|| Book One of the Dragonkind Duology ||
𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙛 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙩; 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣.
For years, dragonkind and humankind had been at war, alternating between short-lived truces and all out...
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Noctifer was the first to arrive when he was informed of Argent's sudden appearance. Many jumped out of his way as he marched through the camp, some even stumbling to the ground in surprise. He didn't stop to apologize—they should've been looking at where they were going—until Argent came into view.
The boy was shaken and looked as if he wanted to cry even though no tears were in his eyes. Blood smeared his cheek as well as his hands. Noctifer sped forward.
"Are you alright?" He knelt in front of Argent and immediately began checking him for injuries.
"Yes," the boy sniffed, shifting his feet uneasily and keeping his eyes to the ground. His brow was furrowed, and he was biting the inside of his cheek. "I'm fine."
Noctifer wanted to somehow object, but as the boy said, Argent was physically unharmed. Whatever blood was on him was not his own. A few arrows were missing from his quiver as well, Noctifer noted. Someone was reaching out with a damp cloth to wipe the boy's face, but Noctifer took it instead and did it himself, making sure no trace of blood was left on the boy's skin.
Another question struck him, and unease settled deep in his stomach.
"Where's Ordephus? Were you separated from him?"
"He—He sent me back."
Noctifer's expression shifted from concerned to perplexed. "What do you mean?"
"I stopped him from killing someone. She was the nicest and has a baby, and I didn't want her to die." Argent's face fell as he continued. "I think he's mad at me for stopping him."
Noctifer didn't know how to respond to that. On one hand, he was furious at Ordephus for putting Argent in this situation in the first place. He knew Argent should've been left behind. But on the other hand, he knew this was Argent's harsh reality. To kill or be killed. Not once had he seen the boy show mercy to someone holding a sword to him, and he knew this wasn't the first time Argent witnessed death. Some of those deaths were by the boy's own hand, and this wasn't unusual for a boy in Argent's situation. Druuo, even Noctifer had fought off and killed violent thieves along with his father by the time he was a teen. This confused him on why Argent was reacting so badly to it now, but he had a feeling it was something more than just the sight of bloodshed.
"I don't think he's mad at you, Argent," Noctifer started slowly, laying an awkward but reassuring hand on Argent's shoulder. "For stopping him, perhaps, because it's dangerous to run in the middle of a fight, but not at you."
Argent looked doubtful at that but nodded his head anyway. And if Ordephus was angry at Argent, Noctifer would make sure he got to the immortal first to knock some sense into him. He meant what he said to the boy, however, as he truly couldn't imagine Ordephus being upset over Argent having a heart.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Ein'roth approach.
"Go with Ein'roth." Noctifer nudged Argent in her direction. "I'll take care of this."
