Dragons

Dragons (ドラゴン, Doragon) are a race of one of the most powerful creatures in Tales of RWBY series.

"Giant reptilian monsters, airborne elemental breathers, teeth like razors, claws like meat hooks, extremely violent and mindlessly murderous-" "Yes, I know what a dragon is."
 * —Raixus explaining about Dragons to Yang, until Blake interrupted him.

Description
Whenever a living being, regardless whether it is a Human, Faunus, Daemon, Grimm, or so forth, has malevolence that is gone to far past the points of no return and impossibility, they turn into a Drake, which are the first state of being exposed to mass levels of malevolence, may evolve into a complete, fully-fledged dragon.

Drakes are the first state of being exposed to mass levels of malevolence before turning into a complete dragon. Although, some of those effected may turn into a dragon, directly skipping the drake phase of their transition from a regular people, malakhim, faunus, shepherds, squires, daemons, grimm, or etc. to a dragon. A dragon's sighting is considered to be an ill omen.

In the cases of Malakhim however, can only turn into dragons, if they are exposed constantly to malevolence due to lacking a pure vessel. If a vessel is exerted by surrounding malevolence or the pressure of the malevolence that may create a dense atmosphere and further impacts the vessel, then this will also affect any malak which may dwell in this vessel in.

Drakes are considered middle class daemons, where as dragons are considered as high class. When a being is exposed constantly to malevolence, may evolve into a fully-fledged dragon. The difference in abilities between a drake and a dragon is in ranks, a dragon is stronger, an evolved form of the drake.

Anatomy and Design
Dragons are creatures with reptilian appearance, thus manifesting claws, scale skin, often wings, sharp teeth and long or thick tails. Many creatures fall into the dragon category even if not directly resembling one. This accounts for many regular lizard creatures without wings, general winged-lizards and also some humanoid beings with draconic abilities or limbs. Drakes and Dragons alike are appeared as four-legged, varying between standing or crawling positions, size, whether they can use spiritual or magic artes, and affinity. Dragons like any other members of any race, can have a good, bad or neutral alignment, as seen with all races—an example being Symonne, a Malakim, creatures of which are almost always aligned with goodness and grace for protecting people, especially the Lord of the Lands.

Past
A long time ago, Clint, Edna's adoptive, elder human brother, fought with the Lord of Calamity and saved Remnant from destruction by turning into a dragon and devouring him. He later went to live at Rayfalke Spiritcrest within Emerald Forest, where he lived and kills anyone who comes to the mountain from that moment onward ever since.

Zaveid's malak lover, Theodora, turned into a dragon after they took orphans under their care and were affected by the malevolence they generated due to their horrible experiences. As a result, Zaveid began exterminating many daemons as a result of his loss and also created his much more rather aggressive side.

Etymology
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically scaled or fire-spewing and with serpentine, reptilian or avian traits, that features in the myths of many cultures around world. The two most well-known cultural traditions of dragon are: The two traditions may have evolved separately, but have influenced each other to a certain extent, particularly with the cross-cultural contact of recent centuries. The English word dragon and Latin word draco derives from Greek δράκων (drákōn), "dragon, serpent of huge size, water-snake".
 * The European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Balkans and Western Asian mythologies. Most are depicted as reptilian creatures with animal-level intelligence, and are uniquely six-limbed (four legs and a separate set of wings).
 * The Chinese dragon, with counterparts in Japan (namely the Japanese dragon), Korea and other East Asian and South Asian countries. Most are depicted as serpentine creatures with above-average intelligence, and are quadrupeds (four legs and wingless).

Notes & Trivia

 * Roman Torchwick is the first character seen to be killed by a Dragon, having been crushed to death by a Dragon when it brought one fist down on him, during the events of "Heroes and Monsters".