Riko eventually stopped struggling.
Half his body lay inside the cage, the other half outside, cheek fins painfully hooked between the iron bars. Every attempt to pull free only hurt more. Exhaustion settled in, and he finally sagged there, defeated, tail twitching weakly.
So this is my life now… stuck in a cage as a dragon.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Riko lifted his head just as the door swung open. Three men entered, followed by a richly dressed man in dark velvet robes. Beside him walked a boy no older than ten, eyes bright with excitement.
They stopped at the sight before them.
The well-dressed man frowned.
"What in the world happened to the dragon? Who left it like that?"
One of the guards scratched his head.
"Must've been Seezer, my lord. He was the last one out."
A burly man at the back protested, "How's that my fault? Looks like the thing tried to squeeze through the bars."
Another man laughed. "Black dragons are rare, Lord Vinson. Guess it didn't want to stay put."
The boy stepped closer, eyes wide with wonder.
"Aww… look at him! He's so cute!"
He reached out to pet Riko.
Before his hand could touch him, Lord Vinson stopped him with a sharp gesture.
"No, Leo. Dragons are fierce creatures—even as hatchlings. Never forget that."
The boy withdrew his hand reluctantly. "Aww… okay."
Vinson sighed, then gestured toward the cage.
"Someone get him out of there."
Two men carefully freed Riko from the bars. His cheek fins slipped loose at last, leaving him dizzy with relief. Before he could react, the cage door opened, and rough hands grabbed him.
A metal chain clipped onto the leather collar around his neck.
Riko froze.
Wait… what?
He pulled back instinctively.
"MIII! MIII!"
The leash jerked tight.
No effect. No escape.
Are they… walking me like a dog?!
Lord Vinson took the chain and walked over to the boy, placing it gently into his hands.
"here you go, son. Your birthday present."
Leo's face lit up in pure joy.
"Woooow! Thanks, Dad! You're the best!"
Riko stared up at them in disbelief, tiny claws scraping uselessly against the floor.
Birthday present?
Riko dug his claws into the stone floor as he was dragged toward the doorway, wings flaring in panic. The chain pulled tight against his collar, choking off his resistance.
He didn't want to go anywhere with them.
Not outside. Not deeper into whatever nightmare this was.
"Come on, Shadow," Leo called cheerfully, tugging on the leash.
Shadow?
Riko whipped his head around, eyes blazing.
HISSSSS!
A sharp, instinctive hiss burst from his throat, his tiny fangs flashing. His tail lashed, wings flapping as he tried to pull away.
It didn't help.
With a small grunt, Leo simply lifted him off the ground, tucking the squirming baby dragon under one arm while gripping the collar with the other.
"There we go," Leo laughed. "Stop fighting."
Riko kicked helplessly in the air, claws swiping at nothing.
Put me down! I'm not your pet!
Only frustrated squeaks came out.
"Miii! Miii!"
Leo stroked the top of his head awkwardly, trying to calm him the way one might soothe a puppy.
"There, there… it's okay."
Riko froze, stunned.
They walked out of the chamber into bright daylight, and Riko blinked as sunlight flooded his vision.
A grand house.
A real, medieval style house.
Servants paused as they passed, staring at him with curiosity and excitement.
"Is that the young lord's dragon?"
"It's so small…"
"Black scales… that's rare."
Riko slowly stopped struggling, shock overtaking panic.
This wasn't temporary.
This wasn't a dream.
He'd died…
And somehow been reborn here.
As a dragon.
Leo smiled proudly, holding him up slightly.
"Look, Shadow! This is your new home!"
Riko stared at the massive house, dread settling deep in his tiny chest.
New home?
He had a very bad feeling about this.
Riko thrashed all the way there, wings flapping and claws scraping uselessly against Leo's arm. Every twist and struggle earned him nothing but a tighter grip.
He was carried through past servants, until they finally entered a large bedroom decorated with rich curtains and polished furniture. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, lighting shelves filled with toys, wooden swords, and books.
A child's room.
Leo walked inside and shut the door with his foot before placing Riko on the soft carpet.
Before Riko could bolt, the boy knelt and tied the chain leash to one of the bedposts.
The metal clinked.
Trapped again.
Leo crouched in front of him, smiling brightly, completely unaware of the fury brewing in the tiny dragon's chest.
"I like you, Shadow," he said happily. "We're gonna be best buddies."
Riko's eyes narrowed.
Best buddies?
He arched his back, wings spreading wide, and released the fiercest sound his small body could manage.
"HISSSSSSSSS!"
Leo blinked, then laughed.
"You're scary for something so small."
Riko snapped his jaws in frustration, but Leo only stood up, dusting off his clothes.
"Don't worry. You'll like it here. I'll play with you every day."
The boy walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Silence settled.
Riko sat there, chest heaving, leash rattling softly whenever he moved.
Riko lay quietly on the carpet, his tail curled around his small body as he watched the room.
So… this kid's important.
Even with his limited understanding, the clues were obvious. The size of the room, the servants, the guards, the way everyone obeyed that man earlier.
Leo was the son of a count.
Which meant Lord Vinson…
…was the count himself.
Great. So I didn't just get reborn as a dragon. I got reborn as noble property.
Night settled over the castle. Moonlight spilled through the tall windows, painting pale silver across the room.
Leo lay sprawled across the bed, fast asleep, one arm hanging over the edge. Soft snores filled the quiet space.
Before sleeping, the boy had placed a bowl of meat and water near the bedpost where Riko was tied. Riko had eaten without complaint this time. Hunger was harder to resist now, and raw meat no longer seemed strange.
That realization worried him.
When the room grew silent, Riko slowly lifted his head.
Now or never.
He crept closer to the bedpost, careful not to make the leash clink. His eyes fixed on the collar buckle.
If he could undo it…
He twisted his neck, trying to hook a claw under the latch. His tiny claws scraped uselessly against the metal.
Again.
And again.
Nothing.
He bit at it, tugged, twisted, pulled until the collar dug painfully into his scales.
Still nothing.
The buckle didn't even budge.
Panting, Riko planted his feet and pulled as hard as he could, trying to slip free.
The chain snapped tight.
The collar refused to give.
Minutes passed.
His strength drained away, his limbs trembling. Finally, he slumped onto the carpet, exhausted.
This body… it's useless.
His eyelids drooped despite his frustration. The day's chaos—death, rebirth, cage, collar, castle—finally caught up with him.
Curled beside the bed, tiny wings folded tight, Riko drifted into uneasy sleep.....