Chapter 2: A New Beginning

As the caravan rode into a clearing, trees parted to reveal a village; men, women, and children all going about their lives. The smell of smoke, warm fresh bread, cooking meat, and the rhythmic sound of metal banging metal filled the air; blacksmiths, hard at work trying to repair the armour that always comes back worse for wear. As more people became aware of the return of the group of knights, smiles crossed the faces of the villagers, younger children ran up to the caravan hoping to see their heroes up close. Their return is met with a celebration, not only for the lives of the knights that were spared but for the lives of the people that were saved.

"Welcome to your new home, Mari" chuckled Bait, waving at the villagers welcoming him home while he sat in one of the carts with his horse lazily following.

Shocked to see the similarities between her old home and her new one the farm girl couldn't form any words, tears rolling down her cheeks. As they moved into the clearing, bathed in the warm rays of the sun, knights spread out greeting their friends and families, who they weren't sure they would see again; all except two, who somehow had the energy to argue despite the long hours of riding they had just completed. From the distance, Mari couldn't tell the difference between the two, as if cast from the same mould, eyes filled with a desire for adventure as if the devastation they've witnessed never set in, hair sculpted by the wind, skin tanned by long hours exposed to the sun, no older than herself. As she got closer she noticed slight differences in their appearances, their individual experiences etched into their faces.

"I told you, you have to be faster when we go for the wings!" shouted the shorter one, three blades attached to his armour, with an accompanying smaller build developed for speed.

"And I told you if we go too early we'd get hit by them!" the other one retorted, one sword extending from his shoulders past his knees the second hung along the side of his horse, unlike his rival, he stood slightly taller with a build more suited to strength.

The back and forth sounded almost rehearsed, no doubt a repeat argument. As a shadow appeared over them eclipsing the sun, the volume of their argument decreasing. A shadow that they've seen many times before, one that scared them more than their worst nightmares.

"Neither of you is going to win this time, same as neither of you has won before" the Captain contributed "How are you so adept at killing dragons but inept at everything else?" he continued.

After mustering the courage to talk to the Captain, Mari shuffled towards the trio. Still unsure of herself and the new group that seems to have taken her in. The events of the days gone, still fresh in her mind. The captain towering over the two young knights, a man who commanded respect with an aura of wisdom. His eyes showing age beyond his and his face, littered with scars from his many encounters with death.

"E-e-excuse me, sir?" she uttered meekly.

"Ah, you must be one of the newest additions to our fine family. My name is Captain Briggs." he paused for a few seconds, "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, I want to fight" she replied, puffed out chest, feeling sure of herself for the first time.

After a quick scan of the girl, Briggs sighed "What have you done until recently?"

"Uh mainly farming, a little hunting"

"Walk with me"

He walked with confidence, his armour and steps gliding silently. Mari started jogging in an attempt to keep up with Brigg's long strides.

"I realise you've gone through a lot the last week or so, but hunting dragons isn't something you pick up in a couple of weeks" he started "In this village, farmers are always in short supply; the mouths that need feeding always increase, but not the number of people that make that food"

"No, I realise that but please I can fight, I learn fast"

"Everyone in the silver torches has been training since the day they could walk, we've raised them since they were eggs*"

"I've lost everything... I lost everything and I didn't even have a chance to fight for it" voice croaking as tears well in her eyes.

They stopped in the centre of the village; running past them with a cart of dragon parts and wood, a group of children, eyes barely looking over the handles, a sword, swinging wildly on each of their hips.

"Please"

His eyebrows creased, hand rubbing his forehead "Fine. Get settled for the next few days then we'll see" the last time he felt this frustrated was when the wing argument first started between Nico and Victor. "I'll get someone to help find a place to set up for now and we'll figure everything else over the next week or so" Briggs said as he called over one of the other knights.

Briggs joined the rest of his company, each as happy to see him as they would be their own family members.

*

Mari woke up early in the morning, the trees stopped the sun from shining through so the mornings were colder than she was used to. She strolled through the village, feeling the morning dew on her feet. The first ones awake were the farmers, next came the dragon hunters and the blacksmiths preparing their tools for the day, finally the rest of the village awoke. As each group rose they added another level of sound to the village. It was a sound that was unfamiliar to her, yet one that she recognised. It was the sound of a home, of serenity; while she still felt out of place, Mari was slowly getting used to her new home and the people that lived there.

Today was her first day as an egg*. On the outskirts of the village the children gathered around a tree, eyes fixed to the knight at the front, patiently waiting for their lessons to start. Mari approached. She was of course the oldest one there.

"First on today's agenda, we've got a new student: Mari. Everyone make her feel welcome"

"Hi Mari" the children said in unison.

"Second, we have a battle strategy and dragon theory refresher" a statement that was not well received by the class.

"I know I know, but we're ending on everyone's favourite: hunting and stalking".

"So first things first, what are the different types of dragons?" a few chubby hands slowly rising "Yes, Ian?"

"Serpent type, Salamander type, Mineral type, Wyvern, and monster type"

"Good job. Now someone else, How do we deal with a mineral type? Taking special note of the fact at the moment we don't know of anything that can pierce their skin" less hands went up this time "Yes, Freya"

"Explosion inside or poison, if you have the time"

"Very good, what classifies as a monster type? Anyone other than Freya or Ian... no one? Okay, Freya"

"It's a unique class, anything that doesn't fit into one of the others is a monster class"

As the sun rose further into the sky they moved into the forest. They were greeted by two figures who stood in the little sun that shone through the canopy of trees. Mari recognised them, yet was uncertain from where.

"Welcome students, today your hunting class will be taught by, arguably, the two best hunters in our village, Nico and Victor" announced their teacher.

"Thank you, Lars" started to the taller one, "most of you know our names by now; but for our newest student I'll reintroduce myself, I am Victor, and this is my colleague..."

"Nico"

"Mari, do you have any experience with hunting?"

"A bit" she replied, a smile forming as up till this point she had felt completely out of her depth.

"Oh ho hoooo, is that confidence I see?" chuckled Nico as he stretched his legs, preparing for a competition of some sort.

Mari's smiled disappeared just as quickly as it had formed, along with any confidence that had bubbled up inside of her, as every member of her class and her instructors scurried into the trees. Victor and Nico, each perched on a branch, shouted instructions down to the others.

"What are you waiting for? Start climbing" shouted Nico

"Dragons are much different than other animals, their size makes it a lot harder to both sneak up on and attack them. So we have to make use of our surroundings to come out on top" added Victor.

The difference between her and the others fully set in as she stared up into the trees, she was behind in both theory and physical ability. Growing up on a farm, Mari always considered herself to be stronger than most people. However, much like herself, these people had grown up with this lifestyle they understood what needed to be done to survive and adapted to it. What Captain Briggs had said to her a few days ago echoed inside her head. Nevertheless, she knew what she wanted, and she now had the answers of how to get there; rather than feeling discouraged she felt more than determined than ever. Today was the first day of her new life.

*egg: a name given to children as they are training to become dragon hunters.