All Chapters of Archivist Of The Fallen Dragon Empire : Chapter 1
- Chapter 10
11 chapters
The Last Breath
Dust danced in the pale moonlight that filtered through the high windows of the grand archive. Luca Romano coughed. The sound echoed in the silent room. He pressed a hand to his chest. His heart beat with a frantic rhythm. It felt wrong. It felt weak.For a thousand years he had slept. He had been the Dragon Sovereign. He had possessed strength that could shatter mountains. He had breathed fire that could melt the sky. Now he was just Luca. He was a lowly archivist with a fragile body that threatened to break with every single step.He leaned against a towering bookshelf for support. The rough wood scraped against his thin skin. He needed to find something to stabilize his core. If he tried to summon even a spark of his old magic his current veins would burst. He would die before he even had a chance to face his enemy.Dominic Kane. The name tasted like poison on his tongue. Dominic was the liar who now sat on a golden throne. Dominic called himself a god.Luca took a deep breath and
Awake
The cold stone pressed against his cheek. Luca opened his eyes slowly. Pain burned through his chest like a hot coal. He remembered the dagger. He remembered Amelia standing over him with empty eyes. He thought he was dead. But dead men did not feel the rough bite of solid rock beneath them. He tried to move his arm. A sharp ache shot down his spine. He gasped and rolled onto his back. The air here was thick and stale. It smelled like damp earth and forgotten secrets. It was not the courtyard. It was too dark and too quiet. He forced himself to sit up. His hand went to his chest. His shirt was torn and stiff with dried blood. But there was no open wound. The skin beneath his fingers was smooth and whole. How was this possible. He had felt the blade pierce his heart.A soft yellow light flared in the darkness. Luca squinted against the sudden brightness. A figure stepped out from the shadows holding a small lantern. It was Amelia. She did not look like a cold killer anymore. Her face w
Guardian of the scale
The massive beast roared. The sound shook the stone pillars. Dust rained down from the ceiling. Luca grabbed Amelia by the arm. He pulled her behind a broken column. The glowing red eyes glared through the darkness. The creature stepped into the pale light of the lantern. It was not a dragon. It was a chimera made of thick bone and dark shadow. Its huge claws scraped against the cold floor. The beast guarded the golden chest. It sniffed the damp air and let out a very low growl. It could smell the fresh blood on Luca. It could smell the ancient magic hiding inside him. They were completely trapped in the room.Amelia pressed her back against the stone. Her breathing was fast and shallow. She clutched her small leather bag tightly. Luca peered around the edge of the column. The chimera was moving closer. Its heavy steps made the ground vibrate. Luca knew he could not fight this monster. His human body was still too weak. The shadow beast blood from the dagger had helped him heal but it
Face in the mirror
The smiling face of Dominic Kane glowed in the dark tunnel. It was not a real body made of flesh and blood. It was a projection made of pure golden light. The false god was not actually here in the damp dirt. This was an ancient trap left behind to guard the catacombs. His massive glowing eyes stared right through them. The golden light felt hot and heavy. It pushed the cold air away and made it hard to breathe. Luca grabbed Amelia and pulled her back.The tunnel walls began to crack and crumble around them. Heavy chunks of rock fell from the ceiling and smashed into the ground. Dominic Kane raised a glowing hand and pointed a finger at Luca. A beam of pure burning energy shot through the darkness. Luca pushed Amelia behind a thick stone pillar just in time. The beam hit the wall and exploded with a deafening boom. Dust filled the air and blinded them. Luca felt his new dragon core pulse with a strong steady rhythm.He did not feel weak and helpless anymore. The power of his old soul
The voice at the door
The heavy knock echoed loudly inside the quiet tavern. Luca froze and dropped the broken piece of glass. Amelia stopped breathing and stared at the thick wood. The voice belonged to someone they did not expect. It was not the ruthless inquisitor Kaelen Draven waiting outside. It was a voice from his old human life. It sounded like his fellow archivist from the grand academy. His name was Reuben and he was always very quiet. But Reuben sounded completely different in the dark night. His tone was sharp. Luca told her to hide.Amelia quickly moved into the dark corner behind the broken chairs. Luca stepped forward with his new face. He looked like a rugged stranger with sharp jawlines and deep eyes. He felt the pure dragon magic pumping steadily in his chest. If Reuben brought the academy guards with him there would be a massive fight. Luca placed his right hand firmly on the wooden door handle. He pulled it open slowly and let the cool wind blow inside. Reuben stood alone in the dark al
Traitor in the light
The harsh bright spotlights blinded Luca. He squinted against the fierce glare. Reuben stood in the center of the beam. His hand gripped Amelia by her neck. She struggled but his hold was tight. Heavy boots marched toward them from all sides. The elite heavenly guards wore silver armor that shined in the night. They carried long spears pointing straight at Luca. The trap was perfect. Reuben had played them from the start. Luca felt a deep rumble in his chest. His dragon core pulsed with hot anger. He looked at the man."Why did you do this Reuben?" Luca asked. His voice was low and calm. Reuben laughed. The sound was sharp. "Dominic Kane offers great rewards for the false sovereign," Reuben said. "I am just a poor scholar. I want power and gold. You are my ticket to a better life." Amelia kicked at his shins. "You are a coward," she spat. Reuben tightened his grip on her throat. She gasped for air. Luca took a step forward. The guards raised their spears higher. "Do not move," a guard
Luca
The razor sharp teeth of the dragon hound clamped down on Luca's right arm. Pain flared through his veins like hot liquid metal. He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming out loud. The beast shook its massive head side to side, trying to tear his limb right off his body. Its heavy weight pinned him against the cold, damp cave floor. Luca could smell the foul odor of rot and burning acid coming from its open mouth. He used his left hand to grip the furry neck of the monster, pushing its snapping jaws away from his throat.Amelia cried out in terror. She scrambled around in the pitch black space, her hands desperately searching the ground for a weapon. She found a sharp piece of broken rock and lunged forward without hesitation. She slammed the stone into the ribs of the hound. The beast let out a sharp yelp of pain but did not release Luca's bleeding arm. Its yellow eyes glowed brighter in the dark, filled with pure malice. It was a creature created by the magic of Dominic Kane, buil
Mud
The cold mud soaked through his torn shirt. Luca stared up at the man standing above them. Kaelen Draven smiled a very dark and twisted smile. The silver sword in his hand glowed with a faint blue light in the deep trench. Rain began to fall from the black sky above. The cold drops washed the thick dirt from the dark boots of the inquisitor. He had not come with the three heavenly commanders. He had tracked them on his own. He wanted the glory of killing the dragon for himself. Luca pushed Amelia behind him and stood up.Kaelen stepped forward and raised his weapon high. He did not speak a single word to them. He just swung the heavy blade down at the neck of Luca. Luca leaned back and dodged the sharp metal. The sword smashed into the muddy wall of the deep ravine. Dirt and wet rocks flew into the cold air. Luca used this small opening to attack. He lunged forward and drove his fist into the chest of Kaelen. The force of the punch made a loud cracking sound. Kaelen stumbled backward
Deep Vault
The cold air rushed past his face. Luca held Amelia tight against his chest as they fell into the dark void. The drop felt like a long nightmare with no bottom. He wrapped his body around her to shield her from the sharp stones. His injured left leg throbbed with a dull and heavy pain. He closed his eyes and braced for a hard impact. The ground rushed up to meet them with brutal force.They hit a slope of soft dirt and slid down into a wide stone chamber. Dust flew into the dark air. Luca rolled onto his back and groaned. His bones ached but nothing felt broken. He let go of Amelia so she could sit up. She coughed and wiped the thick wet mud from her pale face. The heavy rain from the forest above did not reach this deep place. It was dry and smelled like ancient dust."Are you hurt?" Luca asked in a very low whisper.Amelia shook her head and reached into her leather bag. "I am fine," she said. "But your leg is bleeding."She pulled out a small piece of clean cloth and tied it tight
Voice of the King
The cold hands of the cursed general squeezed the neck of Luca. The grip felt like solid iron. Purple fire burned bright inside the wild eyes of Elias Thorne. The old warrior did not see his king anymore. He saw a strange target to destroy. Luca grabbed the thick wrists of his friend. He tried to pull the deadly hands away from his throat. His injured leg gave out and he dropped to his knees. Elias fell with him but never let go. The heavy metal chains rattled loud in the dark room.Amelia screamed loud and rushed forward into the shadows. She raised her small sharp rock high to strike the tall monster. She wanted to save the young man she trusted. Luca saw her move and gasped for air. He forced his dry mouth to form words. He told her to step back and stay safe. He commanded her not to hurt the broken man. Amelia stopped running and lowered her pale hand. She looked terrified but she listened to his clear warning. She stepped back against the smooth black stone wall and watched the t