Hello everyone and welcome to my vlog! Oh sorry, wrong platform. Wait, I don't even have a vlog. Anyway, this is my first story on the site and I'm eager to see what people think. Feel free to write a review. Any feedback, positive or negative, is greatly appreciated. So now, for the moment you all have hopefully been waiting for… lights, camera, ACTION!

Of Magic Lost

Nova danced away from his opponent, weaving around each attack with incredible speed. His opponent was a fire drake. He was a broad-shouldered mass of muscle, but he was blind in one eye.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the crowd chanted, hungry for blood. Nova spun to the side just before the drake's tailblade could cut him in half. The rules of the fight were simple: no elements, and no mercy. Nova ducked as the tailblade came around again, hissing through the air with deadly speed.

He gave the drake a cocky grin and winked. "You'd be so much better at this if I hadn't taken your other eye!" The drake growled and lashed out again, but missed as Nova leapt backward. The arena they were fighting in was well-kept. The marble seats were always polished and shining, and the sand-filled fighting ring was always even. It was easily the most well-maintained building in town.

Nova dove to the side as the dragon swiped at him. Bouncing of his hands and flipping back onto his feet. He threw himself at the drake slamming into his side and sending them both tumbling across the sandy floor. The drake rolled to a stop as Nova got to his feet and leapt at him. He crashed into the drake's chest, knocking him back to the ground. He delivered two swift punches to the dragon's face and he stopped moving. He slowly lowered his fist and let out a deep sigh. The crowd booed as he slid off the drake and stalked towards the arena's entrance. He leaned his head to the side as a rock came whizzing by, missing him by less than an inch. He extended a hand to the wolf standing by the marble arch.

"Pay up." The wolf growled and handed him a sack of coins. "Pleasure doing business with you." The wolf bared his fangs.

"You got lucky this time kid," he growled. Nova smirked and sauntered off.

"No such thing as luck, pal," Nova said as he gave the canine a halfhearted wave.

As he departed, a hooded dragoness sat amongst the throngs of disappointed fans, her lips drawn back in a grin.

Well Black Blade of Kaibyr, she thought. You certainly show promise. She glanced at the avian standing behind her.

"Alright Takemura," she said, "I think I've seen enough for tonight."

"How do you wish to proceed?" he asked, his hands clasping behind his back. The dragoness stood and made her way to the exit, Takemura following close behind.

"He shows promise combat-wise." She reached into her cloak and produced a small slip of parchment and a sealed envelope. "Go ahead and administer the test." She pointed a talon at the slip of parchment. "Then, meet me here once you're done."

Nova glared at anyone who glanced his way. Though his face was hidden under a tattered hood, his yellow irises stood out and glowed with malice. He clutched his bag of coins tightly, his eyes darting back and forth. Money was precious here, especially for someone of his status. He had to make this journey through the marketplace every day, but he never bought anything. As he passed by, he noticed he was being stared at.

A white-feathered avian covered by an elegant black tailcoat gazed at him with steely blue eyes. Nova kept his head low. He was almost out of the marketplace, the last thing he wanted was to draw attention. The avian never took his eyes off Nova as he made his way into the slums.

The slums were nothing like the inner city. Instead of gleaming white marble pillars and massive dining halls, the homes in the slums were made of rotting wood, rusting iron, and collapsing huts.

Night had settled over the city, and Nova knew that many of the merchants and other laborers would be heading home. Once he was sure that he was not being followed, he reached up and pulled down his hood.

His face was covered with black scales that seemed to absorb the silver glow cast by the moons. A pair of horns as black as onyx shimmered in the moonlight. Nova could pass for a dragon, but he had an obvious tell. Dragons walked on four legs, but Nova was a raptor; he walked on two. Nova was tall for sixteen, standing at six feet, six inches. He wore a simple black tunic, pants that were far too small for him, and a tattered brown cloak. He whistled a simple marching tune as he strolled down the street. While the slums were rife with crime, they were his territory, many of the criminals who had picked on him before had quickly learned their lesson.

The building he arrived at was on the verge of collapse. Vines grew up the cracked walls, covering the gray stone with a blanket of green. The huge set of wooden double doors sat on rusted hinges and inside a warped doorframe. The doors screeched as Nova eased them open. The feline secretary smiled at the raptor as he stepped into the lobby.

"Good evening, Nova," she said with a smile. Her eyes wandered to the large jingling bag clenched in his hands. She gave him a knowing grin. "The Black Blade emerged victorious I see." Nova smirked.

"As always." He looked at the hourglass on the secretary's desk. "And I see that I missed dinner." The secretary nodded.

"That you did." She smiled and reached into one of the desk's drawers. "But don't worry, I saved you some." She pulled out a tray with a slab of mystery meat and gray sludge on it. Nova smiled as he took it.

"Thanks, Annah," he said, grabbing the tray and climbing the stairs, which creaked and groaned under his weight. The second story of the orphanage was a bare hallway. Its bland grey walls were cracked, and the floor was gnarled and dotted with mold. Nova had to cross over the river of filth that ran across the floor every night to get to his room. His door groaned on its hinges as he opened it.

His room was nothing more than an old, windowless closet that had been cleaned out to make space for him. The only piece of furniture Nova had was his bed, which was a wooden board propped up on two pairs of bricks. He sat down on the board and quickly ate. The mysterious sludge was tasteless, and it felt as if he was eating paste. The mystery meat was bloody, definitely undercooked. Nova ate it anyway. Once he finished eating, he tossed the empty tray into the far corner of the room. He pulled off his cloak and balled it up. He jammed his earnings under his bed and laid down, using his cloak as a makeshift pillow.

Takemura glanced down at the slip of parchment then back up at the building in front of him.

"Kaibyr's Keep," he whispered to himself, reading the parchment. He looked back up at the building. He took a deep breath, savoring the cold air, and opened the door. The bartender and patrons glanced at him as he stepped over the threshold. He kept his eyes forward and walked up the flight of stairs leading to the second floor. He walked to the far end of the hall and raised his fist to the inn room door. He gently knocked three times.

After a few moments of silence, a feminine voice responded. "Who is it?"

"It is Takemura."

"Come on in Tak." He opened the door and stepped into the room. The room was bare, sporting a pair of beds and a desk with a currently lit candle. His mistress had cast off her cloak, and left it draped across her bed. She stood facing the window, staring out at the twin moons that hung over the Dragon Realms. Her topaz scales glimmered in the dim candlelight. Her body was slender, but muscular.

"Madam," he said bowing.

She turned away from the window, her sapphire blue eyes shining with intrigue. "How did the test go?"

Takemura clasped his hands behind his back. "He performed to a much higher degree than I expected."

His mistress cocked a brow. "That means a lot coming from you Tak."

The avian nodded. "Indeed." His eyes followed his mistress as the stepped away from the window and tossed herself onto the bed.

"So, what is your final verdict?"

"Based on his living conditions, it is reasonable to say that his overall education is somewhat subpar."

His mistress frowned. "That makes sense. Most turn to competitive fighting as an alternative to a career in academics."

Takemura nodded. "I agree wholeheartedly, Madam. However, his physical prowess, perception, and critical thinking skills are unparalleled." He noticed that she had produced a quill and ink and had been writing on a piece of parchment.

She looked up at him. "You don't mind if I just submit your assessment as my own, right?"

Takemura shook his head. "Not at all."

"Sorry Tak, you know I'm not a dragoness of formalities."

"That I do."

The dragoness shifted into a more comfortable position to write. "You may continue. I will need some evidence behind this assessment. Got any proof behind what you say?"

"Yes Madam. He was able to spot me within the first five minutes of me tracking him."

She kept writing, not taking her eyes off her notes. "High perception," she mumbled. She spared a quick glance in his direction. "And what about the critical thinking you mentioned earlier?"

"He tried to lose me."

The dragoness stopped writing and looked up at him. "Well consider my interest piqued. I don't think that's happened before."

"It has not. There was a shorter available route to his destination, however he took a series of back alleys, and even doubled back on occasion."

"Sound's to me like the kid's got a tactician's mind."

"That would be accurate."

His mistress pulled out another piece of parchment. "Were you able to get any additional information about him? A name, perhaps?"

Takemura nodded. "Yes, Madam. I was able to find his file in the city's archives." He produced an ivory tube from his tailcoat. He grabbed one end and twisted. It came off with a sharp pop!

"That doesn't seem like much," his mistress observed as Takemura removed a piece of parchment from the canister.

He unrolled the parchment and glanced at it. "His real name is Novigrad."

"Hold on, you said 'Novigrad,' as in the lost city of Avaroth? That Novigrad?"

Takemura nodded. "Yes, Madam. He appears to be named after it."

"What about a surname? Most raptors carry a family name as well."

Takemura shook his head. "There is no second name that he is registered under."

His mistress scratched her chin. "Still though, Novigrad. If he's named after that city, that must mean he's Sadrian."

Takemura nodded. "Most likely." He cocked his head to the side. "Would that complicate things?"

She nodded. "Without a doubt. Is there any more information?"

Takemura glanced down at the parchment. "No," he said with a shake of his head.

His mistress' brow furrowed as she thought. "A possible Sadrian without a family name and no apparent past. This only makes things more difficult."

"Should I begin a search for another candidate?"

She shook her head. "No, be it as it may, I think the reward far outweighs the risks of taking him in. Plus, a Sadrian without a surname, that mystery is way too good to pass up."

"How do you wish to proceed?"

His mistress put down the parchment. "We'll track him down tomorrow. Do you know where he lives?"

Takemura frowned. "He currently resides in an orphanage in the slums. He sleeps in an empty closet without any windows," he said with a grimace.

"That's terrible!" she hissed, a mixture of anger and sadness etched onto her face. "Haven't his people suffered enough?"

She rolled over and closed her eyes. "I'm going to get some shut-eye."

"Is there anything else you need, Madam?"

His mistress picked her head up and flashed him a grin. "Send a message to Warfang. Tell them that Seraph has found her pupil."

Nova was jolted awake by a vicious pounding on his door. He groaned as he got to his feet. He raised his arms over his head and stretched. Rubbing his eyes, he cracked open the door.

"You should have let us know that you got back Nova," a large Fire dragon snorted as he shoved his way into the room, knocking the raptor off his feet.

"What the hell do you want Rheagan?" Nova asked with a scowl. Rheagan was a Fire drake that was only a year older than him. He had bright red scales and an orange underbelly. He looked like every other Fire dragon Nova had seen. He was flanked by two other dragons. One was Tobias, an Ice dragon who was as shady as he was thin. The other was an Earth dragon named Granite. He was easily the largest drake in the orphanage, but also the dumbest.

"I heard through the grapevine that you recently came into possession of a large sum of money, and I was wondering if I could apply for a loan?" He opened his balled-up paw, revealing a dirty napkin that Nova could only guess was from dinner. "I have my application right here. Where would you like me to leave it."

Nova glared at the drake from his position on the ground. "Turn around and bend over, and I'll show you."

Rheagan growled and tossed the napkin on the floor. "You think you're funny?" he asked, revealing his fangs.

Nova leaned back, his hand fumbling around behind him. He pinched his snout with the other. "Funny or not man, what the hell did you eat? I get the food here's bad, but holy shit!"

Rheagan faltered at the insult. Nova saw his opening. His hand found what it was searching for. He grabbed his discarded dinner tray and slammed it into the drake's face with a loud DING!

Rheagan staggered backwards and fell, blood leaking from both his nostrils. Nova glanced at the tray and grinned, satisfied with the sizable dent it now had.

"You'll pay for that!" Rheagan growled as he got up.

Tobias lowered his horns and charged Nova. The raptor raised the tray again and Tobias's horns clanged off. As the Ice drake reared back from the impact, Nova swung the tray again. It struck the Tobias squarely on his temple. His head snapped to the side and he toppled over, unconscious.

Granite attempted to follow after the Ice drake, but his wide shoulders prevented him from fitting through the door.

Rheagan lunged forward, talons extended. "Die, prick!"

Nova dropped the tray and caught the Fire dragon's wrists, barely stopping the talons from clawing his eyes out.

As Rheagan wrestled to break free, Nova grinned. "What's wrong?" he asked, a grin stretching across his face. "I hope you're not uncomfortable."

Rheagan's expression changed from one of anger to fear, and he yelped as Nova tightened his grip. "What the hell! Let me go!" He began to struggle more desperately.

"Yes!" Nova cried. "Struggle for me!" Rheagan began to cry out for help as Nova's grin became a toothy, horn-to-horn smile.

"Let me go!" he shouted, tugging harder.

"Not so fast, Rheagan," Nova teased. "Not before you've learned your lesson. I'd say one hit for every year you tormented me, is that fair?"

Rheagan could only cry out again. "Please! Let go of me!" He screeched as Nova clenched one of his fists and a chorus of cracks rang out.

Nova chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes!" He forced the young dragon's forelegs apart. "Come on Rheagan! Count with me!" Nova reared his head back, and then drove his forehead into Rheagan's snout. He felt bone crack and warm blood began dribbling down his face.

"That's one!" the raptor hissed. He headbutted the Fire dragon again. "Two!" And again. "Three!"

Blood was everywhere now.

"Four!"

Rheagan began to go limp in Nova's grasp.

"Five!"

Rheagan's tears began to mix in with the blood as it pooled around on the floor. Tobias slowly opened his eyes as he regained consciousness. He saw the bloody scene unfolding before him and screamed.

"Speed round! Six, seven, eight, nine, TEN!" With a final blow, Rheagan tumbled backwards into the hall, smacking against the floorboards.

Tobias and Granite stared at the bloodied raptor before them. Nova's face was shining with Rheagan's blood, and his clothes were stained with crimson.

The raptor giggled and flashed them a toothy smile. "Anyone else want a turn?"

Tobias shot up and scampered out the door. Granite turned and scooped up the bloodied Rheagan and took off after his friend.

Nova took several deep breaths, letting the adrenaline wear off. "That was fun," he whispered to himself. "Now that I'm as big as them. I could teach them the lesson they deserved. He returned to his bed and let out a contented sigh as he lay down. He drifted off to sleep, oblivious to the puddles of blood he had left on the floor.

Well, that's the first chapter. It's a little bit on the shorter side, but trust me, they will get longer. Thank you all for reading and remember to write and review. Feel free to PM me if you have any feedback that I did not address in the reviews.

¡Adios!