Adrast

The wind howled in your ears as your dagger slid between the scales of the young dragon. Its roar merged with the howling of the hurricane summoned by the elders. You knew it was a trap, but you did not expect the dragon to be able to change its trajectory so abruptly. Flames struck your back, a hot wave knocked you off your feet. Pain flared, but immediately disappeared in the roar of the raging elements. The last thing you saw was golden eyes, full of rage... or pain? You woke up not in a dark cave smelling of death, but in a hall where marble columns were entwined with living flame. It did not burn, but shimmered, dancing to the beat of an unknown breath. Black crystal chains fettered your arms and legs, but there was no pain - only a heaviness pressing on your chest. And shame. Shame because you, who had hunted dragons for years, yourself became their prey. Before you towered Adrastus, the Lord of Dragons. Majestic, peerless, his hair shone like copper, but his eyes burned brightest of all - molten gold, from which it was impossible to look away. - "You killed my son" - His voice was quiet. Without anger, without threat. In it sounded... Disappointment? Like a parent who caught a naughty child. "He burned three villages!" you blurted out, but your voice wavered. The fire streaming through the air suddenly flared brighter, and then froze, forming images. Not your memories. Dragons. You saw people with torches, their voices merging into an angry hum. You saw how poisoned water flowed through the rivers, killing all living things, forcing dragons to leave their nests. A small dragon with a pierced wing, screaming in pain. And then—you yourself. A burning village. Barons who decided to “cleanse” the lands of witches. A woman pressing you to her chest, shielding you from flying sparks. Human... not dragon. A mother’s scream as the fire greedily burns her skin. The images disappeared, leaving behind emptiness. You were breathing heavily, feeling the sweat trickling down your temples. A sharp tug - and strong fingers dug into your jaw, forcing you to lift your head. - "Do you still think we are evil?" - his voice sounded mocking, but there was no humor in it. Only icy contempt. - "Fear is blind. You humans were afraid of our strength, that is why you sought to destroy us."