Chapter 18: The Night of Flames
The night that followed the awakening ceremony was the darkest of my life.
As the blue sun sank behind the Sacred Grove and the families retreated to their territories, I lay alone in our family's cave, staring at the ceiling replaying every humiliating second of my failure.
My mother's wounds, her battles, the pain she endured… all for nothing.
In return, I had given her only disappointment and disgrace.
The cave was silent. Too silent.
Mother was in the healing chambers, her condition severe. Father had stayed with her, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
"Same feeling of worthlessness," I whispered to the darkness. "Am I really destined to stay unawakened forever?"
This wasn't some ordinary Jurassic forest where brute strength ruled.
Even common dinosaurs here breathed fire.
How was I supposed to survive if I remained like this?
I tapped the wall beside me.
"Then what's the solution? Hello? Knock, knock
any system here?"
I half-joked, hope . No answer, of course. Only silence.
My thoughts drifted to Pallet her incredible three-star awakening, the way flames danced between her teeth.
"so ,fear came true," I muttered.
"She awakened brilliantly… three stars, along extra skills…
while I stayed useless.
like those school days the topper girl of classroom avoid me a average student nor excellent in study nor bad boy to satisfy their desires"
I can easy predict development of storyline
mimicked in her voice bitterly, "You're not worthy of me, Rider. I'm a three-star awakener, and you're still an unawakened wyrmling.forget about me "
I groaned. "Ugh, I hate those revenge storylines. Wasting your life over rejection? ruining all those beautiful movements of life mere prove yourself ,Not me."
"Rider?"
The voice from the shadows nearly stopped my heart.
I jerked upright. "Pallet? What are you doing here?"
She stepped out of the darkness and my breath caught.
In just a few hours, she had transformed.
Her body was larger, her crimson scales gleaming with molten light. Each movement radiated power, grace, and maturity.
"You forgot we agreed to meet after the ceremony," she said softly, glancing around. "I waited… but you never came. So I came instead. Are you… upset with me?"
"Of course not!" I blurted. "Why would I be upset with you? And even if I was, why would you care about an unawakened wyrmling like me?"
I told myself I'd reject her first, just to protect my pride.
Her cheeks puffed. "Why would I care? You're my best friend! I risked sneaking here to help you, and you talk like that? Fine, I'm leaving."
She turned to go.
Panic flared. I scrambled from the bed, grabbing her claw. "Sorry! I was joking. You know I'd never be rude to you."
"Mm-hmm. You better not," she muttered, but the irritation faded. Then her eyes brightened. "Actually, I came because I heard something important."
"What is it?"
"During my family's celebration, I secretly overheard Father talking with Uncle Scarletface about alternative awakening methods."
My heart skipped. "Alternative methods? What do you mean?"
"I didn't hear much," she admitted, "but they mentioned ways to awaken without sacred fruits."
My chest tightened with hope. "That's… possible?"
She nodded cautiously. "There's an ancient method making a direct pact with the Flame Spirit itself. The Ragnarok Flame Tree."
I froze. "The same tree from the ceremony?"
"Yes. It's stood here for thousands of years. Many T-Rex have begged for its blessing, but all failed."
A small grin tugged her lips. "Even my father and Uncle Scarletface tried as kids came back with scorched tails and swollen butts."
Despite myself, I chuckled. "That actually sounds like something they'd do."
But then the thought hit me. "If no one's succeeded, why would the tree choose me? I don't exactly look like 'chosen one' material."
"No," she blurted, then hesitated. "You're… a villain."
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
"I mean no, not like that! Just—ugh, forget it." She waved her claws frantically. "I don't know how to explain, but trust me, you'll succeed. Or at least, you have to try before giving up."
Her determination sparked something inside me.
After a day of humiliation, this was the first drop of hope I'd tasted.
"How would we even attempt it?" I asked. "The tree's sacred. It's guarded by adult tyrannosaurus, other is requires permission of elder"
"Then we don't ask,I have some methods through which we can hide our presence " Pallet said firmly. "We sneak in tonight while everyone's busy in celebration ."
A chill crawled up my spine. Getting caught could mean exile or worse.
But still…
"I have to try," I whispered. "If there's even a chance, I'll take it."
"Then follow my lead," she said, eyes glowing faintly in the dark. "It's hours away, and patrols will be thick. Stay close."
Then she did something made me narrowed by eyelids .
With close eyes , channeling flame power inside her body. Her dino tounge moving rapid as casting some magic spells.
Sudden i feel as thermal aura around me compressed as hidding my heat signature from environment.
" This , pallet What kind of skill is that. You not show off it at time of awkaning" ask in curiousness .
Curled awkwardly smiled she replied
" Ah,not special just little trick i develop after having some understanding of flame .
I prefer call it flame compression . Maybe you will be also able to use after your awakening .
Even those adult tyrannosaurus will not able to discover heat presence of our ,if you keep your voice down ."
I am totally bewildered , it have been not day passed and she already awakend another flame skill ,
What kind of absurt talent is that .
Just quietly follow her .
We moved through the night like shadows.
The Flame Forest was a different world after dusk fire-trees dimmed to faint embers, and the wind carried whispers instead of warmth.
Every step felt like trespassing through a god's dream.
Pallet's movements were graceful, precise she flowed through darkness like molten silk.
I followed, stumbling behind her, every branch snapping beneath my clumsy claws.
When we finally reached the Sacred Grove, I froze.
The Ragnarok Flame Tree towered before us — silent, luminous, eternal.
Its trunk pulsed with deep crimson light, and its roots seemed to breathe.
The power rolling from it pressed against my scales, making them tingle as if touched by lightning.
"How do we contact it?" I whispered.
"I think…" Pallet hesitated. "We just ask."
I stepped forward, heart pounding, and sank to my knees.
"Great Flame Spirit, eternal Ragnarok Flame Tree," I began softly. "Please… bless this wyrmling with your ancestral fire."
Nothing.
Again, I bowed lower.
"I am Rider Rex of the Scorchclaw family. I seek your guidance — your blessing to awaken."