The undercity breathed its usual rhythm of despair and resilience. The glow of flickering lanterns cast long shadows across damp stone walls, where graffiti whispered stories of rebellion and loss. Kaida sat alone on a weathered bench near the market, cloaked in a tattered shawl to avoid recognition. The mark on her back—a dragon's eye encircled by ancient glyphs—itched more than ever, as if something inside her had begun to stir.
Her betrayal by Elara haunted her thoughts. The way her girlfriend's gaze had shifted from affection to horror upon seeing the tattoo was a wound deeper than any blade could inflict. Kaida clenched her fists. The God of Dragons, the essence that now pulsed through her veins, had stayed silent during her darkest hour.
"Kaida," a familiar voice called. It was Oma, the eccentric storyteller from the market. His wrinkled hands carried scrolls and trinkets, and his sharp eyes seemed to pierce through her disguise.
Kaida hesitated. Oma was known for weaving tales that bordered on prophecy. "What do you want, old man?"
He chuckled. "What I want is irrelevant. What you need, however, cannot wait. Come."
Reluctantly, she followed him into a cramped shop filled with artifacts and books. Oma lit a small brazier, the flames casting an eerie glow on the dragon carvings adorning the walls.
"You're hiding," he said, not as a question but a statement.
Kaida glared at him. "What else am I supposed to do? The topside wants me dead. Elara betrayed me. I'm not strong enough to face them."
Oma raised an eyebrow. "Not yet. But the mark on your back is a beacon. It is calling something ancient, something powerful. You cannot run from what you are."
Kaida's hand moved to her shoulder instinctively. "You know about the mark?"
"More than you do," he replied, pulling out an old tome. The cover bore the same glyphs as her tattoo. "This is the Codex Draconis, the last record of the dragon gods and their chosen vessels. You, Kaida, are one such vessel."
The room seemed to close in around her. "Why me? I didn't ask for this."
"No one does," Oma said softly. "But fate rarely listens to what we want. Your powers will awaken soon, whether you're ready or not. And when they do, the balance of this world will shift."
Kaida felt the weight of his words, but doubt gnawed at her. "And what if I fail? What if I become like the monsters they say I am?"
Oma placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then you'll prove them wrong. But first, you must learn to control the fire within you."
He handed her the Codex Draconis and a small vial filled with shimmering red liquid. "Drink this tonight. It will show you the truth hidden in your memories."
Kaida accepted the items, though unease churned in her stomach. As she left the shop, the city seemed darker, the air heavier.
---
That night, Kaida sat in her dimly lit room. She stared at the vial, its contents swirling like molten gold. With a deep breath, she uncorked it and drank.
The world around her blurred, and she was pulled into a whirlwind of light and shadow.
She stood in a vast desert, the sky a canvas of fire and ash. A colossal dragon, its scales glimmering like molten rock, towered before her. Its voice boomed, filling the air with ancient power.
"You are Kaida," it rumbled, "the bearer of my essence. I am Zeryth, the last of the dragon gods."
Kaida trembled. "Why me? Why now?"
Zeryth lowered its massive head, its golden eyes locking onto hers. "Because you are the bridge between two worlds—the undercity and the topside, humanity and divinity. My power has lain dormant within you since birth. But the time for hiding is over."
The dragon's voice softened, almost mournful. "The world is broken. The topside kings grow greedy, their bishops corrupt. The warriors who could protect balance have turned to conquest. You must rise to heal the divide, or chaos will consume all."
Kaida's fear turned to anger. "I can't even protect myself. How am I supposed to save the world?"
Zeryth let out a deep, rumbling laugh. "Power does not come from confidence. It comes from necessity. You will learn, Kaida. But first, you must find your allies. The warrior of the topside. The outcast bishop. And the forgotten scholar."
Images flashed before her—a young man clad in silver armor, a robed figure kneeling before a shattered altar, and a woman with piercing eyes holding a glowing tome.
As the vision faded, Zeryth's voice echoed. "Awaken, Kaida. Awaken and take your first step."
---
Kaida jolted awake, drenched in sweat. The mark on her back burned, and the room seemed alive with energy. She glanced at the Codex Draconis, its pages glowing faintly.
Her resolve hardened. She didn't know how, but she would find the people Zeryth had shown her. And she would prove to the world—and herself—that she was not a monster.
The journey was only beginning.