"Move your body, you damned slave! We can't waste all day, the divine cores won't mine themselves!" The whip cracked through the air and struck the young male's back, leaving a vivid welt across his skin as dark blue blood trickled down. He wasn't human, though his frame resembled one.
Only his head betrayed his true nature, scaled and reptilian, with wings like a bat's and a serpent's tail coiling behind him. This world belonged to dragons: mythical beings that ruled the skies in their towering forms yet carved the earth with clawed hands and feet.
"Move, I said!" Another strike came, swift and venomous, coiling through the air like a viper before biting into ashen flesh. The sound tore through the rocky pit, followed by a guttural groan that carried both pain and defiance.
The overseer's expression twisted with fury, his draconic eyes narrowing to slits of murder. His body quivered with rage, and the leathery wings on his back beat once, stirring up dust that shimmered in the scorching light of the midday sun.
"To think that a lowly slave without even a spark of divine flame dares to groan under my command?" Another whip cracked through the air, slicing between the man's shrill words and the strain in his throat.
"I've been generous to your family, letting trash like you keep working, and this is how you repay me?" His draconic fingers lifted a few dull blue crystals, no larger than fingernails, before crushing them into dust with a casual squeeze. "I can't sell this garbage. Who would buy it? Tell me, boy!"
The only answer was a wad of spit landing at his clawed feet.
"You damned—!" His hand swelled, claws glinting under the sun, and without warning, he swung for the boy's face.
Before the blow could land, a hand caught it midair.
"Stop, Artherum."
The voice was old, worn by years of command. It froze the overseer where he stood. The young male's eyes widening in something that almost resembled relief, twisted with pain and guilt.
"Village Chief!" The overseer bowed his head, pressing a clawed hand to his chest in the old draconic gesture of respect. "This kid, he—"
"I know, I know. Onyx can be mischievous at times, but he's a kindhearted soul. Don't punish him. He lacks the divine flame to heal deep wounds." The old man's voice was calm, carrying the quiet authority of centuries. His skin was pale as snow, his eyes glacial blue, and his long white hair fell like silk down his back. He looked every bit the ancient dragon who had lived for thousands of years.
"But—" The overseer tried to argue, but the protest died in a frustrated sigh. He kicked the young man aside, glaring down at him with disgust. "I'll see you tomorrow, same time. Now piss off!" He waved his hand dismissively, unaware of the silent, burning hatred flickering in the boy's onyx eyes.
"Walk with me, Onyx," the elder said, his tone firm yet gentle.
The young man didn't resist. Shoulders heavy, he followed behind without a word.
"How old are you now? Seventeen?" The elder glanced back, studying the faint glimmer in those dark eyes.
Onyx nodded, drawing a faint smile from the ancient dragon.
"Time moves fast," the old man murmured. "Feels like only yesterday I found you abandoned in that valley." His gaze fell to the boy's chest, sorrow flickering in his expression as if saying no wonder.
"You can't speak. You can't wield the draconic force. You can't even find yourself a wife… What am I to do with you, Onyx?"
The young dragon struck his chest twice with his fist, his eyes glimmering in the sun. He showed no trace of regret for his life, only a quiet resolve. His gaze carried a wordless promise, telling the elder that one day, he would prove his worth. The old man's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Right… I envy that determination. If only the other youths had half of what you do, they might have already led our village out of this god-forsaken place." He sighed deeply.
His old wings flapped once, lifting him lightly into the air. "I'll see you another time, Onyx. I have things to attend to. Go home, child. The path knows your steps." When the elder's silhouette vanished into the light, the mine fell silent again, leaving only the echo of Onyx's breathing and the sting of the whip fading from his skin.
Left alone in the mine he knew better than his own claws, Onyx glanced around, relief spreading across his face. Once he was sure no one else remained, he slipped into a narrow side shaft, the one where he had hidden his latest find.
He knew that if the overseer ever discovered it, he'd be executed without question, making him glance back every few steps. But danger was the only thrill left in this dull world, and he lived for that spark.
The shaft shimmered faintly with a golden glow. The walls were lined with light-gems, worthless for power but perfect for illuminating the tunnels. Onyx hurried through, lifting a stone that weighed at least two hundred kilograms with ease.
As the stone lifted, a faint glimmer leaked from the gap beneath. Onyx's breath hitched. He brushed the dust away, and there it was: a gem blacker than ink. Its surface smooth yet carved with ridges that shaped the snout and horns of a dragon. The faint light-gems around the tunnel reflected off its curves, making it seem alive, as if a slumbering beast stared back at him through the dark.
His chest rose sharply. Yesterday he had buried it here, afraid even to look too long. Now his hand trembled as he reached out, fingers grazing the cool surface before closing around it. The stone pulsed once, faint and warm, like a heartbeat answering his own.
But before he could leave, footsteps echoed through the tunnel.
"Who's there? Onyx? What are you still doing here, you idiot? Your home isn't the mines!" The overseer's voice thundered through the shaft, freezing him in place. Panic surged. There was no time to hide it. Acting on impulse, Onyx shoved the gem into his mouth, but fear made him swallow it whole.
His eyes widened in horror, earning a puzzled stare from the overseer.
"Go home already! What, you are taking a shit in my mine now?" The whip cracked again, forcing Onyx to dodge and dart past the dragon.
"You!" The overseer roared, veins bulging across his forehead. But he stopped himself, gritting his teeth out of respect for the village chief.
Onyx didn't wait. His wings snapped open, beating against the wind as he soared over the emerald peaks, heading straight toward his crumbling wooden hut at the edge of the mountains.
His heart pounded as he landed. He dropped to the floor, back against the wall, staring blankly into the air, terrified that he had lost the gem forever.
Then, the air before him began to twist. At first, he thought exhaustion was playing tricks on him. He rubbed his eyes, but the distortion only deepened, forming into a golden board that hovered in the air. Letters burned across its surface.
[Dragon Sovereign's Path]
[Inactive]
Onyx flinched, reaching out to touch it, but his hand passed straight through. His eyes widened. He had never seen magic like this before.
[Bonding Quest Received]
[7 Steps to the Iron Dragon Body]
[Stage 1: Tempering the Iron (Duration: 7 Days)]
[Today's Task: 10,000 Push-Ups]
[Reward: Infinite Evolving Divine Flame]
He blinked several times, reading the words repeatedly. A divine flame was something he'd been told he could never possess. He didn't know whether to cry or laugh. Whether this was real or a delusion born of exhaustion didn't matter. To someone who had nothing left to lose, even an illusion was worth chasing.
[Time Remaining: 23h 45min]
[Progress: 0 / 10,000]
[Day: 1 / 7]