The Blood's Flame (The Dragons of Flareia Book 1)

Chapter 19 - Louin

The Anemasi Courtyard of Dreams

26th Year of the Ocean

3rd Moon

Louin shivered as his eyes trained over the crowd. The Anemasi people were a great deal more peaceful than the last time he and Deus had stood before them, but that wasn't to say that they were happy. A minority of the crowd was as serene as the reputation of the Anemasi people. To his utter surprise, some of the young girls in this group even smiled and waved and whispered behind their hands whenever he looked in their direction. But the vast majority of the crowd was still tense.

Anyone from afar wouldn't be able to tell – the whole crowd wore some form of smile. But many of them were taut, painfully fake. Louin could see a small group of Avalonians towards the centre of the crowd who were totally unaware of the tension in the air, excitement buzzing through their veins. The pockets of Ignisian tourists had similar atmospheres. As Louin trailed his eyes over the crowd, he could make out tourists from all over Flareia – a group of Gaian girls dressed in greens and browns, crowns of flowers adorning their heads; white-haired Venti people in deep blues and purples of scholars' robes; and at the back of the courtyard, Louin could even see a couple from Umbrassé, the crowd treating them with great trepidation. Prior to becoming Dragonheir, he had heard of the great many tourists the Wish Granting Ceremonies brought to the city of Cantella, but he had never paid much attention until he was standing before them.

The capitol these tourists brought to the city and the country at large was likely the determining factor in the Anemasi people finally acting civil towards him as Dragonheir after being denied two Wish Grantings already. He knew it, Deus knew it. The whole crowd knew it. But in true Anemasi fashion, no one said a word.

Louin almost couldn't wait to return to the Isle of Deus just to escape their view.

Beside him, Deus opened her great mouth as if to speak aloud. Instead, a single high-pitched note rang through Louin's mind – and the minds of the crowd. The crowd hushed immediately, their attention on Deus alone. Louin wondered if they were simply entranced or she had used some of her power in the note to influence them to pay attention. If she heard his thought, she gave him no indication of the answer.

People of Cantella, I welcome you. Deus said, as if the past two moons of refusing to grant wishes hadn't happened. People of Avalona, Ignisia, Venteer, Gaiamere and Umbrassé, I welcome you.

A strained whisper travelled through the crowd. Tourists were not a rarity, but Umbrassi tourists were. Louin had heard stories – it was difficult to live in the Unseen Nation, but even more difficult to escape it. But he had also heard whispers, whispers of hope. Whispers that the new Umbrassé Dragonheir would bring peace to the Unseen Nation, though Louin didn't truly know what injustices occurred beyond the Umbrassi borders. He had also heard that the new Umbrassé Dragonheir was in Avalona, and hoped he would soon visit Anemasi.

As the dragons of spirit and shadow rather than elements like the others, Deus and Tenebrille had always been close. Some said they had been born from the same egg. Louin hoped that freeing Umbrassé of whatever horrors caged it would give Deus some peace of mind, so he would help this new Dragonheir in any way that he could.

If he visited.

Today, Deus went on, marks the first Wish Granting Ceremony where I am accompanied by my fifth Dragonheir, Louin Massi. Please welcome him.

A half-hearted cheer ran through the crowd. Louin glanced over at Deus, and he swore she winked in response.

As always, for a Dragonheir's first Ceremony, Louin will be the one to choose the person in this crowd who has the strongest spirit and the strongest desire. This is whose wish will be granted today. Deus announced, tuning to face her Dragonheir.