Kael woke up gasping for air.He sat up fast on his thin straw mattress. His chest heaved up and down like he had just run a marathon. Sweating. He was completely soaked in sweat.His eyes darted around the small, dim loft. It was just his room. The familiar wooden beams of the roof. The dusty floorboards. The simple wooden chest in the corner.He was safe. He was home.So why did his lungs feel like they were filled with smoke?Kael pressed a hand against his chest, trying to slow his hammering heart. Thump. Thump. Thump. It sounded so loud in the quiet night.He had been dreaming. He knew that much.In the dream, there was fire. High, roaring walls of bright orange flame. A massive hall made of black stone, glowing red from the heat. And at the center of it all… a throne. A giant throne made of solid gold, wrapped in twisting flames.Every single night, it was the same thing. He would stand before that burning throne.Every single night, he felt the exact same thing: a heavy, crushi

Kael stood by the ruined fence for a long time, staring at the strange crimson scale resting in the palm of his hand.It felt warm against his skin, pulsing with a faint, steady heat that refused to die down. It didn't make any sense. A normal scale from a snake or a lizard was cold and smooth. This thing felt alive, like a piece of burning coal that didn't burn his fingers.Kael quickly wrapped the scale in a scrap of dirty cloth and shoved it deep into the pocket of his worn trousers. He looked around the foggy field one last time, making sure no one was watching, before turning around and hurrying back toward the town.Whatever had attacked the farm last night was not a normal beast. And the thought of it lurking somewhere in the dark forest sent a chill right down Kael's spine.He made his way back through the crowded, noisy streets of Millhaven. The entire town was still in a panic. People were whispering on every corner, locking their wooden doors, and stocking up on supplies. F

Rook stood frozen in the noisy tavern, staring at the scarred palm of Kael’s hand."That scar..." she whispered again, her dark eyes wide with shock. "It can't be."Kael quickly pulled his hand back, pulling his shirt sleeve down over his wrist. His heart slammed against his ribs like a trapped bird. "I don't know what you're talking about, miss! It's just an old cut!"Before Rook could say another word, old Martha called out from behind the bar. "Kael! Grab the dirty mugs off table four!"Kael didn't wait. He turned on his heel, grabbed his broom, and rushed toward the back of the room, blending into the crowd of drinking men. He didn't look back, but he could feel Rook's sharp gaze burning into his shoulder as she slowly turned and walked up the stairs to her room.That night, Kael couldn't go back to his cold loft. The image of Rook’s shocked face kept flashing in his mind. Who was she? Why did she react like that to his scar? And why was she asking about the scorched earth and the

Kael sprinted into Millhaven, his boots slamming against the dusty dirt roads. His lungs burned like fire, and sweat soaked his shirt, but he did not stop until he reached the town square."The beast!" Kael yelled, gasping for air as he grabbed the edge of a wooden cart. "The beast took Old Man Corvin’s family! The farm is empty!"A crowd of townspeople quickly gathered around him, their faces pale with fear. Within minutes, the town captain assembled a heavy hunting party. Ten strong men armed with iron spears, heavy axes, and hunting bows stepped forward, led by a ruthless local hunter named Garth."Show us where you saw the tracks, boy," Garth grunted, his hand resting on the hilt of his heavy iron broadsword.Kael didn't want to go back, but he had no choice. He ran ahead, leading the armed group back through the eastern fields as the sun began to sink below the horizon. Dark orange and purple shadows stretched across the yellow grass. Dusk was falling fast over Millhaven.By the