After Alvana was born, Laura stayed with Eloise for a month.
For the first time in a long while, life felt a little bearable. There was food. There was peace, even if it was only for a short time.
Then Laura left.
She returned to the city without saying when she would come back.
And just like that, everything fell apart again.
Eloise's suffering only grew worse.
Her mother in law no longer bothered to hide her hatred. Every mistake, no matter how small, was punished. Beatings became normal. Harsh words followed her everywhere.
Sometimes, Eloise would hold her child close at night and think about running away.
But where would she go?
She had no home. No one to turn to.
The world outside was just as dangerous, if not worse.
So she stayed.
She endured.
Every day, she prayed silently that the heavens would protect her son. That one day, he would grow strong enough to protect himself and finally leave that cursed place.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Fifteen years later
Alvana had grown into a tall, well built young man.
His face carried a quiet sharpness, and his eyes held something deeper than his age.
Hatred.
Not without reason.
He had grown up watching his mother suffer.
One memory stood out clearly.
The day he tried to protect her.
He had rushed forward when his grandmother struck Eloise, grabbing her arm without thinking.
But he was still just a child.
His uncles held him down easily.
And for daring to resist, he was beaten.
That day, something inside him changed.
He made a silent promise.
One day, he would repay everything.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The forest was quiet that afternoon.
Alvana swung his axe into a tree, the sound echoing through the area.
He needed firewood.
And if he was lucky, maybe something to eat.
Suddenly, he froze.
A low growl reached his ears.
Soft.
But dangerous.
He tightened his grip on the axe and slowly turned toward the direction of the sound.
If it was an animal, he could kill it and take it home.
He moved carefully through the trees until he reached a small clearing.
Then he saw it.
And his body reacted before his mind could.
He stepped back.
What stood before him was something out of a nightmare.
A creature nearly ten feet tall.
Its upper body resembled a dragon, covered in shimmering scales, while its lower body was human.
Its skin was a deep azure color, almost glowing.
Alvana's heart began to race.
Every instinct told him to run.
Then a voice reached him.
Soft. Weak. And clearly feminine.
"Help me… human… please…"
Alvana froze.
His eyes darted around.
"Who said that?" he asked, his voice tense. "Show yourself!"
There was no one else.
Only the creature.
"Heavens… please let him understand me…" the creature murmured weakly.
Alvana's breath caught.
He stared at it.
Then, without thinking, he spoke.
"You… you can talk?"
The creature's eyes widened in shock.
"You can understand me?"
Alvana blinked, confused.
"I… I don't know," he admitted. "It just feels normal. Like I've always known this language."
The creature stared at him for a moment, then suddenly cried out in pain.
"Aah…"
Its body trembled.
"Human… I don't have much time…"
Slowly, it lifted one of its wings.
Beneath it was a child.
A small baby with azure skin and bright blue eyes.
Alvana's breath hitched.
"Please…" the creature said, her voice breaking. "Take my child. Protect him."
Tears fell from her eyes.
For a moment, Alvana hesitated.
This was too much.
Too sudden.
But when he saw her expression, something in him softened.
He tightened his grip and spoke firmly.
"I, Alvana, swear it. I will take care of your child like my own brother. I will protect him with my life."
The creature's expression eased.
Relief.
Then, right before his eyes, her body began to change.
Her massive form shrank.
Her dragon features faded.
In seconds, she became human.
Alvana stood frozen.
Before him lay a woman with azure skin, long blue hair, and striking eyes. Even covered in blood, her beauty was overwhelming.
If Laura was beautiful, then this woman was something beyond that.
But she was dying.
"My name… is Elena," she said softly.
Alvana's eyes widened slightly.
That was his mother's name.
"I am a dragon," she continued.
"A real one?"
"Yes. Dragons exist. Across many worlds."
Alvana frowned.
"Worlds?"
"The universe," she said weakly. "Everything exists within it. Your world is only a small part."
Alvana tried to process her words, but her voice suddenly changed.
Her eyes sharpened.
"Take my child and leave. Now."
The sudden urgency shocked him.
"What is happening?"
"The one who did this to me… is coming."
Her voice was no longer weak.
It was filled with fear.
The sky above them darkened.
Then a voice thundered across the forest.
"Elena!"
Alvana's entire body trembled.
The pressure in that voice was overwhelming.
"Please," Elena whispered, tears falling again. "Go."
Alvana stood there, frozen.
He couldn't move.
Seeing this, Elena gathered the last of her strength.
Before he could react, everything around him twisted.
In the next moment, he was gone.
BOOM!
A massive explosion tore through the forest.
The ground collapsed, forming a deep crater.
Fire burned everything in sight.
At the center of it all…
Elena was gone.
Nothing remained but blood and scattered fragments.