The northern caves were shrouded in mist, twisted trees stretching their dark branches like claws.
Horses stumbled on rocky paths, and the army followed cautiously, keeping a wide perimeter as Lord Varyn led the way.
At last, they arrived at a hidden clearing. In its center stood a small stone hut, smoke curling from the chimney. The air felt heavy with magic, and the ground seemed to hum faintly under Varyn's feet.
Varyn dismounted, his red-glowing eyes scanning the surroundings. The sickness throbbed inside him, veins black and pulsing beneath his pale skin. He clenched his fists, forcing the pain down.
From the doorway of the hut, a tall, thin woman appeared. Her hair was silver, eyes bright and sharp, and her robes shimmered like threads of moonlight.
"Lord Varyn," she said calmly, her voice echoing strangely in the mist. "I have been expecting you."
Varyn's lips curled into a bitter smile. "I see you know who I am," he said, his voice low and rough. "I have come for answers, Serrina. My body… it burns with a sickness that no man should endure. I am being consumed from within, and I cannot wait for it to destroy me."
Serrina tilted her head slightly, observing him carefully. "Power comes at a price, Lord Varyn. What you carry is not illness alone. It is shadow magic — dangerous, unstable. Many have come before you, seeking the same cure. None survived the truth."
Varyn's hands clenched at his sides. "I do not care about survival. I will not die. There is too much left undone — the crown, the kingdom, the power that is mine by right. Help me control it, or I will find another way. But know this — I will have the throne of Elarion, with or without your guidance."
Serrina studied him silently, her silver eyes reflecting the fire in his chest. "You are brave," she said at last, "and reckless. The cure you seek is not simple. You will have to face the darkness inside you — the part you cannot yet understand."
Varyn took a deep breath, his voice firm. "I have faced darkness my whole life. This curse will not break me. Tell me, witch… what must I do?"
"The cure you seek," Serrina said slowly, "is not simple. It exists… but only in one being."
Varyn's eyes narrowed, a mixture of hope and fear crossing his pale face. "One being? Is this a joke? , Who has it?"
Serrina's silver eyes glimmered. "A young girl… a human marked with the red dragon behind her shoulder. Only she carry the power to counter the darkness within you."
Varyn froze, his breathing quickening. "A… red dragon mark?" he whispered, almost in disbelief. "What… what does that mean? Who is this person?"
Serrina shook her head slightly. "I cannot say more. The one who carries the mark is hidden, and her power is ancient, unpredictable. If you seek to survive, you must find her… and even then, it will not be easy."
Varyn clenched his fists, black veins crawling higher along his arms. His mind raced. "A red dragon… a mark that can heal me? Is this some trick? Some game? Tell me, witch — what does it mean to have the red dragon?"
Serrina's voice dropped to a whisper, almost reverent. "It is a rare and dangerous gift. Those who carry it are chosen by fate itself. They hold the balance between fire and shadow, life and death. Few can wield it, and fewer survive its awakening."
Varyn's eyes flared brighter, the sickness writhing inside him like a living thing. "And this young girl… if I cannot control the darkness within me before I find her…"
Serrina's gaze was steady. "Then the curse will consume you. And if it does… the world may tremble at the shadow you leave behind."
Varyn took a slow, shuddering breath, the mix of hope and fear twisting inside him.
"Red dragon… red dragon…" he muttered, voice low and dangerous. "So, this is the key. The one who can save me… or doom me."
The fire flickered again, casting shadows that seemed to whisper secrets.
Lord Varyn's ambition burned hotter, his hunger for survival and power now tied to the mysterious bearer of the red dragon mark — a being he did not yet know… but would stop at nothing to find.
After they had finished, Lord Varyn returned to his fortress
The sun had just begun to rise over the northern mountains, but inside Lord Varyn's fortress, the hall was alive with movement. Varyn stood over a large table covered with maps and letters, eyes glowing faintly red, black veins pulsing along his pale skin.
"Rathen," he said, voice low and commanding, "listen carefully. I will wait no longer. Send word to every town, every market, every village. Make it known — make it unavoidable."
Rathen bowed deeply. "Yes, my lord. I will dispatch messengers and place proclamations in every place they will be seen."
By the noon, papers had been posted in every major city, town square, and marketplace. Each proclamation bore the mark of Varyn — a black eagle perched over a crown — and the message was clear:
"THE LORD VARYN PROCLAIMS"
"Whoever brings to me the WOMAN BEARING THE RED DRAGON MARK BEHIND HER SHOULDER shall be rewarded with untold treasures of gold — and their life shall be protected under my rule. Anyone hiding her, or refusing to give information, will be considered an enemy of the fortress."
The proclamation mentioned only the woman with the red dragon mark, revealing nothing else. But the message spread quickly. Whispered conversations filled marketplaces, taverns, and streets. Merchants, travelers, and villagers exchanged rumors, some excited at the promise of gold, others fearful of Varyn's wrath.
"I saw it!" one fisherman whispered to his friend in the market. "The proclamation was on the main gate!"
"Gold beyond imagination," another said, "and yet the penalty… anyone hiding her? Who would dare?"
When Rathen returned to the fortress, he reported to Varyn. "The messages have been delivered, my lord. Three towns have already sent back information. Word spreads quickly."
Varyn smiled, a sharp, cold curve of his lips. "Good. Let fear and greed work for me. Every whisper, every rumor will reach my ears. No one will refuse to speak."
He leaned closer, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "And anyone who hesitates… will be left behind."
By nightfall, the proclamations had appeared at every city gate, every market stall, and along the main roads. Among the people, dreams of wealth mingled with fear — and across the kingdom, the hunt for the woman with the red dragon mark had begun.