Dalirina rushed out of the palace, her eyes searching for a glimmer of hope amidst a sea of ash and smoke. The kingdom was no longer as she had left it… flames devoured the towers, soldiers fell one after another, and every realm cast what strength remained to try and endure.
She stopped for a moment among the ruins, staring at the scene as heavy tears weighed upon her cheeks. She whispered bitterly to herself:— "I didn't know… I didn't know the outcome would be like this…"
Tears of remorse carved their path down her face, a harsh reproach to both heart and mind. But suddenly… from afar, she caught sight of a massive body ablaze with celestial fire, wings cutting through the sky, and a roar that shook the soul. It was Eleanor.
Dalirina wiped away her tears with force, as if erasing her weakness in that very moment, and dashed toward the square, crying with all her might:— "Eleanoooor!!! Eleanooooor!!!"
Her scream echoed between the burning towers and reached the ears of the furious dragon. A strange moment—Eleanor's flames ceased abruptly. She turned, her massive eyes gleaming with astonishment, then began to stride toward her.
Everyone in the square froze in place. Soldiers, mages, kings… all staring in disbelief.— "Impossible… how could she?"— "She calls to her as if she knows her!"
Eleanor drew closer, each step making the ground tremble, and when she arrived, she lowered her head. A deep voice, mixed with joy, reverberated through the air. Yet Dalirina did not smile—she shouted instead, her voice full of pain and reproach:— "What have you done, Eleanor?! Is this what I taught you?! Is this how you treat humans?!"
Eleanor lowered her head in shame, as though she understood the scolding. Her vast eyes brimmed with unease, while Dalirina stepped closer, placed her hand gently upon the great brow, patting her as one would a lost child, and said with tender longing:— "I know… I know, my dear, you were afraid. But this was not the right way…"
Suddenly, a cry erupted from behind:— "The other dragon!! It's attacking the guards!!"
Dalirina spun around swiftly, watching the flames surge toward the defenseless soldiers. Without thinking, she screamed from the depths of her soul, with a voice she had never heard from herself before:— "Stoooop!!! Nooooooo!!!"
And the air itself was cut off. It was as though the very sky had frozen.
Both dragons halted where they were, bowing their heads in submission, leaving all in the square stunned. Even Dalirina stood frozen, unable to believe what had just happened.
The dragons stepped closer in obedience and lowered themselves before her as though she were their queen. The entire square quaked with awe, and the soldiers murmured aloud:— "What is this…? How…?"
The kings stood atop the palace walls, gazing down in disbelief. The eldest king whispered:— "A servant… and three dragons bowing before her?"
And it did not end there. A thunderous roar echoed from afar. The fourth dragon returned, landing before the gates of the kingdom. A moment of suspense… then it too bowed its head before her.
The crowd rippled with hushed voices:— "Is she of that bloodline?!"— "Who is this girl?!"— "Is this real… or sorcery?!"
Dalirina stood there, her heart pounding violently, her eyes brimming with tears and dread. She was no longer a mere servant… but a mystery, a secret too great to be concealed.
Yet within her, a trembling question arose—one she could not answer:— "What happened to the dragons?… Was it only my voice? Or is there something deeper flowing in my blood?"
A strange sensation overtook her, a blend of fear and belonging, as if her cries had not been mere words… but an echo of something ancient, something she had yet to realize.