The crackle was what woke him. Unlike most mornings, a noise had roused him from his sleep far earlier than his automatic body clock, which was rather surprising. He could hear a faint crackling sound, but still half asleep, rolled over twice before actually opening his eyes to see what it was.
By that time, the smoke had already reached his nostrils.
His eyes sprang open and he forced himself to shoot bolt upright out of bed, not bothering to grab even the smallest of his possessions before he scrambled for a way out.
His fingers grappled like fishing hooks against large beams that had fallen over the nearest door, their sheer weight obviously having forced them to drop to the ground after being singed, rather than them protecting/holding up Adrian's ceiling.
He shifted his weight around the beams for a while, hoping that maybe if he just leant the right way against them, they would buckle and move out of the way in just the right manner that Adrian could slip past them unscathed.
No such luck, of course.
There was however, a small gap between the several beams that had fallen. Embers were still emitting from their sides, but Adrian didn't have much choice. He grasped the heated wood between his hands and hosted himself along the beams, ducking his head there, hitching his leg to avoid a branch here, eventually having to hold his breath as the dust around his face turned black and the scent of burning plagued the air.
He started to wonder if the smell of burning flesh was his own, or not, and then asked himself which he would be more relieved to learn to be true.
His skin stuck against the hot wood and burnt quickly, though in his haste he didn't tend to notice it.
Adrian wasn't very old. A mere boy of 6, he had nothing to draw him forward other than his brain's brilliant, hardwired message of 'Don't die', and his brain helpfully screamed this message towards Adrian whenever he so much as got a splinter in his hand.
He continued to crawl forward on his stomach, inching towards the darkish blueish of the night sky that he could see ahead of him.
He pulled himself through the final gap and tumbled onto the grass, only resting for a moment before pushing himself up forcefully and heading into a run.
The village houses were mostly on fire, and the plumes of smoke disappeared into the air like apparitions of animals, some fierce, and some gentle. Those surrounding Adrian seemed like loyal dogs, urging him forward and yet running by his side.
There was little sign of others running. Most of the older students and adults and teachers stood their ground, trying to fight against those who sought to destroy them.
Mighty beasts flew into the air, some were struck to the ground and lay there, limp. Others fought on, lighting the sky in yet more heated fire.
Adrian forced himself onwards to the only place of safety he knew, the dragons guild. Inside lay thousands of tiny globes of power, each with the ability to take the holder to a place of safety.
The room was circular, and around the edges held shelves of the tiny orbs.
Adrian grabbed the nearest and sucked in a breath. As if recognising the magical power that the boy held, the orb encased him in warmth and light, and he took one last glance at his home before the light sucked him in and disappeared.
YELLOW HOUSE
The boy sat alone on the bench. He was probably around 7 years old, long blond-brown hair that stopped at around his ears and curled around his face. Large blue eyes stared down at the book in his hand; 'Harry potter and the goblet of fire'. He liked the book because it mentioned dragons quite often, but not very accurately, so it didn't make him yearn for home like other books did. When he had read 'eragon' for the first time the speaking dragon Saphira had deeply upset him, mostly because it reminded him of the older dragons back home who would gather the human and dragon children to lie by their warm bellies, and tell them stories in soft voices until they fell asleep.
Home.
When the orb had travelled him to this strange new world it was as if it had lost all of its power. It blinked tiredly at him sometimes, but it never seemed to contain enough energy to bring him home. He was stuck, and he didn't know what to do about it.
So he sulked and dealt with his current predicament as best he could, reading the world's books and playing their games. He didn't really want to make friends here though.
The literature he had read had portrayed the human children here as bullies, and via his personal experience with them so far, he was fairly sure that it was true.
The first normal school he had went to was hell, and he withdrew from it after only a short while. Then he had ended up in this school, which wasn't much better, he decided, turning his thoughts away from the other children, who were playing just a short way away from him. He didn't care. It would be stupid to become attached to people in this place. He wouldn't be here long.
He had been staying in an orphanage not far from the school, where he mostly kept to himself unless it was required of him to speak.
He didn't like it here. It was awfully dull, and he missed home, but he had to acknowledge that the orphanage was kind to take him in, he supposed.
He was once again immersing himself in his book when a girl with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail approached him. There was a clear curiosity streaked across her face. Streaked, because it was as if she did not want to seem that interested, but couldn't help herself, so overall, though her eyes spoke with curiosity, she smiled kindly; the sort of smile you used when talking to a dear friend.
"Do you want to play with us?" She asked.
Adrian shrugged; a noncommittal gesture that emulated 'I don't care'.
"Why would you ask me to play with you? You don't even know me."
"No one should have to be alone. No matter who they are." The answer was quick and determined, like she had had engraved it at the forefront of her mind so that she would never forget it. It was also surly; the tone speaking the volumes of what she wasn't saying.
And just like that, he had a friend. She pushed him to his feet and held out her hand forcefully, a large grin spread across her face.
"My name's Marinette" She said.
And just like that, Adrian had a best friend.