The Dragon on Skyfire Mountain
Crowds of students poured down Skyfire Mountain's curving slopes, their conversation a blend of excitement and fatigue. Some strode along with the vibrancy of youth, their spirits lifted by the excitement of the hunt, whereas others dragged themselves along, exhausted, their legs stiff and heavy. But nearly every discussion was about one subject—the Thunder Serpent sighting.
The teachers had already passed judgment. The victims who said they had seen the monster must have been delusional; there were many demonic beasts in the cultivation world that resembled dragons, and fear tended to exaggerate the imagination.
Kai Dawnsworn saw a familiar face coming down the winding path. Feya's red robes were now streaked with dust, hugging her body slightly, but her face glowed unspotted by the dirt. Her dark eyes shone with humor as she laughed quietly, talking to Gary, who kept pace beside her step for step.
Perceptive students couldn't help but sneak a look at Kai as he eyed them. Their interest—or envy—caused the scene to be oddly charged.
Feya caught some of the stares herself and, for an instant, let her eyes wander toward Kai. But the moment their gazes crossed, she jerked her head away, not willing to catch his eye. Her talk with Gary faltered into silence, her focus divided.
Gary saw the sudden change. His serene, haughty smile wavered only for a moment as his eyes swept along the mountain road, came to rest on Kai. The young man stood some distance in front of him, his posture lazy but exuding quiet dominance. With a curt nod, Gary turned his attention back to Feya, crushing the spark of competitiveness.
Kai paid no attention to the whispers and side glances around him. He addressed Boomer, his voice contemplative. "Would you think the academy would keep it from us if it actually were a dragon?"
Boomer's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes narrowing as he considered the question. After a long pause, he nodded slightly. "Yes."
Kai's gold eyes gleamed with determination. "Then let's check it out ourselves before they lock down the entire mountain." Without hesitation, he sprinted back up the slopes, every muscle coiled with purpose.
Onlookers froze. Feya's dark eyes widened in disbelief as Kai's figure disappeared into the forest above. Her lips twitched with unspoken words, but she watched silently, unable to comprehend his intentions. Did… did he just ignore me?
Boomer came hot on his heels, his steps liquid, nearly feral. He went past Feya and Gary with a menacing stare, silencing the two in terror.
"What are they doing?" Feya's voice shook ever so slightly, betraying her bewilderment.
Others in the crowd agreed silently. Why would they go back into harm when the rest of them are running away?
"Is he mad?" a student standing nearby whispered. "He didn't want to go earlier, but now that there has been a sighting of a serpent, he goes back up?"
Even Kai himself couldn't come up with a logical explanation. But this wasn't any ordinary creature—they were referring to a legendary one. The psyche of a cultivator, who had practiced FreeMind Meditation, could gain a lot by studying such an animal.
Boomer's expression mirrored Kai's curiosity. Both sought answers only legends could provide.
The main mountain road was blocked by senior brothers of the Greenhold Academy, their expressions stern as they denied passage. Only those leaving the mountain were permitted. Kai and Boomer, however, had anticipated this. They veered onto a narrow side path, barely visible from the main road—a shortcut through the dense undergrowth.
They navigated past a few checkpoints on the route, but each blockade only reinforced their expectation: the academy was handling information with tight control.
"We can't just keep stumbling around blindly," Boomer grumbled, annoyance seeping into his tone. "What direction do we go?"
Kai looked over the landscape, keen and logical. "Go after the biggest evacuation masses. That would be the center of the lockdown."
Boomer nodded, understanding glinting in his black eyes. The two glided quietly, becoming shadows themselves as the sun set further, casting the woods in tones of rich amber and violet. Darkness eased their steps, giving protection as fewer students lingered on the mountain trails.
Time crept on, every minute elongating into an eternity. At last, Kai leaned against the bark of an ancient tree, allowing his golden eyes to rest and recharge. The air around them was uncharacteristically still. The familiar sounds of nighttime creatures were muted. No devils' work agitated… yet there was a charged tension that remained.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore across the sky, illuminating the dense canopy with white brilliance. Every guard in the vicinity froze, faces drawn with solemnity.
Is it here?
Thunder rolled, the flashes growing faster, the storm above growing chaotic. Kai's pulse quickened, a thrill of anticipation mingling with nerves.
"A dragon… it's really a dragon!" A voice rang from somewhere deeper in the forest, trembling with awe.
Kai leapt to his feet, staring out into the storm-torched sky. And then he saw it: a giant dragon weaving and swooping through the darkness, a thousand feet long, its shape appearing and disappearing like a living specter. Every motion was heavy with power, every bellow shuddering the canopy. Lightning appeared to dance across its hide, thunder proclaiming its approach with blinding force.
"Dragon…" Boomer spoke barely above a whisper. His black eyes mirrored the chaotic brilliance overhead. No sentence could contain the majesty, the terror, the awe. Words were lost to him.
For an instant, the forest was held suspended, waiting, as the ancient creature glided with godlike strides, an unchallenged, uncontainable, legendary predator in its reign.
Kai's heart hammered, his mind alive with possibilities. Observing it up close could change everything: his cultivation, his understanding of mana, his very destiny.
And above the storm, the dragon roared—a sound that echoed through the mountain, shaking both earth and spirit alike.