Chi Myst'wing

Chapter 1 - An Outcast Expelled

Chi Myst'wing had sat near the crystal-clear lake since morning. By the reflection on the lake's surface, she could see a clear image of herself – a slender redragon with eyes like those of a phoenix. Her wings were rather unusual; glowing white mist as the shape of her wings, rather than the fleshy wings that every redragon has. As she was mesmerised by her own reflection, deafening beatings of dragonhide drums startled her. She turned to the source of the sound and saw hundreds of redragons were gathering to face a more massive and spikier redragon.

The spiked redragon was Rouge Ti, the chieftain of Igniswing. Standing on a large boulder, he raised his chest as he was about to speak.

The drum beating stopped, and the dragonhead horn blew.

"My fellow brethren," said Rouge. "Today, as we know, is the annual hunting festival. This is a tradition of the millennium to pay respect and tribute to our God, Igniswing. For those who are twelve or older, as the descendants of the great Igniswing, we must join in the hunt. So that our God can bless us, the males with strength and the females with fertility for another year. Those with the great hunt will honour and glorify our own bloodlines! Do remember, the hunting lasts only a day. All must return before the Sol sets." Rouge paused as the whole tribe of redragons seemed wanting to launch themselves any time now.

"Let the hunt begins!"

Hundreds of redragons roared so loud that every being on the neighbouring islands could have heard it like there's a thunderstorm in Igniswing. Their mighty wings flapped up a gale of strong wind that sent dust flying to the height of their shoulder. With the surge of adrenaline, all the redragons took off in different directions. Those who participated in the hunt were of youth for they wanted to seek the God's blessings, while those still stood on the ground were the elders whose wings weren't as strong as they used to be.

Chi had watched this tradition every year that she felt a little bored and she turned back to see herself on the lake. Though she was in an age where her peers had gone hunting, she wasn't as eager as them. She never cared much for the hunt, since it was more bewitching to look at herself. She could do some pondering too.

Something grasped her arm that she turned to look. It was Emberfist. He was much taller than her, as was more muscular.

"Sweet darling!" said Emberfist.

"Me is not your darling!" said Chi as she tried to pull her hand from his grip.

"You have been betrothed to me even before we are born."

His grip on Chi's arm was so tight that she felt her arm go numb. "No, Emberfist!" she shouted with a shaken voice. With all her might, she resisted. Her legs rooted into the ground, but since Emberfist was much stronger, she was being dragged, her feet were drawing out the soil.

"Chi, I have always liked you," said Emberfist. "And I want to take you to a place where you will love it."

"Me don't care how much you like me," said Chi. "Release me at once! You suppose to go hunting!"

"I don't care," said Emberfist. "I prefer to be with you. I can also make you as my hunt."

"Let me off, will you?"

A louder voice echoed, "Emberfist!" and Emberfist stopped in an instant.

And Chi pulled out her numb hand. Thank goodness, it was the chief who had come to her rescue.

"Emberfist!" said Rouge. "Leave her! Go hunting now!"

Before Emberfist spread his wings, he had one last glance at her. "Chi, you are lucky because of your papa. Otherwise, you can't even survive here." Then, he flapped his wings and lifted off. Gale of gust and sands followed by.