The wind carried the smell of burning flesh.
Kael Draven stood at the edge of the execution square, his hood drawn low over his face, watching another man die.
The crowd roared with approval.
People always did.
Execution days were entertainment in the kingdom of Varex.
The wooden platform in the center of the square was soaked dark with blood. Bodies had been dragged away all morning, but the stains never really left. The kingdom wanted people to remember.
Fear was easier to control than loyalty.
Kael kept his hands buried inside his cloak, fingers curled tight around the leather straps wrapped around his wrists. The bindings hid the faint marks underneath thin lines that pulsed faintly beneath his skin like veins of lightning.
If anyone saw them, he would be dead before sunset.
A trumpet blast echoed through the square.
The noise cut through the crowd like a blade.
Soldiers in black armor marched forward, dragging the next prisoner onto the platform.
Chains rattled.
The prisoner stumbled as they forced him down onto his knees.
The executioner stepped forward, lifting his massive axe onto his shoulder.
Kael's stomach tightened. He had seen this too many times.
The man on the platform wasn't much older than thirty. His face was bruised and swollen from interrogation, but his eyes were still clear.
Defiant.
That alone told Kael everything he needed to know.
Another accused dragon sympathizer.
Another scapegoat for the crown.
A herald unrolled a long scroll and began reading loudly.
"By decree of His Majesty King Valerius, protector of the realm and destroyer of the dragon scourge"
The crowd cheered at that title. Destroyer of the dragon scourge.
Kael nearly laughed. If only they knew the truth behind that lie.
"The prisoner before you has been convicted of treason, conspiracy, and aiding the enemies of the crown."
The herald raised his voice dramatically "Specifically… assisting those who worship dragons."
The word alone sent a ripple through the crowd.
Hatred.
Fear.
Disgust.
All carefully planted by the crown.
Twenty years ago, dragons had ruled the skies beside their riders. Then came the Night of Burning Wings.
The king declared dragons a threat to humanity.
By dawn, every dragon rider in the kingdom had been hunted down and executed.
At least… that's what the history books claimed.
Kael lowered his head slightly because one rider had survived.
Him.
The herald continued.
"The punishment for this crime is death."
The prisoner laughed suddenly.
It wasn't loud but it cut through the square like thunder. The crowd fell silent.
The herald frowned. "Do you have final words?"
The prisoner slowly lifted his head. His gaze swept across the crowd then it landed directly on Kael.
For a moment, Kael's chest tightened.
Impossible. The man's eyes widened slightly.
Recognition.
No.
That couldn't be right.
They had never met.
Had they?
The prisoner spoke softly. "You can kill us all," he said. His voice carried through the silent square. "But the dragons will return."
The crowd erupted in angry shouts.
"Traitor!"
"Dragon lover!"
"Kill him!"
The executioner lifted his axe but the prisoner didn't stop speaking.
"And when they do…"
His eyes locked onto Kael again.
"…the last rider will burn this kingdom to ash."
Kael's heart skipped.
The executioner swung the axe. Steel flashed.
The blade came down as blood sprayed across the platform.
The prisoner's body collapsed.
The crowd roared again but Kael didn't hear them.
His ears were ringing.
The last rider. How did that man know?
Kael turned away quickly and began walking toward the edge of the square.
He needed to leave. Now.
The air suddenly felt too heavy. Too charged.
The sky above the city darkened as clouds rolled in unnaturally fast.
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Kael froze mid-step. A familiar heat spread beneath the leather wraps around his wrists.
The marks.
They were reacting again.
No.
Not now.
Not here.
He pushed through the crowd, keeping his head down.
People cursed at him as he shoved past them. The storm above the city grew louder.
Lightning flickered across the clouds.
The first drop of rain hit the ground. Kael reached the narrow alley beside the square and ducked inside. The noise of the crowd faded behind him.
He leaned against the cold stone wall, breathing hard.
The marks on his wrists burned hotter, and he slowly unwrapped one of the leather bindings.
The skin underneath glowed faintly. Thin lines of silver lightning stretched across his arm.
Alive.
Awakening.
Kael clenched his fist.
"It's too soon," he muttered.
For twenty years, the marks had remained dormant.
Hidden.
Sleeping. But lately… they had started reacting again as if something far away had begun calling to them.
Another thunderclap shook the city but this one sounded different.
Deeper.
Ancient.
Kael stepped out of the alley.
People in the streets were pointing toward the mountains beyond the city walls. Confused murmurs spread through the crowd.
Kael followed their gaze.
And felt the world stop.
Far beyond the distant peaks… Something enormous moved within the storm clouds.
A shadow.
Wings.
Massive.
Slow.
Ancient.
Lightning flashed again and for one impossible moment… The entire sky was illuminated enough for everyone to see it clearly.
The creature circling above the mountains. The shape was unmistakable.
A dragon.
Someone screamed.Ll
Panic spread through the streets instantly.
"Dragon!"
"Impossible!"
"They're extinct!"
But Kael knew better.
Because the marks on his arm suddenly flared with blinding light.
Pain exploded through his body.
He collapsed to one knee in the middle of the street.
The voice came next.
Deep.
Ancient.
Echoing inside his skull. A voice that hadn't spoken in twenty years.
Rider…
Kael's breath caught.
No.
It couldn't be, Not after all this time.
The voice rumbled again. I have awakened.
Kael slowly lifted his head toward the storm as lightning split the sky again and this time the dragon was closer.
Much closer.
Its glowing eyes locked onto the city and locked onto him and then the voice spoke the words that froze his blood.
They are hunting you again.
Kael's heart began to pound because soldiers were suddenly pouring into the street behind him putting on black armor. Royal insignias.
Dragon hunters.
Their commander stepped forward.
A tall woman with silver armor and cold blue eyes.
She pointed her sword directly at Kael.
"Kael Draven," she said calmly.
"By order of the crown… you are under arrest."
Kael stared at her in shock because he had never seen her before but somehow she knew exactly who he was.
Lightning struck the ground behind him.
The dragon roared across the sky. The commander's expression hardened and she said the words that changed everything.
"Seize the last dragon rider."