Aren could not move. His body felt heavy, like the ground itself was holding him down. The golden screen floated in front of his eyes, clear and bright, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
The words did not fade.
They stayed.
Kael stood a few steps away from him. His posture was stiff, his breathing uneven. The glow in his eyes was faint at first, but it did not disappear.
"Aren," Kael said slowly. His voice sounded wrong. It was deeper, rougher, like it did not fully belong to him.
Aren swallowed. "Kael… what is happening?"
Kael looked at his own hands. He opened and closed his fingers, as if testing them. "I do not know," he said. "But this is not your fault. You did something."
Aren shook his head. "I did nothing. I just fell."
The golden screen shifted slightly, as if responding to his thoughts.
[Contract Status Stable][Partner Conscious]
Aren stared at the words. "Partner?" he whispered.
Kael's head snapped up. "What did you say?"
Aren hesitated, then spoke honestly. "There is a screen. It says we have a contract."
Kael's expression darkened. "A contract," he repeated. "Like beast taming."
Aren felt a cold chill. "I did not mean to. I swear."
Kael took a step back. His eyes flickered again, brighter this time. The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly.
Ashfang was gone. The wolf had vanished the moment Kael screamed. There was no sign of it anywhere, no summoning mark, no presence.
Kael noticed it too.
"My beast," Kael said quietly. "Where is Ashfang?"
Aren shook his head. "I do not know."
Kael clenched his fists. The air around them felt warmer. Not hot, but heavy, like something was pressing outward.
"You took it," Kael said. "Did you?"
"No," Aren said quickly. "I could not even move."
Kael stared at him for a long moment. Then he laughed.
It was not a happy laugh.
"This is bad," Kael said. "This is really bad."
Aren tried to stand. His legs shook, but he managed to get to his feet. The golden screen followed his movement, staying in front of him.
"Kael," Aren said. "We should leave. Something is wrong."
Kael looked past him, deeper into the ruins. The stones around them were vibrating now, small bits of dust falling from broken walls.
"Something is waking up," Kael said.
A deep sound rolled through the ruins. It was not loud, but it was strong. The sound did not come from one direction. It came from everywhere.
Aren's chest tightened.
The screen changed again.
[Warning][Sealed Entity Reacting]
Aren felt his heart skip. "Kael," he said, louder now. "We need to go."
Kael finally looked afraid.
The ground split open behind him.
Stone shattered. Dust filled the air. A wave of heat rushed outward, forcing Aren to step back.
From the broken ground, something massive began to rise.
It was not fully visible at first. Only scales, dark and red, like metal heated too long in fire. Each movement cracked the earth further.
Kael did not run.
He stood there, frozen, staring at the thing rising behind him.
Aren shouted. "Kael. Move."
Kael turned slowly. His face was pale. His eyes were glowing fully now, bright gold.
"I remember," Kael said.
Aren did not understand. "Remember what."
Kael swallowed. "Fire. Wings. Sky. Blood."
The thing behind him let out a low breath. Flames rolled out of the cracks in the ground, licking the air without burning it.
Aren's legs gave out again. He fell backward, landing hard.
The golden screen flickered.
[Sealed Dragon Awakening][Identity Matching Detected]
Aren's mind felt like it was breaking apart.
"No," Aren said. "That is not possible."
Kael laughed again, but his eyes were wet. "Dragons are extinct," he said. "That is what they told us."
The ground exploded outward.
A massive shape tore free from the ruins, rising into the air. Wings unfolded, each movement shaking the land. Scales reflected the light like molten stone.
A dragon.
A real dragon.
Its eyes opened.
They were the same gold as Kael's.
The dragon lowered its head, breathing slowly, as if the air itself belonged to it. Then its body began to glow.
Light poured inward.
The massive form collapsed, folding in on itself. Fire twisted and pulled, shrinking rapidly.
Aren watched in shock as the dragon disappeared completely.
Kael screamed.
He fell to his knees, clutching his head. The glow around him faded, then surged again.
When he lifted his head, his eyes were normal.
Too normal.
"What did you do to me," Kael shouted. "What did you do."
Aren shook his head violently. "I do not know. I swear."
Kael stood up unsteadily. "That thing," he said. "That was me."
Aren felt sick.
"You are lying," Aren said.
Kael looked at him, fear and anger mixing on his face. "I felt it. I remembered it. I was that."
The golden screen changed again.
[First Dragon Identified][Name: Kael Riven][Status: Sealed]
Aren's breath caught. "Kael," he said softly. "The system knows your name."
Kael's face twisted. "Stop calling it a system. Stop talking like this is normal."
Footsteps echoed through the ruins.
Voices followed.
"Search the area."
"Mana spike confirmed."
"Do not let them escape."
Kael froze. "The authorities."
Aren's blood ran cold. "They will kill you."
Kael grabbed Aren by the collar. "You did this. If they see me like this, I am dead."
Aren did not fight him. "Then we run."
Kael hesitated. For the first time, he looked unsure.
The golden screen flashed red.
[Alert][Dragon Presence Detected][Containment Protocol Activated]
The air changed. A pressure fell over the ruins, heavy and crushing.
Figures appeared at the entrance. Men and women in dark armor, carrying weapons etched with glowing symbols.
At their front stood a woman with silver hair and cold eyes.
"Kael Riven," she said. "Aren Valen."
Aren recognized her. Commander Lyra Voss. Dragon Suppression Unit.
His heart dropped.
"You are both under arrest," Lyra said. "Resist and you will be executed."
Kael's grip tightened on Aren.
"I remember what they did to us," Kael whispered. "I remember the fire raining from the sky. I remember the chains."
Aren looked at him. "Us?"
Kael's eyes glowed again.
Behind them, the ground began to crack once more.
The golden screen appeared one last time.
[Emergency Override Available][Unseal Dragon: Partial Release]
Aren felt the choice burn into his mind.
If he activated it, nothing would ever be the same.
Commander Lyra raised her weapon.
"Last warning," she said.
Aren reached out.
And the screen asked one final question.
[Proceed?]