The Dragon's Heart

Chapter 1: New Beginnings

The sun rose high in the sky, painting the world in hues of gold and amber as Aurora stood at the gates of the Arcane Academy, her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and nerves. The Academy loomed before her, its spires reaching towards heaven like fingers grasping for the stars. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm the nausea that churned relentlessly in her stomach.

She unfurled the parchment map, its delicate surface revealing intricate lines and symbols denoting the layout of the campus grounds. A cool breeze flitted through her hair, threatening to rip the map from her grasp. With a furrowed brow, Aurora traced her finger along the winding routes, searching for a path that would lead her to the Great Hall, where orientation would commence.

Before her stood three imposing structures, their grandeur casting a shadow over the courtyards and gardens below, all milling with students. Each formidable structure stood tall and commanding, their architectural details intricate and awe-inspiring. Aurora's gaze flitted from one to the next, unable to fully grasp their sheer magnitude.

She wallowed hopelessly, wondering how she could possibly navigate this place without getting lost. Even with a map to aid her, the campus was bigger than several towns.

She studied the map intently as the intricate web of pathways seemed to blur before her eyes, each route appearing equally daunting and unfamiliar. She chewed on her lip nervously, poised to pick a direction at random. She'd eventually find where she needed to go, or at least that's what she told herself.

Just as she was about to make a hasty decision, a sudden commotion erupted nearby, drawing her attention away from the map. A rowdy group of students sauntered past her, their laughter echoing through the courtyard. Aurora watched with curiosity and apprehension as they passed, their animated conversation punctuated by hearty chuckles and playful banter.

"Excuse me!" she called after them. "Would you be able to tell me which building the Great Hall is located in?"

They all whipped around in unison, turning their scrutinizing gazes to her. One of them, a girl with chin-length cornsilk hair and round ruby-red eyes pointed at the smallest of the buildings — though still larger than Aurora's hometown — with a tight-lipped grimace.

The two other students, a boy and a girl with identical features, stood unmoving. Their long, silky ink-black hair cascaded over their shoulders in identical waves, framing faces with rose-tinged cheeks and matching scowls that dripped with animosity. With synchronized movements, they pulled the blond girl along by her arms, their hurried steps carrying them at a much quicker pace.

As Aurora stood there, watching them rush off, she couldn't help but catch the murmurs exchanged among them. They spoke in hushed tones, their words laced with disdain. They threw quick glances back, filled with loathing, but beneath their facade of bravado, Aurora detected a glimmer of something else — fear, perhaps, lurking in the depths of their eyes.

Aurora's grandmother had warned her of this, that she would not receive warm reception from her peers. Aurora thought she could handle it, thought she had prepared for this, had steeled herself against the possibility of encountering hostility from her peers. After all, she had weathered similar storms since childhood, ever since the day her mother was executed.

Her mother was charged with treason. Colluding with Dark Mages was what the High Council and the Council of Elders claimed. But that's not what Aurora remembered of her mother, what she remembered was, eleven years ago, when Aurora was just seven years old, her mother left her and never returned.

Seven-year-old Aurora perched by the window, as she always did, waiting for her mother to come home. Waiting to rush into her arms, breathe in her scent, and demand a story before bed in the impish manner that never failed to make her smile. Aurora's mother was always home late, far later than her friend Mia's mother would come home. It was like this for as long as Aurora could remember.