I was trapped in a room in which hung a plaque of a dragon. The air was thick, warm and heavy, with the faint odor of damp earth. No windows or doors could be seen. A small pedestal torch in the center provided a dim light, flooding the room with an eerie orange-red haze. The dragon’s eyes gave off a soft blue glow, but as I drew near they seemed to fade away. The plaque was cold to the touch. Holding my hand to where the dragon’s heart would be, I felt an odd sense of grim satisfaction. There was a familiarity to the image, as if I’d come across it before. It reminded me of…

The flickering flame of the torch turned from a warm orange-red to a chilling azure blue. I felt the air fade from warm and cozy to icy and uninviting. My breath became visible with each exhale, yet I felt content in the frigid environment. The dragon’s eyes had faded completely as I rested my hand upon its chest. Was it trying to tell me something? There was no life from it with my touch, but as I backed away the light began to shine brightly once again. I didn’t understand. Being here made my heart ache and my head throb in a way without pain. Why a dragon? Was it to remind me of…

As I sat against the wall opposite of the plaque with my knees huddled to my chest, I stared into the dancing flame as it flickered lightly now and then. The fire had me in its spell, as I couldn’t seem to focus on anything else. My mind began to wander, memories flooding through my head that dated back to before I could remember, yet somehow at the same time, memories that seemed fresh in my mind. I felt my head begin to feel heavy, the air beginning to thin. I fell to the side with a soft thud. The ground below my head was soft, though the floor and walls resembled sandstone. Blue light faded to a dull green as the torch’s glow began to pulse softly. The dragon’s eyes burned brightly with what appeared to be either anger or longing. Perhaps it was angry because it was longing for something? Or maybe, someone? In my heart I could feel it wanting. I could feel it longing. I could feel its desire burning. I knew what it felt, because…

I felt it as well.