Page 6 of A City of Flames

Right, Aeris. The western part of Zerathion. The land of phoenixes and air creatures. Terranos on the other hand is who I would believe is behind it. Run by elves, trolls and creators of the Screaming Forests.

Staying in a thoughtful gaze, I purse my lips as Miss Kiligra turns back to fixing pieces of cloth. She mutters, “We can only pray that Solaris and Crello shelter and protect us because all hell will break loose if one of the rulers declares a war.”

I hum, biting my bottom lip. I don’t know as much as most people do considering I left education early on. But I understand from what Idris has taught me that Zerathion is the only continent we know of—thus far, containing four elemental lands with different civilians and creatures to each sector.

Emberwell is the only place where mortals reside.

Usually at night, I drift off to sleep thinking about adventures where I would go in search of another kingdom that existed across the seas of Serenity.

Not even in my wildest dreams can I do that. Not when our world and other lands have despised one another for centuries.

Once there was a time that mortals were known to be lesser... weaklings because we have no power. It wasn’t until a new reign in Emberwell that the rules changed, and a treaty was put in place by our queen, Sarilyn Orcharian.

Mortals were to be equals and every territory was to keep to themselves, never crossing borders except for rulers.

Yet one thing we all ask ourselves is what species is the queen? Some say a sorceress, mighty and powerful. Others think she is a witch, but whatever she is, she saved us because the shifters living among us rebelled at the idea of a treaty. They became ruthless and dangerous, allying with dragons to try and overthrow the queen, forcing her to create an army of dragon hunters to protect her and her people, the very venators we have today.

“Nara, are you there?”

I shake my head and my eyes refocus on Miss Kiligra. “What do these creatures look like?”

“Not a clue,” Her voice drops to a whisper even though I’m the only other person inside here with her. “No one’s lived to tell the tale. Only rumors that it shares most of its traits with a dragon’s.”

Waves of doubt come crashing through me, and I try to think of how anyone could be involved in this new creation. “Are you sure—” My words die in my mouth as terrified screams erupt outside the shop. I can feel the ground quake under my feet and see the necklace beads on the counter jump with the vibrations.

Miss Kiligra looks at me in panic as I turn, rushing to the window. Crowds of people run from each angle, fleeing as if—

“Solaris! A dragon Nara!” Miss Kiligra shouts from behind, and that’s when I see it... dark leathery wings attached to a monstrously scaled body, close in shape to a lizard’s, fly past.

A few venators rush through, waving at villagers to get as far away as possible.

I can hear the dragon’s harsh growls from here as it suspends in the air, flapping its wings. That’s clearly not the biggest dragon I’ve ever seen, but it is still large enough for the venators to struggle against it.

Realization hits me all at once while watching in horror as blasts of fire, feral and wild, shoot down on carriages, carts, and anything in sight.

“My brothers,” I whisper.

Immediate worry overcomes me, and I whirl around, glancing at everything inside the store.

I have dropped off Illias by the market stalls, Iker will be at the tavern, and Idris...Idris will come looking for us too, as soon as he hears all the commotion.

“Nara.” Miss Kiligra’s voice urges as a warning, as if she knows what I am like.

She watches from the counter, quivering and hugging one of her blades as I unhook my cloak, letting it fall to the floor. I yank out the curved dagger from my sheath and give one single nod towards Miss Kiligra as I burst through the doors. All I see is a mess of injured bodies lying on the sides of the street, broken wooden stalls crackling in flames, smoke twisting and disappearing into the sky.

I elbow my way through the crowds, but they push against me, their direction the opposite of mine. “Illias!” My voice is hoarse as I try to locate him. “Ill—” A man’s shoulder connects with mine forcefully, knocking me onto the ground. My knife falls from my grip, and I scurry to grab it when another harsh scream echoes around us. I look up at the sky in time to gasp and roll on my side as spits of fire bounce off the cobblestoned ground.

Breathless, I attempt to get up, but a flash of gold draws my attention as feet trample past the spot.

A goblet.

Ivarron used to tell me about the dragons and the shifters: there are three kinds that exist. A Merati would be the holder of illusions, an expert in mind games. An Umbrati, the master of shadows. The one attacking our village right now, is an Ardenti. A fire dragon, a bearer of flames. But more importantly, Ivarron told me that all dragons and shifters have one thing in common. Their love for gold. Or rather their obsession with it. Gold has a power to mesmerize, to hypnotize them.

With each second that passes, my heart thunders, and I weigh in on a thought. The dragon needs to be tamed.

Having made my decision, I search for the dagger again, and grasp it before someone’s foot knocks it away.

Rising, I gaze at the venators, steel swords out and flashing then towards the goblet. I take off, mentally praying my brothers managed to get to safety, although Idris...

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