Page 36 of A City of Flames

I describe the orange fur-coated critter and how I’d wanted to trap it. By the end of it, the three are gaping at me.

“What?” I give them a wary look.

“You tried to capture a Tibithian?” Link gawks his blue eyes at me, and it’s the most expressive I’ve seen him be so far.

“What on earth is a Tibithian?”

“They’re the rarest form of creatures!” Freya’s voice takes on a rather excitable edge. “All are born from elemental fire plants near Helland volcanos up north.”

My brows lower, gathering that piece of information and recognizing how the lands of Zerathion separate into what they deem the four elements. Emberwell, fire, Terranos, earth, Undarion, water, and Aeris, air. History tells that when Zerathion was created, the power of the sun and moon fell onto a small island named the Isle of Elements. It is situated at the center of our continent and parted by the Ocean of Storms and Sea of Serenity.

And every year, a festivity named Noctura falls on the day of the summer solstice, where we celebrate the release of magic, it projects up into the sky, supposedly to help all of our lands maintain their elemental balance. When young, I’d watch the bright colors of yellows and oranges glimmer like stars, coating the velvety night, with my brothers, eating and dancing along our village market square. This year is different though because I likely won’t celebrate it in my village, I’ll be celebrating it in the city.

“They’re supposed to aid the fields and crops, which is why no one captures them,” Freya carries on, and I blink out of my thoughts. “Save for certain people living in the Draggards who enjoy slaving any creature, be it good or bad.”

That must be why Ivarron has never told me of these Tibithians, though he usually never cares for any creature.

“I’d like to know how one got to the city,” Rydan says. “Maybe I could befriend it, so it brings me food.” He pats his stomach.

Freya gasps, frowning at him. “Solaris, no! They are sweet—” Her words drown out as soon as the crowd’s cheers increase and all our heads whip to the pit. People start exchanging gold coins with each other until the queen raises her hand, and shouts become whispers.

“Oh my,” Freya breathes just as grates groan open from both ends, and I suck in air when two dragons emerge into the pit. The crowd’s silence becomes ecstatic once more as roars bluster like a storm sweeping from the grounds towards us in a breeze. I look at the long thick chains that attach to their hind legs, preventing them from flying up but still accessible to move around, to fight.

That is where I’ll be facing my trial, on that same ground, be it against dragons or something more.

I chew on my bottom lip, staring at both, each circling the other. A low rumble vibrates the grounds, and then velvet specks of shadow wrap around one of the dragons. An Umbrati.

My gaze instantly cuts to the other dragon, much smaller in size compared to the Umbrati. Its body is leaner and sharp at the head, where large fiery eyes glare at the Umbrati’s muscular physique.

Female... the Ardenti is a female.

Not only is it that, but the scales, faded colors of reds, almost feathery in nature implies it’s young. And when it opens its muzzle, projecting fire, I recognize the dragon.

It’s the one that attacked our village. The one venators captured because of me, and if the Umbrati is older and a male then— “It’s an unfair fight.” I turn to Freya with wide eyes, she simply frowns back. “The Ardenti is a fledgling, barely an adult compared to the Umbrati. It will lose.”

Freya glances between me and the pit as people around jeer on the Ardenti. “The arena fights are never fair, Nara. They won’t care even if it were a young whelp,” she answers, slightly wincing, knowing there’s never a choice.

I wonder why on earth I care about it, but I do.

Whirling my head to the two dragons, I lean forward, anticipating what could happen next, what skills the Ardenti might use against the Umbrati. They pounce at each other as chains rattle and dust the sand into the air. Their tails thrash, making it harder to see which has the upper hand. It’s clear they had been riled up beforehand. Their primal rage dominates the whole arena.

They topple, with the Ardenti latching its maw onto the neck of the Umbrati. For minutes it’s a constant back and forth as the Umbrati manages to throw the dragon off.

The crowd shoots up from the benches at that, waving their gold as the Ardenti gets up on its hinds, shaking its head and the Umbrati darts to the left, rounding and spewing black shadows from its mouth like sharp blades. The Ardenti successfully dodges each one, making me almost rise just to peeve off those betting against it.

The feeling is short-lived once the Umbrati catapults into the air. All eyes lift, watching the chain strain as it flaps midair and dives towards the Ardenti.

It happens so fast that the Ardenti doesn’t have time to veer out of the way as the Umbrati’s claws come out and slice through the wings, pinning them to the ground.

“Oh, that ought to hurt,” Rydan winces. I pay no attention to him as the Ardenti yells out a painful cry, allowing the Umbrati to clamp razor-sharp teeth onto her neck. Blood, so much blood, pours onto the pit as the Ardenti stays rooted to the floor, and the other backs away with a snarl.

I stand too fast as the Ardenti tries to rise. Her torn wings slowly opening, but still, she falls back down on her side, blowing puffs of smoke through her nostrils.

Shaking my head, I stare past everyone else’s quiet grumbles and murmurs. My face frowns painfully as the Ardenti’s eyes flutter to a close.

Concern bangs at the surface of my ribcage as my fingers fiddle with the border of my thin cloak, tightening and wringing it in-between.

Get up, my mind frantically tries to communicate, fight.

---