Chapter 15 - Dragon of the Dragon Fmes

  -In Valentine Duchy; Garden- In the serene garden of Valentine Duchy, the sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground as I sat across from her, who held a delicate tea cup in her hand. "Cillian, have you been well?" Liara asked, her smile warm and inviting. "Of course, I have. Thank you for asking," I replied, taking a sip of the fragrant tea while gng around the lush garden, the vibrant flowers swayily in the breeze.

  Liara leaned in slightly, her left index finger resting thoughtfully on her , a curious expression lighting up her features. "The fact that Princess Luxana of Domino awakened her powers... is true, isn't it?"

  I took another sip, my mind drifting back to that fateful day. The day Luxana awakened her powers was etched in my memory, but I had been on my way baino when it happehe rain had poured down heavily, and the horse I was riding slipped just a mile from the inn. Before I k, that damned an was beggi to go, g His Majesty the Emperor would have his head if we didn’t reach Elmir as soon as possible. By the time I finally arrived, I was buried under a mountain of official work. A week had passed in the blink of an eye, and here I was, sipping tea with Liara."And how must I know?" I asked, feigning ignorance."Well... I thought you would, because from what I know... she is quite your type," Liara replied, a teasing lilt in her voice.My eyes widened in shock. "WHAAAAAAAAAA—" I excimed, uo tain my surprise."What? It's true," Liara insisted, a pyful grin spreading across her face. "And now, it's clearer—you like her!""What? No way! I don't!" I protested, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.Liara sighed, her expression shifting to one of exasperation. I looked down, feeling the heat of my face deepen."Hey... I'm fine if you want to break off this e... I really don't mind," Liara added, her voice softer now, tinged with an ued vulnerability.

  Liara's words hung in the air, tinged with an ued vulnerability that caught me off guard. Her voice was softer now, a stark trast to the pyful bahat had filled the garden moments before.

  I felt a pang of guilt at the thought of breaking off agement. While it was true that I had never seen Liara as anything more than a sister, the idea of losing her friendship altogether uled me. We had grown up together, our families iwined by duty and circumstance, and the thought of severing that bond was not oook lightly.

  Yet, the nagging suspi that Liara might be right about my feelings for Luxana g me. Could it be possible that I was drawn to the Princess in a way that went beyond mere curiosity or admiration? The thought both thrilled and terrified me, for Luxana was a woman who seemed to defy vention and expectation at every turn.

  I opened my mouth to speak, to offer some reassurance or expnation, but the words caught in my throat. How could I possibly articute the tangled web of emotions that threateo e me? Liara deserved hoy, but I was not even sure I could be ho with myself.

  So instead, I reached out, pg my hand atop hers where it rested oable between us. Her eyes met mine, and in that moment, I hoped she could see the unspoken apology in my gaze. I may not have been able to give her the answer she sought, but I could at least offer her the fort of my presehe reassurahat she was not alone in this.

  For now, that would have to be enough. But ohing was clear - I could not tio hide from my ow. Whatever y in store, I would face it head-on, even if it meant risking everything I had ever known.

  -Evening in Amoria Pace; Luxana's Room-

  Luxana's room, adorned in simple hues of white and blue, was now cloaked in shadows as the sun dipped below the horizon. She sat despoly on the floor beside her bed, her head resting heavily on the soft mattress as she stared bnkly at the pillows. Her once vibrant eyes now held a deep gloom, as if the spark of her soul had beeinguished, leaving only ay shell. Her long hair, unbound and untamed, flowed over the bed and cascaded down to the floor, a stark trast to her still, forlorn figure. It was as if all the life and energy had been drained from her, leaving her a mere ghost of her former self.

  "I think... I don't... know anymore... who... am... I... again?" She murmured softly, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she were m the loss of herself.

  "In times of darkness, find the strength within tnite your spirit," a deep, resonant voice echoed through the room, sending a chill down her spine.

  Luxana jolted upright in surprise. "Who... who’s there?" she asked, her heart rag as she sed her surroundings, searg for the source of the voice.

  "Life's beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. Cherish eaent, lesson, and growth, letting your experiences guide you," the voice replied, with a tohat was both haunting and f.

  fusion twisted into anger as Luxana shot up to her feet, her fists ched. "Who are you? And what do you want?"

  "Life ah are two sides of the same . Embrace the gift of life, for it is fleeting, and leave a legacy that echoes through eternity," the voice tinued, uerred by her frustration.

  "If life ah are the two sides of the same , then the person who has that ust be yht?" Luxana shot back, unaware of how profound her words had bee.

  "The true fme burns bright, illuminating the path of truth. Speak holy, for truth shall prevail and be rewarded. Let lies be doused iers of justice, for deception shall not go unpunished," the voitoned, its depth resonating within her.

  Luxana stood quiet for a moment, grappling with the surreal situation as the light of the su faded, leaving the room in deeper shadows.

  "Hear me, child, for I am the a voice that echoes within the chambers of your heart. I am the guiding light that dwells in the depths of your soul, where your true self, Roxana, resides. Seek me there, and thou shalt find dire and enlighte. Embrace thy true nature, and together we shall unlock the power that is rightfully thine."

  As those words lingered in the air, a chill ran down Luxana's spine. Suddenly, the baly door flew open with a powerful gust of wind, causing everything in the room to shake and rattle. The pages of the Aome, "The Secrets of the Dragon Fme," began to flip rapidly before ing to a halt on a page entitled "The Dragon."

  pelled by an unseen force, Luxana approached the book resting on her desk. As her fingers brushed the page, fiery light erupted from the tome, illuminating the room in a warm glow. The text read: "The a Dragon of the Dragon Fmes, a mythical creature of legend, resides within the deepest recesses of the Ented Caverns, where magid mystery verge. This magnifit beast, a guardian of a secrets, is said to be deeply ected to the emotional realm of its owner. It seheir feelings, their hopes, and their desires, as if they were its own. The Dragon Fmes, a refle of the owner's soul, be found deep within the caverns, hidden in a chamber bathed ihereal light. There, the dragon awaits, ready to igs fmes and guide its owner on their journey, strength and enlighte."

  "So... you're the Dragon of the Dragon Fmes, huh?" Luxana said, squinting her eyes in disbelief as she processed the revetion. "To think, I’d be talking to a draght now."

  "e, seek me while the moon still shines bright and the path remains clear. For soon, the shadows may obscure the way, and the opportunity to find what you seek may fade. Hesitation is the enemy of discovery, so embark on this journey with haste, for the rewards that await are worth more than the sum of their parts.

  Luxana squinted her eyes, letting out a sigh as she walked toward the baly, the fading light of the su casting an eerie glow across her features. She touched the cool railing, grounding herself for a moment, before turning her head back to look into her room. The shadows seemed to deepen, ing around her like a shroud, and she felt a surge of determination rise within her.

  With a swift motion, she raised her right hand into the room, her fingers curling into a fist as she summohe fire that y dormant within her. "If so, be patient. I'm on my way," she decred, her voice steady and resolute.

  KABOOM!

  The moment she unleashed her power, fmes erupted from her hand, engulfing the room in a brilliant bze. The fire danced with life, swirling and creating a mesmerizing dispy that filled the room with light and warmth. The once serene space was transformed into a chaotiferno, the fmes lig at the walls and furniture, ing everything in their path.

  Luxana watched as the fire devoured her belongings, the soft fabrics of her bedding igniting with a crag sound, sending sparks flying into the air. The fmes twisted and turned, illuminating the darkhat had once suffocated her.

  The ornate curtains billowed as they caught fire, the fabric curling and bing as they surreo the fmes. The wooden furniture groaned uhe heat, splintering and crag as the fire spread, casting flickering shadows that danced across the walls. Luxana could see the remnants of her life being reduced to ash—a once-pristine sanctuary now a chaotic mess of burning debris.

  As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a fiery glow across the sky, an uli began to radiate from Luxana's room in Amoria Pace. The air grew thick with smoke, curling tendrils creeping into the hallways, causing a stir among the pace staff.

  In the nearby servant quarters, the maids gathered, their chatter filled with . "Did you hear about the frontatioween Princess Luxana and the King?" One maid whispered, her eyes wide with intrigue.

  "Yes! I heard it was quite heated," another replied, gng nervously toward the princess's chambers. "But I never expected it to escate like this."

  Suddenly, a third maid interrupted, her face paling. "Wait... do you smell that? It smells like smoke!"

  The group fell silent, their eyes widening in arm as their heads soward the source of the smell, a sense ency gripping them. Panic began to ripple through the maids as they exged worried gnces.

  "Fire! There's a fire!" one of them shouted, her voice rising in arm.

  The otion quickly spread through the pace as the news reached the butler, who rushed into the room with urgency. "What is happening?" he demanded, his brow furrowed with .

  "The Princess's room is on fire!" one of the maids excimed, her voice trembling. "We o get the Princess out of there!"

  Without hesitation, the butler barked orders, his voianding. "Everyoo the princess's room! We must ensure her safety!"

  As they rushed down the corridor, the heat intensified, and the smoke thied, swirling around them like a liviy. The once-grand hallways of the pace were now filled with chaos, the echoes of shouting servants and the crag of fmes creating a cacophony of fear.

  "Princess Luxana!" the butler called out as they reached her door, the heat radiating from within. "Are you alright?"

  The door swung open, revealing a se of utter destru. Luxana stood in the ter of the room, her right hand raised, fmes swirling around her like a tempest. The fire ed the furniture, the curtains igniting in a brilliant bze, while the walls were painted with flickering shadows. The room was transformed into a chaotiferno, the air thick with smoke and the st of burning wood.

  "Princess!" the butler shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos as he rushed into the room, followed closely by the maids, their faces pale with shock.

  Luxana gazing at the Aome, her expression unreadable amidst the chaos. It's pages glowing with an otherworldly light, untouched by the fire that ed everything else.

  The butler's eyes widened as he took in the se. "Yhness! You must leave at once!" he urged, but Luxana remaiill, her gaze fixed on the book.

  "Do you believe me now, Luxana?" The Dragon's voice echoed through the room, deep and resonant, as if it were woven into the very fabric of the fire that surrounded her.

  Luxana nodded her head slowly, aowledging the truth of the Dragon's words without a hint of emotion.

  But Luxana stood firm, the fmes swirling around her in a mesmerizing dahe chaos of the burning room engulfed her, yet she stood unwavering amidst the destru, a bea of resolve.

  The butler stepped closer, urgen his voice. "Yhness, please! We ot stay here any lohe fire might burn you!"

  As the fmes roared and crackled, Luxana finally turned her gaze toward the butler, her voice calm and steady. "Let it burn," she said, her words almost drowned out by the sound of the fire. "This is my choice."

  The butler's heart sank as he realized the depth of her resolve. "But, Yhness—please, we must go!"

  "Leave, now!" Luxana anded, her voice carrying an authority that brooked nument.

  They watched helplessly as the fmes tio e the room, illuminating the darkness with a fierce glow. And before they k, the fire crept out of the room and began spreading through the entire Pace.

  As the fire raged on, Luxana stood at the ter of it all, a figure of defiance against the chaos, while the fmes swept away everything remaining in the Pace, transf it into an abandoned wastend.

  The Majestic Paow in ruins, starkly reminds of the destru that has taken pce. Luxana's stoic expression remained unged, her unwavering resolve evidee the surroundiation caused by the raging fire. As she walked, the crag of the fmes echoed through the empty halls, creating a haunting symphony of fiery chaos that reverberated with destru. The acrid st of smoke lingered in the air, a bitter reminder of the fnifice that now y in ruins, creating a poignant trast. Despite this, she smiled and strode forward. Her white nightgown had transformed into a stunning floor-length gown with a sheer bck overy, intricate red floral ats, ruffles, and butterfly motifs. The underyer, a solid red fabric, creates a striking trast with the sheer bck overy. Her hair, once as e as a ripe peach, is now darkened bck. Her eyes, once as blue as the o, now glowed red like the crimson hue of the blood moon in the night sky. She exuded ahereal presence, embodying grad power like a goddess desded from the heavens.

  As she gazed up, the moonlight illuminated her features, casting a soft glow around her...

  To be tinued...