Back in the Great Hall, the news struck Draven like a physical blow, fueling a wildfire in his veins. "Elanor is gone!"
His fist shattered the stone table. As the other dragons recoiled in terror, Draven's vision darkened. "Who took her…" he hissed through gritted teeth. But deep down, he already knew the name: Thor.
Draven's inner voice roared: "I chose her so they would know she belongs to me… How dare he touch what is mine!"
His draconic form began to shudder beneath his skin. Before unfurling his wings, he whispered to the shadows: "Wait for me, little fairy… I will not sleep until I find you."
The Dungeons: Elanor's Ordeal
Elanor's wrists throbbed with agony as she was dragged down the stone stairs. The chains chafed against her skin, leaving raw marks. Her breath was ragged; her heartbeat merged with the rhythmic echo of footsteps in the dark.
Thor shoved her into an ancient, damp cell choked with the smell of mildew. Elanor lost her balance and collapsed onto the cold floor. As her chains clattered, Thor's shadow loomed over her like a shroud.
"You don't even realize it," Thor said, his voice mocking and sickly sweet. "Those eyes… that hair… You might be a passing whim for Draven, but for me…"
He leaned down, catching a lock of her crimson hair between his fingers, inhaling its scent. "…for me, you are an obsession. A reason to burn."
Elanor clenched her teeth. Even with fear coursing through her, she refused to let him crush her pride. "Let me go…" she said, her voice faint but steady. "I belong to neither you nor Draven."
Thor's eyes darkened, a twisted smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, he will leave you to me. No matter how strong he appears, he carries a weakness within him. And I intend to use that weakness against him."
Elanor closed her eyes. Sergie… where are you? In the depths of her mind, the familiar whisper echoed: "Hide your fear, little fairy. Silence is your strength. If you feed his hunger with your terror, he will bind you. But if you remain still, his obsession will forge his own end."
When Elanor opened her eyes, she fixed her gaze on Thor. Her blue eyes seemed to shimmer with a cold, ethereal flame. For a heartbeat, even Thor recoiled—before narrowing his eyes and yanking the chain tighter in a fit of rage.
The Awakening of Power
Thor taunted her, passing his fingers over the chains. "I could keep you here for days, and no one would know. I will hide you until the only thing reflected in your eyes is me."
Elanor's heart hammered, but she maintained a mask of calm. Sergie is right. I cannot let him see my fear.
As she sat on her knees, the clinking of her chains against the stone began to take on a rhythm. The melody of the dance… she closed her eyes, transforming her fear into a single note. Her fingers moved slightly, and the jingle of the chains became a song.
Suddenly, she slipped into the one place Thor couldn't guard: his mind.
Thor's gaze went vacant. Elanor's consciousness danced through his thoughts, the scent of glowing flowers filling the corridors of his mind. He stood mesmerized by the phantom image of Elanor dancing.
But then, the dragon blood deep within him surged. The veins in his neck strained, and shadows flooded his face. The scent of flowers turned to ash; the dance melted away. He snapped back to reality, his pupils narrowing into slits of fire.
He lunged, seizing Elanor by the throat. His palm was burning hot; the pressure cut off her breath. "You dare try to manipulate me, you little devil?" Thor roared, his voice shaking the stones of the cell. "Remember… I am a Dragon, and you are but a slave! You cannot win this game!"
Draven's Madness
In the palace above, Draven was no longer a King—he was a storm. He intercepted a servant, grabbing him by the arm. "Where is Elanor?" he thundered.
"My… my Lord… she was with Thor…"
Draven didn't need to hear another word. His face turned to stone. The tempest inside him was breaking free. "Thor…" he whispered, a sound that made every dragon in the hall shiver.
"He took her," Draven growled to himself, his fists trembling. "He dragged her away in chains." The image of Elanor's fragility, her trembling dance, and Thor's hands on her skin ignited a roar in his chest.
One dragon dared to whisper: "My Lord… calm yourself, she is only a—" Draven whirled on him, his eyes glowing with the red light of the beast. "SHE IS NOT JUST A THING!" he screamed. "She is mine! Not even a shadow shall fall upon her without my leave!"
Wings erupted from his back, filling the hall with black and crimson majesty. The floorboards cracked. "He will pay with his blood. And this palace will bear witness to my wrath."
The Confrontation
Just as Thor leaned in, his lips hovering near Elanor's skin, a roar shook the very foundations of the dungeon. Draven appeared at the door, his shadow swallowing the room. The radiance of his wings acted as a halo of fire, and the crimson glow from his eyes burned through the dark.
"I will make sure you never forget the moment you laid hands on her, Thor," Draven's voice boomed like thunder.
Thor's eyes flashed. "Don't stand in my way, Draven. Or I'll turn this little fairy to ash right here."
Draven stepped forward, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. "If you touch a single drop of her blood… I will bury you in your own chains."
Thor laughed, a sound that shook the stones. "Chains? For me? You forget yourself, Draven. Your shadows don't work on me. I am fire. I am destruction."
In that moment of peak tension, something snapped inside Elanor. Dark green vines erupted from her fingertips, surging from the floor, the walls, and the ceiling. They coiled around Thor's arms, torso, and legs with unnatural speed.
"What—?!" Thor bellowed, but his strength was cut short as the vines tightened, their thorns piercing his skin.
Elanor's eyes glowed with a power she didn't recognize. Nature itself was screaming through her veins. "Elanor!" Draven shouted, a mix of fear and awe in his voice.
But the power was too much. Elanor's light began to fade; the vines withered as quickly as they had grown. Her body collapsed.
The Aftermath: Through Draven's Eyes
I caught her before she hit the ground, pulling her small, shivering frame against my chest. My heart hammered against my ribs like a caged beast. Seeing her like this—pale, her breath shallow—it was enough to drive me over the edge.
"Call a healer! NOW!"
I carried her to my room and laid her on the bed. My hands were shaking. Thor's touch... the way he dared to look at her... the debt would be paid in blood.
After the healers left, I sat by her side. A single tear hung from the tip of her eyelash, and it brought me to my knees. "My little one... I failed to protect you."
But I couldn't stay weak. I went back to the dungeons where Thor was bound in shadows. "You dared to look into her eyes," I whispered, my voice more terrifying than any roar. "Your hands touched her skin."
Thor smirked, his arrogance unbroken. "She's just a slave, Draven. A shiny toy." My dragon roared. Fire leaked from my hands, scorching the stone walls. "Nothing that is mine will ever be a toy," I hissed.
A messenger interrupted, trembling. "Lord Draven... The Council demands a meeting. They have heard of what happened with Elanor and Thor."
The Council. Of course. Nothing stays hidden in this vipers' nest. I leaned into Thor's face, my breath hot. "Do you think the Council can save you? The only reason I haven't turned you to ash yet... is because I don't want her to wake up to the smell of your charred remains."
I turned and walked away, my footsteps echoing through the cold halls. My only thought was the moment she would open her eyes and look at me again.