Chapter 125: Chapter 125

JONEA

I stared out the hospital room window from my bed for what felt like the hundredth time. The white blanket covering me felt unbearably heavy—not because of its weight, but because of what lay beneath it. Black, cold, hardened scales covered parts of my body. It felt like I was trapped in an unending nightmare.

This was the first time I had absorbed magical energy, and I never imagined the consequences would be this severe. My body, my mind, even my heart—all felt different. Yet, in a strange way, I didn’t regret it. The baby dragons had been saved. They were just like me—alone and scared, facing a ruthless world.

Miller stopped by yesterday and explained everything. It turns out Aland brought me here, to this special hospital for hunters. Daran and Aland had a heated argument over where I should be treated. Aland insisted I stay under his watch, while Daran wanted to take me back. In the end, Miller mediated, and this hospital became the compromise.

According to Miller, Aland was furious with Daran. He blamed him for what happened to me. Aland believed it should have been Daran who absorbed the magical energy from the baby dragons, not me. But I knew—it had been my choice.

I let out a long sigh. Being stuck in bed all day was driving me crazy. I got up, checked on the baby dragons, who were sleeping peacefully in a special room, and then slipped out of my room.

The golden-orange evening sky greeted me as I made it to the hospital rooftop. There, a man with silver hair sat quietly, his gaze fixed on the darkening sky. Aland Hamilton.

I climbed up and walked over to him silently, taking a seat beside him. He looked startled to see me.

“Jonea? You’re supposed to be resting,” he said softly but firmly.

“I’m bored,” I replied bluntly, crossing my legs and looking at the sunset.

He sighed. “You’re not fully recovered yet. You need to go back.”

I shook my head. “No. I want to talk to you. Besides, I feel better now.”

He studied me for a moment before giving in. “Fine, but not for too long.” He took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders.

We sat in silence for a while, the only sounds being the wind and the birds returning to their nests.

“Aland,” I finally said in a low voice, “why did you take the baby dragons?”

He was quiet for a moment, then answered with a deep, regretful tone. “It was time for them to learn to fly. As young dragons, they need to explore the world beyond their nest. But I made a mistake. I took them too far, and on the way back to the Blue Dragonlands, someone stole them from me.”

I turned to him, shocked. “Stole them? Who did it?”

He stared straight ahead, his eyes shadowed by something dark. “Luke Draken,” he said quietly.

The name hit me like a punch to the chest. Luke Draken—the name whispered in dark tales about sorcerers allied with red dragons.

“Why would he do that?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Aland closed his eyes as if trying to hold back the pain of his memories. “Luke has a grand ambition—to rule this world under his clan. He kidnapped the baby dragons to amplify his magical power. But this time, he failed again. And now, my blue dragons are cursed because of it.”

Aland’s fists clenched, his jaw tightening. His face radiated anger and regret.

I placed my hand over his, trying to offer some comfort. “Aland,” I said softly, “we saved them. They’re no longer under Luke’s control. Did he do the same to you when they captured you?”

He opened his eyes and looked at me, forcing a reassuring smile. “I’m stronger and tougher. They couldn’t hurt me. But because of my mistake, you’re the one paying the price, Jonea. You shouldn’t have gotten involved like this.”

I shook my head. “It was my decision. I couldn’t just stand by and watch them suffer.”

Silence filled the space between us again.

“Aland,” I spoke up, “what are you going to do now?”

He looked at me, his eyes filled with resolve. “I’m going to find Luke Draken. I’ll make sure he can’t hurt you, the baby dragons, or anyone else ever again.”

I could hear the determination in his voice, a mix of anger and responsibility.

“I want to come with you,” I said without hesitation.

He turned to me, startled. “Jonea, no. You’re not fully healed. And this isn’t your fight.”

“But it’s not entirely your fault either, Aland,” I countered. “I chose this path, and I want to make sure Luke can’t hurt you, the dragons, or anyone else again. You’re part of my life now.”

He stared deeply into my eyes, as if searching for answers. Finally, he let out a long sigh and shook his head slightly.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

*

The voice came to me first in a dream. Faint, but clear enough to wake me up. A soft whisper calling my name.

“Jonea…”

I opened my eyes slowly, my mind groggy. The hospital room was dark, lit only by a dim lamp in the corner. I thought the voice was just part of the dream, but then I heard it again. This time, it was real, like someone was standing right next to me.

I sat up quickly and walked toward the window. Pulling back the curtain, the cold night air hit my face. The room was on the second floor, so I had a clear view of the hospital grounds.

There, in the shadow of the trees, something moved. A large figure walking slowly but purposefully. I squinted and froze when I recognized it.

One of the baby dragons!

“No way,” I whispered, my heart racing.

Without thinking, I threw open the window and leapt out. My half-human, half-dragon body made the jump feel effortless. I landed steadily and immediately started running after the shadow.

“Hey! Little dragon, wait!” I called out, but it didn’t stop.

Its steps were too large, too fast. I kept chasing it, but every time I thought I was close, it moved further away. Until I realized I had left the hospital grounds far behind.

I stopped, panting. Tall, dark trees surrounded me. This forest felt unfamiliar, silent, yet filled with an invisible tension.

“Where am I?” I whispered.

The hospital was on an isolated island, far from any major city. They chose this location to protect the patients and their secrets. But I never imagined getting lost in the middle of the night.

“Jonea…”

The voice came again, clearer this time, as if it were nearby. I turned around but saw no one.

“Come here.”

I turned again and saw a hooded figure standing among the trees. Tall and mysterious, their long black cloak swayed gently in the night breeze.

“Who are you?” I asked, but they didn’t answer.

Instead, they began walking slowly in one direction. For some reason, I felt compelled to follow. There was something about their movements that drew me in, even though I knew this could easily be a trap.

I chased after them, my steps quickening. After a few minutes, they stopped in front of an underground structure hidden deep in the forest. The building looked ancient, with a rusted metal door that had clearly seen better days.

The figure opened the door and stepped inside without hesitation. I followed, curiosity and a sense of foreboding mingling in my chest.

The structure was dark and damp, the air thick with the smell of wet earth and rusted metal. I followed the figure until we entered a small room lit by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. Its weak light cast long shadows across the floor.

In the center of the room stood a large iron cage. Inside, one of the baby dragons lay curled up, sleeping like an exhausted kitten.

I gasped and rushed to the cage. “What did you do to it?” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and worry.

“It’s not dead,” the voice behind me said.

I turned quickly to see the figure standing calmly. Slowly, they pulled back their hood.

I froze, stunned.

Before me stood a man who looked like he’d stepped out of a fairytale. His features were sharp and regal. Shoulder-length crimson hair gleamed under the dim light, and his emerald green eyes locked onto mine with an unsettling calm.

“It’s been a while, Jonea Rawling,” he said, a faint smile curling his lips.

I racked my brain for a memory, and the realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. I had seen him before—in books and in the whispered tales of hunters.

“You…” my voice wavered, “Luke Draken?”

His smile widened as if enjoying my shock. “That’s right.”

I stepped back, my body trembling. Luke Draken. A name I had only known as a legend now stood before me. The man feared by hunters and sorcerers alike, a dragon lord who moved in the shadows.

“What do you want from me?” I asked, my voice full of caution.

He chuckled softly, then walked toward the iron cage. His slender hand touched the bars, his eyes fixed on the sleeping dragon inside.

“Why, your sacred blood, of course.”