"Millions of moons ago, evil creatures and demons appeared on Earth to devour humans during the Dark Era. Humans were weak and mortal, easily falling prey to those ruthless beings. Their numbers began to decrease rapidly after facing such a terrible fate.
Gaia, the Goddess of the Earth, tearfully requested Zeus to save her helpless children. As the goddess of life and nature, she couldn't punish the demons alone. The Chief Deity, Zeus, sent his four greatest warriors and their families to protect mankind—Red Dragons, Blue Dragons, Black Dragons, and White Dragons.
These dragon clans began their battle against the demons and all evil forces, obeying Zeus's command to defend the human world. But the dark army seemed endless, and the dragons never got the chance to return to heaven again. They continued to fight through the ages, guarding the four corners of the world.
Their divine strength and powers set them apart from humans, who feared their presence. Humans weren't ready to accept them as a part of their world. So, a separate continent was created just for them—surrounded by the ocean and located near the human realm. This land was called Elysia, or the Dragon's Land. Since that dark era, the four royal dragon families have ruled over this land."
"Am I a dragon too, Aunt Miri? Can I fly?" a little girl asked in awe, her bright hazel eyes glowing with wonder. In that dark, dusty attic, her gem-like eyes sparkled like stars. She was small and thin, yet her face was strikingly beautiful, with rosy cheeks and long, flowing blonde hair.
Aunt Miri, a middle-aged woman, smiled gently as she pulled the girl close to her chest. "No, Hazel. We're not dragons. The four dragon kingdoms are Flareon (the kingdom of the Red Dragons), Aqualis (the kingdom of the Blue Dragons), Noctra (the kingdom of the Black Dragons), and Ivrion (the kingdom of the White Dragons)."
Hazel's eyes dimmed slightly as she pouted her dry, red lips. "Then… who are we? Why do we live in Elysia if we're not even dragons?"
Her disappointed voice echoed softly through the small, empty attic. Cold wind slipped in through a cracked window, along with a faint beam of silver moonlight, casting an eerie yet beautiful glow over the room.
Aunt Miri's voice was warm and soothing. "We are the protectors of the dragons, Hazel. We are the blessed children of Hecate—the finest magicians of all realms. We've always protected and healed the Dragon Lords on the battlefield."
Hazel's sleepy face brightened with excitement. "Magic! Am I a wizard too?" She looked down at her tiny hands, searching for signs of magic, then mumbled sleepily, "Will you teach me how to use it?"
Aunt Miri gave a soft, bittersweet smile and gently ran her fingers through Hazel's golden hair. "Of course, you're a wizard. But you're still too small to learn magic. Grow up quickly, and I'll teach you all kinds of spells."
"Promise?"
Before Miri could answer, a sharp voice shrieked from downstairs, "Miri! Where are you hiding, you useless bitch?! How dare you sleep while your mistress is still awake?! MIRI! MIRI!" The voice grew louder and more vicious. "If you don't come right now, I'll whip you a hundred times!"
Hazel clutched Miri's old maid uniform tightly, but Miri quickly stood, trembling in obvious fear. She bent down and whispered, "Try to sleep, Princess. I'll be back soon."
Hazel's eyes welled with tears. "I'm scared, Aunt Miri… What if a demon comes—"
Miri placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and looked up at the starry sky. "Those stars will protect you, Hazel."
Hazel still held on, her voice trembling, "B-But… they're so far away."
"No! Look at that one."
Miri pointed at the brightest star in the sky. "It's called Sirius. Whenever you're scared, call out to him. He'll protect you and fight away all the demons for you."
Hazel nodded, her eyes wide and dreamy as she gazed up at the stars. Miri hurried out as the shouting downstairs continued. Hazel stayed curled up, watching the sky until her eyes grew heavy with sleep.
Even in her dreams, she kept whispering softly, "Sirius… Sirius will protect me…"
---
(15 years later, in the vast sand-desert of Flareon, Knights' camp)
"Sirius!"
A knight clad in red metal armor shouted urgently, gazing up at the highest watchtower on the northern border of the Flareon Kingdom. "A caravan has been spotted near the Bloom border. Should we stop it?"
The night sky of late autumn adorned with countless stars, scattered like diamonds across a velvet-black canvas. The air was dry and cold, and the desert stretched endlessly in every direction, tinted silver under the moonlight. From atop the tower, a velvety and commanding voice answered, breaking through the silence: "No. Follow it until it crosses the border."
Without hesitation, the knight galloped off with a small band of soldiers, to track the unwelcome caravan.
From the top of the tower, a dark figure leapt down as his crimson robe was fluttering like a dying flame in the wind. The symbol of a red dragon gleamed vividly on the crest of his sword.
He gave a soft whistle, and a beautiful brown horse approached swiftly through the sand. Stroking its mane gently, the young prince murmured in a low, affectionate voice, "Sorry, Kaju. Looks like we won't be getting any sleep tonight either."
"Nnghh!"
The horse neighed with excitement before bursting into a full-speed gallop like a hurricane in motion through that cold, moonlit desert. Soon, they neared the northern border, separating Bloom, the kingdom of wizards, from Flareon.
A few other horses were scattered in that dark desert; their riders were watching the caravan from a cautious distance. One of the approaching guards dismounted and spoke in a low, urgent tone, "That caravan belongs to slave traders. What do you command, Your Highness?"
Sirius's expression darkened instantly. In a voice as cold as the desert wind, he replied, "Kill each of them."
"Even the slaves inside the caravan?" the guard asked in a startled tone.
Sirius's burning red eyes remained locked on the caravan in the distance as he answered nonchalantly, "Yes. We can't leave any witnesses alive."