Heir of the Dragon’s Blood

The night wind swept through the forest, carrying the scent of damp earth and freshly fallen leaves. Amidst the dense foliage, a young man clad in ragged hunter’s garb moved cautiously, his sharp eyes scanning every movement around him. Elden, a simple village hunter, gripped his bow tightly. He had spent hours in the forest, yet his prey had not appeared.

"Just one deer is all I need…" he muttered under his breath, almost as if speaking to himself.

Life in his small village on the kingdom’s edge had always been simple—rising before dawn, hunting for food, and returning before nightfall. But tonight was different. The air felt heavier, denser, as if unseen eyes were watching him from the shadows of the trees.

Suddenly, the bushes ahead rustled violently. Elden swiftly raised his bow, nocking an arrow, and aimed toward the source of the sound.

"Hrrr…"

A low growl sent chills down his spine. Emerging from the darkness of the forest was a wolf—but not an ordinary one. Its body was larger than any wolf he had ever seen, its fur as black as shadow, and its eyes glowed red like burning embers.

Elden held his breath. He had never encountered such a creature before. The wolf gazed at him, as if assessing something, before suddenly leaping toward him at an incredible speed.

Elden’s reflexes took over. He released his arrow. A perfect hit. The arrow struck the beast’s shoulder, yet the wolf showed no sign of pain. Instead, it growled even louder and continued its charge. Elden had no time to think. He leaped to the side, but the wolf was faster.

"Tch!"

Sharp claws slashed across Elden’s arm, sending a searing pain coursing through his entire body. He stumbled to the ground, the agony radiating from his fresh wound. He forced himself to rise, but then—the wolf stopped.

The creature stared at him in silence, and then something strange happened. The wound on its shoulder began to heal rapidly, and its body seemed to dissolve into swirling black mist. Elden could only watch in horror as the wolf vanished into the night, leaving behind nothing but smoldering footprints in the soil.

Elden gasped for breath. He clutched his wound, but the burning sensation spread further. His body trembled, as though something was stirring within his blood.

"What… is this?"

Suddenly, a golden light appeared on his left arm, precisely where the wolf’s claws had struck. The light formed the shape of a shimmering dragon symbol, pulsing in sync with his heartbeat. A sharp pain pierced through his chest, forcing him to his knees.

Elden’s vision blurred. Images flooded his mind—visions that were not his own. He saw towering mountains teeming with dragons, skies ablaze with fire, and a colossal figure with glowing golden eyes staring directly at him.

"Heir…"

The voice echoed inside his head, in a language he had never heard before yet somehow understood. Elden struggled to stay conscious, but his world faded into darkness.

—

When Elden opened his eyes again, the sky was beginning to lighten. He was still lying in the forest, his body heavy, his head pounding. Slowly, he pushed himself up and looked at his arm.

The mark remained.

Now, the dragon symbol no longer glowed, but it was still etched clearly into his skin, as if it had become part of him. He touched it cautiously. It didn’t hurt, but something within him had changed.

He felt stronger. Sharper.

As he stood, he realized his senses had heightened. He could hear birds chirping in the distance, the wind whispering through the leaves, even his own heartbeat—beating slower than before.

"What’s happening to me?"

He shook his head, trying to clear his jumbled thoughts. There was no time to dwell on this. He had to return to the village.

But when he arrived, the atmosphere was not as it usually was. People had gathered in the village square, their faces filled with fear. At the center of the crowd stood a group of men clad in black armor, the kingdom’s emblem emblazoned on their chests.

Royal knights.

Elden frowned. What were they doing here? The kingdom rarely paid attention to their small village.

As he stepped closer, a soldier who appeared to be their leader spoke in a loud voice.

"We are searching for someone," he announced. "Someone who bears this mark."

He raised a scroll, unrolling it to reveal an illustration—an identical mark to the one on Elden’s arm.

Elden’s heart pounded.

"Whoever possesses this mark must be handed over to the kingdom," the soldier continued. "He is a threat to the realm."

The villagers murmured in hushed, fearful whispers. Elden took a slow step back, instinctively hiding his left arm beneath his cloak.

"I need to get out of here…"

But before he could move any further, a hand clamped onto his shoulder. Elden turned to see the face of an old man—his own neighbor.

"There he is!" the man shouted. "He’s the one you’re looking for!"

Time seemed to freeze. All eyes turned to Elden. The knights moved instantly, drawing their swords.

Elden didn’t think. He turned and bolted toward the forest.

"AFTER HIM!" the commander roared.

Shouts and pounding footsteps followed him. Elden ran with everything he had, but the knights were fast.

Then—something strange happened. Elden felt lighter, his strides quicker. As though something within him had awakened, granting him newfound agility.

He leaped over fallen logs, dashed past massive roots, and sprinted deeper into the forest.

One thing was certain.

His simple life was over.

....

Leaves and twigs crunched beneath Elden's feet as he sprinted through the forest. His breath was ragged, his chest pounding, and his muscles burning. But he couldn't stop. Not now.

Behind him, the sound of the pursuing royal soldiers grew closer.

“Don’t let him escape!” shouted one of the knights.

Elden gritted his teeth. He had to find a way to get rid of them. There was no way he could face the knights head on. They were fully armed, while he was just a hunter with a bow and a few arrows left.

His steps quickened, until suddenly, he saw something in front of him. A deep ravine with a fast flowing river beneath it.

"Damn it..." he grumbled.

He stopped abruptly at the edge of the river, looking down. The river was fast, sharp rocks jutting out from the current. If he jumped, he might survive, or he might drown.

Behind him, the sound of footsteps approached.

Elden turned to see the kingdom's soldiers emerging from behind the trees, swords and spears in hand, determination shining in their eyes.

"There's no way out, son," said one of the soldiers as he stepped forward carefully.

Elden clenched his jaw. He had no choice.

Without thinking further, he took a step back, then jumped into the abyss.

The wind howled in his ears as his body fell. For a moment, time seemed to slow down. He saw the sky above him, the blinding sunlight, then the water approaching quickly.

Splashing!

His body hit the river with brutal force. Pain coursed through his body as the current pulled him down. The water was icy cold, seeping into his bones. Elden struggled to swim to the surface, but the current dragged him deeper.