Dragon Roar

Amelia POV

For days I had this feeling I was being followed. Yet, every time I tried to figure it out, every time I tried to catch whoever was on my tail, I failed. The only explanation for this was magic, of course, and as an Elven Princess, I had plenty of my own. Yet, I could not find the mysterious person or persons who were following me, for reasons unknown. I had plenty of suspects to think about - my own father, First Dragon, Verena herself. I did not know who would want me to spy on or why, but I hid plenty of secrets from each, so it was a fair game. I dodged them as best as I could and used the cloaking spells. However, even then, I still felt eyes on me. This was getting me stressed out. I needed to figure out a way, I needed to get to the bottom of all of this and understand what exactly I signed up for.

My thoughts went to Darius again, as so many times, all this time. After his death I was never able to express how I feel, I knew my pain, I knew my heartbreak, sometimes, I clung to it as if it were an old friend, the only constant in my life. My thoughts betrayed me. I thought of our time together, the only time in my life I was truly happy, feeling complete. I still loved him, and always would. At first, it was the revenge that guided me when Verena found me, the hollow space in my soul where my heart and love were, once upon a time.

I wanted nothing but to seek revenge on those that hurt him, those who took my mate from me, those that shredded my soul and ripped it into tiny little pieces as if they were tearing wings off a butterfly. It came so easy for them, and the worst part of it was the hurt – my own family, the culprits of my tragedy, set into it as chess pieces ready to alienate everything in their path for Family. Somehow, it had escaped both my father and mother, and my dearest brother that I was in that family too. I guess family credo Family First, Family Always did not apply to me, their daughter.

I did not know how Verena found me or why. Perhaps she sensed that I was pulled into the darkness, that darkness lived within me. I did not know. All of us live in the darkness, with the ability to have said darkness within us. Sometimes, the shadow of that darkness controls you, sometimes, you are lucky to control it. However, it is ever-present, ever – yearning, ever-present, ever-hungry for more. It will try to consume you, it will test you, it will slowly but surely chip away at the soul and light you carry within you. And the moment it has turned all your light, all your love into the darkness, the moment it has separated you from those you love and those that love you, you realize, at that moment, that it has completely consumed you. And from that, there is no turning back. And, at this time, I felt as if my darkness had nearly consumed me completely, took away even the last shred of my parent’s daughter, one I once was. There was a time when I was a proud child of the Just King of the Elves and Fairies and his fair bride, The Merciful Queen Sahar, as they called my father and mother.”

Caught in my thoughts, I had made my way to an impressive, yet relatively modest mansion at Hastings Ranch, an affluent suburb of Pasadena, California. Mainly designed for the upper middle class and some wealthy humans, there were certain sections of it dedicated to our kind, those of us who wanted to blend in and hide in plain sight. Why Verena, with all her power and monsters, decided to live here I could not figure out, but I knew she wanted to be in the Los Angeles area as First Dragon was here. She was obsessed with him and two humans she continuously mentioned, two that the First Dragon was protecting at this time.

I knocked, but got a sense that she was expecting me, when I saw no guards, not even a magic boundary around her home. I was not sure if that was stupid or tactical, but I also knew that I had never met a creature like her, a creature of such immeasurable power. So, unsurprisingly, she felt like she did not need anything extra. Still, my fear was at an all-time high. I had only been here once before, and this time, I felt as if I were walking into a trap of some kind. Yet, I had no choice. I needed to talk to her, I needed to understand what exactly was happening. The visions of the world I saw, the visions of the future – none of that was explained to me when she recruited me into all this mess. I wanted revenge, that much was true, but I certainly did not want our world extinct. Yet, that is exactly what I saw.

I found her in the back yard, two of her monsters sitting by her feet as if they were dogs. I was still getting used to the sight of these gangly creatures who looked like humanoid dragons with extended and elongated hands, huge sets of teeth, sharp, long claws, and impenetrable, black- scaled bodies, agile and muscular, winged when they needed to be. They did not showcase their flying skills nor their amphibian nature. However, they were easily adaptable to both, that much I saw first-hand.

“I had always marveled at what Gia had accomplished with the colors and sunsets in this world”, she mused, sipping on a glass of human blood, overlooking a beautiful pink and blush-colored sunset sprawling over the city that slept beneath. The breeze brought the fragrance of the flowers in her yard, and had it not been for the overall situation, this would have been a pleasant visit to a home with a beautiful view of the San Gabriel valley. “You did not have this back… I mean… In your world???… “I asked, making small talk unsure how to broach the subject I really wanted to ask. She waived her hand as to point me out to sit in the chair across from her, which I dutifully followed. Out of nowhere, a servant appeared with an array of drinks aligned on the platter, human blood included. I took a glass of red wine and nodded thanks and turned to my host.

“So, little Princess, what brings you here? I thought that our agreement was perfectly clear, darling. We are building a new world. And we will live in a new world. The question is, if you are still willing to help and if you still want a seat at the table?”, she snickered, not making eye contact, dressed in red as always, her long, lanky arm holding her drink, still watching the beautiful sunset developing in front of our eyes.

“You were not honest with me. You did not tell me the truth”, I spoke plainly, but with determination and power in my voice. “I wanted revenge, that much is clear. I wanted to make people who broke my heart and killed my mate suffer….. Verena.. Why???? You never, and I do mean NEVER, told me your full plans. You never told me you were not interested in victory. You are interested in annihilation – extinction in fact!!! YOU PLAYED ME!”, I yelled the last part, making sure she got my message.

She snickered, her ruby lips crimson from the blood she drank. Her dark eyes locked onto me, and my head started buzzing with incredible pain. I knew she was trying to break me, but I was damned if I’d go down without a fight. I pushed all my strength forward, blocking her, capitalizing on my father being one of the Three, on that blood line, on the strength derived directly from Gia. I had my suspicions of Verena’s origins, and I knew somehow that only Gia and her blood were able to resist her, and perhaps even defeat her. Somehow, I knew that, so instinctively I pulled on those family cords, those blood ties which rested within me. However, I seemed to have underestimated her full power. No matter the strength I pulled from Gia’s line, no matter my own magic and the walls I built around me for protection, Verena’s energy pushed through it. Initially she struggled, but somehow, she found a way in and when she did, I fully glimpsed the horror of whom and what she is.

Her cackling echoed to the walls of her house. She looked amused. “Little girl.. Oh little princess… you think you can resist me?? You think you can draw on powers of your origin to defeat me?? Sweetheart, I could have compelled you to do anything I wanted”, she laughed straight into my face, while I was frozen by her magic, unable to say anything or do anything. “Little girl, I felt for you. I felt for the tragedy that has befallen you, for the love you had been denied. I have given you a chance, a power to rise above your abusers, especially your family. And this is how you repay me??? Walking into my home, demanding answers, suspecting me, making me the bad one??? After all I have done for you, after I have restored your ability to have children – the dream you always wanted!!! This???? This is how you thank me???”, she sneered, and I was lip locked both by magic and by the sheer fact I did not know what to say to her. I struggled for a little but somehow my voice finally broke free.

“Verena….. “ I croaked… “You cannot simply cause extinction and tell me you are doing the right thing…”, I said, coughing in between words, trying to form a complete sentence.. “The world.. there are innocents still here… innocents like my unborn nephew… there must be another way..”, I finally said with an effort that made my nose bleed and my head hurt incredibly.

Her dark eyes drilled into mine and I felt as if I were pulled into an abyss. The pull was tremendous, I felt as if she was bonding me to herself, the fate I resisted, and based on her facial expression – successfully. She liked obedience and at any given moment, and I was having none of it. I was not going to follow her down to the pits of hell anymore. I had made a mistake, and only now did I realize just how big of a mistake it was. There was no going back. Our eyes locked and I felt it was time. For what, I did not know. But something woke within me, after all these years, something I long forgot about. I would not let her hurt my family. My heart, my soul, my blood, my whole being screamed in the agony of pain she was creating for me. However, the memories of happier times, memories of my father’s love, somehow made their way to the front. And behind those memories, behind that love, I found the shield from her dark powers.

At first, she was surprised, but then a look of hate and anger crossed her face. Her dragon-looking monsters started snarling at me, moving with speed in my direction, both trying to attach me. I stood in one space, pulsating the energy I found, the magic of the family bonds and the love that I once knew. It somehow created a shield around me, one that her monsters could not break. They were snapping, but hitting almost an invisible, impenetrable barrier. “You think love can save you?” How pathetic are you??” she was screaming, pushing her aura on me, moving slowly but with deathly determination. My nose was bleeding profusely, and she was inching closer, looking very much a predator she was. Even if she broke my barrier, I had a plan. I carried an Elven blade, my father’s own creation, an enchanted object forged from magic and dragon’s blood. I just needed her to come a little closer, I needed her to think she won, so I could stab her while she did not suspect me.

I was getting dizzy, my power waning, but I just had to hold on for a little longer. One of her dragon-like monsters latched onto my leg, sending waves of excruciating pain down my left side, blood seeping everywhere. Verena and all her power were almost through my barrier when I heard an unexpected, yet familiar sound – a roar of a dragon.

I would know that dragon anywhere – Ying.