Chapter 16: The Dragon's Wound
January 18, 2026 at 10:06 AM
The cavern trembled with each distant roar.
Flora and Aestus sprinted toward the sound, their footsteps echoing through the crystal‑lit tunnels. The air grew warmer with every turn, tinged with the metallic scent of blood and the faint burn of scorched stone.
They emerged into a vast chamber.
The dragon lay collapsed against the far wall, its crimson scales dulled, its massive wing torn where the arrow had pierced it. Blood pooled beneath its body — thick, dark, steaming.
Flora’s heart clenched. “No…”
She rushed forward, placing a trembling hand against the dragon’s snout. Its golden eye cracked open, focusing on her with a mixture of pain and recognition.
Aestus knelt beside the wound. “This arrow… it’s not normal. Look.”
The arrowhead was blackened, pulsing with a faint red glow.
“Cursed,” Aestus whispered. “Malum planned this.”
Flora’s flames flickered instinctively. “Can we remove it?”
“Not safely,” Aestus said. “If we pull it out, the curse will spread.”
Flora closed her eyes, steadying her breath. “Then I’ll burn it out.”
Aestus’s eyes widened. “Flora—”
“I won’t lose him,” she said, voice firm. “Not after everything.”
She placed her hands over the wound. Fire surged from her palms — not wild, not explosive, but controlled, focused, precise. The cursed glow hissed and writhed as the flames consumed it.
The dragon roared, shaking the cavern.
Aestus held Flora steady. “Almost there!”
With a final burst of heat, the curse shattered into ash.
The dragon exhaled a long, shuddering breath. Its scales brightened, its muscles relaxed, and its massive head lowered in gratitude.
Flora stroked its snout gently. “We’re not done yet. We still need you.”
The dragon rumbled softly — a promise.
Aestus stood, brushing dust from his coat. “Then we move. The map leads us out of these caverns… and into the desert.”
Flora nodded. “Let’s go.”
The dragon spread its wings — battered, but strong enough.
And together, they ascended toward the light.
