|| Book One of the Dragonkind Duology ||
𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙛 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙩; 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣.
For years, dragonkind and humankind had been at war, alternating between short-lived truces and all out...
"Is that it?" Argent asked in awe, gazing at the soft blue light floating above the ground, and Darin vocalized his confirmation with a hum. The ground dipped and peaked around it, making it look like a drop of water frozen in time just before it hit the lake. If anything, the longer they stared at it, it really did look as if it were rippling water. Many people stood around it: Soldiers, scholars, and potion makers. None seemed to pay any mind to them, simply going along with their own business (almost in a frantic manner, Noctifer noticed), until one of the soldiers near the center caught them lingering. He was a bit more decorated than the others, yet also wore lighter armor. A look of relief washed over the other man's face, excusing himself from the group he was with and walked straight to Darin.
"Thank goodness you showed up today," the decorated soldier began, addressing Darin. "Namari just sent the message you were heading over, and it couldn't have been timed better."
"Is the barrier that bad?" Darin asked, scanning the signature pulses of the invisible lines that separated their world from the faeriekind. Indeed, there were many cracks and breaks. "Was there an attack?"
"A minor harbinger was spotted by the scryers a few days ago, and it was last night where it began clawing at the barrier," the other man explained hastily. Darin glanced back at Iver and Noctifer.
"We can come here again," he assured, and Iver nodded his understanding.
"Ah, sorry, I should introduce myself," the other man said, giving a sheepish smile. "Captain Moric Glendon. Namari—my sister—told me about the three of you in her message, as well." He turned to Darin. "So you really did get an apprentice? I feel like I heard Amonis mention it when I passed by, but I may have been preoccupied to think about it properly."
Darin waved his hand. "I can tell you more later, but the barrier needs to be mended. Maybe we could scare off the harbinger as well so it doesn't break through in the future."
"Yes, yes, you're right." Moric gave a polite nod to the swordsmen before heading to where the larger cracks were located. Other wizards were already gathered around it.
"I'll meet you at the market," Darin added before giving a small smile to Argent. "I suppose your lesson in realm barriers is now."
"Sounds good," Argent replied with a determined look, and soon the wizard and his apprentice followed the captain, leaving the swordsmen alone.
"Let us go to the apothecary, then," Iver said, circling back towards the gate. He gave one last look at the reservoir center before looking at Noctifer with a smile. "This is all I wanted to see."
Noctifer said nothing as he followed the elf out of the compound.
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"I didn't think I'd see you two so soon," Amonis noted when he saw the swordsmen enter. "I'll be with you in a moment."
Iver and Noctifer had run into Lottie earlier as she did deliveries, so they weren't surprised to see the willowy man at the front. A little girl was sitting on the counter, however, and a woman stood by the backroom door as Amonis finished wrapping the girl's legs with a bandage. The girl looked much like the woman, with mousy brown hair that hung in loose curls, but she had Amonis' shade of blue eyes.
