Kiona stood in her position as she looked at the being who was one of her own, a Fanged Lion of her Pride, who had probably once shared a meal with her, whose scent once felt like home.
She still couldn't believe how much had changed in just one month. So much taken, so many lost. But she had no choice now...she had to face reality, no matter how bitter.
As she stared at the lion, waiting for the opportunity her new master had spoken of, the memories leading up to this moment surged through her like a crashing wave.
Just one day ago, she was dying in an unknown, damp cave after failing to protect her Pride. She had lost all her brothers, all but the two youngest. Her heart still ached at the thought.
She had practically nothing left and was moments away from fading into the darkness as a failure.
A disgrace.
Something she feared far more than death itself. She never feared dying but dying like that? That was her nightmare.
It was then… he entered her life.
The humanoid being called Kael, her new master. When he had entered the cave, Kiona was already prepared to sacrifice the last flicker of life she had to save her brothers.
But the moment she saw him, she froze.
The humanoid being didn't smell like a normal human. His scent was strange, ancient, powerful. And his aura...it wasn't just strong, it was overwhelming. It filled every inch of the cave, pressing down on her soul like a mountain.
Worse still, it suppressed her very bloodline. She could understand her talent being suppressed, but her bloodline? That was sacred. Untouchable. And yet, he did it effortlessly.
In that moment, her instincts screamed that she was before a mighty being. A force that dwarfed her. Her bloodline trembled in submission.
It plunged her deeper into despair. If someone like him wanted her brothers, she would never be able to protect them.
But then… the impossible happened.
This mighty being didn't strike. Instead, he offered her something, a proposal that she never expected.
He gave her a choice. A name. A new life. And asked her to accompany him on a journey that sounded too wild to believe.
She remembered how foolish it all had seemed. Even if he was a great being, what he aimed to do had already crushed countless before him. Surely, he would be no different.
And yet… something about him was different.
Kael was an anomaly, unpredictable and despite her pride, she found herself bending and agreeing to become his tamed beast.
If her father were alive to see her now, his eyes would hold nothing but shame and disappointment.
But she had accepted that.
Because deep down, she knew the truth. She had never been a good leader, not even a decent one. She had failed her Pride, and now… she just wanted to survive. To become strong enough to avenge her kin. Every last one.
Kael… he could lead her to that place. She didn't fully believe in him at first but her instincts did. And after spending time with him, she began to understand why.
He was kind when he didn't need to be. Ruthless when he had to be. And most of all he believed in himself and in his methods. He believed in their future.
Kiona found herself listening to his words more and more. Letting them echo in her heart. Letting them take root.
In just a single day, he had convinced her to do something she would have once spat upon. Something that would have gone against everything she believed in.
She knew her judgment was clouded by pain, by loss but still, it mattered. It was a choice she had made.
She inhaled the cold, thin air again, grounding herself in the present.
'I need to form my own principles. But what will they be?'
She didn't have time to ponder further. Her master had already released the dart. It flew like a ghost through the air, silent, precise, deadly. If she hadn't been watching, she wouldn't have even noticed it.
'Such control... such skill.'
The dart pierced the underbelly of the Fanged Lion, tearing into him with a force that shocked even her. The beast woke up, his body ready to respond, to alert others yet it was too late.
The poison worked instantly. The lion froze from head to tail, completely paralyzed.
Kiona moved without hesitation. Her father's teachings echoed in her heart.
"Never attack the weak unless challenged. Never flee unless it's to protect the Pride. Do not harm the helpless. A leader must bleed with their warriors..."
She appeared before the frozen lion in a blur, locking eyes with the traitor. There was shock in his gaze...confusion.
"Sorry, Father," she whispered. "But these bastards don't deserve to die with honor."
And with that, her claws ignited flames licking along their edges. They were no longer just her claws. They were [Draconic Claws], sharpened and empowered.
One swift, brutal swipe and his head left his shoulders.
He died with wide eyes, disbelief etched into them. Even in death, he couldn't understand how or why.
Blood poured out of his severed neck, dyeing the soil in crimson. The lifeless body fell with a dull thud, and the head landed a few feet away, still staring up at her.
Kiona didn't look away.
As her hand returned to its normal form, she stood still, staring down at the corpse. Her heart pounded in her chest, not with regret, but something else.
Excitement.
She had expected to feel disgusted. Guilty. Nervous.
But instead… she felt a rush. A joy. A victory.
'I killed him. I actually killed this bastard!' Kiona clenched her fist, her lips twitching into something like a smile. 'He was right. I need to build my own principles.'
"How do you feel?" Kael's voice reached her ears.
She turned to him. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she smiled and it was not a forced smile, but a genuine one.
And she answered with a single word.
"Thrilled."
Her master's eyes were full of amusement and pride. They were practically on a suicide mission, as even a slight mishap might alert everyone, leading to their death.
Yet, he didn't seem afraid of anything. He was so confident about his victory and his plans, making her wonder, how would he feel if he failed?
Kiona couldn't help herself. She had to ask.
"What if you fail?"
He gave her that same infuriating, arrogant smile again and replied, "Won't be the first time... but I'll make sure it's the last time."
This was the man she had chosen. The master she had offered her loyalty to. And she would walk this path with him no matter where it led.
She already knew the first law she would carve into her own code. The one thing her old Pride had lacked. The very reason they fell.
Loyalty.
She would never betray him. No matter what came. No matter who asked.
"Let's not waste time," he said, voice steady. "We have many to assassinate."
"Yes, Master," she replied.
And with that, they vanished into the shadows.