In the cold, damp dungeon, Leon sat trapped in enchanted chains that held him tight. His old, battered armor hung loosely on his body, scratched and dented from battles. Red marks burned on his wrists from struggling, but no matter how hard he fought, the chains wouldn't budge.
Three days earlier, Leon had led the Empire's Dragon Slaying Army to the Silver Dragon Temple. His mission was clear: destroy the evil dragon causing chaos. But betrayal struck like a knife. Someone stabbed him in the chest and revealed the army's position to the Silver Dragon Clan. Without Leon's leadership, his army fell apart, scattering in defeat. The dragons captured him alive and threw him into this dark dungeon.
For three days, Leon had no food or water. He felt so weak that he wished for death. Being tortured and mocked by the dragons was worse than dying. But the enchanted chains stopped him from even ending his own life.
In his haze, he heard noise nearby—a loud celebration. The jailer guarding him explained it was a week-long feast to celebrate the defeat of Leon Cosmodeous, the Empire's greatest dragon slayer. Leon thought the dragons were wasteful and arrogant, but he was too tired to care.
*Tick-tock, tick-tock.* Water dripped from the ceiling, splashing onto the chains. The sound was steady, like a clock counting down the last moments of his life.
After what felt like forever, the dungeon door creaked open.
"You can leave," a voice said. "I want to speak to our great hero alone."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guards replied.
The door shut with a heavy thud. Then came the sound of high heels clicking on the stone floor, growing louder as they approached. The steps stopped right in front of Leon's cell.
Leon lifted his heavy head and saw a stunning figure. Her silver hair glowed like starlight, flowing like a river. But the dragon tail beneath her skirt made him tense. Silver hair, a dragon tail, and the title "Your Majesty" could only mean one person: Rossweise Melkvey, Queen of the Silver Dragons.
Rossweise opened the cell door and walked in confidently. She smelled faintly of wine, her cheeks slightly pink from the celebration. She had clearly enjoyed herself too much. They stood close, but their worlds couldn't be more different. Leon's clothes were torn, his once-proud armor now dull and broken. Rossweise, on the other hand, wore a beautiful gown, her silver hair perfect, her eyes sharp with mockery.
Light from the dungeon's small window lit up Rossweise's face, making her look almost holy. But to Leon, she was no saint—just a cruel victor gloating over a defeated foe.
Her dragon tail moved slowly, and she used its tip to lift Leon's chin. "You're a strong, handsome man," she said, her voice smooth. "Those scars suit your face."
Rossweise rarely gave compliments, so her words carried weight. But Leon didn't care. He shook his head, pushing her tail away. Her face darkened, and her tail quickly wrapped around his neck, tightening.
"How dare you disrespect me," she said coldly, her voice sharp with royal authority.
The tail squeezed harder. Leon's face turned red as he struggled to breathe. His body, already weak, couldn't take much more. But he glared at her, refusing to show fear.
They stared at each other, locked in a silent battle. Just as Leon's vision started to fade, Rossweise loosened her tail.
"You're stubborn," she said. "But it won't matter. You'll be dead soon."
"Kill me or torture me, just do it fast," Leon snapped, his voice hoarse.
Rossweise smirked. "Is that all the great Dragon Slayer has to say before he dies?"
She leaned closer, her tone mocking. "Tell me, do you have a wife? Children? If not, your family ends with you, doesn't it?"
Her words cut deep, meant to humiliate the fallen hero. She was the victor, and she wanted him to feel it.
"When a dragon slayer falls, new heroes rise," she continued. "But for you? It seems no one will carry on your name."
She reached out, her fingers brushing the wounds on his face. Her voice dripped with fake pity. "It's a shame. If you hadn't been betrayed, you could've done great things. Your children would've lived in wealth, maybe even destroyed our dragon race one day. You could've been a legend, loved by all."
She paused, smiling cruelly. "But instead, you'll die here."
*Click.* Her sharp nail scratched his face, drawing a small drop of blood. She didn't wipe it away. Instead, she brought her finger to her lips and licked the blood slowly, her eyes locked on his.
Leon stared at her smug smile and the blood on her lips. A sudden, vengeful idea sparked in his mind. He remembered a rare magic he'd learned long ago: the Blood Enchantment, a spell that could only be used once in a lifetime. Now was the perfect moment.
"Your Majesty," Leon said, his voice rough but steady.
Rossweise raised an eyebrow. "What, begging for mercy now? I won't let you off easily."
"You asked about my descendants, didn't you?" he said.
She tilted her head, curious. "What, do you actually have some?"
"Not yet," Leon replied, a faint smile forming. "But soon."
"What do you mean—" she started.
Before she could finish, Leon locked eyes with her. His gaze carried a strange power, like ripples in water. Rossweise's body suddenly felt weak, her mind foggy. She stepped closer, unable to stop herself. Her hands reached out, pulling him into a tight embrace. Then, without thinking, she kissed him.
Leon hated dragons with every fiber of his being, but he forced himself to endure it. This was his revenge, his final act against the Silver Dragon Queen before his death.
The kiss lasted several seconds. Rossweise's face, already flushed from wine, grew redder, her breathing fast and uneven.
An hour later, she woke up. Her body felt heavy, her gown messy, her skin marked with faint bloodstains. She looked at Leon, confused and angry.
"You're awake, Your Majesty," Leon said, smirking. "Or should I call you Mother Dragon now?"
Rossweise's eyes widened. She saw the enchanted chains around Leon were undone, yet he hadn't tried to escape. Maybe he knew his dying body wouldn't get far.
She stood, fixing her clothes, and grabbed his collar. "What did you do to me?!" she demanded.
Leon stayed calm. "You made two mistakes, Your Majesty," he said. "First, a dragon should never be alone with a trained Dragon Slayer. Second, you should never have tasted my blood."
Rossweise's eyes flashed with panic, her dragon pupils trembling. What had this human done to her?
"The Blood Enchantment," Leon explained. "A spell used only once in a lifetime. When someone drinks your blood, it bends their will, making them… act willingly."
"I didn't want to use such a dirty trick," he continued. "But you mocked me, toyed with my mind. So I fought back, my dear Queen."
Leon's plan had worked. He'd humiliated Rossweise in a way she'd never forget. But deep down, he felt no joy. As a Dragon Slayer, being tied to a dragon like this was a stain on his honor.
Still, he pressed on to twist the knife. "You asked about my child. Well, they're in your belly now."
Rossweise's face burned with rage and shame. How could she, the mighty Silver Dragon Queen, be tricked by a dying man?
Leon kept going, his voice steady despite his fading strength. "You feel it, don't you? The changes in your body. Dragon rules say I'm now your only mate. If you kill our child, you'll never have another, not after I'm gone."
His words cut like blades, each one striking her pride. But Leon's body was failing. His vision blurred, his eyelids heavy. He could feel his life slipping away.
"You want to kill me for this, don't you?" he said, his voice weak. "You won't need to. I'm already…"
His breathing slowed. His heart gave a few final, weak beats. The last piece of his broken armor fell to the floor with a sharp *clank*, echoing in the silent dungeon.
Leon Cosmodeous, the great Dragon Slayer, was gone.
Rossweise stood frozen, her heart pounding. Slowly, she regained her composure. Her dragon eyes burned with a fierce, unyielding fire.
"You think you can die and escape me?" she whispered. "Not so easily, Leon Cosmodeous. Our child will not grow up without a father."