A cursed draconian bloodline, damaged beyond repair. Power became debauchery. A sacred partnership became twisted. The magical fantasy forest was set ablaze. The gorgeous castle is spotless, but the royal quarters are full of filth and decaying animal bodies.
What is the source of this madness?
I love manufactured madness. I absolutely love fantasy stories with real grit and flaws and pain.
The Regas is a special title that belongs only to dragon tamers. In the olden days the Regas reined in the dragon king. The Royal Bloodline is blessed with dragon blood! A gift given from an all powerful dragon to humanity! The royal line is magical, and ultra strong, and smart. They are the perfect rulers, but they are too distant from humanity. The Regas is a necessity. A force that keeps the dragon-king human. The system worked well, for many generations.
Now, it has been ruined by corruption.
The dragon bloodline has weakened. When a strong prince is born the palace doesn't know how to raise a mixed breed human properly.
Disaster is on the horizon.
Abel is a Regas in training. There are many dragon taming masters who compete for influence within the royal family and the palace. Now that the dragon line is very weak Regas families simply work in the library, politics, and as palace aides.
The position of Regas still exists, but it's exclusively populated by beautiful men that do not last long.
You see the Regas is traditionally male. It was an honorable position where the King would receive consult about magic and morals for a lifetime.
Now that the Kings are no longer strong.....the Regas is just eye candy. An extra status symbol for the King, who stands next to his wife.
Abel has been raised the traditional way.
The Duke currently in charge of the rotten palace agrees to meet with him. Abel's master foretold a terrible destiny. The country will be destroyed by draconian wrath! A prince with silver eyes will transform into a dragon, and raze the land! The prophecy cannot be ignored. It came with names. Clues too. Secrets no one should know. Before the silver dragon begins his slaughter madmen drinking a black potion can be seen within the vision. The vengeful prince burns the screaming addicts up first.
Abel gets the position of Regas.
Slight problem. Prince Karas is a non-verbal lizard boy that likes to kill animals. Regular people are extremely afraid of him. A strong dragon heir hasn't appeared in too long. Karas has the natural desire to hunt and train, even though he's only eight. He's totally feral. He bites his maids. 30 pretty Regas candidates have run away from the position screaming.
What makes Abel different?
Well, he was taught the traditional way.
Abel is a huge buff guy with a high pain tolerance. Like, he was literally trained to have those traits. To be tough and resilient and understanding to a fault. Shockingly, raising a child that is part dragon is no easy task. You need to be a lion tamer and a parent!
Karas is so starved for attention that he starts biting Abel, after he decides he likes his Regas. It draws blood and the maids and knights are horrified, but Abel knows. He can see the prince has not been cared for properly. He was locked away. Called a monster. Beaten. Ignored. He hasn't been treated like a prince at all, and the worst part is the regular humans are not at fault. They cannot handle the prince. That is what a Regas is for. The mandatory bond between Dragon-King and Regas was set in stone with the very first blessing. Poor Karas is developmentally stunted! His poor staff members have had to suffer injuries and terror because...you guessed it.
The "new type" of Regas that exists to be pretty window dressing is a scam. A ruse slowly developed by unsavory characters that WANT an unstable, weak Dragon-King.
Short sighted fools are running the castle.
The current King is terrifying. He isn't just a lecherous old drunk. He used to have a Regas he adored. He used to have the will to rule. His Regas was killed due to corruption, and now he treats all the rest like air.
This one, shown briefly, dies lost in the Enchanted Fog Forest.
You see, there's an Enchanted Fog Forest. A place where the King and his Regas can enter to confirm their bond and practice strange magic.
The King’s Regas was murdered right in front of the forest, on purpose. The corrupt forces in the castle do not want the royals to use their real powers. The King is lonely. He was forced into a loveless marriage and more corruption convinced him his wife hated him. So he did treat her badly and now that relationship is broken beyond repair too.
The King does a few little things, to try and help Karas, but he is weak. Weak and drunk and sometimes needlessly cruel.
Karas relies on Abel fully. Its commendable that his father attempts to help, but Karas needs Abel.
The corrupt Duke, of course, slowly poisons Abel to death.
The black liquid is an addictive substance. The Duke gave it to the queen when she became depressed after giving birth to Abel. When Abel was born everyone feared him because of his draconian features. She was ridiculed for birthing a monster. The Duke and his minions preyed on her depression.
She cannot be saved. Her mind is too far gone.
Abel lets the mad Queen hit him. When she hits her "evil" son she gets more drugs, so she often tries to do it. Abel gets in the way, but he never harms the Queen.
He quickly realizes he will die.
He recruits a knight, Ashler, to protect the prince when he is gone.
The Queen goes too far. She uses a fireplace poker to tear her son's eyes out. His accursed eyes. The eyes that made her a laughingstock. A lonely and unloved Queen. It's all his fault. She screams for drugs while she does it.
Abel is not able to get there in time, because he is weakened. During his training his strong body was fortified against poisons, but he's not immortal. He's just well trained.
He was always prepared to die for his King, if he was chosen. Abel wants to prevent the future. He feels like Karas is the silver dragon, even though his eyes are yellow. He wants Karas to learn to protect himself, so he can be happy.
Abel carries Karas to the enchanted forest, to heal his eyes.
He dies there, holding the prince.
Abel was correct.
When Karas wakes up he is ready to plan a counter-attack. A bloody one.
His new eyes are silver.
Years pass.
Melmont is a librarian who had the same master as Abel. He distances himself from the castle to protect his wife after Abel dies. He is a scholar, and he figured out the Duke is the source of the corruption. Sadly, very little can be done.
The Prince is blind.
Abel is dead.
Such secrets have no more meaning.
Abel awakens in a new body. One that looks like a "new" Regas, with pretty looks and a weak body.
He travels to Melmont immediately. He searches for Karas with Melmont.
The Prince reveals his silver eyes. He lied and hid them to keep the Duke in the dark. He's been slowly assassinating people for a long time, in the darkness.
The day of disaster is coming.
Abel must convince Karas before then.
Karas has every right to revenge, but involving innocent people isn't right.
Abel also still cares deeply for Karas, and he wants his king to live a decent life.
When they meet Karas almost kills him.
He has been living solely for revenge.
When Abel was taken from him he did not go mad like his father.
