Three months had passed since that day in the throne room, but the weight of that girl's words still lingered in my mind like an infected wound. Every time I closed my eyes, I could hear her: The brother who dreams of nothing but ending his twins life.

  I hadn’t spoken to her since, but the words never left me.

  The field around me was scarred and smoking, evidence of another long day of drills. Edric was lounging a short distance away, casually tossing a dagger in the air, while Alden and Lysara watched me with matching looks of quiet concern.

  “You’re pushing yourself too hard,” Alden said, his tone steady. His grey hair was tied back, while his sharp blue eyes held a kind of calm authority.

  “I’m fine.” I muttered, brushing past him as I made my way towards our camp.

  Lysara stepped into my path. “He’s right, you know. You’re strong, but you’re no use to anyone if you’re burned out.”

  I clenched my jaw but said nothing. Lysara was always quick to remind me of my limits, but I wasn’t sure if she understood just how high my personal stakes were.

  “Let ‘em stew,” Edric said, his voice light as he joined us. He threw an arm around Alden’s shoulders, ignoring the older man’s exasperated sigh. “You know Sacer. He’s got the whole ‘hero’ shtick down to an art form.”

  Lysara shot him a sharp look. “This isn’t a joke, Edric.”

  “I know,” He replied, his tone softening. “But someone’s gotta keep things light around here.”

  Alden shook his head but didn’t argue. Instead, he turned to me. “We’ve made progress,” he said. “The reports from the outlying villages suggest we’re narrowing the search. It’s only a matter of time before we find this dragon, and that means we’ll have found Luca.”

  “That’s not good enough!” I spat. “Every day that passes, we’re losing him. And every day, the damage he can do gets worse and worse.”

  Edric, sensing the tension, stepped up with a bright grin. “Alllll right, everyone, let’s not turn this into another lecture. We’ve had enough of those to last a life time, eh?” As he said this, Edric nudged my side with his elbow. “How about we get some food before we start biting each other’s heads off?”

  Without waiting for a response, he slung his arm around Lysara’s shoulders and started to lead her toward the campfire. She gave me one last glance before allowing herself to be dragged away.

  Alden lingered for a moment more, placing his hand on my shoulder. “You’re not alone in this, Sacer, don’t forget that.”

  All I could do was nod.

  As the camp settled for the night, I stared into the distance. Somewhere out there, Luca was waiting. I could feel it in my bones.

  Edric appeared at my side, holding out a bowl of stew. “You should eat,” he said, his tone unusually serious. “You need your strength.”

  I took the bowl without a word, and for a moment, the silence between us felt almost comfortable. Then he smirked, the teasing glint returning to his eyes.

  “You know, for someone destined to save the world, you’re really bad at taking care of yourself. Maybe I should start carrying you around like a princess.”

  Despite myself, I let out a small huff of laughter. “I’d like to see you try.”

  “Challenge accepted,” he said.

  And just like that, the tension in my bones eased, if only for the moment.

  —

  “Wow.” I said as I stood at the charred remains of a forest, staring at claw marks that could only belong to a dragon.

  “You’re sure this is the right trail?” Lysara asked, crouching beside the deep gouges in the earth.

  Edric knelt beside her, running his fingers across the marks. “Oh, it’s a dragon all right. A big one, too, judging by how big these are.” He looked up at me with a grin. “I’d say we’re on the right track.”

  I crossed my arms, my gaze fixed on the horizon where smoke rose in thin, grey columns. “And you think this is connected to Luca?”

  Alden stood nearby, his expression unreadable as he looked across the landscape. “The reports match the destruction in Draemoor,” he said. “Entire villages burned to the ground, survivors claiming to see black flames. It could be him.”

  Edric straightened, brushing dirt off his hands. “Well, if we’re going after a dragon, I hope someone brought some sort of a plan. Or at least some dragon-killing style weapons.”

  Alden let out an amused chuckle. “Let’s move. If we keep following the smoke we might catchup before nightfall.”

  The four of us set off. The air grew warmer as we approached the source of the smoke, and the landscape became increasingly desolate. Trees stood like skeletons against the sky, and the ground was littered with the scorched remains of what might once have been homes.

  “This place feels... wrong.” Lysara muttered, her hand resting on the hilt of her broadsword.

  I couldn’t argue with her. There WAS an unnatural stillness to the air, broken only by the distant crackle of fire.

  Edric paused, tilting his head as if listening for something. “Do you hear that?” he asked, his voice unusually serious.

  I strained my ears, and then I heard it: a low, guttural growl that sent a shiver down my spine.

  “Looks like we’re closer than we thought,” Alden said, his tone calm but his hand hovered near his blade.

  Ahead of us, the smoke thickened, and a massive shape emerged from the haze. The dragon was a towering monster of black scales, its eyes glowing crimson. Its massive wings outstretched as it rose into the sky.

  We froze.

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  Edric broke the silence with a low whistle. “Well, that’s definitely not something you see every day.”

  “Stay focused,” Lysara snapped, her sword already drawn.

  The dragon raised its head, nostrils flaring as it caught our scent. Its eyes burned with an intelligence that sent a chill shuddering through my bones. This dragon wasn’t mindless. It was dangerous.

  “We should move slowly,” Alden whispered, “No sudden movements.”

  “Move slowly?” Edric let out a low, nervous laugh. “That thing could fry us at any second!”

  “Then don’t give it a reason to, you idiot!” Lysara hissed.

  It’s gaze swept over us, lingering on me for a second longer than I was comfortable with.

  “What’s it… waiting for?” Edric murmured, taking an unconscious step behind Alden.

  The dragon landed down on the scorched earth, its massive claws digging in. It let out a deafening roar, the force of it nearly knocking us off our feet.

  “Get ready!” I shouted, drawing my sword.

  In an instant, the dragon lunged forward, flames erupting from its mouth in a wave of black fire. The inferno barreled toward us, heat washing over my skin like a wave.

  “Scatter!” Alden bellowed.

  I dove to the side as the ground where we once stood was consumed in a blazing inferno. The dragon’s flames burned unnaturally hot. Like his.

  Edrick wasted no time, lightning coating his sword as he drew it from the scabbard.”Hey ugly!” He shouted, taking a run towards the dragon. Its eyes flicked over to him, growling. “Got its attention now!” he called, his tone too gleeful for the situation he was in.

  Lysara moved with precision, darting behind the dragon. Her sword glowed with a silvery light as she slashed at the beast’s hind legs, each clash returning with a resounding clang. “Its scales are too thick!” She shouted, frustration evident in her voice.

  Alden extended a hand toward the sky. The air around him crackled, and moments later, a bolt of lightning came down onto the dragon’s back. It roared in pain, its tail lashing out in fury.

  The massive appendage crashed through the remains of the forest. I barely managed to duck in time, the force of the wind from the strike sending me stumbling.

  The beast turned its burning crimson eyes on me, and for a moment, I felt fear. Then it lunged, its jaws snapping with deadly accuracy. I rolled to the side, slashing at its face as I passed. My blade skittered off its scales, leaving little more than a scratch.

  “Not good enough!” I hissed, cursing myself. Edric appeared at my side, his chest heaving, his smile never fading despite the sweat dripping down his face.

  Lysara leapt onto the dragon’s back, her blade glowed brighter as she drove it in the softer flesh beneath one of its scales. The beast bellowed in pain, bucking wildly in an attempt to throw her off.

  Alden stepped forward, his hands crackling with mana. “Lysara, move!” he warned. As soon as she jumped clear, he called down a barrage of lightning strikes. The bolts dancing across the dragon’s body. It roared, smoke rising from where the electricity seared its flesh.

  We grouped up again with the opportunity Alden presented us. “We can’t keep this up,” Lysara said, breathing heavily.

  “We don’t have a choice,” I replied, glaring at the dragon as it shook off its pain.

  Edric, as always, grinned. “Hey, at least it’s not boring!”

  “Focus, Edric!” Alden snapped.

  The dragon roared, its wings beating furiously as it prepared to strike. Alden raised his hand to the skys, summoning another storm of lightning. But even as the dragon faltered, the beast's eyes burned with fury.

  It broke through the barrage of lightning strikes, lunging toward my mentor. I didn’t think- I just moved. My sword clashed with its claws, the force of the impact rattling my entire body.

  “Back off!” I growled, forcing more and more magic into my sword, pushing against the beast with everything I had.

  The dragon lashed out again, sending me rolling into the dirt. Its tail slammed into Alden, sending him crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. Lysara and Edric were thrown back by another swipe of its claws, her sword clattering to the ground as she hit the earth hard. Edric let out a groan of pain as he hit the ground, his flesh littered with wounds from the claws.

  My arm was broken, shattered from the clash with the beast's claws. The dragon let out a stream of fire, surging toward Edric. I tried to move to his aid but my injuries held me in place.

  “Edric!” I cried, panic rising as I realized I couldn’t heal myself fast enough to save him.

  A sudden torrent of black flames erupted from the treeline, colliding with the dragon’s fire and driving it back. The new fire burned hotter and fiercer, consuming the dragon’s attack.

  From within the inferno stepped out Luca, his red eyes blazing like embers, his figure wreathed in flames. He strode forward, his expression unyielding, as the dragon turned its rage on him.

  “Leave.” Luca commanded, his voice low and dangerous. With a swipe of his hand, the inferno around him danced forward, enveloping the dragon in a firestorm.

  The dragon recoiled, thrashing wildly as it tried to escape the searing heat. Luca’s flames were darker and hotter than they had been three months ago, they seemed to consume the very air around them.

  His hair now fell past his shoulders, tied back into a loose ponytail that still left a few strands framing his face. Scars criss crossed his arms and neck, there was another running along his chin. But his armor was what caught my attention the most. It was dark, made of matte black steel reinforced with leather straps, and the cloak draped over his back swayed faintly with the lingering heat. He looked less like the brother I knew and more like a figure out of legend- a force of nature.

  “Edric!” I choked out, dragging myself toward where my friend lay crumpled on the ground. His breathing was shallow, his face pale. I tried to summon my magic again, but my body refused to cooperate. The fight had drained me completely.

  Luca’s eyes flicked toward me, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of concern. He knelt beside Edric, the flames around him dimming slightly as he extended a hand over my fallen friend.

  “You’re lucky I got here in time,” he muttered, his voice calm but edged with something- anger? Resentment? “Imagine its shape… Control it…” he said to himself as black flames flowed from his hand, swirling around Edric in a controlled cocoon. The fire didn’t harm; instead, it seemed to seep into Edric’s wounds, cauterizing the torn and burned flesh.

  I stared, stunned. Luca’s flames were powerful, destructive. But now they were healing?

  Edric stirred, blinking up at Luca in confusion. “Are you… the devil?” he croaked.

  “Barely.” my brother replied, standing and turning his attention back to the black dragon. Its massive body smoldering from the firestorm Luca had unleashed, crimson eyes burning with hatred as it locked onto him.

  Alden groaned from where he’d been thrown, and Lysara struggled to her feet, leaning on her sword for support. “Luca Umbra?” she rasped, her expression a mix of fear and disbelief. “How-”

  “Later,” Luca cut her off, his gaze never leaving the dragon. “This isn’t your fight anymore.”

  ‘What are you talking about?” I demanded, forcing myself to stand despite my body screaming at me. “That thing is yours, isn’t it?”

  He looked at me, his eyes wide in genuine disbelief. “You think I own a dragon?”

  Before I could argue, the dragon roared and lunged at Luca, its claws tearing through the air with terrifying speed. He didn’t flinch. With a flick of his wrist, the fire surrounding him erupted into a towering inferno, forming a barrier the dragon’s claws couldn’t penetrate.

  His flames coiled around the dragon’s limbs like living chains, dragging the beast to the ground with a force that shook the earth. The monster thrashed and roared, but Luca’s control was absolute.

  “Why are you here?” he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the roar of flames and the dragon’s cries. “Who sent you?”

  The dragon seemed to sense its defeat, its movements growing more desperate as Luca approached. For a moment, I thought he might finish it off, but instead, he paused, his eyes narrowing as he studied the creature.

  “Luca, what’re you doing?” I called, my voice hoarse.

  “Something’s wrong,” he replied. “There’s something off about this guy. It’s too focused, too… deliberate.” He tilted his head, thinking out loud. “It’s almost like its-”

  The dragon let out a deafening roar, cutting him off. With a final, desperate surge of energy, it broke free from Luca’s flames, its wings snapping open as it took to the sky. Luca’s fire lashed out in response, but the dragon was already gone.

  Silence fell over the battlefield, the crackle of dying flames and the ragged breathing of my party being the only noise that filled the void. Luca stood motionless, staring after the dragon with an unreadable expression.