The Dragon Prince - Book 1: Cold War

Fire in the Hole

Callum

Callum couldn't sleep. His mind raced with thoughts of turning his own fingers into rays of sparkling light as he wielded gigantic orbs of blazing fire to toss at his enemies. As an amateur sky mage, he knew that wielding magic wasn't simply about drawing runes in the air and saying words in ancient draconic, it required an entire shift in personality. That concept both thrilled and frightened him.

He stretched his limbs and blinked out the rays of the rising sun peeking through his open window. Birdsong filled the morning air and the smell of breakfast fires lit throughout the neighbourhood beckoned Callum to the start of an exciting new day. He wanted to leap up and show his new teacher the willingness he had to learn but he figured a few more minutes in bed wouldn't hurt. He rolled over, tucking the soft covers between his knees but then he sensed something else in his room.

When Callum opened his eyes two black unblinking orbs staring back at him. Callum cried out as the largest bird monster flew backwards, snapping open its curved beak.

    "CAW CAWW!" it screamed.

    "What the..." said Callum rolling over and falling out the other side of the bed.

    "CAH-CAH-CAAAAW!" the bird screamed again and again.

Callum's bedroom door slammed with a bang. His teacher, Zelmai stepped through the door, no longer the shuffling, hunched over figure from last night but walking at his full 6 feet in height. He held out a long, white staff before him which he used to tap the floor in front of him. He stood beside the colourful bird beast, giving its neck a scritch. 

    "Good morning, sunshine!" He said leaning on his staff, "I trust you slept well?"

    "To be honest," Callum said, shakily picking himself up from the floor, "I was so excited to learn about the sun arcanum that I couldn't sleep".

    With a smirk, Zelmai cocked his head towards the giant bird, "Aww, did you hear that, Hartmon?" The bird perked up as he heard its name, "the little hero didn't sleep last night."

    The bird only squawked.

    "Well," said Zelmai as he picked up his staff and slammed it down hard on the hardwood floor, "the cockatrice crowed which means your training begins now. Get dressed. There's breakfast on the table downstairs."

Callum tried to shake out the cobwebs still lingering within his head. He hurriedly tossed on his clothes and rushed into the hall. Rayla was standing at the archway of her bedroom, rubbing her eyes and wearing the fleece nightgown that had once belonged to her aunt.

    "Did someone open a zoo in here?" She asked mid-yawn.

    "No time to talk," said Callum running by with a huff, "training started."

Rayla's eyes popped wide as she smiled. She ran back into her bedroom closing the door behind her.

Once downstairs, a table full of delicious looking food awaited him. Callum pulled the bench up to the table and reached for a plate full of brightly coloured tarts bursting with rich purple filling. His mouth watered as he went to pop it in his mouth but he didn't see Zelmai's pet bird Hartmon coming around behind him snatching the tart from Callum's hand. Hartmon lifted its head as it swallowed the treat in one bite.

    "Hey!" Said Callum.

    "CAH CAWWWWW!" Replied the cockatrice.

    "Hartmon's right," said Zemai poking his head from the archway of the kitchen, "no sitting during training time. Grab what you can carry and follow me to the back of the house."