Kael walked through the village on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Runid, his broadsword in its sheathe and his other supplies on a satchel on his waist. Today was the day he would secure his love, the day him and Aurelia could truly be happy once he returned home. He could practically hear the vows he knew he would say to his beloved on the day they would be destined to wed. Of course, he knew he hadn’t yet won the fight against the dragon, the one described as powerful and fearsome yet only rarely sighted. Kael let a small smile of hope slide onto his face as he passed the playing children, seeing as they played games he used to play when he was little. The smile on his face began to falter as he made his way out of the village and into the forest where his fate would be determined.

Kael could perfectly remember the conversation he had with the king a couple of days beforehand, the way his heart seemed to beat out of his chest at the possibly he would be allowed to wed his love. He couldn’t believe the king would allow his royal daughter to marry the one who was tasked to protect her from any and all harm, someone who wasn’t royalty like her. After all, he had come from one of the villages near the kings castle, not from another far away kingdom. His parents were nobles, him having met Aurelia at an event being held there when he was barely a teenager. She was his first true friend, one of the only ones his parents would let him speak to. Kael was snapped out of his thoughts as he recognized the surroundings that had been described to be near where the beast roamed. There were distinct claw marks on a few of the trees here and there, as well as marks from flame spewed onto the rocks otherwise untouched by nature.

Kael drew his broadsword quietly as he followed the distinct marks, even finding tracks to better help him. After a few minutes of walking, he reached the entrance of a cave that had to be where the beast lurked. Kael took a deep breath before speaking quietly and walking in. “For my love.”