The sun began to cast its light upon a large town. Within the town full of expert architecture, a large, Gothic castle towered above the neighboring buildings. Tall towers stretched from its base as if it were reaching for the clouds. Intricate arches decorated the many windows and doors of the castle. A tall iron fence surrounded the building, making it difficult for anyone to trespass. The castle's magnificence cast a shadow of superiority over everything. The size of the property was immense, and it would easily take an hour or two just to walk its perimeter.

A cool breeze blew through one of the windows of the towers. The chilly air broke past the sloppily placed curtains, allowing the beams of warm sunlight to explore the room. The interior did not fall short of the great castle's display. The room was large and the ceiling was high. A fine wooden floor held the room, and not a spec of dust could be seen. The room was spacey, and it only contained a single king-sized bed along with a small, square table to its side. A grand closet was placed against the wall opposite from the bed. Each piece of furniture was overly decorated with complicated patterns and brightly colored cloths.

The cold wind swept through the room and finally caressed the face of a young boy who hid beneath his blankets. Soon followed the warm light of the morning sun. The child's face contorted in response. He sleepily arose from his slumber, wiping the dirt from his eyes. The child was very young. He appeared to be only seven or eight. Dark brown, nearly black, hair covered his head. His hair was a short bowl cut that went halfway down his forehead. His skin was a light olive color. No callous, wrinkle, or other sign of work could be seen on his tender skin. The boy left his bed, leaving his blankets sloppily on the mattress. The first thing the child did after getting up was approach the opened window. His chestnut eyes took in the scenery before him.

A rich town occupied the land. Elegant buildings decorated the earth. All of the buildings were tall. The smallest was still able to reach its third floor. Giant towers would somehow dwarf these grand buildings, although their size did not sacrifice any of the elegance of the other structures. The town had a theme of bright colors as many of the buildings were the colors peach or white. Many colorful banners would also connect the roofs of the buildings.

Although the sun had barely risen, many people bustled around the streets below. The people of the town were just like their town. They sported colorful attire that presented their wealth. Women wore frilly, long dresses while the men wore multiple pieced suits. Numerous shiny wagons would roll through the streets. It seemed the city was in its prime, and that it was continuing to prosper.

The young boy soon closed the latch to his window and recovered it with the curtains. A final yawn escaped his little mouth before he finally opened the large closet in his room. The closet was filled with expensive looking clothes. The clothing came in all kinds of colors and designs fit for royalty. They were all made carefully with materials of the highest quality. The silk was smooth and the cotton was soft. The furs were warm as well. The boy did not take out clothes to change, but instead called out.

"Stephen, I am awake!"

"Yes, young master."

A voice full of respect responded just beyond the door. Soon a tall middle aged man walked in. He was then followed by a young maid. The man, Stephen, was tall and skinny. He looked to be on his last stretch before entering his senior years. He had no muscles to display, but rather gave off a dignified look. He had pale skin and a bald head, save for a few strands on the sides and back of his head. The little hair he had left was a dark gray and was combed neatly.

The young maid was tiny when standing next to Stephen. She was already short, and when compared to Stephen's height, she appeared elf-like. She had night black hair cut in a bob which framed her petite face. The young maid was fair skinned and pretty. Similar to Stephen, she stood silently awaiting the boy's words.

"Help me dress." came the tiny voice of the child.

The two servants nodded before picking out clothes from the closet while the boy stepped out from his nightgown. The boy was then fitted into a white dress shirt, red pants, and a similarly red coat. The posh look was finished after the maid placed a purple handkerchief before the boy's neck.

"Young master Everwish, breakfast has been prepared. The master and lady are already waiting for you. Do you require further assistance?"

The boy shook his head and left the room without a word.

The two servants stood at attention until the boy was out of sight. Instead of relaxing at the boy's departure, the two began making the boy's bed and cleaning the room with the same amount of respect.

The young lad made his way down a flight of stairs. After descending three floors, the boy made a few turns into a dining room. The room was longer than it was wide. The ceiling was far above the floor, providing space for the three chandeliers to hang. On the other end of the room was a large circular window, letting a generous amount of natural light inside.

"Atlas, you sleepy head, you should learn to wake early. When you get older, you'll have a lot of work to do. The only way you'll finish it all comfortably is if you rise early."

The voice of a woman echoed from across the room. The woman was a beauty. She had blood red lips and dark brown hair. Her hair was braided and reached the middle of her back. Her skin was pale and covered by a plain red dress.

"Let the lad sleep. It's because he'll be working so much that he should enjoy the rest he gets!"

A voice full of vigor sounded within the room. Appearing from a door on the other end of the room was a handsome middle-aged man. His long, dark brown hair was combed back. He had tanned olive skin. His body was muscular and toned, but small enough to move around easily. Some wrinkles could be seen on the corner of his eyes. He was dressed just as posh as the child and woman.

"Bring out his breakfast!" continued the man's voice.

Atlas, the young child, smiled at his parents. He then took a seat before being served a platter of eggs, ham, and bread by a servant. The servant then left the room as quickly as they had come. Atlas's legs were too short to reach the floor, so he swung them back and forth as he sat. He looked up to his father and asked,

"Father, do you really work a lot? Mother doesn't work, so why can't you rest too? One of the servants can do it if it's too much for you."

The boy's father cast an appreciative look to his son. He walked by him to tussle his hair, earning the playful grunt of his son.

"A good noble doesn't shy away from his responsibility. He should work so his people can live better lives. He can't just toss such important work to others. In return, I get enough money so your mother and you don't have to work.... Although, I will be needing your help every now and then."

The child's eyes brightened.

"I can help you with your work?! What will I do?"

"You'll be stuck in your room writing reports." The father bluntly said.

Atlas's face fell flat as his expectations were let down. His mother then stretched his cheeks playfully and said,

"But for now your only job is to look cute! Now hurry up with breakfast so we can enjoy our day!"

Atlas didn't need his mother to ask twice, and he began stuffing his face full of food.

"Life as a noble is great!" he thought.

Author's Note:

Hello, this is the writer of Peerless Emperor of the Skies (PES).

I have a lot planned for this work. I have had this idea for a while, so I'll have a better sense of direction than I did with PES. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, and I hope to keep a good quality throughout the coming chapters. All feedback is appreciated.

Please keep an eye out for my updates. Thank you.

- Master Dragon

GAO!