Steinert Knight Country—known far and wide as the Land of Dragon Breeders.
Nestled between two great powers—the militaristic Zephyros Empire to the north and the noble Alethia Kingdom to the south—lay this small, enigmatic nation. With a population barely exceeding five million, it held a secret known only to a select few.
At its heart stood Roshar Dragon Riding Academy, a prestigious institution unlike any other, where boys and girls who had formed pacts with dragons were molded into elite riders. It was a sanctuary of roaring skies, ancient bloodlines, and forbidden bonds.
But tonight, Zack wasn't dreaming of dragons.
His body tensed as a subtle pressure stirred him from his slumber—delicate, feline movements across the mattress, too graceful to be human. Someone had slipped into his room. Someone who didn't knock, who didn't ask.
Someone who came every night.
You're not letting me off again tonight… are you? Zack thought, paralyzed by the now-familiar sensation creeping down his spine.
The room remained shrouded in darkness, yet her form shimmered—moonlight glinting off porcelain skin and cascading hair like liquid silver. The curtains were open, despite Zack's memory of closing them tightly before sleep. Outside, the full moon hung low, casting a cold and otherworldly glow through the open window.
"Fufufu… Isn't the night simply divine?"
Her voice was a silken whisper laced with playful menace. Her crimson eyes pierced the dark with a predatory gleam, and her lips curved into a sultry smirk—a smile that knew secrets, sins, and seduction.
Zack tried to sit up, but his muscles refused to obey.
She straddled him smoothly, her long legs folding with feline grace across his abdomen, her hips settling snugly atop him. She was light as a feather, yet the warmth radiating from her body was overwhelming—intoxicating.
A faint, sweet fragrance filled the air, like blooming roses steeped in midnight mist.
She was beautiful. Dangerously so.
Her waist-length pink hair shimmered with silver hues under the moonlight, cascading like a silk waterfall. Her skin was snow-pale, flawless, and soft like fresh powder. Twin horns, sleek and curved like those of a dragon, adorned her head—further proof that she wasn't human.
And her attire—if it could even be called that—was barely more than an afterthought. Thin, translucent fabric clung to her like dew to petals, leaving little to the imagination. Her full breasts swayed gently above him, pert and teasingly close to his face, nipples slightly hardened from the night's chill.
"W-who... who are you? Why do you keep—Ugh!"
His voice was cut off as her body leaned forward, pressing her bare chest against his. Her arms wrapped around him, pulling him into her warmth with a possessive embrace.
Her breath danced against his ear, sultry and hot, laced with a giggle. Then came her voice—intimate and breathless:
"I'll spoil you properly tonight, just like always."
Her lips brushed his earlobe. Then she bit down softly, playfully—hard enough to make a sound that mimicked the crunch of cartilage.
"N-No… not again…!"
Zack's body convulsed, lightning surging through his nerves as the sensation of her touch grew hotter, more unbearable. Her mouth traced his jaw, her tongue exploring his neck and collarbone with a leisurely hunger. Her fingers teased his skin, trailing down his chest, hips, and thighs like a slow-burning fire.
It wasn't just touch. It was domination. A dance of seduction.
Her body moved with an eerie elegance, twisting and sliding across his like a dancer—fluid, confident, unstoppable. Each night, she came like this: a mystery cloaked in sensuality, her intentions unreadable, her rhythm unwavering.
Seven nights. Seven sleepless, feverish nights.
She never answered his questions. Never gave him more than teasing glances and whispered sighs. She simply arrived, delighted in his helplessness, and vanished with the wind.
But tonight, something changed.
Tonight, as Zack lay panting beneath her, her silhouette framed by moonlight and shadow, she finally spoke.
"My name… is Alys."
His breath caught.
It was the first time she had ever revealed a name.
Summoning the last shred of his strength, Zack pushed himself up slightly, eyes wide and trembling.
"Alys… Who are you really? Why are you doing this to me?"
A soft laugh escaped her lips, equal parts cruel and tender. She leaned forward, her hands cupping his face gently.
"To entrust myself to you… the one who will bear me into this world… Consider this a ritual."
"I don't understand…"
"You will," she whispered with a wicked grin. "See you soon… in the real world."
And with that, Alys's body disintegrated into a cascade of glowing silver particles. They shimmered like stardust, fading into the moonlight—leaving behind only warmth, the scent of roses, and unanswered questions.