the air.

Her blood ran cold.

The dragon.

Ava stumbled backward, her eyes wide with fear. She had heard stories, but she had never imagined she would face Karl’s dragon in the flesh. The growling grew louder, and she could feel the very walls of the mansion tremble. The beast was close—too close.

Suddenly, the door to the attic creaked open. Ava froze, clutching the locket tightly in her hand as heavy footsteps approached. Each step seemed to shake the floor, the air thick with anticipation.

And then, there he was.

Karl stood in the doorway, his silhouette cast in shadow, his eyes glowing with that familiar, terrifying fire. But this time, he wasn’t alone. Behind him, looming in the hallway, was the dragon.

It was massive—larger than anything Ava could have imagined. Its black scales shimmered in the dim light, its fiery red eyes locked onto her. The air around it seemed to crackle with heat, and its breath was like a furnace, filling the attic with a suffocating warmth.

Karl stepped forward, his expression unreadable, though there was a strange calm in his demeanor. “You’ve found something,” he said, his voice low but sharp. His eyes flicked to the locket in her hand, narrowing ever so slightly.

Ava’s grip tightened. “What is this?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Karl didn’t answer immediately. He glanced at the dragon, then back at her, as if weighing his next move. “It’s a part of me,” he finally said, his tone measured. “But it’s also something you can’t begin to understand.”

Ava’s heart raced. She wanted to throw the locket away, to put as much distance between herself and Karl’s dark world as possible. But something stopped her. A part of her knew this locket held answers—answers she desperately needed.

“Why are you doing this?” she demanded, her fear giving way to anger. “Why are you keeping me here? What do you want from me?”

For the first time, Karl’s expression shifted. His eyes softened, just for a moment, before the cold mask of indifference returned. “It’s not about what I want, Ava,” he said quietly. “It’s about what’s already been set in motion. Things that you can’t change.”

Ava’s frustration boiled over. “Then tell me what’s going on! Why did you bring me here? Why can’t I leave?” Her voice cracked, the desperation clear in her tone.

Karl took another step toward her, his gaze intense. “You think you’re here by accident?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous. “You think your time machine brought you here randomly?” He shook his head, his lips curling into a cold smile. “This has been your destiny, Ava. Long before you even knew it.”

Her mind reeled. “Destiny?” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. “What are you talking about?”

Karl leaned in, his eyes locking onto hers. “You’re connected to all of this—more than you realize. And if you leave now, you’ll never understand the truth.”

Ava felt a wave of confusion and fear wash over her. What truth? How could any of this be connected to her? She had built the time machine to uncover the secrets of her past, but now it seemed like she was unraveling secrets far beyond her understanding.

Before she could respond, the dragon let out a low growl, its fiery eyes fixed on her. The heat from its breath filled the room, making the air nearly unbearable. Ava stumbled backward, her heart pounding.

Karl turned to the dragon, placing a hand on its massive, scaly head. “He won’t hurt you,” he said softly. “Not unless I tell him to.”

There was an unspoken threat in those words, one that sent a chill down Ava’s spine. She had no idea how far Karl’s power extended, but she knew one thing: he was not someone she could outsmart or outrun. Not now.

With a final glance at the locket in her hand, Karl’s expression darkened once more. “Keep that safe,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ll need it soon enough.”

And with that, he turned and left the attic, the dragon following him, its footsteps heavy and ominous. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving Ava alone in the silence.

She looked down at the locket, her mind spinning. Whatever Karl was planning, whatever destiny he believed in—Ava knew one thing: she had to find out the truth. And she had to do it before it was too late.