Revenge (2)

Why else would the dragon be targeting homes and crops so intently? Or releasing flames in ways to trap villagers?

For the past 5 years Caeli knew the hardships that humans brought to the lives of the magical creatures in this world had intensified. It was easy to see when a family of elves had come through the village on their way to the city. Some villagers would be kind and inviting, but the majority would stare and whisper rude comments loudly as they went by.

"Look at her hair? It's pure white but her face is young. She must be an old hag whose sold her soul in exchange for good looks. There is no other explanation."

"Where did they get those clothes? They look as though they are made of plants. How hideous. They must be poor and can't afford good materials to make clothes."

Despite the comments the elves would smile sadly and always try to ignore the treatment they received.

20 years ago was when the human king of all 5 continental colonies declared that all magical creatures were of evil origin. Before, the continents, its dragons and the human king lived mostly symbiotically. Giving and receiving from each other. Trading between fairy and beast folk was common, even for them to live among humans and for humans to live among them.

For centuries the magical creatures would teach their ways to the humans to improve medicine and agriculture while humans would impart their engineering wisdom to the creatures of the wood to improve the quality of their everyday life.

Although the greater cities still held some of these old traditions, the prejudices had spread far and wide among the world.

No one truly knows what caused the change in the king. Some say he was tricked by the dragon of Lanay. Others say that his wife was taken advantage of by a beast creature and that a bastard child was born. Some even say that the king was jealous of the connection the creatures of nature had with the magic of the world.

Needless to say, it would only make sense that the dragons would be furious about the way their people were treated.

Each continent had its own dragon that protected the land and was champion to the magical creatures that lived in the wild. Although the creatures of magic were painted as wild and strange, Caeli knew that they had their own laws, their own rules and etiquette.

She did not know a single living thing that did not either fear or worship the dragons of the world.

Caeli continued to sprint to the tree-line, internally shouting at herself to run faster, if she could only run faster she would definitely make it with plenty of time to turn and see the dragon.

For all of her life, since the creatures of the forest near her home be-friended her, she heard stories of all the dragons. Their tales of being brought into existence and where their magic comes from. Always they were spoken of with a sort of reverence and awe.

But none so much as Coruscare, the dragon of fire and light. Often heralded as the largest of the dragons, Coruscare was the dragon of Ausia, the dragon Caeli was sure was demolishing her village at this very moment.

He was known to be as strong as hundreds of thousands of men combined, he could breathe fire until the end of time and never tire or run out of breath. It was also said that as the planet was formed, as was Coruscare, as were all the original dragons. He was born in the center of the earth and that he has the closest connection to the planet, and because of this, was the second oldest and most powerful. It was also said that despite this power, he was also the most reasonable of the dragons, the most patient and forgiving of his subjects. If not for his calm personality, he surely could have destroyed the continent. The fact that this had not happened seemed to be a large part of the reason the magical creatures respected the dragon and adored him for his benevolence.

As Caeli reached the forest she took the last few steps backwards and crouched beneath the trees, looking towards the sky.

At first she saw nothing but a few clouds and the sun shining brightly.

Suddenly a flash of darkness.

How could he be so fast with his immense size?

Another flash of darkness. The shadow covering a few miles where ever it lay. He must have been unbelievably large.

Then suddenly a glint. Not the sun, but next to the sun, and shining red like a precious ruby in bright light.

Then, more fire.

The villagers screamed in terror. Some shouted for their loved ones, others coaxed the villagers still evacuating, screaming in panic drenched encouragement.

As more villagers reached the tree-line, Caeli could see the destruction brought upon her village. Everything was either in flames or smoldering with smoke. With relief, Caeli noticed that many of the animals had ran away and were no where to be seen.

And as suddenly as the dragon had come, he left.

After an hour, after Adair felt sure that the dragon had done the damage it sought to do and left, the villagers were instructed to return to the village and try to salvage everything they could.

Slowly Caeli made her way back to the village, along with the others. All the while shouting for her aunt and uncle. She had not seen them at the forest where she took cover and had yet to spot them but she was sure there had been no one home but her. Had they been caught in the fire at another place? Had they left for the city without telling her and escaped the disaster all together?

Once she made it back to her home she found it, surprisingly, in good order. Although some of the house had burnt and been damaged by smoke, the pantry below containing most of their food was almost untouched and easily reachable as no rubble had landed on it or closed off the entrance.

Subsequently the area that they had a water spout inside of their home and the hearth had all been safe. As Caeli approached three small spirits emerged looking haggard and distraught.

"Miss Caeli, we did the best we could to protect the house during the attack." Drop said.

Drop was the water spirit that lived in their home ever since Caeli invited her as a child when visiting the river. She had always shared her apples with Drop and quickly they became good friends. Once they became friends Drop had told Caeli that she could come live with her and keep the water clean and running in their home in exchange for apples.

"The fires started so quickly we could only preserve a few things and only those that give us our greatest strength.", added Spark, the small fire spirit that lived within the walls of the chimney. The once brave and lively sprite looked alarmingly dim. Usually Spark ate away the soot and ashes of burnt wood and in turn would take power from the fires her family burned in the home.

"We are so sorry. Hopefully there is enough left for you here to rebuild and start again." Said Crag, another spirit that lived in her home and helped keep the ground cool for the things they would store in the pantry and that helped keep the floors dry and the walls strong.

" Thank you everyone, this is more than I could ever ask for. Because of you I will have food to eat, water to drink, and a warm fire to keep the cold away at night. Again I thank you." Caeli placed a hand over her heart and gave a slight bow from the waist.

"Have any of you seen my aunt or uncle? Do you know if they are alright? I awoke to the fires and screaming and did not see them as I left the house to find cover in the forest."

"They left very early this morning, they took many of their belongings with them." said Drop sadly.

"Miss Caeli, we should tell you..." whispered Crag.

There was a long pause as each spirit either looked away or at each other.

After a few minutes Caelie said, "Tell me what exactly?", she felt a chill down her spine.

"A few weeks ago when you asked us to help heal a child in the village.... the town began to speak of you being evil..."

"But the boy got better, how would that make me evil?", said Caeli incredulously.

"They saw us there to help you, they believe that because we are friends with you, that you are evil." Said Spark, as if it were obvious. "The villagers think that anyone who can understand or be-friend magical creatures are evil in their bones and that is how you formed a bond with us in order to do your bidding."

Caeli felt only a moment of painful surprise before a flood of understanding, followed by resignation, washed over her.

The villagers had always thought that she was strange, that she was consorting with beast men in the wild and selling her soul to spirits. How else could someone heal some of the worst sicknesses? Grow the most crops? Have the cleanest home? How else could someone sense the villagers true intentions without being told? For all of Caeli's ordinary life and looks, she was strange to all that knew her.

Except Adair. He had always been very kind to Caeli and accepting of her as she was. Occasionally Caeli had thought perhaps they had a love between them but too often Adair would distance himself from her or not fight in her defense when the villagers had hurtful things to say.

Caeli did not blame Adair or hold any ill-will against him. How could she? She could never make a good wife, let alone a village leaders wife. She was too different, too wild.

"Miss Caeli, your aunt and uncle left without any intention of coming back. They packed while you slept last night and were gone before you had awoken. They did not say where to but we believe they thought the villagers will soon turn against this household for fear of evil being brought into it." said Drop frantically.

"Brought into it, by you." said Spark.