Roaming the World Untamed

At five, Rian is sent away by his dying mother Elena. Her dying request places Rian under the Holy Dragon Aurelian's protection and training, with one condition for homecoming: Rian can return only when he is strong enough to survive it. Aurelian sees the boy's flawless bond with dragonkind and calls him the only human worthy of dragon magic.

Fifteen years later, in Maple City, half-orcs try to force Princess Isabel into marriage, so King Constantine opens a tournament to every human in the city. Whoever beats the half-orcs wins Isabel's hand. Rian, the second son of Duke Aldric, has returned after years away and built a public reputation as a drunk, a flirt, and a failure. His father Aldric, stepmother Morgana, and stepbrother Reynard treat him as the family's shame. Elena's name is used as proof of weakness.

The half-orcs' threat gives Rian his first break. During an attack, playing cards become weapons and the half-orcs go down. Weston, Maple City's strongest mage, investigates and tests noble sons, including Cormac and Reynard, but finds none of them strong enough. Rian then beats Weston in under ten seconds. Weston recognizes dragon magic and reports that someone stronger than him used it. Princess Isabel orders Weston to Aldric at once: Rian enters the tournament whether the family likes it or not. The king's envoy later delivers the invitation directly into Rian's hands, bypassing Reynard.

At the tournament, the half-orcs erase Weston's spell and break Reynard. No one else will fight. Isabel prepares to step into the arena herself. Rian remembers the day when he was five, stealing bread for his dying mother, and Isabel paid for it and gave him more. He enters the arena instead. The half-orc champion swings an axe marked with dragon-bone runes and calls it dragon power. Rian's answer is one line: “Witness the true power of the dragon.”

Rian defeats the half-orcs one by one. The victories expose the abuse he has endured and clear Elena's honor. The Sovereign names him Dragon Speaker, the title tied to Aurelian and the magic Rian was raised to master. The family's public humiliation turns into a royal summons.

The title brings a harder test. Rian must prove himself against Starspeaker Aether before the Undead Legion's general invades. Envoy Zoramus betrays him. Rian summons Aurelian, destroys the general, and returns to marry Isabel.