Frostbite stepped closer to the glowing symbols "Elanor's right–this is about representation. Each of us has a role to play here. The pattern's glowing frost and flame are obvious... but the sky and earth are less clear."
Sable huffed, his tail lashing behind him. "Then let's stop wasting time and do something." He turned to Aurora. "Can you create a flame strong enough to match Frostbite's ice?"
Aurora frowned, and she hesitated. "I can try, but... my fire isn't very strong."
"Doesn't have to be strong," Frostbite said gently. "It just has to be true."
Encouraged, Aurora stepped forward, her eyes narrowing in concentration. She inhaled deeply and released a small, flickering flame that danced above her claws.
"Good," Frostbite said, stepping beside her. He exhaled, sending a stream of icy mist to hover beside her fire. The two elements swirled together, creating a delicate balance of heat and cold.
The glowing symbols on the ground brightened slightly, but the pattern didn't activate.
"Okay, that's part of it," Elanor said, her voice steady. "Now we need sky and earth."
"Sky is easy," Shadow piped up, bouncing forward. "I can jump!" He leapt into the air, and flapped his tiny wings furiously. He didn't get far off the ground but landed gracefully in the center of the pattern.
"That's not enough," Coral said, stepping forward. "Let me." He crouched, his webbed claws pressing against the earth. With a powerful leap, he soared into the air, cutting through the mist before landing with a firm thud.
The symbols flickered again, this time glowing faintly green and brown in addition to blue and orange.
"Earth is mine," Moss said, walking forward. She stomped her heavy claws against the ground, her scales grinding against the stone. The tremor she caused sent a few loose rocks tumbling from nearby walls.
The pattern's glow intensified, shifting into a brilliant mix of colors.
"Is that it?" Reef asked, flopping onto his fins dramatically. "Did we win? Is the maze gonna throw us a party now?"
Tiny Wings chirped excitedly, bouncing around the glowing pattern. "It's working! Look!"
The ground beneath the pattern began to hum, and the symbols shifted, forming two glowing doorways in the mist. A faint breeze stirred, carrying the scent of fresh air.
"We did it," Reef breathed, relief washing over his face.
Sable's crimson eyes narrowed as he watched the doorway. "Let's not celebrate yet. We don't know which door to choose."
"Any door could be worse than this maze," Splash quipped with a grin. "Or it could be better! Only one way to find out."
Aurora smiled nervously. "I guess we don't have a choice."
One by one, the group stepped through one of the doorways, their laughter and bickering fading into the mist as the maze began to shift and seal behind them. The glowing symbols faded, leaving the path behind them as enigmatic as it had been when they first entered.
28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwkz9Em9DL
Meanwhile...
Velith sat at her table, tapping her claw on the open scroll in front of her. "They made it out of the maze." She murmured.
The soft whispers in the chamber ceased, and several glowing eyes turned toward Velith. Aelion, perched at a nearby station, tilted his head inquisitively, the twilight shimmer of his scales catching the faint light. "Already? That was faster than anticipated," he said, his voice smooth and thoughtful.
The pale blue dragoness with starlit scales floated closer, her ethereal wings barely stirring the air. "The maze was meant to challenge their unity," she said. "Perhaps the Stellarsong's message was clearer than we expected."
Velith glanced at the pale dragoness. "Or perhaps we underestimated the youngest one," she replied. "Tiny Wings–her spark of curiosity was what guided them to the path."
"Destiny often rests on the smallest of flames," Aelion remarked as he unrolled a scroll beside him.
One of them, A dragon with slick scales and straight horns narrowed her eyes. "They went the wrong way."
The dragon with jagged horns waved it off. "They'll be fine. It happens all the time with first time visitors."
Murmurs of lighthearted agreements went around the chamber.
"Do you think it's her?" Aelion asked. "Tiny Wings?"
The chamber went silent. Debated whispers gradually rose among the writers. The speaker rose a wing, silencing them. "If this dragonet is truly the one destined to take claim to the throne..."
The speaker's gaze swept over the room. "...then her path will not be an easy one. The stars have woven a tapestry of trials that will test her heart, her will, and her very flame."
Velith nodded, her expression thoughtful as she traced a claw along the runes etched on the scroll before her. "If Tiny Wings is to play a part in this war's end, her trials will begin long before she reaches the throne. The Dragon's Heart is just the start."
Aelion leaned closer to his scroll, his tone contemplative. "The relic is crucial, yes. But the corruption it has endured will resist purification. She will need more than strength; she will need guidance, wisdom, and allies willing to fight beside her."
Velith tilted her head. "And yet, she is but a dragonet. Can a spark so small endure the winds of war?"
The speaker's gaze softened, and she smiled faintly. "Even the smallest spark can ignite an inferno, Velith. Do not underestimate her. The Stellarsong spoke clearly. Balance will be found not in size or strength, but in unity. That is what the maze was meant to teach them."
The slick-scaled dragon with straight horns let out a low hum, her tail flicking idly. "Unity is one thing, but that group is fractured. They squabble like hatchlings. How can they possibly hope to stand against the Crimson Fang leader?"
"They will learn," the speaker said firmly, her wings folding elegantly. "They must. The Dragon's Heart will not respond to chaos. Only harmony can restore its light."
Velith sighed, her claws tapping the obsidian table. "And if they fail?"
Aelion's voice was quiet but resolute. "Then the war will burn brighter, consuming all in its path. Solara and Lumis will tear this land apart in their pursuit of the throne."
A heavy silence fell over the chamber as the gravity of his words settled on the assembled destiny writers.
The speaker broke the silence, her voice firm and unwavering. "Failure is not an option. They have been chosen by the stars, and their paths are entwined with destiny. We must do all we can to guide them."
Velith gave a faint smile. "Then we watch, and we write. Their story is far from over."
Aelion unrolled another scroll, his glowing quill poised to inscribe. "Far from over," he agreed. "And perhaps, the smallest spark will prove to be the brightest light of all."
There was a moment of silence. "Aldra," the speaker called. A large dragon with swirled horns glanced up from her writing.
"Inform the elder that the travelers have taken the wrong door." Said the speaker. "We really need to do something about that door." she muttered.
Aldra straightened, her shimmering blue scales catching the ambient light of the glowing scrolls. Her swirled horns gave her a regal air, though her expression betrayed a hint of exasperation as she rolled up the scroll she had been writing on. “The wrong door again?” she asked, her deep voice resonating through the chamber.
The speaker sighed, her wings folding neatly against her sides. “Yes. It’s been centuries, and no one has fixed it. Every group gets tripped up by it.”
Velith smirked, leaning casually on her station. “Perhaps it’s destiny,” she teased. “A built-in lesson for those seeking answers.”
Aldra snorted, a puff of faint blue smoke curling from her nostrils. “Or perhaps it’s just shoddy craftsmanship.” She rose to her full height, her claws clicking softly on the floor. “I’ll let the elder know. Though I’m certain he’s already aware—he always is.”
As Aldra moved toward the exit, Aelion chuckled. “Maybe we should enchant a sign to warn them. ‘Wrong door. Right path not here.’”
The speaker shook her head with a faint smile. “No. They must find the correct path themselves. It’s part of their trial.”
Aldra paused at the doorway, glancing back with a wry expression. “I suppose that means we’ll keep watching travelers fumble around in circles for a few more centuries?”
The chamber rippled with quiet laughter. The speaker allowed herself a soft chuckle. “Perhaps. Or perhaps this group will surprise us yet.”
Aldra nodded once before stepping through the archway, disappearing into the dim corridor beyond. The hum of magic returned to the room as the destiny writers turned back to their scrolls, their quills scratching faintly against the parchment.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
