Soul of a Dragon [Ziam - Ztop, Lbottom]

CHAPTER 2: THE UNION OF BLOOD AND FIRE

Every now and then the stars aligns, boy and girl meet by the great design 

---

The days passed in a blur. The court bustled with activity as preparations for the union were underway. Liam found himself filled with a mix of anticipation and trepidation, wondering what awaited him in Drathalius. He knew that his life was about to change irrevocably, but instead of fear, he felt a strange excitement—a sense of destiny drawing him forward.

On the third day, Liam found himself standing at the edge of the valley, dressed in ceremonial garb of white and gold, a fusion of his kingdom's elegance and the fierce legacy of dragons. Embers seemed to cling to the fabric, catching the light with a glint like flame as they mirrored the molten rivers around them. He took a steadying breath, feeling the heat rise from the valley floor, and the intensity of the flames and stones seemed to seep into his resolve. The valley was a sight to behold. Nestled between Elmara and Drathalius, it was ringed by jagged cliffs and illuminated by veins of molten lava that glowed beneath the earth. It was a place of powerful, ancient magic, and today it would bear witness to a union unlike any other.

The ceremony had drawn both humans and dragons alike, their figures scattered among the towering cliffs and fiery rivers. As they waited, the murmurs of Elmara's courtiers mingled with the deep, rumbling hums of dragons, creating a strange and beautiful harmony that felt both ancient and profound.

Then, with a gust of wind and the smell of smoldering fire, the dragon king emerged. He wore the regal armor of his kind, dark and sleek with intricate dragon scales etched in silver, as if he were wreathed in living flames. His dark cloak billowed behind him, woven from dragonfire silk that shimmered as if it were truly aflame.

Their eyes met across the valley, and Liam felt a rush of nerves, tempered by something deeper—a strange, fierce pride. Here, in the heat of the valley, they would bind their kingdoms. But more than that, they would bind themselves.

As the ceremonial fires blazed around them, Liam couldn't help the coil of doubt twisting in his stomach. His world had always been one of courtly manners, intellect, and well-defined roles. Yet here he was, standing next to a man who commanded flames and lived among creatures Liam had only ever read about. Dragons. Fire. A force that Liam could never truly understand.