The journey to the Blacklands was much farther than any of them had ever gone before. By horse, it would have taken four days to reach the kingdom. But with Draco, the dragon, it took only a few hours.
At last, they arrived. As they reached, they wanted to use the same method they had tried in Zeirath, flying over the kingdom first, circling its lands, and letting their presence be seen. It was a way to put fear into the hearts and minds of the people before meeting their rulers.
So they began. Draco flew high above the villages, but then they noticed something strange. There was no one beneath them. Not a single person came out. Not a single face looked up at the sky. It was as if the kingdom were deserted. The streets were empty. The fields lay bare. Houses stood silent, as though no one had lived in them for long.
Aeron frowned and turned to the others. "What is going on? Is this possible? How can a kingdom this large be so empty?"
