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

Chapter 4 - The Faces of Hope

   The cold breeze cut through Dachi's lungs as he gasped for a breath of fresh air. But there was no luck in finding any freshness. In his hometown, the cold was a familiar companion, with frequent rainstorms and occasional snowfall. But this was different. The Glacial Range was unforgiving, and Dachi didn't know how much longer he could endure. The weather was slowly draining his strength.
   For what felt like an eternity, Dachi had been trudging in the same direction. All he could see was an endless expanse of snow. The snowfall above him was heavy, yet delicate compared to the pounding rain. Rain would crash down like a tsunami, but the snow would gently land on his head and shoulders, only to melt away against his coat. However, here in the mountains, there was more snow than rain. The fierce blizzard obscured Dachi's vision, forcing him to squint and strain his eyes to see through the onslaught of large, frozen flakes. The wind, blowing directly at him, only made matters worse.
   Dachi's mind echoed with the same question, "Where am I?" He knew he wouldn't get an answer, but he couldn't help but repeat it to himself. And with each repetition, he berated himself for his foolishness. Dachi couldn't shake off the feeling that he might never escape this place. Survival seemed like a distant hope.
   As he trudged through the snow, Dachi tightly hugged himself, trying to ward off the biting cold. The snow relentlessly pelted his face, causing him to grunt in frustration. Every few seconds, he sniffed in the frigid air, his runny nose and pounding headache making him feel like the snow was seeping into his brain, slowly melting inside. Even the extra coat he had packed in his bag offered little relief.
   This silent yet fierce snowstorm posed a real danger to Dachi. He shamelessly admitted that he would prefer lightning storms over this. But he didn't dare complain too much, knowing that this storm wasn't the only threat lurking in the icy wilderness.
   The Glacial Range is known to be a dragon land. That lightning dragon didn't just drop Dachi off here for no reason. There were other dragons that were roaming through the dark state in search of food.
   Some dragons didn't bother humans. Of course, they were angry with humans, but not angry enough to eat them. Like lightning dragons, ice dragons will eat anything. That would include humans.
   There are a couple of biomes where ice dragons live, but the Glacial Range is where they can be spotted the most. Ice dragons are stealthy creatures. Even more so when hunting. A dragon could be sneaking up behind Dachi and he wouldn't have a clue in the world.
   Dachi's paranoia was growing. He kept glancing around, even stopping to check behind him. He knew he had to keep moving, never giving the ice dragon a chance to attack. Ice dragons may not be as vicious as lightning dragons, but they're still terrifying. Their glowing light blue eyes with small pupils, teeth as sharp as icicles, and claws like a harpy eagle's. Just the thought of it sent shivers down Dachi's spine.
   In his mind, Dachi continued to wonder, "Where am I? Am I going the right way?" He couldn't tell which direction he was heading, with only five feet of visibility. But one thing he knew for sure, no dragon would be waiting for him or facing him head-on. Ice dragons prefer to approach from behind.
   Dachi looked behind him once more, finding nothing but emptiness. He slowly spun in a circle, then in the opposite direction. The snow beneath his feet was deep, about twelve inches. Each step felt unbearable, but he pressed on. Another step. His feet grew numb, losing sensation. Dachi longed for the warmth of his father's embrace, but it seemed like an impossible dream, not just because of the freezing biome he found himself in.
   Despite the blizzard, Dachi couldn't help but notice the smooth, glistening snow under the moonlight. It made him realize something. The snowstorm was intensifying with each step he took. It was spiraling out of control, just like the lightning storm back home where the lightning dragons struggled to tame it without the Ara'dos.
   Dachi scanned his surroundings once again, observing the untouched hills of snow. No sign of dragons and no trace of their presence. The storm grew more chaotic, confirming that no dragon was near. Something must have happened to keep them away.
   As Dachi ventured further into the bone-chilling landscape, his mind filled with a mix of myths and facts.
   Suddenly, he came to an abrupt halt, stumbling back for a moment before regaining his balance. His heart skipped a beat as he realized he had tripped over something, but he hesitated to uncover what it was.
   Even though Dachi was still alive, he couldn't bring himself to investigate what he had stumbled upon in this cold, eerily deserted dragon land. No sounds of movement, only the relentless assault of snow from the clouds. The blizzard grew stronger, not like the way he sensed the power of the lightning storm, but through the biting cold and the blinding snowfall.
   Dachi's curiosity grew with his mixed-up thoughts. He decided to take another risk and slowly look down at the smooth snow. He noticed some sort of bump. Like someone or something under a blanket. Maybe it was just a pile of packed snow.
.  Dachi reached his foot forward and nudged the bump. Fear went from the snow, up Dachi's leg, and through his whole body. He jumped back and stood frozen like ice ten feet away from the obstacle. He felt something move. He had moved something with his foot. Dachi already counted himself dead.
   But when there were no other movements, Dachi relaxed only a little. His quickened heartbeat boomed in his ears over the sound of the wind blowing through him. His fear took over every other feeling in his body. He almost forgot how cold it was.
   What is that? Dachi questioned, hoping for an answer, but there wasn't one. The only thing that could give Dachi his answer was himself.
   Dachi crept forward again. He stuck his foot out and poked the obstacle again. He flinched and quickly took his foot back, standing frozen. Some of the snow fell down the small slope. Dachi audibly gasped when a piece of cloth was shown underneath the snow.
   His theory was immediately debunked. That was no dragon. The first time he approached the snow pile and tripped over it, he thought he had disturbed a dragon. A baby dragon to be more exact. The bump was small, but there would be an adult dragon nearby that would instantly come swooping down on Dachi and take him on the same way the lightning dragon took him.
   Or worse.
   There was someone under that snow for sure. More of the snow fell to reveal more of the cloth. Someone was breathing under there.
   Without another thought, Dachi swiftly crouched down and started to dig through the snow without a second thought. The more he dug, the more saw. This piece of cloth ended up being the hood of some coat. Maybe it was just a coat. Nothing else.
   Dachi tugged on the coat, but there was weight attached to it. He quickly let go of the hood and waited for movement. Still nothing. This had to be a human. Maybe this human met the same fate Dachi did.
   Dachi's eyes widened at that thought. A human lying here in the middle of the artic. Not moving. Who knows how long this human had been here? Was this human even alive?
   Dachi continued to dig through the freezing snow, feeling his fingertips grow numb. With each scrape, he uncovered more of the buried figure. As he lifted the person onto their back, he wiped away the snow from their face, accidentally knocking off their hood.
   Dachi gasped, inhaling a lungful of freezing air. He coughed, trying to clear his throat. But when he looked down at the being before him, his eyes widened in shock. This was no human.
   The being had fluffy and short light blue hair that fell over their forehead and closed eyes. Their hair seemed like tiny icicles hanging on their forehead. The being's skin was almost as pale as the snow. A thick coat laid over the being's shoulders with a light blue sweater to match his hair. He wore gloves and a scarf too. Even with all this winter clothing, no human would be able to survive here with it.
   And this wasn't a human. Everything about him looked human. What wasn't right?
   Two points stuck out through the creature's hair. One on each side. They were the same color as his skin and the inside was darker. These were the creature's ears. Pointy ears. That could mean...
   This is a dragon!  Dachi told himself. But this dragon looked human. So this was a dragon in his human form.
   Dachi flinched when the dragon took in a deep breath, taking in the cold air through his lungs. Dachi felt the body shudder against him. This creature was surely alive, but for how long? Dachi needed to get out of here fast. Though, something inside of him told him that he couldn't leave. Not yet.
   He looked down at the creature in front of him. The creature was barely breathing, taking in slow, shaky breaths every few seconds. He shook so hard that Dachi could see the snow shifting around the creature's body. This creature was... beautiful in a way to Dachi. Perhaps a couple of ways.
   He couldn't leave this dragon behind. Dachi had to save this dragon. He didn't know why he was doing this, but something inside of him was telling him that he needed to save this dragon.
   As Dachi stared down at the dragon, he began to take in the knowledge that this was an ice dragon telling from the dragon's fluffy ice-colored hair and glistening pale skin. A young one too based off his small figure and smooth skin.
   Ice dragons were able to stay out in the cold without getting affected by the weather. Though, this dragon seemed to be a bit different, based on his shaky breathing and the fact he was barely alive. Dachi didn't understand what happened, but he wanted to know.
   Dachi slithered his arms underneath the dragon and stumbled from his knees and to his feet. He slowly lifted his hands as well as straightening out his knees. He stood upright and groaned as he held the dragon in his cold arms. Now, he needed to figure out how he was going to bring this creature into his city. That was another thing to worry about. The first was to figure out how the two of them were going to get out of here.
   Dachi trudged through the icy terrain, his footsteps leaving behind a faint trail in the powdery snow. He had always been cautious not to turn back, knowing that it would disorient him in this treacherous place. However, his straight path seemed to lead nowhere. Feeling a sense of uncertainty, Dachi made a decision. He would try a new direction—right. Perhaps this would be the closest way out of the Glacial Range, or maybe it would only lead him further away from home.
   As he continued to hold the lost dragon close to his chest, Dachi couldn't help but notice the frigid chill emanating from its body. The dragon's icy touch seemed to seep into his own bones, intensifying the biting cold of the surroundings. It puzzled Dachi. He was rarely affected by sickness, and he wasn't accustomed to finding himself in such freezing environments. Yet, here he was, braving the cold with the enigmatic dragon in his arms.
   The wind howled with a fury that rivaled the roar of a dragon, making it difficult for Dachi to distinguish between the two. He knew these violent storms were agitating all the dragons in the area. The snowfall intensified, obscuring his vision and forcing him to squint. With each step, the snow seemed to be angled towards his left side, making it challenging to keep his hood up.
   Dachi's small ears felt frozen, and every breath he took felt like pulling apart an icicle. He tried inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth, desperately trying to expel the frigid air from his lungs. But it seemed like the very air he needed to survive was turning against him, threatening to freeze him from the inside out.
   The weight of the dragon in his arms only added to his fatigue. Though not overly heavy, carrying the dragon through the snow took a toll on his entire body. Dachi longed to return home and care for the dragon, but doubts started to creep in. Was this really the right direction? No one knew for sure. There were no maps of the Glacial Range, and no human had ever survived venturing into it. Dachi feared he would become just another name on that list. Hope began to fade, and the prospect of escaping this frozen wilderness seemed increasingly bleak.
   Dachi clung to hope as tightly as he clutched the dragon in his arms, but the swirling snow revealed a bleak reality. He strained his eyes, squinting through the relentless snowfall. His breathing grew heavy and trembled, mirroring the dragon's. It became clear that neither of them would escape this unforgiving place. Dachi knew it. He wouldn't be able to return to his father, who would likely shame him anyway. But Dachi yearned for one last chance to see his father before succumbing to this treacherous frozen realm.
   Then, Dachi stumbled, tumbling forward over the packed snow and sinking to his knees, his legs swallowed by the snow. A cold, trembling breath escaped his lips. He slowly allowed his eyes to relax, feeling the crunch of ice as his eyelids shut tightly.
   "I'm so sorry," Dachi whispered to the dragon. "I know how cruel humans are and even I can't save you."
   Dachi's heart ached with the weight of his inability to save the dragon, but the biting cold overwhelmed any other emotions. All he could feel was the numbing cold seeping into his bones. In that moment, he yearned to lay back in the snow, holding the creature in his arms until they both succumbed to the freezing temperatures or until he became a dragon's meal, ensuring the safety of the one in his embrace.
   As he allowed his body to relax further, surrendering to the icy grasp of the environment, he held the creature tightly, recognizing the injustices they faced. Dragons, ancient and magnificent, played a vital role in maintaining balance in the world. Dachi felt like the sole human who truly understood their anger and actions. With their leader gone, the storms grew fiercer, unbalanced without her presence. The dragons were left vulnerable, lacking someone to save them.
   Before Dachi could lay back, a purple glow pierced through the darkness, stirring him from his fatigue. He grunted, slowly opening his eyes and brushing away the icy flakes that clung to his eyelids. His gaze fixed on a pair of human legs standing before him. Normally, he would be freaking out, but exhaustion dulled any emotional response, just as the cold numbed his senses. He mustered the strength to raise his gaze, eager to identify the person who had stumbled upon them in this desolate place.
   The figure in front of him, with pale skin, donned a light purple winter coat and sturdy black boots. A billowing cloak adorned her shoulders, dancing with the wind. Dachi couldn't help but notice her unique features—a cascade of purple hair that fell just below her chin. But what truly set her apart were her pointy ears peeking through her hair. She shared a resemblance with the creature cradled in Dachi's arms. Her eyes, too, captivated him with their mismatched colors—a vibrant purple like her hair, and an icy blue, reminiscent of the other dragon's hair.
   The dragon woman stood before Dachi, her gaze fixed upon him. Unlike the anger he had witnessed in other dragons, her expression held a softness, as if on the verge of tears.
   "Thank you," she whispered.
   As Dachi looked down, he noticed a vibrant purple line etched into the snow. It stretched out before him, curving and then straightening before vanishing into the darkness. Yet, the glow remained visible, illuminating the path. It dawned on him that this light was a map, a guide to lead him out of this desolate place and back home. It wasn't a hallucination; it was a glimmer of hope, a sign to persevere and continue his mission of saving the dragon.
   With a sigh, Dachi mustered the strength to rise to his feet, stumbling slightly as he regained his balance. He couldn't give up now. Someone, or rather, something, was relying on him. A dragon counting on a human. It sparked a determination within him to restore balance to the world and return things to how they once were.
   Dachi took a hesitant step forward, his feet feeling heavy, but he refused to give in. This was his chance, his opportunity to make a difference. He placed his foot on the glowing purple line, feeling its energy beneath him. With each step, he followed the trail of light, knowing in his heart that he would find his way home and bring about the restoration the world so desperately needed.
   But first, he had to save this dragon.