“ FIRE!! "

A scream erupted followed by glass shattering and then chaos broke loose.

The bard who was singing in the engagement ceremony ran for his life.

Screams of terror echoed in the church and what was once filled with laughter and singing, is now a scene of pure horror as people on fire ran and shrieked, the sounds of their screams is so primal, a sound that the bard never thought a human being was capable of producing, it was more guttural than the sound pigs make when they’re slaughtered.

The bard panicked and tripped over something and fell hard on the floor. He could hear his heart beating so loudly in his ears, it was getting louder by each second, his stomach felt twisted as extreme fear made him feel like shitting.

He gathered all the strength he could muster as he crawled on the ground, realizing his ankle got broken and a cold wave passed through his entire body.

I’m gonna die. 

He thought as he lifted his body with his hands and tried to crawl towards the offering cabinet. It was big enough for four adult humans to fit.

He knows he’s gonna die anyway with all the smoke that’s choking his lungs, but he’d rather die with his lungs drowning than being burned alive.

It was his last straw of hope. He witnessed people burning alive and the scene of it he still can’t get over.

He kept on crawling as he heard the knights trying to fight off the dragon.

He can hear the shout of an angry groom. The crown prince of the Xoryn Empire. 

Prince Arth Xoryn. 

He’s a powerful knight but the bard doubts he can manage the dragon alone, unless if he was with the most powerful warrior in the empire, General Jaeger, which was surprising that he didn’t attend the wedding, they used to be so close like brothers.

The bard breathed deeply as a large part of the church was frozen by the Prince by his magic. Some knights were trying to fight the dragon, but they were of no help. They only proved to hinder Prince Arth.

The bard froze as a huge silhouette loomed behind him. His heart beating loudly like it was about to jump off his chest, his stomach twisting in fear he sees the piercing blue glowing eyes reflected on the floor that’s now turned to ice. He seemed to lose his breath as his brain tried to escape the present terror by thinking.

How did this even start? A minute ago I was just singing my heart’s out.

he wondered as memories of the recent past floods through his mind.

Flashback 

*Ding ding ding!

The bell’s ringing loudly.

It was the greatest day for all the people of the Xoryn empire. All the nobles and the commons gathered to witness the union of two hearts.

The crown Prince Arth the groom and Princess Cerces of Erith Kingdom, their betrothal was merely political at the start, a peace treaty from the Erith kingdom to secure peace and end the 20 years of war, eventually one thing led to another and now the two married for love.

Prince Arth looked dashing as ever, wearing a white suit, his long white hair tied low behind his head, leaving small hairs beside his face, his deep blue eyes seemed to glisten in the soft light cast above the church.

White and red roses were falling from the ceiling and the smell of flowers and scented candles encased the whole of church giving everyone a feeling of love and joy.

It was the happiest day the whole empire bore witness. The bard named Naga was placed at the side of the church, he was part of the choir that sings and harmonizes the event and he was ecstatic, he felt it was the biggest moment of his entire career as a singer.

The princess is seen smiling as she walks through the aisle. She was wearing a beautiful white gown that shines and glistens with her every movement. In her hands, she held a bouquet of red roses that contrasted her white gown, she looked out of this world, even the bard seemed hypnotized with the lovely bride. Her black wavy hair was decorated with small white roses, her face was covered in a white thin veil.

The crowd was mesmerized, every eye fixed on the princess movements.  The prince and the princess held each other’s hand as they stood in front of the priest, smiling at each other.

Then broken glasses flew.

ROOOOAAAAREEEDDD!!

The dragon roared its entry and grabbed the princess, knocking her out.

Everyone was screaming and running as blue fire starts to envelop everything.

Back to present–

Then a spear flew and made its way into the dragon’s mouth. 

The prince turned to him. 

“ run now! ” and then the bard was filled with courage as he managed to move his frozen body.

The spear barely scratched the surface of the dragon’s skin but it was enough distraction for the bard to crawl and hide behind a statue.

The bard watched  as the prince fought with the dragon, he couldn't run because he broke his ankle, his only hope was the dragon to be killed and someone will somehow rescue him which he believes to be very unlikely unless a miracle were to happen.

The dragon broke the Prince’s weapon and threw him across the building. The bard watched as the Prince’s body fell on the ground, unconscious.

He clasped his mouth as he watched the dragon transform into its human form and then walk towards the princess.

He held the princess in his arms and then his wings erupted in his back. He turned his head and locked eyes with the bard and the bard froze in extreme fear.

“ You poor thing, too weak to do a thing.” The dragon snickered, his tone mocking and amused. He flew towards the bard and loomed over him, smirking.

 “ Tell your prince to come and meet me in my palace for a grand duel of the millenia, if he fail to show up, then this princess will be my queen, our marriage will be held in the holy land, in front of the mighty gods, our soul will be bound through eternity.”

The bard was shocked, more than fearful to even answer.

The dragon’s face– he can’t mistake it. 

It was too familiar, his body went cold ice as he beheld the sight before him, it was known that dragons never show their human form– and those who saw their form were forever haunted by the memory.

Before he knew it, his vision began to fade in black.