Alex stood at the edge of the stream, watching the ripples of water dance over smooth stones. The early morning mist hung low, curling like restless spirits among the moss-covered trees. Sunlight filtered weakly through the towering canopy above, painting the water in golden flecks and gentle blues. Somewhere behind him, the village stirred with quiet movement—elves going about their timeless routines, preparing for the coming storm.
But Alex didn't turn around.
He was lost in thought, reliving every second of their conversation with Malik the night before. Everything had been going smoothly. Almost suspiciously smooth. The elven archive had gifted them with incredible abilities—enhanced movement, wind manipulation, even the rare chance to learn ancient spells and skills long forgotten by humankind. All of it had felt like fate smiling upon them. Or is it pure luck.
And then Malik had dropped the final piece on the table.
"A dragon."
Even now, Alex could barely believe it.
"A real dragon! And I thought my pure luck was going all out in this mission with all the benefits I got so far," he muttered, throwing a pebble into the stream. It skipped once, twice, then disappeared beneath the surface with a quiet plop.
Dragons were supposed to be myths—symbolic creatures of ancient tales and bedtime stories. Not living, breathing, fire-breathing apex predators hiding deep inside a forest.
If even half the legends were true, this wouldn't be a fight.
It would be suicide.
Alex closed his eyes and reached inward, letting his mind drift into the sentient interface embedded within him.
Name: Alexandre Cortero
Race: Human (Evolved)
Age: 30
Class: Druid
Title: Night Slayer (+20% Strength, Perception, Agility at night)
Health: 500/500
Energy: 400/400
STATS:
• Strength: 21 (x5) = 105
• Wisdom: 18 (x3) = 54
• Agility: 16 (x3) = 48
• Constitution: 15 (x5) = 75
• Intelligence: 18 (x2) = 36
• Perception: 14 (x5) = 70
• Vitality: 15 (x3) = 45
• Stamina: 18 (x5) = 90
Acquired Abilities through DNA Integration:
• Extreme Durability
• Reflex Vision
• Strength Ratio
• Acute Vibration Sensitivity
• Jumping Power
• Aerial Agility
• Photosynthesis
• Regeneration
Ancestor's Blessing: Pure Luck
Bloodline Legacy (Basic level)
* Space Manipulation
* Rune Creation
Druid Class Skills:
• Elemental Control—Level 4 (Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Wood)
‣ Wind Blade, Stone Fist, Bullet Rock, Fire Ball, Entangling Vines, Lightning Strike
• Forest Whisper (Passive)
• Beast/Animal Taming—Level 3 (Wild Animals)
• Summoning (Beast)—Level 3 (Wolf Companion)
• Healing—Level 3 (Heal Wounds, Cure Poison)
• Shapeshifting—Level 4 (Hawk, Raven)
• Shadow Strike—Level 3
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Passive)
It was a decent arsenal—more than decent, really. Compared to where he started, he was now a walking miracle. Barely a month ago, he was limping around with a cane, invisible in a world that had already written him off.
Now, he could fly, fight, shape-shift, and bend the elements to his will.
Yet none of that felt enough right now.
"Would I really sacrifice our future for this mission?" he murmured, the words slipping from his lips like fog.
Because it wasn't just his future anymore. Trisha and Callum were counting on him, even if they'd never say it out loud. The three of them had become something like a team—a small, mismatched family forged in fire and monster guts.
And they were about to walk straight into the lair of something that once killed armies.
He glanced behind him, toward the edge of the village where two figures were sparring beneath the trees.
Callum was shirtless, breathing hard, spinning and rolling with a fluid grace that came from his new skill—Wind Glide. The movement was light, fast, and beautiful. Like watching a hawk skim inches from the ground.
Trisha, ever the show-off, was sending controlled gusts of magical wind at him using her new spell Fierce Wind, her daggers gleaming in the morning light. She wore a smug grin every time he stumbled.
"Come on, Ranger boy. You said you wanted to catch up!" she teased.
Callum growled back, "I said I can catch up. I didn't say I'm letting you hit me for free!"
They were sparring like they had something to prove, but underneath the cocky banter was an unmistakable tension. They felt it too. The dragon. The risk. The reality that this time, they weren't chasing weak goblins or confused ancient spirits.
This time, the mountain would bite back.
"You look worried," said a voice behind him.
Alex turned to see Leyla approaching with her usual grace, silent as falling petals. She was carrying a small satchel in one hand and a calm expression that belied the chaos looming in the near future.
"Worried?" Alex said, forcing a grin. "Nah. Just admiring the scenery before I get turned into barbecue."
Leyla smiled softly, then sat on a mossy rock beside him. "Dragons are not unbeatable."
"Says the girl with a hundred lifetimes of elven training," Alex replied. "Some of us just learned to use a katana properly last night."
Leyla reached into her satchel and pulled out a lapel pin with crystal orb, its surface pulsing with gentle blue light. She handed it to him.
"What's this?"
"A defense charm. It will absorb one fatal blow," she said simply. "Use it wisely. It doesn't recharge."
Alex took the orb and stared at it. "Thank you. That's… actually amazing."
Leyla nodded. "You'll need it. That beast… it used to be one of our greatest warriors. It was not born evil. But centuries of isolation and broken loyalty can twist even the noblest hearts."
"Tell me about it," Alex said, voice quieter now. "Sometimes I wonder if we're heading that way too. Humanity, I mean. Power changes people."
Leyla studied him for a long moment. "It hasn't changed you."
Alex looked at her. "Any idea how big this thing really is?"
Leyla hesitated. "Bigger than most of the trees in this forest. And older than all the living elves in this village combined."
"Comforting. Why us?" Alex asked suddenly.
"Because no one else can."
Leyla smiled faintly. "I asked the elders to lend you a few enchanted items. Trisha and Callum will get theirs too. They're old relics from before the Dome. Most haven't been touched since the war."
As midday neared, Malik summoned the three of them to a clearing near the edge of the village. Elven warriors had set up a small armory tent filled with supplies—healing salves, enchanted cloaks, small throwing weapons, and runes with protective wards. The elves didn't have many left, but they were offering everything they could spare.
Malik himself stood near a large table carved from a single slab of obsidian, where a detailed map was spread out.
"This is where the beast sleeps," he said, pointing to a shaded region northeast of their current position. "We've marked the cave's entrance and surrounding terrain. You must not engage it in open ground. It can fly, and the sky is its kingdom."
Alex leaned over the map. "How long do we have before it notices us?"
"That depends on how smart you are," Malik replied. "And how loud."
Trisha grabbed a few smoke bombs from the armory. "Guess I'll leave my firecrackers behind."
Callum picked up a bundle of enchanted arrows. "I'll take these. They'll help disrupt its flight patterns, right?"
An elven archer nodded silently and handed him a matching bow, etched with ancient sigils.
Alex looked at a small crystal dagger offered by a young elven girl. It shimmered faintly with lightning energy. "This… for me?"
The girl nodded solemnly. "It's attuned to your element. You're the first Druid we've seen in centuries."
Alex accepted it with reverence. "Thank you."
As the sun dipped past the canopy and turned the forest golden, the team gathered near the village's eastern exit.
Alex strapped the dagger to his belt, katana at his back. Trisha checked her weapons and grinned. Callum slung the bow over his shoulder, eyes sharp.
"Alright, dragon slayers. I got the elven gloves of wind enhancement," she announced proudly, flexing her fingers. "And I even picked up a pair of enchanted boots that let me walk on vertical surfaces for up to five minutes."
"You realize you're basically Spider-Woman now?" Callum chimed in as he arrived, adjusting the leather strap on a polished longbow that shimmered faintly in the morning light. "They gave me a bow called Lirien's Whisper. Apparently, it was used to shoot down a sky serpent a few centuries ago."
"All right," Alex said, cracking his neck. "Let's do a rundown. Trisha?"
She tossed her hair and pulled out a small vial from her belt. "I've got three ice bombs, two stun blades, and one highly illegal smoke pellet that might or might not be infused with fairy dust."
Callum raised a brow. "You're carrying contraband?"
Trisha smirked. "I'm an assassin. It's in the job description."
Callum rolled his eyes and turned to Alex. "I scouted the maps. The cave is east of the valley, protected by a natural labyrinth of volcanic rock and mist traps. We'll need to stay close—separating even a few meters could get us picked off."
"Noted," Alex replied. "I'll use my earth sense once we're near the perimeter. That should help us navigate without falling into any traps."
"What about that lightning spell you learned?" Trisha asked.
Alex nodded. "Lightning Strike. It takes a few seconds to charge but can pierce most armor—or scales, if I'm lucky."
"Well," Callum muttered, "let's just hope this dragon's not thunderproof."
"This is serious," Trisha whispered. "We're really doing this."
Alex placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to come if you're scared."
She glared at him. "I'm not scared. I'm just—thinking."
"Thinking what?" Callum asked.
Trisha hesitated. "That we might not all make it back."
There was silence for a moment.
"Then we make sure we do," Alex said firmly. "We fight smart, we stick together, and we finish the job."
Alex looked at the two of them.
"Any last regrets?"
"Yeah," Trisha said. "I should've bought that ice cream back in Davao."
Callum raised a brow. "I should've stayed in bed."
Alex chuckled. "Well, too late now."
They turned toward the forest path.
"Let's go make history."