The Chase

Opening Part One

"Thousands of years ago, humans and the Zheragon or the dragons as we now say - were both on the brink of extinction. They battled fiercely, warring, and raving. The death toll was catastrophic. The humans believed the dragonfolk were soulless creatures and a scourge upon the earth; better as trophies than as living beings. The dragons looked down upon humankind, believing they should worship and cower before their power and mysticism. Neither was willing to relent. That is when Ylohim, Lord and master of all folk and nation came down to arrange a pact between human and dragon. If either species should cease to exist, the other would too die out and perish. If they could not get along - they served no purpose in the world he created. The dragons, being too prideful, spat on this agreement. Ylohim was furious - he told the dragonfolk that if they could not learn to respect humankind, they would be forced to live as man does. No longer would taking human form be a learned trait - dragons from then on would be born in the shape of man - and must learn to be dragons."

"Dem, we wa mut sora ne ra et?" That's why I can't fly yet? Semmy asked, the three-year-old looked up at her nanny. The woman sighed and noted the marvel of how a child could appear as royal as they did adorable. The twee agon's full name was Semiramishe Sasibe'Llona Fum'Atumoyo. Her round yet upturned eyes with their striking amethyst color and brightness seemed to beckon to her. Her black fox brow resting against soft cinnamon skin on a heart-shaped face cradled by a mane of ebony-black dreadlocks. The woman began to answer when the building began to shake. The furious roar of a dragon pierced the air. The Old Tale would have to wait. If the men had begun fighting as dragons, nothing within fifty kilometers of the palace was safe. The palace grounds alone covered a space of thirty kilometers.

"Suada ket Semmy tu Auster. Wa de sik ebaba - we have no choice; we must leave." As the eldest among the children stood the other two leaped to follow suit. "If baba has joined the battle, it may to late - hide quickly you know what to do if I don' gnon ra." Aura told the nanny, handing her small sister over and forcing her brother's clutching hand from her skirt.

"Hesh" the nanny nodded, grabbing the boy's hesitant arm as the small child wrapped her tiny legs around her hip. The only boy and middle child, Silvius Austeresh, had been quite content asleep and simply went grabbing whoever was most familiar and closest. His silver locks and sharp snake-brow stood out keenly, his pale ecru-tan skin and silver eyes betraying his albinism.

She quickly turned around and opened the closet. She slid the slightly hidden bottom door open and coerced the boy inside, handing the boy the small girl whose thumb was firmly jammed into her mouth. "Stay here, stay hidden, stay quiet. Wa ma te suk gnon ra." She whispered to the boy. She closed the door and the closet and went to leave the room.

As soon as she opened the door, the heat rushed to her face. On the right side the blaze had all but destroyed the building, to her left the bodies of slaughtered aides, attendants, and family lined the walls. She looked back to the right, the beams were falling, but the fire was all but doused, the building was fortified of stone and alabaster, not much wood to burn but enough to light every room and hall ablaze. The lavender and gold patterned carpet was singed black and stained red. The decorations and wall trophies that lined the hall were all but the ashes of what they were just hours ago. She inhaled sharply. The skies flashed with fire and lightning, the shadows of dragons and flaps of wings mingled in the air. Thinking back on the Old Tale the woman understood now why humankind feared the dragonfolk.

"Pantha!" a voice called. Suada turned back to her left to see Rhea Aura running toward her. "Vai ima coming, we have to get the little ones out. It is too late, ahma tu ebaba are holding them -." As the girl reached Suada and out of breath grabbed her arms, Suada tried to pull her out of the way. It was too late; an arrow was lodged in her chest. In that second, it was as if time slowed just for a moment.