The Legend of The Ara'dos - BOOK 1: Human's Draconic Ascension

Chapter 3 - A Change in Fate

   As the rain pelted down on Dachi, he bravely descended the porch steps, determined not to let the storm deter him. With each step, the wet sidewalk whispered beneath his feet, guiding him towards his destination. Dachi knew he couldn't wait idly by his house, so he ventured towards the gates, hidden from prying eyes. Through the rain-streaked windows, he couldn't make out the soldiers approaching, but he would blend in with them and slip past the gates unnoticed.
   It wasn't long before the soldiers came storming out with the thunder. There were only six of them, which Dachi knew wasn't enough. Surely, the High King would know that too.
   The soldiers possessed extraordinary abilities, wielding the forces of earth and fire. Dachi discerned their elemental powers through the glimpses of their eyes peeking out from beneath their helmets. The earth soldiers' eyes shimmered with a vibrant shade of green, while the fire soldiers' eyes burned with a fierce red hue. As for Dachi, his lightning-infused abilities were reflected in his own eyes, a mesmerizing blend of blue and purple.
   The soldiers let out calls with the thundering clouds as they marched through the city as fast as lightning. Dachi gasped from their swiftness and dove for the watch tower. He crouched down in the corner between the tower and the city walls. The soldiers ran right past Dachi and busted through the gates like a windstorm. Dachi swiftly jumped back to his feet and followed before the gates shut behind him.
   Some of the soldiers held grappling hooks and ninja hand claws to climb up the mountains. Even though some soldiers held the Earth element, they couldn't risk climbing up the mountain using their powers. The dragons can easily sense vibrations and the soldiers would be torn to shreds before the earth soldiers can move a pebble with their bare hands. The soldiers held large iron broadswords on their backs in case they couldn't use their powers. Even though Dachi wasn't a soldier, he knew that these men were unprepared. No dragon was going to be afraid of metal that is not sharper than their claws and teeth. Just the sound of it, which only made them more angry.
   The soldiers' roars quieted down, their whispering voices now being boomed over thunder. Like an audience calming down their cheering. They were coming to the edge of the mountain now. This was by the mines. The major city held a mine at the edge of the mountain where miners often found crystals like amethyst, sapphires, tourmaline, and more. Some even found gold.
   Dachi found himself in the vicinity of the cave where he had sought refuge for the night. It was hard to believe that he had made it this far, even if it was just a short distance beyond the mountain. As the soldiers advanced towards the mountain, Dachi cautiously trailed behind, keeping a safe distance of approximately fifty feet. He skillfully concealed himself behind trees and bushes whenever necessary, aware of the potential consequences if he were to be discovered. Being the High King's son, the soldiers would either return him to his father's custody or follow his lead. Dachi was not willing to take any unnecessary risks, although he knew that simply venturing out into this dangerous territory was already a risk in itself.
   "What are your orders, sir?" an earth soldier suddenly asked.
   Dachi's heart skipped a beat as a voice startled him, causing him to swiftly seek cover behind a nearby bush. He cautiously peeked out, fixing a stern gaze upon the soldiers who had now moved beyond the treacherous mines. The terrain beneath their boots had transformed into a snowy expanse, the crunching of snow beneath their feet muffled by the thunderous roars of the lightning storm and the majestic dragons perched upon the mountain peaks.
   They had entered the Glacial Range, a stark contrast to Dachi's bustling city of Dhiashrir. This icy biome was home to the formidable ice dragons, its name serving as a testament to its frigid nature. The Forbidden Hillslide guarded its eastern borders, separating it from the rest of the world. Located to the south of the planet, this land remained untamed by villages or major cities, solely claimed by the dragons. While humans had ventured into the biome, none had managed to navigate the treacherous snowstorms and emerge unscathed.
   This lightning storm happening upon the Forbidden Hillslide was making the current snowstorm on the edge of the Glacial Range a lot worse to manage. Dachi started to believe that the storm would kill the soldiers before the dragons could even notice that they were there.
   "We must get on the mountain as fast as we are able to carry ourselves," a fire soldier replied to the questioning earth soldier. "No using your earth powers just yet. We must use our gear."
   The fire soldiers wielded grappling hooks, gripping them tightly with both hands. With a powerful throw, they launched the hooks high into the air, securing them onto their targets. Using the ropes as support, they skillfully pulled themselves up, their feet firmly planted on the rocky terrain. Meanwhile, the earth soldiers showcased their superior strength, utilizing hand claws to strike the devices onto the rocks at great heights. With careful precision, they hauled themselves up, determined to overcome any obstacle in their path.
   Dachi watched them closely. He realized how even more stupid he was for not only coming out here without the soldiers knowing but having no way to climb the mountain. He didn't know if those grappling hooks would be strong enough to have the soldiers not notice him following them. The dragons would notice them for sure.
   Check that off the box.
   A deafening howl, louder and closer than any dragon before, pierced the air, sending shivers down their spines. The soldiers let out screams, but their voices were drowned out by the beast's menacing roar. As they continued their ascent, their progress was abruptly halted by a barrage of pebbles raining down from above, striking them on the head. Their attention now fully captured, they gazed upwards, joining their comrades in a chorus of terrified screams. Yet, their cries remained unheard amidst the crackling of lightning and the beast's insatiable thirst for violence.
   A massive dragon, its scales as black as night and wings as dark as the shadows, unleashed thunderous roars that echoed through the air. Its piercing blue eyes locked onto its prey, while its spiked tail poised for a devastating strike. However, the soldiers, faced with the imminent danger, made a brave decision. They released their grappling hooks and hand claws, willingly plummeting fifty feet down the mountain. They chose to face any other fate rather than being consumed alive by such a fearsome creature.
   The other two soldiers, hand on grappling hooks, pulled out their mighty swords, or to the dragon, puny toys and held them up high in the air, calling out against the dragon.
   The other soldiers scattered in different directions, leaving the two brave soldiers behind. Dachi, hidden behind a bush, felt a surge of tension. It wasn't right for the soldiers to abandon their comrades, but facing a lightning dragon was no small feat. Still, Dachi couldn't bear to watch these soldiers confront such a terrifying creature alone.
  As the dragon let out another piercing screech, the soldiers displayed outward courage, but inside, fear consumed them. The dragon could not only see their fear but sense it, even smell it in the air.
   The soldiers bravely climbed higher, swinging their swords at the dragon. The dragon growled, unimpressed by their feeble attempts. It saw no point in wasting energy on two men who were as small as one of its teeth. With a lift of its head, the dragon revealed gleaming white teeth, sharp as razors. It hissed, its scorching breath nearly knocking the soldiers off the mountainside. A blue glow emanated from its mouth, mirroring the intensity in its eyes. The dragon's hiss transformed into crackling, as white streaks of lightning danced within its jaws. The soldiers, frozen in terror, watched helplessly, knowing there was no escape from this terrifying beast.
   Suddenly, the dragon was caught off guard as a fiery blast, the color of its saphhire eyes, engulfed its face, causing its charged attack to dissipate. With a thunderous roar, the beast swiftly turned its attention to the source of the threat.
   Dachi stood defiantly in the open, the wind whipping around him and rain pelting down relentlessly. Legs wide apart, he crouched slightly, hands poised and ablaze with smoky fire, ready to confront the dragon with unwavering determination.
   "Go, now!" Dachi shouted to the remaining soldiers.
   With the dragon now having its threatening focus on Dachi, the two soldiers jumped down with their grappling hooks and safely landed on the ground. Without any questions, they bolted off as fast as Dachi's fire.
   The dragon screeched in betrayal. Dachi growled and unleashed a barrage of blue fire towards the dragon. However, lightning dragons were lightning-fast, and even Dachi's speed couldn't match theirs.
   The dragon crouched down, spreading its wings wide. It gazed up at the dark sky and forcefully clapped its wings against its body. With a powerful surge, the dragon soared into the sky, effortlessly evading Dachi's fireballs.
   Dachi cursed under his breath, realizing the gravity of the situation. He knew it was a terrible idea to pit these soldiers against a dragon he knew they couldn't defeat.
   The dragon flapped its wings to keep itself in the air. The creature roared at Dachi. What was this dragon's next move going to be? Should Dachi be running away just like the soldiers? But he would be leading the dragon right to his major city. This was stupid. This was so stupid and Dachi knew it before he even left his house. Though, if he weren't here, all of those soldiers would be dead. He guessed he could count himself as a hero for his last thoughts.
   The dragon tucked its wings to its side and swooped back down towards the mountain. For a moment, Dachi was left standing in confusion, but suddenly, the mighty beast swung down low to the ground and soon, right for Dachi. Dachi screamed and held both of his arms up in the shape of an "X" and covered his face, bracing for impact.
   This was it. He was going to be eaten alive by a dragon and even when dead, his father would shame him for it. He couldn't do anything about it. A near master of lightning and he couldn't even protect himself against a dragon. He couldn't bring himself to ever truly hurt a dragon on purpose.
   Dachi couldn't believe he was still alive after feeling the dragon's claws tightly gripping his body. Instead of being thrown up into the air, the dragon held onto him firmly. With hesitant anticipation, Dachi slowly opened his eyes to see what awaited him.
   To his surprise, he found himself soaring above the snowy landscape. The ground below seemed distant, at least thirty feet away. The dragon still had a tight grip on him, leaving Dachi wondering about its intentions and how he managed to survive.
   Then, the dragon pulled its front leg back and flung it forward again, letting go of Dachi in the process. Dachi's eyes widened when he felt nothing, but cold air around him. He screamed, but it was immediately muffled when he landed face-first into the snow. He threw his hands down on the snow and yanked his head out, gasping for air. Cold air instantly filled up his lungs. Dachi coughed roughly in an attempt to get the cold air out of his body. He groaned and slowly looked up at the sky.
   Dachi's eyes fluttered closed as snowflakes gently landed on his face. He lowered his head and surveyed the desolate snowy landscape stretching for miles. Where was he? And more importantly, where had the dragon gone?
   Looking up at the sky, Dachi saw no sign of the dragon. It had vanished along with the lightning storm. The dragon had left Dachi stranded in the middle of nowhere, with the possibility of being lost forever.
   With trembling legs, Dachi slowly rose to his feet, still in shock from surviving an encounter with a lightning dragon once again. What were the dragon's intentions? Why had it brought him here?
   The lightning storm had been replaced by a fierce snowstorm, a powerful blizzard that seemed to taunt Dachi's vulnerability. He surveyed the barren landscape, realizing he was far from any help. Out here, the only inhabitants were likely creatures that would see him as a meal.
   Now, Dachi had to find his way back home.