Esha'lora’s call
Eira continued singing, her mind too lost in the song to notice the shiver that ran down her spine. As the final note left her lips, she froze, a sudden realization striking her.
"What…what is this song?" she whispered to herself.
The system spoke in her mind, its tone calm yet firm. "Esha'lora's Call."
"What?"
"The song you just sang is called Esha'lora's Call. It is an ancient melody, once used to communicate with dragons."
Eira's heart raced. "Communicate with dragons? Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"You did not ask the right questions," the system replied simply.
She sighed, exasperated. "Fine. Tell me now. What's the history of this song?"
The system obliged, its tone calm and even.
"Esha'lora's Call is a song woven with ancient magic, created by the first dragon-tamers. It is said to resonate with the souls of dragons, calming their rage and inviting their curiosity. The first verse awakens their attention. The second verse strengthens the bond. The final verse creates an unbreakable pact. Few possess the ability to sing it, as it requires both purity of intent and resolve."
Eira's eyes widened as she processed the information. "So…this song could stop the dragon from attacking me?"
"If you sing it well, yes. But the dragon's response will depend on your intent and sincerity. It will sense hesitation."
Eira's thoughts churned. This could work. It had to work.
By the time Eira reached the village, her mind was made up. She spotted a passerby, an older man leading a cart of goods, and stopped him with a polite wave.
"Excuse me," she said, forcing her voice to remain steady. "Can you tell me the best route to the dragon's mountain?"
The man blinked at her, confused. "You mean the cursed mountain?"
"Yes, that one," Eira said with forced nonchalance.
He hesitated, then pointed east. "The old path runs through the forest. No one goes there, but if you're set on it, that's the way."
Eira thanked him and hurried home. She didn't bother explaining her plans to Kael—she wasn't in the mood for another lecture.
Instead, she gathered what little she had: a sturdy cloak, some bread and water, and a small dagger for comfort more than practicality.
With that, she set off.
As she walked, the once-familiar forest path felt eerily alien. Twisted trees lined the narrow trail, their branches clawing at the sky like bony fingers. The air was heavy, laden with the scent of damp earth and something faintly metallic.
Eira clutched her shawl tighter around her, glancing nervously at the shadows. She whispered to the system, her voice shaky. "This is madness, isn't it?"
The system replied calmly, "Madness and courage are often the same thing."
Time seemed to move slowly as Eira continued her journey.
Eira had so many thoughts passing through her,she didn't know exactly what to feel. She just came into this world and didn't want to leave so soon. She had never even seen a dragon before in both lives.
She felt scared,the closer she got,the less determined she felt.
Eventually, she reached the stream the passerby had mentioned. Or rather, what used to be a stream. The water was gone, replaced by a thin, sluggish flow of blackened sludge. The air was heavy with the stench of sulfur, and the surrounding rocks were scorched and brittle.
Following the stream, she came to a wide clearing at the base of the mountain. The ground was littered with bones—animal and humanoid alike—bleached white under the sun. Eira swallowed hard, her stomach twisting in knots.
"This is it," she muttered to herself.
The cave entrance wasn't hard to find. It yawned open at the base of the mountain, an enormous maw of darkness that seemed to pulse with an unseen energy. The faint sound of a low growl reverberated from within, and Eira froze, her blood running cold.
Eira forced her feet to move. Her legs felt like lead as she approached the cave. The shadows swallowed her whole as she stepped inside, the temperature dropping sharply.
She clutched her shawl tighter around her shoulders, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. The sound of her footsteps echoed off the stone walls, each step bringing her closer to the beast.
Finally, she saw it.
The dragon lay curled in the center of the cavern, its massive form bathed in the faint glow of molten rock that seeped through cracks in the ground. Its scales shimmered in hues of black and gold, and its eyes—piercing and intelligent—locked onto her the moment she entered.
Eira froze. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. The sheer size of the creature was overwhelming.
The dragon growled, the sound vibrating through the air. "A human," it rumbled, its voice deep and resonant. "Foolish enough to enter my domain."
Eira's heart hammered in her chest. She couldn't find her voice, couldn't think of what to say. Then, without realizing it, she began to hum.
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Verse 1
Esha'lora, thy wings of flame,
From the skies, where shadows came,
By the bond of fire and earth,
We sing thy name, the song of birth.
In the whispers of the stone,
Ancient voices, soft and lone,
Thy heart beats with the winds of time,
Echoed through this sacred rhyme.
Chorus:
Awaken, fire, from deep below,
Esha'lora's call we bestow,
In thy name, we seek the light,
Guide us through this endless night.
By the flame that burns so bright,
Esha'lora, come to sight,
With thy wings, so free, so strong,
Come, O dragon, hear our song.
Verse 2:
Through the storms, through the haze,
Thy gaze, eternal, will not fade,
Bound by magic, bound by fate,
In thy power, we await.
Stars above and roots below,
Thy breath, it whispers, soft and slow,
O ancient one, whose fire burns,
Let us speak, as the world turns.
Chorus:
Awaken, fire, from deep below,
Esha'lora's call we bestow,
In thy name, we seek the light,
Guide us through this endless night.
By the flame that burns so bright,
Esha'lora, come to sight,
With thy wings, so free, so strong,
Come, O dragon, hear our song.
Bridge:
Beneath the stars, the ancient flame,
In silence, we call thy name,
Esha'lora, heed the plea,
Come forth, and set the world free.
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