The Dragon king's promise

Long ago, on the outskirts of Jungyan City, there stood a mysterious forest known as Holicap Forest. The forest was feared by everyone because of the strange stories surrounding it. Many believed it was home to magical creatures, while others claimed that those who entered the forest never returned. For years, no one dared to venture deep into its dark woods. Not far from the forest lived a cheerful little girl named Amanda. She was beautiful, kind-hearted, and fearless. Although she was still very young, Amanda had a gentle spirit and loved every living creature. She had never learned to fear snakes or wild animals because she believed that everything deserved kindness. One sunny afternoon, Amanda's parents picked her up from school. As they drove home, they chatted happily about her day at school. Amanda laughed as she shared stories about her teachers and classmates. Suddenly, another vehicle lost control and crashed into their car. The collision was so powerful that their car rolled off the road and plunged down a steep hill beside Holicap Forest. The impact separated Amanda from her parents, throwing each of them into different parts of the forest. Amanda slowly opened her eyes. Her head hurt, and there was a small wound on her hand that continued to bleed. Looking around, she realized she was alone. "Mum!" she cried. "Dad!" Only the sound of birds and the whispering wind answered her. Trying to stay brave, Amanda stood up and searched for her parents. As she walked through the thick forest, she suddenly stopped. Before her lay a gigantic black snake. The snake was badly injured, and its body was covered with wounds. Any ordinary child would have screamed and run away, but Amanda did not know how dangerous snakes could be. Instead, she felt sorry for the creature. She slowly walked closer. "It's okay," she whispered gently. "I won't hurt you." Without fear, Amanda stretched out her injured hand and gently touched the snake's wounded body. The moment her blood touched the snake's skin, something extraordinary happened. A warm golden light surrounded the snake, and every wound on its body began to heal. Within moments, the terrible injuries disappeared completely. Amanda stared in amazement, not understanding what had just happened. At that very moment, voices echoed through the forest. "Amanda!" "Amanda!" They were her parents. "Mum! Dad!" Amanda shouted excitedly. She quickly stood up, ready to run toward them. Before leaving, she looked back at the snake with a bright smile. "My parents always tell me that kindness should be repaid with kindness," she said innocently. "When you grow up, if we ever meet again, you can marry me." She waved goodbye before running toward the voices of her parents. Soon, Amanda reunited with her mother and father. Overjoyed to find their daughter safe, they embraced her tightly. Together, they found their way out of Holicap Forest and returned home, believing that the strange encounter had ended forever. But they were wrong. Moments after Amanda disappeared, the black snake slowly lifted its head. A brilliant golden light surrounded its enormous body, and before long, the giant serpent transformed into a tall, handsome young man dressed in elegant black robes. He looked down at his healed hands with disbelief. "What kind of blood possesses such miraculous power?" he whispered. He closed his eyes and smiled softly as he remembered the little girl's innocent promise. "I will wait for you, Amanda," he said quietly. "No matter how many years pass, I will return. And when the time comes, I will fulfill the promise you made to me." With those words, the mysterious young man vanished into the shadows of Holicap Forest, leaving behind only the gentle sound of the wind. Neither Amanda nor her parents knew that their lives had just become forever connected to the fate of the Dragon King.