CHAPTER SEVEN
The Crimson Dragon
"Some monsters are born from darkness. Others are created by betrayal."
The roar echoed across the mountains.
Every dragon in the valley fell silent.
Even the wind seemed afraid to move.
Lyra stood frozen beside the crystal lake.
The ancient silver dragon slowly lowered its head.
Its golden eyes were filled with something Lyra had never seen before.
Fear.
Kael immediately drew his sword.
"Tell me that wasn't what I think it was."
The dragon remained silent.
That silence was answer enough.
Queen Seraphine stepped forward.
Her voice trembled.
"The Crimson Dragon."
The words seemed to darken the night itself.
Lyra looked between them.
"Who is he?"
The dragon answered quietly.
"Not a dragon."
"What?"
"He was once a king."
A cold chill ran through Lyra.
The dragon continued.
"Long before the Moon Kingdom fell, there were three rulers."
"The Moon Queen."
"The Dragon King."
"And the Fire King."
Orion appeared from the shadows beyond the cliff.
No one had heard him arrive.
His silver eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
"The Fire King wanted immortality."
His voice was calm.
"He believed dragons were too powerful to die."
Kael frowned.
"And then?"
Orion's expression darkened.
"He experimented on them."
Silence.
Lyra felt sick.
"He hurt them?"
Orion nodded.
"He captured dragons."
"Tortured them."
"Used forbidden magic."
"Until eventually..."
"He transformed himself."
The mountain trembled.
Far away...
Another roar shattered the night.
This one louder.
Closer.
The ancient dragon finished softly.
"He became the Crimson Dragon."
A flash of red lightning split the sky.
For one brief moment...
A gigantic silhouette appeared among the distant mountains.
Wings larger than castles.
Horns like black spears.
Eyes burning like living fire.
Then darkness returned.
Lyra couldn't breathe.
The creature was enormous.
Larger than anything she had imagined.
Larger even than the ancient guardian.
The dragon beside them whispered,
"He has awakened earlier than expected."
Suddenly—
The Moon Pendant around Lyra's neck began glowing.
A vision exploded inside her mind.
A battlefield.
Fire everywhere.
Dragons falling from the sky.
People screaming.
The Moon Kingdom burning.
And standing in the center of the destruction...
A young man wearing crimson armor.
His face was hidden.
But his voice echoed through the flames.
"If I cannot rule this world..."
"...then I will burn it."
Lyra gasped and stumbled backward.
Kael immediately caught her.
"Lyra!"
Her breathing became uneven.
"I saw him."
Orion's face became serious.
"What did you see?"
"The Fire King."
Silence.
The dragon lowered its head.
"Then her memories are awakening faster."
That wasn't good news.
Everyone knew it.
Because the more Lyra remembered...
The closer she came to discovering what truly happened one thousand years ago.
And somebody clearly didn't want that.
Suddenly—
An arrow flew from the darkness.
Kael reacted instantly.
His sword flashed.
The arrow shattered.
A second arrow followed.
Then a third.
Then twenty.
"AMBUSH!"
Black-cloaked figures emerged from the forest.
Their armor carried a symbol Lyra had never seen before.
A red dragon surrounded by fire.
Orion's expression hardened.
"Cultists."
The battle exploded.
Kael charged first.
His sword cut through the attackers with breathtaking speed.
Orion moved differently.
Almost effortlessly.
As though he had fought thousands of battles.
Within seconds several attackers were already unconscious.
Lyra raised the Moon Sword.
Silver light burst from the blade.
The nearest enemies were thrown backward.
But then—
One of the cultists shouted:
"Take the Queen alive!"
Everyone froze.
The Queen.
Not Lyra.
Not the Moon Girl.
The Queen.
They knew exactly who she was.
Which meant—
Someone had been waiting for her awakening.
The realization terrified Lyra.
The battle ended quickly.
The surviving cultists fled into the darkness.
One remained behind.
Wounded.
Dying.
Kael knelt beside him.
"Who sent you?"
The man laughed weakly.
Blood stained his lips.
"He is coming."
"Who?"
The cultist looked directly at Lyra.
Fear filled his eyes.
Not fear of her.
Fear for her.
Then he whispered:
"The Crimson Dragon remembers you."
Before anyone could ask another question...
The cultist died.
Silence returned.
But this time...
It felt different.
He remembers you.
Those words echoed endlessly inside Lyra's mind.
Why would a monster from ancient history remember her?
Unless...
The Fire King had known Queen Selene personally.
The thought made her stomach twist.
The ancient dragon suddenly lifted its head.
Its eyes widened.
"No..."
Orion immediately looked toward the sky.
Kael followed.
Then all three of them saw it.
Far above the mountains...
A crimson moon had appeared.
Not replacing the real moon.
Covering it.
Like a shadow.
The ancient dragon whispered:
"The Eclipse has begun."
And somewhere beyond the Black Mountains...
A pair of enormous burning eyes opened completely.
Watching.
Waiting.
Smiling.