The tower grew larger with every second.
The hero's dragon slowed down.
It refused to go any closer.
"Why are you stopping?"
The dragon growled.
Fear.
The hero had never felt that from it before.
He looked at the tower.
Three enormous black pillars surrounded it.
At the center was a sealed entrance.
And above the entrance
the same symbol burned in red.
The hero's hand suddenly started hurting.
"Again…"
The black mark spread farther up his arm.
His dragon stepped backward.
Then
BOOM!
The tower's doors opened.
No one was there.
The hero stared into the darkness.
A cold voice echoed from inside.
"Warrior…"
He drew his sword.
"Show yourself."
A figure slowly walked out.
Black cloak.
Silver mask.
And a sword hanging from his waist.
The hero's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
The stranger stopped.
"Someone who has been waiting for you."
The hero raised his sword.
"Were you following us?"
The stranger laughed.
"You really don't remember."
"Remember what?"
The stranger removed his mask.
The hero froze.
The man's face looked strangely familiar.
Not because he had seen him before…
but because he looked like the warrior from his vision.
The same eyes.
The same ancient expression.
The stranger smiled.
"You were supposed to awaken years ago."
The hero's dragon suddenly roared.
The stranger's eyes moved toward it.
"Ah…"
His smile disappeared.
"So it really chose you."
The hero stepped forward.
"Stop talking in riddles."
The stranger drew his sword.
CLANG!
"Then make me talk."
The hero charged.
BOOM!
Their swords collided.
The force threw the hero backward.
He landed on one knee.
His hands trembled.
"He's strong…"
The stranger attacked again.
The hero blocked.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Three strikes.
Five.
Ten.
The hero couldn't keep up.
Finally
SLASH!
The stranger's blade cut across his shoulder.
Blood fell.
The hero dropped his sword.
His dragon roared furiously.
The stranger looked at the dragon.
"Do it."
The dragon suddenly froze.
The hero looked confused.
"What did you say?"
The stranger smiled.
"Let's see if your bond is real."
The stranger raised his hand.
A strange black energy surrounded the dragon.
The dragon screamed.
"STOP!"
The hero ran toward it.
His mark suddenly burned.
BOOM!
A massive red aura exploded from his body.
The stranger was thrown several meters away.
The hero stood completely still.
His eyes had changed.
They glowed red.
His sword lifted from the ground by itself.
The stranger stared at him.
For the first time…
he looked afraid.
"No…"
The hero looked at his own hands.
"What is happening to me?"
His dragon slowly stood.
Its eyes were glowing gold.
The two stared at each other.
Something passed between them.
A voice appeared inside the hero's mind.
"Fight."
The hero looked toward the stranger.
The voice came again.
"Awaken."
His sword began burning with red light.
The stranger took a step backward.
Then another.
He whispered
"Impossible…"
The tower behind him suddenly began shaking.
Ancient symbols appeared across its walls.
One by one…
they began glowing.
The stranger looked upward.
"It's happening too soon."
The hero raised his sword.
"What is?"
The stranger looked at him.
His expression had completely changed.
"The return of the Dragon King."
Deep beneath the tower
something roared.
ROOOOOAAAR!
The mountain split open.
And from the darkness…
a gigantic claw slowly emerged.
The hero stared.
The stranger whispered
"Run."
For the first time, the enemy wasn't attacking him.
He was afraid of what was coming.
TO BE CONTINUED…