The trio appeared in the grand hall of King Arthraxius.

  The ancient dragon lay coiled, his presence radiating power older than the jungle itself. The air shimmered with his aura, heavy and commanding.

  Umbra bowed, not out of formality, but from something deeper. Every cell in her body screamed reverence. This was a being she could not even dream of offending.

  Scry, ever curious, flew around the hall, scanning the surroundings with wide eyes. He didn’t fear the dragon. There was something familiar about Arthraxius, something buried deep within him.

  Kai bowed respectfully and smiled.

  “Good to see you again, Lord Arthraxius. May I ask why you’ve summoned us?”

  The dragon’s voice rumbled like distant thunder.

  “I watched your battle with the wolf. Impressive… for someone without formal training.

  I wanted to see you, your partner Umbra, and… my brother, Scry, before I left.”

  His gaze softened, pain flickering in his ancient eyes as he looked toward the unsuspecting spirit.

  Scry floated closer, puzzled.

  “Hello, old dragon. Kai told me everything… but thanks to you, I remember nothing.

  I’m grateful you saved my life, but not remembering… It’s not pleasant.” Scry frowned.

  Arthraxius smiled gently.

  “It’s good to see you, brother, especially in such high spirits. If one day you manage to heal your soul, your memories should return naturally. Your bond with Kai may help if he survives long enough.”

  He sighed, the weight of centuries behind his breath.

  “We never erased your memories completely. They were sealed by the highest soul magic Tenebria could wield. For now, recover. Strengthen your mind.

  I hope one day you’ll recognize me again… brother.”

  The dragon’s aura grew heavier, yet his gaze remained kind.

  Scry nodded, lost in thought, and quietly settled on Umbra’s back.

  Then Arthraxius turned to Kai.

  “Kai, I will make you my last disciple.”

  Kai’s jaw dropped.

  “But… you said you’d never take another disciple. Why me?”

  “Your power is astonishing. Your courage awakened something in me I thought long gone, hope. So, I will leave my inheritance with you. You will be the last chosen, as Tenebria foretold.”

  Kai frowned slightly.

  “Inheritance? I thought you meant training me.”

  Arthraxius chuckled.

  “I will bless your body with a draconic bloodline,” the dragon’s voice echoed with ancient power. “Your serpent soul spirit reveals a destiny intertwined with the reptilian lineage. You are marked by fate.”

  He moved closer, his eyes glowing with wisdom and fire.

  “I shall grant your soul the blessing of a Dragon King. Your body and spirit will evolve, and you will feel the change ripple through every fiber of your being. But know this: what you experience today is only the beginning. A mere prelude to the true power that lies within the draconic race.”

  He raised a claw, conjuring a glowing red glyph in the air.

  “I also wanted to give you my greatest gift, affinity with fire. But it seems you’ve already begun developing your own. Let me help refine it.”

  The glyph shrank and descended onto Kai’s arm. His wolf tattoo absorbed it, and his second magic circle glowed brighter.

  The tattoo shifted, the wolf sprouted two pairs of draconic wings that wrapped around Kai’s arm before fading into his skin. Within the tattoo, the small wolf pup transformed, its body grew, wings unfurled, and its fur turned a brilliant red, like the dragon’s flame.

  “This will grant you fire affinity equal to your water one. Now… for the tricky part.”

  Arthraxius leaned forward, his tone serious.

  “Come closer. I’ll attempt to merge your scattered powers into one within your body. Right now, your body is a mess.

  This will hurt.”

  He opened a small wound above his heart and drew out a single drop of boiling, pure red heartblood, larger than Kai’s head.

  The blood floated toward Kai as the dragon chanted in ancient Draconic. The words echoed through the hall, resonating deep within Scry’s soul. He strained to remember, but the memories remained locked away.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Umbra stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the ritual.

  The blood droplet hovered in the air, then converged into a rune shaped like a dragon. It pulsed once before merging into Kai’s chest.

  Instantly, the blood enveloped his heart, transforming it. Ancient runes ignited in a circle around it, and a searing pain tore through his body.

  “AAAAAAAAAAA!” Kai screamed as blood oozed from his pores, eyes, ears, and nose. His bones cracked, muscles tore, and skin split open. Yet he did not die. The might of the dragon’s blood kept him alive, kept him conscious. He looked like a corpse, but his soul clung to life.

  Umbra and Scry watched in horror, a primal fear gripping their hearts. The cost of power was steep, unforgiving.

  Under the immense heat and pressure, Kai’s heart was reborn. It glowed crimson, pumping fresh blood infused with the legacy of the fire dragons. The blood coursed through his veins, reshaping his vessels and mana channels, widening them, fortifying them to withstand draconic power.

  His bones regrew, etched with ancient glyphs. Muscles rejuvenated, organs renewed, and skin reformed. His entire body was reforged, stronger, more efficient, more alive.

  Then his heart began to beat with draconic rhythm.

  His serpent spirit stirred. Her silver body shimmered, two green eyes snapping open. A third, fiery eye blazed to life, absorbing the red mana nested in Kai’s right arm. As the draconic energy surged into her, two grand silver wings sprouted from her back.

  She grew; larger than the tree she once coiled around. She had evolved into a Winged Serpent, a fusion of Kai’s reptilian inheritance and draconic legacy.

  She hissed and manifested behind Kai, roaring like a dragon. The roar echoed through his soul, expanding his inner world to twenty meters. The manifestation faded, and the serpent coiled around the Thunder Tree and moonlit core, binding them into one.

  Kai’s mana surged through his new channels. The Thunder Tree dug deeper into his core, its roots strengthened by the dragon’s blood. His moonlit core expanded, absorbing the pure mana. A new system formed within him.

  His heart now absorbed ambient mana at a rate far beyond his core’s previous limits. The mana flowed into his body, energizing it, then passed through his Thunderfire and serpent circles, each absorbing a portion, before settling into his core, nourishing the tree and deepening his lightning and moonlight affinities.

  His draconic wolf absorbed mana from the Thunderfire circle, enhancing his fire affinity. And finally, Crescent Moon absorbed mana from his entire body. It was no longer just an auxiliary technique; it had become part of him.

  The tattoo on his body shifted, transforming into a full red moon. It had evolved into a Blood Moon, leaping from Stage One to Stage Two. Kai’s body was now unified, one whole.

  He stood taller, nearly 190 centimeters. His muscles were more defined, his presence more commanding. He looked nothing like the boy who had once arrived in the jungle.

  “What do you say, my inheritor?” asked Arthraxius, pride in his voice.

  Kai opened and closed his fists, strength crackling within.

  “I feel incredible. But at the same time, I feel like someone else. It will take some time to get used to this new body.”

  “You are now more than human,” the dragon said. “In your chest beats a draconic heart. In your veins flows my blood and our pure mana.

  Dragons are beings made of pure mana, blessed with ultimate control. Once you reach the level beyond Seraph, you will understand.”

  “There’s a level above Seraph or Archon that humans can reach?” Kai asked, stunned.

  “Indeed. But it’s too early to speak of such things. In time, you will know.”

  Arthraxius continued, his voice resonating with ancient authority.

  “Your body can now withstand all types of mana. Your heart has become the center of your being; it will replace your core, as it does for my kind. This is the way of the draconic race.”

  Kai felt the weight of those words settle deep within him.

  “You will still need to cultivate affinity with each element if you wish,” the dragon said, “but compatibility will no longer be an issue. Your body has been reforged from pure draconic mana; it is resilient, adaptive, and powerful.”

  Arthraxius moved back, his gaze piercing.

  “I will not teach you any new skills,” Arthraxius said, his gaze steady and unwavering. “You have gained enough for now. What you need is experience, time to adapt to this new body, to understand its limits and potential.”

  He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.

  “You must seek a master in the outside world. Someone who can guide you properly, challenge you, and help you grow beyond what I can offer here. The jungle has given you strength, but the world beyond will shape your destiny.”

  A pause.

  “Tell me, before you face the test, do you need anything?”

  Kai nodded.

  “I need a sword. The Arcanum’s weapons are locked, and my last one broke during the fight with the wolf. Also… is there a way to bring the Arcanum with me when I leave?”

  “I have a few rare swords left,” the dragon said. “Take this one. It’s made from manametal and reinforced with arg metal. It’ll be harder to channel mana into, but far more durable than your last.”

  “As for the Arcanum, Scry can carry it for now. Once your inner world reaches a hundred meters, you’ll be able to carry it yourself.”

  Then the dragon turned to Umbra.

  “Young one, as my inheritor’s partner, you deserve something as well. I’ll allow you to leave the valley without taking the test.”

  Umbra stepped forward.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty, but I wish to take the test too,” she said firmly.

  Arthraxius laughed.

  “Very well. Then take this.”

  He flicked a sphere of pure mana wrapped around a dark gem. It entered Umbra’s body and vanished into her dark core.

  “This will help when you begin your breakthrough into Divine Beast. It will allow you to reshape your body as you see fit and strengthen you further.”

  Umbra bowed deeply.

  “Thank you, Lord Dragon.”

  “Well then, that’s all. I don’t doubt you’ll pass the test. But before you leave, say goodbye to Tenebria. She may seem cold, but she means well.”

  “This is farewell, for now. You are now part of my family. Stand proud and walk through this world with your head held high.”

  Kai stepped forward, his voice steady but soft.

  “Before we leave… I just want to thank you. Truly. I don’t know if I can live up to everything you’ve entrusted to me, but I’ll give it my all. I’ll try to at least survive.”

  The dragon smiled, his ancient eyes glowing with warmth.

  “That is all I ask. Live long. Live until your hair turns white. Live until you can look back and say, ‘It was a good life.’ That is my honest wish for you, my inheritor. My last Chosen.“

  Kai felt the weight of those words settle deep in his heart.

  Scry wiped his eyes, the dragon’s words stirring something deep, something buried within him.

  Kai bowed deeply.

  “I hope we meet again, somewhere in the outside world. Goodbye, Lord Arthraxius.”

  With a final nod, the dragon raised his claw. Light enveloped them.

  In an instant, they were gone.

  They reappeared in the underground chamber of the castle.

  They had gained much more than they had ever expected.

  But more than anything, they had gained family.

  Mistwarped (Mistworld Series, Book 2)

  by NeoRyu777

  When solving the unsolvable means breaking the rules, are you justified?

  why the Undead existed at all…

  And the Mist isn’t so easily conquered.

  Mistbound is now available on Amazon!

  Mistwarped is now available for preorder:

  https://www.patreon.com/c/Mistbound