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—whether by foot or horseback carriage he wasn’t sure—but 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—though 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—or 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—simple 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—less 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—although 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–I’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.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “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–” The boy winced as he remembered the sharp jolt of pain engulfing his arm, “--and when I went to find my sister–” 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–whether 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—no, 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–stay 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.