The mountains were a cruel teacher. They punished weakness, rewarded cunning, and spared no one who faltered. Kael had learned this before he could even walk properly, before he understood what fire coursed through his veins.
Now fifteen, he was no longer the small boy who had watched his mother die. He was lean, sinewy, and sharp, with movements honed by years of survival. His eyes, golden and unreadable, flicked constantly, scanning the crags and shadows for danger. Every day was a test, every night a battle against frost, starvation, and unseen predators.
Morning Hunt
The first light of dawn spilled across the peaks. Kael crouched on a narrow ledge, his breath misting in the frigid air. Below, a herd of mountain goats grazed, oblivious. Every step he took was calculated, every muscle coiled like a spring.
He leaped with the grace of a predator, landing among the goats without a sound. In a fluid motion, he caught one with precise, unerring skill. His claws left faint golden scorch marks where they touched. The fire within him was subtle, controlled, just enough to enhance strength and precision.
[System Note: Dragon Form Awareness Level 2 – Elemental Control Improving.]
Kael skinned the goat carefully, using every part. Survival had taught him waste was weakness. He ate sparingly, saving energy for training and travel.
Encounter with Predators
Later, he heard the howl of wolves in the distance. Six of them, massive, with teeth sharp enough to pierce his ribs. Most humans would have fled. Kael did not.
He circled silently, picking up the scent and movements. When the wolves lunged, he moved like water fast, precise, and deadly. Flames licked the air around his hands, just enough to make them hesitate. He struck with claws and tail, the wolves scattering and howling in terror.
No pride. No joy. Only survival.
[System Update: Hidden Dragon Power Level 2 – Combat Instinct Activated.]
Evening Meditation
As night fell, Kael climbed to a high cliff overlooking the jagged peaks. The wind ripped at his hair and clothes, but he did not shiver. His eyes scanned the darkness. The world was dangerous, and he had to be ready for every threat.
He thought of his mother for the first time that day. The memory of her soft smile and the terror of her final moments remained sharp, like a blade in his chest. Anger and sorrow flared but he suppressed them. Emotions were distractions. Only controlled fire, sharpened instincts, and patience would keep him alive.
And yet… deep in the pit of his chest, something stirred. A subtle warmth, a flicker of power he didn't fully understand. His scales shimmered faintly beneath his skin. The ancient fire of his blood, the legacy of the Primordial Dragons had begun to awaken.
The World Beyond the Mountains
Villagers spoke in whispers about the "silver-eyed ghost" of the mountains. Hunters disappeared, livestock went missing, and strange scorch marks appeared where no human had been.
Far away, Selara's tower of crystal and flame caught faint magical signatures in the mountains. She tilted her head, intrigued.
"So… the rumors are true," she murmured. "A boy survives where no man should. Interesting."
Kael did not know her. He did not care. He only knew hunger, danger, and the fire awakening within him. But the threads of destiny had already begun to stir.
Training in Secret
Kael spent hours each day refining what he could not yet name. He leapt over chasms, climbed walls of ice, wrestled bears, and tested his body against the environment. He learned to focus his elemental fire, to form scales and claws temporarily, and to sense life around him.
[System Alert: Hidden Potential Increasing – Primordial Dragon Traits Emerging.]
Even now, he did not understand the full extent of his lineage. He only knew he could not be weak again. The mountains had taken his mother. The world would not take him.
And so Kael endured, learning, surviving, and growing stronger, preparing for the day when fate would finally introduce him to the first of his dragon women and the mysteries that awaited beyond the mountains.