Leon sat in the cold, damp dungeon, trapped by unbreakable, enchanted chains. They held him tightly, refusing to yield. His old armor was battered and hung loosely on his thin frame, covered in the scratches and dents of countless battles. Angry red burns circled his wrists from his struggles, but no matter how hard he pulled, the chains remained solid.
Three days ago, he had led the Empire's Dragon Slaying Army to the Silver Dragon Temple. His mission was simple: kill the evil dragon bringing chaos to the land. But then came the betrayal, sharp and sudden as a knife to the chest. Someone had stabbed him and revealed his army's position to the Silver Dragon Clan. Without their leader, his soldiers were defeated and scattered. The dragons captured Leon alive and threw him into this dark, lonely cell.
For three days, he had no food or water. Weakness consumed him, and death felt like a welcome release. The torture and the dragons' mocking laughter were a fate worse than death, yet the enchanted chains even prevented him from ending his own suffering.
From outside, he could hear the loud noises of a great celebration. His jailer had explained it was a week-long feast. The dragons were rejoicing because they had defeated Leon Cosmodeous, the Empire's greatest dragon slayer. Leon thought they were wasteful and arrogant, but he was too exhausted to care.
Tick-tock, tick-tock. Water dripped from the ceiling, splashing onto his chains. The steady sound was like a clock counting down the final moments of his life, deepening his hopelessness.
After what felt like an eternity, the heavy dungeon door creaked open.
"You may leave," a voice commanded. "I wish to speak with our great hero alone."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the guards replied with respect.
The door shut with a heavy, echoing thud. Then came the sharp click of high heels on the stone floor. The steps grew louder, closer, until they stopped directly in front of his cell.
Leon lifted his heavy head with great effort. Before him stood a stunning figure. Her silver hair glowed like starlight in the dim cell, flowing down like a gentle river. But the dragon tail swishing beneath her skirt made him tense immediately. Silver hair, a dragon tail, and the title "Your Majesty" could only mean one person: Rossweise Melkvey, the Queen of the Silver Dragons.
Rossweise unlocked the cell door and stepped inside confidently. The faint scent of wine clung to her, and her cheeks were flushed from the festivities. She had clearly been enjoying her victory. They stood close, yet worlds apart. Leon was clad in torn, dirty rags, his once-proud armor now dull and broken. Rossweise wore a beautiful, shimmering gown, her silver hair perfectly neat, her eyes sharp with mockery and triumph.
A thin beam of light from a high window fell on Rossweise's face, making her look almost holy. But to Leon, she was no saint—she was a cruel victor coming to gloat over her defeated enemy. A deep, familiar anger burned in his chest, mixing with the pain of his wounds.
Her dragon tail swayed slowly behind her like a restless snake. She used its tip to lift his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. "You are a strong, handsome man," she said, her voice smooth and teasing. "Those scars suit your face well."
Rossweise did not give compliments lightly, but Leon did not care. He shook his head violently, pushing her tail away. Her expression darkened instantly, like a storm cloud. Her tail shot out and wrapped around his neck, tightening like a vice.
"How dare you disrespect me," she said, her voice cold and sharp with royal authority.
The tail squeezed, cutting off his air. Leon's face turned red as he fought for breath. His body, already weak from starvation, could not take much more. Yet he glared at her with fierce eyes, refusing to show any fear. He would not break.
They were locked in a silent battle of wills. Just as Leon's vision began to blur at the edges, Rossweise loosened her grip slightly.
"You are stubborn," she sighed. "But it does not matter. You will be dead soon anyway."
"Then kill me or torture me, but be quick about it," Leon snapped back, his voice hoarse.
Rossweise smirked, her lips curling in amusement. "Is that all the great Dragon Slayer has to say before he dies? How disappointing." She leaned closer, her tone dripping with mockery. "Tell me, do you have a wife? Children? If not, your family line ends with you, does it not? No one will remember you."
Her words were meant to humiliate him, to make the fallen hero feel his complete loss. Leon thought of his lonely life as a slayer—always fighting, never settling down. The truth of her words cut deeper than he expected.
"When a dragon slayer falls, new heroes rise," she continued, her voice full of fake sympathy. "But for you? It seems no one will carry on your name. What a waste."
She reached out and her fingers lightly brushed the fresh wounds on his face. Her touch was gentle, but her voice was filled with pretend pity. "It is a shame. If you had not been betrayed, you could have done great things. Your children would have lived in wealth and honor. You could have been a legend, loved by all in the Empire."
She paused, smiling cruelly. Her eyes sparkled with triumph. "But instead, you will die here, forgotten in this dark hole."
Click. Her sharp nail scratched his cheek, drawing a single drop of blood. She did not wipe it away. Instead, she brought her finger to her lips and slowly licked the blood away, her eyes locked on his the entire time. She savored the metallic taste like a prized wine.
Leon stared at her smug smile and the blood on her lips. A sudden, vengeful idea sparked in his mind like a flame in the darkness. He remembered a rare magic he had learned long ago during his training: the Blood Enchantment. It was a forbidden art, a spell that could only be used once in a lifetime. Now, in his final moments, it was the perfect weapon for revenge. A surge of dark determination pushed his pain aside.
"Your Majesty," Leon said, his voice rough but steady.
Rossweise raised a curious eyebrow. "What is it? Begging for mercy now? I will not let you off easily. You deserve to suffer."
"You asked about my descendants, did you not?" he asked, his tone calm.
She tilted her head, intrigued. "What, do you actually have some hidden away?"
"Not yet," Leon replied, a faint smile touching his lips for the first time. "But soon."
"What do you mean—" she started, confusion halting her words.
Before she could finish, Leon locked eyes with her. His gaze held a strange, powerful energy, like ripples spreading across still water. Rossweise's body suddenly felt heavy and weak, her mind growing foggy. Unthinking, she stepped closer to him. Her hands moved on their own, pulling him into a tight embrace. Then, completely against her will, she kissed him passionately.
Leon hated dragons with every fiber of his being. They had murdered his family years ago, fueling his life's purpose. But he forced himself to endure this. This was his revenge, his final act against the Silver Dragon Queen. He poured all his remaining strength into the spell, feeling the magic flow through his blood.
The kiss lasted several intense seconds. Rossweise's face, already flushed from wine, grew hotter. Her breathing became fast and uneven, her heart racing.
.
.
.
An hour later, she woke slowly. Her body felt sore and heavy, her gown messy and wrinkled. Faint bloodstains marked her skin from the scratches. She looked at Leon, her eyes filled with confusion and rising fury.
"You're awake, Your Majesty," Leon said, smirking weakly. "Or should I call you Mother Dragon now?"
Rossweise's eyes widened in shock. She saw that the enchanted chains around Leon were broken, undone by the spell's power. Yet he had not tried to escape. Perhaps he knew his dying body would not get far in a temple full of dragons.
She stood up quickly, fixing her clothes with trembling hands, and grabbed his collar roughly. "What did you do to me?!" she demanded, her voice shaking with rage.
Leon remained calm despite the pain. "You made two mistakes, Your Majesty," he said. "First, a dragon should never be alone with a trained Dragon Slayer. We know secrets you do not. Second, you should never have tasted my blood. That was your greatest error."
Panic flashed in Rossweise's eyes, her dragon pupils trembling. What had this human done? She felt a strange warmth inside her, a change she could not deny.
"The Blood Enchantment," Leon explained slowly. "A spell used only once in a lifetime. When someone drinks your blood, it bends their will, making them… act willingly. It forges a bond that cannot be broken."
"I did not want to use such a dirty trick," he continued, his voice a mix of regret and triumph. "But you mocked me and toyed with my mind. So I fought back, my dear Queen. This is my victory."
Leon's plan had worked. He had humiliated Rossweise in a way she would never forget, turning her arrogance against her. But as a Dragon Slayer, being tied to a dragon like this felt like a stain on his honor. Still, the revenge gave him a bitter satisfaction.
"You asked about my child. Well, they are in your belly now," he said, pointing to her stomach.
Rossweise's face burned with rage and deep shame. How could she, the mighty Silver Dragon Queen, be tricked by a dying man? She felt violated, her pride shattered.
Leon kept speaking, his voice growing weaker. "You feel it, do you not? The changes in your body. The life growing inside you. Dragon law says I am now your only mate. If you kill our child, you will never have another, not after I am gone. Your royal line ends with you."
His words were sharp blades, each one striking her pride. She imagined the horror her clan would feel, but Leon's body was failing. His vision blurred, his eyelids grew heavy. He could feel his life slipping away.
"You want to kill me for this, do you not?" he whispered, his voice faint. "You will not need to. I am already…"
His breathing slowed, then stopped. His heart gave a few final, weak beats. The last piece of his broken armor clattered to the floor, the sound echoing a final goodbye in the silent dungeon.
Leon Cosmodeous, the great Dragon Slayer, was dead. His body slumped against the wall, finally at peace.
Rossweise stood frozen for a long moment, her own heart pounding wildly. Slowly, she straightened her back, composing herself into the queen she was. Her dragon eyes burned with a fierce, unyielding fire—a mix of pure anger and a new, deep determination.
"You think you can die and escape me?" she whispered to his lifeless form. "Not so easily, Leon Cosmodeous. Our child will not grow up without a father. I will find a way to bring you back, even if I must bend the laws of life and death themselves."
She placed a hand on her belly, feeling the faint spark of new life. The celebration outside continued, but inside the dungeon, a new storm was brewing. Revenge had bound them together forever, and their story was far from over.