The forge hall of Dragon Academy was a place of raw, dazzling energy. As Lira, Maelin, and Patricia stepped inside, the first thing that hit them was the heat. It was unlike any warmth they had felt outside; it pressed against their skin, sharp and consuming, making their hair stick lightly to their foreheads. Sparks leapt from the anvils, glowing embers drifted in the air like fireflies, and the scent of molten metal mixed with the faint, sweet tang of dragon scales.
Maelin's eyes widened. "I've never… it's like walking inside a volcano," she breathed, her hands clenching in excitement. Lira's vines twitched instinctively at the heat, not from fear but from the sensation that her power hummed in response to the flames around her. Patricia's expression, calm and precise as always, betrayed a flicker of awe as her gaze swept across the glowing forges and the carefully arranged rows of tools.
