The night bled into dawn, but sunlight never touched the Wildlands.
The sky above Rayzen twisted with storm clouds that never stopped moving — a ceiling of chaos that blocked out the world beyond.
He trudged through black soil that pulsed faintly with mana veins, every step echoing with whispers too faint to understand. The Shadow Hatchling perched on his shoulder, growling at the wind.
Behind him, far beyond the hills, the faint red glow of the Tracking Sigil still flickered on the horizon — a reminder that his hunters were closing in.
[Warning: Proximity Sensors – Multiple life signatures approaching, Class B–A.]
[Recommendation: Find cover or initiate counter ambush.]
Rayzen clenched his jaw. "No time to fight. I need that tomb."
"Then follow the whispers," Kael'Thyrax's voice murmured, faint but sharp. "They call to you — the bones of those who flew before me."
Rayzen stopped and listened. The wind carried faint sounds now — not human, not beastly, but melodic… like an ancient chant buried beneath the earth. He turned toward the sound, and the dragon mark on his arm flared in response, pulling him onward like a compass.
The Valley of Bones
Hours passed. The terrain shifted from twisted forest to jagged plains littered with skeletal remains. Giant ribs arched from the ground like ivory towers, each the size of a fortress.
Rayzen's breath caught in his throat. "These… these are dragon bones."
The Shadow Hatchling leapt down, sniffing the earth. Its eyes glowed faintly red.
The entire valley was charged with mana — so dense it made the air vibrate.
[Entering Sub-Zone: Valley of Bones – Containment Grade Ω]
[System Alert: Resonance increasing. Core interference detected.]
Kael'Thyrax's voice became heavier, almost reverent.
"Here lie the fallen wings of the First Brood. They died long before humans learned to fear the sky."
Rayzen walked between the titanic bones, running his hand over one. The surface was warm, almost alive. His mark pulsed again — not in warning, but in recognition.
[Draconic Memory Sequence Detected.]
[Activate?]
He hesitated only a moment. "Do it."
The world shattered.
Memory of the First Flight
Suddenly, he was standing in a sky of gold and crimson.
Massive shapes soared above him — dragons of pure light, their roars echoing across an endless horizon. Below, mountains crumbled under their shadows.
And at the center of it all… Kael'Thyrax, the Void-Eater, wings vast enough to blot out the sun.
Rayzen could feel the dragon's emotions — pride, sorrow, rage — a god watching his kind devour each other in endless war.
Then came the fall.
A thousand dragons screaming as black spears of divine energy pierced their wings. The world burned.
Kael'Thyrax roared defiance at the heavens, even as his kin turned to ash.
Rayzen felt every heartbeat, every death, every betrayal.
And when it ended, when silence fell, one truth remained carved into his soul:
"The gods feared us first."
The vision shattered.
The Awakening of the Tomb
Rayzen fell to his knees, gasping, back in the valley. But now the bones around him glowed faintly with light — ancient runes flaring to life across their surface.
The earth trembled.
The air turned cold.
[Draconic Tomb Activated. Initiating Seal Release.]
A massive skeletal head rose from the ground before him — the skull of a dragon so large it could swallow castles whole. Its hollow eyes ignited with violet flame.
"Who dares disturb the tomb of the Silent Wings?" a voice boomed, ancient and echoing.
Rayzen stumbled back, shielding his eyes. "I'm not your enemy! I seek the truth — the remnants of Kael'Thyrax!"
The flames in the skull narrowed.
"Kael'Thyrax… that name still dares breathe."
Lightning rippled through the valley. The skeletal dragon shifted, bones cracking and reassembling, its spirit half-formed, half-real.
"Then prove your claim, mortal. Prove you are bound to him."
Before Rayzen could answer, the ground split open beneath him.
A circle of crimson light formed, dragging him down into the depths below.
Trial of the Silent Wings
He landed hard in a cavern of obsidian crystal. Floating above the ground was a glowing orb — a Dragon Heart Fragment, pulsing like a heartbeat.
[Objective: Claim the Fragment. Survive the Trial.]
The chamber darkened. Dozens of spectral dragons emerged from the walls — shadows of the fallen brood, their eyes burning with fury.
"They will not forgive you for carrying his mark," Kael'Thyrax warned.
"Then they'll have to try and stop me."
The first specter lunged. Rayzen ducked, his hand blazing with draconic fire. He struck upward — flames searing through the ghost's chest. Another came from behind, claws raking across his back. Pain tore through him, but he refused to fall.
[Health at 63%. Mana flow unstable.]
"Come on then!" he shouted, summoning his Shadow Hatchling.
The tiny dragon burst into size midair — wings unfurling, eyes glowing with molten fury. It dove through the horde, leaving trails of black fire that burned even ghosts.
Rayzen joined it, movements sharper now, instinct guided by something primal. The Draconic Resonance within him flared — his pulse syncing with the rhythm of the dragon heart ahead.
He leapt, fire bursting from his hands, striking the last specter dead-center. The chamber shook as the shadows dissolved into smoke.
[Trial Complete. Claim the Heart Fragment.]
Rayzen staggered forward, clutching his burned arm. The Dragon Heart Fragment floated closer, hovering before his chest. He reached out and touched it.
Instantly, energy surged through him — a torrent of memories and power. He screamed as his veins lit gold, the mark on his arm spreading across his chest like living scales.
[Draconic Core Evolution: Stage 1 Complete.]
[New Ability Unlocked: Dragon's Pulse – Heart Resonance.]
[Mana Control Tripled. Body Durability Enhanced.]
The cavern quaked. The skeletal dragon above roared one last time, its voice echoing like thunder.
"Then rise, bearer of the fallen. Let the skies remember your name."
The Return
When Rayzen opened his eyes, he was standing once again in the Valley of Bones.
But now, the world looked different. Every leaf, every sound, every vibration — he could feel it through the air, like his senses had multiplied.
The Shadow Hatchling fluttered beside him, now visibly larger — twice its previous size. Its scales gleamed silver-black, its wings radiant with faint violet flames.
Rayzen smiled faintly. "Guess you leveled up too, huh?"
The hatchling purred in response.
[System Notice: New Form Detected – Shadow Drake (Juvenile).]
Then — thunder.
Far away, near the valley entrance, dark silhouettes appeared against the red dawn. Dozens of soldiers, their banners marked with the sigil of the Empire. At their head, a tall figure in silver armor — the same hunter who had marked him.
"Found you," the man's voice carried through the valley.
Rayzen's smile vanished. He clenched his fists, the mark on his arm burning bright.
"So it begins," Kael'Thyrax murmured. "The mortals come for their doom."
Rayzen's voice was quiet, steady.
"No more running."
He stepped forward, the ground beneath his feet cracking with each step.
[Skill Activated: Dragon's Pulse.]
The valley erupted in a shockwave of raw energy.
Winds howled. The bones of dead dragons trembled.
And above him, for just a moment, the spectral shadow of Kael'Thyrax spread its wings — blotting out the rising sun.
The army hesitated. Even the hunter froze.
Rayzen looked up at the apparition, his voice low but defiant.
"I may have been born a broken tamer… but now, I command the fallen."