As I tried to push myself up from the sand, a heavy weight suddenly slammed down on the back of my head.
Kagetsu's foot.
He pressed down harder, grinding my face into the sand. Grains filled my mouth and scraped against my teeth as I gasped. The pressure was unbearable—like an anvil had been dropped onto my skull. My neck strained under the weight, my arms shaking as I tried to push myself up.
But I couldn't move.
To him, I was nothing.
Just an insect pinned beneath a boot.
My fists clenched in the sand. I tried to lift my head again, but his foot pressed down harder, forcing me deeper into the dirt.
I could taste the earth.
I could feel the humiliation.
And it burned.
I glanced up through blurred vision.
Jordan lay unconscious in the sand.
Cameron wasn't moving.
Maya was the only one still awake, hovering weakly inside her water barrier—but she couldn't fight. Her power was already pushed too far.
All she could do… was watch.
Kagetsu sighed in disappointment.
"Disgusting," he muttered.
His voice was calm, almost bored.
"For a Dragon Keeper, I expected you to be stronger."
His foot pressed down harder, grinding my face into the sand again.
"I'm not satisfied."
He leaned closer, his shadow swallowing my vision.
"I can't believe my master is wasting my time telling me to fight you."
Something inside me snapped.
Those words… they lit something deep in my chest.
Who did he think he was?
Who was he to say we were weak?
Who was he to stand there and treat us like we were nothing?
My body trembled—not from fear.
From rage.
The words came out before I even realized I was speaking.
"I'm going to kill you."
Kagetsu paused.
The pressure on my head didn't move—but the air changed.
He leaned down slightly.
"What did you say?"
My hands dug deeper into the sand.
My voice came out louder this time.
Stronger.
"I said I'm going to kill you."
The anger boiling in my chest felt like fire spreading through my veins.
"I'm going to make you regret looking down on us."
I lifted my head slightly, even under the crushing pressure of his foot.
"I'm going to slaughter you until there's nothing left."
My voice shook with fury.
"I'm going to burn you alive until you're begging for your meaningless life."
Kagetsu's response was simple.
He pressed my head down harder.
The sand filled my mouth again.
Then—
Spit.
Something wet landed beside my face.
He spat on me.
I closed my eyes.
The world went silent.
The pain.
The humiliation.
The rage.
All of it boiled together into one thing.
I needed power.
And I knew exactly where to go.
When I opened my eyes again—
I wasn't on the beach anymore.
A massive door stood before me.
Ancient.
Towering.
Covered in burning runes that glowed like living fire.
Heat rolled off the surface in waves.
I stepped forward and pushed it open.
The doors groaned as they parted.
Beyond them sat the throne room.
A cavern of endless fire and molten stone.
At the center of it all sat the Red Dragon.
Massive.
Ancient.
His scales glowed like molten magma beneath the dim light of a burning eclipse above.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
And lying lazily beside the throne was Eclipse.
The shadow creature lifted its head the moment it sensed me.
The Red Dragon spoke first.
"You want power?"
My voice didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Eclipse suddenly perked up, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Well, well," it said with a crooked grin.
"You're finally giving in to my offer, aren't you?"
"I don't care about your offer," I snapped.
"I just want to kill him."
I looked up at the Red Dragon.
"Give me power. I'll close the portal. Just give me five minutes."
Eclipse laughed softly.
"Five minutes? That's more than enough."
The Red Dragon's voice cut through the room like thunder.
"You are not the one giving power here."
Eclipse immediately fell silent.
The dragon's massive eyes locked onto me.
"Allow me to see your future."
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"And I will decide if you are worthy."
Flames gathered in the air.
A piece of paper formed from pure fire.
A pen followed.
Both floated gently in front of me.
At the top of the paper were burning words.
Stage One
At the bottom were the instructions.
Allow me to see into your future.
Sign on the dotted line.
I didn't hesitate.
I grabbed the pen.
The moment my name touched the page, the fire swallowed the paper whole.
The pen vanished.
The dragon spoke again.
"Close your eyes."
I did.
Light exploded across my mind.
Flashes.
Moments.
Memories.
Things I didn't recognize.
Things that hadn't even happened yet.
Then the dragon laughed.
A deep, satisfied rumble that shook the throne room.
"Oh yes…"
"This is perfect."
His voice carried something strange.
Excitement.
Amusement.
"In all my Dragon Keepers… even the first… none have touched a future like this."
My eyes opened.
"What does that mean?"
The dragon's burning gaze stared directly into my soul.
"You are chosen to despair."
A chill ran down my spine.
"What?"
The dragon began reciting something ancient.
A prophecy.
His voice echoed like thunder through time itself.
"When the light dragon's radiance blinds the skies,
And the dark dragon's shadow swallows the land,
A spark shall be born from the remnants of the ancients,
Forged not in fire nor shadow alone, but in the pulse of two currents entwined.
A child shall walk where the winds clash,
Bearing the weight of scales unseen.
Their heartbeat shall tip the balance of bones and blood,
Yet they shall know neither certainty nor rest.
The hour shall hide in plain sight.
The path shall vanish beneath the eyes of the unworthy.
And only when the storm devours the sun
Shall the child see what was always written.
One choice shall fracture the world…
Or heal it whole.
And the hearts of dragons, ancient and wrathful,
Shall echo the consequences of that choice.
Beware the child of twin currents.
For their fire and shadow shall be both salvation…
And doom."
Silence filled the throne room.
I stared at him.
"What does any of that mean?"
The Red Dragon smiled.
"You will find out soon enough."
Eclipse leaned forward eagerly.
"I can't wait to watch."
And suddenly—
My mind went blank.
