Valdris's POV
She's dying in my arms and it's my fault.
I can feel Elara's life force draining through our bond—her heart slowing, her breathing stopping, her light fading. She gave me everything to save me from Kthanos's killing blow. Everything.
"No!" I roar, pressing her against my chest. "You don't get to die! Not for me!"
Kthanos laughs above us, circling like a vulture. "How touching. The great Calamity Dragon, crying over a dead human. You've gone soft, little brother."
Rage floods through me—five hundred years of torture, of pain, of hatred, all focused on one target. I want to tear him apart. I want to make him suffer the way I suffered.
But I can't. Because if I let go of Elara, she dies for certain.
"Valdris." Morvanna lands beside me, her ancient eyes sad. "She's gone. I'm sorry, but—"
"She's not gone!" I snarl. "I can still feel her through the bond! She's there, just... fading."
"Then bring her back," Commander Ravik says, kneeling on my other side. "You're a dragon. Dragons have magic we don't understand. Do something!"
"I don't know how!" The admission tears out of me. "My magic destroys. I can't heal. I can't create life. I can only—"
Wait.
The bond. The soul-binding that connects us. It goes both ways. She poured her life into me. What if I can pour mine back into her?
"Everyone get back," I order. "Give me space."
The forty dragons form a protective circle around us as Kthanos prowls overhead, waiting for his chance to attack. Let him wait. Let the whole world wait.
Nothing matters except saving her.
I place my hand—human-shaped now, but still clawed—over the mark on Elara's chest. Over her silent heart. Through our bond, I can feel her spirit slipping away, falling into darkness.
"Listen to me, little thief," I whisper fiercely. "You showed me what living feels like again. You made me remember who I was before the torture. You freed me and forty other dragons because you couldn't bear to see us in pain." My voice cracks. "You don't get to leave me alone in this cruel world after teaching me that kindness exists. Come back. Please."
I pour my life force through the bond—not all of it, but enough. More than enough. Dragons live for thousands of years. I can spare a few centuries for the human who gave me everything.
The mark on her chest blazes silver.
Elara gasps, her back arching. Her eyes fly open—not their usual warm brown, but glowing silver like dragon eyes. When she speaks, her voice echoes with mine.
"What... what did you do?"
"Saved you." I help her sit up, relief flooding through me. "The same way you saved me. We're bound, remember? Where you go, I go."
She touches her chest, feeling the mark pulse with shared life. "I can feel you. Not just your emotions now. Your strength. Your magic. It's like you're inside me."
"And you're inside me." I touch my own mark. "Your gentleness. Your hope. Your ridiculous need to save everyone." I smile despite everything. "It's annoying, but I'm getting used to it."
"How sweet," Kthanos sneers from above. "But sharing life force won't save you from me. I'm going to eat both your souls, and—"
A massive blast of fire cuts him off. Morvanna and the other forty dragons attack together, driving Kthanos back.
"Go!" Morvanna roars at us. "Get the Dragon-Tender to safety! We'll hold him!"
"I'm not leaving you to fight my brother alone—"
"That's an order from your elder!" Morvanna's eyes flash. "You're too weak still, and she's too important. Go. Now!"
Another dragon—young and fierce—lands beside us. "I'll take you. Quickly!"
I scoop Elara into my arms. She's still weak, barely conscious. The young dragon forms a saddle of magic on his back, and we climb on.
As we take off, I look back at the battle. Forty-one dragons against one. It should be easy.
But Kthanos isn't just any dragon. He's a Soul Eater—a dragon who turned to dark magic and betrayed his own kind. He's fought armies before.
"They'll win, right?" Elara asks quietly against my chest. "Forty-one against one?"
"I don't know," I admit. "Kthanos nearly beat me alone, five hundred years ago. And back then, I was at full strength."
"Why did he betray you? Why did he help the humans capture you?"
The old wound aches. "Because I refused to join him. He wanted to conquer humanity, turn them into slaves. I wanted peace between our kinds. We fought, and he... he lost. I thought I'd killed him. Instead, the war mages sealed him in the Void as punishment for starting the war that nearly destroyed everything."
"So the legends were wrong." Elara looks up at me. "You weren't the villain. He was."
"We were both fools. I trusted humans too much. He hated them too much. And thousands died because of our choices."
We fly over the Husklands. Below, I can see the orphans being led to safety by sympathetic civilians. Commander Ravik is organizing a new guard, arresting the corrupt war mages. The city is in chaos, but it's hopeful chaos.
Change is happening. Because of one small thief who refused to accept cruelty as normal.
"Where are we going?" Elara asks.
"The ruins outside the city. Somewhere defensible where you can rest and—"
Pain explodes through our bond.
Not my pain. Hers. But worse—I feel another presence trying to force its way into our connection. Something cold and hungry and evil.
"Valdris!" Elara screams, clutching her head. "Something's in my mind! Something's trying to—"
The young dragon we're riding suddenly convulses. His eyes turn black. When he speaks, it's Kthanos's voice.
"Did you really think you could escape me, little brother? I'm a Soul Eater. I can possess anyone I've tasted, and I tasted your precious Dragon-Tender when my claws touched her earlier."
No. No, no, no—
The dragon we're riding starts falling. Deliberately crashing toward the ground.
I wrap my wings around Elara and roll, taking the impact myself. We hit hard, tumbling across a rocky field. Pain shoots through my already-injured body, but I don't let go of her.
When we stop rolling, I look up at the possessed dragon. Kthanos grins through the young one's face.
"Here's what's going to happen," Kthanos says. "I'm going to use this dragon to kill everyone you care about. The other dragons. The orphans. Every human in that city. And you're going to watch, helpless, because if you kill this body, you kill an innocent dragon I'm possessing."
He's right. I can feel the young dragon's spirit still inside, trapped and terrified. If I kill Kthanos now, I murder an innocent.
"And the best part?" Kthanos's smile widens. "I left a piece of myself inside your Dragon-Tender. A little seed of my power. Right now, it's dormant. But when I choose, I can activate it, and she'll become my puppet. I'll make her kill you with her own hands."
Elara's face goes white. "No. Get out of my head! Get out!"
"I can't remove it," I say, horror flooding through me. "Soul Eater magic is too powerful. Only the caster can—"
"Exactly." Kthanos spreads the young dragon's wings. "So here's my offer: surrender yourself to me, Valdris. Let me bind you as my servant. In exchange, I'll leave her alone and spare the humans."
"Don't!" Elara grabs my arm. "He's lying! He'll kill everyone anyway!"
"Probably," Kthanos agrees cheerfully. "But this way, you have a chance she lives. Refuse, and I activate the seed right now. She'll tear her own heart out, and you'll feel every second of it through your bond before you die too."
He means it. Through our connection, I can feel the dark seed in Elara's mind—like a ticking bomb waiting to explode.
I've spent five hundred years in chains. Tortured. Alone. Broken.
Elara freed me. Gave me hope. Showed me life could be more than pain.
And now, to save her, I have to surrender that freedom.
"Valdris, no," Elara whispers, tears streaming down her face. "Please. I'll find a way to fight him. I'll—"
"You'll die." I touch her face gently. "And I just got you back. I'm not losing you again."
"But you'll be a slave! Forever!"
"Better a slave who knows you're alive than free and drowning in grief." I smile sadly. "Besides, you freed me once. Maybe you'll do it again."
"Valdris—"
"How touching," Kthanos interrupts. "But I'm getting bored. Decide. Now."
I look at Elara—this impossible girl who stumbled into my prison and changed everything. Who showed me that gentleness isn't weakness. That love is worth fighting for.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
Then I turn to Kthanos. "I accept. Bind me. Just leave her alone."
"No!" Elara screams. "Please, there has to be another way!"
But there isn't. And we both know it.
Kthanos flies down, landing in front of me. Black chains materialize from his mouth—soul chains, binding magic that can't be broken by normal means.
"Open yourself to me, little brother. This will only hurt forever."
The chains wrap around me, sinking into my skin. I feel Kthanos's presence forcing its way into my mind, my magic, my very soul. It's worse than the torture. Worse than five hundred years of pain.
Because this time, I'm choosing it.
Through our bond, Elara feels every second of my agony. She collapses, sobbing.
"Stop hurting him!" she screams at Kthanos. "You have what you want!"
"Not quite." Kthanos's eyes gleam. "See, the thing about Dragon-Tenders is that they can break bindings. Even soul bindings, if they're powerful enough. Which means she's a threat to my control of you."
Ice floods through me. "You promised—"
"I promised not to kill her. I didn't promise not to break her." Kthanos smiles. "Sweet dreams, little brother. When you wake, you'll be my perfect weapon. And your precious Dragon-Tender will be a mindless doll."
He raises his claw, dark magic crackling.
"Wait!" Elara staggers to her feet. "I'll make a deal! A better deal!"
Kthanos pauses. "I'm listening."
Elara looks at me—and through our bond, I feel what she's about to do. Feel her desperate, insane plan.
"No," I whisper. "Elara, don't—"
"Take me instead," she says. "Don't bind him. Bind me. I'm Dragon-Tender bloodline. I can break bindings, heal dragons, link minds with dozens at once. Imagine what you could do with that power under your control."
Kthanos considers this. "Interesting. But what's to stop you from breaking your own binding?"
"You put the seed in my head, right? Keep it there. If I try to break free, activate it. Kill me instantly." Her voice is steady despite her terror. "But let Valdris go. He's been a prisoner for five hundred years. He deserves freedom."
"Elara, no!" I try to move, but the chains hold me. "Don't do this! Not for me!"
She ignores me, keeping her eyes on Kthanos. "Do we have a deal?"
The Soul Eater studies her for a long moment. Then he laughs.
"Oh, this is perfect. The Calamity Dragon, watching his savior become my slave. The poetic justice is delicious." He releases my chains. "Very well, Dragon-Tender. I accept."
"NO!" I roar, lunging for her.
But I'm too late. Kthanos's chains wrap around Elara instead. She gasps as they sink into her skin, binding her soul to his will.
Through our bond, I feel everything—her pain, her fear, her determination. And underneath it all, one last thought before Kthanos's control takes over:
I'm sorry, Valdris. But I couldn't let you be a slave again. Not after you finally got free. Live. Be happy. Remember me.
Then her eyes turn black. Empty. Her face goes blank.
Kthanos pats her head like she's a pet. "Perfect. My new puppet. Say hello to your dragon, dear."
When Elara speaks, it's her voice but not her words. "Hello, Valdris. Master Kthanos commands me to tell you: if you try to free me, I'll kill myself. If you attack him, I'll kill myself. If you don't do exactly what he says, I'll kill myself. Understood?"
I fall to my knees. This is worse than any torture. Worse than five hundred years of chains.
Because now I'm free—but the person who freed me is trapped in my place.
"Excellent," Kthanos says. "Now, let's return to the city. I have forty dragons to conquer, and my new Dragon-Tender will help me do it." He smiles at me. "You're welcome to watch, little brother. Maybe it will teach you that love is weakness after all."
They fly away together—the Soul Eater and the mindless puppet who was once the bravest person I ever met.
And I'm left alone in the ruins, finally free, completely broken, with only one thought screaming through my mind:
I have to save her. No matter what it costs. No matter how long it takes.
Even if I have to become the monster everyone feared I was.
But as I stand to follow them, something stops me—a presence. Multiple presences. Surrounding me.
I spin around and see them: twelve figures in silver masks and black robes. War mages. But not Theron's war mages.
"Valdris the Calamity Dragon," the leader says, her voice cold. "By order of the Twelve Kingdoms Alliance, you are under arrest for crimes against humanity. Surrender now, or be destroyed."
I laugh bitterly. Of course. Of course this happens now.
"My friend just got possessed by a Soul Eater," I growl. "I don't have time for this."
"Then you shouldn't have destroyed half a city today." The leader raises her hand, and all twelve mages glow with power. "Last warning. Surrender."
I look at the direction Kthanos flew. Every second I waste here is another second Elara suffers.
But twelve war mages, all at full strength, while I'm wounded and exhausted...
I could fight. I'd probably lose. And then who would save Elara?
Or I could surrender. Let them arrest me. Find a way to escape later.
But what if "later" is too late?
Through our bond—still connected despite Kthanos's control—I feel something. A tiny spark of Elara's real self, buried deep beneath the binding.
And I hear her voice, faint as a whisper:
Don't give up. I'm still here. Find a way. Please.
She's fighting. Even possessed, even bound, she's still fighting.
I can do no less.
"You want me to surrender?" I transform into my full dragon form, wounds and all. "Come and make me."
The twelve war mages attack as one.
And I realize—this is going to be the longest fight of my very long life.