Bloodcrest

Episode 2

On the way home, I couldn’t stop thinking about why those men had stopped our carriage. We weren’t nobles nor royalty. We didn’t have a lot of money or items worth stealing. It didn’t make sense. Suddenly, the sound of an ear-splitting screech filled the air. I quickly looked up and tried to find the source of the scream. I found nothing. I looked and looked as far as I could see, but couldn’t find a single soul that could have let out that ear-splitting shriek. I quickly looked up and tried to find the source of the scream. I found nothing. I looked and looked as far as I could see, but couldn’t find a single soul that could have let out that ear-splitting shriek. I just shook my head thinking I had just heard things. A few seconds later, I heard it again, but this time it sounded louder and closer to us. I whipped my head around and standing before us was a massive beast that I had never seen before. It stood about fifteen meters tall, with golden scales as bright as the sun. Its eyes were as blue as ice. They looked just like my father's eyes. I looked at Rufus, but to my surprise, he was on one knee with his hand over his heart in a bow like a servant to a king. I took my eyes off him and looked back at the beast. I knew it was a dragon, but what I couldn't understand was why I wasn't freaking out. Why did the aura of this dragon feel so familiar? Why wasn't it attacking me with the intent of killing? I felt safe being in its presence just like I did when my father was near me. Then, it all suddenly made sense. THE DRAGON WAS MY FATHER! How was this possible?! How could he have kept such a big secret from me?! Did my mother know?! I crouched down in the back of the wagon while holding my head. I couldn't believe- no, I refused to believe that the creature standing in the very same spot was my father. My breath quickened as my thoughts continued to race. I heard another screech and looked to see that it had been coming from a village that was covered in the dead bodies of livestock. I looked back at the dragon only to see that it was no longer standing there. I looked at the sky and saw it flying away, but it stopped midway and looked at me. From where I was still standing I could see the pain and regret hidden in its eyes before it continued on its way. My thoughts continued to race and my chest started to hurt. The next thing I knew, I was falling off the wagon. I couldn't even scream or yell for help. My consciousness wavered and the last thing I felt was a pair of arms. I looked up to see Rufus trying to speak to me, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I lost consciousness, but not before those words made it to my ears from Rufus, " Sorry you had to find the truth like this, Lucifera." Truth?! What is the truth?! I wanted to ask these questions, but I felt myself sink into blackness and knew I had completely lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was in my room still in my parents' birthday gown. My head was killing me, but I sat up anyway. As I looked at myself in the mirror to make sure I was fine when all of a sudden the memories of meeting the golden dragon raced through my mind. I gripped my head as the thoughts surged forward, causing me to stumble around my room. I ended up knocking over my belongings in the process before kneeling on the floor of my room holding my head. I gasped a sigh of relief when the memories stopped running through my mind. I heard footsteps racing up the stairs and the sound of my door being flung open before I was pulled into a pair of arms. I looked up to see my mother looking at me with concern written on her face. "Are you alright, Lucifera?", my mother asked me gently, but with concern evident in her voice. I shakily replied," I- I- I don't know mom. I saw a golden dragon with ice-blue eyes. It reminded me so much of dad." I suddenly felt my mother tense, so I looked at my mother and saw the same look the dragon gave me while it was flying away. The look of regret in my mother's eyes was all too clear and I couldn't help suddenly feeling angry. I forced myself out of her lap and shakily stood up. "You knew?!", I yelled. All my mother could do was nod her head. I couldn't believe it. My mother knew and she never told me. Neither of them ever told me! I felt angry and confused, but most of all I felt - betrayed. Betrayed by my very own parents. I couldn't stay there for another second, so I took off down the stairs and out the door. I ran to my favorite spot in the woods. It was a lush meadow filled with flowers of all kinds and I stayed there. When I finally calmed down, I stood up and walked back to my home. What I didn't expect to find was my house on fire!