The sun beat down relentlessly on the scorched earth, baking the long line of travelers that stretched out from the massive iron gates of Scale-Iron City. This was one of the major hubs in the Dragon Region of the Dragon and Phoenix Riders Alliance.
Judas stood in the queue, wiping sweat from his forehead. The heat here was unnatural. It wasn't just the sun; the ground beneath them seemed to radiate a geothermal warmth, a constant reminder of the volcanic activity that powered this region.
On his shoulder, Nyx sat in her miniature form. To anyone else, she looked like a small, pitch-black lizard with oddly intelligent eyes. She let out a small yawn, her tiny claws digging slightly into Judas's shirt for balance. She looked bored. Incredibly bored.
"Move along! Keep the line moving!" a guard shouted from the front, his armor gleaming with a reddish tint.
Judas sighed. "Why is this line so long?" he muttered to himself. "We've been standing here for two hours."
