"Go get some firewood gargamal" my dad said to me from outside. These makeshift huts were uncomfortable to sleep in, though they did provide good shelter from the elements. Like during the harsh winters or brutal storms. "Okay dad, I'll be in the south end of the camp getting firewood. If I'm not back by sundown, the guards captured me." My dad retorts in a jokingly manner, "Maybe then I'd get some peace and quiet around here." I laugh and ask him "We're still on for training after dinner right?" "Yes gargamal, today will be the advanced techniques. That is, if you can handle it little scales." I sometimes hated when he called me that, it felt demeaning, but other times it didn't bother me as much. Mom used to call me her little scales, so sometimes it felt good to hear it. "Eat my scales dad. I can handle anything you throw at me." I boasted.
I walked out of the hut and into our small camp to see everyone getting ready to help keep this place running. Our camp may not be a big village that had hundreds of people, but our camp sure was busy with people going about their day to help keep this place running. In a camp of 50 people, some were at the blacksmith hut banging away at weapons and armors that needed repairs, some were making all kinds of potions and vials to help the sick mostly. We struggled alot to make this camp work, 5 years of starving, droughts, bandit raids, and traveling. We traveled to alot of different villages and found very little to no survivors.
I walked towards the south end of the village to find firewood to bring home. As I walked through the village, with a small smile on my face, I couldn't help but think about how we've come this far since that day.
After that horrible day occurred, we wandered to other villages looking for support and help. It took us days to walk to the nearby villages. We would have flown, but didn't want to risk being spotted by more soldiers and end up getting killed. The first village we went to was a longtime ally of ours. Their chief was great friends with my dad. We were hoping that his friend would be able to help us recover, but to our surprise, their village ended in the same way ours did. With bodies of hybrids slain and few mutilated, probably from the local wildlife wanting a snack.
We were able to find a few survivors; they were just kids. Kids who had hid in pots that once had water in it but was dumped during the massacre by their parents to hide them in it. They weren't that old, probably around 5-10, super dirty and malnourished with scales missing from each other. Their scales were dark colored due to lack of sunlight hitting them directly. That tells me they didn't leave their home for days, no children should have to suffer and be traumatized like. The rage in my heart subsided for a moment and flooded with nothing but sorrow and sadness.
We prepared ourselves for the fact that we weren't the only targets, that more villages were targeted. After spending a few months traveling, we discovered why all the villages were attack and there were rarely any dragon hybrids left. We found a flyer in the woods that revealed a new law had been passed throughout the 4 kingdoms. "The kingdoms of Vescaria, Aswor, Zoblus, and Ubral have made a law declaring the immediate eradication of all hybrid species effective immediately. Those that are not hybrids but are found aiding any, will be found guilty and executed on the spot. If you have any information on where any could be, report it immediately to your local leaders."
When we read that, we were confused as to how any kingdom could allow such an awful and horrid law. Things haven't always been easy for hybrids and non-hybrids living in coexistence, but to outright ban and execute any was an evil we couldn't fathom. "How could this happen?! Why would anyone allow this?" Came a voice. "You know why, its those dang Vescarians. The other 3 kingdoms are too afraid of them, so they basically let Vescaria get away with alot of crap and go along with their rules to please them." Dad responded to the group. He's not wrong about that, the 4 kingdoms back in the older times were at war with each other for generations. King Avon ruled the Vescarians with a bloody iron fist. He doesn't look like a threat due to his small size, but that's only because he's a teensie. Teensies are naturally tiny creatures that can alter their size using magic, but can only grow to be about 5 ft. He's said to be a smart and powerful teensie, with great power and a sadistic way of thinking. Each kingdom gaining land and losing land, back and forth, back and forth. Until one day, Vescaria coordinated a strike on each of the other kingdoms and cripple them long enough to take over alot of their lands and left them with only half their lands. The 3 other kings, King Aguilar of Aswor, a human, King Kroth of Zoblus, an orc, and King Urir of Ubral, a gargoyle, met with King Avon to discussed a treaty with him and begged him to be spared. No one knows why he agreed to it, but King Avon took pitty on them and created "the treaty of mercy" and ended the longest war ever known.
That was only 25 years ago. Ever since then, the kingdom turned their attention to any and all hybrid species in the world. Honestly, when we all were independent tribes, their weren't as many wars. Only fighting between tribes of humans and lycanthrop, or lycanthrops and vampires, or even dragon hybrids and serpent-walkers. Each living thing able to use 1 of the 6 elements, water, earth, air, fire, light, and darkness, to either defend their home or rampage others for glory. Techincally theres 7, but the 7th element, energy, is a power that hasnt been seen since the great war between the 4 kingdoms.
As I finished chopping apart the last tree for firewood, I hear rustling beyond the treeline. I turned to see what made that noise, but saw nothing. There may be nothing there, but I can tell that there's someone out there watching me. Probably waiting for me to go back to my village so they can find the others and turn us all in. While gathering all my firewood in a pile to carry home, I concentrate on my surroundings to try and get a sense of where they are and how many there is. Luckily, dad and I devised a plan for when something like this happens. He and I found a cave 5 miles to the west of the village a few years back. Use to belong to some bandits, but when they tried to turn us in, we attack them and stopped them from doing it. Now, we use it as a option for either evacuating the people there when attacked, or to lure stalkers there and prevent them from finding us. I grab my pile and start to walk towards the cave, trying not to let them know that I know they're following me. Whoever they are, they suck at hiding in foliage, good thing dad taught me a few things about hunting and surviving throughout the years. I almost make it to the cave when suddenly, 3 walls of earth slammed down in front and to the sides of me, covering the entrance to the cave and covering my two sides. "Hello hybrid" said a voice from behind. I turn towards the group behind me and braced myself for a fight. I scan the group and count about 6 different soldiers, I encase my body with fire to try and keep them from being able to grab and subdue me.
"Thanksss for leading us to your village. Though weird that it'sss inside a cave, but a good way to throw others off the beaten path" the serpent walker said. I see that there were at least a few different species in this band of warriors. You've got two serpent walkers, three lycanthrops, most likely the trackers, and a gordra. This is will be a tough fight, gordras are massive looking hairy creatures with arms bigger than some people, incredible strength and agility, and walked by putting their fist on the ground in front of them and walking like a four legged cattle. These guys utilize more of a brute strength tactics by overwhelming their opponents with strong attacks, though they aren't the fastest creatures. Lycanthrops are very fast wolf like creatures with an amazing sense of smell and hearing, there's a rumor that if these guys are serious enough about getting you and they get your scent, they'll follow you all around the four kingdoms. These things very fast and pretty strong as well, utilizing more agile like attacks and run in packs. Alone, lots of creatures could take them down, but in a pack, they will use every member to take any and all threats. The serpent walkers are the more easy targets, they're fast but not that fast or strong and they like to live in dorty smelly swamps, but with three speedsters and a massive powerhouse to make up for these two, it'll be hard to touch any of them.
"What do you want with us swamp breath?" I say, probably best not to evoke them quickly. "Ssswamp breath? How dare you talk to me like that. Do you know who we are?" "No and I don't care, leave us alone or I will personally kill each and every one of you." Saying in my most threatening voice with the scariest face I can muster. I have to act as tough as I can verbally, because I'm not sure if I'd be able to take them all at once, or even alone with some of them. "Big talk from a young hybrid whose all alone. Tell us how many of you there are and maybe, we'll only kill everyone else but you. If not, we'll kill as many as we can and tell the imperial guards your location." I felt my anger rising in me, but I remember my dad teaching me about keep calm in situations. That if you let your emotions get ahead of you, you and your group will most likely end up captured or dead. "I'd rather sniff that knuckle dragging gordras fur than give up my people." "The gordra smells his underarms and pulls away quickly. "Letsss make him talk then boys, attack!" The lycanthrops are the first to lunge at me with quick speed. Dragon hybrids have eye sights that helps them to be able to see targets that are moving fast and keep track of them, but being a young hybrid and lacking battle experience, my eyes are inexperienced at tracking fast moving targets. So it's hard to keep track of even one of these guys, let alone three of these creatures. Their claws envelope in darkness and slash at me, i dodged the first one, then the second slashed at me and was barely able to dodge it by jumping in the air. The third one bounced off the wall and lunged at me mid air with his claws, I counter with fire fist and striked at the lycan and sent him plummeting to the ground. I released my wings and attempt to fly, but the gordra sent a fleet of earth daggers towards my way, but I sent a big blast of fire towards the earth daggers. The fire blast shattered the earth daggers to pieces and almost hit the gordra, who had jumped in the air towards me with rocks covering his front body and arms. I lift my leg and kick him right in the face and push him back to thr ground, but doing so pushed me right into the way of a lycan who lunged at me from behind and slashes my back with claws covered with darkness and causes me to crash right through the earth wall covering the cave entrance hard.
"Damn he hits hard for a speedy fleabag. If one hits hard, then all three will be a pain," I say in a hurt voice. I jump to my feet and ready my self, the flames on my body have gone out, but I need to save my strength and not use it yet. The group approaches the entrance, "what'sss this? This cave is empty and not very deep. There'sss no tribe here, you tricked us!!!" Said the serpent walker. A half smile begins to form on my face, "I'm sorry moss for brains, did I ruin your payday? Maybe next time, you'd come up with a better plan than to follow me." "That'sss it, I'm tired of your games hybrid. We've got him cornered, take him out sslowly and painfully guys." Right after saying that, the three lycans charge at me very quickly, while the two serpent walkers start launching different water slashes, blast, and streams of water. Back-to-back, changing the attacks intensity and patterns, which makes it very tough to dodge. I jumped, twisted, pushed, and threw fire anyway way I can to either stop the water attack or to repel the lycans from hitting me with all their darkness attacks. Just when I had finally injured two of the lycans, I was struck with two earth columns and was sent flying into the wall. Just as I hit the wall, I get bombarded with multiple water and darkness blast. I project a fire shield in front of me to try and block any of the attacks, but it only does so good with the water hitting it. The gordra then send earth daggers towards me and I lose the remaining strength I had and my fire shield disappears, allowing all the attacks to hit me directly.
"Hold it," Say the serpent walker. All 6 of them stop their attacks immediately and a wait for his next command. I lay there breathless and disoriented, trying to stay alive. "I think he's ready for capture," the gordra exclaims. "Right you are, hand me the crystals," says the serpent walker. The gordra hands him 3 crystals and throws them right at me. The crystals he has are a special kind used for capturing fast and or tough opponents, created through the use of elemental magic by various mages. I try to fire slash the crystal away, but my strength is nearly depleted and has no power to it. The crystals fly right through it and stick to my body, then sent a excruciating shock throughout my entire body. The pain is horrible, but i fight to keep awake, fight to get these off me, fight to protect my village, my species, and my family. "Look at this puny dragon squirm," said one of the lycans. They all laugh and jeer, and mimic the way I squirmed under the crystals electricity. "Don't worry puny lizard, we'll make sure you stay alive. Long enough to watch us either kill every one of your species before your very eyes." That comment made me have flashbacks to that horrible day, I relieved the fear, the anger, the sadness of losing everything in a moment. "Who we don't kill, we'll capture and torture for information on other villages. How do you think we got the idea to come out here." How could he contribute to such genocide, he's an evil being and his comrades are just as evil. The rage I had in me, started to overwhelm everything in me. "Take him back to the cart." I start to shake with pure rage in my eyes, the serpent walker took one look in my eyes and saw something scary just by the look on his face. I started to stand up slowly, inched my way up till I stood on my two feet. I started to grunt and groan louder and louder until one instant, I yelled an incredibly loud guttural roar that sent waves of air rushing at them. As they prepared to launch one more wave of attacks, I somehow absorbed the power and pain from the crystals and threw my two claws towards them and launched a giant massive twin blast of fires that looked like they took the form of two dragons. The blast were starting to break open the entrance to the cave even further, engulfing all 6 of them and the surrounding forest in fire.
As I slowly stop my blasts, I started to lose consciousness quickly but I fight hard to stay awake. I walk slowly to the entrance to try and find a way out of here, the 6 creatures that tried to capture me were all dead and or burnt to a crisp. Dad says you'd never get use to the smell of people burning, and I can see why, it smells gross. The trees in the immediate area were burned to ashes, leaving only shadows of where they once stood. I contemplate flying, but I'm way too weak to even walk normal, let alone even fly out of here. I slowly start to waddle my way to the village, but end up collapsing on the ground and almost end up passing out. I find myself awake enough to watch the gordra make its way off the ground slowly. He looks around at his fallen comrades, stricken with grief, he sees me slowly trying to move away from the scene.
"You've killed them all! Now your going to pay for this," he exclaims. He very slowly walks over to me and readys two earth swords from his hands and prepares to stab me. I try to move out of the way but all my strength was used in that massive blast, I'm unable to move even an inch. When out of nowhere, a gust of air lifts the gordra into the air and impales him against the sharp end of the rocks from the cave entrance. I look in confusion as to how that happened. I look around to see who had saved me, and to see if they're actually on my side or not. "Next time, you might want to make sure you kill them the first time," said a voice from a far. I try to find the voice, but I'm losing consciousness and find it hard to stay awake. Just as I'm close to passing out, a human lands in front of me and just stares at me. "Who- who are you?" I asked him. He stares intensely at me, "Wouldn't you like to know scales? Just sleep tight and hopefully, someone won't try to kill you this time." I try as hard as i can, but no avail, my vision slowly gets smaller, and smaller, until eventually it becomes pitch black and I pass out from exhaustion.