To Not Be Continued

Shoving the table away from my chest, I abruptly stand and every pair of eyes stares me down. I want to leave, and they know it. I just want to do something, but they know me as a troublemaker. They also know one more thing: I am a descendent of dragons.

I never hatched from an egg; I don't know who, but I do know that I was birthed into this world. And from then on, my default appearance mimicked that of a human. Make no mistake, I can have wings, scales, teeth, a breath of fire if I so desire—it just takes a bit of effort. Okay, maybe a bit more than a bit of effort.

Snatching my bag off the floor, I stride toward the exit.

Nathaniel speaks: "Where are you going?" It's not so much a question as it is a command to stay. He swirls a cup and his eyes don't leave the spiraling alcohol.

"Just for some fresh air."

"For how long?"

"Not long." Truly, not for long: just a couple decades or so.

"Truthfully?"

"Nathaniel Jacob Homier, are you doubting my word?"

He scoffs. "There's always plenty to doubt."

… Well, isn't this amusing. "Don't question my dignity, Nathaniel."

"Did you ever have dignity, Zebul?" His steely eyes match mine.

"You dare to speak my name? Who do you think you are?"

"Me? I know who I am, but what are you?" He sets his cup down, his eyes now trained on me. "You are not human, not dragon, not anything of this world; simply an anomaly or mistake that was never meant to exist."

Do they know?—there are some lines in this world that were never meant to be crossed.

Not so quick as to be unperceived but slow enough to be noticed, for a moment, my eyes glow and shift to a darker hue.

Nathaniel reaches for the hilt of his sword, a movement displayed by all in the room.

"What was that for?"

There was a new element in his voice. Fear? No. Anxiety? Apprehension? Possibly. Either way, it was sweet nectar to my ears.

"What did you do?"

Eyes squint and feet begin to shuffle as the tension builds.

The silence is empowering.

I let the discomforting silence settle, and it settles thickly. Breath is locked away and movements are slow. Looking around, I see the eyes of fear and uncertainty. And Nathaniel? Defiance. The look of someone who wants to oppose but cannot do so.

I visibly relax and my lips thin into a smile. "Gentlemen, thank you for your company—" I snap my fingers "—but unfortunately, our companionship must come to an end."

Shadows jump to life and blades of darkness press into everyone's throats.

There is a murmur of shock and surprise.

Nathaniel starts. "You—!"

I open the door and immediately the invigorating scent of the outdoors flood in with the soothing warmth of the sun. One foot steps out the door before I turn around. My eyes smile when they meet Nathaniel's.

"Before I go… Nathaniel, that is a fantastic expression you have. It suits you well."

Nathaniel's face contorts into anger as I step out of the dreary building and into the vastness that is the outside world. Freedom. After so long everything looks unboundedly beautiful, but there is no time for sightseeing now.

I look north, towards an unnamed city.

Because it is without a name, different races have taken it upon themselves to decide on a moniker, Eleftheria and Free City being the most popular. Whatever one calls it, it is the most exciting place to be. Although it is not a place all roads lead into, it is the city where all journeys end and begin. Everyone and everything discovers itself within the walls of Eleftheria at some point in existence. In short, it is the city of opportunities.

Massaging my shoulders, I take a deep breath. How long has it been since I last flew? With focus, wings emerge from my back and spread out into the wind before I rapidly ascend to the skies.

There is no such feeling as flying in the air. No one who once flew would feel the same about walking and running ever again.

Within a handful of minutes, the grand towers of the city gleam in the distance. I look down to spot the winding Merchant's Road and drop to the ground a few feet away. Flying to the city would be much easier, but I have no want for unwarranted attention. I step out of the trees and onto the road.

Being the most frequented road by travelers and peddlers alike, it's not called Merchant's Road without reason. And as reason allows: where people go, bandits will follow.

I don't walk for long before I spot a fellow traveler resting beside the road. The traveler has leather armor and a sword strapped into his belt. Locks of auburn hair framed his defined face. He possessed a striking appearance—the kind that left a lasting impression.

"Hey!" I call out. "Where are you headed?"

"Who are you?" A hand crosses the torso and reaches for a blade.

"I'm on my way to Eleftheria."

"Free City?"

"Right, for the Market Festival."

His eyes squint.

I show him a pentagonal amulet—a form of ID.

He drops his guard and extends a greeting. "The name is Daniel. I am headed to Free City for the Market Festival as well."

"Meeting family?"

"Something familiar." He fidgets and his ears redden—not for long, though, as he swiftly switches topics. "What is your name?"

I smile as my mind races in search of an alias. "It's John." Ah, one of the few moments when my mind fails me.

"John?"

"Short for Jonathan."

"Jonathan… I see."

I should just shut my mouth.

***

We travel together with no further words exchanged. The road was quiet. Almost too quiet. There is no bird song nor the scampering of a mammal. The wind rustles the leaves, but that is all. Above all, how is it that the Market Festival is so near and yet no one else is on the road?

"Hold on, Daniel."

"Why do you stop?"

"Let's take a detour."

Daniel shakes his head. "This is Merchant Road; it is safe. A detour takes too much time, and I do not have enough time to spare."

I stare. What is there that I can say? 'Trust me, a stranger you've only just met'? 'It's too quiet so we should veer off course'? I have nothing concrete, and even if my hunches are accurate, it's still a hunch.

He stares back. "What is it?"

"...You're going to continue on this road no matter what?"

"Yes."

"Then, I suppose we separate here."

Confusion tugs at Daniel's brows. "Is that so?"

"Just some advice: if you're in a rush to Eleftheria, it's going to be faster if you take a detour."

With that, I step into the woods.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to avoid an adventure or a fight, but I have something to do at the Market Festival, which only lasts a few days. And who knows how long a side-quest would take?

I slip through the trees at an uncanny speed. The scenery whirls by before establishing itself as the entrance to Eleftheria.

The towering gates were opened and a snaking mass of people inched past the guards and into the city. Attires and fashions from various cultures fight each other for attention, spices and aromas from every corner of the continent overwhelms the nose, and beings mingle about as wagons, carriages, and cages were lined up single-file.

Although the Market Festival had yet to begin, the chatter was overwhelming and the area overfilled. Every race came to present their goods at the festival. Because of this, it is a great event for the opportunity of new ideas and popularity.

There's just one caveat.

Three years ago, a young merchant struck gold at this very festival when his recipes revolutionized the food industry. Unfortunately, he was robbed of his gold and killed for his ideas—but this part of the story usually goes unmentioned.

As they say: high risk, high return.

I slip into the mass of beings and find my place in line, but the sun sets before I near the gates. The gates close with a groan as the night chill settles.

The process of admittance will start again early next morning.

Everyone prepares for the night. Campfires are soon crackling and the savory scent of cooking meat wafts through the air. Smoke rises to cloud the sky, but the starlight twinkles on unfazed.

The full moon shines alluringly against a canvas of deep purples and blues as rivers of stars stream across the heavens. The sky doesn't get the attention it deserves, though—seldom bother to look up at night.

Using my bag as a pillow, I stretch out for the night. The stars sing their silent lullaby, and my mind first wanders before my eyes close.

***

I open my eyes.

The stars are still there.

Footsteps approach. Propping myself up, I watch as a human girl takes her place next to me. Her hair is golden under the moonlight and her large eyes take in the vastness of the sky. There is no eye contact; she simply sits looking up at the stars. Slowly, too, I turn my eyes unto the heavens.

Minutes passed, or had it only been seconds?

Suddenly, she speaks. "Beautiful sky, isn't it? Some thinkers say that all of these stars are themselves suns that shine from far away. We only have one sun in the morning, but at night we have thousands, millions. Now, that's an interesting thought, isn't it?"

I glance over at her, and she is still observing the stars.

What does she want?

She stays seated and speaks no more words.

"Lacania! Lacania, the food's ready!"

The girl stands and dusts herself. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll introduce myself properly tomorrow." With that, she was up and gone, heading for a nearby campfire.

I lie down and sleep overcomes me effortlessly.

***

The first event of the morning began before the sun rose above the horizon. Constant and invigorated chatter resumed yesterday's conversations as the darkness fled. The line moved swiftly and it wasn't long until I could see the face of the guards.

I will probably be sleeping in a bed tonight.

I look around and the girl from last night catches my eye. She, too, looks over and notices my gaze. Immediately, I avert my eyes but she bounds over anyway.

"Hello, mister, do you remember me? We met last night… Um, you could at least respond."

"What do you want? Do I know you?"

She smiles. "I can easily answer those. My name is Lacania Violet, and I'm from the south, born in a small town known as Ragaul. I just want to talk with you for a moment, dear stranger." She clears her throat. "There's something I've been curious about."

"Which is?"

"… I'm very sensitive to magic, you see."

I laugh. A human? Sensitive to magic?

Lacania glances at my bag and then me with jesting eyes.

"You're not human, are you?" A magic using race.

"And spatial magic isn't something you see every day."

Bags of holding are a rarity, a luxury. And it goes for much. I tweaked the magical signature to be more covert, but…

"Is everyone in your party the same race?"

"Yes."

Then they might be able to perceive it too, and being known for rare magic is never good. There hasn't been a case when it was good.

I turn to leave. I could always scale the wall.

Lacania grabs my arm. I can feel the mana pulsating within her and being attracted to her, or more specifically, an item she was wearing. I grab her wrist and my suspicions are confirmed. It was a bracelet.

An unforgettable one.

Startled, Lacania snatches her hand away.

I speak as she opens her mouth in retort. "Ferelynn. Are you related to her?"

She backs away, eyes widening in surprise. "How—"

I scoff. Meetings like these are mildly entertaining. Or not. Usually, not. If she had the bracelet, that would mean that Ferelynn was no longer alive. Not that it should be that much of a surprise, really… It's been two hundred years, after all.

This time, Lacania doesn't move to stop me as I walk away.

Which is a good thing.

Connections to the past should be kept away from the present.

Making my way around the perimeter of Eleftheria, I reach the edge of a cliff, a natural barrier between the city and the forest. Because of this, the security here is lacking. A blindspot, if you will.

The reason I don't frequent this route isn't because of any difficulties I might face. Climbing the wall or slipping past the guards isn't hard. Rather, that's the easy part. The problem lies with what is directly behind this wall.