Silence surrounded the atmosphere. Darkness surrounded Alex as he simply stared into it. To him the silence felt deafening until it didn’t anymore. The sound of a low growl entered in his ears causing his heart to drop.

“Alex Morgan.” A deep yet calm voice resounded from the darkness as the night sky filled with stars began to expand shedding a bit of light in front of him.

“Who are you?” Alex asked trying to make out who was in front of him with the limited light. His curiosity was soon filled as his eyes widened slowly until they could no more. His throat felt dry and his knees felt weak. It was quite a natural reaction seeing as how the gaze of a 30-meter-tall dragon’s head looked at him directly. The rest of the dragon’s body was still shrouded in darkness. It had two long horns pushing back in a graceful manner. Its large blue eyes shined in the night. The dragon’s mouth didn’t open much when it talked.

But the little it did, it was enough for Alex to take a glance of the large terrifying fangs. Not to mention the sharp canine teeth at either side. The dragon sported a black color with dark blue hair on his head travelling down its back. It was magnificent and terrifying at the same time.

Alex wanted to say something but no words came out. The dragon kept an uninterested gaze upon him but with a tinge of curiosity.

“I am what resides inside the thing that saved your life.”

Alex remembered the pentagon shaped wooden item. “Then… if y-you live in there, then am I in there too?”

“You’re somewhat correct. This my own personal dimension supported by that thing. It’s what lower beings call a soul holder.”

“O-Oh I see… then can I go b-back?” Alex asked stuttering at every step. It just took every ounce of strength to somehow talk in front of a dragon. He couldn’t describe it but an inexplainable pressure was constantly present on him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, you are quite dead at the moment.”

“D-Dead? What do—

Alex’s words got stuck in his throat as something akin to a screen appeared in front of him showing how Marx punched through his body.

Alex could feel vomit rising in his throat but it never came. He just began to cough at the horrendous scene of him getting killed. His breathing got quicker as fear shackled his body causing him to fell down.

“Now kid listen to me closely.” The dragon’s voice resounded as it overwhelmed the previous feeling of fear in Alex. Now he was afraid of the dragon rather than his own death.

“Do you want to live?”

The words sounded like a holy light to the 16-year-old who just saw his gruesome death. Alex nodded.

“Then become my slave, I will grant you power you hadn’t fathomed before and save you from your death.” The dragon offered. Suddenly several shiny black and blue colored strings appeared out of nowhere dangling in front of him.

“Reach out for them and grab them, and you shall have everything I said before. Consider this as me bestowing a favor on you.”

Alex looked at those strings intently. His last hope to remain alive? That’s what he wondered as he walked up to them.

“Will this really save me?”

“I never go back on my words, that’s my pride.” The dragon stated.

Alex then began reaching out for them. As he did, he could feel the strings react to him. Time passed but he never grabbed them.

“What are you doing?”

“This doesn’t feel right…” Alex nonchalantly said as he withdrew his hand back.

“What do you mean?” The pressure which had unknowingly vanished from Alex earlier began returning.

“The very first reason that I am in this mess is because of you…”

The dragon remained silent and simply stared at him. “The Nacla attacked me because of you! How did you even get in my bag? Not to mention suddenly in my hand. All of this is happening …because of you. You aren’t… besto… ing… a… hah… hah… hhh…”

Breathing became difficult for Alex as he suddenly felt suffocated. He wasn’t sure how but the dragon was pressuring him.

“Do you realize where you are standing human? I don’t think you understand fully, I hold the decision of whether you live or die, do you still blame me for your demise? Speaking might be difficult for a weakling like you but you can at the very least confirm with your head. Do you realize your mistake of pointing finger at me?”

The dragon asked, his tone changed to a threatening one that would send a chill down anyone’s spine and have them cowering in fear. Alex was the same. Drool trickled down his mouth as he forgot to swallow his own saliva. He had long fell to the ground, his legs and body refusing to move and tears flowed down his eyes. It was a perfect display of a person who’s mind and thus body had both been destroyed.

All this yet the dragon didn’t seem satisfied. Because Alex still hadn’t nodded his head and given an answer. This continued for what seemed like hours to Alex but a few minutes to the dragon. There was a silver of determination and courage that the dragon found himself unable to break in him.

But finally, there was a reaction. Alex shook his head. “I… I am …not wrong…” He managed to utter in a whisper but enough for the dragon to hear him.

“HAH… Hhhh…” The pressure upon Alex suddenly vanished into thin air. “W-What did you…”

“You’ve been moved up to the list of a suitable partner.” The dragon suddenly stated leaving the 16-year-old confused.