Valdor walked through the desert.
Each step seemed to tear him away from memories that had seemed like a dream just a moment ago. The path led through ruins that had once teemed with life. Now, only the skeletons of houses and trees growing out of the stone remained.
The dragon kingdom... was dead.
He bent over the damaged sign by the road. The barely visible letter reminded of his family's herb — the broken dragon. He didn't cry. He didn't groan. But his heart was suffocating from the inside.
Suddenly, there was a screech.
Valdor extended his hand — his nails glowed with runes. The magic of dragon blood still existed within him. He turned, ready to fight.
— Calm down— a female's voice spoke up.
A figure emerged from the darkness. Dressed in a cape, hooded. Valdor narrowed his eyes.
— You... you woke me up.
— Not exactly.— The voice was gentle but strong.— I just opened the door. You crossed it yourself.
— Who are you?
— Mayuri. I'm not your enemy.
Valdor remained silent. In his world, no one spoke so bluntly. Enemies did not wear signs saying "I am evil."
— What happened to the empire? — he asked after a moment.
Mayuri looked to the west.
— It won.
They walked together through the night. They didn't trust each other. But they both knew that there weren't many people left who could be trusted. Valdor didn't sleep. He looked at the runes around his arm, which began to react to Mayuri's presence.
— Are you a magician?
— Someone more. Someone worse.— She replied, lying down under a dead tree.— But not today. Not here.
Valdor sat down next to her. He looked into the darkness that surrounded the ruined world.
And he began to plan.