The Dragon's Chosen

The group emerged from the ruins, the cool night air brushing against their battle-worn bodies. The shattered pedestal and Vaelor's ominous words weighed heavily on Eira's mind.

Kael walked beside her, silent but alert. The others followed closely Selya limping from a bruised leg, Valeria unusually quiet, and Ryven with a distant look in his eyes.

"We stopped the key," Kael said, breaking the silence. "But why do I feel like we just made things worse?"

"Because we did," Selya muttered. "Vaelor wasn't bluffing. If he's working with Malgrin or worse, against him we're walking blind."

Eira's hand tightened around the seventh medallion. "We need answers. Zoren might still have them."

Kael's jaw clenched. "You're still thinking about him after everything he did?"

"I don't trust him," Eira admitted, "but he knows more than he's telling us. If we leave him behind, we're playing Malgrin's game."

Valeria snorted softly. "Assuming Zoren hasn't already sold us out."

As they reached their camp, a figure was already waiting Zoren, bound to a tree, his face pale but his silver eyes burning with defiance.

"You should've killed me when you had the chance," he rasped.

Eira knelt in front of him. "Why did you warn us about the Ebonwyrm?"

Zoren's lips curled in a bitter smile. "Because Malgrin doesn't want to control the dragons. He wants to replace them with something no one can stop."

Selya folded her arms. "And you expect us to believe you after what you did?"

"I don't care what you believe," Zoren snapped. "But you're running out of time. Vaelor's not Malgrin's servant of the gddhe's his rival. And he'll destroy anyone who gets in his way."

Eira's blood ran cold. Two enemies, both vying for power and they were trapped between them.

Kael unsheathed his blade. "Why should we trust anything you say?"

Zoren's voice softened, unexpectedly raw. "Because I once believed in Malgrin's vision until I realized he'll burn this world to remake it. And if you keep chasing these medallions, you're helping him."

His words hit like a punch. Were they really stopping Malgrin or accelerating his plan?

Before Eira could answer, Ryven stepped forward, his voice dangerously quiet. "If you're lying if this is another trap you won't survive to regret it."

Zoren held his gaze. "I'm already as good as dead. Do what you want."

A tense silence settled over the camp, broken only by the distant sound of wolves howling in the night.

Eira exhaled sharply, rising to her feet. "We're taking him with us."

Kael's glare sharpened. "Eira"

"If there's even a chance he's telling the truth, we can't afford to ignore it," she said, her voice fierce. "We'll watch him but we're not leaving him behind."

Kael turned away, tension rippling through his body. "Fine. But if he betrays us again I won't hesitate."

Eira knew it was a risk but in this war, trust was a fragile weapon. And sometimes, the most dangerous enemies held the answers they needed.

As the moon hung high above them, the group settled in but none of them could shake the feeling that the real battle had only just begun.