The golden light of a foreign sun filtered through the vibrant, shifting canopy of the forest, warming Kazuya's face. His eyes fluttered open, but his mind was still trapped in the cold, suffocating darkness of the abyss. For a moment, he couldn't breathe, the phantom sensation of teeth sinking into his flesh still vivid in his nerves.
With a gasp, he bolted upright, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.
"My arm!" he cried out, his voice cracking.
His breath came in ragged bursts as he frantically looked down at his left side. He remembered the crunch of bone, the spray of crimson on the grass, and the agonizing weight of the wolf's jaws. He expected to see a stump, or at least a bloody ruin of muscle and skin.
Instead, he saw a pristine school uniform sleeve—slightly tattered at the edges, but mostly intact. He reached over with his right hand, his fingers trembling as he gripped his left forearm. He squeezed. It was solid. He flexed his fingers, watching them move in perfect synchronization. He pinched the skin, feeling the sharp sting of reality.
"Was it… a dream?" he wondered, his mind swirling with confusion. "Did I imagine the pain? The blood? No, it felt too real. I can still taste the metallic tang of fear in the back of my throat. But how is it whole? How is there not even a scar?"
He checked his right hand, and there it was—the mark. The "S" and "X" burned into his skin, a faint golden hue still clinging to the edges of the brand. This wasn't a dream. The fire had been real. The wolf had been real.
As his panic began to recede, replaced by a heavy, hollow bewilderment, he noticed something in his peripheral vision. A wall of shimmering, metallic light.
He slowly turned his head, his gaze traveling upward.
In front of him sat a creature of myth, its scales gleaming like polished mirrors under the afternoon sun. It was colossal, a mountain of silver and grace, its wings folded neatly against a body that radiated an aura of ancient, terrifying power. Its head was lowered, its snout mere feet from where Kazuya sat.
Kazuya's breath caught in his throat. He should have been terrified. He should have scrambled away, screaming for his life just as he had with the goblins and the wolf. But as he looked into the creature's eyes—vast, intelligent pools of molten silver—he didn't feel fear.
"A… dragon," he whispered, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and pure, unadulterated joy. "A real, silver dragon…"
The dragon's nostrils flared, a soft puff of steam escaping its snout.
"You are finally awake," a voice echoed within Kazuya's mind. It was deep, resonant, and carried the weight of centuries, yet it was strangely gentle.
Kazuya's jaw dropped. "You… you can talk?"
The dragon tilted its head, its silver scales catching the light in a dazzling display. "I speak through the resonance of the soul."
Kazuya scrambled to his feet, dusting off his dirt-stained trousers. He was vibrating with a strange energy. "This is it," he thought, his inner monologue racing. "The talking dragon, the magic mark, the healing… I really am in an Isekai. But wait, the healing!"
"Did you do this?" Kazuya asked, holding up his left arm. "I remember the wolf. I remember it tearing my arm apart. I saw the bone, I felt it rip… how is it back? Was it an illusion?"
"It was no illusion," the dragon replied, its silver eyes softening. "Your arm was torn apart. When I arrived, you were on the verge of death. I used healing magic to heal your arm."
Kazuya stared at his arm again, a deep sense of gratitude washing over him. "You used magic to bring my arm back… You saved my life. Truly, thank you. I don't know how I could ever repay you for that."
The dragon lowered its head further, pressing its snout into the soft grass in a gesture of humility. "Your survival is enough."
Kazuya felt a pull in his chest—a sudden, irresistible urge to connect with this magnificent being. He took a step forward, his hand outstretched.
The dragon flinched. Its eyes widened, and it pulled its head back sharply, a low, instinctive rumble vibrating in its chest. It wasn't a threat, but a sign of hesitation, as if it were afraid that the touch of a mortal would shatter the fragile moment.
Kazuya didn't stop. He stepped closer, his eyes locked onto the dragon's silver gaze. "It's okay," he said softly. "I just want to thank you. Properly."
The dragon's neck arched, its body tensing as Kazuya's hand drew closer. It seemed ready to retreat back into the shadows of history. But Kazuya remained steadfast, his hand moving with a slow, deliberate calmness. Finally, his palm made contact with the dragon's snout.
The scales were warm. They felt like sun-drenched stone, smooth and incredibly solid.
The moment they touched, a ripple of energy surged through both of them. The dragon's eyes dilated. It felt the rhythm of Kazuya's heart, the specific frequency of his soul.
The dragon closed its eyes, leaning its massive weight into Kazuya's small palm. A long, rattling sigh escaped its lungs, a sound of pure relief that shook the leaves of the nearby trees.
"You have a kind touch," the dragon whispered in his mind. "I had forgotten how it felt to be touched."
Kazuya smiled, stroking the silver hide. "And you're surprisingly soft for a giant lizard."
The dragon let out a sound that could only be described as a draconic chuckle. It stood up, its massive form towering over the forest. "If you are well enough, I would show you the world. Would you care for a ride upon the wind?"
Kazuya's eyes lit up. "Are you serious? You'd let me ride on your back?"
"You're the only one who can ride on me," the dragon replied, lowering its wing to form a ramp.
Kazuya scrambled up, his fingers gripping the ridges of the dragon's neck. As they took flight, the ground fell away with a dizzying rush. The forest became a carpet of emerald and sapphire, the mountains rose like jagged teeth to meet them, and the wind roared in Kazuya's ears.
The dragon's wings cut through the air with grace, each movement effortless. They rose higher, breaking through the clouds. The evening sky stretched endlessly, painted in twilight hues, the stars beginning to shimmer above.
Kazuya laughed, the sound carried away by the wind. "This… this is amazing!"
The dragon's voice echoed in his mind. "Do you feel it? The freedom of the sky. The world below is small, fragile. Up here, there is only the wind and the stars."
Kazuya nodded, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. "I've always dreamed of this… flying with a dragon. And now… it's real."
They soared for what felt like hours, gliding over forests, rivers, and mountains. The dragon occasionally dipped low, skimming the treetops, then ascended again, piercing the clouds. Kazuya's laughter never ceased.
Finally, the dragon descended, landing gracefully in the clearing. Kazuya slid off its back, his legs trembling from excitement. He collapsed onto the grass, laughing breathlessly. "That was… the best thing I've ever experienced."
The dragon folded its wings, settling beside him. "You are lighthearted. It has been long since I felt such joy."
As the evening deepened, they sat together in the clearing. Fireflies danced around them, their glow reflecting off the dragon's silver scales.
Kazuya leaned back, gazing at the stars. "I thought I was going to die… when that wolf attacked me. It was huge, terrifying. I couldn't fight it. But then… something happened. I heard a voice in my head, telling me to say 'Erif.' And when I did… fire surrounded me. It killed the wolf, but… the wolf tore off my arm."
He flexed his left arm, still amazed it was whole again. "And then… you appeared. You saved me."
The dragon's eyes glowed faintly. "I was sleeping. For longer than you can imagine. I felt nothing… until your flame awakened me. That energy… it called to me."
Kazuya frowned. "So you've been waiting… for something?"
The dragon's gaze lingered on him, its molten silver eyes reflecting the fading light of the sky. "Yes. Waiting for the world to stir again. Waiting for a flame to awaken."
Kazuya tilted his head, confused. "A flame?"
The dragon did not elaborate. Its voice carried a weight that made Kazuya hesitate to press further. Instead, he leaned back on the grass, staring at the twilight sky. The forest around them was alive with the hum of insects and the distant cries of unseen creatures. Yet here, in this clearing, there was only stillness.
"I don't understand any of this," Kazuya admitted, his voice quiet. "Yesterday I was just a student. I worried about exams, about my sister, about normal things. And now… goblins, wolves, fire magic, and you." He looked at the mark on his hand, tracing the faint glow of the "S" and "X." "I don't even know what this means."
The dragon lowered its head, resting its massive snout near him. "Meaning comes with time. For now, you are alive. That is enough."
Kazuya chuckled softly, though his laugh was tinged with exhaustion. "Alive… yeah. Barely." He closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the dragon's steady breathing. It was strange—comforting, almost like sitting beside a campfire.
As the sky deepened into indigo, Kazuya sat up again. His curiosity returned, stronger than his fear.
"Hey… can I ask you something?"
The dragon's eyes opened slowly. "You may."
"What's it like… sleeping for so long? You said you were waiting. Was it lonely?"
The dragon's chest rose and fell with a long sigh. "Lonely is too small a word. Silence becomes a prison when it lasts for centuries. I dreamed of skies I could no longer touch, of voices I could no longer hear. And then… I felt a spark. A ripple in the stillness. That is why I woke."
Kazuya's throat tightened. He couldn't imagine such solitude. "That sounds… unbearable."
The dragon's gaze softened. "It was. But now, the silence is broken."
Kazuya smiled faintly. "I guess I should be honored. I'm the one who woke you up."
"You should," the dragon replied, though its tone carried a hint of amusement.
The dragon shifted, its wings unfurling slightly. "Would you like to fly again? The evening winds are gentle."
Kazuya's eyes lit up. "You mean it? Twice in one day?"
The dragon lowered its wing, forming a ramp. "Climb."
Kazuya scrambled up, his movements clumsy but eager. He settled between the dragon's shoulders, gripping the ridges of its scales. With a powerful beat of its wings, they lifted into the air once more.
The forest fell away beneath them, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. Rivers shimmered like threads of silver, and distant mountains glowed crimson at their peaks. The wind roared past Kazuya's ears, but he laughed, exhilarated.
"This is… unbelievable!" he shouted.
The dragon's voice resonated in his mind. "The sky is freedom. Remember this feeling."
They soared until the stars began to pierce the twilight. Then, gently, the dragon descended back where he had found Kazuya.
Kazuya slid off its back, his legs weak but his heart racing. He checked his watch—19:15. His stomach dropped. "I really need to go back. My world… my home. I can't stay here forever."
The dragon's eyes narrowed slightly. "You would leave?"
"I have to," Kazuya said firmly. "I don't belong here. Not yet."
Silence stretched between them. The dragon's wings folded tightly against its body, its gaze heavy with something unspoken.
Kazuya stepped closer, resting his hand against its snout. "I want to see you again. But if I bring you to my world… people won't understand. They'll fear you. They'll try to destroy what they don't understand. I can't let that happen."
The dragon closed its eyes, exhaling slowly. "Then there must be another way."
Kazuya blinked. "Another way?"
The dragon's silver scales shimmered faintly. The air grew heavier, charged with mana.
Its voice deepened, resonant and solemn.
"If I cannot walk to your world beside you, then I shall be the one who'll be with you till the ravages of time splits us apart."
Kazuya's breath caught. "What do you mean?"
The dragon lowered its head, its eyes glowing with fierce resolve.
"Master… let us form a contract."