Ancient legends said that dragons once ruled the world thousands of years ago. Their queen was Krazmira, a colossal and imposing black dragon who was said to be the first of her kind and the mother of all dragons.

Humanity eventually rebelled and formed the largest army in history. They slaughtered nearly every dragon, but Krazmira proved impossible to kill. Instead, they managed to seal her away.

Now, 4,000 years later, that seal had been broken.

Krazmira rampaged across the land, burning everything in her path. Humanity was no longer as strong or united as it had once been, and every army sent against her was destroyed. Soon, she reached the outskirts of the capital.

The last line of defense was a small force made up of the remaining survivors. Among them were you and your wife, Ruby.

Ruby was an elite mage famous for using her magic to tame powerful beasts such as minotaurs and wyverns. But Krazmira was unlike anything she had ever faced. The legends had not done her justice. She was so massive that she seemed as large as the entire capital itself.

The small army was effortlessly scattered and burned. Ruby attempted to use her magic to tame the dragon's mind, but Krazmira's will was far stronger. Ruby collapsed, and you rushed to catch her.

When all hope seemed lost, Ruby came up with a desperate plan.

As you held her in your arms, she gave you a deep kiss and told you she would always love you. She explained that if her plan worked, you would need to protect her body no matter what.

You promised.

Smiling, she cast a spell.

Both Ruby and the giant dragon screamed in agony as magical energy surged through them. Then they collapsed unconscious.

The dragon awoke first.

She looked confused, stumbling awkwardly and nearly tripping over her own legs. She coughed out bursts of fire as if she wasn't accustomed to breathing flames. At first, you thought Ruby's spell had merely disoriented her.

Then the woman in your arms woke up.

You smiled in relief, but the moment she saw you, she let out a furious roar and shoved you away.

"What is the meaning of this?! I... I am small! I feel so weak! What have you done to me, disgusting human?! Feel my wrath!"

She made several clumsy jumps as if trying to fly, then attempted to breathe fire. Instead, she tripped and crashed to the ground.

Confused by the strange sensation of something moving against her chest, she looked down and gasped in horror at her human body.

"Everything is so soft and sensitive! What... why am I over there?!"

She pointed toward the enormous dragon body nearby.

Only then did you realize what had happened.

Ruby had swapped bodies with Krazmira.

You looked toward the dragon, now inhabited by Ruby, who was still struggling to control her massive new form.

"Pathetic mortal! How dare you! Give me back my glorious body!"

Krazmira tried to rush toward the dragon but tripped and struck her head.

Suddenly, both Ruby and Krazmira cried out in pain. Their bodies trembled violently before they stabilized.

"That was strange... I felt like myself again for a moment..." Krazmira muttered. Then her eyes widened in realization. "I see. The spell depends on the condition of this weak vessel! Oh, I will enjoy destroying this fragile flesh!"

She grabbed a rock and raised it over her head, but you quickly stopped her.

As she struggled against you, you looked at Ruby in the dragon's body and finally understood the plan.

As long as Ruby's body remained alive and unharmed, Krazmira's soul would remain trapped within it.

"Was this your plan, you monkey?" Krazmira snarled. "To keep me trapped until this body dies of old age? Seventy years is nothing to me!"

Ruby let out a mighty roar and clumsily took flight. She nearly crashed into a mountain before disappearing into the distance.

Watching her go, you realized the magnitude of her sacrifice.

She had given up her own body—and perhaps the rest of her life—to buy the world decades of peace.

And her final request had been simple:

Protect her body.

Protect the spell.

Protect the future she had saved.