"Father!" The dream came to a sudden end as Xavia reached out for him and she awoke, breathing heavily on her small bed.

Xavia closed her eyes once more, hoping for more sleep. But first, as always, she reminded herself: she was safe, here in Cassardis. It was an ordinary day, and what she had experienced was merely a bad dream. It was just a dream. Calm down. The red-haired fisher opened her sea green eyes once more with a groan after a few minutes. Her heart wouldn't stop pounding, and it meant one thing- she wasn't going to be able to sleep anytime soon. Grumbling slightly to herself, she got out of bed and put on relatively clean clothes before heading out.

Xavia lived around the corner from the inn, and it made things lively. She almost tripped over two children running by, who were likely no older than seven years. Despite her bad mood, she smiled- even though it was so early, the two always had energy to play. In the background, Xavia could hear some soldiers shouting about recruiting for the army... and something about a dragon? She never paid much attention to them, and as a rule, avoided soldiers. They were always trouble with her before. However, she pressed on, heading towards the boats. She had a job to do, after all, and while being a fisher wasn't the most profitable work, she didn't think that she'd trade it for anything. It's an ordinary day. She reminded herself, pushing away a strange sense of trepidation that she felt.

Of course, ordinary days tend to not stay that way...

It all started with a large gust of wind, causing a few women to shout as the wind ripped at clothes and hair. Xavia was looking around, though. It had been too quick, too sudden, and too powerful to be normal... unless it was a storm... but there were no signs in the sky of a storm. She scanned the bright blue sky. Not a cloud was in sight, but after a minute, she saw a streak of red heading straight for them.

"It's... it's the dragon!"

Panic erupted in the streets. Villagers began to scream and run in different directions, with only one thing in common- it was away from the beach. Xavia stood, frozen in place, as the beast landed, releasing a gout of flame on anything that moved. Soon, the smell of burning wood and flesh filled the once peaceful and productive beach, and Xavia felt someone shaking her shoulder. "Xavi!"

She soon saw Quina and her expression, worry and fear mixed together, and something moved in Xavia. She looked from her old friend, to the red-scaled beast that was currently slaughtering innocents.

"Xavi, we have to go!"

There's nowhere else to go. Xavia thought. They couldn't outrun a dragon... she looked around. Not everyone seemed to get that. Some villagers were being so foolish as to hide in their homes, but it wasn't until she saw a soldier run, dropping his blade in the process, that she became truly angry. This was the kingdom's protection? Terrified men that scream and hide? Even I can do better than that. She looked up at the dragon once more. It didn't seem particularly interested in chasing those running, unless they were already nearby. "Run to the well. I bet you'd be safe in there." She told her friend.

Then, without thinking, she ran, scooping up the sword of the escaped soldier. If I die, at least I won't die a coward.

Xavia ran, blade in hand, slashing at the dragon's front leg, but the sword practically bounced off its scales, and the dragon, almost lazily, swiped in return, sending her flying into sand and water. Xavia cried out as she landed on her side, rolling over on her back. The sky was soon eclipsed by the dragon's snout. I am not going to die like this! Stubbornly, she tried to get up, but her arms and legs felt like lead, weighing her down so she was unable to move.

But then the dragon... spoke. It wasn't something Xavia understood, but almost felt, although she couldn't make sense of it right away. It spoke in a language that wasn't her own, and Xavia still felt that there was a serious meaning to his words as his- for surely, the dragon was a he for some reason- claw descended.

Then, all she knew was pain.