It was as if the skies were tearing apart.

From every direction, dragons clashed against each other—claws and teeth striking armor and flesh, drenching the soil with the exquisite blood.

Some riders had tied themselves in their mounts, doing their best to dodge the competitors’ attacks. Fire, lightning, ice, beams of light, and waves of darkness—what felt and looked like a controlled war was nothing but entertainment.

Something every single one of them had signed for.

A race.

Under the controlled dome, every rider and their dragon fought to stand among the few who would participate in the dragon race of the decade. The race which would determine the face of their generation, the very best among them.

The StarWing Race.

Alantra Harris paid no attention to the competitors behind her, while her dragon charged and brought down all the ones who stood in their way.

They were nearing the inner rings, where the finish line was. Yet to reach the final rings, they had to wait for the walls to lower—the mana fields that blocked their paths. While they waited for the walls to lower, riders turned into soldiers, dragons became weapons.

A race dissolved into war.

A wingless dragon clashed against them from below, wrapping their body around Alantra’s mount. The rider spared no time, taking out his knife and aiming for her neck the moment he got in range.

Alantra blocked the attack by wrapping the blade on the dragon’s reins, twisting the rider’s hand until he let out a sharp cry.

Around them, a blinding light burst out of her dragon’s body—a light so hot and fierce it made the wingless dragon roar in pain as their body became limp, beginning their descent until rider and mount met the merciless ground.

Alantra leaned closer to her dragon, wrapping her hands tighter on the leather reins.

“You know who we must be cautious of. If they are not in sight, focus on taking the lead.”

The dragon grunted in response, taking speed once again as they dodged and broke through trees, rocks, and small towers.

Most riders preferred to eliminate the competition beforehand, before entering the final stages.

Alantra knew there were only six riders who could be called a ‘competition’. And none of them would fall before the final stages.

A loud horn echoed throughout the dome; the walls would be taken down in the next two minutes.

She had timed just right. As long as she kept flying at that speed, there would be no need to stop. She would be the first to cross the final rings, her classification in the StarWing Race guaranteed. 

Alantra watched in anticipation as the mana shields twitched and began to lower, her heart beating faster and faster, pumping the blood wildly within her veins.

Then—

Her entire world was covered in darkness.

It was not only cold. It made every single bone and muscle in her body ache and scream. Before she knew it, her dragon was collapsing into the ground, both their bodies twitching and shaking.

A darkness attribute that strong, a power that vicious…

There shouldn’t be anyone like that competing in this race.

When the shadows left them, giving back just a bit of their senses, Alantra almost choked on her own anger. her eyes widened in disbelief as she clenched her fists enough to draw blood, her body fighting to gain control once again.

That man, that criminal. He couldn’t be there.

“Jackal…” The name tasted like poison and acid in her mouth, burning its way out of her throat.

In front of her, the masked man flew in an ebony dragon who also concealed their identity, behind an armor. The man’s mask was a bit different than she remembered, but nonetheless, it represented the same.

A dying jackal who did not know when to quit.

“Did you miss me?” Though his voice was altered, it was impossible to miss his tone. The mockery and disdain that drenched his every word.

Alantra clenched her teeth, her voice made of thorns and blood. “What are you doing here? You are no rider.”

“It should be obvious, no?”

The man flew closer to her, and although she could not see his face, it was as if she could sense his smile. The hatred burning in his eyes. And when he spoke, she didn’t only feel a chill.

“I came to ruin you.”

His words made every ounce of blood freeze in her veins.