The Echoes of Eternity

Chapter 1: The Last Will of the Dragon Emperor

The skies above the Imperial Capital, Azure Dragon City, were ablaze with a riot of colors, as if the heavens themselves were mourning the passing of an era. The once-majestic palace, the epicenter of the Dragon Emperor's power, now lay in ruins, its grandeur reduced to smoldering rubble and ash. The air reeked of smoke, ozone, and the faint tang of dragon's breath.

Ling, a young orphan with an unkempt mop of black hair and piercing emerald eyes, stood amidst the devastation, his gaze fixed upon the-lifeless body of the Dragon Emperor. The ruler's majestic aura, once a beacon of hope and stability, had faded, leaving behind only a sense of desolation and uncertainty.

As the crowd of onlookers murmured and wept, Ling's thoughts wandered back to the fateful moment when he, a mere urchin, had stumbled upon the Dragon Emperor's secret chamber. The Emperor's words still echoed in his mind: "Find the heart of the Dragon... and claim your destiny."

A soft nudge on his shoulder broke Ling's reverie. He turned to face a hooded figure, whose eyes gleamed like polished jade in the flickering torchlight.

"You are the chosen one, Ling," the stranger whispered, their voice like a gentle breeze on a summer's day. "The Dragon Emperor's last will has fallen upon you. Seek the Heart of the Dragon, and the secrets of your past will be revealed."

With those cryptic words, the stranger vanished into the crowd, leaving Ling to ponder the weight of his inheritance. The whispers of eternity, long dormant, began to stir within him, as if the Dragon Emperor's passing had awakened a power that would change the course of history.

As Ling stood there, lost in thought, the Imperial Guards, resplendent in their golden armor, closed in around him. Their leader, the imposing General Yang, boomed, "You, boy, are coming with us. The Regent of the Realms has decreed that you will be taken into custody for questioning."

Ling's gaze locked onto the General's, a spark of defiance igniting within him. He knew that he had to escape, for in the shadows, unseen forces were stirring, waiting to strike.

In a flash of movement, the General drew his sword, its blade coated in fiery runes that seemed to dance with an infernal intensity. Ling's instincts kicked in, and he dodged the sword's deadly arc by a hair's breadth. The blade bit deep into the stone floor, sending sparks flying as it sliced through the ornate tiles.

A second Imperial Guard charged forward, his halberd at the ready. Ling leapt into the air, avoiding the curved blade by mere inches. As he landed, he seized a nearby torch from its pedestal and hurled it at the Guard. The flames engulfed the soldier's face, his screams echoing through the palace as he stumbled backward, his vision consumed by the fire.

The General sneered, his eyes blazing with fury. "You dare to defy the Regent's orders? You will pay for this insolence with your life!"

With a swift motion, the General drew a throwing dagger from his belt and sent it hurtling toward Ling's chest. The orphan's reflexes proved quicker, as he sidestepped the deadly missile by a fraction of an inch. The dagger lodged itself into the nearby stone wall, its hilt vibrating with the force of the throw.