The forest was dense, alive with unfamiliar sounds. Aizen's bare feet padded softly over wet grass and fallen leaves as he pressed forward, one hand gripping a broken branch like a walking stick. The strange sparks in his blood had calmed for now, but he could still feel them resting under his skin—like a storm sleeping just beneath the surface.
Hunger clawed at his belly. His throat was dry, his body sore. The beastman part of him—sharp senses, reflexes, instincts—was awakening little by little. But survival wasn't easy. He was still just a boy, lost and alone.
The trees gave way to a clearing veiled in mist. Soft beams of light pierced through the fog, illuminating patches of moss and glowing mushrooms. It felt… magical. Like a forgotten place untouched by war.
Aizen approached the center of the clearing and collapsed by a stream. Cool, crystal-clear water trickled over smooth stones. He drank deeply, letting the cold refresh his body. Then he splashed some on his face and looked at his reflection.
The boy in the water wasn't the same boy who had run from burning homes.
His eyes looked older. Sharper. Haunted.
> "Will I ever go back?"
He didn't know what "back" meant anymore. The village? His old life? The version of himself that didn't know pain?
> "No…"
"I'll go forward. I'll become someone strong enough… to never lose again."
A sudden rustle in the mist made him freeze.
His ears perked up.
A presence—light footsteps. Graceful, almost floating. Then a voice, soft and clear, pierced the quiet:
> "You're bleeding."
Aizen jumped back, raising his broken stick in defense. But he stopped mid-motion.
From the fog stepped a girl.
About his age—thirteen—dressed in clean noble robes lined with silver and gold. Long silvery-white hair flowed behind her like mist. But it was her eyes that caught him—brilliant violet, with slitted pupils.
Dragonkin.
Aizen's breath caught in his throat. His grip tightened around the branch.
His instincts screamed at him to run. To fight. To never trust her kind. But the girl raised both hands slowly, showing she held no weapon.
> "I'm not your enemy," she said softly. "Not all Dragonkin are monsters."
Aizen didn't lower his branch.
> "You… You're one of them. You destroyed my home…"
Her gaze darkened, but she didn't look surprised.
> "I know what they did. My family didn't order it. I was… sent here to investigate. Alone."
Her voice held pain too, though different than Aizen's. She wasn't just a noble Dragonkin—she was someone trapped in her own way.
He could tell by the way her eyes avoided his. Like she was ashamed of her wings.
> "What's your name?" she asked after a long pause.
> "...Aizen. Aizen Arcime."
The girl's eyes widened just slightly at his last name. She hid it quickly, but not quick enough.
> "Arcime… You're a Black Lion."
> "So what if I am?" Aizen snapped.
> "Nothing," she said calmly, kneeling near the stream. "It just means you're rare. And dangerous."
A silence passed between them.
> "I'm Lyra," she finally said. "Lyra Subaru."
A noble name. From one of the known Highblood Dragon Houses. Aizen stepped back cautiously.
> "I don't trust you."
> "You shouldn't," she replied, surprisingly honest. "But I didn't kill your people. If I could've stopped it, I would have."
Another silence. Longer this time. The mist moved gently around them like the forest was holding its breath.
Aizen finally lowered his branch.
> "...Then why are you here?"
> "Because something's wrong," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Your village… wasn't just a random attack. The Empire is hiding something about the Black Lion clan."
That caught his attention. His tail stopped swaying.
> "What do you mean?"
> "I don't know yet," Lyra admitted. "But if the rumors are true… then you're not just rare. You're a threat to their rule."
Aizen's heart began to pound again—not in fear, but confusion. And curiosity.
> "Why would I be a threat?"
She stood up.
> "Because the last time a Black Lion awakened their true power… the skies split open and kingdoms fell."
Lightning flickered far above the clouds.
For the first time, Aizen felt the weight of something bigger than himself.
And for the first time…
He wasn't completely alone.
---
End of Chapter 3