Chapter 15: The Sleeping Mountain
Five years after Caelan became King of Balance, peace returned.
But peace never sleeps long.
In the far east, beyond the Ashen Sea, the Sleeping Mountain began to rumble. Villagers spoke of fire in the sky. Of wings blotting out the sun.
Ancient texts were brought to Caelan.
"Before the crown," the royal scholar whispered, "there were Dragons."
Chapter 32: The First Flame
A massive shadow circled above Aurendor.
Then it descended.
A dragon — scales like molten gold and eyes like burning stars.
But it did not attack.
It landed before King Caelan.
And bowed.
The court fell silent.
In Caelan's mind, a deep ancient voice echoed:
"You carry the Balance. You are worthy."
Chapter 33: The Dragon's Truth
The dragon revealed her name — Aurethra, the First Flame.
Long ago, dragons forged the Golden Crown with human kings to keep darkness contained.
But when humans grew greedy, dragons vanished.
Morvath had been only a fragment of something greater.
Something older.
Something waking.
Chapter 16: The Crimson Sky
The sky cracked open above the Sleeping Mountain.
A second dragon emerged — black as void, wings tearing clouds apart.
His name was Nytherion.
Unlike Aurethra, he did not bow.
He roared.
And the ground split.
Chapter 35: Fire Against Fire
Nytherion sought to dominate both dragons and men. He believed balance was weakness.
"Power must rule," he thundered.
Aurethra stood beside Caelan.
"For the first time," she said, "a human may ride with dragonkind."
Caelan stepped forward.
The Golden Crown burned brighter.
Chapter 36: Rider of Balance
Caelan mounted Aurethra.
Gold and shadow energy wrapped around him like armor.
They rose into the storming sky.
Below, Queen Elara commanded the kingdom's defenses once more — still fierce, still unbreakable.
Chapter 17: War in the Heavens
Dragon fire lit the skies.
Gold flames clashed with black inferno.
Lightning tore through clouds as Caelan and Nytherion collided mid-air.
The world watched.
Chapter 38: The Breaking of Wings
Nytherion struck Aurethra, wounding her deeply.
Caelan fell from the sky.
But instead of fear — he felt calm.
He embraced both light and shadow completely.
No resistance.
No division.
Only unity.
Chapter 18: The Sovereign Flame
Caelan rose, floating mid-air.
The Golden Crown transformed.
No longer just metal.
It became living energy.
He unleashed a new power — not gold, not black — but radiant silver flame.
Nytherion screamed as the Sovereign Flame consumed his darkness.
Not destroying him.
Purifying him.
Chapter 19: A New Era of Fire
The skies cleared.
Nytherion bowed.
Dragons returned to the world.
Humans and dragons formed a new pact.
Caelan was no longer just King of Balance.
He became known as:
The Dragon Sovereign.
And the legend of the Golden Crown grew beyond kingdoms…
It became eternal.