The king gave the command, and the court priest, his heart heavy with fear, gathered a band of the kingdom's strongest warriors. They rode out under a blood-red dawn, their faces pale, their hands trembling though they gripped their swords tight.
For months, they searched the darkest corners of Morayana — dense, cursed forests where no birds sang and even sunlight dared not enter. The trees there whispered old secrets.
Then, deep within the shadowed heart of the Eldwood, they found it.
A colossal dragon, black as night,Its scales were covered in ancient runes, now cracked and faded. Its eyes were empty, but a faint glow hinted at the fire it once held. The dragon had been dead for centuries, yet the air around it still felt heavy with old magic. The ground had sunk where it rested, twisted by the weight of its enormous body. Even in death, it was terrifying.
The priest fell to his knees, cold sweat clinging to his skin. He felt it in his bones — this was the source. This cursed beast had long been tied to Morayana's sorrow.
Rushing back to the castle, the priest fell before the king and queen.
"We have found it, my lords," he rasped, voice thin with terror. "The dragon that has long poisoned our lands with its cursed breath.
The queen stood slowly. She was no frail noblewoman. Before marriage, she had been a famed huntress of the northern wilds. She knew the weight of a blade, the sting of an arrow, and the cold satisfaction of a clean kill.
"I will perform the rituals myself," she said, her eyes dark and desperate. "I will draw the dragon's blood, even if the magic itself tries to consume me. Morayana will not fall while I still breathe."
"My queen…" he began, his voice breaking. "I beg you. I have served your bloodline since I first drew breath. You are not bound to this path."
The queen turned, her gaze cold but weary. "I am more bound to this path than any man in this kingdom. Would you have me sit idle while Morayana rots and my bloodline dies?"
The priest stepped closer, voice trembling. "There are powers in this world that even kings must fear. That dragon is not a mere beast. It is bound to the curse itself. Its blood will give you an heir, yes — but the child will carry the darkness. The curse will not break. It will only wait for a heavier price."
The queen's jaw tightened. "I know what I risk. But this kingdom is dying. My people live in fear. My husband's name will fade into dust if no heir rises. I will face damnation before I let Morayana fall to traitors and vultures."
The priest fell to his knees. "Then let another perform the rituals, let another draw the dragon's blood. Not you. If you die…"
"No."
The queen's voice was sharp, almost ragged with urgency. "I will do it myself. I will perform the rituals and draw the dragon's blood. No one else, . If this magic is to be done, it will be done by my hands."
…..She turned away.
"Prepare the rites."