C9 The Dragon Queen

Silence consumed the valley.

Even the fire seemed to hesitate.

The ancient golden dragon stood atop the shattered cliff, illuminated by lightning from the fractured sky.

Her wings stretched wider than castle walls.

Her scales gleamed like molten gold.

Power radiated from her presence.

Not merely strength.

Authority.

The dragons circling above immediately lowered their heads.

A gesture of respect.

Of loyalty.

Of obedience.

Nyxara.

The Dragon Queen.

Alive.

Kael could hardly breathe.

Every story he had ever heard claimed she had died centuries ago during the Great Dragon Wars.

Yet here she stood.

Watching the battlefield with ancient eyes.

The Shadowborn stared at her.

Its smile had vanished completely.

“You still live.”

Its voice echoed unnaturally across the valley.

Nyxara’s gaze remained fixed upon it.

Unfortunately for you.

The words thundered inside every mind.

The Shadowborn’s eyes narrowed.

Around them, dragons descended from the night sky.

Dozens.

Then hundreds.

They landed across the mountainsides.

The earth trembled beneath their weight.

For the first time, the Veilbreakers looked relieved.

The reaction surprised Kael.

Weren’t dragons their enemies?

Why weren’t they afraid?

⸻

The Veilbreaker leader emerged from the ruins of the camp.

His cloak was torn.

Blood stained one sleeve.

Yet he remained standing.

He looked toward Nyxara and bowed.

Actually bowed.

Kael blinked.

Beside him, Seraphine looked equally shocked.

“Did that really happen?”

“Yes.”

“What is going on?”

“I have absolutely no idea.”

The Dragon Queen lowered her head slightly.

A gesture acknowledging the man.

Not submission.

Respect.

The sight shattered another piece of everything Kael thought he knew.

The Veilbreakers and dragons weren’t enemies.

Not originally.

The wounded dragon had told him the truth.

They had once been allies.

⸻

The Shadowborn laughed.

A harsh, mocking sound.

“Look at you.”

Its gaze moved across the dragons.

Across the Veilbreakers.

Across the battlefield.

“Still pretending unity exists.”

Dark energy swirled around its body.

The crack in the sky widened.

More shadows moved beyond it.

More creatures waiting to emerge.

Nyxara’s expression darkened.

Seal the breach.

Instantly the dragons moved.

As one.

Silver dragons unleashed streams of brilliant light.

Blue dragons breathed arcs of lightning.

Golden dragons projected shimmering barriers into the sky.

Ancient magic surged across the valley.

The tear in reality trembled.

For a moment, it actually began to close.

Hope ignited.

Then the Shadowborn raised both hands.

The crack exploded outward.

A shockwave swept through the mountains.

Several dragons were thrown from the air.

The barrier shattered.

The breach grew larger than ever.

Kael felt despair ripple through every mind around him.

Even Nyxara seemed shaken.

⸻

The Dragon Queen’s eyes suddenly shifted.

Directly toward him.

Kael froze.

She had noticed him.

A strange feeling brushed against his thoughts.

Ancient.

Powerful.

Curious.

You are the one.

The voice existed only inside his mind.

No one else reacted.

Kael swallowed.

“The one what?”

For a moment, Nyxara almost smiled.

The Dragon Speaker.

The title felt heavier coming from her.

Older.

More significant.

She studied him carefully.

You carry the Echo.

Kael frowned.

“The what?”

Before she could answer, the Shadowborn attacked.

Darkness erupted upward.

A spear of black energy shot toward the Dragon Queen.

Nyxara met it head-on.

Gold fire collided with shadow.

The impact shook the heavens.

Clouds split apart.

Lightning burst across the sky.

The resulting explosion illuminated the entire mountain range.

Kael shielded his eyes.

When he looked again, both beings were airborne.

Clashing above the battlefield.

Like gods at war.

⸻

“Kael.”

Seraphine grabbed his shoulder.

He turned.

“What?”

Her face had gone pale.

She pointed toward the ruined tower.

Toward the ancient mural they had seen earlier.

Most of the wall had collapsed.

But part of the image remained visible.

Kael stared.

His stomach dropped.

The mural showed a human standing beside a dragon.

A Dragon Speaker.

In his hand was a glowing symbol.

A symbol identical to the one that had appeared briefly on Kael’s palm when he first heard the dragon’s voice.

The exact same mark.

Beneath it, ancient words were carved into stone.

Seraphine translated aloud.

Slowly.

Carefully.

“The Speaker shall carry the Echo…”

Her voice faltered.

Kael’s pulse quickened.

“What does the rest say?”

She swallowed.

Then continued.

“…and when the Veil weakens, the Echo shall choose between worlds.”

Cold swept through Kael.

Choose between worlds?

What did that mean?

The answer came immediately.

A voice echoed from deep inside his mind.

Not the dragon.

Not Nyxara.

Something older.

Something that had been silent until now.

Soon, Dragon Speaker.

Kael’s blood froze.

You will remember who you truly are.

The voice vanished.

Leaving only dread behind.

Above them, the battle between Nyxara and the Shadowborn raged on.

But Kael suddenly realized a terrifying possibility.

The greatest mystery in this war was no longer the dragons.

Or the Veil.

Or even the Shadowborn.

It was him.