Chapter 5 – Into the heart of Heart

Fact: it is possible the people and dragons of Kumandra address Ignus as a creature due to the fact they never a western like him before. Also the name Amuredo is a fusion between the words Amurastu the shinto sun goddes and Edo the capital of Tokugawu shoganate.

(Sisu POV)

Above the mountains far East of Kumandra is another city filled with dragons. Unlike the ones from Camalar, this city resembles a more Japanese/Chinese aesthetic with their architecture. But the city is not done with construction yet. Kumandrian dragons in the streets are seen still building unfinished structures. Some are also carving statue and making gardens to decorate or establish sacred temples. The city is named Amuredo.

From a distance above the sky, a certain witty dragoness Sisu is seeing hoping around the sky as a way of flying. She looks very eager to head to the city and meet up with her siblings. From behind a bluish purple blur flies past her making her spin around dizzy. "Whoa whoa where is the fire!"

Sisu refocuses to see her brother Jagan heading to Amuredo in full force. He does not usually do that unless something is going on. "Jagan? Why is he going all speedy?"

In full yet careful speed she follows her brother through the street passing by other Kumandrian dragons who attempt to say hi. They make their way to a recently built temple shaped like a large dragon head. At the big door step, the two land right in front.

"HEY JAG! WAIT UP!" Sisu calls out with a pet name. Jagan turns around out of breath to see Sisu approaching him from behind. He did know she was following him.

"Sisu! Thank our ancestors. Do you know if Pengu is here?" He asks her.

Sisu shrugs and response, "I don't know, I was just coming back from Heart. Is something wrong?"

"First so was I and two I saw something in the jungles of Heart. We need to find our siblings asap."

"Cant you tell me now?" Sisu questions Jagan. The latter gets her to hush and tells her that the meeting needs to be private in order to avoid a panic among their kind.

()

Since the restoration of Kumandra, the Datu family have become acting leaders with Pengu as the head for their role of creating the gem. All five are gathered in a circular chamber with paintings of the history of Kumandra like the first time of peace before Druun.

"Care to tell us what you saw brother?" the green dragon Pengu commands the purple one in front.

"Why yes tell us little brother. Why is so important that we have to keep it a secret," adds Pranee the pinkish purple.

Sisu is among the circle listening to what Jagan has to say. He reveals that while he was clearing out some unneccesary fogs, he spotted a strange creature of their size eat up four sheep and attacked a Heart village causing all the siblings, even Sisu gasp in horror.

"What sort of creature is it?" Amba the smallest dark blue one asks looking intrigued.

"I do not know, but I saw this creature not only breathe fire from his maw but he could actually command powers related to fire. When I saw his face he resembles a lot like us except for only having an orange mane on his head that matches his spines, large leather wings like a bat." Jagan describes.

"Hold on! A creature who does fire tricks and looks like us? And did you mention wings?" Sisu buts in.

"Not just wings, but also a sword of sorts on his tail. He used it to snatch a cow from the village." Jagan continues to explain.

"For what reason would he attack a village of innocent humans?" Pengu softly demands.

"All I know that he was very angry after fighting off some warriors. After devastating the village he threatened them not to mess with him. The way I see it, the creature seems to desire being alone."

"OH! So he is one of them cranky lonely types." Sisu teases earning some glares from her sibs telling her that it is serious.

"Despite his intentions, It would not be long that either one of us or another group of traveling humans might bother the fire beast and cause more trouble. I believe we need catch him somehow." Pengu declares while all the siblings agree. Sisu looks a bit uneasy earing a look from Amba.

"Are you ok Sisu?" Amba asks her with a paw to her shoulder.

"Just a teeny bit nervous about this monster hunt," Sisu responds using her claw to make a 'little bit' gesture with a nervous grin.

"I have decided," Pengu calls out. "Jagan and I will lead a team of established guards, Pranee, you are in charge of the city while I am away. Sisu and Amba, you two are to help Pranee got it?"

Pranee and Amba nod in agreement. Sisu however did not look satisfied. She wants to join her two only brothers in the hunt for the creature. She hops from her platform to the front of Pengu and begs, "Actually, I want to come and see this alien invader myself!"

Pengu sighs and places a claw on Sisu's shoulder and explains, "I understand your eagerness. But this creature might be too dangerous. We can't risk your life again."

"I could handle a monster! You'll see!"

"You died before remember?" Pengu cuts Sisu off making her freeze. She remembers Namaari killing her once with a crossbow. Sisu shivers through her spine at the thought of it. But she won't give up that easy.

"That was out of nowhere Pengu. Not to mention you could just bring me back to-"

"ENOUGH!" Pengu shouts followed by a sigh. "It is not we don't want you to come. We just don't want you dying again. I fear the next time any of us perish, we won't have such power to do so again. You understand?"

Rather than answer directly, Sisu pouts and flees for her chamber. Amba asks if she should comfort her sister but both Pengu and Pranee tells her to leave her be.

()

The bed chambers, or simply Sisu's room is a nice wide circular space with a big round bed, an oriental desk with a group painting of herself, Raya, and the others that she painted after their adventure. Against a wall the beds right is a nice private garden surrounding the big pool for private swimming sessions.

Sisu however is very upset that her siblings did not want her to go hunting the monster after what she has been through. With a groan, she torts up her bed flops on top of it on her back where she stares at a hanging crystal lit up like a chandelier. Never has she ever been so upset. Did her siblings not trust her anymore? They sure did trust her with the dragon gem.

Whatever the case is, Sisu only sighs and lifts her upper body up to gaze at a window with gloom written on her face. Whatever that monster is, it could have been an opportunity to go on another adventure. Things have been boring ever since the defeat of Druun. She looks at one the little pictures she has drawn as memories of her journey. When she comes across one where she gained the ability of human form she gets an idea. A smirk forms on her face as she looks back to the sky getting dark.

(Ignus POV)

Back at the cave, Ignus is using a magic ring on his left index talon to transport all his belongings that he left behind at his old cave in Eurobania. It is not just any ring. The ring he is wearing has a special enchantment where he could tap into his old wizard powers. Perhaps he crafted it himself. Without his gold red gem ring, he could only use his dragon powers. However, due to the curse, some spells have limits. With each flick, he makes a piece of his furniture appear, including a portrait of him and his family. It is great that he studied the art of Teleportation magic.

"Maker I love magic," Ignus states with a smile and gives his ring a quick peck. "Thank the maker I kept you on or else I would not be able to get my stuff or worse."

(Camalar Guards POV)

While Ignus is in Kumandra transporting his belongs, the dragons guards where searching around the cave for any clues about the roque dragon they lost.

A female is searching around the bed chamber reading what looks like a journal where she learns that Ignus was a human prince as shown at the portrait. "Maker no wonder he is so grumpy"

At the moment she is going to flip a page, the journal poofs gone making her get jump scared. Soon, other furniture of the room begins to poof away including a bed making her fall on her rump. Confused in the middle of the now empty room, she runs off the living room to find it empty with only more confused guards.

"What the heck happened!?" one of the male guards questions.

"All the stuff are just disappearing like bubbles." Another adds.

"Do you think they are being transportated maybe?" the female guesses earning questioning brows from her compatriots.

(Ignus POV)

Night fall is coming. Ignus was just getting comfortable with his new hideout by laying on the sofa until his stomach begins to grumble. He shoots up and looks to the window opening to see it is getting late. He needs dinner. He would hunt but it needs to be fast. From a frustrating growl, he reluctantly decides that he needs to go find a human village or town to buy some things.

Ignus heads to his newly added and furnished bedchambers where he gazes himself at the mirror to perform a spell he learned as a dragon. With a deep breath he glows red and in a flash, he is in his own human form.

Looking at the mirror, he resembles a Caucasian young man retaining his yellow eyes and flaming orange hair which is not more brightly colored due the spells effect. As a bonus, the spell gave him a robe set with a hoodie so he could be able hide his face. He needs to hurry though. As part of his curse, the spell effect is only temporay as he will turn back into a dragon again as sunrise due to the spell only working at night.

()

Through the jungle, the now human form Ignus makes his way to a clear where he could see a very beautiful city of sort. He is at a loss for words. The roof tops are teal colored. The architecture of the building are neatly carved with flowers, gardens, and neat statues around them. It is if the city is part of the jungle itself. Even at nighttime, the people of land are still up at the streets.

The people themselves are strange to him as he never really had time to observe them while wrecking a village. The people are mostly tanned skin, majority black haired or brown. The clothing they wore look like they are made out of silk. As of right now, his human self is white skinned and more opened eyes. That would give a lot of unwanted attention. So he puts on his hood and heads to the town.

In town, Ignus carefully walks through the crowds of happy people in the streets. The routines are no different than his home city Spirit. As he tries to find a grocery store of sorts, he comes across what looks like a bulliton.

One poster in particular catches his interest. He approaches it to see that it is a picture of a red dragon resembling himself in their style. If it supposed to be a dragon than they did not do a really good job as the red dragon resembles too much like a lion. He laughs quietly at his perception of a pic picture. He tries to read it but the language is written different. It could be a wanted picture due to a number on the bottom that reads '700,000'. He laughs even more thinking such a bounty is so low by his standards. He puts the picture back on the board and continues his search.

To even find a store is difficult. Ignus is unable to read the signs just like the poster. His stomach grumbles in a desperation for food. Then he stops by a group of kids playing on the streets. At least five of them as he counted them correctly. They are probably playing pretend warriors by their rough play. A tear sheds from his eye. The kids remind him of a time he used to get along with his friends doing many adventures like performing a magic experiment. Suddenly he bumps into someone.

"HEY! Watch were you are going buster!" a lady's voice shouts. Ignus shakes his head to see the lady he bumped into wore a blue jacket and she has purplish blue hair to which Ignus finds very beautiful. However he needs not to get distracted as he has no time for interacting with people.

"Pologies but I need to find a grocery store asap so bye." Ignus rudely tries to rush pass the lady.

"WHOA hold it right there mister!"

The blue/purple haired lady grabs Ingus by the arm and drags him back to her. She gives him a glare and demands, "First off, what is this grocery store? And two say you're sorry nicely."

The lady smirks.

Ignus tries to bread her grasp but her grip is too strong. Desperate to get away without causing a show he rolls his eyes with puff and complied, "Ok crazy chick, I am sorry for being distracted. And may yo-"

"Say it nicer, without the insult" Sisu buts in and softly demands.

"Your testing my patience lady. You're not going to like me when I am mad."

"and neither will you when I get mad," the lady counters smugly.

Nearby people are beginning to notice the tension. Ignus could feel the stares coming. To defuse the situation he complies, "(Sighs) ok, I am sorry for bumping."

With a victorious smile the lady lets go of him and asks with her arms crossed, "Was that so hard?"

"No but I gotta go find a place to buy food or else I will fall on the ground and turn into a skeleton."

Ignus once again tries to leave but the lady gets a bit upset that he is walking away from her rudely again. She is probably wander what heck is his problem. Especially from the way he spoke aggressively. So she rushes in front of him and demands a bit irritated. "the heck is your problem mr grumpy pants? And why do you wear that hood all the time?"

"For your information I don't have time to make friends," Ignus barks trying not to raise his voice. The lady only gasp in shock. In a cartoony manner she takes on step in front of him, trying to see his face.

"Are you kidding ME!? Everyone always has time for friends! Even me," the lady grins making Ignus uncomftorble and back peddles.

"Yeeeeaaaah, but I think friends are just a waste of time. So please move out of my way so I could find my grub." He explains with a nervous grin trying to hold back anger and uses his hand gesture to perform a small telekinesis to move the crazy girl out of the way to which stuns her a bit. Some humans nearby noticed the spell the young hooded man performed on the lady.

As Ignus tries to walk away, one lady leans to a man's ear and whispers, "did you see that?"

The man nods with his jaw agape and whispers back, "That man moved that lady without touching her…You think he is a-"

"WHOA WAIT UP!" the blue/purple hair girl calls out before the nearby man has a chance to say something. She once again rushes in front of Ignus who gets even more annoyed.

"BY the maker what now!?" he demands.

"First off, If you are trying to find the market stalls to get your precious food you're going the wrong way naw ah ah." The lady wiggles her finger.

Ignus freezes in place with a freaked out expression, embarrassed that he took a wrong trun. Then he sees her point with a smug on her face to the right direction. He turns his head to see the market stalls. Turns out he is accidently heading to a capital building of sorts by mistake when he over hears someone spoke of it.

Above the stalls district, he sees what looks like a sign above written in a language he does not understand. Hoping to not look stupid he simply says, "Oh right course! Well I better get go-"

"Aaaaaaaand the second thing," The girl rushes up around him before he has a chance to move. "What was that trick you used on me?"

Ignus snorts and answers, "Something you people won't understand."

"You people? What does that supposed to mean?" the girl frowns and crosses her arms looking offended with a pout face. Ignus is going to answer until she gasps in realization. "You're not from here are you?"

She makes that big smile again. Ignus tries to be silent yet nervous by the way he being to sweat. She could sense it. Then she begins to rant , "OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH! AN ACTUAL ALIEN OF SORTS! WHERE YOU FROM WHERE YOU FROM!

"Maker help me," Ignus face palms before explaining, "Look miss kookoo, lets just say I come from a place very very very far from here. Perhaps I hail from a kingdom not from your map."

"I have a name you know mr gumpy and it is Sisu," the girl Sisu declares point to herself looking proud with a grin. "What is your name?"

Ignus only stands in place, staring at Sisu looking annoyed. Then Sisu gets an idea. "How about this! What about I help you with your grocery shopping so maybe we could try to understand each other deal?"

Sisu raises her hand for Ignus to shake. He thinks about it for a moment. A part of him wants to decline not wanting to make friends. He could use a guide though. So why not and accepted her offer. Can't be that bad…right?

End of chapter.

For anyone reading this, I want to let you all know I wrote a book called 'Tales in Scales the Empty throne' It is only available to order online in Amazon, BarnesandNoble, and others. It is a dinosaur fantasy book if anyone is interested in a story about magic and dinosaurs but there are NO humans