Archivist Of The Fallen Dragon Empire

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 around his deep wound. The pressure sent a fresh wave of pain up his spine. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand up. The golden magic inside his core was very low. He had used too much energy fighting the beast and escaping the city. He needed time to rest and heal. But time was a luxury they did not possess right now.

Luca looked around the huge chamber. It was too dark for normal human eyes to see anything. He let a tiny spark of dragon fire gather in the palm of his right hand. The golden light pushed the shadows away. They were not in a natural cave. The walls were made of smooth black stone. Massive pillars held up the tall ceiling. Strange runes were carved into the floor beneath their dirty boots.

"We are inside an old sanctuary," Amelia said. Her voice echoed in the vast silent room. "The academy records talk about hidden places like this. The old dragon empire built them underground."

Luca nodded his head. He remembered this place from his past life. It was a military bunker used by his loyal generals. If they were lucky they might find weapons or healing potions left behind. He limped forward and held his glowing hand high. The light revealed a long hallway leading deeper into the earth. The air grew colder with every single step they took.

They walked in absolute silence for a very long time. The hallway twisted left and right like a giant maze. Luca kept his senses sharp. He listened for any sounds of Kaelen Draven following them down the pit. But he only heard the quiet drip of water from the stone ceiling. They reached the end of the dark path and stopped. A huge metal door blocked their way. It was covered in thick rust and heavy iron chains. A strange magical seal glowed in the center of the big door. It was a warning sign written in the old dragon language. Luca knew what the ancient runes meant. The seal was placed there to keep something very dangerous locked inside forever.

"Can you open it?" Amelia asked. She stared at the faint glow of the magic seal.

"I can break the spell," Luca said. "But I do not know what we will find inside. This door was sealed by my own magic a thousand years ago."

He placed his left hand flat against the cold metal. He closed his eyes and let his sovereign magic flow into the ancient lock. The iron chains rattled and fell to the floor with a loud crash. The heavy door groaned and pushed open. A blast of freezing air hit their tired faces. The smell of old blood and dark magic spilled out of the new room.

Luca stepped inside first. He raised his glowing hand to light up the dark space. The room was huge and empty except for one thing in the middle. A massive stone pillar stood in the center of the floor. Thick metal chains wrapped around the rock. A tall man hung from the chains. His head was down and his long white hair hid his face. His clothes were torn into dirty wet rags.

"Is he dead?" Amelia asked in a shaky voice. She stayed behind Luca to be safe.

The chained man did not move or breathe. Luca walked closer to the stone pillar. He recognized the heavy armor broken on the floor. He recognized the shape of the sword lying in the dust. His heart beat fast in his chest.

"Elias," Luca whispered into the dark silent room. "My brave general."

He reached out to touch the cold shoulder of his old loyal friend. The man in the chains snapped his head up. His eyes were not normal human eyes anymore. They burned with a bright purple fire. His skin was gray and covered in dark swollen veins. He was not a human or a normal dragon. The terrible curse had turned him into a wild monster. Elias let out a deafening roar that shook the deep stone bunker. He leaped forward and grabbed the throat of his ancient king.