Outsider (Book One)

Prologue

The battlefield was restless. Smoke wafted erratically from the many campfires peppered across the field. The smell of game roasting passed around like an ever-present reminder of the reason why they were here. Soldiers joked among themselves as if they knew they were never going to see them again.

The only things sporadic among the sitting soldiers were the messengers. They served as the communication lines throughout both sides of the forces. An aquamarine scaled messenger wearing silver armor jogged up to a large gold-plated drake sitting astride a horse within golden armor.

"General, sir." The messenger said nervously, craning his neck up to the general. "Captain Torrent told me to tell you that the archers are ready, equipped, and in position. All they are waiting for is your word, sir."

The general looked down at the messenger. His bright blue eyes shown in the sunlight, a color like the rushing water in a river. "That is very good to hear. I was right to assume that new captain would whip them into shape. Tell them to wait for my mark. I will notify them shortly."

"Yes sir." The messenger said, then turned and jogged back, weaving his way among the crowd.

The general sighed. He had worked so hard for this moment. All of those lives lost led up to now. All the strategies that had failed and all of his family members he had lost had not been in vein. This was one of the battles that would go down in history. And General Tempest will be the one at the heading.

While he pondered for a few minutes more, the messenger had returned, slightly panting with exertion. The messenger composed himself before speaking up. "General, sir."

The drake started, then looked down at the messenger. "Wow. You move fast for a messenger. What be your name?"

"Nautica, sir. Captain Torrent told me to inform you that he will stand by. He also remarked he will always stand by your side and he will be your shield if need be. He also said something about today being off and I'm afraid that I'm going to have to agree with him. Something is off about today." The messenger. "And also, thank you, sir."

The general gave a small laugh. "Well Nautica, for your work, I will grant you a five minute break. Take a rest, son. You've worked hard. However," the general grew serious suddenly as he gave a look around the area. "There is something that needs to be known among the Water Serpents. We may have been peaceful before, but the Water Serpents were a strong people. We still are, or we would not have made it this far. Though it hasn't come without sacrifice. How many have you lost, Nautica?"

Nautica looked to the ground, his shoulder sagging in sadness. "I've lost almost everyone to this war." The messenger collapsed to the ground. "I've lost almost everyone, except for my dear sister, whom the Watchers have spared from this bloodshed. I'm all she has left now."

The general looked down at the messenger with a new feeling of empathy and pity. "Do not let that get you down, young one. I have lost many to this war, and I fear I will continue to lose more as it continues on. One thing remains constant, though, and that is us and our survival as ourselves and our race. So stand up and be proud of who you are."

Nautica looked up to his general and saw that look in his eyes and the general gave him a well-knowing smile, itself filled with sadness. The sun shone through the clouds, illuminating the ground around them and casting them in a unearthly spotlight.

Then a cloud passed over and the feeling was gone. Instead was an undesirable itch at the back of the general's neck, like the scales were strangely overlapped. He scratched at it and noticed Nautica felt it too. A murmur spread across the Water Serpents as they reacted the same way. Confused, General Tempest looked to the other side and was shocked yet again as the Fire Serpents were acting the same way. Their red and orange scales shimmering in the light and shadow of the changing sky.