Daughters of Dragons and Fire

Eros

Arcadia : Forest region

Kaffir of the Forest, Fae, wolves, Sprites, elves, and earth nymphs.

Selene, The moon goddess and Persephone, The goddess of spring and fertility. Worshiped by the people of Arcadia.

Vinetta: Water Region

Kaffir of the water, Mermaids, sea nymphs, sirens, and Kelpie

Poseidon: God of the seas worshiped by the people of Vineta

Celestia: Celestial Region

Kaffir of the Sky, Angels, archangels, and demon slayers. Keepers of Paradisa, the land of peace after death.

Zeus, god of the sky and weather and Hera Goddess of women, marriage, and Queen of the sky as Zeus's wife. Worshiped by the people of Celestia

Athenia: Human Region

The region of Humans who are protected and share land with those of Arcadia

Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom. Worshiped by the people of Athenia.

Crevassa: Shadow region

Kaffir of demon descent, witches, warlocks, vampires, and shifters. Some as known as the keepers of the Inferno, the Shadow Realm.

Hades, God of the unseen (underworld). Worshiped by the people of Crevassa. Persephone is also recognized as the Queen of the Unseen as wife to Hades, though she is considered a Goddess to Arcadia.

Avaldenn: Ice Region

The only other continent known in Thera to hold different types of Kaffir. Shifters who animal half prefer the cold, Snow nymphs and Ice sprites, also commonly called the frost.

Boreas, God of the north wind, and his daughter Khione, Goddess of snow and ice are worshiped by people in Avaldenn.

Prologue

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley, at least not for hundreds of years. Dragons were a myth to Eros, a legend from long ago. Kaffir, born from the forges of fire and unstoppable. The dragon's heart was always their strongest gift. The ability to feel was deeper than anything a normal kaffir could ever feel. Their heart was their strength and their weakness, uncontrolled emotion could cause destruction and was the reason the dragons were feared and locked away in the Inferno of Crevassa millennia ago.

None had heard of the existence of the dragon shifters since they were locked away, the gift seemed to fade from the world after generations and those who did have the gift would not have the strength to contain the dragon and would go mad until they killed themselves. It would be Five millennia before the dragon would return to Eros.

~~

"head up" the pierce of wood flicked at Nathaira's forehead as the ruler from her Mistress came in contact with her skin. She lifted her chin from her gaze that had fallen to her feet. Shoulders back, Head high, Muscles tight. skills she had practiced everyday since she was nearly five. "Good, now Medusa, you will be coming of age tomorrow and will be assigned your first assignment. Do you believe you are ready?" The Mistress's gaze fell sharply on Nathaira's small frame. Barely sixteen and she had already been known as Medusa because of her stone cold demeanor.

"Yes Mistress." She said with strength and confidence filling her voice. Her eyes darkened and the thought of her first kill, excitement and fear consumed her at the same time. She had been raised for this, but was she really ready to take a life? She had gotten into many fights throughout the academy and nearly beat some girls close to death, but she never had officially taken a life. "Good." The mistress hissed. "Your induction will be at midnight tonight. We will see what the gods have gifted you and after you will receive the hit."

The Mistress took a deep breath as she stared at the girl. She gazed hard at her, seeing if Nathaira would falter. The Mistress then nodded her head in confirmation of Nathaira’s stone cold appearance. A soft smile spread across the Mistress’ lips as stepped closer to the girl. "I am so proud of you sweetie." She said with a soft voice and Nathaira's stone appearance softened, slightly. "Thank you, Auntie." the Mistress grazed a hand against Nathaira's cheek "Your mother and father would be so proud of you." She whispered and pulled her in, placing a soft kiss on her head. She had to pull herself back to prevent the emotions of the thought of her mother and father that flood into her. Sadness, guilt, anger. All because someone wanted to kill them for power. "Thank you, Auntie. Will you tell me who it was now?" Nathaira asked looking up to her Aunt her features going hard again, but her Aunt shook her head. "Not yet, once you are ready, only then will I tell you, your parents' killer." She stood up straighter, removing her hand from Nathaira's cheek. "Come now, let us get you ready."

~~

Nathaira looked at herself in the mirror. Her normal black training suit was now exchanged for a dress that was far from her comfort zone. It was a deep navy blue, almost black and tightened around her torso like wet clothes and flowed down from her hip with a slit on the right side, exposing her silver dagger strapped to her thigh. It was strapless and exposed the scar against her collar bone of the Assassin's brand. She traced her fingers against its bumpy surface. Tingles filled her skin and the sensitive touch. Though only other Assassin's could see the brand, she hated it on her skin, felt as if it was slavery though she had made the choice to train with the league.

"Darling are you ready?" Her auntie's knocks filled the room as she entered. Nathaira removed her hand from her collarbone quickly and looked at herself once. She tucked a piece of loose hair behind her pointed ear and it fell collectively with the straight slicked back raven hair that fell behind her. Her aunt made an appearance in the mirror and pressed her hands against Nathaira's bare shoulders. "You look beautiful." Her aunt placed a brief kiss on her cheek before rubbing her hands on the sides of Nathaira's arms. "Come on." she said before holding her arm out for her to take.

Nathaira takes her arm as her aunt guides her out the door and down the hall. They stop at the corner of the hallway just before the grand staircase. Nathaira peaked her head around the side to try to see the people standing at the bottom, waiting for her entrance. She felt a pinch on her ear and she shot back up straight "stand like a warrior not a curious child." her Aunt poked at her and they both straightened their backs and lifted their heads as if in a routine.

At the stroke of Midnight the bells rang throughout the manor and drums began to sound from the band placed at the end of the stairs. Nathaira took her first step towards the stairs and she could feel the gentle rub of her Aunt's fingers on her arm for reassurance, a secret reminder that she was there for her, before she gained her strong stance. She was only ever soft with Nathaira, but both of them had a silent acknowledgement of how they presented in front of the league or anyone that mattered.

A few more steps and the drums began to silence along with the bells. She was soon faced forward trying not to move her gaze to the overwhelming set of stairs below her feet. 'I better not fucking fall.' Nathaira thought to herself. "Good evening fellow league members. Tonight is a very special night as we will now induct my niece, a strong and fierce warrior, into the league.” The people below them clapped and her aunt gave a generous smile before holding her hand up to silence the crowd below. “She has trained for eleven years for this day and no doubt will become one of our fiercest. As our youngest trained Assassin, she has faced many difficulties. She was only five when she entered the academy, while most of our children were at least ten. She had to prove her strength far more than the others, but now all of those days have paid off."

Nathaira's aunt released her arm and walked to the man standing behind them with a silver platter. She picked up a blade made of clear crystal with an iron handle. The assassin brand was pressed into the metal and at the touch of her aunt's hand the crystal began to glow. "At seven years old you were branded with the assassin scar, today at the age of sixteen you will receive the marking of the god who chooses to bestow gifts upon you. This marking will connect you with them and guide you." Her aunt stepped forwards and Nathaira turned toward her, taking a deep breath.

Her aunt pressed the tip of her blade into her skin and dug in creating the same symbol as her brand with the glowing blade. That circular symbol with a flame at the center. Heat and pain seared through her body, but Nathaira clenched her teeth and her fist to refrain from showing any sign of weakness. She would never show weakness, especially not in front of the people who have looked down on her and judged her since she came to the league.

She felt blood start to drip against her breast that showed slightly from the top of her dress. The open skin in the design of the Assassins crest began to contort and spread against her shoulder. The pain made her jaw clench hard as she watched the blood turn black and spread. Black scales spread across the shoulder of her tanned skin and grazed teasingly at the edge of her neck. The scales moved as if they were breaking through the surface of her skin and trickled down her right arm until it faded softly into her normal skin just before the elbow.

The pain subsided and she breathed deeply, silently thanking the gods for the pain to release. "A god has accepted you, now we may seek out to see if you are chosen. Nathaira wanted to cringe at the thought of being chosen. She was an Assassin, being chosen only meant being strong which meant more killing, therefore more time before she knew her parents killer. Becoming chosen was a blessing for the others in Eros, for her a curse.

She took a deep breath "Voco '' the words escaped her mouth breathlessly as she summoned God into her. For a moment nothing happened. She opened her eyes to look around at the crowd below her, usually the gods at least did something if they were not chosen, They were granted with some kind of gift. The people's faces contorted with confusion, but before anyone could speak up a rush of energy pierced through Nathaira's back like a crushing weight. She fell to her knees, catching herself with her hands to the floor. Her standard hazel eyes now shot open towards the crowd like purple flames.

They looked at her with a gasp and whispers filled the room. She knew she had been chosen from their looks. She stood herself up feeling like a heavy weight was holding against her back and she straightened up as best as she could. "Mirror please." She muttered to the server boy who quickly sat his tray down to replace it with a nearby golden mirror. Nathaira turned to the boy looking into the reflected surface. Her pointed ears were now dripped in black on the tips and her eyes burned with that purple fire. She could barely recognize herself.

She took a step back to get a full view of her body. Wings. Black wings had appeared on her back. They were large, practically the length of her tall slender body. They were adorned in black scales that seemed to shimmer slightly when the light hit them. She was stunned at the new appendages that had formed from the center of her shoulder blades. She looked up at them as they came just about her head and had hook like claws on the end. She attempted to flap them. Even with her first flap she was lifted off the ground slightly before regaining her balance on her feet.

She flapped them again, this time lifted in the air as her dress flowed under her feet. They flapped slowly, keeping her floating just above the floor before she willed them to bring her down. She stumbled slightly from the weight of them, but regained her balance, making sure her feet were placed firmly to the ground. She looked at the crowd in front of her. All their eyes widened in shock.

She turned softly, her wings swinging behind her with her movement. She looked towards her aunt, they're eyes meeting one another, those purple flames still burning in her eyes. "Hades has chosen you, dragon.” Her aunt bowed her head to her and it took everything to keep Nathaira from opening her mouth at the formality of it. “Thank you, Mistress.” She spoke the words confidently as she held her head high. ‘Dragon’ the word rang through her ears. Not Medusa any longer; she was the dragon. She turned to the crowd and they all bowed their heads to her. The people who called her weak and useless now bow to the strength she showed before them.

She was chosen. Not just by any smaller god, but the god of death and darkness himself. She hadn’t known what this meant for her, only that it was rare to be bestowed with such gifts of strength, that made people bow to her. Her aunt grabbed her arm again. “May the god of death himself follow you in every battle and bring you the strength to fight.” The words were more than a whisper and fear seemed to cross her aunt’s eyes. “Shall the gods watch over all of you.” Nathaira spoke the words to the crowd proudly. The Medusa and The Dragon.