The Heir Of The Last Dragon

8. The Lurking Current

The roar of the water crashing against the stone walls sounded like the bellowing of a monster from the belly of the earth. The deeper they ventured down the Shadow Path, the once-stifling air turned damp and windy. Before them, a vast underground river flowed with a thick, black current, carrying chunks of ice and wooden debris from the rotting roots of the Eldertree.

"We must cross using that ancient raft," Isyra pointed toward a wooden construction tied to the riverbank. The wood looked fragile, yet it was coated with faint protective symbols.

Ethan approached, staring at the ferocious current.

"Are you sure this thing won't shatter in the first ten seconds? The current is too wild."

"Those symbols will keep the wood afloat as long as the energy is not disrupted," Isyra stared sharply at Ethan. "That means, do not cause a mess with your frost-fire on the raft if you do not want us all to drown in water that can freeze your heart."

Ethan snorted, but this time he chose not to retaliate. He hopped onto the raft, feeling the jolt of the water beneath his feet. Bryan helped move the remaining supplies, while Nayana stood guard at the back with her bow already drawn.

Rion jumped onto Ethan’s shoulder. The dragon was now the size of a large hunting dog. The thin down around his neck had been replaced by sharp scales, and his golden eyes stared at the water’s surface with a strange intensity.

"Release the ropes!" Isyra commanded.

As soon as the ropes were untied, the raft shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. The speed forced Ethan to grip the wooden edge to avoid being thrown off. Isyra stood at the front, using her slender sword as an emergency rudder, thrusting it against the cave walls to guide the raft’s momentum.

"Ethan! Watch the right side!" Bryan shouted.

From behind the darkness of the water, sharp fins emerged, slicing through the current. Void-Piranhas. Small creatures with metallic teeth capable of chewing through wood in an instant.

"Rion, do not attack yet!" Ethan shouted as he saw the dragon preparing to spit his frost-fire. "Wait for my command!"

Ethan realized something. Rion was not staring at those fins. His head was tilted in a different direction. The dragon suddenly placed his claws onto the wooden surface of the raft, closing his eyes as if listening to something in the depths of the water.

Through their soul bond, Ethan felt a massive vibration radiating from the bottom of the river. It wasn't piranhas, but something far larger. An apex predator inhabiting the deepest currents of the Shadow Path.

"Isyra! There’s something beneath us!" Ethan shouted amidst the roar of the water.

"I know about the piranhas, Ethan! Focus!" Isyra replied without turning.

"Not piranhas! Something bigger! Rion feels it!"

As if confirming Ethan’s words, the water in front of them suddenly rose, forming a giant wave. A long, snake-like creature with thousands of small legs and a head filled with tentacles emerged from the depths. A young Dread-Wyrm. The creature let out a shriek that made their ears ring.

"Dammit!" Bryan cursed while throwing his dagger at a tentacle trying to grab the raft. "Kaelen was right, this place is no longer safe!"

The raft lurched violently as one of the tentacles struck the wooden side. Isyra was nearly thrown overboard if Ethan hadn't immediately grabbed her arm. For a moment, their eyes met at a very close distance; there was a flash of concern in Isyra’s usually cold eyes.

"Let go of me! Deal with that creature!" Isyra cried out while regaining her balance.

Ethan took a long breath. He closed his eyes, mimicking what Rion was doing. He no longer tried to control the dragon, but rather allowed Rion to guide his movements.

"Now, Rion!"

Rion did not spit fire. Instead, he released an ultrasonic wave that was inaudible but created concentric ripples on the water’s surface. The wave disrupted the Dread-Wyrm’s navigation. The creature appeared confused, its tentacles lashing at the water blindly.

"Use your sword, Ethan! Strike at the base of the tentacles while it's blind!" Isyra shouted.

Ethan leaped from the raft toward a protruding cave wall, using the strength of his legs which was now far beyond that of an ordinary human. He slashed the approaching tentacles with lethal precision. The blue fire on his sword carved through the darkness, burning and freezing the creature’s flesh simultaneously.

Severed tentacles fell into the water, triggering a frenzy among the Void-Piranhas, which immediately swarmed the unfortunate creature’s blood.

"Get back to the raft!" Bryan screamed.

Ethan performed a long backward leap, landing smoothly on the rocking wood. However, the fight was not over. The wounded Dread-Wyrm was now rampaging; it slammed its body against the raft, causing the protective wood to begin cracking.

"Hold on tight!" Isyra screamed while thrusting her sword into a crevice in the cave wall, trying to stall the raft’s momentum so it wouldn't shatter against the rocks ahead.

"Isyra, use your mantra to reinforce the raft’s base! Rion and I will finish it!" Ethan commanded. His voice was full of authority, and this time, Isyra did not argue.

Isyra immediately knelt, pressing her palms against the wooden raft. A light blue glow flowed from her fingers, mending the cracks in the wood. Meanwhile, Ethan and Rion stood side-by-side at the edge of the raft.

Their synchronization reached its peak. Ethan could feel Rion’s bloodlust, and Rion could feel Ethan’s cold resolve. They struck simultaneously. Rion launched like a bullet toward the creature’s eye, while Ethan swung his sword in a vertical slash that split the air.

An explosion of ice energy and blue fire hit the Dread-Wyrm’s head, sending the creature back into the depths of the river with a lethal wound.

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent, leaving only the roar of the water, which now felt calmer. The raft continued to glide toward a tunnel emitting a greenish light at the end.

Ethan fell back into a sitting position, his breath heavy. Rion returned to his side, licking Ethan’s trembling hand.

Isyra stood up, straightening her drenched cloak. She stared at Ethan for a long time.

"You heard it through the dragon? The vibration under the water?"

"Rion did it. I only followed," Ethan replied shortly, trying to regulate his heartbeat.

"Your instincts are beginning to merge with his senses," Isyra murmured softly, almost as if talking to herself. "That is dangerous, Ethan. If you are not careful, you will lose your human identity before we reach the valley."

"At least we're still alive," Ethan shot back, meeting Isyra’s gaze defiantly. "And I'd rather be a living monster than a dead human in the belly of that snake."

Isyra did not answer. She returned to her position at the front, guarding the rudder. However, Bryan could see that the tension between the two of them was beginning to change shape. It was no longer pure hatred, but a respect forced by circumstance.

"Look!" Nayana pointed ahead.

The green light grew brighter. They emerged from the underground tunnel and were greeted by an extraordinary sight. Before them stretched a vast valley, hidden behind an eternal mist. The trees there had glowing leaves, and the air felt so pure it made Ethan’s lungs feel cold.

The border of the Valtherion Valley.

However, in the distance, upon the hills surrounding the valley, rows of torches could be seen. King Axandra’s troops. They were already waiting at the entrance gate.

"They knew we would come this way," Bryan muttered, gripping his dagger tightly.

Ethan stood up, patting Rion’s head, as the dragon now stared at the rows of torches with burning eyes.

"Let them wait. Our journey has only just begun."

The raft slowly drifted to a halt at the edge of the calm river. They had reached the ancestral land of the dragon riders, but the real war was just about to knock on the door.