Riven couldn't sleep after what happened that night. The dragon's words, echoing inside his mind, kept spinning endlessly. Come before dawn. The simple sentence felt like an order he couldn't ignore.
He sat by the window, watching Mount Arka still cast a reddish glow from behind the clouds. The sight should have frightened him, but strangely, another feeling rose in his heart. As if the mountain were calling to him.
On the table, the cloth wrapped around the Dragon Coal had come slightly undone. Red light from within cast the room in a dim glow.
“What exactly is your connection to me?” Riven whispered.
Of course, there was no answer.
Yet a few seconds later, the stone began to tremble faintly.
Riven immediately backed away.
“Dad was right. This isn't an ordinary stone.”
His bedroom door suddenly opened.
Darvan stood there, his face serious.
“You're still not asleep?”
Riven quickly pulled the cloth over the stone.
“Neither are you, Dad.”
Darvan stepped inside slowly. He already knew what his son was doing.
“You're still thinking about that mountain.”
Riven looked at his father.
“You're thinking about the same thing, too.”
Darvan fell silent.
“You know something, don't you?”
The man sat in the chair beside the bed.
“Long ago, before you were born, Mount Arka nearly destroyed this entire region.”
“Because of the dragon?”
“No.”
The answer left Riven confused.
“Then what caused it?”
Darvan looked toward the window.
“The dragon was the one who stopped it.”
Riven fell silent.
“So the dragon isn't our enemy?”
“No. It's a guardian.”
“Then why is everyone afraid?”
“Because people are often afraid of things they don't understand.”
The words made Riven think.
All this time, the villagers had only heard stories of the dragon as a dangerous creature. No one had ever said that the dragon protected them.
“Why didn't you ever tell me, Dad?”
Darvan drew a long breath.
“Because after what happened back then, many people tried to claim the dragon's power. They didn't care if they had to destroy the mountain or this village.”
“The hunters Mr. Egan mentioned?”
Darvan nodded.
“They're a group that believes the dragon's power can make them invincible.”
Riven clenched his fists.
“And now they're back.”
“Yes.”
Silence filled the room.
“Dad.”
“What is it?”
“I have to go to the mountain.”
Darvan immediately stood.
“No.”
“You haven't even heard my reason.”
“I don't need to hear it. My answer is still the same.”
“If the dragon is calling me, there might be a reason.”
“Riven.”
Darvan's voice softened.
“I know you want to help. But courage without preparation will only get you hurt.”
Riven lowered his head.
“I'm not a little kid anymore.”
“I know.”
“Then trust me.”
Darvan didn't answer.
For a while, the only sound was the night wind.
At last, Darvan took something from an old wardrobe. It was a necklace with a pendant shaped like a circle of black stone.
“Your mother had this.”
Riven stared at it.
“Why are you only giving it to me now?”
“Because I hoped I wouldn't have to.”
Darvan handed him the necklace.
“Take it with you.”
Riven accepted it carefully.
“What does it do?”
“I don't fully know. But your mother always believed it would find the right owner.”
Riven held the pendant.
For the first time in years, he felt closer to the secret surrounding his mother.
Dawn had not yet arrived when Riven quietly prepared to leave. He put on thick clothes, brought a small knife for protection, and tucked the Dragon Coal into his bag.
But before he could open the door, a voice came from behind him.
“You're really going to leave?”
Riven turned around.
Nara stood there with a small bag.
“You startled me.”
“I already know your plan.”
Riven sighed.
“How?”
“From the look on your face last night. You had the face of someone about to do something dangerous.”
“I can't take you with me.”
Nara shrugged.
“Too bad. I wasn't asking.”
Riven almost smiled.
“You're stubborn.”
“You're just figuring that out?”
They quietly left the house so they wouldn't wake the other villagers.
But someone was already waiting near the road.
Egan stood there, holding his staff.
“I knew you two would leave.”
Riven was startled.
“Mr. Egan?”
The old man shook his head.
“Young people always think they can make a secret journey. Their footsteps are loud enough to hear from a mile away.”
Nara gave a small smile.
“He's kind of funny.”
Egan looked at Riven.
“You brought the stone?”
Riven nodded.
“Then your journey has truly begun.”
“Are you going to stop me?”
“No.”
The answer surprised Riven.
“I'll show you the way instead.”
Egan walked toward a narrow trail behind the trees.
“The main route to the mountain is being watched.”
“By the hunters?” Riven asked.
“Yes.”
The three of them entered the still-dark forest. A thin mist covered the ground, making every step more difficult.
After walking for nearly an hour, Riven noticed something strange.
The trees around them bore marks that looked burned, but no flames had touched them.
“What left those marks?”
Egan stopped.
“The dragon passed through here long ago while protecting the village.”
“A dragon can leave tracks like that?”
“Not because of fire.”
Egan touched one of the tree trunks.
“It was caused by its power.”
They continued until they reached a small cliff. From there, Mount Arka looked much closer.
Riven could see the path to the summit, covered in black stones.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
Nara immediately grabbed Riven's arm.
“What was that?”
Footsteps sounded from behind the trees.
Not just one person.
Many.
Egan extinguished the small lamp he was carrying.
“They've found us.”
Riven saw several shadows moving between the trees.
People in dark clothing began to emerge.
At the front stood a tall man with a scar across his face.
“I've been waiting a long time for this day,” he said.
Egan gripped his staff.
“Kael.”
The man smiled.
“I thought the old guardian was dead.”
Riven looked at Egan.
“Who is he?”
Egan answered quietly.
“The leader of the dragon hunters.”
Kael looked toward Riven.
“So this is Darvan's son.”
Riven was startled.
“You know my father?”
“Of course. Your father once stood on the wrong side.”
Darvan wasn't there to answer, but Riven disliked the man's tone.
“What do you want?”
Kael smiled.
“To take something that doesn't belong to ordinary humans.”
His gaze shifted to Riven's bag.
“The Dragon Coal.”
Riven took a step back.
“You're not getting it.”
Kael gave a quiet laugh.
“Nice courage.”
He raised his hand.
The hunters began to advance.
But before they could draw near, a roar shook the entire forest.
Everyone froze.
The clouds above the mountain shifted.
A massive figure descended from the sky.
The Guardian of Mount Arka had appeared once more.
Its eyes fixed on the hunters.
Kael smiled.
“About time you came out.”
Riven looked at the dragon.
For the first time, he realized that the journey to the mountain wasn't only about finding answers.
He had stepped into a war that had been raging long before he was born.