*A scream, people fleeing, my father trying to get closer to the danger. Heat searing my skin. My mother's voice, telling me to stay away from her, to turn around and forget her. The world before me began to blur, the scream's clarity far too high.*
With a start, I woke up to find the screams were real. Holy shit! What is this?! I leapt out of bed and raced outside. Everyone was gathering in the far end of the village, a few screaming. I ran to them as familiar shadows fell over us. Three dragons swooped in, landing to surround the crowd. I glared at them, not even trying to hide my resentment. My father, who I hadn't seen step outside for years, approached the dark red one, his fists clenched. "Why have you come to my village this time? To burn us to cinders again?"
With a cruel smile, it hissed, "Not today, sorry to disappoint you old man." That voice…! Chills went down my spine as my repressed memories tried to resurface. I quickly shoved them away, not wanting to relive the horrors from 11 years ago. "I left your villagers alive last time on a deal. Hand over your side of the agreement."
A deal?! "Fine...pick anyone, just leave the others alone." What is he talking about?! The dragon scanned the crowd, his eyes locking onto someone in the center.
"There...the offspring of the one before." He suddenly pounced, grabbing a girl by the sound of it. Hold on...that's…! "I understand that this is your daughter, chief? I'll be taking her." My sister! My father cast his gaze down, allowing the dragon to take her.
Desperate, I dashed out, reaching for her. "Liani!" But I was too late. The dragons had already taken off, going back to wherever they'd come from. In the distance I could hear her shouting my name in reply, and I felt a tear trail down my face. Despair overwhelmed me until I managed to piece the situation together. Enraged, I whirled on my father, grabbing his tunic and yanking him closer. "You're such a jackass! What deal?! What 'take anyone'?! That was my sister! Your daughter! And the only connection we had left to my mother!" By the end I was crying, devastated. Any strength I had been able to hold onto after losing my mother vanished and I fell to my knees, my grip on his clothes only growing tighter. Within a few minutes, my sadness evolved into something else, something far more volatile. Harnessing this new surge of energy, I outright socked him in the face, sending him to the dirt. "Just die." Having said my piece, I left him there, searching for Jiyak. Once I found him, I made him look me in the eye. "I know what I want you to make now."