《The Kingdom of Erlain》


 Prologue

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

 A Fatal Encounter

    The sky was a bright blue as the partly cloud-covered sun glistened in the morning. The remaining raindrops on the tree leaves reflected the dreary state of the nearby house. It was a two-story stone-built house. Its wooden roof, covered with straw, was now covered with small tree limbs. Its crops consisted of carrots, peppers, and potatoes that were once blooming, had now been squished, or even uprooted.


    Harsh light from outside poured into the dim room. It was rather small yet relaxing at the same time. Near the back of it was a large bed and on either side was a nightstand, matching the bed¡¯s willow frame. Against the nightstand to right lay a sheathed sword, its leather shoulder strap hanging loose. The front of the room was fitted with a desk with its own accompanying chair that sat in the opposite corner, several feet away from the stairs on the right side of the bed. Upon the desk was a candle holder. It had seen better days, as was noticeable by the warping and rusting iron. On the wall behind the desk was a shelf lined with books, although the last two had fallen over on their sides.


    Esmund jolted awake, sitting upright immediately. He locked his palms beneath him and into the bed, softly digging his fingers into the sharp hay-filled bedding below. He was sweating profusely, screamed loudly, and then began panting heavily. His head pounding, Esmund tried to slow his breathing, but this proved to be more difficult than he expected. W-what the hell was that¡ªwas it real? He darted his eyes towards the bedroom window and winced, of course, it did storm last night, he sighed while staring at the decimated crops below. He ruffled his brown hair in disbelief, the dream and the storm were a coincidence, I¡¯m sure of it. Esmund paused, dropped his arms to the bed, and waited in silence for a moment before hearing his sister running up the stairs.


    ¡°Esmund! You alright?¡± she shouted from below. Her hand grasped onto corner of the stairway, and she propped herself up into the room. The dark brown hair that drooped around her head was in a mess and she was still in her pajamas. She pursed her lips and held her hand to her mouth, unsure of what was going on, ¡°Esmund?¡± she poked.


    The boy looked at her blankly before coming to a somber expression, ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m fine. Sorry for worrying you, Serena.¡±


    Serena grabbed onto the railing tightly, unsure whether her brother was telling the truth. She dropped her shoulders to allow herself to recover from the panic. ¡°Well, you know how I worry about you, Esmund. Be sure to get up in a few minutes, breakfast is almost ready.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast?¡± Esmund asked, rubbing his eyes to remove any remaining sleepiness.


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret, of course!¡± Serena said jokingly, giving a small chuckle, ¡°But seriously, spiced oats. One of your favorites.¡±


    Esmund couldn¡¯t help but laugh with her, she could always manage to cheer him up, even when it seemed impossible. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll be down in a few, promise.¡± He grinned slightly, still amused at her joke, and watched as she nodded and went back downstairs.


    Once she had disappeared, Esmund tossed the wool blanket covering him aside. He sat at the edge of the bed and stretched his limbs before standing upright. He went over to his set of clothes by the window and could feel the warmth of the morning on his feet with each step. Esmund picked up his folded silk shirt and sturdy brown pants, quickly changing from his pajamas to normal clothes. He then swiped up the sword, grasping onto the arm strap, and slung it over his shoulder and headed down the stairs.


    The kitchen area was a quiet place as Serena stirred the morning meal¡¯s dangling metal pot over the firepit. She reminded herself how Esmund had been asking her to teach him to cook, but she never got around to it. One of these days, I really should teach him. I can¡¯t have him rely on me forever, she thought, although at least I¡¯ve been able to teach him about hunting, farming and foraging. We¡¯ll need it today. Serena quickly grabbed a small pot of cinnamon off the spices shelf hanging to her left. She opened it, grabbed a handful, and slowly spread it out and into the oat mixture. It sizzled to life and the smell was heavenly¡ªthe same recipe their father used to make for the family. She clamped the lid shut and replaced the spice container on the rack. Serena then stirred the pot for a good minute or so before she heard Esmund making his way through the entryway. ¡°Ah good, I was just finishing up. Hope you¡¯re hungry!¡± She beamed a smile at her brother, trying to cheer him up again. He didn¡¯t budge and she let it go, instead grabbing two bowls from the cabinet on her right and pouring two scoops of oats into each. Serena carried one bowl at a time, carefully placing the first on the table in front of Esmund, who was placing his sword down against the table, and gave him a spoon made of polished stone. She sat down with her dish and propped her elbows up on the table, her head resting upon her interlocked hands. Serena felt rather fidgety but couldn¡¯t quite make out what the cause of it was.


    Esmund sat quietly and tried to cheer his mood up, but he was shaking in the back of his mind, unable to deal with the horrible nightmare he dreamt of. Of course, it wasn¡¯t much¡ªbut it felt so real, like I was the one who was there. That roar was¡ª


    ¡°Esmund?¡± Serena inquired, pointing her spoon at him. She stared at him in disbelief as he stirred the bowl of oats slowly. Her brother¡¯s face gave off no emotion.


    ¡ªI could feel it... the rain pelting my body, the explosions of thunder¡­


    Esmund was lost in thought, trailing off about what he saw and at this point his oats had gotten cold. Suddenly, there was a loud bang emitting from the opposite end of the table, shaking his bowl and causing the contents inside to jump out briefly. He slowly came back to reality, hearing a muffled noise as his vision began to focus. His sister was shouting his name from across the table, her expression drawing fury and disgust. His eyes widened. Realizing that Serena had been trying to speak to him, although he was ignoring her to try and make sense of the nightmare.


    ¡°I know something¡¯s wrong; you can¡¯t hide it from me, Esmund!¡± Serena shouted, her voice a bit coarse and trying to contain herself. An awkward silence followed for the next few seconds.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Serena,¡± Esmund muttered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, honestly. I¡¯m just overthinking this horrible dream from last night.¡±


    Serena tilted her head to the side and crossed her arms, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting upset. You know that I don¡¯t like it when that happens, and I worry about you all the time¡ª¡± She let out a somber sigh, ¡°¡ªever since mom divorced our father... and then when he passed away...¡± Her voice drifted off as the weight of those words lingered in the air.


    Esmund scooped up some oats onto his spoon, unsure how to respond. He looked out the kitchen window and carefully observed the crops. Everything had been ruined and it was going to be hard to replant all that they lost this late into the springtime. He swallowed a mouthful of breakfast, ¡°I noticed this morning when I got up that the crops have been ruined.¡± It was a quick attempt at changing the subject, although it seemed to have worked.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Serena nodded in agreement, ¡°I figured that it was going to at least rain, but not this badly. Seems like there was a horribly violent storm.¡± She stretched her arms for a moment before giving a reply, yawning in the process, ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to make up for it through some hunting, perhaps foraging as well.¡±


    Once Esmund had finished eating, the two of them stood and began to clean up. Serena handed Esmund the dirty bowls and utensils and he in turn cleaned them in a small washing pan. After several minutes of scrubbing, Esmund dried his hands on a wool towel while Serena went to change and grab her weapon. When she returned, she carried a rather decorative hunting bow that had intricate symbols and creatures carved into it; strapped to her back was a quiver containing arrows that she had crafted several weeks ago. On her waist hung a small bag made of buckskin. Esmund grabbed his sword from against the table and put the arm strap over his left shoulder. He and Serena stood side by side at the inside entrance as he recalled when their parents had each given them their weapons. Esmund got the sword from their father, and Serena her bow from their mother. It was all they had left of them.


    Serena opened the front door, and a refreshing breeze ran through the room. The trees in front of them swayed gently as if dancing and the sun was high and bright in the sky. The duo walked onward onto the dirt path that led to the crops only for them to deviate and pass them without a second thought. Each step brought them closer to the woodland beside their home. They weren¡¯t even halfway across the landscape before Serena realized she couldn¡¯t hear Esmund¡¯s footsteps anymore. She paused and slowly turned around, unsure of what was going on. Esmund was frozen in place, trembling ever so slightly that it was barely noticeable. He realized she noticed him standing there idly, though, because he quickly ran to get back in pace with her.


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    The entrance to the forest was tightly packed with trees and barely any sunlight was poking through. It made it hard for the two of them to navigate their way into their usual hunting area deep in the forest. Serena almost tripped on some tree roots at one point, stumbling over herself and grabbing onto a sturdy tree limb before she could fall. Esmund felt chills running through his body as he looked around at the gnarled branches surrounding them. Something in their vicinity felt off, but he couldn¡¯t quite point out what it was.


    It felt like an eternity to walk through the odd tunnel-like pathway. Esmund couldn¡¯t wait for this to be over with.


    ¡°We¡¯re finally here!¡± Serena said confidently, stepping forward with her arms raised. The area before the two was a large open space. The trees were more spaced out than those at the entrance, but it felt like one could easily get lost in here and never return. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t take too long, I hope,¡± Serena said, drawing her bow from her back, ¡°We¡¯ll meet up here again when the sun has reached its peak.¡±


    Esmund nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± He readjusted the sword strap on his shoulder to rebalance it.


    ¡°If you need help, just do our whistle call. You remember how to do it, right?¡± Serena asked. She noticed him fidgeting at the question, realizing he wasn¡¯t entirely sure. They rarely had to go out to the forest in the first place, so there was no reason to practice or memorize it. It was quite funny, so Serena gave a light chuckle at her brother¡¯s expense. She then placed her forefinger and thumb to her mouth and let out a quick, harmonious tune that echoed through the forest.


    Esmund thought it over for a moment, taking in the details and repeated it back to her, though a bit rough sounding. His sister nodded, confirming that he knew how to make the call.


    ¡°Alright, since that¡¯s out of the way, let¡¯s part here.¡± Serena let out a sigh of relief, glad that she wouldn¡¯t need to worry about him again. He seemed to be cheering up quickly, she thought. Serena then put her hand on his shoulder and put on a rather serious face, ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t hurt yourself again like you did a couple of months ago. You remember how bad that was, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, though the scars haven¡¯t fully healed I think.¡± Esmund responded, wincing at the thought of those wounds. He remembered that he was chasing a white-haired rabbit around a tree. It was quite stupid, but clearly the creature wanted to have some fun. Serena was laughing silly, he snickered, and then stopped when I tripped over some roots and into a thorn bush.


    ¡°Hm, I would have thought they did by now. I felt so bad for the rabbit, though. Poor thing wanted to be left alone!¡± Serena burst out laughing as she recalled the event. She let go of Esmund to regain her composure, ¡°Anyways,¡± Serena paused trying to catch her breath, ¡°Let¡¯s get on with this, shall we? But first...¡± she drifted off, reaching for the bag that dangled off her side. She untied its loops keeping it closed and reached in, pulling out some soft, rolled up fleece. ¡°You¡¯re going to need this if that happens again. Or at least if you get hurt.¡± She handed Esmund the bandages, who took them, although he gave a look of annoyance and worry. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that face! I have another one for myself. I prepared for this, like I always do,¡± Serena quipped. She tied the flaps together on the medical bag before giving her brother a thumbs up and trotting away, deep into the other end of the forest. Esmund pocketed the soft, small roll hesitantly and set forth to do his duties.


    Foraging was a harder task than he remembered, as he had only found a small handful of berries. Truthfully, he was reluctant to even bother going deeper into the forest alone.


    ¡°Well, this is unfortunate. Half of these don¡¯t even seem edible,¡± he scoffed, rolling the bunch around in his hand: a mixture of pink, purple, and blue in different sizes. Some were too ripe and fell to pieces with the tiniest bit of movement. Others weren¡¯t even in the proper stage of growth¡ªpicked way too soon, he figured. Esmund walked somberly past a few more bushes that had berries, but upon closer inspection, they weren¡¯t ready. ¡°Damn. Bushes this late in the season are supposed to be full of the things. Maybe I¡¯ll have to try my hand at hunting after all,¡± he said to himself. He shook his head, ¡°No, I should keep looking. I¡¯ve barely done anything, and I can¡¯t give up that easily.¡±


    Serena drew an arrow from her quiver; a deer in the distance raised its head up from the grass. It took quick notice of the huntress, darting its head around and starting to run. Serena wasn¡¯t going to let it get away from her. Her focus came to her breathing as she drew back the arrow on her bow. Serena took a deep breath in, waited for two seconds, and then exhaled calmly, tracking the animal¡¯s movements. She let go and a small twang rippled through the air. The arrow''s path was short and swift: moments after it was released, it struck the deer in the neck. The beast let out a cry as it reared its hind legs and collapsed to the ground. It was breathing heavily, the wound draining its life slowly. Several moments passed as Serena waited for the animal¡¯s final moments. When the creature lay still, she slung her bow over her shoulder, ready to take the animal¡¯s carcass with her. Serena walked over and bent down on one knee, gripping the arrow from the neck of her victim, trying her best to get the arrow out, ¡°Come on, damn you!¡± She cursed. Behind her, she heard the noise of rustling leaves. Serena paid little attention to it before standing back up, unable to retrieve the ammo. She turned around; the leaves rustled once more as the wind blew lightly.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± she pondered, squinting at the thick shrubbery before her. There was a shadow-engulfed figure standing before her, unmoving. ¡°Oh, Esmund! Didn¡¯t see you there. Find anything yet?¡± Her question almost echoing in emptiness was answered with silence. Shortly after, a pair of brilliant red eyes with thin diamond-shaped pupils appeared. Serena¡¯s heart dropped and began to race, her hands shaking. W-who? W-what?! She took a step back, bumping into the deer¡¯s lifeless body with the back of her foot. Serena took a few quick, deep breaths to focus. It didn¡¯t matter, she thought. All she knew was that something wasn¡¯t right and quickly drew her bow, notching an arrow. ¡°Whoever the hell you are, s-stay away!¡± she threatened, her voice shaking as her eyes darted between the mysterious figure and pair of orbs.


    Esmund stopped in his tracks, tired from wandering aimlessly and checking for things to forage. He looked at his surroundings, which had changed quite drastically. The trees were even more compact, leaving him only about two dozen feet of open space around him. In front of him was what appeared to be two gnarled trees arching into one another, forming an entryway to a dark tunnel. The forest had countless areas like these, he figured, remembering the entrance that he and Serena had taken. Esmund stared into the darkness and was slowly being pulled towards it. His body was walking without him caring about what might be on the other side. He stepped through the ominous void and was engulfed in a misty fog. It was hard for him to see anything, but he managed to make his way further.


    The fog began to dissipate shortly after, revealing an even smaller area. It was a dead end, encircling Esmund and leaving only one way out. There were patches of dirt where grass used to be and dozens of tree branches littering the ground, as were chunks of what looked like shattered rock. The middle of the area seemed to have some type of remnants¡ªperhaps it was the boulder that was now in pieces? Esmund walked closer to the center piece, his curiosity getting the better of him. The boulder now looked entirely different to him as he looked at the material that this was made of. Some kind of fine-polished stone? That¡¯s bizarre. What would something like that be doing out here? He questioned. Esmund drew his right hand forward; his hand barely touched it when a jolt of blue and white electricity exploded, running up his arm.


    Esmund screamed. His arm felt as though it were on fire and being stung by a thousand bees. He shifted his body backwards and finally freed himself, landing on his back. The electrical substance died down and stopped sparking shortly after. Esmund sat up, wincing at the pain surging through his arm. Whatever that was¡­ It wasn¡¯t normal¡­ he thought, sweating and panting heavily. He observed his arm which now had a reddish tone to it. Esmund sat up slowly, avoiding use of his right arm and took out the bandages his sister had given him. I didn¡¯t want to have to use these. Why must I be such an idiot? He wrapped the entirety of his upper arm and hand in what he could. There, he flexed his arm about, although it still felt painful, it was a good deal less than it was.


    A sound faintly echoed through the air. Esmund listened intently, unsure of what it was. He quickly scrambled to his feet and ran back through the way he came. Then the noise came through once more as he dodged his way through obstacles. He turned in the direction that it sounded to come from and continued onward. Something didn¡¯t seem right, and he knew that. Moments later, a much louder sound came through and he recognized it as the whistle Serena had taught him. His eyes widened at the realization that she could be in danger. Esmund¡¯s left hand turned into a fist as frustration ran through his mind, hoping that she would be okay.


    ¡°Serena!¡± Esmund shouted as he pushed his way through a thick bush. ¡°Are you okay? Where¡ª¡± he froze. Next to him, buried into the trunk of a tree, was an arrow. She always retrieves them, he thought. He turned slowly and pushed some branches out of the way and swiftly moved through them. Arrows had punctured numerous trees and the ground. There, in front of him, he confirmed his worries, horrifying him. He choked on the remaining words he wished to shout out to her. In front of him, almost a hundred feet away was cloaked in purple-black fog. The face was hidden, but the figure held onto Serena, who was battered and bruised. There were small cuts along her face and her eyes were struggling to remain open. She¡¯s in a lot of pain, what the hell is that figure doing to her?


    ¡°It seems that I¡¯ve caught two little flies today. It¡¯s a good thing that I¡¯ll be taking care of this one first,¡± said the figure, its voice distorted.


    ¡°W-what? Leave my sister alone!¡± screamed Esmund.


    ¡°On the contrary, I think you should be leaving her alone,¡± replied the figure, ¡°You¡¯re both going to die anyways. I can¡¯t have witnesses.¡± The humanoid figure pulled out a dagger, waving it in front of Serena¡¯s face. The girl began to struggle in his grip, unable to speak.


    Esmund was frozen in place, gritting his teeth. There¡¯s nothing I can do. Tears began to form in his eyes as he watched the knife get pressed to his sister¡¯s throat. ¡°Serena!¡± he shouted at last as the dagger slit her throat. Her body began to dissolve into small particles when she dropped to the floor. Almost instantly the figure had disappeared, but the last thing he felt was that very same dagger puncturing the back of his chest.

 From Ruin to Refuge

    Esmund trembled as the dagger pierced his flesh, shortly after growling as if to tune out the pain. His body temperature spiked, and he could barely move, sweating profusely. The blade clawed its way further with the mounting pressure from his assailant¡¯s weight pushing forward. He winced from the pain, digging his feet into the ground below him, blood dripping onto the grass below him. Finally, the dagger was ripped out from his back, and he screamed before collapsing onto the ground. The cool air stung the fresh wound.


    The cloaked man knelt, holding Esmund¡¯s chin up, ¡°I¡¯d kill you myself here and now,¡± he threatened, ¡°although I feel that a slower death is much more worth it. You¡¯ll bleed out and your sister there will be the last person you see,¡± he snickered, pointing to the corpse laid out in front of them: Serena lay lifeless in a pool of her own blood. The particles that surrounded her moments ago had now vanished almost as if the man¡¯s concentration had been part of their existence. He dropped the boy¡¯s face from his grasp and made his way to Serena¡¯s body.


    ¡°S-stay away from her!¡± Esmund shakily spat out, bloody saliva running down his chin.


    The man turned his head, squinting at Esmund, ¡°You dare speak to me?¡± He kicked Esmund in the side of his stomach, ¡°Unruly peasant! Speaking down to me, Arwel?¡± he shouted.


    Esmund choked for air as the impact forced the air from his lungs and blood spat out onto the grass.


    ¡°Let that be a gentle reminder of the man who has slain you for those in the otherworld,¡± Arwel snapped before teleporting back to Serena¡¯s carcass.


    Esmund¡¯s vision was blurring in and out of control. He couldn¡¯t move or speak, only breathe. It was hard to see everything, but he watched as Arwel held out his hand over Serena. The man seemed to say something, but his ears would not focus. Her body began to dissolve into a mass of purple-black bubbles and then condensed into a pure white crystal. Moments later it shattered into dust that flew into Arwel¡¯s hand and disappeared in a soft glow.


    ¡°W-what did you do to her?¡± Esmund croaked, glancing back and forth between Arwel and where his sister¡¯s body was.


    ¡°None of your concern, boy. Enjoy your death while it hasn¡¯t happened,¡± Arwel laughed, and a blast of air stirred around him before exploding outward. He was gone and now Esmund was left to fend for himself.


    ***


    The afternoon sun beamed down upon the dry parchment bound to a small leather notebook. Scratches of words and detailed drawings covered the pages. A hand turned the page over, covered in ancient rune-like symbols, revealing a map that spanned both pages with a red dot moving on its own in a span of trees before stopping.


    ¡°Hm,¡± questioned a curious, yet deep voice, his brow furrowing, ¡°This forest, it has to be the right place.¡± The book was quickly snapped closed and stuffed into his inner robe pocket. The man paced himself a bit further into the arms of the trees before a blast of wind struck through. ¡°What in the name of...?¡± He held his arms in front of his face as a shield against debris. His robe rippled behind him, and the potions strapped to his waist rattled as dust kicked itself up, choking his throat. Finally, after several seconds, the wind stopped and he lowered his guard, ¡°Tch. That can¡¯t be good,¡± he held out his palm in front of him as if gesturing for something to stop. The hand began to glow a fierce blue, as did his irises. He glanced around and noticed the particles floating around him. Surrounding him were green ones representing plant life, but that wasn¡¯t what caught his attention. Many black-red particles were rushing past him from the north-west, which was in front and to his left. The man rushed quickly into the clearing, Particles of... a corrupted soul? What happened here?


    A wounded boy lay on the ground before the man. He knelt carefully, and noticed they were breathing heavily, gasping for air. The particles from before were nowhere to be found, save for purely red ones emitting from the injured boy. The spell he cast wore off as he knelt down and placed his palm a few inches from the body.


    The boy quickly turned around on his side, as if sensing his presence, clenching his teeth and swatted the man''s hand away, ¡°Stay back!¡± he cried.


    The man stood up and watched as the boy writhed in pain as he fell onto his back, ¡°You can trust me... er?¡± he asked gently.


    ¡°Esmund,¡± was the boy¡¯s response, though it was more skeptical than genuine. He examined the man, ¡°you--you¡¯re with him, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The sorcerer tilted his head, confused, ¡°--Esmund, was it? My name is Zaikel. I¡¯m a sorcerer who travels the land,¡± he pointed off into the distance behind him, ¡°My next stop is the capital, Arten. I have no idea who you might be referring--¡±


    ¡°The man... Arwel, I think his name was... He was here before! There was a scar on one of his eyes, he was dressed in an all-black cloak, h-he...¡± Esmund choked on his words.


    Zaikel looked at Esmund with concern, ¡°Alright. Calm down. Take a moment and tell me: what happened?¡±


    Esmund took a moment to collect his thoughts, flinching as he felt the pain in his back flare up, ¡°My sister, Serena, and I were going to forage and hunt together earlier. Someone named Arwel found her. I couldn¡¯t save her and now she¡¯s gone. Forever.¡±


    Zaikel shuffled in place, unsure how to respond. ¡°I can sympathize; I had no family growing up whatsoever, so I know the pains of loneliness.¡± He tilted his head sideways before briefly shaking away the flooding emotions. The man once again placed his hand on Esmund, preparing to cast a spell. He looked at the boy in a pondering motion, ¡°You need some medical assistance. Magic might be able to help some, but I can¡¯t do anything about your stamina.¡±


    Esmund was still doubtful but growled as he nodded, the wound taking its toll; he was bathed in warm sunlight emanating from Zaikel¡¯s palm. He could feel his flesh stitching itself back together¡ªslowly. It felt as if a spider were weaving a web using his own skin.


    ¡°Can you stand, Esmund?¡± Zaikel asked plainly.


    Esmund felt unsure, but slowly got up off the ground¡ªor so he attempted. The wound on his back turned into a scar, he felt, and the pain still lingered. He heard Zaikel sigh for a moment before feeling his own weight hoisted upright; Esmund quickly scraped his feet up and on the ground. He then wrapped one arm around Zaikel to balance himself. Esmund stared back at the ground with his vision blurring slightly, the ground bloodied from where Arwel had made him suffer. The boy looked back at the other spot where Serena had been held captive, tears running down his cheeks.


    ¡°I know it hurts, kid, losing someone like that. Unfortunately, I feel like we¡¯re both in danger if we don¡¯t get moving.¡± Zaikel had a stern look on his face.


    Esmund nodded, wiping the tears away, ¡°That bastard. I can¡¯t forgive what he did!¡± He choked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go losing your head now. You¡¯re in no condition to take on whoever it was. My concern now is getting you somewhere safe.¡±


    The duo trudged through the way that Zaikel had come from initially. Animals glared at them for several brief moments before darting away hurriedly. Soon enough they made it to a bigger clearing in the forest.


    ¡°So, what brought you in here?¡± Esmund muttered, his voice still shaky.


    ¡°Tch. Not entirely your concern, honestly. Here¡ªhold on a bit longer,¡± Zaikel said before taking out his small, leather notebook.


    Esmund watched as Zaikel perused it rather quickly, with symbols and sketches flashing before his eyes. None of it made any sense to him. The pages stopped shuffling and he could hear Zaikel begin to say something to himself. His voice was quiet, making it nearly impossible to determine anything that was said. The glyphs on the page began to move about slightly and take on the form of readable letters and words, though never actually making it there. His eyes darted to the bottom of the page. Part of Zaikel¡¯s hand covered the sketch that was there. It appeared to be a drawing of a person surrounded by trees. There was an arrow. The other end seemed to mean something like a destination, if Esmund had to guess.


    The book was shut and dissolved away almost immediately after Zaikel had finished speaking. The wind began to pick up, ¡°Hang on, Esmund. Let¡¯s hope I did this right. For once.¡±


    ¡°What? For once? What do you mean?¡± Esmund shouted as the wind grew louder, circling around them. The outside world fell into darkness with the wind still swirling about. Small particles began to float about through the air. It didn¡¯t take Esmund long to realize his body was dissipating. His body wanted to panic, but a voice came through, don¡¯t worry, this is a teleportation spell. He watched as his hands began to fade into nothing and he closed his eyes. This can¡¯t be real. There¡¯s no way! His body felt weightless as more of the particles drifted off from him. Shortly after, there was a loud explosion of air. He opened his eyes to the view of a dirt path. A sign next to his head showed that Arten was still quite a distance away. It wouldn¡¯t be a long trip; they could make it just before nightfall at least.


    The two of them stood motionless for a minute. Zaikel appeared exhausted and Esmund released his arms from around his shoulders. The afternoon breeze brushed past them both.


    ¡°Well, I was hoping for a bit closer. Can¡¯t complain I guess.¡± Zaikel said. He glanced back at Esmund, ¡°You alright?¡± he inquired.


    Esmund shook his head in disbelief before answering, ¡°Yeah.¡± The boy¡¯s hands shook with fear as he patted himself down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret. You¡¯re in one piece,¡± Zaikel reassured, ¡°Let¡¯s get going. It shouldn¡¯t be more than maybe two hours of walking if you can manage.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Esmund muttered.


    Zaikel didn¡¯t pay the comment any mind and urged the two move forth.


    ***


    Some time passed as the clouds began to group together. The evening sun was obscured. Silence was the only thing given between the duo, save for Zaikel flipping pages and scribbling thoughts into his leather-bound tome. The dusty gravel-laid path kicked up dust as they travelled.


    Esmund was staring down at the path half-mindedly when Zaikel handed him a flask, ¡°Here. Drink some water, we both need to hydrate.¡± The boy grabbed onto it, a euphoric rush emanating from the ice-cold water against his hands. Esmund began to drink the water, quenching his thirst. He stopped for a moment to take a breath before pondering how the flask hadn¡¯t been emptied.


    Zaikel scoffed to himself, taking out a curved wooden pipe. He bit down on the mouthpiece and snapped his fingers over the bowl, generating a spark. He inhaled whatever it was before blowing it back out to the side through gritted teeth. A swift movement later and he was lost in thought once more.


    Esmund fiddled with the bandages on his wrist as if digging to itch the skin underneath, I wonder how much longer it will take to get to the city. Walking all this way in silence was awkward for him. He¡¯d always be chatting with Serena amid, well, anything. Laundry, cooking, or even foraging. The boy sighed at the last thought and opened his mouth to speak. He looked up at Zaikel to once again see the scribbles on the pages of that tiny book. Esmund could barely make out what he was looking at, as the words were incomprehensible. The drawings, however, showed some insights. There was a map¡ªwhat appeared to be a path taken and stopping at a forest. Esmund couldn¡¯t see the other page, but that only furthered his curiosity. He slowly worked his way around Zaikel¡¯s back to get a good glimpse of the other side before seeing the book snap closed and then getting struck in the back of the head by it.


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    ¡°You know, it¡¯s quite rude to stare. Even more so to read over one¡¯s shoulder,¡± Zaikel scolded. The sorcerer drew back his hand and unfolded his notes.


    Esmund held his bandaged hand against his head, recoiling at the pain. He tried to avert his gaze from looking back at Zaikel¡¯s notes, but still caught himself looking. Zaikel hadn¡¯t said anything yet, but the page he looked at seemed to write itself. The path he saw on the other page continued onto this one. The strangest part about it was how the drawings of the surroundings shifted around. The page turned and a new set of illustrations presented themselves. A giant mythical-looking creature with scales, fangs, claws, and wings. It was partially finished, though, making it hard to guess, but perhaps it was a dragon. It was all made up, though, he thought. He recalled how his father would tell Serena and him about dragons as these magnificent things. They would fly into the sky with their shimmering scales and people would look up in wonder. This sounded too good to be true to Esmund, but he believed it all the same as a child. Next to the beast was a scribbled mess with eggs in it, perhaps these dragons laid eggs? He wondered.


    Zaikel let out a puff of smoke from his pipe, ¡°I guess your curiosity is too much for your own good?¡± The sorcerer didn¡¯t sound all that surprised. He looked down at Esmund, ¡°Well, I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt to tell you something. Just so you get off my back about it,¡± he chuckled. Zaikel picked up the pipe from his mouth and cleaned its bowl, stuffing it back into his cloak pocket. ¡°To start¡ªthere¡¯s not too good a place for it to begin with. Hm,¡± he thought for a moment, ¡°I guess for starters, I study dragons primarily.¡±


    Esmund¡¯s expression turned into confusion, ¡°Wait, actual dragons? But aren¡¯t they¡ª¡± he was cut off.


    ¡°Extinct, yes,¡± Zaikel finished the thought for him. He looked at the boy, who was even more confused.


    ¡°So, dragons¡­ aren¡¯t fictional? My father spoke of them when I was a kid. It seemed unreal that they could exist.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. No, there was a time when they flourished¡ªa long time ago. It was a whole golden era for them, so-to-speak. Dragons are the most powerful creatures in existence. It¡¯s likely that the story your father told you was passed down for many years. Although... the reason they no longer exist is due to a deadly clan war,¡± he shook his head, ¡°Nobody has figured out why it happened. What is known is that their magical essence was absorbed into the world around us after dying, allowing a select few to be born with the ability to control magic themselves.¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re extinct, where did the drawing come from then?¡± Esmund inquired.


    Zaikel sighed, though he enjoyed the chatter. It was beneficial to fill the silence and share his passion. ¡°This was one of the last remaining ones.¡± He held up the tome to Esmund¡¯s face, pointing to the drawing. ¡°Much like many of the dragons at their peak, their scales were beautiful. Her scales were a magnificent emerald color. Perhaps more of a lighter teal. She had a single egg remaining in that nest. Wouldn¡¯t let me near it, of course. She herself looked rather worn and tired though, as if she hadn¡¯t slept or eaten in weeks...¡± He took a deep breath. There was a moment of silence for him to reflect before continuing, ¡°¡­I understood her pain. I kept my distance, made a polite bow, and introduced myself. She growled at first, but I reassured her I was there as a friend. It took some time, though she began to trust me. When she did, she then bowed, telling me her name, and I began to sketch her for my notes.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ so then why hadn¡¯t you written the name down? And where is that egg now? Surely you couldn¡¯t leave it there!¡± Esmund questioned.


    Zaikel moved his notes back to himself, ¡°To answer the first question: that was an agreement we had made. I was allowed to know her draconic name but writing it down was forbidden.¡± He scratched his face, unsure how to answer the second. ¡°The short answer about the egg, is of course, is exactly that: I couldn¡¯t leave it there. She allowed me to take the egg in the end, but it cost her life. During my sketches I had noticed many scratches and bruises hidden away on her scales and wings. Seems that people were attempting to steal her prized scales as even some were missing. In the middle of it, she passed away.¡± The weight of the last sentence hung heavily over Zaikel¡¯s shoulders.


    Esmund also felt the pain that Zaikel was feeling. He didn¡¯t know what to say, so he let the silence engulf them.


    Zaikel broke it a moment later, however, to keep things in a positive mood, ¡°Don¡¯t fret. The egg is safe with me. I can¡¯t elaborate too much, but¡­ essentially, I do always have it with me, even though you can¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°Some kind of magical spell I take it?¡± Esmund asked.


    ¡°Yes, precisely. Although, it already is protected in some manner by its own power. Normal people can¡¯t detect the egg¡¯s magical aura. Even if you did have magical powers, it would be difficult to find the egg as it currently is,¡± Zaikel said confidently.


    The boy gave a sign of relief, knowing the egg was safe, ¡°So then what of the capital?¡±


    ¡°Ah Arten¡ª¡± Zaikel trailed off. ¡°Truthfully¡ªI went to that forest before to find the gravesite of one dragon. It would have given me more insights into the clan war, but something clearly felt off and that¡¯s how I found you. I still intended to go to Arten, of course.¡±


    Esmund glanced down at his bandaged arm, unsure if he should tell Zaikel about it.


    ¡°The main reason to go there is to further my studies. There¡¯s a library in the castle that houses a restricted section. It has more details about magic and dragons.¡± Zaikel excitedly said.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll tell you more about the clan war that happened?¡± asked Esmund.


    Zaikel pressed his forefinger and thumb against his chin. He hummed to himself, pondering about the possibility. The sorcerer finally dropped his pose and replied, ¡°I¡¯d like to believe that, although I¡¯ve not been to the library yet. The city itself, however, is remarkable.¡±


    Esmund listened intently as Zaikel went on to detail the vast, open streets laid out in cobblestone and the bustling marketplace. The spacious housing and welcoming taverns. Lanterns that would light the city to keep the darkness of night at bay. Speaking of taverns¡ªhe was getting hungry and the sun itself was halfway set on the horizon as well.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Just a bit further,¡± Zaikel announced to the boy.


    ***


    The city of Arten finally came into view after what felt like an eternity of walking. Its walls were as grand as the sorcerer had claimed them to be. Lanterns lit the front gate and two guards stood at the ready. Above them on the pathway between the front towers, Esmund himself could barely make out the defensive archers. Their bows were slung across their shoulders and quivers bristling with arrows. They carried torches while pacing back and forth along the entire way. The guards before them carried long spear-like weaponry, their ends holding a metallic and claw-shaped blade.


    One of the guards stepped forth with their hand out, signaling the duo to stop, ¡°What business do you have?¡± The voice was loud and commanding.


    Zaikel stepped in front of Esmund, ¡°We are just travelling to visit.¡±


    The guard seemed confused, but let it pass. He then remembered the orders given to all of them, ¡°Visiting, eh? Unfortunately for you, we cannot allow visitors at this time.¡±


    This guard had a smug look about him that frustrated Zaikel, though he wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°Did something happen?¡± was all he could ask, almost sounding accusatory.


    ¡°Nah, we were given orders. We follow ¡®em. You¡¯d be lucky that with that attitude we don¡¯t cut you to pieces,¡± said the guard. There was laughter erupting from him, ¡°You could also pay a fee.¡± He stopped his momentary laughter and made a gesture towards the sorcerer that looked like he had been juggling coins in his fingers.


    Zaikel¡¯s posture changed, and he squinted down at the man. ¡°Your orders don¡¯t matter to me. The boy here needs to see a doctor. That¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡±


    Esmund peeked around Zaikel, showing his bandaged arm. It still itched from earlier. However, the guard¡¯s tone quickly changed before the boy could even show him. He saw Zaikel was giving a rather strained look on his face. What did he do just now?


    The guard before the turned about and waved to his fellow sentry, telling him to open the gate.


    Esmund and Zaikel proceeded past the guard as the massive crossbeam door was hoisted up from the inside of the city walls. Once through the entryway, Zaikel exhaled a sigh of relief. The two of them walked along the cobblestone pathway, kicking rocks to the side as they came across them.


    It had been a long, tedious day for Esmund. He had lost his sister and now he was in the city. Furthermore, dragons weren¡¯t just fairytales or fiction. Hell, even magic was real.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop and get something to eat, shall we?¡± Zaikel asked. He gestured towards the nearest tavern. It had a wooden sign hanging off the wall, The Drunken Elf in fancy, curved lettering. He opened the door and was met with loud chatter.


    The fresh outside air was replaced with an overbearing stench of ale and Esmund could barely breathe. The wooden floorboards creaked beneath each step. It was an odd feeling that he wasn¡¯t used to. He became weary as the two of them drew further into the establishment. The atmosphere was a joyous one, regardless of all the patrons within. Esmund took note of the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the center. The candles danced to the music that came from a small group with varied instruments. Esmund had never seen such things before, but the sound they produced was beautiful and harmonious.


    Zaikel made his way to the barkeep. There was a light conversation, a chuckle, and finally the toss of a few silver coins onto the tabletop. The man behind the counter nodded and without hesitation filled a glass mug with a cream-colored, foamy liquid. The sorcerer smiled as he grasped onto the handle. The bartender then handed him another glass filled with water. He gestured a thank you and headed back towards Esmund.


    Once Zaikel had made it back, the two found a table to sit down at. It was worn and had scratches, showing its age for the numerous patrons that had sat here over the years. There wasn¡¯t much to discuss, although it appeared that the man was plotting out their next course of action. His hands folded into one another, propped up against his chin.


    Several minutes passed and Esmund began to grow ever more anxious. When he thought that Zaikel was about to speak up, a large platter with golden brown, marvelously cooked chicken was placed between them. The heat was still emanating from its body. Next to it was a loaf of bread, not quite as fresh, but still appetizing. The boy looked up to see a rather gorgeous elven waitress: her long, silvery hair cascaded down her back, catching the flickering candlelight and shimmering like a waterfall of moonlight. Pointed ears peeked through the strands, a hallmark of her eleven heritage. She wore a simple yet elegant dress in forest green, cinched at the waist with a leather belt, and adorned with intricate embroidery that resembled delicate vines and leaves. She gave both him and Zaikel a wink from her emerald-colored eyes before going off and tending to the other customers.


    Zaikel had already begun to rip off pieces from the bird before him and put them onto his plate, ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Definitely better than I was earlier today, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Esmund replied, fetching some of the meal for himself. He tore off a hearty leg from the chicken and cut a slice of the bread, which was cut rather smoothly and evenly even though it seemed stale. The man across from him was looking over the other patrons as he casually ate the meat from his plate.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± was the noise that Zaikel had produced, ¡°Seems there¡¯s nobody here that¡¯d be able to help your current condition. We¡¯ll have to check the town in the morning, then.¡± The sorcerer took a swig from the mug before him.


    The two of them sat in silence for the remainder of their time, save for the sounds of the patrons around them.


    Esmund stretched his limbs and yawned. The man before him sat with a blank expression on his face. He was surprised that Zaikel could hold his liquor. Esmund glanced around the room, the candles in the chandelier beginning to dwindle down to mere specs at this point. Suddenly a small leather bag, tied tightly with a piece of string, was tossed onto the table. The maiden who came to take their order came by and collected the fee.


    ¡°Alright here¡¯s the plan for now,¡± Zaikel finally broke, tossing another small pouch towards Esmund. The coins inside clanged together and the boy stared back and forth between Zaikel and the bag. ¡°I want you to go and reserve us a spot at an inn. The coins inside that pouch should be enough. I will head over to the castle at the far end of the city.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to that library you spoke of, aren¡¯t you?¡± Esmund inquired.


    ¡°Precisely. I don¡¯t expect us to be in the main city of Erlain for long.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Erlain?¡± Esmund asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Hm,¡± Zaikel let out a confused noise, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know. Ah, well, a simple geography lesson.¡±


    Esmund scratched his head, ¡°I¡¯d heard about the city before, but not its name. My father used to take my sister and I here on occasion, but¡ª¡± he trailed off as Zaikel waived his hand.


    The sorcerer reached into his inner cloak pocket, withdrawing his notebook. He placed it in front of Esmund gingerly and turned its pages to reach a section with a series of sketches. He tapped the markings thrice, the runes on his hand glowing momentarily, and the two felt their surroundings melt away.


    Esmund watched as Zaikel pointed towards where they currently were. There was a rectangular shape filled with dots, though one stood out.


    ¡°This is our current location; the glowing dot is where this book is.¡± Zaikel, using his index and middle fingers, spread them away from each other while pressing against the paper. The details began to erase, redrawing a new view showing the entirety of the city on the right-side page. The sorcerer then gestured to the boy to look towards the bottom left of the lefthand page.


    ¡°That¡¯s where I live!¡± Esmund whispered.


    ¡°Anyhow¡ªaside from showing you this¡ª¡± Zaikel¡¯s voice trailed off, trying to collect his thoughts. ¡°¡ªthis here,¡± he pointed back at the massive sketch that seemed to be the city, ¡°is the capital of the kingdom. It¡¯s known as Arten.¡± He pondered for a moment, ¡°there¡¯s multiple cities within the kingdom, as it has been standing for centuries. Although I¡¯ve been to more of the small towns than major cities.¡± There wasn¡¯t much left for him to say, as he wanted to keep it brief. Zaikel then proceeded to close the booklet and the surrounding noise from everyone around them came pouring back in.


    Esmund nodded his head, taking in the information that Zaikel had just provided. He stood up from the chair and swiped up the small pouch before him.


    Zaikel chuckled and got up as well, the chair screeching against the hardwood floor. He led Esmund outside to the front of the tavern and waved him off, signaling the temporary parting.


    Esmund began to walk away, pouch of coins in hand. The city¡¯s street lanterns let off an intense glow in the dark night. His arm stiffened up for a moment. It had been like that for the past hour, and he would simply grab hold of it and apply some pressure to nullify the pain. The nearest inn, as he recalled, Zaikel and himself had passed on the way over. He quickly made his way towards the building.

 Shattered Peace

    The streets of Arten were barely awake; merchants began to make their way across to their shops. The cobblestone beneath Esmund¡¯s feet was glistening and he could see the numerous cracks starting to form from the years of people treading along the path¡ªwhether by foot or horseback carriage he wasn¡¯t sure¡ªbut both were a possibility. The air was crisp and accentuated by a nearby food stall¡¯s produce consisting of apples, carrots, and freshly baked bread. Esmund stretched his arms out, letting them loosen as he stared out at the horizon and took note of the numerous buildings that littered the amber skyline. The burning sensation had subsided significantly on the bandaged arm. Behind him was the door to the inn: heavy and made of willow. The previous night he¡¯d struggled to open it and had to resort to knocking with the metallic, slightly rusted door ring bolted on its right side. He was greeted by two housekeepers who looked concerned, although wondering more what he was doing out late at night.


    The boy dropped his arms back down with a sigh of relief, but Zaikel was nowhere to be found. He¡¯d not seen the sorcerer enter the room that he was told to obtain for the night, perhaps he went straight to the library? Esmund wondered. He shrugged off the thought, walking towards the innards of the city.


    ***


    Esmund kept his pacing, hoping to find something of interest in the city soon. Much like earlier, there really wasn¡¯t all that much except housing. There were more merchant stalls, but he spent most of the coin Zaikel had given him for the room for the night. He reached into his pocket, drawing his hand around the clunky metal within the pouch. He never was taught how to count coins by his sister¡ªthough he wasn¡¯t even sure that she could. She taught me so many things... Esmund paused, unprepared for the thought. He clenched onto the coins, their ragged edges digging into his palm through the pouch. I¡¯m hopeful there¡¯s still a chance she¡¯s alive, somehow. If I knew where Zaikel was I could ask him. He snapped back from his thoughts to hear the chattering of people bargaining for their goods. One merchant in the distance, he noted, was giving him a strange look. Esmund ignored the man, chuckling to himself as the man wasn¡¯t doing a great job at being discreet about it. However, there was a conversation just barely audible that Esmund could make out that caught his attention.


    ¡°Aye lass, I just need some of those dry herbs you¡¯re selling.¡±


    Esmund looked over to see a tall, broad-shouldered man. His presence loomed over the stall; clothing rugged and worn. A thick, unkempt beard covered half his face¡ªor at least what Esmund could tell from behind. The boots this man wore had been caked in mud. It was hard for Esmund to think of where that could have happened, given all he¡¯d seen were the cobblestone roads, but it mattered not.


    The merchant stared up at the man, her bright blue eyes narrowing in concern. She flicked her long blonde hair back, which fell in soft waves and was tied into a neat, elegant braid with small ribbons atop her head. Her dress is almost pure white, but had a hint of blue in it, embroidered with floral patterns. Around her neck hangs a delicate silver pendant¡ªsimple but elegant. The girl glanced around, attempting to figure out what this drunkard really wanted from her. She couldn¡¯t bear to stare at his crooked smile or inhale his ale-drenched breath for much longer. The man¡¯s hand was clearly gripping the edge of her stall table, the knuckles turning white. She was backed away a few inches from where she¡¯d normally greet the patron behind the table and dared not to turn around. Behind her was a cabinet which had several shelves containing jars of various herbs and flasks for medicines. It was difficult for her to keep her composure, but she also didn¡¯t want a major scene to be made. The girl turned just enough to keep an eye on the man before her to reach for the requested item, grasping onto the small bulbous container and uncorking it in a quick, smooth motion. The herbs had an almost minty aroma about them, useful for numbing pain, she thought, but if ground up and ignited could be used for¡ªless than beneficial use.


    Esmund tried not to stare at the less than uncomfortable situation. Nobody around them seemed to even take notice that such a conflict was happening. Perhaps this is normal here? He wondered. Then he took a closer look at the girl, something about her was familiar but he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it. Regardless, the boy took up a careful watch to not be noticed by either her or the stranger.


    There weren¡¯t many options left for the girl as she held the container of herbs in a tight grip. She finally turned to face the man and concentrated her energy into her hand. The glass surface began to heat, although to an outsider it would appear as if it were just condensation from the morning air. The girl was careful not to keep it too close to her, stepping towards the patron¡ªalthough she was certain that he lacked the coin to pay her. These herbs give off an invisible smoke so this should work in my favor. After taking a brief few steps, the girl loosened her grip slightly and pretended to have her right foot slip against the edge of a loose stone and the glass bottle flew from her hand and onto the pavement next to the man. Shards flew across the ground, but most importantly, the stranger inhaled some of the smoke and was injured by several fragments which embedded themselves into his left leg. She watched as he writhed in pain and covered his eyes to avoid being blinded by the smokeless aroma.


    ¡°Oi, you¡¯ve done it now!¡± screamed the enraged man.


    Esmund was staring in disbelief, though so were many of the other people around him. Nobody was willing to move so much as an inch, but Esmund was already making his move once this patron of hers began to swing his fists wildly, hoping to land a hit. However, luck was not on this man¡¯s side, Esmund observed, as he coughed and staggered backwards. The boy stopped himself before the merchant¡¯s stall and stared down at the man who now lay unconscious. Suddenly the air was filled once more with the musings of trade while Esmund looked around before fixing his eyes back on the girl before him, her eyes showing a hint of excitement. That, or shock over the scenario that had just played out.


    ¡°Esmund?¡± the girl¡¯s voice wavering between excitement and disbelief.


    There was a moment of awkward silence between the two before Esmund finally spoke up, ¡°Er, how do you know my name...?¡± he trailed off in confusion.


    ¡°It is you!¡± she boasted, making her way around to him. She leaned forward slightly, hands interlocked behind her back ¡°You don¡¯t remember me, Lillie? We knew each other for a few years before--¡±


    ¡°--Serena and I had to leave with our father.¡± Esmund finished the sentence for her. He could vaguely recall his sister telling him when they were younger small details about the reason for leaving the city. Unfortunately, Esmund couldn¡¯t make heads nor tails of what she told him then, but the little time he¡¯d spent here in the city, he could put together his own reasons. Slowly he picked himself back out of the past and glanced over at the man beside them.


    ¡°Oh, him? Nothing really out of the ordinary, sadly. I¡¯ve dealt with many patrons like that one,¡± Lillie pointed a stern finger at the body, ¡°He¡¯s also not dead. Just a tad unconscious from overexposure to a specific medical herb.¡± Her expression became one of concern as she saw Esmund¡¯s bandaged arm out of the corner of her vision.


    Esmund watched as Lillie then turned towards her stall and began to make her way back.


    ¡°So, what brings you back to the city anyhow?¡± Lillie inquired curiously. She had already gone back to the cabinet of her wares and was sorting out her remaining stock. Immediately Lillie stared down the empty spot where she had taken the small glass jar of dried herb from before. Her right hand moved to her hip as Lillie pondered. The herb in question wasn¡¯t exactly easy to come by so she would need to figure out the cost of replacing it, whether by trade with another merchant or paying; she sighed inaudibly. It had taken her several months to save up enough coin for the last batch.


    A few moments later she shrugged it off, given the more pressing matters at the moment, and began to straighten up the remaining herbs and remedies on multiple shelves. She paused mid-motion before continuing, ¡°Forgive me if this is a bit much, but I couldn¡¯t help but notice... your arm there?¡± Her tone was softer than before. She glanced behind her and gestured vaguely towards the bandaged limb.


    There is no easy way to explain this to Lillie, is there? Esmund thought, bringing his bandaged arm, palm facing towards him, to his face. After the nonsensical fantasy he had endured, surely she wouldn¡¯t believe him. Yet there was proof it did happen in front of him, so why hesitate? He clenched his hand into a fist before hesitating for a moment and taking a deep breath, ¡°Honestly¨CI¡¯m still trying to parse it myself, as none of it seems real,¡± Esmund trailed off.


    Lillie had her full attention on Esmund now, expressing deep concern as she could feel the weight of the words. Before she could speak, a pair of city guards came through the bustling market behind them. She quickly closed up her shop and locked the drawers and cabinets for her wares, nudging Esmund forward silently so the two of them could leave without being interrogated by the guards. The last thing that either of them, especially Esmund, needed was more trouble.


    The two of them walked in silence for a time, the noise of the market gradually fading behind them as they took a narrow side street. It was quite a relief, Esmund thought, considering the clamor of voices and bartering was just barely possible to drown out and now there was nothing but silence, save for the shuffle of their soft footsteps echoing in the air. Eventually they made one final turn through a shaded alleyway and into the courtyard of a small, tucked-away house. Esmund was shocked to find such a residence within the massive city. It wasn¡¯t crowded together with the other houses like the endless rows of buildings he had passed earlier.


    Lillie broke the silence, ¡°My house was part of the old city plan,¡± she explained, her tone firm, ¡°But the King was convinced that the new one was better. Over the years, they¡¯ve packed hundreds of houses together.¡± She stopped at the door, pushing it open with a soft creak before continuing, ¡°We... er, my parents and I had neighbors, but even they were forced to move into the new furnished places.¡±


    The moment Esmund stepped through the door, the scent of herbs filled his senses, warm and familiar. Inside, shelves lined the walls, each one stacked with jars of dried plants, powders, and small vials. A few books lay open on a table by the window, the sunlight catching the pages. Lillie walked him over to the table and motioned for him to sit while simultaneously closing and moving the book away in a swift motion. Esmund studied the title engraved upon the leather-bound cover, although it was difficult to discern due to the fancy lettering. His moment of concentration was broken by Lillie who had suddenly appeared, placing a secondary chair next to him with a soft thud.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Sorry for the sudden change of scenery,¡± Lillie started, her tone apologetic, yet firm. ¡°I figured somewhere a bit more private would be helpful to discuss... what happened.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Esmund agreed, looking out the window. Those guards also would have been a pain, he admitted to himself. He relaxed himself, taking in the moment to meditate before beginning, ¡°Serena and I were in the forest gathering supplies, but we split up. I found myself at one point mesmerized by some kind of ruin. When I touched that¨C¡± The boy winced as he remembered the sharp jolt of pain engulfing his arm, ¡°--and when I went to find my sister¨C¡± Tears began to form in his eyes. He shook them away, but they were relentless, ¡°--A man who I do not know took her away. I¡¯m uncertain if she is still alive.. and hell, I almost died after that. The mysterious figure had wounded me and left me to die.¡± Esmund could feel Lillie¡¯s expression of concern piercing through him.


    Lillie paused for a brief second, unsure of how to respond, then, ¡°Yet you survived... Serena could still be alive. That¡¯s what matters most, is it not?¡± she consoled, her voice trembling slightly.


    Esmund shook his head, a bitter smile forming, ¡°Perhaps, but... it doesn¡¯t feel like it. I don¡¯t even know where I should be looking for her.¡± He felt his stomach knot up, guilt creeping in for being so dismissive, but he pressed on, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for a sorcerer named Zaikel who came to my aid, I wouldn¡¯t be alive. I was skeptical, confused and nearly wanted to just lay there and die. However, he convinced me and we escaped that damned forest.¡± His voice shook and he steadied his breathing, glancing back up at Lillie, ¡°We came here as he was furthering his study of dragons in the castle library.¡±


    Lillie shifted in place, taken aback at Esmund¡¯s story. It took a moment for her to gather the words, ¡°Perhaps I could take a look¡­?¡± She said sheepishly while looking at his arm.


    Esmund was surprised by her question, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what it looks like, honestly. Initially it was sore and red like a burn, but it doesn¡¯t hurt all that much now.¡± He felt the careful pokes of Lillie¡¯s index finger over his arm bandages. It tingled with each touch, almost making him laugh if it hadn¡¯t been for the lingering mood from the grave story.


    Lillie frowned slightly, still poking around on his arm. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. His arm feels a bit more¡­ firm than normally would be, especially for a burn. That much I can tell, she pondered. ¡°Do you mind if I took it off?¡± She asked bluntly, only to see Esmund give a rather frustrated look. ¡°I-I mean the bandage, of course,¡± She stuttered.


    Now the boy gave a confused look, wondering why she had to specify such a thing. ¡°I... suppose?¡±


    It took a moment for Lillie to gather herself after her embarrassing statement before she reached over proper to take off the bandages. Suddenly the room shook and she stopped herself from tearing open a gap in the bandages to expose Esmund¡¯s forearm. Lillie looked up from his arm, ¡°Did you feel that too?¡± she asked, her voice giving off a hint of uncertainty.


    Esmund opened his mouth to respond, but there was another violent shake. Bottles rattled and clinked together, and books tumbled from their spots. He and Lillie both shot up from their seats as several more rattles came through. A potted plant in the corner crashed to the floor, spilling dirt across the wooden floor.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right! We need to leave!¡± Lillie shouted over the creaking walls. They both rushed towards the front door, attempting to escape the imminent danger¨Cwhether that meant the house would collapse or something else entirely.


    Outside was no better than the home, as the quakes were stronger than before. Esmund pushed the door open to the courtyard with Lillie following closely behind. They ran through the alleyway and onto the street they came from earlier. The two of them stopped abruptly as another massive quake shook the ground beneath them, causing Esmund to stumble.


    The boy caught himself against the brick wall as support and began to breathe heavily. Moments later, he felt a poke on his shoulder. He turned to see Lillie, her eyes staring at something in the sky. Following her gaze, Esmund froze. High above them, a massive shadow soared through the sky, black wings beating the air with terrifying force. Seeing the massive creature, Esmund thought back to the conversation with Zaikel and seeing the drawings he had made in his notebook. This flying creature looked similar, although without seeing it much closer he was unable to fully be sure. He wasn¡¯t planning to find out, though. There was a mighty roar that was deafening, vibrating deep in his chest. In the distance, he could hear people shouting and shortly after several patrons had already stopped to also behold the sight. The dragon soared through the air, sending shockwaves throughout the buildings. It screeched once more, passing overhead and blocking out the sun; its front talons smashed into the silver brick walls around them. The debris smashed into the cobblestone street, cracking it and shaking the ground.


    Lillie put her hands on Esmund¡¯s shoulder, shaking him gently, ¡°Snap out of it!¡± she shouted.


    Esmund shook his head, coming to terms with the reality in front of him. The two of them¡ªno, the entire city was in danger. He stepped out into the rubble-filled street, avoiding the large chunks of stone and splintered wood. Lillie followed behind before rushing to aid a civilian who was injured by falling debris. She knelt down, removing what looked like splintered wood from their arm and placed her hands inches away from the gash, muttering to herself as a dazzling glow illuminated her face.


    Shortly after, a small group of city guards had arrived, their metallic armor clanking against their bodies. They looked around in awe, observing the destruction laid out before them, ¡°You there, what happened?¡± The leader of the pack had turned their attention to Lillie who had been tending to the injured citizen.


    Lillie ignored the question, keeping her focus on helping the person before her. She could feel the sharp gaze of the lead guardsman piercing through her, but she remained unmoved. Slowly, she could feel the bleeding stop, but the wound would need more than just her magic to heal.


    The leader¡¯s expression became more serious as their face narrowed in caution, unsure of what the girl was doing. They quickly pointed their sword at Lillie, his voice sharp, ¡°Step away from them!¡± He watched as the light disappeared and the girl stood up, giving him a stern look. ¡°Don¡¯t make me-¡± he motioned to grab her, but paused as the skies were filled with another roar. His fellow guards turned sharply in the direction of the sound, their faces glowing a yellow-orange as flames danced from the magnificent winged beast¡¯s mouth from above, splashing against the roofs, setting them ablaze. The intense heat radiated down, forcing the guards to squint and raise their arms to shield themselves.


    Esmund and Lillie covered their faces with their arms, trying to block the imminent blast of hot air and dust. Screams could be heard in the distance and the duo watched as the dragon circled back, darting from one area to another with a ferocious speed, its wings casting shadows over the city. The guards before them stood in awe, preparing for the beast¡¯s next move. Lillie looked at the man she helped and her expression softened knowing she couldn¡¯t do more for him.


    ¡°Th-thanks¡± the man muttered through raspy breaths, clutching his shoulder.


    Lillie nodded her head, unable to process the words to say to the man before turning her attention to Esmund. She brushed her hair back behind her ear before speaking, ¡°We need to get out of here!¡±


    Esmund stared at the girl, it felt as though she were looking into his soul, ¡°What about the other people in this city? Don¡¯t you hear the screams?¡±


    Lillie¡¯s expression darkened. She lowered her head slightly, hiding her face. She knew Esmund was right, but there was no way they could help everyone. Most importantly, however, she didn¡¯t want Esmund to get hurt, or worse, lose him forever. She caressed the silver pendant dangling from her neck for a brief moment before clutching it tightly, ¡°Esmund,¡± she started, almost choking on the words,  ¡°If we stay here, one of us¡­ or both of us, we¡­¡± Lillie shook her head, unable to finish. ¡°As much as I want to help, I don¡¯t think we can.¡±


    Esmund swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Lillie¡¯s words linger in the air. The dragon continued to wreak havoc in the distance, tearing apart structures with ease, and nobody knew where the beast would strike next. They were running out of time. He watched as Lillie stood up, her mostly white dress now covered in dirt. The air around them seemed to grow hotter with every passing second, thick with an acrid smell of smoke.


    The leader of the guards scoffed, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword, eyes never leaving the dragon, ¡°We¡¯ll handle it from here,¡± he muttered, still eyeing the distant wreckage. ¡°But you, girl¨Cstay away from any more civilians. We can¡¯t afford to have anyone else get hurt.¡±


    Lillie¡¯s jaw tightened, a sharp retort hanging on the tip of her tongue, but Esmund placed a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed slightly at the gesture, anxiously watching the guards run towards the destruction. Once they were gone, she exhaled sharply, her frustration palpable. ¡°I just wanted to help,¡± she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to Esmund.


    The boy looked at Lillie, unable to find the words to express what he wanted to say. He took his hand off her shoulder, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Without another word, the two made their way in the opposite direction. It was eerily quiet as they passed through the streets, though it was apparent the dragon hadn¡¯t been in the area. The main problem, however, was getting out of the city with how massive it was.


    Esmund looked back at Lillie, unsure if perhaps she knew where they needed to go, ¡°Lillie-¡± he was interrupted by the sound of shattering bricks behind them. Before he could turn around to see the source of the noise, the girl had darted behind him, holding up her hand and producing a bright, curved light. The debris rained down upon them, smaller parts of bricks and wood slamming into the light that Lillie was holding up. Esmund¡¯s heart pounded as he glanced up to see the dragon, its menacingly large red eyes staring at them.


    Lillie waved her hand, the spell she had conjured dissipating, and grabbed onto Esmund¡¯s wrist, ¡°We have to move!¡± She yelled, pulling Esmund forward with her.


    The magnificent creature snapped its maw, breathing a wave of fire behind them. Once the blaze vanished, the beast roared and flew after Esmund and Lllie, its rage unquenched.


    The ground trembled as the dragon¡¯s wings tore through the air, each beat creating gusts strong enough to knock debris loose from the buildings. A nearby structure collapsed as the dragon¡¯s tail swept it aside, sending chunks of stone flying toward them. Esmund dodged one of the larger pieces, but they kept running, weaving through narrow alleys and streets.


    The dragon¡¯s claws scraped against the buildings, tearing deep gouges into stone as it pursued them, and the sound of collapsing walls echoed in the distance. The air was thick with the scent of smoke as the dragon unleashed another blast of fire, narrowly missing them but sending a shower of embers in their direction.


    The duo¡¯s breath was ragged, their pace quickening with every roar that rang out behind them. Finally, Lillie made one last turn, pulling Esmund into the cover of a tight alley.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Lillie swore, her voice hoarse as she stopped in front of a dead end. The walls loomed in close, offering no escape. She paused, turning around as both she and Esmund felt the ground shake. The air grew warmer, and the dragon¡¯s muzzle appeared at the far end of the alley, eager to capture its prey. Lillie¡¯s heart raced, her expression turning to horror as the realization sank in. She pressed herself against Esmund¡¯s chest, trembling.


    The boy looked down at her, his own fear mirrored in her eyes. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow, and his pulse hammered in his ears. He couldn¡¯t think. He couldn¡¯t breathe. They were trapped. There was nowhere to run.


    A blast of hot air was followed by the dragon¡¯s orange-red flames emanating from its jaws.


    This is it, isn¡¯t it? Esmund asked himself, closing his eyes.


    Lillie clutched onto the pendant on her neck, praying that they would be alright.


    Then, the air rippled as Zaikel appeared before them. His cloak was in tatters, singed slightly as well. He had numerous wounds on him and the runes on his hand glowed intensely. The sorcerer held out his hand to the flames and they were sucked into a vibrating pocket of air, holding out his other hand to the two before him, ¡°Grab on! I can¡¯t hold this forever!¡±


    Esmund hesitated for a moment, the heat from the fire making it impossible to think. He looked at Lillie and back at Zaikel, who nodded. The boy took a few steps forward, Lillie still holding onto him. Esmund reached out to Zaikel, grabbing hold of his free hand. The moment his skin touched the sorcerer¡¯s, an electric surge shot through his body, the world around him flickering as time seemed to slow down before everything plunged into darkness.