In a world shared by humans, there also lived other ancient beings—dragons and angels.
Long, long ago, at the dawn of Earth, God first created the dragons and the angels. Only after them did humans come into existence.
For thousands of years, the three races coexisted in peace. But harmony is a fragile thing.
The dragons, proud and powerful, began to see themselves as superior. The Dragon Lords whispered poisonous thoughts into the ears of their kin, convincing them that Earth was theirs by birthright, and that angels and humans were nothing more than servants.
They began to abuse humans, using them as tools. Worse, they discovered ways to harness angelic power—twisting it with dark magic to extend their own lifespans.
The balance of the world shattered. Earth teetered on the edge of ruin.
The angels, unable to bear the destruction any longer, gathered their forces. They formed an army and met the dragons in a divine war—The Battle of Fire and Heaven.
The war raged for years.
But the dragons grew stronger, feeding off forbidden magic. They learned to drain the very essence of angels, weakening them over time.
Defeated and fading, the remaining angels fled. For twenty days and nights, they prayed to the heavens.
And their prayers were answered.
Ten Archangels descended to Earth.
The angels begged them to end the war, to defeat the most powerful Dragon King and bring peace once more.
The Archangels agreed.
They hunted the dragon lords one by one. But the last—the Lord of Dragon Kings—was nearly impossible to kill. Only through cunning and sacrifice did the Queen Archangel finally destroy him, reducing his body to ash and sealing his soul within a statue.
The war ended.
Before leaving, the Queen Archangel placed a powerful curse upon dragonkind. From that day forward, they would no longer be able to transform into full dragons, and their lifespans would dwindle to match those of humans.
The Archangels returned to the heavens, leaving behind a scarred world and weakened dragons.
Time passed. The battles faded into myth, buried in forgotten texts and whispered legends. Humans forgot. The world moved on.
Dragons and angels faded into the background, blending into human society. They mated with them, lived among them, but remained ever at odds. They rarely crossed paths, except when dragons hungered once again for angelic power.
Zania, a young angel, only knows fragments of this history, fragments preserved in the fading scriptures of her ancestors. Most of the old writings have been lost, destroyed by time.
When Zania and Keal returned to their homeland after visiting her niece Amara, they received grim news that some of their people had been tricked and abducted by dragons.
Dragons cannot recognize angels on sight, but angels can sense dragons.
Only when angels use their magic or reveal their true identities can dragons recognize them.
However, there are mysterious artifacts that glow when they come into direct contact with an angel.
To avoid detection, dragons use forbidden black magic artifacts that conceal their identities. No one knows where these artifacts came from. They are powerful and can suppress angelic magic within a five hundred meter radius.
Zania was certain the dragons had used such artifacts again.
She feared they had abducted her people to perform the same dark rituals as before, draining angelic essence to extend their lives by a few more years.
Dragons, in the face of death, do not go quietly. They crave more life. And when desperation calls, they force angels to pay the price.
Zania had heard whispers—some of her people were captured somewhere nearby. She couldn't bear to wait for reinforcements, not when time was slipping away. So while her husband, Keal, was summoned by the angelic council to explain the situation, she made the decision to come alone.
She knew she should have brought others with her. But she didn't want to risk their lives—not if there was even a chance of walking into a trap.
As she approached the ancient ruins, a sudden stillness washed over her. Her magic—she couldn't sense it anymore. Her heart sank. The dragons were here. She was certain of it.
She had to find a way inside the castle to locate her people. And the only way in... was through deception.
Raphel, a dragon in human guise, led Zania into a room on the second floor—far above the basement where her people were locked in cold, dark cells.
"My lady, please," Raphel said with a charming smile, "you may rest here for the night."
Zania returned his smile gracefully. "Thank you for your kindness, my lord."
"You haven't eaten, have you?" he asked, eyes gleaming with mischief.
Zania shook her head. "I haven't, my lord. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you once more."
"No trouble at all, my lady. It would be my pleasure." He gestured toward a chair. "Please, make yourself comfortable. I'll bring you something shortly."
"Alright," she said softly.
He gave her one last lingering glance before stepping out, closing the door behind him.
As soon as he was gone, Zania's smile vanished. Her expression hardened, brows furrowing in determination.
I have to find them. Now.