Icaris's claws still flickered faintly from the struggle with the Aether Wisp. That little beast wasn't just glowing—it was practically humming with power. A decent catch, and maybe the first real clue to how this whole Aether thing worked.
The forest around him was quiet in a way that said, something's about to go down. Every crunch of leaves, every snap of twigs sounded way too loud.
Dragons didn't exactly stroll through these woods unnoticed. Not with mages sniffing around like bloodhounds. And Icaris? He wasn't exactly keen on being someone's prize.
He kept his fire low, just enough to light his claws without turning into a walking bonfire.
Then voices.
Not just any voices—two voices. One calm but sharp, the other nervous enough to crack glass.
"Stay calm," the deeper voice said, clipped and low. "If the mother's close, we don't make a move. One wrong step and we're toast."
The younger one whispered, barely above a breath, "A dragon this close… I don't know if we can even handle it."
Icaris froze, nostrils flaring, muscles tightening. He melted into the shadows behind a tree, watching.
Two humans stepped into a patch of fading sunlight—one older, staff crackling with Aether like it was about to burst. The other? An apprentice who looked like he might pee himself any second.
"Get ready," the older one said, voice all business. "This hatchling's our ticket. We don't screw this up."
The kid swallowed hard. "But the mother—"
"She's not here," the mage snapped. "We've tracked this one long enough. It's alone."
Icaris's fire flickered warmer. Alone? Rookie mistake.
A low rumble echoed nearby. The apprentice's eyes darted toward the trees, face pale. "Mother…"
"Enough," the mage barked, staff raised.
Before anything could happen, the air shifted.
From the shadows stepped a figure so out of place it might as well have been a glitch in the Matrix. Leather jacket, jeans, and—of all things—a cold can of Dr Pepper.
No words.
Just a smooth flick, pop, and a slow sip.
Icaris blinked. Seriously?
The mage stared like he'd just seen a god—or a prank.
The Dr Pepper Man didn't wait for questions. He took a few steps forward, slid the can silently across the dirt toward Icaris.
Curious, Icaris touched the cold metal. A sudden pulse flared inside him. Warmth, tingling, like something inside his bloodline stirred awake.
The Dr Pepper Man slammed his empty can down. The ground trembled as a shockwave blasted the mage and apprentice backward.
The faint smell of cinnamon hung in the air as the stranger vanished into the trees, just as silently as he'd come.
The mage cursed, scrambling to stand, but the moment was gone.
Icaris didn't waste a second. Flames spiked from his claws as he bolted deeper into the forest.
Safe—for now.