I Only Tame Dragons

The Beastfolk clan led by David had never been known for ruthless battles or cutthroat ambition.

Instead, they were a people of heart, pride, and loyalty, who valued their traditions and shared a close bond with the land and each other.

Their clan had lived peacefully for generations in the dense forests of Eldergrove, far removed from the politics and schemes of the larger kingdoms.

Known as the Roaring Beast, the clan had a proud history of protectors, a legacy handed down from the elders who had guarded their home with strength, compassion, and unwavering honor.

But as the years went by, the world around them grew harsher and colder. Rich resources in Eldergrove made it a target, and the surrounding kingdoms were quick to send players and mercenaries to seize their lands.

The Beastfolk clan, despite their formidable strength, found themselves outnumbered, struggling against forces far more experienced in warfare.

Worse yet, disease began to creep into their village, and food supplies dwindled as resources were hoarded and plundered by invaders.

Desperation grew in the clan's ranks, and as the hope of winning a conventional battle waned, whispers of a mysterious competition began to circulate in nearby villages.

It was called the Eternia Competition, a contest for the boldest and strongest, with riches, magical artifacts, and powerful alliances promised to the victors.

To some, it sounded like a death sentence, a brutal arena where only the most cunning and merciless survived. But for David and his clan, it became their last hope.

David was reluctant to lead his people into the competition, but with his clan suffering and the elders weakened, he felt he had no choice. They pooled every last resource, preparing their strongest and bravest warriors.

Each Beastfolk who volunteered knew what they were risking, but for them, it wasn't about glory. It was about survival. It was about saving their families and protecting the life they'd cherished for so long.

The Beastfolk entered the competition, hoping their honor and loyalty would carry them far. But what they found instead was a brutal realm where compassion was seen as a weakness and honor was nothing more than an outdated concept.

They were met with ruthless alliances, treacherous traps, and an unyielding race for dominance. Competitors treated them with scorn, mocking their loyalty and calling them fools for sticking together.

It was nothing like the dignified fight they had envisioned, and the further they went, the clearer it became that victory would come at a higher cost than they had imagined.

One by one, their members fell, each with the same unshakeable resolve that had brought them into the competition.

Becky had only just come of age, but she was fierce and determined to prove herself worthy of the clan's legacy. She saw herself as a shield for her younger siblings back home, a protector of the small comforts that made their simple lives meaningful.

Gerald had been like an older brother to many of the younger Beastfolk, his towering frame a source of strength and reassurance. He'd joined the competition not for glory but because he couldn't bear to watch his loved ones live in fear, constantly looking over their shoulders for threats that loomed ever closer.

Even Rosalia had only taken up the mantle because of a personal promise to her family. She had lost her younger brother to the disease that had swept through the village, and the thought of more lives being lost fueled her every action.

She knew she wasn't the strongest among them, but she wielded her healing magic, knowing that every spell she cast brought her people one step closer to freedom.

Borge was a hardened blade with a loyalty that ran as deep as the roots of Eldergrove. No one stood fiercer in defense of the clan like he did.

Each member carried with them not just the weight of their clan's hopes but also their love for the families they'd left behind.

As the competition progressed, the reality of what they were facing began to wear on David and his team. Honor became a burden, pride a liability. Their loyalty, once a source of strength, made them an easy target for teams who saw compassion as nothing more than an exploitable weakness.

The Beastfolk warriors watched as competitors formed and broke alliances in the blink of an eye, sacrificing their own allies just to get a step closer to the prize.

David was forced to make decisions he'd never dreamed he would face, choosing survival over principles, even when it meant pushing his people past their limits.

Now, as he stood alone, the bodies of his comrades around him, David could feel the crushing weight of their sacrifices. The competition had stripped them of everything they held dear—their friends, their honor, and, perhaps worst of all, the hope they had fought so hard to protect.

David knew that even if he escaped, he'd return to his village without the proud warriors who had once walked by his side, their lives traded in a desperate attempt to save their clan from extinction.

In the end, they had been willing to sacrifice everything, but now, as he looked over their fallen bodies, he couldn't help but wonder if it had been worth it.

David was battered and broken, his armor dented, his spirit nearly crushed, yet he remained silent, guarding the secrets they'd uncovered.

He would carry them to his grave, no matter the cost—it was the only form of revenge he had left to give.

A voice drifted through the haze of David's exhaustion, a low murmur echoing in his mind.

"Do you want revenge?"

He couldn't blink, couldn't even muster the strength to lift a finger. But the words slithered into his thoughts, insistent, piercing through the numbness.

"Do you want revenge?"

The voice was familiar, hauntingly so, yet distant, as if it echoed from a past life. He strained, struggling to remember—but he couldn't quite place it.

"Do you want revenge?"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

His vision blurred, darkening at the edges. The thought of his fallen comrades, of their lifeless bodies strewn across the battlefield, flickered in his mind.

If he could get vengeance, if he could destroy Iron Fang and Nightshade for what they had done, then yes . . . a thousand times, yes.

As consciousness slipped from his grasp, a single word escaped his lips, a whisper of resolve left burning in the air.

"Yes . . ."