Zeryn’s life was anything but lucky. In his world, dragons soared through the skies—creatures as beautiful as they were feared. Cold-hearted and merciless…or so everyone said.

When Zeryn was just four, dragons killed his parents right before his eyes. He was taken in by foster parents, but tragedy struck again—dragons ended their lives too. It seemed as though misfortune clung to him, like a shadow.

His life felt like a nightmare until the day a wealthy man bought him. Zeryn assumed he was doomed to a life of servitude. But fate had other plans. The man owned an academy—not just any academy, but one dedicated to training dragon hunters.

Zeryn’s hatred for dragons burned brighter than any flame. This academy became his refuge. With time, he honed his skills, mastering weapons, wearing fireproof dragon-scale armor, and developing the strength of five men. Zeryn transformed into one of the fiercest dragon hunters in the land.

He was merciless. A true slayer.

But one night, everything changed.

Zeryn went out for a solitary ride, seeking peace in the shadows of the forest and the hush of the mountains. That’s when he saw it—a dragon gliding through the sky.

Without hesitation, he drew his bow, aimed, and let the arrow fly. It pierced the dragon’s leg. The creature roared in agony, spiraling down, crashing into the trees some distance away.

Zeryn spurred his horse forward, adrenaline pumping. Broken branches and torn earth marked the dragon’s path of destruction. He followed the trail until he reached a gaping hole in the ground.

He dismounted, sword drawn, approaching the pit with caution

But what he saw made his breath catch in his throat

There, lying in the crater, was not a dragon

It was a girl

A girl with hair the color of the dragon he’d just shot. His eyes widened as he took in the arrow lodged in her leg

His voice trembled with disbelief “Wh…what are you?”

The girl...no, the dragon...gazed up at him with pain and fury in her eyes