The path got narrower and turned into stone ribs. The air got damp and heavy with a smell like old rain soaked into bone. Moss covered the walls.
Chen Ho ducked under a low arch, and his boots splashed into a shallow pool. At this point, the ink on the map had thickened and pooled as if gravity had bent it.
The Phoenix moved around on his shoulder, making him feel uneasy. Its flames died down, and the feathers smoked instead of burning.
"Water against fire," Chen Ho said softly. "A test for both of us."
He took a Heat-Screen talisman out of his sleeve and pressed it to his chest. Ink turned red, and warmth spread around him. The Phoenix felt better and the sparks got brighter again.
The cave suddenly opened up, as big as a cathedral. There were small waterfalls coming down from above, and they glowed blue with spirit light. The pool was wide and had rippling silver reflections.
But it wasn't quiet.
The water pushed against itself. Under the surface, scales sparkled. From below, dozens of eyes blinked.
The First Attack
The air was filled with a hiss. A Giant River Eel shot up, mouth opening like a cave and teeth sharp.
"Now!" Chen Ho got angry.
The Phoenix jumped, its wings spread out, and Flame Peck hit the eel in the face. Steam burst out, boiling water, and the beast screamed as it twisted back down.
More came up: fish with blue gills and snapping jaws, and long-bodied water snakes that whipped across the surface.
The cave turned into a mess of splashes, strikes, and steam.
Chen Ho moved with calm accuracy. His knife cut through anyone who got too close. His other hand flicked chalk dust into the water, which showed where the currents were and where the beasts would rise.
He said, "Left!"
The Phoenix turned right away, and Fire Feather Burst lit up, sending feathers of fire into the water. Bubbles that were boiling made the fish scatter.
The water creatures went around but didn't go back. The guardian of the cave had not yet appeared.
The Guardian of Water
The pool grew from the far end of the cave. The waves got higher and spilled over the rocks.
Then it came.
A Spirit Water Serpent, rank-2, with a body as thick as a tree trunk and scales that shone silver-blue. Its eyes glowed with the patience of ages, and its tongue moved like lightning.
The Phoenix screamed, and flames shot up in a challenge.
The snake's body curled up and then bit down hard.
Chen Ho stepped to the side, and the rope broke in his hand. He tied it to a stalagmite to keep himself safe. The snake slammed past, and the water crashed.
Chen Ho whispered, "Burn higher."
The Phoenix spoke. The flames burned brighter than ever, and the fire fought the water, boiling it away in hissing clouds.
The snake screamed and pulled back.
Chen Ho's eyes got smaller. "Now. Shoot for the eyes.
The Phoenix shot forward, and the flames got thicker. Flame Peck hit the snake in the left eye. Steam burst out, and the beast writhed, hitting the stone with water.
Chen Ho held his ground as the cave shook, the rope tight around him.
Finally, the snake fell over and slid back into the pool with a hiss that faded into silence.
The Dragon's Path
There was steam on every surface. The Phoenix landed on Chen Ho's arm, and its feathers shone brighter than ever. The flame pulsed steadily, and the dampness of the cave no longer made it weaker.
"Lv.32," Chen Ho said quietly.
When the steam cleared, something shone at the bottom of the pool where the snake had fallen.
Chen Ho waded in, the water lapping at his knees, until he could grab it. He got it loose.
A piece.
A Scale of a Dragon.
It was dark green with gold streaks and edges that glowed faintly with power that felt older than mountains. It hummed in his hand, even though it was cracked and broken, and it felt like it was coming from deep inside his chest.
The Phoenix cried softly, its feathers shimmering. It wasn't afraid; it was recognizing. Fire answering water, family answering family.
Chen Ho's heart raced. It is true. The Dragon has arrived.
He carefully wrapped the scale in cloth and tied it to his pack.
Suspense
The water stopped moving again as he left the cave. But the air outside felt different—charged, heavy, like a storm that was about to happen.
The Phoenix sat on his shoulder and looked to the east.
"Very soon," Chen Ho said softly. "We'll find it."
And somewhere in the Trial Grounds, a roar rolled across the land again, this time deeper and closer.
The Dragon was waking up.