Chapter 1
"Let me through," He spoke, his voice firm and poison-coated. The two guards blocking the way with their spears from either sides looked terrified but stood their ground. "I-I apologize, sir, but nobody is allowed into the temple during this crucial period." One of them replied as politely as he possibly could. The boy's eyebrows furrowed, showing his annoyance and scaring the guards even more.
The dispersing crowd behind them looked just as nervous. "My intentions are pure," He added between gritted teeth as if holding back his anger, "I know what I am doing and it is all for the sake of our land." His troupe nodded in agreement in the hopes of convincing the guards. "If you would tell me what you suggest, I-I could let you through." The second guard offered, stuttering midsentence.
"I need to retrieve the dragon egg." He quipped quickly, looking extremely bored as his patience was running out. The two guards glanced at each other in bewilderment and shifted uncomfortably in their positions. "I'm afraid our Lady would definitely not allow this, sir." The first one said. "I have heard plenty of stories about your Lady, but it will be my problem from here on. Now, if you would excuse us-"
"Hold!" The guards spear grazed at the sleeve of the boy's dress shirt just as he stuck it out so quickly. He had not intended to even touch the deathly mage, but his instincts had caused him to react at the boy's sudden movement. "I-I'm terribly sorry, sir-" A gleaming spear of ice impaled his chin before he could complete his sentence.
The bystanders gasped in horror while the other guard stood frozen in shock, all colour drained from his face. The boy looked up at him through his bangs, his blue eyes narrowed and looked almost as if they were glowing with anger. "Still not letting me through?" He asked again, his voice deeper and rougher now. "P-Please..." The guard stammered before backing away from the arch looking like a kicked puppy. "Thank you." The boy snorted before he tossed the now kneeling guard a bag of coins as he strode into the temple.
They made their way further into the vast Greek temple, watching out for crumbling pillars and overgrown vines. They finally came to a room hidden between cracks. A large dragon egg with glowing imprints on it sat in the middle of it - surrounded by leaves and vines. It looked very well taken care of, which was all the better. "We found it." The boy nodded to one of his companions as they squeezed through the narrow crack one by one.
His lips twitched upwards slightly as he reached out his hand, his goal only inches away now.
A flurry of firey arrows embedded the ground before him in an instance, causing him to take a few steps backwards. Even he, one of the most lethal and experienced warriors, was not expecting something like this. She is definitely full of surprises.
"Step away from the sacred egg, infiltrator." A voice echoed from above the pillars. The group looked up to come face to face with a petite figure clad in a white toga. The girl leaped off the top of the broken pillar and landed feet away from them agilely, flaming staff in hand. "What business might you have in the temple?"
The boy only chuckled, looking a tad bit more amused as he stepped towards her, displaying dominance, "I have heard glorious stories of you, oh formidable warrior, but I never expected you to be this," He spoke, arms moving expressively, "adorable." The girl flinched in irritance, making her silver hair bounce slightly.
This only made him laugh harder before he turned to motion to his company. "As you wish, Shino." They then scurried towards the large egg and proceeded to lift it with smirks plastered on their faces. The girl's face lit up in both bewilderment and rage as she screamed at them to stop. She sprinted in their direction, enormous flames licking at her weapon, but she was knocked down by their leader.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you, princess." He whispered as he pinned her under his larger frame roughly, "Be a good girl and I might just be nice enough to let you off unscathed, since you're so pretty." She stared into his twinkling blue eyes for a split second before her face turned hard, "Not under my dead body."
She snarled as she engulfed herself in flames, causing the boy to leap off to avoid getting scalded. His expression changed to match hers as he growled lowly, tightening his grip on his own staff. "Wrong move." A large icy ilfrit formed out of thin air between him and the girl and charged towards her in terrifying speed. The girl leapt up into the air and landed on the other side of it, sending a hail of flames in its direction. The ilfrit staggered slightly, having parts of it melted off, but did not die.
Then, it disappeared and the boy took it's place before her eyes could register. He knocked her off her feet and flung icy daggers toward her. She quickly regained her composure and ducked to avoid them, however taking a deep gash to the side of her cheek. Even more flustered now, she charged straight towards him and whipped out an enormous fireball in his face. He barely missed it but the wild flames charred the tips of his white hair. He had had enough and finally threw himself onto her, knocking her staff away from her grasp and pinning her down once more.
She struggled futilely under his weight, unable to do anything further now that she was drained of her energy and staff. "No matter how good a fighter you are, nobody can surpass me," The boy spoke again in a warning tone, bringing his face just inches away from hers, "Now, I'll at least give you the honor of choosing which way you want me to kill you in."
A tiny tear slid off the side of her eye. She kept her hard stare but began to choke on sobs. "W-Why can't you just leave me and my temple alone," She croaked miserably, frustrated, "Why doesn't anyone ever leave us alone." His glowering blue glare softened, but he did not shift in his position. She was, indeed, a girl - tearing up when defeated. "I need the egg for my sake - for our sake. You people just need to trust me." He grunted under his breath, finally averting is gaze. "And you expect me to trust you just because you said it?" She spat back, tears still flowing.
"Shino! We have it now. Just rid of the girl and we'll be out of here." One of the other boys yelled from outside, his voice echoing across the temple walls. Shino turned back to face the mage beneath him. "You heard him," She said softer now, almost as if accepting her fate, "Just kill me in any way you want. Without the sacred egg, this temple and I are nothing." The boy did not move. Seconds passed and just as she was filled with the slightest bit of hope, the world faded into oblivion.
"Shino, where do we head to now?" One of the companions queried midjourney. The boy in front of them turned his head slightly before answering, "To the Wyvern valleys. There's someone who can tell us more about the egg there." The rest nodded silently and simply followed the leader.
"What did you do to her?" The boy questioned again, this time in a softer tone as he quickened his pace to match his leader's. The boy shrugged, "I cuffed her in the head. She's knocked out now but she's fine. Just exhausted." He shifted to a more comfortable position as he hitched her tiny body up slightly against his back. His companion just stared at him wordlessly, constantly eyeing the sleeping girl. "She could be useful to us in the future." Was all Shino said to him as he continued walking, his perfect footsteps faltering ever so slightly.
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