The air felt thick with anticipation as Karl and Ava stood before the dragon, its glowing eyes watching their every move. The enormous creature’s presence filled the clearing, its scales shimmering in the eerie light of the forest. Ava’s pulse raced, her mind struggling to comprehend the reality of what she was seeing.
She had heard of dragons only in myths—stories told by travelers in taverns or hidden in the pages of ancient books. But this was real. The sheer magnitude of the creature, the raw power emanating from it, made her feel small and vulnerable.
Karl remained calm, standing tall in the dragon's gaze, as if he had done this a thousand times before. Ava, on the other hand, could barely breathe. She took a tentative step back, her instincts screaming at her to run, but something kept her rooted to the spot.
“Karl,” Ava whispered, “what is this place? And why is that dragon here?”
Karl didn’t answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the dragon, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions Ava couldn’t quite read—determination, hesitation, and something else… fear?
“This forest,” Karl finally said, his voice low and controlled, “is a place where time doesn’t flow like it should. It’s a sanctuary of sorts, but also a prison. The dragon… it guards this place, waiting for me.”
Ava’s confusion deepened. “Waiting for you? Why?”
Karl exhaled sharply, stepping closer to the dragon as if drawn to it. “This dragon has been with me for longer than I can remember. It’s bound to me, tied to the choices I make. In the past, it’s been both my protector and my curse.”
Ava felt a chill crawl up her spine. “What do you mean by ‘curse’?”
Karl’s jaw tightened. “There’s a price for wielding power like mine, for knowing what I know. The dragon is part of that price. Every time I make a choice—especially the difficult ones—it watches, waiting to see if I’ll make the right decision.”
Ava stared at the dragon, her mind spinning. “So, what happens if you make the wrong choice?”
Karl’s eyes darkened. “It burns everything.”
Ava swallowed hard. The gravity of Karl’s words weighed heavily on her, and suddenly, the stakes felt even higher than they had before. This wasn’t just about escaping or finding answers to her past—it was about surviving the consequences of Karl’s choices.
The dragon let out a deep, rumbling growl, its wings shifting slightly as it crouched lower, almost as if preparing to move. Ava’s heart raced, fear tightening its grip around her chest. She glanced at Karl, who hadn’t moved from his spot.
“What choice are you supposed to make now?” Ava asked, her voice barely audible.
Karl’s eyes flicked toward her, and for the first time, she saw a vulnerability in him that shook her to the core. “You.”
Ava froze, her breath catching in her throat. “Me? What are you talking about?”
Karl stepped closer to her, his intense gaze never leaving hers. “There’s something about you, Ava. Something that’s been pulling me toward you from the moment we met. I don’t understand it, but I know it’s important. And now, standing here with you, I realize this is the choice I’ve been waiting for.”
Ava’s mind raced, trying to process his words. “What are you saying? What choice do you have to make?”
Karl looked away, his jaw clenched. “To protect you… or let you go.”
Ava’s heart pounded in her chest. “Why would you let me go? I haven’t done anything to hurt you.”
“It’s not about that,” Karl said, his voice strained. “It’s about what you represent. You’re tied to something bigger—something that threatens everything I’ve built, everything I’ve become. If I protect you, I risk losing control. If I let you go… I might lose something even more important.”
Ava’s breath hitched as she took a step closer to him. “You don’t have to choose like this, Karl. We can figure this out together. Whatever it is you’re afraid of, we can face it.”
Karl shook his head, his eyes flicking back to the dragon, which remained motionless but alert. “You don’t understand, Ava. This isn’t just about me. It’s about the future, about what happens next. I’ve seen things, things that could destroy both our worlds. And you… you’re at the center of it all.”
Ava’s mind reeled. How could she be at the center of anything so dangerous? She was just a woman from the future, trying to uncover her past. Yet, standing here in this strange place, with a dragon watching their every move, she couldn’t deny that something much larger was at play.
The dragon shifted again, its glowing eyes narrowing as if sensing Karl’s internal struggle. Ava’s pulse quickened as she realized the dragon was waiting for Karl’s decision, just like she was.
Karl turned to face her fully now, his expression hard but conflicted. “I need to know something, Ava.”
“What?”
He took a step closer, his eyes searching hers. “If I protect you… if I choose to stand by your side, can you promise me that you won’t betray me? That you won’t lead me into something that I can’t control?”
Ava’s eyes widened. “I would never betray you, Karl. I’m just trying to understand this as much as you are.”
For a long moment, Karl said nothing, his gaze piercing into hers, searching for any hint of deception. Then, with a deep breath, he nodded. “Then I’ll protect you.”
Ava exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, relief washing over her. But before she could respond, the dragon let out a powerful roar, the ground trembling beneath them as the creature unfurled its massive wings.
Karl turned to face the dragon, his expression resolute. “It’s done.”
The dragon’s eyes blazed brighter, and with a thunderous beat of its wings, it launched into the air, disappearing into the sky in a flurry of wind and leaves. The roar of the wind died down, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
Ava stared after the dragon, her heart still racing. “What happens now?”
Karl glanced at her, his face unreadable. “Now? Now we face what’s coming… together.”
YOU ARE READING
ECHOES OF TIME
Historische Romane**Trailer for Echoes of Time** In a world where the past holds the key to the future, Ava Chloe is a brilliant computer science engineer haunted by a tragedy she can't remember. Driven by a relentless desire to uncover the truth, she builds a time m...
