With the destruction caused by the pillar of light, Pol Hain faced its third major disaster. It was only fortunate that the town was prepared after being obliterated twice, for despite the extensive damage and loss of lives, the infrastructures were still standing and most of the town’s populations were accounted for. After recovering from the ordeal, everyone started to help rebuilding the town. Still, the townsfolks, the dragons, and the Order members were all wary of the light pillar coming back and finishing them off, for now they knew that they were utterly defenseless against it and its anti-magic property.

Some of the survivors, especially the Ternorian refugees and those who had not experienced the town’s destruction firsthand, were badly shaken and unnerved. The refugees were even more shaken, for they realized they could not escape from their predicament now matter how far they were from the horror they faced back home. Some were so traumatized they lost their sanity, only staring at the sea, hopeless and unable to properly function. For them, it was as if they entered the end of ages.

As for the others, they helped rebuilding the town while assessing the damage caused by the pillar of light and the mutated creatures’ attacks, while also searching for survivors. Adeline walked through the town and checked on the damage, feeling scared to the point of her clawed hands shaking. The blood splatter from her first kill, and the explosion of the creature’s head, still stuck on her clothes and her fur. As they dried, they became sticky and uncomfortable. Added to the destruction of the town, Adeline had never felt so vulnerable in her life.

As a noble, she knew she was so protected to the point of boredom. Nothing significant ever happened to her life, so she started to go travelling in Tragoria and all over Ternor. When she felt she had seen everything, she had eyes on the Ocean Between and funded the expedition to Main. She faced death many times, especially when trying to convince Azureath and crossing the stormy seas, but she was stubborn and steadfast, knowing that it also convinced her that it would inspire others.

Somehow, she felt like she could do anything after convincing a dragon to help continue the journey, and even after the uncertain fate of her family back home, she stayed strong. But even she had her limits, and the unnerving situation Pol Hain faced, along with the horrific and gruesome imageries she witnessed, started to crack her courage.

She wanted to go away, gave up on everything, and returned to her boring, noble life. At least in the life of political intrigue and court manners, nothing more violent than a scuffle happened. Pol Hain was her match, and it was time for her to concede.

Yet, before she could act on that decision, she stumbled upon a white figure in the middle of the road. The figure was splayed across the stone road, small and vulnerable. It was a small dragon. A white-scaled dragon the size of a house cat. It was clearly hurt, for the white luster of its scales were dirtied by the dust from the Pol Hain destruction and there were wounds all over its body. It looked like it suffered through the destruction and, due to the confusion caused by the light and the creatures, it was neglected.

Taken with sympathy, Adeline approached the small dragon hatchling and took it up her arm. She never saw a dragon that small, even if it was a hatchling, so Adeline assumed that the dragon was from a small breed, maybe even a dragonet. She knew about the many breeds of dragons on the continent, but to see one so small in the middle of a catastrophe did not feel right for her. It could be a hatchling, for all that matters.

So, she took it back to where the dragons were, trying to find its mother. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find any dragon with white scales there, nor were any of the dragons knew of any white-scaled dragon nesting with them. Nevertheless, the dragon woke up and, seeing it being carried around by a wolf person surprised it to the point it jumped off Adeline and growled at her. Its tiny stature wasn’t very intimidating, though, and the wounds it suffered made Adeline even more sympathetic and convinced that the dragon was scared.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” said Adeline. “I want to help you, little dragon. You suffered injuries and you’re alone. Let me help you.”

“Trust her, little one,” said a red dragon near them. “She just wants to help. She is friends with the dragon.”

The dragon seemed to understand what the red dragon was saying, so she stopped growling and sat on the floor. Adeline approached it and picked her up, which it didn’t object. In fact, it seemed to enjoy climbing onto Adeline’s back.

“Well, that’s new,” said the red dragon. “Dragons, even dragonets, don’t usually trust someone that easily. Guess she likes you already.”

“Really?” Adeline looked at the dragon hatchling and smiled. “Well, I can be quite convincing when it comes to dragons.”

“So, I heard from the azure one, Azureath. I believe your name is Adeline de Rochefort. Isn’t it so?”

“Yes, it is,” said Adeline. The little dragon let out a growl that sounded like a purr. “I mean, she’s not Azureath. I am sure she’s not as…troubled as that dragon.”

“Troubled?” asked the female dragon hatchling.

“She’s been through a lot, little dragon. It is a long story. Do you have a name? Something I should call you?”

The white dragon hatchling seemed to ponder on her reply, which was not surprising. Clearly, the hatchling had limited interactions with humans and beast people that it might not choose a name complementing her draconic name, much like Azureath and all the other dragons in the town did.

After a short while, she replied. “Zenithia. Call me Zenithia.”

“That’s a fine name. Fitting for a white dragon such as you,” complimented Adeline, which Zenithia appreciated.

“Thanks, kind wolf. You can also call me Zen for short,” she said with a draconic smirk. “Nice to meet you, Adeline.”

“Likewise.”

Adeline enjoyed the company of the dragon hatchling. Zenithia looked like she trusted Adeline, as the red dragon told the red-furred werewolf that she might wanted a parental figure, which Adeline happened to be for saving her and caring for her. Adeline cleaned Zenithia and helped took care of her wounds. It wasn’t that hard for her since she was small and well-behaved, and the fact that Adeline already had that kind of experience with the wolves living in the forest behind the de Rochefort estate. She seemed to be able to understand what the feral wolves were ailing for, and they regarded her as the leader of their pack. Werewolves did have a pack mentality to an extent but being regarded as the pack leader seemed like a unique experience for her.

As the day ended, Adeline already regained herself as Zenithia, exhausted by her playful demeanor, slept on a cushion in the embassy that seemed to survive the blast, apparently undisturbed by the sound of hammer pounding on woods being used to fix the damaged brick building. She caressed the dragon, feeling satisfied that she could help one and befriended her, much like her befriending Azureath, even if that dragon was closer to Hans than her.

***

Two days had passed since the disaster struck, and everyone was still shaken by it every morning. Hans woke up to find himself feeling a bit depressed upon seeing the ruined town, hoping that the cleanup effort was progressing as normal. He wanted to alleviate this depressing view by helping, which was what he was planning to do, anyway.

After taking a bath and putting on his shirts and pants held up by suspenders, he proceeded to walk down, greeted by Ulster. The werewolf scholar suffered a broken shoulder after being thrown to the wall. He landed awkwardly on the bench, suffering bruised spine that also paralyzed him. However, the healers of Pol Hain said it was temporary, and the Tragorian doctors concurred. It could be worse.

Ulster occupied himself by reading books. Stories and legends from the Main continent. Even after being shaken by the light, he was still researching about it. Hans could appreciate the dedication, though he was worried that Ulster might’ve overexerted himself.

Nevertheless, he was glad Ulster’s condition was stable and proceeded to walk out. He saw Zenithia, the white dragon hatchling that liked Adeline, laying on the brick fence like a cat. She seemed to be enjoying her day, at least until something surprising happened.

A letter came out of nowhere fell over the dragon. Rather than surprised, the dragon took the letter (she had dexterous front legs, as did all four-legged dragons) and ripped open the envelope. She proceeded to read it.

“If you open it, then it works. I suggest you get out of the way. R,” she said. She quickly perked her head up, realizing what the letter said. “Wait. Don’t teleport here. I’m—”

Zenithia had no choice but to jump out of the way when Hans saw a person instantly materializing over the fence, but then realized he was over the fence and fell on it, with the brick fence between his groins. Hans could only wince in pain, knowing that it would be so painful if a male like him happened to experience that, as did the person who materialized out of nowhere. He fell to the side, letting out a whine as he rubbed his crotch, clearly in pain.

“You alright, mate?” said Hans as he helped the person. “Can I get you some ice?”

“N-no need,” he said with a strain. “M-my fault.”

“You sure about that? I mean, your knackers might’ve—”

“Nothing a healing magic couldn’t fix.” He then proceeded to put a ball of light between his legs and sighed in relief. “Ah, that’s more like it. I thought I was aiming for the pillar’s anti-magic signature. Guess the magical coordinates are also disrupted by anti-magic.”

Hans, after the earlier, painful introduction, proceeded to examine the person that came to them. It was clear enough to see that the person wasn’t even human, nor was he standing as tall as one. He was around three feet, maybe four feet tall, and he stood as high as Hans’ waist. He was also quite stout with a bit of weight proportional to his height.

However, his most prominent features were the fact that he was reptilian at first glance, but also had several mammalian features such as a pair of long, pointed ear covered in scales under his white horns. His scales were smooth like a lizard or a fish, almost to the point it looked like skin from afar. It was colored bronze except for his chest and his underside, which was cream in color. His tail was short like a wolf’s tail, but still reptilian in appearance. They were decorated with belts.

He was only wearing a pair of shorts with a cloak over him. Complimenting them, he also wore a leather collar around his neck, making him look like a dog. His eyes where bright yellow and reptilian, and his face looked almost like a crocodile. Like the only other reptilian race Hans knew, this person had digitigrade legs, but not prominent talon-like claws with one big hook claw on each toe. They looked closer to that of a dragon’s hind legs. Finally, he carried around a staff much taller than he was, and Hans assumed that it was a decorated travel staff, owing to the pinkish crystal on its tip.

As he recovered from his fall, he looked around and noticed the embassy building, then the ruined town of Pol Hain. He was disturbed, but he did not seem to let it overwhelm him.

“So,” he said as he looked at Hans’ appearance. “You are one of those ‘Lycans’ I heard about? I mean, I don’t think I know any wolf beast race on this continent, or any canine beast races ever. I still wonder about that discrepancy, but that’s not my field. Anyway, I know you came with a dragon covered with the Mark. Where is she now?”

“Eager, aren’t we?” said Hans. “Azureath’s still in town, helping with repairs. You might want to wait for her to come back.”

“Can’t wait. I was going to come here and meet her many months ago when the news came, but I was preoccupied. Now, that a recent development has arisen, I must take notes from her.”

“Whoa, whoa, wait. What kind of development? The only development I know of is the bloody pillar that destroyed the town.”

“That’s also a problem, but that’s not my problem. Well, I mean, it is everyone’s problem, but I’m not the scholar for that. Anyway, if you’re wondering, no. I came here by myself, not HQ’s order, only for an answer that the dragon can answer.”

“You just have to wait, uh…what’s your race again?”

“Kobold,” he said short. “Isn’t it obvious enough?”

“Never met one before.”

“No one lived in this port town? Really? Huh. Well, that makes sense for a partially subterranean race like us. We don’t like the open seas and by god, they’re right. I don’t know how you live here. The air’s so…salty.”

The kobold’s directness may sound rude, but Hans’ definition of ‘rude’ did not include the kobold’s manners. He just seemed to say something he had in his mind and had no qualms about others’ feelings. While Hans like those kinds of person, the kobold might want to know who he was talking to if he did not want to get a slap in the face.

The kobold and Hans were then joined by Adeline, who was also asked about Azureath. She seemed taken aback, clearly did not expect someone so forward and direct like the kobold, but she tried not to get angry and told him the same thing: that Azureath was still in town helping to rebuild. The kobold, impatient, then started walking towards the town when he looked up and saw the azure blue dragon he had been meaning to meet, with Keeshar riding on top of her. She proceeded to land on the beach near the embassy, with the kobold pacing to her.

“Quite impatient, isn’t he?” said Hans.

“And rude, too,” said Adeline. “If he’s in a court of manners, he’s going to be thrown out.”

“Well, if he doesn’t get too confrontational, he’s fine in my book. He’s a bit rude, though.”

“That he is.” Adeline sighed. “Why is he here again?”

“Something about meeting Azureath and asking about the Mark? You know, the rune-like scars all over her body. He seemed to be interested with them, though I do wish it’s not going to offend the dragon in any way.”

The kobold did not offend the dragon in any way. In fact, his mannerism around Azureath became more proper, with him bowing in respect.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, azure one,” said the kobold. “I have heard about your presence from the news sent to Dracokin, but I did not heed it much. Only a recent development changed my mind.”

“I see. I never thought my presence would be of interest to a kobold,” said Azureath. “In fact, I never thought bronze scales like you would actually interact with others, let alone humans.”

“Things change in the kobold community. I, Ritik, has been part of that effort in better relationship with the humans. I chose to be a mage, and it helped the relationship immensely. But we can talk about that later, azure one. May I see the Mark all over your body? This is very important.”

Azureath did not object on Ritik (pronounced Ree-teek) examining her, though it still felt strange to her, given that she never thought she would have to think about the Mark after trying so hard to forget about it and move on with her life. In fact, the more she realized it, the more she became uncomfortable with Ritik, to the point she said, “I’d appreciate if you cease your activity, kobold, before somebody gets hurt.”

Ritik understood what she was implying and stopped examining her Mark.

“Don’t worry,” said the kobold. “I was just finishing up.”

And so, he did, just as Hans and Adeline approaching the two.

“So,” said Hans. “Had your fun, kobold?”

“Fun? There’s no fun here! It’s…oh.” Ritik slapped his head. “Damn it. I really need to learn more of those ‘not literal’ thing.”

“You really need to get out more, kobold. Anyway, you finished with examining Azureath’s Mark? You know what it is?”

“Not more than what I already know. I can explain if you’re willing to listen.”

Hans was as curious as Ritik was when it came to the Mark of the Fallen covering Azureath, knowing that the dragon’s suffering would be best left alone and buried as a painful past. Like the dragon, he never thought anyone beyond the dragons of Pol Hain took interest in her past.

Zenithia came and sat beside Adeline as Ritik started his explanation.

“The Mark of the Fallen is a type of restraining spell used to enslave a dragon’s will,” he started. “That part’s already common knowledge. Dragons ensnared by the Mark are already enslaved the moment the brand started forming on their body. It’s a high-level forbidden spell that required three skilled mages to pulled off. One to capture the dragon, and two to expedite the process.”

Hearing the bluntness of Ritik’s explanation made Azureath uneasy as unpleasant, traumatic memories started coming back to her. She started to remember the day she almost lost her freedom.

“The research was considered finished, but then you came,” he said, turning to Azureath. “A dragon with an incomplete Mark has never appeared before. I know there are more of you out there, but I have a feeling they hid from the world out of pride. As a kobold, I commend your bravery, azure one.”

“I never realized that is the case,” said Azureath upon hearing the revelation. “But, in a way, I did, too. I just returned after a long exile.”

“Yet, you are the first to return, and it helped start the research anew. Until your presence in Pol Hain, there is virtually no new meaningful research about the Mark. Still, even after the news came to Dracokin, they still focused on a different research and put this on a bench for us junior researchers to take. Then, the pillar of light happened. At the same time, there was a major development at Dracokin.”

“What kind of development?” asked Adeline.

“The Marked dragons, as we called them…sorry, should’ve used a better term for it. They were once docile dragons with no will of their own. Rehabilitating them was difficult due to the Mark’s influence. Even after nullifying the magic, they were too changed to return to their previous selves. It’s…a sorry sight, I tell you.”

Ritik realized he was too blunt to the point where Azureath became uncomfortable. She let him know of her misgivings with a growl and an intense glare. The kobold tried to salvage it by saying, “O-of course, they are dragons. They’re still magnificent.”

“Okay, we get it,” said Hans. “The Marked dragons are different from Azureath. So, what development are you talking about again?”

“Those dragons, at the same time as the pillar of light, suddenly roared in pain and the brand on their bodies lit up as if it was just branded on them. But the agony did not last long.”

“O-oh no,” said Keeshar, assuming the worst. “They…perished?”

“No. Instead, they all speak words. Foreign words. The thing is, those words were gibberish. They weren’t translated by any translation magic. It’s even more unsettling when you realize that every dragon with a complete Mark spoke the words together. It was like a chant.”

“Are they still chanting now?” asked Azureath.

“They stopped after a while, but then they were left catatonic.” Ritik’s expression was grim. “And along with that, many more pillar of light incidents happened. Many of them were in uninhabited area, but some…”

“W-wait,” said Hans. “You mean, the pillar of light over Pol Hain wasn’t the only one?”

“The others are less intense, but the results are the same. The area surrounding the pillar altered the way mana particles behaved. It’s easier to call it ‘anti-magic’, but it is something more complex, at least based on what us mages understand on the nature of mana.”

“Being ‘complex’, you mean it changes the nature itself?”

Elyse the satyr was approaching the group when she listened on the conversation. Realizing that she might be interrupting a serious discussion, she said, “Sorry, but I can’t help but listen.”

“You practice druidic magic?” asked Ritik.

“I do, yeah.”

"Then we might need all the help we can get."

Elyse scoffed. "I doubt they even want to be involved with your problems. The Bracken Woods have their own problems and I am an exile."

"Ah." Ritik could only lower his head. "That is a shame."

The fact that the Pol Hain pillar of light wasn’t an isolated disaster made it clear that whatever they just experienced was just the beginning of a major crisis the continent had not experienced for a while. Hans, Adeline, and Keeshar felt uneasy when they realized that they had become more involved with the crisis than they should, despite of the situation back home.

The depressing situation, coupled with the general hopelessness of Pol Hain when they heard of the news, did not make the night easy for everyone, especially for Hans. While he appreciated that the full moon was still there on the clear night sky, the general atmosphere in the devastated port town did not make him feel refreshed. The fear of the pillar striking again, and the trauma caused by the sight of the grotesque creatures filled the air. As a werewolf, especially under a full moon, he knew the air was thick of it. It was the fear of a prey when faced against a predator, knowing that their end was nigh. Hans, however, did not feel like the predator. Rather, he felt like them: a prey against the predator that was the mysterious and devastating pillar of light.

And then he stumbled upon the bronze statue of the two young dragons, which was surprisingly intact despite the square it was situated was leveled and most of the buildings were heavily damaged. Apparently, as Hans gathered, it was protected by a magical barrier, but no one knew where it came from. They just assumed that it was there when the monument was built.

The black-furred werewolf wondered what the two dragons would react when they saw that the town they protected was destroyed once more. Clearly, they would be disappointed, but Hans bet they would be angry, much like him. However, he was sure that they would not feel hopeless. They inspired hope, so they would be the first to stay optimistic despite the harrowing sight.

“I’d be angry, too, if I saw the destruction of my home,” said Hans to himself. “I’m stuck here, unable to even see what became of my village. Now, my second home is destroyed. What am I supposed to do?”

“Find the answer in Qeveriyt,” said a voice. “Learn the answer to your current predicament. It will save your world, and your future.”

“Huh…?” Hans looked around. No one was there. Only Elyse. However, the female voice wasn’t hers. The way her goat ears perked up clearly meant she heard it, too.

“You heard that?” she asked.

“Who just spoke to us?” said Hans. “I mean, it happened before, when I approached the statue. Was it a ghost?”

I really don’t like what she implied, Hans,” said Elyse. “M-maybe we should go back.”

Both were spooked by the cryptic words and decided to return to the embassy. However, they were greeted by yet another surprise when they saw how confused some of the people were.

“The answer to our current predicament?” said Ritik, paraphrasing the words from the voice.

“You heard the voice, too?” asked Hans.

“I did, too,” said Adeline. “So did Ulster and Kee. Zen and Azureath, too.”

“That’s a specific group of people.”

“But the answer…lies the ruins of Qeveriyt? That’s an impossible request, but interesting enough since it clearly doesn’t sound like a prank to me.”

“Ruins of Qeveriyt? What’s that?” asked Hans.

“Qeveriyt is a lost city,” explained Ritik. “It was the first dragon city before Dracokin was established. In essence, the city planning of Dracokin closely followed Qeveriyt’s. The details are vague, but one day, Qeveriyt just…vanished. Alongside its inhabitants. Even more mysterious, this was supposed to be a big event, but the details were vague, and the matter apparently shrugged off. I’d dismissed it as a legendary nonsense if it wasn’t for the many evidence that the city did exist. It’s just…no one, not even the dragons, had any idea when it vanished or even where it was. It was as if the city existed yet did not exist at the same time.”

“Except as vague recollections,” concluded Adeline. “So, that voice asked us to find a fabled lost city with only vague recollections. It is an impossible request, but something tells me it is the most important piece of information that would shed light to the mystery of the pillar of light.”

“Not sure how, but I agree with you,” said Elyse, with hints of confusion in her voice. “It’s worth checking.”

Hans looked at Adeline and Elyse, surprised by how easily they accepted the cryptic words.

“W-wait,” said Hans. “You just accept the suggestion? You know how vague it is, right? A fabled lost city? That sounds more like an imaginary needle in a haystack! We aren’t even sure this city is real!”

“Vague recollections can be a powerful tool for discovery, little wolf,” said Azureath. “And magic can help things clearer, provided it is the right spell.”

“Not you too, Azureath.”

“Whatever we have on Qeveriyt is all in Dracokin’s grand archives,” said Ritik. “I’d teleport us back there, including the azure one, but with the current situation with anti-magic, I don’t want to risk it. I mean, even I got way off when teleporting here.”

“We haven’t agreed on this!” insisted Hans. “Can’t we at least talk about the suggestion and how bloody mad that sounds?”

“I know you have doubts, Hans,” said Azureath calmly. “I do, too. But even if the Qeveriyt lead turns out to be a dead end, it is much better if we know something than being oblivious of everything. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Hans couldn’t argue with Azureath on that. It was true that, even if there weren’t any suggestions, he would start thinking about gathering more information about the pillar of light and who or what wanted it to happen. He did not think Dracokin would be their best bet, but considering how the Order, essentially the main law enforcement group of the continent, had been involved in several historical major battles, they would have an extensive record of the history of the region.

Ulster would love to spend his time there, too.

Then again, Hans wondered why only them. Why were they the only ones who could hear her voice? He did not want to think of it as a bad omen, but he did not trust the voice. Not even one bit. Wasn’t that the most obvious reaction? So, why were the others readily agreed with the voice.

Hans started to think that maybe they were being manipulated. Maybe it was a trap, after all.