Ember of Hope
Chapter 2

“Battle formation” a deep loud voice rang through the stadium leaving a hush in its wake. It was General Roth who was the referee of this year’s spring celebrations. There was a booming sound of flapping wings as both teams took their positions high up in the air. Twenty dragons divided in two teams for a face off competition. The presence of each team in the air was just a show of support to their respective champions.

“Night hawks v/s Black gladiators. On my mark both warriors will rise. The champions from Night Hawks and Black Gladiators are Damien Priamos and Valiance D’evreux respectively” recited General Roth, who was standing on a platform; which rose high above the stands that were jam-packed with people. He was in his human form, according to the game rules. And in the stands there were all kinds of people, cheering their teams without having a care in the world as to who sits next to what creature. They were all one people today; people of Evreux… the humans, healers, shifters, and dragons.

Like every year, the spring celebrations in Evreux were starting with this face off between the two teams. Night Hawks in their shiny silver armor in honor of the moon, while Black Gladiators in their black ones like night. Two huge doors in the arena opposite each other opened with a loud bang and emerged from them two massive dragons from each team. They couldn’t be more different in looks. While one was a silver clad beautiful golden dragon who looked like he was made of gold, the other one; as black as obsidian wrapped in his equally black armor looked like he was carved from night itself. They were both magnificent beasts. After they emerged from the doors into the clearing between the stands, the doors closed behind them. They both bowed to each other, none of them taking their eyes away from their opponent. But if you knew how to look you could see the amusement and friendship shining in both their eyes.

“Let the face off begin” General Roth blew the whistle as the mark and in unison both dragons rose in the air. Dirt from the Stadium rose with the mighty flaps of their wings. They circled each other with a vicious efficiency, both trying to replace an opening to land a blow on their challenger. Their claws were retracted as per the game rules.

The golden dragon shot towards his opponent like a bullet out of a gun but it looked like the black one anticipated this move because at the last moment he tucked in his wings, did a side-flip, and swiped his paw on the silver armor of his rival.

A roar of applause reverberated through the stands as Black Gladiators scored their first point. And then another... and another.

“Come on Dimi show me what you got man”. Valiance mocked his best friend “you’re making it way too easy”.

“Mock me all you want brother. I’ll have my chance” and swift as an adder Damien lashed out with his tail, hitting Valiance square in his chest and earning his own point.

Valiance dove underneath before Dimi could land the next blow he was aiming for Val’s face.

Below them the crowd was getting crazier by the minute. They had been fighting for almost fifteen minutes and were on equal footing. Suddenly Damien ducked underneath Valiance, aiming for his vulnerable stomach. At this point there could be heard a pin-drop silence as every pair of eyes was focused on the fight above. Valiance swiftly flipped above his head and the next thing – the golden dragon’s neck was in his teeth and his wings were pinned beneath Valiance’s paws. Valiance had Damien in a death grip... the ultimate move.

The face-off was over. The black dragon had won.

The crowd went wild. The whistle indicating the end of the face-off blew and Valiance let go of his best friend’s neck and wings. Gladiators had won the face-off yet again. Dimi was grumbling incoherently while Valiance just looked at him with smug and somewhat amused expression on his face. Dimi had always been a sore loser.

As soon as they landed back in the arena people showered them with ale, as was the tradition of the game. And so the revelry began. The celebrations of spring would last the whole week in Evreux. RASK – The Festival of Spring - The most beloved holiday of the kingdom where feasts were arranged in the streets and all the people mingled and laughed and drank and danced… despite the curse plaguing most of them.

………………………………………………

“Ohhh it’s such a relief. I can finally breathe now. I hate exams”, Sarah grumbled. Since the minute they had come out of the exam hall, Sarah had been yapping about it non-stop. “I have no idea how I did today but I swear if I don’t pass these exams, I’ll quit college. I can’t do it again, not without you anyway”.

“Will you stop it? God! You’re a nightmare girl”. Raegan sighed. “You’ll be okay. You’re not going to fail, I promise”. She held her best friend’s hands for further reassurance.

“You better be right” Sarah said acting like a petulant kid, which; most of the times she was.

“Let’s go to The Devil’s Horn to celebrate the end of exams. What say you?” Raegan tempted Sarah with one thing she knew would definitely brighten her friend’s mood. And she was right, Sarah’s whole face lit up, “I thought you’d never say”.

“Oh it’s not like you didn’t know I’d say this. Besides we need to talk”.

“It’s a girl’s night of course we’ll talk” Sarah said matter of factly.

“Yeah only if you’re sober enough to distinguish between me talking and that damn cat of yours. Which, I highly doubt”.

Sarah cackled.

“Have I told you enough times that I hate that bloody cat?” Raegan scrunched up her nose.

“Darling you hate every single cat that is born on this planet. And yeah you’ve mentioned this about only a million times”. Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Well why shouldn’t I? They are moody little brats”.

“Girl you have some serious issues if you’re holding grudges against innocent animals”.

“Innocent? Sarah there isn’t anything remotely innocent about that little devil wrapped in fur”.

“Ughh fine let’s get going already”.

Raegan’s smile was superior in answer. Sarah rolled her eyes.

…………

“Hey, come see, does my hair look okay?” Sarah hollered from the bathroom.

“Honey even if you don’t comb your hair for a week, they’d still look great. You know that. Stop fussing. It’s just another night out”.

“Yeah but who knows, maybe there’s a gorgeous piece of meat there tonight, for me to nibble on”. She sounded like she’s doing exactly that in her head.

“You won’t just nibble on him sweetheart; you’ll devour him in a single bite”.

“You know me so well Ray”. Sarah snickered.

“Now come and help me get MY hair done. My arms are aching now”.

“Hang on a sec”.

Sarah came out with one perfectly done smoky eye and started on Raegan’s hair.

“Man, you’re so damn good at smoky eyes. I almost want to take your eye out and preserve it”.

“Not a good image creep”. Once done, Sarah fluffed Raegan’s hair and went back to the bathroom. Raegan had selected a mid-thigh black sheath dress with stiletto boots… her long red hair in curls that came all the way down her back. Dark smoky eyes of her own and a nude lip color completed her face. A black dragon shaped bracelet was wrapped around her wrist in coils; like the dragon was curling its body around her wrist.

Where Raegan was all Goth, Sarah came out wearing a shimmery dull gold spaghetti strapped dress with matching heels and a messy bun. With smoky eyes she had on Mac Russian red. She was ready for slayin’… they both were.