Dragon's Rise

CHAPTER XXXV.

Rielle stirred awake, her senses drawn first to the warmth of his hand clasping hers, steady and alive. Blinking against the dim light, her gaze met his, and there he was—awake, smiling, and impossibly bright despite the shadows of what they'd endured. "You look far too happy for someone who brushed so close to death," she murmured, a smile ghosting her lips despite herself. His voice, soft but sure, wrapped around her like a tether. "It's not death that stirs my joy—it's the sight of you, here, with me."

୨⎯ CLEO LUNARIS ⎯୧

"Again, Cahira. Harder this time. Don't hold back. Your enemies won't hold back on you," General Caran commanded, his sharp tone cutting through the open-air training grounds. Today wasn't about dragons—it was about raw skill, hand-to-hand combat enhanced by the elemental magic gifted to them by their bonded dragons. 

Cahira's hands curled into fists, her knuckles whitening with the force of her grip. Flames flickered at her fingertips, restless and barely contained, as though they itched to escape and defy the orders that had ignited her frustration. From the sidelines, Cleo noticed the subtle tension in Cahira's posture—the way her shoulders strained under the heavy weight of her father's relentless scrutiny.

"You call that an attack?" Caran barked again, stepping closer. "I've seen children hit harder. Do you think Pyrelith would tolerate that kind of weakness from his rider? Or are you hoping your enemies will laugh themselves to death instead?"

Cahira's temper flared visibly, a spark igniting in her fiery gaze as she lunged forward, her fists crackling with fire as Esme braced herself, the ground beneath her feet shifting subtly in response.

Cleo's jaw tightened as she watched. General Caran was hard on all of them, but with Cahira, he seemed relentless, almost cruel. Each of her father's scathing words chipped away at her focus, and while she pushed harder, it was clear she wasn't fighting to prove her strength to herself but to him.

Cahira struck, her movements quick and unrelenting. Flames flared with each punch, weaving through the air in heated arcs. Esme ducked, her hand brushing the dirt as vines shot up to block the attack, the heat of the fire singeing the edges but not breaking through. 

"You're too slow, Esme," Cahira taunted, her flames intensifying as she pushed forward with a fiery roundhouse kick. 

Esme deflected, a wall of hardened earth rising between them just in time. The force of Cahira's kick shattered the barrier, sending shards of dirt flying, but Esme was already moving. With a flick of her wrist, roots snaked out from the ground, coiling around Cahira's legs. 

Cahira smirked, heat pulsing from her body in a fiery wave that turned the roots to ash in an instant. She surged forward, her fists blazing, but Esme anticipated the move. She sidestepped and twisted her body, delivering an elbow strike to Cahira's ribs, the ground beneath her feet shifting to throw her opponent off balance. 

The clash continued, a seamless dance of fire and earth. Cahira's movements were fierce and aggressive, each punch and kick ignited with bursts of flame that lit up the training yard. Esme countered with precision, using her earth magic to ground herself and redirect Cahira's attacks, her vines and roots striking like whips whenever Cahira left an opening. 

At one point, Cahira feinted left, forcing Esme to react. As Esme raised a shield of stone, Cahira twisted mid-motion, using the flames erupting from her hands to propel herself into a spinning kick that shattered Esme's defense. Esme stumbled, but she recovered quickly, slamming her palm into the ground. The earth trembled, and jagged spikes erupted, forcing Cahira to leap back.