Chapter 2: The King Who Cannot Touch
Kane, the last Dragon King, stared at the pile of grey dust on the marble floor.
“Clean it up,” he commanded, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that shook the foundations of the throne room.
He didn’t wait for his ministers to bow. He turned his back, his heavy black cloak swirling around him like smoke. Kane was a king of an empire that was slowly bleeding to death. He was cold, distant, and utterly consumed by resentment toward the human race. They had crippled his people’s future, and now they flooded his palace with screaming, terrified girls who did nothing but remind him of his own monstrous existence.
He was entirely, profoundly alone. He could not hold a lover. He could not sire a son. He was a god who brought nothing but death to anyone who dared get close. The emotional weight of a century of isolation pressed down on his chest. He needed to escape, or he would burn his own palace to the ground.
Leaving his guards behind, Kane strode to the highest balcony of the palace. With a sudden, explosive burst of dark energy, his human form shattered. In its place rose a massive, midnight-black dragon, his scales gleaming like polished obsidian, his wings casting a shadow that blanketed the valley.
He soared into the sky, cutting through the clouds. He flew far beyond the borders of his territory, crossing over into the human lands. Whenever the pressure became too much, Kane sought out water. He loved the human rivers—the way they snaked through different cities, cool and indifferent to the politics of monsters and men.
Finding a secluded bend in a massive river bordered by a dense, whispering forest, Kane dove down. He shifted back into his human form mid-air, landing softly on the muddy bank. Stripping away his tunic, he stepped into the rushing, icy water. It felt divine against his permanently feverish skin. He closed his golden eyes, letting the current wash away the scent of ash. Suddenly, the snapping of branches shattered the silence.
Kane’s eyes snapped open. His dragon senses tensed. From the thick foliage of the forest, a frantic rustling echoed, followed by the terrifying, low growl of a massive grizzly bear. And then, he heard a sharp, panicked gasp. A human woman burst through the trees, her eyes wide with terror as the beast lunged after her.
He steps forward to save her, while knowing one touch could kill her.