The Fiery Crown Cycle: A Dragon's Rebirth

Chapter 64

No. I have to be sure.

Whoosh.

The sound of rushing air announced Azure's landing beside him.

Aiden thrust a claw into an Aridfell corpse, impaling its skull. He twisted his claws, then pulled them out. A tiny, black, diamond-shaped magic crystal, barely large enough to get stuck between one's teeth, came out with them. He opened his maw and tossed it in, swallowing it with a single gulp.

He stared intently at the ring in his left eye. It didn't move at all.

Was it just an illusion? No… perhaps it's a matter of tier. The sand worm was high-tier. This Aridfell was merely low-tier.

He lifted his head, his gaze locking onto the new lair carved into the mountain. The corpse of the high-tier Aridfell leader was in there. A ready-made, high-tier magic crystal. He had to test this. This new talent of his had finally shown a flicker of life. He would not let the lead go cold.

Aiden seized one Aridfell in his mouth, grabbed one with each of his foreclaws, and coiled his tail around a fourth. Four at once. He spread his heavy wings, and with a powerful beat, his claws left the sand.

He flew toward the lair.

Watching him go, Azure grabbed the last two Aridells, pointedly ignoring the grotesque sand worm corpse. Sorry, but even a dragon can't stomach that thing. Such creatures are clearly not on the draconic menu.

Aiden's claws touched down inside the new lair. He opened his mouth, uncoiled his tail, and released his claws. Four Aridell corpses tumbled to the floor. He padded forward. Ahead, the bodies of the Aridfell leader and the Manticore lay side-by-side. He stopped, pinning the leader's black head with his left claw and raising his right.

SQUELCH!

A spray of crimson blood shot out, splattering across Aiden's face. He smelled the sweet aroma, and his great, scarlet tongue darted out, instinctively licking his maw. Sweet. His claw churned inside the skull until he felt what he was looking for. Another geyser of blood erupted. Aiden's right eyelid snapped shut as the gore splattered against it.

He withdrew his claw and opened it. A black, diamond-shaped magic crystal the size of a tennis ball rested in his palm. He tossed it into his open maw. It was still too small to require chewing. His throat bobbed once. The crystal was gone.

His eyes were locked on the ring. The red bar within it moved.

It was just a sliver, almost imperceptible. But it had definitely moved.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

A grin split Aiden's blood-stained face, revealing two rows of serrated teeth—a standard draconic smile.

Whoosh.

Azure's powerful blue legs landed behind him. She dropped the two Aridell corpses she was carrying and glanced at the leader's body. Its head was a mangled ruin. He's already taken it, then. Her gaze shifted to Aiden.

She looked baffled. He just ate two high-tier magic crystals. Why is he so happy?

“Aiden, what should be done with the sand worm's corpse?”

Aiden's grin vanished. “Don't worry about that. Grab an Aridfell and follow me.”

He stepped forward, his long tail casually coiling around a carcass as he walked to the edge of the cliff. A fire of excitement burned in his red eyes. He needed magic crystals, a great many of them. His slitted pupils narrowed with predatory hunger. A powerful premonition coursed through him, a deep certainty that only by filling the ring in his left eye would he see the true nature of this new ability.

Azure tore her gaze away from his back. He's preparing to hunt again. She hoped that beasts of three stars or higher wouldn't be drawn in. She padded forward, lowered her head, and seized an Aridfell in her jaws.

Scrabble.

Aiden glanced at the blue dragon beside him. “Let's go.”

He dove head-first from the cliff. Azure followed a second later.

He halted his descent thirty yards from the ground. With a gust of wind, the blue dragon hovered beside him. Aiden stared at the black rock face before him.

“Right here. Do as I do.”

Azure nodded. “Alright.” A characteristically brief reply.

Receiving her acknowledgment, Aiden reached out and began to dig into the cliff face. Before his sharp claws, the black rock was like butter, crumbling with ease. A shower of stone fragments tumbled to the base of the mountain. After a moment of work, he had carved a sharp, upward-curving hook of stone.

He brought the Aridfell held in his tail forward, took it in his claws, and hung it on the hook. The stone pierced its throat. He released his grip. It held fast. He then raked his claws down the Aridfell's back, carving four deep gashes from neck to tail. Blood welled up and began to drip to the ground below, filling the air with its coppery scent.

“Just like that,” Aiden said, turning to her.

Azure nodded again. “I understand.”

Satisfied, Aiden flapped his wings and flew toward the sand worm's body. On the ground, the severed corpse lay still. He landed with a three-yard slide, stopping directly in front of it. The pungent stench assaulted his nostrils again. The black body had deflated considerably, and a thick layer of yellow slime now coated the sand around it.

Disgusting creatures, he thought, resisting a powerful urge to incinerate the remains with a blast of dragonfire. No. This thing still has a use.

He grabbed the two halves of the corpse, one in each claw. He beat his wings, lifting off. The worm, as thick as a barrel, wasn't heavy, but it was long—a full thirty yards. He flew back to the cliff face with the pieces dangling below him. He hovered for a moment, then released his grip. The sections of the worm fell to the ground. They didn't need to be hung.

When you fish, you need chum. This sand worm is the chum. And there will be more.

The corpse landed directly below the cliff face. Aiden looked down at his claws, which were now coated in the yellow slime. He opened his maw and breathed a targeted stream of red fire, giving his claws a high-temperature sterilization. Seeing them clean once more, a look of satisfaction crossed his face. Much better.

He looked up. The second Aridfell was now hanging on the cliff face, and Azure was just raking her claws across its back. She was finished as well.

Aiden flapped his red wings, ascending back to the lair. He landed and immediately settled down, his long neck extended out of the cave entrance.

Now, all I have to do is wait for the fish to bite.