"That was a close one..." King grumbles, pressing his hand against the deep wound in his chest. "They're always close." He grabs his first-aid kit, his fingers still trembling. "I need to take care of this before it gets worse." As he cleans the wound and applies a makeshift bandage, he closes his eyes and murmurs a brief prayer: "Lord Thor, son of Odin, Father of All, I humbly thank you for your protection in this battle. May your strength continue to guide me."
After the bandage, he drinks a healing potion, feeling the warm liquid spread through his body, easing the pain and revitalizing his energy. "Much better," he sighs, feeling his strength return. Leaning against the cave walls, he walks slowly toward the entrance, grumbling with each painful step. "I hope the worst is over..."
As he nears the entrance, King sees a barrier blocking the way. The barrier was semi-transparent, emanating a bluish glow. He approached and tried to touch it, expecting some reaction like being thrown away or receiving magical damage, but upon touching it, his hand passed through the barrier as if nothing were there.
Upon entering, he found himself inside a giant "room" with sunlight illuminating the place through a hole in the cave's ceiling. "The source of the Agoal River," he murmured, looking at the river flowing before him. "I've finally arrived." But his attention was immediately captured by a breathtaking sight.
Beside a small, crystalline lake, which seemed to be the river's source, lay a magnificent creature: an Ancient Copper Dragon. Its greenish scales shone intensely in the sunlight, and a comforting warmth emanated from it. "Incredible..." King whispered, marveling. "It's... magnificent." The dragon slept soundly, oblivious to his presence. "I hope I didn't wake him with all that commotion back there," he thinks, taking a hesitant step back.
King bends down to drink some of the crystal-clear water, thirst consuming him after the arduous journey. Suddenly, a hoarse sound makes him freeze. He feels a wave of intense heat on his back and slowly turns around. His eyes, three meters from the ground, meet the golden, penetrating eyes of the dragon.
He stood up, his head hovering over King, who was three times smaller, like an imposing cliff. Each scale gleams perfectly under the dim light of the cave. The creature's sudden proximity makes him feel like an ant before a boot.
A shiver runs down King's spine, but he doesn't back down. Despite the dragon's overwhelming presence, he stands firm, his three meters of height and two hundred kilos of pure muscle transmitting a defiant, silent aura. The dragon, in turn, seems intrigued by the Goliath's posture.
He tilts his head, the scales on his neck brushing the cave floor, as if considering the audacity of the creature that dared to approach so close. Neither shows any sign of intimidation, the air crackling with a silent tension and a mixture of curiosity and mutual respect.
"Forgive me," King takes the initiative, his deep voice resonating in the air despite the obvious and frightening difference in size. "It wasn't my intention to disturb you."
The dragon lets out a sound that can be interpreted as a laugh, the ground trembling slightly with the vibration. "Intention?" he asks, the sound echoing off the cave walls. "Little creature, do you know who you're talking to?"
"No," King replies, meeting the dragon's gaze without hesitation. "But I imagine you're the one who's willing to tell me." He notices a glint of amusement in the creature's golden eyes.
The dragon exhales another puff of hot air, which King interprets this time as a taunt. "First, speak properly to me. I am a female dragon. My name is Ignis," she says, her deep, resonant voice echoing off the cave walls. She moves her colossal head, the scales scraping against the stone with a harsh sound, like swords clashing. "And you, little creature, what is your name?"
"My name is King," he replies, undeterred. "King, the Goliath."
Ignis seems amused by the response. "A Goliath? How curious," she says, showing interest. "I've heard many stories about your race, but unfortunately there aren't any of you on this continent."
The dragon observes King for a long moment, her golden eyes gleaming like embers. Silence settles again in the cave, but this time, the tension dissipates, giving way to a strange mutual curiosity. Finally, Ignis speaks, her voice less booming, almost gentle. "Tell me, King, how did you get here and how did you manage to get past my magical barrier?"
"I was investigating the source of this river's water," King replies, gesturing towards the crystal-clear stream that snaked through the cave. "The water of Agoal has always been famous for its purity, purer than any other river in the world. I wanted to understand why," King explained.
"When I reached the entrance, I fought one of those Grimlocks, and I killed him. He told me about the barrier, that no one could pass through it, but when I tried to touch the barrier to test it, I just passed through as if nothing was there." Ignis realizes that despite her hostile appearance, King had a pure heart, since the barrier she erected prevented any creature with a hostile heart from entering.
Ignis observes the river for a moment, her golden eyes reflecting the light that danced on the surface of the water. "The exceptional purity of the water is no mystery to me," she says, her voice calm and deep. "It has always come from an… unusual source."
"Unusual?" King asks, intrigued. "What kind of spring?" Ignis sighs, and lowers her head. "Well, since you managed to get past those annoying Grimlocks and my barrier, I think I can trust you to keep this secret."
The dragon tilts her head, indicating a point further on in the cave, where the river seemed to emerge from the rock. "There," she says. "At the bottom of the spring. There's a portal."
"A portal?" King repeats, his eyes widening in surprise. "Where does it lead?"
Ignis lets out a soft sigh, as if sharing an ancient secret. "To the Plane of Water," she reveals. "A dimension entirely composed of water. Infinite, pure, and crystalline." She pauses, observing King's reaction. "The water that flows through Agoal has always come from there."
King looks at the spring, his mind processing the information. A portal to another dimension... The idea was fantastic, almost unbelievable. But the exceptional purity of the water, combined with the dragon's imposing presence, made the explanation strangely plausible.
Ignis moved slightly, her scales brushing against the cave walls. King narrowed her eyes, looking at Ignis with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. They continued talking for a few hours; she asked King about his history, intrigued. King recounted his past, demonstrating complete trust in Ignis.
Ignis looked away for a moment, her expression unreadable. When she looked back at King, her golden eyes seemed deeper. "The Plane of Water is home to the metal dragons," she finally said. "The water that flows to Agoal is only a small trickle of its immensity. Any alteration in that flow, however small, can have unpredictable consequences."
"Alteration?" King repeated. "What kind of alteration?"
A silvery glint appeared in Ignis's eyes. "Recently, something has disturbed the harmony of the Water Plane," she revealed, her voice laden with a sudden gravity. "A… dissonant presence. I don't know its exact nature, but its influence is spreading, rippling through the dimensions. And I fear that, eventually, it will reach the Earth Plane."
King felt a chill run down his spine. The idea of an unknown force, capable of disrupting the balance of an entire dimension, was terrifying. "And what can this 'dissonant presence' do?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the growing fear.
Ignis approached, her immense shadow enveloping King like a cloak. "I don't know for sure," she replied, her voice a low, hoarse whisper. "But I can feel its darkness. A cold, thirsty darkness… that corrupts everything it touches." She paused, her eyes fixed on King's. "If this darkness reaches Agoal, I fear that the crystalline purity of this river… will be the least of this place's concerns."