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  Skyborn, volume 1

  Hannah Parker

  Published by Hannah Parker, 2019.

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  First printing edition, 2019.

  Copyright © 2019 Hannah Parker.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter One

  I remember the screaming like it was yesterday...

  Panic had engulfed the village, people running in circles, horses busting through barn doors and trampling children. I stood there, watching the flames grow higher and higher, ensnaring buildings one by one and consuming them in seconds. My mother told me to stay put, that I’d be safest by the well, and if the flames got too close, to jump in. I knew how to swim, and pretty good for my age, so I nodded my head and stood still.

  They came running over, taking buckets and bottles of water, drenching the stables and the storehouses, trying to fight back the fire with every bit of strength they could muster. I saw my father let the pigs out of the barn, and the cattle from the pen. He was the first to ensure the animals were safe and set free, he could tend to the people after.

  I can still hear the sound of wings swooping down overhead, the shriek that ruptured the air and only brought upon more cinders as it circled around and back again until there was nothing left. If not for Mara’s family, would I have drowned in that well?

  I remember the sound of arrows, each one snapping from a string as they hurled through the air at their target. They were relentless, hurling wave after wave of arrows and magic at that beast until it faded into the darkness. Their ears could hear everything, from the crackling wood beneath fallen houses to my little legs kicking in the water.

  She plucked me from the well with one hand, staring at me for a moment, “My name is Yefilda, and I’m going to take care of you,” she said sweetly.

  I must’ve fallen asleep as she carried me on her back and into a village. I didn’t know if I’d slept for a day or a week when I awoke but I was safe, and I knew that.

  “The flames never reached her,” I heard a voice say from outside.

  “Or they never hurt her,” another voice replied.

  I didn’t know what they meant back then but every time I smelled fire or saw flames, I shuddered, and my body would shut down. I wouldn’t light one, nor sit near one. Fire was evil. Fire took my home, my family. It took everything from me...

  “SHH,” MARA WHISPERED as she approached the door, “we’ve gotta be in and out, got it, Alina?”

  I nodded; hands placed nearly on her back as we snuck inside. We’d waited for the cover of nightfall, the quiet of sleep, before we made our move. Bryden the Blacksmith, had promised arrow-tips for Mara’s new arrows but, it’d been more than three weeks, and the tips had yet to be delivered.

  I snuck around the dimly lit room, Mara going one way, and I, the other. The flicker of light from the forge still burned embers, slowly, lightly, like twinkling starlight against a swarm of clouds. I dreaded getting near it but, my eyes weren’t nearly as good as Mara’s in the dark, she was an Elf after all, and I needed light to see.

  I heard her tip-toe around, searching for her prize and whispering an insult here and there about keeping an organized workshop, and how no one could work in such a cluttered heap. The clatter of chains from above dinged like chimes, while I could hear her shift tools around tables, and moving mounds of cloth as she looked high and low.

  I tried to give my eyes time to adapt but, I didn’t dare to move and smash into or over anything and ruin Mara’s hunt. I kept getting closer and closer to the fire, taking small steps. Beyond the light, something called to me, as if to come closer, much closer, to the embers. My mind screamed with memories; of the flame swallowing my village, and the smoke in my lungs, yet my body kept moving, growing ever nearer to the fire that barely lit its own form.

  A strange glint caught my eye, something was sitting just before the coals, something that shouldn’t be. I took a moment to look around, who would toss something so beautiful into a fire, or leave it near enough to melt? Perhaps Bryden had forgotten, too tired from the day’s work to remember to move it. I stretched out my hand, reaching for the strange glittering object as the embers began to heat my hand. My mind screamed at me to stop but, I couldn’t. Something was calling to me, and I had to answer.

  I plucked the strange stone from the fire as if finding a shell on the shoreline, rolling it into my palm and staring down at its beauty. The orange hue began to fade but still, the gem shimmered with flecks of crimson and gold streaming through its rounded form like a storm brewing on the horizon.

  “What are you doing?” Mara whispered, her voice pulling me back into the world around us.

  I clutched the stone in my hand, “find your arrow tips?” I asked.

  Mara nodded; her eyes moving toward my hand and then to the forge, “you stuck your hand in there and didn’t even budge. Have you gone mad?”

  I shook my head, “something, this thing,” I showed her the stone, “it called to me.”

  Mara looked at the strange, small stone in my hand as I held it out to her gaze, forgetting how great her eyesight was for a brief moment. She briefly gazed over it but, it clearly didn’t enrapture her the way it had me.

  “Do you recognize it?” I piped up.

  “No,” Mara replied, “nothing I’ve ever seen before. Though, I can’t say I know much about stones that make Mortals thrust their hands into hot coals.”

  I frowned.

  “Aren’t you afraid of fire?” she said, teasing.

  I closed my hand again, giving her a brief shove with my shoulder. I barely reached her chest, her height at six feet, while mine was just over five and a half inches.

  She laughed, plucking a bag off the ground beside her, “c’mon, let’s go before we’re discovered.”

  Chapter Two

  Birds cooed softly, echoing against the sounds of bullfrogs that sat in the shallows of the lake. Occasionally the songs would break, pausing as Mara fired another arrow, and waiting for it to strike a nearby tree before it started up again.

  “Maybe it’s a jewel from some princess’ necklace,” I riddled off, flipping the stone through my fingers.

  “No Princess would wear a single jewel that small,” Mara replied, pulling another arrow from her quiver and taking aim with her bow.

  I flipped the stone again, tapping my feet against the sandy banks beneath the lake’s surface. Whatever it was, it kept my attention, so much so, that I’d barely slept after taking it.

  “It’s likely just some false gem, one that Witches offer up as ‘enchanted’ to those looking for love, or wealth, or any of that nonsense,” Mara laughed.

  “Hey!” a voice cried out. “Get to work you two, before the sun’s gone!”

  I popped the gem into the pocket of my trousers, still doing my best to make sure no one other than Mara would see it. I wondered if Bryden had looked for it at all. Did he even know it was missing? Or maybe he wanted it to melt away in the first place.

  “We’re coming!” I shouted back, pulling my feet from the water and kicking them dry. I pulled my cloth boots on, lacing
up the seams with a few awkward knots and turns around my calves. They were nothing fancy, and definitely worn out, but they still functioned.

  Mara had moved beside me, nearly catching me off guard as I began my strides. How I’d missed the length of her tall shadow tower over me was a shock. But, then again, I had been staring at that strange gem all morning.

  “It’s so smooth,” I whispered, fiddling with the gem as we walked the mountain path toward the camp.

  “Likely from you handling it all night and day,” Mara snickered. “It’s a wonder you can reach it at all, always hiding beneath all those layers!”

  “Hey!” I said, giving her a swipe with my free hand.

  “See? You would’ve hit me if you could move faster.” Mara took off, her long legs carrying her quickly and gracefully up the last hill and through the gates of the encampment.

  She wasn’t wrong; I did wear a lot, and it was getting late into spring where the heat would start making me uncomfortable. I shook the thought from my head. How would I hold myself? I was so skinny and shapeless compared to the other girls, I wouldn’t even know how to stand without looking like some sort of gangly goblin or bog hag.

  “There’s nothing wrong with my layers,” I sneered.

  Every fastener had to be precise; if I missed a single buckle or a rivet, the whole thing could fall apart in the air and I’d be in a whole mess of trouble.

  Sun beamed through the open windows, the smell of leather filling my nose so fiercely I’d almost forgotten about my tea that sat right next to me. Outside there were the sounds of hammering, sawing, and constant movement, broken once in a while by someone shouting, and a roar to its reply. It usually meant someone, or rather, a Dragon wasn’t cooperating.

  I’d been making harnesses for Dragons, and their riders, for a year now, and I’d become rather good at it. I had started fiddling with a broken one while I waited for Mara one afternoon, taking out my own little repair kit from one of my many cloaks and repairing it on the spot. It was good enough for the Commander and great enough to get me a job. It was decent work; I’d make enough to buy food and clothes, and I even had enough left save. I had always wanted a horse but, even if I found one, there likely wouldn’t be a chance it was for sale, no matter how much coin I’d saved.

  “One more stitch,” I muttered to myself as I pulled the needle through the thick brown leather. If I finished early enough, I’d have time for myself long before dinner. Perhaps I could visit the market, and find out if anyone knew anything about rare stones. I pushed the harness aside, throwing back my tea with a gulp and getting my things ready before heading to the door.

  “Alina!” a voice called out; it was the commander just outside my shop.

  A loud thud hit against the side of the hut, and I felt my body droop down in response.

  “Two more for repair!” He announced before I even had a chance to answer. I could hear his footsteps take off again, though I hadn’t heard him approach, I was too caught up in finishing my work.

  The sky was beginning to darken with the purple fade of the night waiting along the horizon. I’d been sewing for hours, and hammering even longer. The only thing keeping me from nodding off were the few roars that filled the air every now and again.

  I had always wondered what it was like, to ride one. Dragons were more common around these parts than Horses. I dreamed for so long about having my own one day and the two of us flying off toward the sun. We’d explore the highest mountains, sleep in forgotten caves, and eat the most exotic foods. We’d share so many adventures, fight off hordes of Goblins and Ghouls, and maybe even save an entire town.

  That’s all they were though, just dreams; only Arcanon could tame them, and even fewer could ride them. Tales told of the High Elves and their Eternia Dragons that fought to return the sun to the sky. But few tales told of any Mortals or Humans who’d accomplished similar feats.

  Elves were born with magic, so many became Arcanon simply by tradition. Few Humans ever developed enough magic, even throughout their entire life, to become one; to ride alongside the Elves, and fight with their own Dragon companion. Maybe I’d learn magic one day. Maybe Mara would teach me. Then I could become a Rider too.

  Chapter Three

  I awoke to the sound of loud bangs outside, and several men yelling. Night had set in, and my little workshop had quickly grown dark.

  I fumbled around for the lantern, trying to remember where I’d placed it. How long had I been out for? Did I really just doze off like that?

  I patted down the layers of my heavy cloak, remembering I’d put matches in a pocket somewhere. I felt the stone again but, I was too flustered to even pay it any mind.

  Light began to fill the room, growing brighter and brighter until there was enough for me to catch my bearings easily. The sound of hooves beating passed, accompanied by the torchlight that not only illuminated my space but, the entire camp. Horses were rare, so anyone who had arrived here had to be from far away, and they clearly wanted our attention.

  And then screaming; the sound of people panicking broke my curiosity and flooded my mind with fear. I moved away from the window, fearing I’d be seen but, still drawn to the happenings outside.

  Torches were stuck to rooftops, tossed into sheds and used to chase villagers. I began to make out their forms more clearly, their heavy plated armour clanking together as they ran after my people on horseback. What was happening? Who were these men? Why were they doing this?

  My mind began to race, flooded with the images of my own village as it burned around me. I must’ve been no older than 8 as a band of Marauders had set fire to my home on their hunt for some strange Magical object. They killed my family, torched our barns, and even slew our animals after we’d told them we had nothing of interest. I had been paralyzed by fear, watching the slaughter while flames began to lick at my flesh. If not for Mara’s family, I’d have died there too.

  The heat of flames began to grow but, my eyes were wide with terror and my heart consumed with emotions. It was all happening again, 10 years later, and somehow, I knew it was because of what I had hiding in my pocket.

  “Alina!” Mara cried out, bursting through the door, her bow already in hand. She turned from me for a moment, drawing her weapon and pulling an arrow from her quiver in one swift movement. A quick scream, and then silence, as she took her shot; a man fell from his steed on the doorstep, “We need to go... now!”

  My trance was broken as she took hold of my hand, leading me from the hut with no more than the clothes on our backs and her bow at her side. I hadn’t even noticed that my workshop was on fire, the flames spouting from the dry grass roof with haste. Once again, I had someone to thank to pull me away from my fears but, this time we couldn’t flee so easily.

  Clanging swords and beating hooves echoed through the night, all while our little camp burned. Smoke rose through the air into the star-filled sky, casting an eerie shadow over our once peaceful lands. Mara and I had ducked behind one of the storehouses, trying to remain as silent as possible as we began to move from barrels to shrubs, sheds to stables in an effort to remain unseen.

  “If we can get to the dens, we’ll have a good chance at escape,” Mara whispered, peaking around a barrel.

  Five men stood between us and the gates to the Dens, their masses huddled together, as if in a meeting.

  “It’s not here,” one of the men stated.

  “It has to be, not even a dull Blacksmith would risk their entire village on a lie,” another man hissed back.

  “Then that gem is here somewhere. Find it!” a third man snapped.

  “Burn the place to the ground. We’ll find it one way or another,” a fourth whispered, briefly scanning the area. “We’ll dig through bone and ash if we have to.”

  “And the village below?” the first man asked.

  “Burn it,” replied the fourth, “Burn it all...”

  I couldn’t bear it, the weight of knowing I’d brought this upon my people. I
bolted from my hiding spot, sprinting down the hill toward the village. I could hear Mara yell after me but, I couldn’t stop. If I just gave them this gem would they leave us be?

  Sticks and sharp branches picked and tore at my cheeks as I ran through the brush. We were too far from the trail but, I knew the land well enough to avoid tripping over an exposed root or broken stones in my haste.

  The cry of a donkey stopped me in my tracks, just as I emerged from the edge of the trees. It whined, running past me with a wagon attached to its back, flames exploding on every turn. I was too late. The village was already ablaze, filled with dense black smoke that settled against the ground like swamp mist.

  I ran in, my mind not once considering my own safety. I could hear their cries for help, I could feel their pain, and their confusion. My eyes could barely see through the smoke, shadows moving before me through it like lightning, darting one way and then the other. The burning embers were like lanterns in the fog, barely glowing against blackness, and providing little guidance for escape. I could hear water splashing hopelessly against houses, children crying for their mothers, and another voice, much closer.

  “Help! Help!” They cried. I turned around in the darkness, desperately trying to find the source of the voice.

  “Help me, please!” they cried again.

  This time I caught it, toward my right. I ran through the dark, coming to a small house that tore through the heavy cloud of smoke like a beacon as it was consumed by flames. I had to help them, they were afraid, and I couldn’t leave them there to die.

  I pushed past the smoke, forcing myself toward the flames no matter how much my heart screamed at me to run away. Just one foot on the doorstep and my body froze. I heard the screaming again, and I felt their panic. A shudder crawled its way down my spine, leaving me paralyzed where I stood. Suddenly I felt a hand tug at my back. One yank was all it took, and I was pulled back, just as the doorway collapsed before me.