Shadows of Desolation

Chapter 3- Aelin

The next morning, the air was thick with morning dew and I got out of bed and got dressed in a closet that was near the door.

I put my hair in braids the best I could and put in blue ribbons. I only remember how to do a single braid because London taught me.

..I hope she's ok.

I then put on a blue gown and then I walked out.

As I stepped out of the grand chamber, Pyrrhia and Vortexius awaited just outside, their scales shimmering in the soft morning light.

"Good morning, Aelin. We're going to show you around the realm today." Said Pyrrhia.

With a gentle nod, I mounted Pyrrhia's back, her muscles tensing beneath me. As we ascended into the morning sky, the realm unfolded below.

The dragons kept a decent altitude. Not really high. Just enough to view the entire realm.

The forests sprawled like a sea of emerald. Four large stones with blue spirals surrounded a section of woods.

"These stones are the protectors of the land." Said Vortexius. "The spirals share power by the gem of this realm and keep it healthy, both me and Pyrrhia protect it.

As we soared further, colossal mountains emerged on the horizon. Their towering peaks reached into the heavens, shrouded in mist and clouds. A shadow climbed atop the tallest summit, which caught my gaze.

"What is that?" I asked.

"That's the creature that protects the border." Murmured Pyrrhia. "This border is the threshold between the Dragon Realm and the realms beyond: The Emerald Realm, The Floral Realm, and The Forgotten Realm lie beyond those peaks."

A chill gripped my heart as the name of my home, the Emerald Realm, echoed in the air. I hadn't realized how close we were to the place I had desperately fled.

The kingdom... I thought I left it behind.

As the dragons soared through the skies, I was alone with my thoughts.

The image of my siblings, their faces etched with fear, lingered in my mind. I wonder if they had found safety, or if the shadows that had swallowed our home had reached them.

Lou, not even a year old, forced to witness the destruction of our home—I couldn't shake the weight of that.

The unknown fate of my family haunted my every waking moment.

And I somehow fell alone.

I miss the days me and my siblings played tag in the castle.

Hearing Damion and London in the kitchen.

Nicholas giving my advice.

..and even Genesis. Who joined my parents in the hereafter.

Yet, amidst the haunting thoughts, a grim gratitude lingered. They had not witnessed what happened before the fire started: Mother and Father, lifeless and marred.

A shiver ran down my spine at the mere thought of seeing their bodies. Their eyes wide open. Blood all over the bed.

My mind then turned to Maeve, the enigmatic woman with features so eerily similar to Mother's. The black hair and piercing eyes. Yet, Maeve seemed more colder than Mother was. I wonder if she was the one who caused the fire.

The wolves, the demons, the very flames seemed to be under her command. The wolves she sent to tear at my flesh, their eyes reflecting the coldness that represented Maeve.

She had to of been the one who did it.

I shook off the haunting thoughts that threatened to drown me, focusing on the present moment as Pyrrhia and Vortexius gracefully turned back toward the building in the woods.

The air around us seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light.

Pyrrhia landed with a gentle grace, her wings folding against her majestic form. I dismounted, feeling the cool moss beneath my feet.

"We shall explore more in the days to come, Aelin. The Dragon Realm welcomes you." Said Pyrrhia with a gentle rumble.

I nodded. And I walked inside.

I went through a small hall where vines hanged from the ceiling.

I traced my fingers through them as I walked past and made my way to the balcony and stared out at the scenery before me.

Their out there somewhere. Hopefully the demons didn't catch their scent. I'm sure they didn't. Knowing them, they probably split up to confuse them.

And the castle..

I'm sure it's crumbled to the ground by now. The townspeople must've evacuated. But I have no idea what's going on over there. Not while I'm in a dragon haven.

"What am I doing.." I muttered to myself.

There's even Serephina. My best friend from Harrerra College. I didn't even get to see her again when everything happened..

Plus the college was just downtown. I'm sure her and her family had to evacuate too. The entire village left I'm sure.

Father told me one time that when people move away from the village they go to a city that is near the border of the Star Realm. The rich place I guess that's what it is.

But I'm sure that's where they've gone.

If the demons and all the other things in the castle didn't kill then first.

I don't know how I'm going to get out of this.

But I guess fate will tell.