Throne Of The Dragon

Chapter 2

Night had settled over Ravenford.

The Silver Fang Guild had become quieter.

Most of the guild members had returned to their rooms after a long day, while others remained downstairs drinking, talking, or playing cards.

Elara sat on the small bed in her new quarters.

It wasn't much.

A wooden bed.

A small table.

A wardrobe.

A window overlooking the guild's training grounds.

But to Elara, it felt enormous.

She was officially a guild member.

She smiled to herself.

"I actually did it."

She opened her dragon book and placed it on the table.

Her eyes moved across one of the old illustrations.

A massive dragon with enormous wings stood above a medieval city.

Elara traced the drawing with her finger.

"I wonder what they really look like."

A noise outside interrupted her thoughts.

Clang!

Elara looked toward the window.

Another sound followed.

Clang!

She stood.

"At this hour?"

She walked toward the window and looked outside.

The training grounds were illuminated by several lanterns.

Someone was there.

A young man stood in the middle of the yard, holding a wooden sword.

Elara immediately recognized him.

"Aren?"

He was training alone.

Again.

And again.

He swung the sword.

Blocked.

Stepped forward.

Struck.

His movements were simple but precise.

Elara watched quietly.

She had assumed Aren was one of the older guild members because of the way the others listened to him.

But now that she could see him clearly, she realized something.

He wasn't much older than her.

In fact, he looked around her age.

Maybe eighteen.

Elara leaned closer to the window.

"He's still training?"

Aren stopped.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Then suddenly looked toward the building.

Elara froze.

Their eyes met.

She immediately ducked below the window.

Her heart jumped.

"Did he see me?"

She slowly raised her head again.

Aren was still looking toward the window.

Elara quickly disappeared again.

"Great."

She covered her face.

"He definitely saw me."

After a few seconds, curiosity won.

She peeked again.

Aren had returned to training.

Elara watched him for a while.

There was something strange about the way he trained.

He wasn't showing off.

There was no audience.

No instructor.

Nobody was watching.

He simply kept practicing.

Elara eventually opened the window.

"Hey!"

Aren stopped.

He looked up.

Elara leaned against the frame.

"Don't you ever get tired?"

Aren rested the wooden sword against his shoulder.

"Of training?"

"Yes."

"Sometimes."

"Then why keep going?"

He looked at the sword in his hand.

"Because being tired doesn't mean I'm finished."

Elara smiled.

"That's a pretty serious answer."

"You asked a serious question."

"I was expecting something like, 'I enjoy suffering.'"

Aren laughed.

"Maybe tomorrow."

Elara laughed.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

The night breeze moved through the training yard.

Then Elara noticed something.

"You really are young."

Aren raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"I thought you were older."

"How old did you think I was?"

"Twenty-five."

Aren stared at her.

"Twenty-five?"

"Maybe twenty-seven."

He shook his head.

"I'm eighteen."

Elara smiled.

"I'm seventeen."

"I know."

She blinked.

"You know?"

"You told the receptionist."

"Oh."

Aren picked up his sword again.

"Why did you join the guild?"

Elara thought about it.

"I want to see the world."

Aren nodded.

"And dragons."

Her eyes lit up.

"Especially dragons."

"I figured."

"What about you?"

Aren paused.

For the first time since they began talking, his expression changed.

"I have my reasons."

Elara noticed the hesitation.

She didn't press him.

"Fair enough."

Aren turned toward the training dummy.

"You should get some sleep."

"You're not going to?"

"Not yet."

Elara smiled.

"Goodnight, Aren."

"Goodnight, Elara."

She closed the window.

Aren continued training below.

Elara returned to her bed and stared at the ceiling.

She had only known him for a day.

Yet somehow, she felt like her life had already begun changing.

She smiled.

Tomorrow would be her first official day as a member of the Silver Fang Guild.

She had no idea what waited beyond those guild doors.

But she was ready to find out.

The sun had barely risen over Ravenford when Elara woke.

Today was different.

Today, she wasn't simply a new guild member.

Today, she had her first duty.

She quickly dressed, tied her hair back, and checked the small pouch attached to her belt.

Her dagger was there.

Her guild insignia was pinned to her cloak.

She smiled.

"I look like a real guild member."

She grabbed her bag and hurried downstairs.

---

The guild hall was already busy.

Several members were gathered around a large wooden table.

Among them was Aren.

The moment Elara entered, one of the guild members noticed her.

"Look who's finally awake!"

Elara smiled.

"Good morning."

A young woman sitting at the table waved her over.

"Come here, Elara."

Elara approached.

The woman introduced herself as Mira, another guild member.

"You'll be working with us today."

Elara looked around the table.

There were six members in total.

Aren was among them, sitting quietly while examining a map.

The others had already started treating Elara like one of their own.

Someone pushed a plate toward her.

"Eat."

Elara blinked.

"What's this?"

"Breakfast."

"I can see that."

"Then eat it."

She laughed and sat down.

Aren glanced at her.

"Ready?"

Elara nodded confidently.

"Absolutely."

He looked at her for a moment.

"You look nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"You've been holding your spoon upside down."

Elara looked down.

She immediately corrected it.

"...I knew that."

The table erupted in laughter.

Elara covered her face.

"Can we just leave?"

---

Their assignment was simple.

A merchant traveling through the western forest had reported several attacks on his supply wagons.

The guild suspected a group of wild creatures was responsible.

Their task was to investigate the area and clear out whatever was attacking travelers.

Nothing extraordinary.

At least, that's what they believed.

The group left Ravenford shortly after sunrise.

Elara walked beside Mira while Aren led the group.

She couldn't stop smiling.

This was exactly what she had dreamed about.

A real guild mission.

A real adventure.

They eventually reached the edge of the western forest.

Aren stopped.

"We'll split into pairs."

Elara looked around.

"Split up?"

"Only for a short distance."

Aren pointed toward the trail.

"We'll meet at the old watchtower."

Elara nodded.

She followed one of the guild members down a smaller path.

The forest quickly swallowed them.

---

An hour later...

Elara stopped walking.

She looked around.

Trees surrounded her.

Tall ones.

Short ones.

Trees that looked exactly like the ones she'd already passed.

She slowly turned in a circle.

"...Where am I?"

She checked the map.

Then looked at it again.

Nothing made sense.

"Okay."

She took a deep breath.

"I definitely know where I am."

She walked left.

After several minutes, she stopped.

"This looks familiar."

She turned around.

"...Wait."

She looked behind her.

That tree.

She had seen it before.

Elara's eyes widened.

"I'm walking in circles."

She tried another direction.

Nothing.

The forest seemed to grow quieter.

Elara's confidence began disappearing.

"Aren?"

No response.

"Mira?"

Nothing.

She tightened her grip on her dagger.

"Okay, Elara. Don't panic."

A twig snapped somewhere behind her.

She spun around.

Nothing.

Her heart began beating faster.

Then she heard something.

A voice.

"You're lost."

Elara froze.

She knew that voice.

She slowly turned.

Aren stood behind a tree, his arms folded.

Elara stared at him.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough."

She frowned.

"Did you follow me?"

"No."

"Then how did you find me?"

Aren pointed toward the ground.

"Your footprints."

Elara looked down.

Her face reddened.

"Oh."

Aren walked past her.

"You've been walking in circles for almost twenty minutes."

"I knew that."

Aren looked at her.

"Sure."

Elara crossed her arms.

"Are you going to help me or not?"

Aren smiled.

"Come on."

He started walking.

Elara followed.

After a few steps, she looked at him.

"Aren."

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell the others I got lost."

He glanced back.

"I won't."

Elara smiled.

"Thanks."

Aren turned forward again.

"But you're buying me lunch."

Her smile disappeared.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"That's blackmail."

"That's guild friendship."

Elara rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

They continued through the forest together.

Neither of them noticed the dark shape watching them from between the trees.

Something had been following them.

And whatever it was...

it wasn't lost.