Written in Embers
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Summary: Ancients roamed Earthland, ruling from the shadows of time. Lucy thought they were legends existing only in her beloved books. He existed as the inferno that could turn the world to ash.
Chapter 1
Be careful what you wish for.
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It was said ancients ruled the world. Fierce, primal, and terrifying. These were the main words chosen by the rare survivors, who survived a trip to the wild lands describe the beasts living there. The great dragon wars, noted in history as a catastrophe the world would not soon forget, changed the very dynamics of the earth. Humans paid in blood for a feud between dragons. The benevolent ancient powers among dragon kind took pity on the humans, casting a spell that would forgo the constraints of time. It was a spell that would force dragons to know the vulnerability of humanity by giving future dragon offspring a new form. It did not weaken but allowed for greater understanding.
Not all dragons accepted this, especially those who viewed mankind as vermin, nothing but flesh to feast on. They took their anger out by raining destruction down on human settlements. The elders who wished for peace to reign again, assigned territories. Dragons who were sympathetic lent their powers to the humans, protecting their civilisations from the purge of, who the humans would come to know as, the black ones. Now thousands of years later dragons were mythical beings of old, evidence documenting their existence etched in stone ruins and stories told to by elders to the next generation.
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Rustic red in colour the moon cast an eerie glow over the town, illustrious and striking the citizens of Magnolia celebrated this time of year with vigour. Books of old reported many possibilities for the phenomenon that was only visible 10 miles from the centre of town. Despite the scholars interviewing townsfolk, many refused to answer questions for fear of inciting the 'protector's scorn'. Lucy was if anything curious by nature and as a celestial wizard she wasn't so quick to discount the anomaly as a 'scientific coincidence amplified with mystique' by 'ill-educated suspicious country folk'. Many hours of research paid off when she discovered citizens called it 'the festival of ancients' or 'the dragon king festival'. Not much was known about this event in Crocus, however, Lucy was an aspiring writer and determined to discover the truth. It was a risky venture to get here, having to traverse across the wilderness.
It was a peculiar experience for a woman who grew up with the finest of luxuries, walking was unheard of. Boarding a train wasn't an option for the runaway Heartfilia heir, word would reach her father's ears quickly. Lucy did not want to go back to that house, having a taste of freedom changed everything. Besides, the last meeting with her father did not go well and resulted in her immediate escape. Layla Heartfilia's death was devastating, her father became a bitter man obsessed with revenge and money. Lucy's affinity for the same magic her mother used and subsequently killed her, resulted in Lucy being confined under her father's strict rule. A unique celestial magic was hereditary in the female line of the Heartfilia family. Lucy instinctually knew she was tied to the flow of magic in the land. Connected to the heavens above, the stars who observed over millennia, privy to secrets lost in time. Fiore's magic council had requested an audience with her, to which her father gleefully rubbed his hands together. Pursuing a business alliance of sorts with the council would encourage a huge turn in profit for the company, even at his daughter's expense.
Lucy refused to be told how to dress, style her hair, and listen to whether her posture was benefitting of her stature. Here wandering these cobblestone streets, taking in the carnival atmosphere she was just Lucy. Never had she seen people so full of life, in Crocus a workaholic lifestyle was seen as the accomplished perspective. Time wasted on frivolities, especially in the higher circles she consorted with it was frowned upon. In Lucy's eyes, they were missing the simple pleasures, all of which add up to the epic adventures she wistfully read as a child. Examples littered the streets of Magnolia, the dedication shown by the citizens was obvious in the care they took decorating the roads, plaza's and squares with handmade lanterns and paper chains. Lucy noticed many houses had lit a small fire in front of their houses in cast iron baskets. Plaza's and communal areas had much larger bonfires, offerings were placed in a circle further back, away from the heat. Walking closer she noticed that all the gifts were some kind of food, which was unusual. Normally it was tradition to leave origami and ceremonial charms tied to trees if her research was correct.
Lucy startled as she felt sudden pressure on her calf, looking down, a small girl gripped her cloak, and who she assumed was the girl's mother trailing not far behind.
"Kayla! Watch where you're going! I'm sorry miss." Flustered the mother scooped the small girl, who couldn't be older than three, into her arms.
"Please, do not distress yourself. It was but a small mishap, she is very cute." Whilst consolidating the mother she noticed the basket hanging from the crook of her other arm. Filled with a delicious autumnal selection of fruit, it was in-keeping with the other gifts.
"Forgive me if I am being too presumptuous, but could I inquire why the offerings consist entirely of food?" Lucy knew it was a shot in the dark, considering how protective the locals were over their festival. The woman had a worldly glint to her brown eyes that said she had been through many tribulations in her life. Lucy felt like she was under close scrutiny, she could only hope to pass muster. A smile tugged at the woman's lips and Lucy released the breath she was holding.
"Ya don't look like you're up to no good miss. Ye' have a good heart. Nothin' gets past me ya see, so I'll let yer know somethin'." The woman nodded towards the offering circle and Lucy took the hint to follow. Bending down she positioned the wicker basket among the others, placing a small note between the weave, before standing.
"The protector likes food ya see, he doesn't like nothin' he can't eat. What use does he have for paper, says he." Brown eyes sparkled with mirth but Lucy was stunned, still pondering the fact that this protector was a 'he', even putting in a request to the villagers regarding what offerings he got.
"So…this protector speaks to you and requests only food?" The question was rhetorical, meant for herself more than anything. Never would she have imagined anything like this being the true meaning of the festival.
"Not at all, the main offering is the fire we build in the centre of the park. It's huge, ye can see it from here if ya look over there." True enough, over a small strip of trees, the flickering wisps at the pinnacle of the flame, contrasted with the midnight blue sky.
"Why is it so big?" The woman wasn't kidding, the flame rose to at least 3 or 4 stories high.
"Well, that's because it's his favourite thing to eat." Spoken in a way that depicted the woman thought Lucy was an idiot, obviously forgetting she wasn't a local and eating fire wasn't an everyday thing in her world.
"What kind of person eats fire?!" Lucy was by no means uneducated but with the look she was receiving from her new acquaintance, people might suspect she was.
"Person? He's no man miss. He's a dragon." Disbelief was the first emotion that swept through her currently short-circuiting brain. As in an honest to god fire breathing, flying, scales, horns, and everything else dragon? No way. It wasn't possible, right? Stories about the mythical creatures were just that, a myth.
"Your reaction right now tells me you folk from the big cities have a lot to learn. The tales of old ain't no wives' tale to frighten the youngens. The old ones are as real as you or me." Of all the things Lucy was expecting, a festival for a living, breathing dragon was not one of them. Her heart that craved adventure was beating excitedly, who knew such mythical beings could exist. Even in a world run by magic dragons were considered merely legends. If Lucy were being honest, it shouldn't be as farfetched as she was lead to believe, after all, magic had infinite possibilities, creating beings beyond imagination.
"So does this dragon come every year?" Gaining more information was now top priority. Would she be able to see such a being? The townswoman smiled while shrugging, shifting young Kayla on her hip.
"Sometimes he lets us see him, sometimes he doesn't. I guess it depends if the fancy strikes him, who knows the whims of a dragon? If he does appear, it's normally at the fire pit song and dance at midnight." An expression of wonder adorned her face and Lucy couldn't help but wish she had the ability to see memories.
"Would I be able to go to this dance?" God did she want to see it. Something that would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Would the dragon be huge? Would it have claws and wings as shown in the books she had read? It would be a mystery unless she went to the dance.
"I shouldn't see why not as long as ye' take that cloak off. We are protective of this event, so ya shouldn't give people a reason to be suspicious. For now, enjoy the festival young miss and I give me thanks for ya kindness to me youngen." Lucy watched the mother disappear wistfully, her own mother would have loved to be here. Layla Heartfilia had given Lucy the passion for discovering new and exciting things, to make the most of her fitness to roam, like her ailed mother never could. Memories of sitting beside the hospital bed, wondering why no one would tell her why mama couldn't come home anymore. Up until the day she left the mansion her father never told her the specifics of Layla's death. One day she would find the answers, until then Lucy was happy to continue achieving their dreams of discovery.
Deciding not to squander her time in Magnolia whilst waiting for the finale tonight. Lucy immersed herself into the electric atmosphere, browsing the amalgamation of stalls from bric-a-brac to grocers, every interest was available. Perusing a small clothing stall Lucy found herself fascinated by a white scarf, at first glance, it was nothing special, a plane everyday accessory. Lucy told herself this multiple times when looking around, unable to explain her fascination, yet found herself circling back to it. Picking up the item, Lucy gasped as a surge of warmth shot through her body, it was magical. Strange, this stall did not appear to be a magical clothing store. Folding the scarf and draping it over an arm Lucy called out to the vendor.
"How much is this?" The old man turned at her request, his brow furrowed in slight confusion after spotting the fabric in her arms but quickly shrugged away whatever his thoughts were.
"That would be 3000 jewl ma'am." Lucy quickly placed the correct amount in his hands and left, in case he changed his mind. Eyeing the scarf, suspicion sparked in her mind, was this scarf not supposed to be in that stall? Perhaps she was overthinking things again, her father told her off plenty for that. Slow drum beats alerted Lucy to the time, the clock tower indicating she had but a few minutes to make it to the performance. Shoving her cloak and newly acquired scarf into her satchel, she navigated through the crowds heading to the same location.
Lucy found herself just behind the front row, the heat of the fire was causing her eyes to feel dry and perspiration dotted her skin. The autumn chill could not be felt so close to the raging inferno, flames seemed to flicker in time to the drum beats vibrating through her body. People began to stomp in a dance, adding their own beat to the crescendo. Suddenly all music stopped, utter silence could be heard as the flame seemed to reach new heights, lighting the area completely, the heat becoming almost unbearable. A magical presence unlike any other hit her senses like a mallet to a nail, Lucy swayed under its force before abruptly lifting, to her relief. Looking around, she saw no one had been nearly as affected by whatever that was. Lost in her concentration her gaze focused on the floor, a clear smoke started to fill the air, the heat was evaporating small water particles in the air itself. Panning her eyes upwards she realised the smoke being pulled towards a tall figure emerging from the crowd. Striking cherry blossom hair, tanned skin adorned with red and black markings, deep red scales scattered in patches over his body accompanying the pair of horns curling and jutting forward from his skull. Black tattered trousers hung low on his hips, a fur wrap tied across his waist akin to an ancient warrior.
Standing transfixed by the sight in front of her, Lucy watched the man prowl forward. The exposed muscles of his chest and arm flexed powerfully as he moved towards the fire. He was strangely beautiful as she took in the grace of his movements, reminiscent of a predator's gate. Holding himself with all the confidence someone who stood at the top of the food chain would. Lucy gasped in amazement as in one inhale, the flame was suctioned into his mouth. Flames flared over his skin, licking over his flesh in a brilliant inferno. The fire danced to his will, creating a vortex around him, before moulding into a magnificent set of wings. Despite the human facade, there was no doubting it, he was a dragon. No other reason could explain how fire didn't touch him, rather he feasted on one of nature's most destructive forces.
"Thanks for the meal."
Maybe it was his rumbling voice penetrating her conscious, or how his cheeky grin lit up his face, or the mischievous glint in his liquid amber eyes. Whatever it was, Lucy felt her magic aura reach out towards him. Liquid amber snapped onto honey brown within seconds. Having all but forgotten being amongst a crowd of people, the rapid reinitiated drum beats seemed to match her heart. Lucy felt her magic surge once again as if trying to force something to the surface. Never had this happened before. It would be lying to say it wasn't alarming when a being so dangerous caused it. Leaning his head to the side, she saw him once again inhale deeply, this time, no flames being consumed. Was he sniffing her? From that distance? Lucy backed up, jumping as she bumped into the person behind. The fright was all her mind needed to put her into survival mode and she fled through the crowd.
Lucy grabbed at the front of her black shirt, the golden buttons digging into her palm. Her mind was frightened but somehow her soul was calling to go back. Who was he? What was going on? Both prominent questions, that instinctually, she knew would get answered. Now she would retreat to regroup her thoughts. When she asked for adventure, something on this scale wasn't quite what she had in mind.