The dawn sun burned a deep orange across the canopy as Lucas Carter emerged from the dense tangle of Riftwood Forest. The air tasted cleaner here, sharper even. His shirt was torn from thorns, and a thin trail of dried blood clung to his cheek from the skirmish with the bandits. Umbra padded silently beside him, ever-watchful, his obsidian mane rippling like black flame with each stride.
"Finally..." Lucas murmured, squinting into the horizon.
Before him, the world opened into a vast, yawning canyon—so wide it seemed to slice the land in two. Jagged cliffs painted in reds and browns towered high, winds howling through their hollowed crevices like ancient spirits. It was like staring into a colossal wound in the earth.
DING!
{New Region Discovered: Galeclaw Ravine}
{Environmental Hazard: High Wind Pressure – Dexterity reduced unless mitigated by Wind-based traits.}
"No rest, huh?" Lucas muttered.
{Come on, adventuring doesn't come with spa breaks. Besides... something interesting is close. Can you feel it?}
He did. A strange thrum buzzed at the edge of his senses—like the system was pulling him forward. Umbra stiffened.
Lucas followed the gusts to a narrow ledge that overlooked the canyon's heart. Down below, caught between wind-carved rock pillars, was a tiny shape huddled against stone.
A creature.
No, a dragon.
Small—perhaps the size of a large dog—but unmistakably draconic. Scales shimmered faintly in silver-green hues. One wing was bent at an awkward angle, slick with blood. Around its slender neck gleamed a cold iron collar etched with harsh red glyphs. Its breaths came in shallow rasps. The hatchling twitched, weakly trying to move.
DING! [Beast Identified: Wind Dragon – Juvenile Female]
Rank: Rare (Growth Potential: High – Evolution Possible)
Status: Wounded, Mana-Depleted, Enslaved (Collar Detected)
Lucas clenched his fists.
"The bandits must've tried to tame her."
{Or sell her. That collar's Arcane Brand Type-3. Slave tech from black markets. She's lucky she escaped.}
A soft growl rose from Umbra. His golden eyes fixed on the hatchling with something almost like protectiveness.
Lucas didn't hesitate.
"Umbra, can you carry me down?"
The lion growled low but crouched.
Lucas climbed onto his companion's back. The moment he was steady, Umbra leapt, bounding down the sheer rock with strength and grace no normal beast could match. They hit the ground near the hatchling in seconds.
The wind dragon hissed, lifting her head weakly as Umbra approached. Her eyes were fierce despite her injuries.
Lucas slowly held up his hands.
"Easy. I'm not going to hurt you."
Her pupils narrowed into slits. The collar sparked red.
{Warning: Hostile magic detected. The collar is rigged. Attempting to remove it might kill her.}
Lucas swore.
"Then we need to disarm it—fast."
{You'll need to interrupt the glyph cycle. I can guide you. But you'll have to cut precisely—one wrong slice and it'll detonate.}
Lucas drew his sword. For a moment, he hesitated. Then—
Searing pain.
A jolt of agony ripped through his skul again. His vision blurred. He dropped to one knee.
"Gah—!"
Flashes.
Memories.
Steel meeting steel. Swords clashing under starlight. A boy—no, him, but not him—moving with fluid perfection. Every swing a dance, every parry a step. Sword techniques, battle drills, advanced forms. Hundreds, no, thousands of hours spent mastering them. Not only that skilled in dismantling traps and making traps.
The original
Lucas again.
A prodigy swordsman.
And now—those skills were his.
{Whoa. Again... new memories detected,}
Angel muttered.
Lucas stood, gripping his sword tighter. The pain faded, replaced by clarity.
"Let's save her."
The wind dragon whimpered as Lucas approached, trembling. He knelt, inspecting the collar.
{There. Four glyph nodes—two on the right, one beneath the hinge, one hidden beneath her left horn. You have to break all four within 3 seconds.}
Lucas breathed in. Then moved.
Slice—spark—twist—stab.
His blade cut the nodes with deadly precision.
One—two—three—four.
The collar shattered. The glyphs flickered, then dimmed. The wind dragon screamed, then went limp.
"She's alive," Lucas confirmed, exhaling.
{You did it. She's unconscious, but she'll live. Good work, swordsman.}
Umbra stepped close, gently nudging the dragon with his nose.
DING!
[Rescue Complete: Wind Dragon Hatchling Freed]
Bond Option Available. Would you like to initiate the bonding process?
Lucas didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
DING!
[Beast Bond Initiated: Zephyra – Wind Dragon Hatchling]
Bond Level: Beginning (Trust Forming)
New Ability Unlocked: Wind Step (Passive Boost – Speed Increase in Combat)
Lucas gently picked up Zephyra, cradling her light frame in his arms. The dragon's body was warm, and her breathing steadier now.
{Congratulations, Lucas. You've got a speedster. Once she recovers, you'll be zipping through enemies like a blade in a storm.}
Lucas looked down at her, his voice soft.
"You're safe now. I promise."
Umbra walked beside him as they ascended the canyon path again, back toward the rising light.
From behind, on the cliffs, a pair of eyes watched.
Red.
Cruel.
A man in black armor, cloak fluttering in the gale, stepped back into the shadows, a twisted smile on his lips.
"So... the Baron's brat survived. And now he's gathering beasts? How quaint. Let's see how long that luck holds."
The wind howled louder.
Lucas kept walking, unaware that someone is watching him from the shadows.