Chapter 1: The Last DragonKin

In the unforgiving mountains of DracosFurn, a voice tore through the cold air. “God damn it! VORAGOTH!” The sound bounced off the rocks, filled with anger and something darker—loss. “Woah, Zero—calm down, man,” Zerek said, his voice tight with worry.

“Shut up, Zerek!” Zero roared, eyes blazing with fury. “Voragoth needs to die! You don’t understand—he’s tearing everything apart! Everything we’ve built… everything we’ve protected—it’s all falling because of him!” His voice dropped, trembling with rage and grief.

“I do get it, Zero. But the only way you’ll even have a chance at killing Voragoth is if you train.” Zerek stepped closer, voice steady now. “You’re the last true royal-blood Dragonkin. You hold magics I’ve never seen. If you can learn to control them, we can turn this war—end it—once and for all.”

Silence fell like a weight. Zero’s fists curled at his sides; for a moment the cave held only the ragged sound of his breathing. Anger flashed across his face, then something colder—fear, threaded through the fury. “Train?” he repeated, voice small and brittle. “You expect me to sit and… polish my power while Voragoth burns villages?”

“I expect you to survive long enough to stop him,” Zerek said. “Rushing headlong is what got half our kin killed. Power without control is a blade that cuts its wielder first. There’s a place—an old sanctum above the winter ridge. The rites are dangerous, but they’ll teach you to bind the Flame that lives in your bones. I’ll go with you.”

Zero’s jaw worked. He pictured the smoke, the ash, the faces of those lost—images that made his stomach turn with sick, helpless rage. “And if I fail?” he asked, whispering.

“Then I’ll hold the line while you try,” Zerek answered without flinching. “But you won’t fail because you won’t go alone. I’ll be at your side until the last lesson, and then we march on Voragoth together.”

A long breath left Zero. The blaze in his eyes dimmed to a hard, steady ember. For the first time since the shout that had woken the mountains, something like resolve settled into him. “Fine,” he said at last. “Tell me where this sanctum is. I’ll learn. And when I’m ready—Voragoth will wish he’d never been born.”

Zerek didn’t hesitate. “But first—fight me.” He drew in a breath that tasted like lightning and old embers, and the cave answered him.

Muscles knotted beneath skin, sharp as ropes pulling taught. Ribs cracked and realigned with a sick, wet sound as his spine unfurled — vertebrae lengthening into a new, deadly architecture. Black hair sluiced back as skin split into overlapping scales that caught the dim torchlight and turned it into liquid metal. Horns burst from his temples in slow, elegant spirals; each one crowned by a filigree of scarred runes that flared with a cold blue fire. His arms lengthened, fingers fusing into curved, obsidian talons; his shoulders broadened until cloth shredded and fell away.

A pair of wings tore free from his back like storm-clouds ripping open. Membrane slapped the air with a wet, thunderous clap that sent dust and loose pebbles skittering across the floor. A tail lashed out, barbed and precise, knocking a stalactite loose so it tumbled and struck the cave wall. Hot light pooled behind his eyes as irises burned to molten gold; when he opened his mouth the sound that came out was part laugh, part growl — an instrument built to make mountains answer.

When the transformation finished, Zerek stood twice as tall and impossibly ancient, every line of his new form honed for violence. The cave smelled of ozone and ash. He flexed the wing-tips experimentally, claws scraping stone, and smiled — if a dragon could smile — revealing teeth like broken knives. “Come on, Zero,” he rumbled, voice now a rolling, internal thunder. “Show me what that royal blood can do.”

Zero’s eyes narrowed, the weight of rage and grief coiling tight inside him. “Fine,” he growled, stepping forward. “Let’s see what being the last True Dragonkin really means.”

He drew a shuddering breath, and the air around him seemed to freeze. Light bent strangely near his skin, shimmering like heat off a molten cliff, and then tore apart entirely as his body began to change.

Muscles bulged, stretching and reshaping with a fluid, almost liquid grace. His skin split along fine, almost crystalline lines, revealing scales that shone like polished ivory, catching every flicker of torchlight and reflecting it in blinding brilliance. White fire flickered along the edges of each scale, tiny sparks that hissed as they kissed the cold air.

His spine arched, vertebrae elongating as sharp, elegant ridges sprouted along it, while massive wings unfurled from his shoulder blades. The membranes were nearly translucent, glowing faintly like moonlight trapped in glass, each beat stirring currents of icy wind. A long, sinuous tail whipped behind him, tipped with a jagged crystalline barb that glimmered like frozen starlight.

Ivory horns spiraled from his head, curving back with regal precision, and his hair lengthened, flowing like strands of spun silver. Eyes, once blue, now blazed like twin frozen suns, a light so pure it seemed to burn away shadow itself. His claws sharpened to lethal points, white-hot with latent energy, and fangs gleamed like carved diamonds.

A shockwave of cold and light burst outward as his transformation finished, scattering dust and loose stone across the cave. Zero’s roar rang out—pure, searing, unbroken—a sound that made the very rock tremble.

He flexed, wings cracking the air, tail thrashing with anticipation, and glared at Zerek. “I’m ready. Let’s see if you can keep up.”

Zero bounced out of the cave, wings beating furiously against the mountain air, lifting him higher with each powerful flap. Before he could steady himself, Zerek surged forward like a bolt of lightning, feet digging into the rocky ground before launching him skyward with impossible speed. His fist crackled with electric-blue energy, lightning arcing along his arm, wings tucked and angled perfectly to slice through the wind.

“LIGHTNING DRAGON’S FANG!” Zerek roared.

Zero’s eyes widened, heart hammering. No time… I can’t dodge! His mind raced as the world blurred around him. Instinct took over.

“WHITE FLAME BARRIER!” he shouted, igniting a searing burst of brilliant white fire that exploded outward from his chest. The flames shimmered like liquid light, stretching and twisting to form a glowing dome just in time.

Zerek’s fist slammed through the barrier, lightning and fire clashing in a violent burst of heat and energy. The barrier flared, streaks of white flame whipping outward as the sheer force of Zerek’s punch drove Zero backward. He screamed as the impact tore through him, sending him rocketing through the sky like a comet.

He slammed into the jagged mountainside with a thunderous crack, stone and dust exploding around him. His wings struggled to regain control, claws scraping against the rock as his body skidded and tumbled across the rugged slope. Snow and ice scattered in a blinding white spray, and for a heartbeat, the mountains themselves seemed to shudder under the force of the attack.

Zero’s lungs burned, each ragged breath tasting of ash and ice. White flames still licked along his scales, wings quivering as they fought to lift him from the shattered mountainside. This isn’t over… not yet, he told himself, every word a vow etched in fire.

Fists clenched, he let the fire inside him surge, exploding outward in a blinding flare that rattled the rocks around him. “I WILL NOT BE FINISHED!” he bellowed, wings snapping open as the burst of energy propelled him upward. “I WILL PUSH PAST MY LIMITS—AND BREAK THEM!”

The air around him shimmered, pure white flames spiraling and twisting like a living storm, illuminating the jagged peaks as he rose, ready to strike back with everything he had.

Zerek’s eyes widened, lightning crackling along his scaled arm slowing as he stepped back instinctively. The sheer intensity of Zero’s flames scorched the air, white-hot fire twisting and spiraling like a living storm. Even standing in the open, he could feel the raw force pressing against him, wings vibrating as if the energy itself was testing their limits.

“…Impressive,” Zerek muttered through gritted teeth, his voice low but edged with awe. Sparks leapt from his fists as he clenched them tighter. He’s… stronger than I expected. And growing, faster than I thought possible.

Lightning danced across his scales, reflecting the brilliant white fire in Zero’s eyes, and a tense smile curled across his lips. “Good… good, Zero. That’s the kind of power it takes to challenge a god like Voragoth,” he said, voice rumbling like distant thunder. “Keep pushing… show me just how far you’ll go.”

Even as he spoke, his body tensed, ready to respond to the storm of white fire that threatened to engulf them both. ““If you’re going to push past your limits… SO WILL I!” Zerek roared, voice echoing like rolling thunder across the mountains.

Lightning erupted from his scales, jagged bolts crackling violently over his body as raw energy tore through the air. The storm answered him—clouds darkened, roiling and churning, and sheets of rain began to lash the peaks. Thunder rolled like war drums, shaking the ground beneath them, while arcs of electricity danced along the wet rock, illuminating the jagged mountains in stark, blinding flashes.

The storm wasn’t just around him—it was him, a living, roaring tempest of fury and power, ready to collide with Zero’s white-flame fury in a battle that could shake the very sky.

Zero slammed his feet into the jagged crater beneath him, sending shards of rock and dust skittering across the mountainside. Gear… shift… he muttered under his breath, voice low but filled with steel.

Muscles tightened like drawn steel cables, white-hot energy building at the base of his legs, coiling through him like a spring wound beyond its limits. His wings arched, flaring wide to catch the wind, while his arms stretched back, claws shimmering with raw, blazing fire. His eyes, burning bright with determination, cooled into sharp, icy focus.

“GEAR SHIFT!” he bellowed, a roar that split the storm clouds above.

The mountain trembled beneath him as he launched himself forward, propelled by a torrent of power so fierce it warped the air around him. White flames spiraled around his fist, twisting and licking outward like a living weapon, leaving trails of fire in his wake. Every beat of his wings, every muscle in his body, drove him faster, stronger, hotter—a blazing comet of fury hurtling straight toward Zerek.

The mountainside seemed to bend around him, wind shrieking and rain lashing as Zero became a blur of white fire, unstoppable force incarnate, ready to collide with Zerek’s lightning storm in a clash that would shake the heavens.

Zerek smirked, lightning crackling along his scales, the storm around him reflecting in his golden eyes. “That’s nothing special… all Dragonkin can use Gear Shift,” he muttered, almost dismissively.

But as the words left his lips, his body tensed, muscles coiling with raw, dangerous power. Gear Shift… he whispered, energy sparking along his limbs. Lightning arced across his wings, the storm itself seeming to obey him—clouds swirling faster, rain lashing like whips, thunder roaring in response.

Then, with a guttural roar, Zerek unleashed it fully. His body blurred into a streak of pure lightning, jagged arcs of energy slicing through the downpour as he lunged, fist crackling with raw electricity, wings cutting through the storm like blades. His gaze locked onto Zero, unwavering and predatory.

Zero braced himself midair, white flames surging around his arm, spiraling and roiling with raw intensity. Every muscle coiled, every tendon flexed, wings beating to maintain stability as the inferno of his power twisted through him.

At the moment their fists should have met, energy erupted between them—lightning and white flame colliding in a blinding, searing explosion. Shockwaves tore across the mountains, turning rain to hissing steam, ripping jagged chunks of rock from the cliffs. Neither fist touched, yet the force hurled both Dragonkin backward, wings thrashing against the torrent, bodies straining to stay aloft.

The air itself screamed, warping around the clash of two unstoppable forces. Sparks leapt, flames whipped, lightning forked violently through the storm, and the jagged peaks trembled under the raw, unbridled power.

Zerek grinned through the chaos, voice rolling like distant thunder. “Not bad, Zero… but you’ll have to do more than that!”

Zero’s flames roared higher, body trembling with untapped energy, wings cutting through the torrential rain. This is only the beginning… he thought, determination blazing as hot as the fire that wrapped around his arm.

Then it happened. Midair, Zero’s form seemed to shatter, dissolving into a burst of white-hot energy. His eyes went wide, pupils dilating as shock rippled through him. A sudden, crushing force slammed into his chest, and for a heartbeat, he felt his heart thundering so violently it echoed through every fiber of his body.

Time seemed to stretch, the roar of the storm and the clash of their powers fading into a distant pulse. Heat and light flared around him, flames whipping violently as his wings faltered against the sudden impact. Every nerve screamed—pain, shock, and raw, overwhelming power colliding all at once.

He gritted his teeth, claws digging into the air as he fought to regain control. Not… now… I’m not finished, he thought, white fire flaring brighter, burning through the chaos within him.

His body convulsed violently, muscles trembling as shock tore through him, and then he was ripped backward, tumbling through the stormy air like a comet out of control“Not… now… NOW! NOW!” Zero screamed, his roar tearing through his mind like lightning through the storm. In an instant, his body erupted in a blinding eruption of white flames, scorching the air around him. His Dragon Hybrid form surged back into being, scales snapping into place, wings unfurling—but something was different this time.

Only half of his form materialized, jagged and raw, white flames licking the edges like molten shards. One wing stretched fully, the other still flickering into existence. One arm glowed with blazing fire, the other only partially solid. Despite the incomplete transformation, the sheer power radiating from him was enough to warp the air, bending the storm around his volatile energy.

This was no polished form—this was raw, untamed fury, a half-born storm of Dragonkin power ready to tear through anything in its path.

Flames licked wildly along Zero’s half-formed body, one wing snapping open with a deafening crack, the other still flickering in and out of existence. His eyes burned like molten suns, the raw intensity of his power bending the storm around him.

Without hesitation, he lunged forward, fist wreathed in blinding white fire, leaving a streak of heat and light that cut through the torrential rain. The ground below shattered under the force of his takeoff, jagged rocks exploding outward as if the mountain itself feared the energy he carried.

“WHITE FLAME RAZOR!” he roared, unleashing a searing slash of fire that arced through the stormy air. The attack didn’t just travel—it sliced, scorching the space around it, sending waves of heat that turned rain into hissing steam.

Zerek barely had time to react, wings beating furiously as arcs of lightning spiraled outward from his body, forming a crackling barrier. Sparks and flames collided midair, screaming through the storm as both powers tore the air apart.

Despite being only half-formed, Zero’s attack carried the weight of his determination and fury, striking like a comet of raw, uncontrolled Dragonkin energy directly at Zerek, pushing the limits of both their powers to the breaking point.

The searing white flames tore through the rain, twisting and roiling toward Zerek with all the fury of a comet. He met the attack with a grin, eyes glowing gold, lightning dancing violently along his scales.

“Predictable,” he muttered, his voice rolling like distant thunder. With a flick of his wings, he pivoted midair, moving faster than the eye could follow. Blue arcs of lightning coiled around him, crackling and lancing outward to meet Zero’s fire. The two forces collided with a titanic explosion that shredded the air, sending shards of stone and torrents of rain flying in every direction.

Zero’s half-formed body strained against the counter, flames surging, wings flaring, but Zerek was already inside his strike. He twisted, lightning-infused claws slicing through the space where Zero’s fist should have landed, tearing a line of energy straight across the younger Dragonkin’s torso.

White fire erupted violently from Zero’s wound, his roar echoing across the mountains, but Zerek didn’t relent. Another coil of lightning surged along his arm, fists lanced forward with precision, catching Zero midair. The impact sent the half-formed Dragonkin spinning uncontrollably, flames scattering like molten sparks into the storm.

Zero slammed into the jagged mountainside, white-hot energy flaring and then sputtering as his body collapsed, half-formed scales flickering and fading. His wings faltered, one snapping as if it had been shattered, and the heat of his flames dimmed to a flicker.

Zerek hovered above, wings outstretched, lightning still dancing across his body, eyes never leaving Zero. “You fought well… but power without control is nothing,” he said, voice cold and steady, the storm around him bending to his will. “Rest now. We’ll see if you can rise again.”

Below, smoke and steam coiled from the crater where Zero had fallen, the mountain trembling under the weight of their clash. Even defeated, the faint glow of white fire lingered, a stubborn ember of determination that refused to die.