He thought it would be a small journey to the mountains. It wasn't. Even though the maps he had seen, showed that the mountain range was just beside Shenezwa, it was quite far away. It took Diato around two hours to reach there.

It was pretty large. Larger than he thought. The entrance was covered by dead and dry black trees on both sides. The different-coloured grass path led straight to the unknown cave in the middle. He forgot to read about the cave. He had thought that it was like a distraction structure from the final selection. And the main powerful structure was in the corner, he could barely see. Dragon Ruins. He thought. He could see the unknown cave which looked the size of a car from this distance. Diato knew he wasn't far away, yet too far. He knew the cave was massive and its massiveness wasn't visible from this distance yet. But the cave itself was visible. This created the illusion that it seemed like he was just there, yet far away.

He twisted the race again and braked near a dry brown tree. It was just beside the edge of a mountain. The trees were on the perfect edges of the mountains which made it seem like the trees were planted there in purpose and didn't grow naturally. Another weird thing he noticed was that the peaks of the mountains weren't cold. They didn't have snow. He wondered if there was even cold on the top.

The mountains seemed to pulsate an illuminating glow under the bright purple moonlight. He decided he'd walk across the plains in the corner near the trees so the noise of the bike would wake the dragons up. Although he wasn't afraid of the dragons anymore he didn't want to include them, because it would take a lot of explaining and he'd have to think of a fake story for why he needed to use the spell on the dragon ruins.

His head ducked on his shoulders and he silently made his way along the trees. He checked the time, to make sure he wasn't going to be interrupted until morning. 2:00 AM, the hands on the clock displayed.

In the eerie silence of the Dragonspine Mountains, Diato crept cautiously, his steps like whispers on the brittle ground. His back hunched low, he moved along the row of withered trees, their gnarled branches reaching out like crooked fingers against the starlit sky.

It was the middle of the night, but the darkness was broken by the silvery glow of the moon, casting an otherworldly shimmer on the desolate landscape. Diato's feet padded lightly, his every movement a dance between stealth and determination. He knew the dragons slumbered here, their heavy breaths echoing through the craggy peaks.

His enthusiasm faded with time and patches of wear, hugged his frame, shielding him from the chilly mountain air. His worn boots, silent against the cracked earth, carried him forward with careful precision, avoiding loose rocks that could betray his presence.

Every few steps, Diato halted, his breath held captive in the stillness of the night. He scanned the horizon, his eyes sharp but wary, searching for any sign of disturbance. The dried-up trees stood sentinel, their twisted forms a testament to the harshness of this unforgiving terrain.

His gait was deliberate, a blend of fluidity and caution. Diato moved with a sort of grace, as though he had mastered the art of blending into the shadows. Each crouch, each shift of weight, was a calculated manoeuvre, a testament to his respect for the dormant dragons that roamed these lands.

As he traversed the desolate landscape, Diato's determination was evident in the set of his jaw and the steady rhythm of his steps. His movements were slow, deliberate, a silent plea to the night to keep its secrets hidden. He knew the consequences of disturbing the dragons from their slumber, and he dared not risk awakening their fury.

The mountains whispered tales of ancient beasts, their legends woven into the very fabric of the land. Yet, Diato pressed on, a lone figure navigating the treacherous terrain with a quiet resolve that spoke volumes.

In the solitude of the night, Diato's journey continued, his denim jacket a shield against the biting cold, his cautious steps a symphony in harmony with the sleeping giants that lay hidden among the Dragonspine Mountains. Where Diato was headed remained a mystery, buried within the folds of the night, as he moved with the graceful stealth of one determined soul.

As Diato continued his cautious advance, his heart pounding in rhythm with the silence, a faint rustling echoed through the stillness. His breath caught in his throat, and he froze, his body tensing like a coiled spring.

A subtle tremor reverberated through the ground, and he glanced around frantically, searching for the source of the disturbance. His eyes widened as a low, rumbling growl resonated from the shadows of the rocky outcrop ahead.

Diato moved with the same careful determination, his breath forming clouds in the crisp night air. As he ventured deeper into the heart of the Dragonspine Mountains, an invisible barrier shimmered before him, its presence felt rather than seen. He halted, his hand outstretched tentatively. The moment his fingertips brushed against the unseen wall, a soft, ethereal glow emerged, bathing his hand in a faint, otherworldly light.

Before Diato could retract his hand, the barrier blazed to life in a brilliant, pulsating glow. The sudden illumination rippled through the night like a beacon, piercing the darkness and awakening the a dragon from its slumber.

A dragon stirred with a grace that defied its colossal size. Its scales shimmered a fiery red, reflecting the glow of the barrier like molten lava. Its eyes, akin to gleaming rubies, blinked open, wide and alert, revealing a depth of its fiery red eyes that sent shivers down Diato's spine.

Despite its majestic and awe-inspiring presence, the dragon awoke in a manner reminiscent of a creature waking from a deep, contented sleep. It yawned, revealing rows of gleaming teeth that glinted in the moonlight, and stretched its wings, each beat creating a gust of wind that tousled Diato's hair.

Suddenly, as if sensing an intruder, the dragon fixated its gaze on Diato. Before he could react, the dragon swiftly snatched him up between its two massive legs, its grip surprisingly gentle despite its immense strength. With a powerful thrust of its wings, the dragon soared into the night sky, leaving the ground far below.

Diato's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through his veins. The rush of wind whipped against his face as they ascended higher and higher, the ground becoming a distant blur beneath them. He struggled to comprehend the enormity of the situation, caught between the wonder of flight and the sheer terror of being at the mercy of an ancient being.

As the dragon reached the pinnacle of its ascent, Diato's senses spun in a whirlwind of emotions. The world stretched out before him, a mesmerizing tapestry of stars and moonlit mountains. Yet, his elation was short-lived as the dragon abruptly arched its body and dove straight down with alarming speed.

The exhilaration turned to raw, gut-wrenching fear as the ground rushed up to meet them. Diato's stomach lurched, his mind reeling from the sheer velocity of their descent. The wind roared past, drowning out any attempt at coherent thought.

In those terrifying moments, a tumult of emotions overwhelmed Diato. The thrill of flight collided with the primal fear of imminent danger. His thoughts raced, his heart thundered, and the dragon's powerful wings sliced through the air in a breathtaking display of control and purpose. As the dragon hurtled towards the earth below, Diato's mind raced with a million thoughts, will I die? How do I escape? Should I throw fire at him? But he's a dragon, he'd be immune to fire! What should I do? his body tense with the impending impact.

*****

"Why are you staring at me? Tell me why you woke me up?" Max asked as he dragged himself to a sitting position.

"Please don't tell James about it, would you?" She tried to sound requesting.

"Yeah, I'll not. What is it?" He assured her that he knew he was reliable.

"It's diato," She said with a sigh. She comforted her back by resting herself beside Max on the bed, her feed dangling over the edge. She glanced at him. The tension tearing its way out of her eyes. Max knew it was something bad because of her expressions. Now he was fully awake, so he listened to her carefully as she spoke, "He has been fed the Inferno seed, remember? You probably don't, but he has now turned into a dragon. He's headed to the Dragonspine Mountains. I gotta go after him."

"Terra, what ha-" Max spoke worriedly but his sentence was cut in the middle by Terra,

"I'm not finished" She demanded in a whisper, "I want you to get John and you guys get your weapons and meet me at the DragonSpine Mountains. I'm going after him in my car."

"Terra you can't-" Max said, as he glanced on her face. She was now standing in front of him. His gaze slipped down from her face all the way to her feet and back up. "I won't let you go alone" He said as he realised she was in her mission gear she uses to kill dragons.