Curse Uncurse - ONC 2020 [Completed]

Chapter 3: Devil and Angel

Dragonkind does not fear many things.

The first one that may instigate apprehension is The Grand Test of Power. Every dragonling goes through this rigorous examination and the scars that remain are not always visible.

While putting barely-adults into quite sinister situations would usually be frowned upon - even among the race which boasts of the strict and prideful upbringing of the young - The Grand Test has always been a must, for the Gods had declared it an irrefutable verdict of Dragons' crimes.

Visions.

These too can strike fear into the hearts of the fallen rulers of the clear sky. Especially if they bring bad news. That may be an explanation for reverence seen in the eyes of townsfolk while their gazes trace the members of the Oracle clan. Even Vid... for whom everyone knew he couldn't see.

Other cases of fear include the Gods too. However, what currently makes Plamen doubt his own eyes is the plain fact that there's a quarter of the Zmajeva Zvijezda townsfolk benched on the outskirts of the testing grounds, paling like the Goddess Nužda herself has made an appearance.

Just what the heck is going on? Plamen thinks as he observes the amassed bunch fearfully shuffling their feet while hushed whispers ring with appalled surprise.

He hears a whispered "The Red Ancient..." and looks around the three of them. Everything looks normal; the beginning of the Strašna Šuma looks the same as when he entered it two days prior, with evergreen treeline and dirt paths peeking through the foliage. A lone cloud blocking the sunlight floats to the east, but the hills surrounding the area are glowing vivid green under the morning sunlight easily avoiding the obstacle hovering in the sky.

He looks to the south and there he sees it! A red miasma floating in one spot, engorged with pure but sinister magic. Comprehension laced with fear spreads through his body now that he's aware of it.

It's the Eye.

It must have followed them all the way out here. No... It came with them, he realizes. It must have brought them to this place, but... Is the Test over?

Those hushed whispers become louder and less stifled until people are almost yelling in panicked motion.

At that moment, he feels fingers curling around his wrist. Vid yanks him a bit to his side and whispers, "Don't say anything about the prophecy." Then he turns his head to Zima. "You too."

"Why?" Plamen whispers back.

"Just a hunch," Vid admits bashfully, looking a bit pale in the face as he watches the crowd.

A man steps forward, his hard-set expression seems almost elated, yellow eyes sparkling with power and gold-streaked hair shimmering under the early-morning sunlight.

Plamen recognizes him - Zlatan of the Seer Clan, the highest-ranking Oracle and Vid's father. Also, one of a kind asshole, at that.

He can still remember the man's ruthless and malicious words spat in his direction when Yana started training him a few years ago. Though, he feels those words weren't what they were supposed to be, possibly a diversion of some kind because the man's eyes had never held the same annoyed look as the other dragons' eyes do when trained on him. One could say, those eyes felt worse.

Even now, it's like being an object, a trophy, not a person.

It's not just him, Zlatan's hungry gaze falls on Plamen's companions; first on Zima with a sparkle of sour satisfaction, and then on Vid who curls into himself, trembling arms wrapped around his middle ...and Plamen feels an urgency to protect the heterochromatic boy.