Chapter 4 Dragonfire Awakens

Drayce's voice was heavy with reverence. "It means you, Ariana. You are the prophecy reborn. The one who will reunite the wolf and dragon realms."

She shook her head, struggling to grasp what he was saying. "But I was rejected. I'm nothing."

"You are everything," he replied. "You were hidden, kept from your true power. But now, the time has come to awaken."

The following days were a blur of intense training. Drayce didn't treat her like a fragile human. He pushed her, challenged her to tap into the fire that burned inside her. At first, Ariana struggled, unsure of herself and what she was becoming. But with every training session, she grew stronger.

Her body ached from the exertion, but Drayce's presence made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time: hope.

One afternoon, she stood in front of a massive stone, hands outstretched. Drayce stood by, his crimson eyes watching her every move. The air around them crackled with anticipation.

"Focus," he commanded. "Channel the fire within you."

Ariana closed her eyes, calling on the energy that had been dormant for so long. The air seemed to hum, and slowly, a flicker of flame appeared in her hands. It was weak at first, but as her confidence grew, so did the fire.

By the time the sun set, she was engulfed in flames, her body glowing with the power she had unlocked. Drayce watched her with a knowing smile.

Aria sat by the edge of the fire, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames that seemed to dance and curl in mesmerizing patterns. She had always been drawn to fire, perhaps because it mirrored the chaos and intensity that raged within her. The fire she had inherited from her mother, the flame that had awakened in her blood, was both a blessing and a curse. It was powerful, yes, but it was also uncontrollable, just like her emotions.

Her thoughts kept returning to Kael-the man who had captured her heart, only to push her away. His words echoed in her mind. You can't be with me. Our worlds are too different.

She didn't understand what that meant. She didn't understand why he had pulled back after everything they had shared. Was it because of her power? Was it because she was no longer just a wolf, but a being of fire, bound to a destiny she hadn't chosen? Or was it simply that she wasn't enough for him?

The fire crackled in front of her, and she closed her eyes, letting its warmth wash over her. It felt like a comfort, a reminder that she was not alone in this battle. The fire was part of her. It always had been.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft rustle of footsteps behind her. She turned, and there, standing in the doorway of the chamber, was Kael. His presence immediately filled the room, his towering figure casting a shadow over the flickering flames.

"Kael," she whispered, her heart beating faster at the sight of him.

He didn't speak immediately, his golden eyes watching her with an intensity that made her stomach flutter. He was dressed in his usual armor, the gleaming metal catching the light in a way that made him seem almost otherworldly. There was a weight to his presence, a heaviness that made the air between them feel thick with unsaid words.

"I shouldn't have come," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Aria swallowed the lump in her throat, unsure of what to say. She had longed for this moment, but now that he was here, it felt like too much. The fire inside her surged, her emotions rising to the surface.

"Why did you leave?" she asked, her voice breaking. "Why did you push me away?"

Kael's face softened, though there was a shadow in his eyes, one that spoke of pain and duty. "Aria, I..." He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his posture. "It's not you. It's me. It's who I am. I am the future of the Drakon. My path is set, and I cannot stray from it. The responsibilities I carry are too great to allow room for anything else."

She looked up at him, her heart aching. "But we are not just our responsibilities, Kael. We are more than that. You... you feel it too, don't you?"

He was silent for a moment, and then he stepped closer, his gaze softening. "I do," he admitted quietly. "I feel it, Aria. But I cannot be what you need. You deserve someone who can give you everything. Someone who can be there for you without these chains that bind me."

Aria's chest tightened at his words, but she refused to let her emotions overwhelm her. She had been raised to be strong, to fight for what she wanted. And she wasn't about to give up on Kael-not without a fight.

"Don't you think I deserve a choice?" she said, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. "A chance to choose my own future? To decide what I want, not just what fate has decreed for me?"

Kael's eyes darkened, and for a moment, she thought he might say something more. But then, his expression hardened once more, and he stepped back, creating space between them.

"You don't understand," he said, his voice cold. "I have no choice in this. I am the Prince of the Drakon. My duty is to my people. If I give in to my feelings for you, everything I've worked for, everything my father has planned for me, will crumble. I cannot let that happen. I cannot lose everything because of a single mistake."

Aria's heart shattered as his words settled over her. She had always known that his duty would come first, that the weight of his crown would prevent him from living a life of his own choosing. But hearing him say it out loud was a blow she hadn't prepared for.

"I don't want to be a mistake, Kael," she whispered, the tears she had been holding back finally slipping down her cheeks. "But I can't wait for you forever. I can't keep living in this limbo, hoping that one day you'll see me, truly see me."

Kael's expression faltered, and for a moment, he looked like the man she had fallen in love with-the man who had held her close, whispered promises, and shown her a world of possibility. But then, that wall between them rose once again, and he stepped back, his face hardening once more.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice distant. "But this is not our time. Perhaps it never will be."

And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving Aria standing alone, surrounded by the flickering flames that mirrored the pain in her heart. She had tried. She had given him everything, but it hadn't been enough.

Her power surged again, the fire inside her burning hotter, fiercer, but this time, she let it rage. She let it consume her, allowing the heat to wash over her, burning away the pain and the sorrow. The flames were hers, and she would use them to build herself back up.

No longer would she wait for Kael. No longer would she wait for anyone to choose her. She would choose her own path, no matter where it led.

The fire inside her was a force to be reckoned with, and she was ready to embrace it fully. She was ready to fight-for herself, for her future, and for the power that pulsed within her veins.