Beastbound: The Flesh of Power

The forest was quiet, save for the faint rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. Raze sat by the base of a tree near the familiar riverbank, his knees pulled to his chest. The cool night air carried the faint scent of moss and water, soothing but far from comforting.

He couldn't stop replaying the seer's words in his mind, her voice trembling with both fear and conviction. "Because of you, the Ancestor's Egg will be destroyed..." What could she have meant? The egg? That old relic that had sat in the village shrine for generations, untouched and unmoving?

Raze clenched his fists. The egg had always been a mystery to him, a piece of history revered by the villagers. His father once showed it to him when he was a boy—a smooth, sturdy shell, large enough to cradle with both arms. It seemed lifeless to him, more a monument than anything living. Yet now, the entire village was celebrating the supposed prophecy of its hatching, a miracle foretold by the seer herself.

But how could he be connected to its destruction? Raze wasn't particularly religious, but he understood how deeply the villagers clung to the seer's words. She was their guide, their protector against the unknown.

His thoughts wandered to Anya. Of all people, she had hurt him the most. She had pulled Leo away, looking at him with disdain, as though he were truly some kind of monster. He knew Anya's faith was strong—her unwavering belief in the seer's wisdom had always been evident. But to see her so easily turn against him...

His heart ached as he recalled her face, those emerald eyes now filled with fear and judgment. The sting of betrayal cut deeper than he thought possible.

"And Leo…" Raze whispered bitterly. While Leo's expression had been conflicted, he hadn't fought Anya's grip. He hadn't said a word. His silence had spoken volumes.

Raze leaned back against the tree, staring at the faint glimmers of starlight that peeked through the canopy above. The cool grass beneath him did little to ease the heat of anger and sadness swirling within. His chest felt heavy, weighed down by confusion and loneliness.

"Why me?" he muttered to himself, the question echoing in the stillness.

Exhaustion soon overtook him, his emotional turmoil pulling him into an uneasy sleep. The faint gurgle of the nearby river served as a lullaby, a reminder of better days when Anya practiced her abilities here, and he had been the one to help her when she faltered.

Raze woke with a start. His neck ached from sleeping against the rough bark, and his body felt stiff. He blinked, disoriented, as sunlight streamed through the trees. It was nearly noon; the sun was directly overhead, its light filtered by the leaves above.

He stretched, wincing as he stood up. His stomach growled, a reminder that he hadn't eaten since the previous night. He scanned the area, half-hoping to see someone—anyone—who might have come looking for him.

But there was no one.

The realization stung. Despite everything that had happened, he had held onto the faint hope that maybe someone cared enough to find him. Even his parents...

Raze shook his head, banishing the thought. He couldn't afford to dwell on it. Not now.

Just as he began to consider heading back to the village—if only for food—a sudden chill ran down his spine. The forest grew eerily silent, the usual chirping of birds and rustling of leaves abruptly ceasing.

Then came the shadow.

The sunlight that had bathed the forest moments ago was snuffed out, replaced by an enormous, dark silhouette that swept over the ground. Raze instinctively looked up, his heart pounding.

A massive creature soared above, its wings stretching wide enough to blot out the sun. The air seemed to tremble with the force of its presence. Its scales glinted like polished obsidian, catching the light as it descended.

"A dragon…" Raze whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of his racing heartbeat.

The dragon's serpentine body twisted gracefully in the air as it circled above, its powerful wings stirring gusts that sent leaves and branches scattering. Its piercing golden eyes scanned the forest below, as though searching for something—or someone.

Panic surged through Raze and He froze.