Archivist Of The Fallen Dragon Empire

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, built only for destruction and hunting.

Luca knew he could not rely on normal human strength to survive this attack. He stopped fighting the pain and focused on his new dragon core instead. He reached deep inside his chest and pulled the dormant magic forward. The golden spark answered his call, sending a wave of ancient energy rushing through his blood. Heat radiated from his skin, turning his sweat into white steam. The hound sensed the sudden shift in power and its eyes widened with primitive fear. It tried to let go and back away.

It was too late for the beast to escape. Luca tightened his left hand around its thick neck. He channeled the draconic energy directly into his fist. The fur beneath his fingers began to smoke and singe from the intense heat. With a fierce roar that echoed off the cave walls, Luca slammed the hound sideways into the stone floor. The impact cracked the rock beneath them. The monster groaned, its grip on his arm finally loosening. Luca scrambled to his feet and kicked the beast away with force.

The hound tumbled backward into the deeper part of the cave, whimpering softly. Luca clutched his bleeding right arm, feeling the dragon magic already working to close the deep puncture wounds. The burning acid from the saliva was being neutralized by his sovereign blood. He stood tall in the darkness, his golden eyes providing the only light in the cramped space. Amelia stood beside him, holding her sharp rock, her chest heaving as she breathed heavily. She stared at him with a mix of awe and worry.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice shaking in the quiet cave. Luca nodded slowly, flexing his fingers to make sure his arm still worked properly. "The core protected me," he whispered. "But the hound was not alone. These beasts always hunt in pairs or packs." As if on cue, a low rumble vibrated through the stone beneath their boots. The injured hound in the back of the cave did not try to stand up again. Instead, its body began to dissolve into a pool of dark, bubbling liquid.

The liquid flowed toward the center of the cave, pooling into a large circle. Luca realized the trap too late. The hound was not just a hunter; it was a mobile beacon for the heavenly guard. The dark pool began to glow with a strange, sickly blue light. The air grew freezing cold, turning their breath into thick mist. A magic transportation circle was forming right inside their hiding spot. Dominic Kane's elite soldiers were using the hound's remains to bypass the forest and warp directly to their location.

"We need to move now," Luca said, grabbing Amelia's arm with his uninjured hand. They turned and bolted out of the small cave opening, bursting back into the cool night air of the forest. The tall trees looked like dark giants under the pale moonlight. They ran down the rocky slope, jumping over thick roots and sharp brambles. Behind them, a loud explosion shattered the silence of the woods. The cave they had just left collapsed as a brilliant beam of blue light shot up into the sky.

Luca looked back and saw figures stepping out from the smoke. Three elite heavenly commanders stood on the ruined hillside. They wore dark blue armor that absorbed the moonlight, and their faces were hidden behind faceless metal masks. Unlike the standard guards at the city gates, these men possessed true magical power given directly by the false god. They did not shout or give chase on foot. One of the commanders simply raised a long silver bow and pulled back an invisible string.

An arrow made of pure light materialized on the bow. The commander aimed it straight at Amelia's back as she ran ahead of Luca. The air crackled with danger. Luca knew he could not block the projectile with his current core strength from this distance. He lunged forward, throwing his body through the air to push Amelia into a deep, muddy ditch. The arrow of light flew past his ear with a deafening screech, striking a massive oak tree right in front of them.

The giant tree instantly exploded into splinters. The blast wave threw Luca and Amelia deeper into the dark ravine. They tumbled down the steep dirt slope, losing their footing completely. Luca wrapped his arms around Amelia to shield her from the jagged rocks. They finally stopped rolling at the very bottom of the muddy trench. Luca groaned, shaking the dirt from his hair. He looked up to find an exit, but his heart froze. Standing right above them in the mud was Kaelen Draven, holding a sword.