I am ME

Chapter 02

My name is Meredith McManus, the one and only daughter of Chief Erik McManus and Hilda Swan. I was born in Adam’s ale and I am nothing like my father or my mother. I only inherited their looks like my eyes which is as blue as the ocean and the wavy deep brown colour of my hair just like my father otherwise people say that I am the Xerox copy of my mother only that her eyes were grey and hair was straight strawberry blonde.

My father the chief is a warrior and can be considered a knight protecting the village. He was kind, brave, fearless and etcetera while my mother possessed medicinal skills and helped people in the village from different kind of illness; I on the other hand was nothing like them. I hated taking part in those training exercises early in morning (I’m not a morning person) and studying about medicinal herbs Ugh! Don’t even get me started, it makes me wanna puke whenever I smell those medicines but there’s one thing I always enjoyed “studying about dragons” not just the water dragons but dragons of every kind. I came across “the chosen ones” while studying about dragons. After every 500 years the 5 chosen ones are born across different part of the world, together they’re meant to act as a shield that were meant to protect the dragons from the evil doers who were after the dragon’s blood that will make them immortal.

It is said that there’s no such indication for the people to know that the chosen ones are born but they’re only revealed when the dragons around the world are in danger. The chosen ones’ spiritual power is connected to their dragons which means they were able to feel their dragons and that energy starts to bloom when they reach the age of 12, this was the phase where they would start to feel the connection between them. Sometimes the evil doers would go after a chosen one and it was said that the bad witches would draw out their power and conquer the dragons although it is still a mystery as to how witches did that. This was not some rumour but a fact that once a chosen one was drained off of its spiritual power and found dead. It caused quite a chaos between the five nations and so they came to a conclusion to never welcome each other and shut their door for eternity.

“I am never taking part in any of your evil plans in the future” yup! That was Simon

I couldn’t help but laugh a little at his words and that silly face he was making.

“Yet you were always the first one to follow it” I said as I watched his expression which was hilarious.

“He secretly cares for you but won’t admit it” Sandra added fuel to the little flame.

“Hey! What was that? Who said I cared for her? I care for nobody but myself…since we’re always together we tend to get in trouble if one of us caused the trouble” He sounded um I don’t know, nervous? I just don’t know the right word to put in but it looked like he was protecting his pride as a man.

It was already dark and my heart was racing at the speed of light as I was nearing my house knowing that something awaits me there. I dared not enter from the front door so opening the back door quietly; I tiptoed making way to the upstairs…

“You came just at the right time” Mother said while preparing for dinner. I looked like someone caught doing something guilty.

“…just in time for dinner”

Oh I know that voice. I turned around to see my father heading towards the table and couldn’t help but fake him a smile. Uncle Hans must’ve told them everything but what’s weird was they were acting as if everything was fine.

“Honey, why are you standing there? Come over, we’re starting” Mother looked at me confused.

Maybe Uncle Hans didn’t tell them because knowing my parents; I know they won’t let something like that just slide. I almost got hurt or maybe almost died. Whatever, the high priest would tell my father even if Uncle Hans didn’t. I shook away my thoughts and started to dive in…gosh! I must’ve been hungry this whole time.

“Woah woah! Easy there. They’re all for you love” Father laughed patting my head.

“You must’ve been tired playing the whole day” Mother chuckled at my not so lady-like behaviour.

Mother helped me bath because I was so dirty from all that happened today. I felt so tired that I let the darkness engulf me as I felt in deep slumber. Mother and I sleep in the same bed as I had nightmares whenever I was left to sleep alone and with mother by my side, I felt safe. It was strange but I always felt like something bad would happen to me if I was left alone, so I felt safe whenever someone was around me.

Waking up early in the morning was never my cup of tea and the worst part was the training exercises which was very much compulsory for the youth which was my father’s idea.

Strangely, mother didn’t wake me up today but as my body was used to waking up early, I couldn’t sleep any further so, I went to the bathroom, did my business and head downstairs only to see mother preparing for breakfast and father was nowhere near the sight.

“I thought you would’ve wanted to sleep a little longer” mother smiled at me.

“Yeah I wanted to but father’s routine made me not to sleep in, but where’s father? And what happened to the early morning training exercises?” I asked taking a bite of toast.

“Oh your father got a notice that the war on the other side of the air nation was affecting a great deal on the people, so he and the soldiers went to provide help to the survivors” mother replied.

“Uncle Hans too?” I asked taking a last bite of the toast.

“Hans was left behind since the village can’t be left unprotected” mother said as she started cleaning up the table.

“Mother…”

“Hmm?”

“If the 5 nations are living on their own then why there is even a war…do you think it’s between their own people or?” I asked feeling a bit uneasy about this war.

“I know you’re curious honey but mother is also just as curious as you. So, let’s wait for your father to return and why don’t you ask him then?” mother said giving me a reassuring smile.

“HILDA!!!” both surprised and shocked, I turned around to see Uncle Hans at the doorstep with his one hand at the door, panting and breathing heavily as if he came running all the way. A terrified expression plastered on my mother’s face, she ran towards Uncle Hans.

“What’s wrong? What happened Hans?!” That was when I saw blood dripping from Uncle Hans’ shoulder.

“Run” He said

“Wait! Why? Where’s Erik? Hans?!” mother started to panic.

“The vi-village is under attack, take Meredith and hide somewhere till I slow them down” Uncle Hans’ replied. I just stood at my place not believing my ears. All I could think of was Simon and Sandra. Were they safe? I stood there awestruck when mother swept me off my feet and ran following uncle Hans who led us inside a barn where there were other villagers and told us to hide till our soldiers came for us.

It was a lot to take in. I heard cries of people outside, sound of clanking metals, cries of the dragons…Wait?! The dragons, why’re they crying?! Oh my god, what was happening?

A sob escaped my mouth and mother rubbed my back trying to calm me down. My mind was in chaos.

“Father please find us and save us” was what I prayed inside weeping silently.

**The Southern Lake**

The once serene and placid spot for those benign beasts was now a graveyard for them. The females fought the slayers only to protect the eggs though the mother beasts stood no chance against them. One after another, they killed the mother beasts and their eggs as if planning to annihilate the whole water dragon race. Water dragons maybe harmless, but they were the strongest among the dragon’s race and it should be a piece of cake for them to handle those assassins, however the assassins were not normal to begin with. They were skilled in sorcery, used weapons strong enough to kill a dragon and they were floating in the air with the help of their magic. Their faces were covered by the hoodie of their black cloak. They were after something but surprisingly didn’t show any interest in the dragon’s blood.

In the mist of all, there was an unharmed egg which went unnoticed by those intruders protected by a mother beast that was nearing death. She was barely holding on just so she could make her infant survive. She used her wings and her body to cover the egg praying internally to the deity whom they’ve been protecting with their life. After searching the whole nest, the intruders gathered and slightly shook their head, signalling as the thing they were searching was not to be found anywhere. They left the nest heading towards the village.

**Meredith’s POV**

After what felt like forever, the sound of the nightmares slowly faded replaced by horses heading towards our direction. We came out slowly from our hiding spots hoping it might be the rescuers or maybe father, but the chances were thin. We found that the intruders left but the sight was horrifying, our heaven was no more, pool of bloods instead of the clear water…dead bodies of children, adults and the dragons scattered everywhere. Just then, couple of soldiers whom we don’t recognise came to our view and surrounded us.

“We came on behalf of the fire nation to your rescue” said one of the soldiers who possibly might be their general and looked the same age as Uncle Hans.

“Chief Vidar Bermingham has ordered to take you survivors as refugees and welcome you in the fire nation” Said the man with blank expression.

“Why would we go to the fire nation when our home is here?” mother had a hard expression on her face and I was holding on to her tightly.

“Lady, how is a destroyed nation supposed to survive without their King?” that’s when the ominous feeling struck which left me petrified.

“What do you mean without their King? The Chief went to help the air nation, doesn’t mean he is dead”

“To lift your confusion, I shall say that what happened here has happened before to the air nation”

“We just came from there and I am sorry to say that we found few survivors, but there was no sign of the chief” he calmly continued.

“I’m afraid…” mother broke down at his next words and so did the few villagers.

“If I may ask, do you perhaps have any idea where your mistress is?” asked the man.

“The mistress was with the chief” papa Gisli spoke out of nowhere. I looked at him surprised but mother doesn’t seem too surprised. Papa Gisli still continued with the lie.

“Chief took the Mistress in case of emergencies, that’s all we know soldier”

The man examined us for a while with suspicions in his eyes, but eventually gave up and ordered the soldiers to take us to the carriage which was big enough for the 12 of us. It wasn’t any fancy; instead it looked like the one where slaves were carried. Father abolished the slave system in our nation, but those carriages were still there reminding us that there was once such methodology even in our nation, though it didn’t happen in this reign. The sight of our home, our haven was beginning to distance and my eyes saw something dreadful…THEY BURNED DOWN THE VILLAGE. Those soldiers from the fire nation burned our Adam’s ale.

My little heart was breaking apart thinking tomorrow won’t be any same with No father, No Simon and Sandra, No Uncle Hans, No villagers and No dragons. Yes, Uncle Hans is dead; I saw his lifeless body as we were walking away from home. Little did we know that something awful awaits us as we keep on distancing our home. My eyes were feeling heavy, but suddenly a sound made my eyes wide open because I recognised it, it was faint but audible to my ears. I turned around to see the reaction of my mother and the villagers, but they showed none. Was I mistaken? Or was I hoping for too much? But I certainly was sure because I felt it somehow even though it was vague.

“I promise we’ll find each other” I thought to myself as if relying the message to the other side and felt into deep slumber in my mother’s arms. I’m glad she’s with me for I can’t even imagine what I would do if she was also gone.

“You have awakened earlier than I thought you would” a figure spoke to me; it was blurred because of the thick fog surrounding it.

“Who are you?” I asked trying to figure out who it was by taking closer steps towards it.

“You know me” it replied in a deep voice.

“I’m sorry but have we met before?” was what I asked.

“You will find out soon” it said and disappeared into nothing, but my curiosity was only killing me and I started to call it out, suddenly I felt a force pulling me down which was when I realised that I’ve been floating in the air the whole time. I fell into the water unable to breathe and it was getting harder to swim as the force keep on pulling me towards it. Noises of the crowd brought me back to reality, I was sweating profusely and realised that I’ve been dreaming the whole time that I didn’t notice we’ve reached a village which might be the fire nation. I looked from the window of the carriage and saw that the place was oddly crowded; the place looked anything but peaceful. The crowd I suppose are the villagers watching us strangely, some even throwing glares. This place was giving me chills and didn’t realise that my grip on mother was getting tighter until she rubbed my back giving me a reassured smile.

Getting off the carriage, we were welcomed by a tall and a huge man who might be 6’3” with thick brown beard wearing a cloak that looked like a tiger’s skin and beside him were two woman of my mother’s age; one had black hair with hazel eyes and the other one was silver haired with green eyes. Both of them were not just an ordinary beauty, they bear the standard of Goddess like beauty.

“I Chief Vidar Bermingham, welcome the survivors of the water nation and declare you as the citizen of the fire nation” he announced to his people heeding the confusion of his people.

From this day onward; our lives were about to take a turn.