Dragon Fire : Magic Hunter

Chapter 2

The great hall of the palace was rarely this full. Dragons packed the space from wall to wall, their scales gleaming under the soft light of the crystal chandeliers. Advisors whispered to each other in clusters, their tails twitching with nervous energy. Nobles fanned themselves with jeweled claws, glancing toward the raised dais where Queen Hibiscus would soon appear. Even the guards seemed uneasy, their sharp eyes scanning the room for any sign of trouble.

Tulip stood near the back with the other palace dragonets, her wings quivering with excitement. "I wonder what this is about," she said, her voice hushed but brimming with curiosity.

"Something bad, obviously," Carpenter Bee muttered beside her. He stood with his arms crossed, looking as unimpressed as ever.

Tulip rolled her eyes. "Why do you always assume the worst? Maybe the queen has a new festival planned!"

Carpenter Bee snorted. "If this is about a festival, I'll eat my own tail."

Before Tulip could retort, the massive golden doors at the front of the hall swung open with a deep, echoing creak. Silence fell over the crowd as Queen Hibiscus entered, her crimson and gold scales shimmering like a sunrise. Her expression was calm, regal—but there was a tightness around her mouth, a flicker of something like fear in her eyes.

Tulip felt a twinge of unease. The queen wasn't her usual radiant self.

Queen Hibiscus stepped onto the dais, flanked by two guards. She surveyed the room, her gaze sweeping over the assembled dragons like a tide. "Thank you all for coming," she began, her voice steady and commanding. "I have called this meeting because our kingdom is facing a threat—one we can no longer ignore."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Tulip leaned forward, her eyes wide. Carpenter Bee glanced at her and sighed.

"The presence of magic," the queen continued, "has become a danger to our safety and our way of life." Her voice hardened, her claws clicking softly against the stone floor. "You all remember the tragedy of nine years ago. Since then, magic has been outlawed, but it persists, hidden in the shadows. And now, rumors of its resurgence have reached even the palace."

A shocked silence followed her words.

"Rumors?" a dragon near the front asked. "What sort of rumors, Your Majesty?"

Queen Hibiscus hesitated for the briefest moment before answering. "Rumors of magic users hiding among us. Of objects imbued with power resurfacing. Of... dragons born with magic in their blood."

The hall erupted into chaos. Dragons shouted over each other, their voices blending into a cacophony of fear and anger.

"This is outrageous!" one noble bellowed. "You banned magic to protect us, and now you're saying it's here?"

"What's being done about this?" another demanded.

"Magic users should be exiled—or worse!"

The queen raised a claw, and the room slowly quieted. "That is why I am instituting a new program," she said. "To protect our kingdom, we must be proactive. Select young dragons from the palace will be trained as Magic Hunters. They will learn to identify, track, and neutralize magical threats before they can harm our citizens."

A stunned silence followed her announcement. Then the protests began.

"This is madness!" one advisor shouted. "You're proposing to turn dragonets into soldiers?"

"Not soldiers," the queen corrected, her tone sharp. "Protectors. They will ensure the safety of our kingdom."

"And what happens when one of them finds magic in the wrong place?" another dragon argued. "How long before this causes more harm than good?"

Tulip felt her chest tighten. Why couldn't they see the queen was doing the right thing? She stepped forward before she could stop herself. "The queen's right!" she said, her voice ringing out in the hall. "She's just trying to keep us safe!"

Heads turned toward her, and she felt her scales heat under the weight of their stares.

"Thank you, Tulip," Queen Hibiscus said, her voice softening slightly.

Carpenter Bee groaned beside her. "Great. Now you're giving speeches," he muttered.

"Do you have something to add, young one?" an older dragon asked, his tone dripping with skepticism.

Tulip straightened her wings. "Yes! The queen knows what she's doing. She's always done what's best for the kingdom, and this is no different. If she says Magic Hunter training is necessary, then it is."

A few dragons nodded, but many still looked unconvinced.

"And what do you know about magic, young dragon?" the skeptical advisor pressed.

Tulip faltered. "Well, I—"

"Enough," the queen interjected, her voice like a blade cutting through the noise. She turned her gaze back to the crowd. "I understand your concerns, but this decision is final. The first group of trainees will be chosen by the end of the week. This is for the good of the kingdom—and for the safety of us all."

The queen's tone left no room for argument. Slowly, the dragons began to disperse, their conversations buzzing with tension.