She wakes up EXT.MOUNT CELESTIAL - DAY A desolate, craggy mountain range pierces the sky, its peaks jagged teeth against a bruised morning horizon. Below, a winding path leads from the fertile plains of the Kingdom of VERIDIA. A small procession clambers up the treacherous trail. At its head, two imposing ROYAL GUARDS in polished silver armor, their faces grim. Behind them, a YOUNG WOMAN, ELARA (18), her threadbare dress clinging to her slender frame. Her eyes are wide with a terror that eclipses even the cold wind whipping her dark hair. Her hands are bound. A third figure, SIR KAI, CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD (40s, stern, unforgiving eyes), brings up the rear. He carries a ceremonial, ornate sword. They reach a plateau – a vast, windswept ledge overlooking a dizzying chasm. In the distance, the spires of Veridia gleam, mocking Elara with their beauty. SIR KAI steps forward, his voice booming, unnaturally loud against the silence of the mountain. SIR KAI:Oh, great Ignis, Lord of the Peaks, we offer you this tribute, this sacrifice from the heart of Veridia! May her life sate your hunger and spare our kingdom for another moon! May our pact endure! Elara trembles, tears streaming down her face, quickly evaporating in the wind. She glances over the edge. A bottomless pit, shrouded in mist. A legend, a terror, a myth made flesh. A DEEP RUMBLE shudders through the mountain. The ground quakes. Dust sprinkles from the rocks above. The Guards flinch, gripping their weapons tighter. Sir Kai stands firm, though a flicker of unease crosses his face. From the swirling mist of the chasm, a colossal shadow unfurls. Red-orange scales shimmer, reflecting the weak morning light. IMMENSE WINGS, leathery and vast, beat the air, stirring a gale that nearly knocks Elara off her feet. The DRAGON, IGNIS, rises. He is ancient, magnificent – a terrifying being of myth. His eyes, molten gold, fix on Elara. They are disturbingly intelligent, almost curious, in a way no beast’s eyes should be. He hovers, suspended. Elara stares, paralyzed. This isn't the monstrous, slobbering beast of the nursery tales. This is something far more profound, and perhaps, far more dangerous. SIR KAI:Accept our offering, Ignis! And leave Veridia in peace! Ignis lowers his head, slowly, deliberately. His enormous snout, plated with hardened scales, dips towards Elara. A plume of hot air, smelling of sulfur and ancient stone, washes over her. She nearly faints from the heat, the primal scent of a predator. Ignis does not roar. He simply looks at her. A long, assessing gaze that seems to peel back her fear, her pain, seeing something deeper within. Then, with a casual flick of his head, he nudges her. Not violently, but a gentle shove towards the edge of the plateau. Elara stumbles, falling to her knees. The Guards hesitate, then pull back, clearly wanting no part of whatever happens next. Sir Kai gives a curt nod, a silent signal for them to retreat. SIR KAI:Our thanks, great Ignis! We shall continue to provide! Without another word, Sir Kai turns, leading his Guards swiftly down the path, leaving Elara utterly alone on the desolate ridge, facing the mountain, facing the Dragon. Ignis settles onto the plateau, his vast body dwarfing the space. His golden eyes remain fixed on Elara. He lowers his head again, closer this time, until his nostril is merely feet from her face. She can feel the warmth emanating from his scales. He lets out a soft, almost imperceptible rumble. It's not a threat. It’s… something else. Elara, tears still flowing, whispers. ELARA: Why? Why me? Ignis merely blinks. A slow, ancient blink. EXT. MOUNT CELESTIAL - LATE AFTERNOON Hours pass. The sun begins its descent, painting the sky in fiery hues of orange and purple. The wind picks up, carrying a biting chill. Elara sits hunched, shivering, on the cold rock. Her initial terror has dulled into a numb despair. Ignis hasn't moved. He simply lies there, immense and watchful. He hasn't eaten her. He hasn't flown away. He simply is loving her