c1: The Encounter Between Dragons

X765, deep within a secluded forest on the Ishgar continent.

Amidst the dense foliage, a colossal dragon with crimson feathers and silver-white scales stood motionless, her gaze fixed upon a tiny infant before her. This dragon was Irene Belserion, once the revered Queen of Dragons and creator of Dragon Slayer Magic.

Irene had attempted to use her mastery of Enchantment Magic to transfer her soul into the infant, seeking a return to her human form. However, each attempt ended in failure. The intricacies of soul attachment demanded a vessel with high compatibility and shared bloodline a criterion unmet by the child.

Frustration gnawed at Irene. The presence of this child, a living reminder of her tormented past, made it impossible for her to embrace maternal instincts.

Suddenly, the soft rustle of footsteps broke the silence.

Startled, Irene's magical aura flared instinctively, transforming the infant into a wisp of magic and concealing her within her own essence. Such a feat was only possible due to the shared blood coursing through both.

"Later... I'll decide what to do with her..." Irene mused, her thoughts cold and detached.

Turning her attention to the source of the intrusion, she observed a young man emerging from the shadows. He possessed ice-blue eyes, shoulder-length black hair, and wore a tattered gray shirt. Despite facing a dragon of her magnitude, he approached with an unperturbed demeanor.

"The rumors were true," he remarked with a casual smile. "A dragon does reside here."

"Who are you?" Irene's voice, though that of a mature woman, carried the weight of her draconic form.

The young man surveyed Irene thoughtfully before responding, "Chi Yan. That's my name."

Without hesitation, Chi Yan seated himself on the forest floor, as if engaging in a casual conversation. "No need for alarm. I merely sought to meet a fellow kin."

"Kin?" Irene's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

A sly grin spread across Chi Yan's face. In an instant, his features contorted neat teeth sharpening into fangs, skin darkening and sprouting jagged spines. Before Irene stood a dragon shrouded in black, exuding an aura reminiscent of death itself.

Irene's heart raced. "Could it be... you're also a Dragon Slayer who succumbed to dragonification?"

Her mind flashed back to the era of the Dragon King Festival, where many Dragon Slayers, unable to withstand the overwhelming power of their magic, transformed into the very creatures they sought to vanquish.

"Teach me!" Irene's massive form trembled with desperation. "Please, show me how to become human again!"

Chi Yan's draconic visage twisted into a semblance of amusement. "And what will you offer in return?"

"I... I have nothing left..." Irene's voice wavered, centuries of solitude weighing heavily upon her.

Chi Yan's expression softened slightly. "I am aware of your identity, Irene Belserion. Your contributions to Dragon Slayer Magic are legendary."

Reverting to his human form, Chi Yan continued, "Utilizing transformation magic to regain your humanity is fraught with peril. The side effects can be severe."

Irene recalled her own failed attempts and the subsequent afflictions nausea, hypersensitivity to cold, loss of taste, and insomnia.

"But I possess a unique form of Dragon Magic," Chi Yan offered. "It can restore your human form without those detrimental effects."

"Truly?" Hope flickered in Irene's eyes.

"Indeed," Chi Yan affirmed. "But such a process requires time and patience. Are you prepared for that?"

"I've endured four centuries," Irene replied, determination hardening her voice. "I can endure a little longer."

And so, an unlikely alliance was forged between two dragons, each seeking redemption in a world that had long forgotten them.