Fire. Twisting, writhing, burning fire was all around me. I knew that I should be burning, should feel the extreme heat from the flames around me. But I could not. Curiously I stretched my hand out towards the flames. My hand passed unharmed through the fire. I could not feel heat. I did not burn. Instead I had a strange feeling that everything was right. Energy welled up inside of me, spreading warmth through my body.
Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes and pitched myself headfirst into the flames.
And I found life.
I lay flat on my back in the middle of a large field. I knew that forests were to my right, and to my left were gently rolling hills leading to towering snow covered mountains. The sky above me was cloud filled, but sunny. I watched the clouds twist and turn in fantastical shapes and imagined they were flames. With a sigh I sat up, and tried to shake thoughts of fire from my mind. Like always it didn't work. I sighed again. I had a lot of experience with fire. I literally grew up with it after all. Possibly no one understood that fire could create better than I did. And it certainly was beautiful to watch. Still, it would be nice to think about something else every once in a while.
I stood, looked around me, and turned to my left. I picked up my pack and slung it over my shoulder as I began walking towards the mountains. I had been walking for a long time, always searching for the same thing. I had been wandering for so long that I couldn't stop now. I couldn't settle down and start to build myself a life. Although, wandering wasn't so bad. I got to see the world, and whether I wanted to or not, I learned a lot about the regions I passed through the few times I entered a city or town. The best way to find what I was looking for was to ask people. The thing was extremely hide after all. So I had to talk to people. It's actually ironic that I found out they went missing by talking to people. As soon as I found out they were gone I started searching. I had the strange feeling that we would need them in the future, and whether they had been taken from us or not didn't matter. I knew it was my duty to get their help.
I was in Fiore, in a corner of the country I had never visited before. Places like that were decreasing. Pretty soon I would be repeated my travels, seeing the old places over again. I wanted to avoid that. If I reappeared in cities I would be famous. I was going to visit a famous guild, with famous people in it. The idea of having my name known across the kingdom was sickening. I could only hope that these people did not drag my into fame with them. I had heard rumors and stories almost everywhere I went of Fairy Tail wizards and their antics. Several names came up repeatedly, and stories of their abilities left no doubt in my mind. They're Dragon Slayers. And they were my best hope of finding the dragons.
After several hours I reached the base of the first mountain. I took my pack off and unrolled it, revealing a long black cloak with a deep hood. With a flourish I threw it around my shoulders and pulled the hood over my face. With a deep breath I began to ascend the mountain, hoping I was prepared for what I would find.
I walked slowly through the jagged landscape that was the base of the mountain. Every once in a while I glanced up, searching for the first traces of snow. After about half an hour I could see the snow line several hundred feet ahead of me. I began to walk faster, nervousness and excitement egging me on.
In my haste I missed the foot prints I was walking past. I was moving past a large boulder when I finally noticed the large hand like footprints that surrounded me. Instantly I was on guard. I looked up, just as a huge ape-like monster leapt off of the boulder straight at me. I rolled forward, just barely managing to avoid the beasts attack.
I stood and turned to face my attacker. A large Vulcan, covered in white fur, stood before me. It raised its long arms, and charged at me again. I easily dodged again and again, as the Vulcan kept charging me. I was in mid jump when a second Vulcan appeared behind me.
"Sit still!" It roared, and hit me with both fists, sending me flying into a nearby boulder. Dust billowed into the air. The two Vulcans closed in, ready to finish me off. I stood, and flames billowed up around me, their sudden appearance creating a gust of wind that pushed the dust out and away from me.
"Is that all you've got?" I asked, walking towards the Vulcans.
"S-S-Salamander?" One said, breaking away. The second Vulcan roared again, charging at me. The flames disappeared from around me. I ducked under the Vulcan's punch, the leapt forward, unleashing a series of quick punches. The Vulcan fell back, only just keeping its footing. I landed, and sprung up again, this time jumping up to the Vulcan's head height. Flames billowed around my foot as I cocked it back, my cloak billowing around me.
The Vulcan looked at me in terror as I yelled while charging the flames around my foot to an intense heat. With a final roar I brought my foot around, round house kicking the Vulcan. On impact I felt the brute's jaw shatter, and it rolled several feet in the snow, then lay still.
I landed in a low crouch, facing the other Vulcan. It blabbered incoherently at me as I stood, flames erupting around my clenched fists. The Vulcan turned to run.
"No you don't!" I bellowed, running after it. I gained on the fleeing monster quickly. I was five feet away, four feet, three feet away. I jumped again, pulling back my fist, flames engulfing my bare skin.
"IRON FIST OF THE FLAME DRAGON!" I roared as I punched the monster, sending it flying further than I had kicked the other one.
"Salamander, huh? Sounds like my brother." I said, and continued walking up the mountain.