Betrayal.
The golden flames that once symbolized his strength flickered as pain spread through his body. Blood dripped from his wound, staining the broken throne room floor.
The crimson-scaled woman—his trusted guide—stood before him, blade still in hand. The dragon warriors behind her radiated dark energy, their eyes watching him like predators waiting for their prey to fall.
"Your reign ends before it begins," she said coldly.
The prince staggered, gripping his side. His vision blurred, his strength fading. His golden flames—his father's legacy—were weakening.
And then, a whisper echoed in his mind.
"Do you want power?"
The voice was deep, ancient, and filled with something far darker than anything he had ever felt before.
A dark mist coiled around his body, its touch cold yet intoxicating.
His father had warned him of this path—the forbidden power that no dragon should ever accept.
But his father was dead. His people were gone. And he had been betrayed by those he trusted.
"I… want… power," he whispered.
The golden flames around him twisted, turning black. His golden scales darkened into obsidian, and his eyes burned with an eerie violet glow. His pain vanished, replaced by a surge of unimaginable strength.
The crimson-scaled woman's smirk faltered. "What…?"
The prince lifted his gaze. "You want a ruler who will sacrifice everything?" His voice was deeper, laced with power. "Then you will bow… or you will burn."
Dark energy erupted from his body. The golden dragon prince was no more.
The Black Dragon Sovereign had risen.
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