Across the multiverse, factions stirred.
The great forge of Cindralus roared without pause. Rivers of molten flame carved channels through the black stone, each one feeding into towering anvils where divine sparks hammered endlessly. Countless fire-born worshippers toiled in silence, shaping metal that would never cool.
Their God raised his head from the heart of the inferno. The Primarch’s body burned with living flame, his shape only barely contained by molten skin that cracked and reformed with every living breath.
Then it came. A ripple in the weave of creation, carrying a voice that should have been silenced forever.
His eyes, embers brighter than suns, narrowed.
“Dragons…” he whispered, the word a curse on his tongue.
The forge-fire flared higher, shattering anvils as lesser spirits collapsed to their knees under the almighty presence.
“They dare awaken again. Those wretched beasts. Tainted by elements they were never meant to wield.” His voice rolled like magma through the forge, every syllable molten fury.
“Their flames are impure. Corrupted.”
He rose, towering above the rivers of fire.
“It has been too long since the multiverse was reminded of what true flame is. I will see their allies weep once more, and all will learn that only purity endures. The purity of Fire.”
The forge fell silent, save for the hiss of fire feeding itself.
~
The Dead Court stretched endlessly, a city of bone and shadow. Obsidian spires rose from seas of ash, each crowned with a flickering green flame. Countless souls drifted through the streets like pale mist, whispering prayers to gods that never answered.
At the heart of it all, two figures sat across from one another. One was wrapped in tattered robes that seemed older than time itself, a lich whose crown of bone marked him as sovereign of the Court. Opposite him, a figure of hollow steel and rotting flesh lounged upon a throne of chained corpses, its skull-helm grinning eternally.
The lich broke the silence first, his voice thin as smoke.
“You heard it.”
The warlord’s helm tilted, faint cracks of light spilling from the sockets. “I did. The call of a dragon. I thought their kind were ash and memory.”
“So did we all,” the lich whispered, skeletal fingers tapping the arm of his seat. “And yet the multiverse quakes.”
The warlord’s laugh was like rusted chains breaking. “Do you feel fear, old friend? Or hunger?”
“Neither,” the lich replied. “I feel… curiosity. The Nine tore themselves apart over those creatures once. The war cost us armies, saints, and kings. And now, one breathes again. The cycle renews.”
The warlord leaned forward, the bones of his throne creaking beneath him. “Shall we take the field when the storm rises? Or let the living bleed themselves dry as before?”
The lich’s eyes burned faint green. “We are patient. Let the fire and light wage their wars. Let the mortals drown in cause and conviction. When the ashes settle, the Court of the Dead will remain, and the dragon’s bones will belong to us.”
The green flames crowning the spires flared higher, casting long shadows across the city of the dead.
~
The roots of the Eternal Grove pulsed faintly with light, carrying lifeblood through an endless forest. At its heart, the Verdant Matron knelt by a crystal pool, her touch coaxing lilies into bloom where her fingers trailed across the water.
The surface rippled, and a man stumbled out of the reflection, dripping from head to toe. His robe was a patchwork of colours, one sleeve scorched, another frozen stiff. A frog plopped out of his hood onto the moss.
“Every time,” Caldrin muttered, wringing out his sleeve. “One day I’ll fix that spell. Until then I arrive like a drowned apprentice.”
The Matron arched a brow. “Archmagus of the Grand Arcanum, undone by a pond. You are consistent, at least.” She smiled. “Welcome, my friend, it has been too long.”
“Consistency is for boring people, Vera,” Caldrin said lightly. Then his smile thinned, and his eyes sharpened. “You felt it too.”
She inclined her head, the leaves above whispering though there was no wind. “A dragon stirs again.”
Caldrin tapped the butt of his staff against the moss. “I thought Iskarion’s storms were the last song we’d ever hear. If one of the brood survived…” His voice trailed, quiet.
“They were not relics,” the Matron said firmly. “They were friends. Allies. Too many of ours died standing beside them. Too many of theirs burned because the multiverse could not abide what they were.”
Caldrin’s humour was gone entirely now. “I lost students. Friends. You lost guardians.” His voice turned fiery. “Gods fell, mortals bled, and for what? A war that even the Nine could not agree on. Half of us hunted, half of us defended, and in the end we all bled for it.”
Expression solemn, Vera spoke, “You needn’t remind me. The memories still haunt my grove.”
The pool stilled, reflecting their grim silence.
“Iskarion was the strongest of us,” Vera whispered. “If even he could not survive, how can this one hope to endure?”
Caldrin closed his eyes for a moment. “Perhaps he is gone. Perhaps not. But whether this dragon carries storms or something new, the Nine cannot make the same mistakes again. The Treaty disallows it. I disallow it.”
The Matron’s voice hardened. “Others will not hesitate. The zealots will call it impure. The scavengers will see profit. The cowards will wait and watch. You know this as well as I. Treaty or not, Cindralus will not sit idle.”
Caldrin gave a long breath, adjusting his soaked robe with an almost comical tug. “Then let them come. We stood with dragons once. We’ll do it again. My Arcanum still remembers who our allies were.”
“And my Grove never forgot,” she replied.
The forest itself seemed to lean in around them, its ancient breath rustling the leaves in unseen approval.
~
Meanwhile, back in the much smaller room, a young man was doing his best to restrain a woman.
“Christ, Ashley! Did you put all your free points into Strength?!” Leo grunted, struggling to keep her arms pinned.
“Let me go! I need to hold it!” she shouted, thrashing against him.
On the table between them, nestled in shards of glittering eggshell, sat the most adorable creature either of them had ever seen. Barely the length of a forearm, its body was slim yet soft, with the roundness of a human infant.
Iridescent scales shimmered across its skin, shifting colour with each tiny breath from its toothy little mouth. Two stubby horns crowned its head like buds just beginning to bloom, and beneath them were its eyes.
Eyes the same colouration of Leo’s but big and glossy. They were the most gorgeous eyes Leo had seen since Cecelia’s. If those were anything like he had then maybe the nickname of disco wasn’t too far off, but it certainly wasn’t doing them justice.
“You’re going to scare her! Calm down!” Leo barked.
“Fine! Fine! I’ll behave,” Ashley groaned, though her twitching fingers and trembling body betrayed her desperation.
Cautiously, Leo loosened his hold and stepped toward the hatchling. He extended a hand, palm steady. “Hey there, little one. Do you know who I am?”
The dragon tilted its head, wobbling forward on unsteady legs. She sniffed his fingers with her stubby snout, then pressed her head into his palm with a soft chirp.
“I’m going to die,” Ashley said dramatically. “If I don’t get to touch her soon, I’m going to die.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Leo said, though the corner of his mouth twitched at her theatrics. He kept stroking his new companion. “Will you be my friend, and help me grow stronger?”
The hatchling gave a happy yelp and closed her eyes. A System prompt blinked before him.
Your companion has hatched and your soul-bond has evolved from
Bond: Dragon egg
To
Bond: Elemental Dragon
Please give your companion a name before continuing
“You want a name huh?” Leo asked softly.
She nodded happily, bright eyes gleaming in recognition.
He considered the grand, regal names that fit dragons of legend, such as Villastramoz or Alduin, names heavy with power. But those didn’t feel right. This one wasn’t just a dragon of myth. She was his companion.
“I’ll call you Ellie.”
Ellie, the Elemental Dragon.
Upon naming your companion your bond has progressed.
For every level Ellie gains, you will receive;
+2 Intellect, +1 Agility, +1 Vitality, +1 Wisdom, +1 Free Point
Until the bond evolves Ellie will gain:
+3 All stats per level
You now have access to Ellie’s status.
You have gained the Skill: Dragon’s Will (Aura, Rare)
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Dragon’s Will (Aura, Rare)
The will of a dragon is not easily bent. Your bond strengthens your presence, resolve, and resistance to mental intrusion. Lesser creatures instinctively feel your pressure when confronted.
Increased resistance to fear, charm, or domination effects
Allows you to project your presence, causing weaker enemies to hesitate or falter
Scales with Will
Cooldown: None
“Holy sh–” Leo’s words died as a sudden surge tore through his chest.
His breath hitched, knees buckling as something inside him stirred awake. The storm he had come to know, the silent weight in his core, was no longer idly resting. It rose not in anger or destruction, but for another reason.
To assert its dominance.
Leo screamed as lightning lanced across his skin, bursts of pressure rattling the room. The storm seized the new power, twisting it, reforging it in its own image.
Your bloodline has forcibly upgraded your Skill: Dragon’s will (Aura, Rare)
To Stormforged Presence (Aura, Exalted)
Stormforged Presence (Aura, Exalted)
The storm does not kneel. It does not bend. Your presence becomes a force of nature, unshakeable and undeniable. Your resolve is absolute, your willpower indomitable. When flaring your aura, enemies feel the crushing weight of a storm pressing down upon them. Your allies will feel the caress and courage of the tempest.
Immunity to most fear, charm, and domination effects
Aura can be consciously flared, creating pressure that scales with your power
At higher intensities, the aura may stagger or mentally break weaker foes
Aura will grant allies resistance to fear effects and a feeling of increased resolve when active.
Scales with Will
Cooldown: None
Warning: Releasing too much aura can result in a period of weakness due to soul strain.
Title gained: Ahead of the Curve
Ahead of the Curve
You have reached beyond what most acquire at F-grade, attaining a skill of Exalted rarity. Continue this prodigious path towards the peak.
+5 All stats, +5% All stats
Leo gasped like a man breaking the surface after too long underwater, dragging in air as if he might never get enough. His vision steadied, then narrowed as two faces hovered over him, far too close together.
Ashley had Ellie clutched protectively in her arms, her whole body leaning over his prone form.
“Let me get this straight,” Leo rasped, “I collapse in agony, no clue if I’m about to die, and your first instinct is to grab Ellie.”
Ashley sniffed, utterly unrepentant. “It’s not like you haven’t collapsed before. And I told you I needed to hold her. Also, Ellie’s a cute name, but it’s not exactly dragon-y.”
Leo gave her a flat look. “Glad to know where I stand.”
Ashley ignored him, eyes bright with curiosity. “What even was that? At first I felt like I should run, but then… it felt safe. Like really, really safe.”
“New skill from bonding with Ellie,” Leo murmured, still sounding dazed. “I think it hit harder than expected.”
He hadn’t told anyone but Iskarion about his bloodline and still didn’t plan to.
Ellie wriggled in Ashley’s arms until she squirmed free, wings buzzing like frantic hummingbird blades. She flapped with all her tiny strength, managing to hover for about half a second, and then plopped unceremoniously onto Leo’s chest with a soft thump.
Leo chuckled and reached up to scratch her near her little budding horns. At once she melted into his touch, her whole body relaxing.
“Oh, you like that, huh?” he murmured, rubbing more firmly. Within moments, the baby dragon had gone completely limp, fast asleep, her tiny breaths tickling his shirt.
“Looks like I found the off-switch,” Leo whispered, smiling faintly.
Ashley clutched her face in mock agony. “I’m so jealous. I need a camera. This moment is perfect.”
Leo exhaled, feeling the weight of both exhaustion and contentment settling over him. He turned his gaze back to the translucent blue panel flickering at the edge of his vision.
“Alright,” he muttered, eyes narrowing as he focused. “Let’s see what we’ve got here.”
Name: Ellie
Level: 1
Race: Elemental Dragon (F)
Companion bonded to Leonidas Hawkins
Health Points (HP): 100/100
Mana Points (MP): 100/100
Stamina Points (SP): 100/100
Stats
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Endurance: 10
Vitality: 10
Toughness: 10
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 10
Will: 10
Free Points: 0
Essences
Dependent on bonded companion
Skills
Rebirth (Unique)
Growth
Gains +3 All stats per level
Gains full experience for Kills made
Passively gains 25% of Experience of Bonded companion
Leo resisted the urge to whistle. Her growth alone dwarfed what a class offered at F-grade. Even as a hatchling, her starting stats were better than his had been at level one.
Must be because she’s a literal Dragon. Leo thought, scanning the page again.
What caught his eye though, was the absence of things he had expected. No class. No profession. The Essence's line was vague at best.
She doesn’t use crystals? She only has what I have?
He frowned, mind pulling in a dozen directions before he finally sighed. The System wasn’t about to hand him the answer on a platter. Maybe Iskarion would. Maybe not. For now, he shelved the questions and focused on the one skill listed.
Rebirth (Unique)
If you are killed, your soul will be drawn into the core of your bonded companion. Over time, you will regenerate and can be reborn. Your companion will suffer a severe backlash of -50% to all stats when your revival is completed. Lasting 24 hours.
Leo’s frown deepened. On one hand, she was effectively immortal. On the other hand, her survival hinged on his, and that backlash could be a death sentence if it happened at the wrong time. Still, none of it changed what he had already promised himself. He would protect her. Always.
Ellie gave a quiet snore, her tiny chest rising and falling on his shirt. Ashley hadn’t taken her eyes off the little dragon, staring at her like the most priceless treasure in existence.
Leo forced his own gaze back to his own panels. The stat gains from their bond alone would help patch the imbalances that had plagued his stat sheet. With a steady breath, he called up his own status.
Name: Leonidas Hawkins
Level: 18
Race: Human (F)
Class: Pugilist
Companion Bond: Elemental Dragon (F)
Health Points (HP): 430/430
Mana Points (MP): 103/390
Stamina Points (SP): 401/410
Stats
Strength: 56
Agility: 79
Endurance: 41
Vitality: 43
Toughness: 29
Intelligence: 39
Wisdom: 26
Will: 45
Free Points: 0
Bloodline: Bloodline of the Elements
Essences
Fire (F)
Fuel The Fire (Uncommon)
Crimson Impact (Common)
Ice (F)
Frost Lance (Uncommon)
Cyro Shatter (Common)
Lightning (F)
Voltaic Reflex (Common)
Earth (F)
Stoneskin (Common)
Titles
Bloodline Originator
First Blood
Dungeon Delver I
Stormforged Pactbearer
Ahead of the Curve
Class Skills
Unarmed mastery (Common)
Refined Mana Strikes(Uncommon)
Powerful Haymaker (Common)
Iron Repetition (Common)
Echoing Talon (Uncommon)
Bond Skills
Storm’s Guidance (Unique)
Stormforged Presence (Exalted)
Race Skills
Multiversal Polyglot (Unique)
Identify (Common)
Meditate (Common)
His Agility was absurd now, amplified even further by the stacked bonuses from titles. They combined before applying, a single swelling percentage pushing his total higher. Fifteen percent was a hell of a modifier already.
Toughness was not at the bottom of the pile, to Leo’s irrational dismay. It probably should be higher, with him being a melee class and all.
Investing there would make him more durable, but the very idea irritated him. Survivability stats were for tanks. Glass cannons dodging and tearing through their foes? That was always the cooler choice.
If Iskarion could hear me weighing survivability like an afterthought, Leo mused, he might rethink trusting me with the future of his kind.
Still, it was hard to complain. He had an Exalted skill, although unsure where that rarity landed—likely higher than rare. Probably the highest Agility of any survivor in the tutorial, and a bond with a mythical, adorable creature.
Stormforged Presence in particular drew his attention. His bloodline had flat out rejected the idea of another will outmatching its own, reshaping what was already his rarest skill into something incredible. It had nearly killed him once, run rampant with his emotions, and now it had remade a skill outright. Dangerous, but undeniably powerful.
Plus, it was deemed an ‘Aura skill.’ Leo guessed that it was in the same boat as Ashley’s and Amy’s starting skill—the one that increased regen while nearby. Leo’s felt a bit stronger than that, however.
“Hell of a week,” Leo muttered.
The thought barely left his lips before the door slammed open. A man stumbled in, eyes going wide at the sight of the small dragon curled on Leo’s chest. Ellie stirred with a startled chirp, and Leo sat up.
“What is it?” Leo asked sharply.
The man blinked, shook his head clear. “Jonah took four fighters out to get some experience and Credits. Two just came back, half-dead. We need a healer, please.
“I’m on it,” Ashley said, already bolting past the man.
Leo cursed under his breath. He’d been too focused on himself, chasing growth, while others bled outside. He pushed off the floor, a sick weight coiling in his chest. He only hoped they weren’t too late to save the ones they could.
