---
Yet growth had slowed. The ember pellets were not enough. Fenna unrolled a yellowed page she had found in the academy's sealed herb records.
"Fireheart moss," she whispered, tapping a charcoal diagram of a red veined plant. "Said to fuse with iron minerals and push reptile blood to burn hotter."
Zephyr traced the sketch. "Where do we get it?"
"Old smelter tunnels," Fenna replied. "Beyond the cliff face foundry, past the southern ravine. They closed that wing years ago. The moss only grows near warm ore pockets."
Zephyr looked at Star. The little dragon lapped water from a carved shell bowl, unaware of the danger outside.
He folded the map. "We go out tonight."
After curfew bell, they crept from the cellar. Zephyr wore his mud stained caretaker coat. Fenna donned a dark healer's cloak scented with mint to hide their tracks. Star curled in the sling, disguised under spare bandages.
At the old laundry block a forgotten chute led to the foundry ash pits. Grent had whispered of it earlier that day, slipping Zephyr a rust picked key with a grunt and no questions.
They unlocked the hatch, slid down a metal slide, and landed on heaps of cold ash. Black dust rose around them, coating hair and skin.
Zephyr coughed. "Stay low. Scouts on the wall might see sparks."
They slipped into a corridor lined with cracked crucibles and rails for ore carts. The air smelled of rusted iron and old smoke.
Halfway to the moss chamber Dragon Sense flared, six red sparks ahead. Star hissed. From a crack in the floor oozed glowing orange insects the size of rats: Magma Mites.
[Rank C Support type predator beast. They feed on firestones, swarm warm mana sources.]
Zephyr felt them sniffing Star's hidden heat. "Back," he ordered quietly. But the mites rushed, mandibles glowing.
Star shot a puff of flame, but it was too small to scare them. Zephyr gripped Fenna's wrist, ready to run.
Then Dragon Sovereign Bond pulsed. Command Aura Tier 1 engaged.
Zephyr focused, sending a silent instinct pulse: "STOP."
The mites froze, antennae twitching. Heat inside Zephyr's chest rippled outward like a drumbeat. The swarm shivered, chirped, then scuttled away, vanishing into cracks.
Fenna stared. "You just ordered them off."
"First time using Command Aura," Zephyr breathed. "Good to know it works." Fenna didn't ask any further questions. But she was surprised to see how zephyr was able to control the beasts.
They reached a vaulted chamber where slag rivers once flowed. In a hollow above a dull red coal seam, tufts of crimson moss glowed softly.
Star hopped from the sling, flapping up to the ledge. Tiny claws scraped rock as he tore loose clumps and glided back, dropping them at Zephyr's feet.
Zephyr mixed the moss with sunstone grit to form fresh feed.
Star swallowed the mixture greedily. Scales lit with faint internal embers and a soft hum vibrated through the cavern.
[System notifications:External mineral + fire plant synergy accepted.
Growth multiplier boosted to 1.6× for 72 h.
Wing Power +2. ]
Zephyr exhaled. "That should start molt."
They packed more moss in sealed jars and retraced their route, evading one more mite swarm and a sagging ore cart that threatened to slam from above.
Just before dawn they slipped back into the cellar. Zephyr collapsed on blankets, pulse thudding. Fenna brewed willowbark tea.
While Star dozed, Zephyr reviewed System notices:
[Wingspan 29 cm. Projected molt in nine days with current intake.
Blood‑line purity 15 %.
Next host reward at 18 %. ]
A knock startled them. It was Grent, grime on his beard, eyes uneasy.
"News," he whispered. "Guild scouts were looking for you. They checked your room but didn't find out. They wanted to search the entire campus. They want every locked chamber opened including tunnels. They want to take your beast for some research."
Zephyr's heart sank. "They will find the cellar."
"Move the beast," Grent said. He gripped Zephyr's shoulder. "I'll stall them for an hour. After that, there are no guarantees."
He stomped away. Fenna clutched the tea mug. "We relocated to the rookery roof nest now. Star's flight is nearly ready."
"It must be ready," Zephyr said grimly. "Tonight."
All day they prepared. Zephyr soaked Fireheart moss in cloud spring water, forming a paste Star licked from his fingers. Heat rose off the hatchling in shimmering waves.
By sunset Star's wings spanned 33 cm. Still short.
Zephyr and Fenna led him to the abandoned tower staircase. Up and down he glided, each flight longer, stronger. Zephyr's muscles burned from climbing, but he drove on, voice raw from encouragement.
Finally, on the last ascent, Star leapt from a high window ledge and glided across the courtyard, landing on Zephyr's shoulder without wobble.
[Ding! System notifications: Wingspan milestone reached to 35 cm.
First Molt sequence beginning.
Host stand by for 30 minutes stable warmth.]
Star chirped once, then scales loosened, turning dull. He curled in Zephyr's arms, body trembling as new plates pushed beneath old.
They rushed to the rookery loft. Fenna piled blankets. Zephyr wrapped Incubation Aura around the dragonling like spring sunlight. Three hours felt eternal. Outside, boot steps echoed the vault search had begun.
At the twenty minutes, a long crack rattled the rooftops, old beams breaking under the weight of Guild prybars far below. Zephyr held Star tighter, whispering calm.
At the thirty minutes, old scales sloughed away in a shower of black shards. Bright new plates emerged, deeper violet edging, wings glistening.
Star shook himself, twice the strength, eyes radiant.
[Ding! Molt Complete.
Wing Power +5
Fire Attribute +3
New Skill: Spark Dash (short aerial burst).]
Zephyr's relief stung his eyes. Faint shouts echoed searchers reaching the greenhouse. Time to fly.
Wind howled over the rookery roof. Snowflakes danced in dark rafters. Zephyr secured the sling loosely. Star hopped onto the parapet, testing new wings.