The Cradle of Darkness

Vorrakthos blinked, fresh from the shell, his shimmering scales glistening in the dim light of a massive cave. He peered around, the iridescent hues of his scales catching the faint light that pooled into the hollow.

“Hello?” he called, his voice echoing against the stone walls.

His heart dropped as his echoes faded into nothingness. Memories, jumbled and blurry, danced in his mind, whispering tales of destruction and flames. He remembered...nothing. No faces, no warmth.

“They left me,” he muttered, a bitterness creeping into his voice, surprising even himself.

His parents had abandoned him. The knowledge burrowed into him like a thorn, sharp and certain. Why? Ah, he remembered now—the odds were against him; they doubted his survival.

“Well,” he declared with stubborn determination, “that’s not happening.”

He flexed his immature wings, shadows shifting across the cave walls. He felt raw power simmering beneath vulnerable scales—a force meant for chaos. Vorrakthos grinned. A world of destruction awaited.

Cave Echoes

Vorrakthos tilted his head back, his attempt to roar echoing through the vast cave. Instead of a fierce, triumphant roar, a tiny squeak slipped out. He chuckled at the unexpected sound bouncing off the walls.

"Well," he mused to himself, "that's terrifying."

Feeling a little bit lighter, he decided to explore his surroundings. His wings itched for freedom, but he was still too small to take flight. His feet crunched on something brittle. Looking down, he saw what remained of a creature long gone—a skeleton, marked with strange, dark symbols etched into the bones.

He crouched down for a better look, tracing the mysterious patterns with his clawed fingers. "Who were you?" he wondered aloud, trying to decipher the silent story they told.

The symbols twisted and turned, igniting a tingle of curiosity and unease within him. Vorrakthos knew, even in his youthful mind, that these relics spoke of a danger that perhaps awaited even him. And thus, the cave whispered unknown tales once more, waking more questions than answers.