Chapter 4

The town of Larcbost is a small one, but it is a tad bit bigger than the town the master and I live in. Well, technically we live on the outskirts, but tomato tomato, right?

I walked down the cobblestone streets, looking at all of the shops and homes that were sprinkled on either side of the streets. The hustle and bustle of the town was a sight I wasn't all too familiar with. Women seemed to be out shopping in the street, with their young children. The men, young and old, were all working hard wherever it was needed, earning pools of sweat on their backs.

I walked down street after street, following the directions I got from a passerby, until I took a turn into the last alleyway. I came to a clearing, revealing a lone building on a hill. With determination, I trudged toward the doctor's building through the muddy path. The state of my leather shoes I had slipped on this morning, was far from my mind.

I knocked boldly on the door, amd awaited an answer. It was not long until an elderly woman, with long silver hair that nearly touched the floor, beckoned to my call. The lady made eye contact, and her hazy jade eyes turned into crescent moons with her smile.

"Hello there, dear. May I help you?" Her voice was aged, yet kind.

"Good afternoon. I was wondering if I would be able to meet with a doctor. There is a matter that I need looked at," I spoke, slightly embarrassed. She opened the door completely and ushered me in.

"Yes, come in. I am the doctor in this town. I would be happy to look at whatever you may need," she softly said. I nodded with a small, 'thank you.'

My eyes immediately took in my surroundings. It was a very quaint little cottage, with a wooden examining table taking up nearly the whole room. I could catch a small peak into the next rooms, amd saw a wall of liquids in bottles. Presumably medicine.

"You can take a quick seat on the table, amd tell me what ales you." She closed the door behind her, walking closer toward me. I followed her instruction.

"I was born with a mark on top of my breast. For eighteen years of my life, it has reassembled a simple ink splot, with no symmetry to speak of. However, on my eighteenth birthday, it began shifting. Three days ago, it was ring shaped. Then, in the middle of the night last night, I awoke to a searing pain. I looked down at my birthmark, and it was glowing. Once the glow simmered down, I noticed my birthmark took this new shape," I said as I pulled down my blouse, revealing the red dragon on my chest.

The elderly lady put on her spectacles, that were previously hanging around her neck by a beaded necklace. She squinted, and ran her finger over the raised skin imprinted with the mark of a beast. Her touch felt like fire, and I instantly jerked away involuntarily. Her eyes then met mine.

"It pains you?"

"Yes. It feels like it's on fire," I replied.

"My dear. I hope I am wrong, but I do believe this is Litatio. You have been cursed," she said, folding her glasses back up.

"Litatio? W-what does that mean?" Worry began to fill my being.

"Sacrifice," she said, dead seriously. I was taken aback.

"Sacrifice? To whom? By whom? What does this mean?" My words came out frantic. My heart was beating faster.

"The dragons. Ever since the attacks started, there have been young women around the countryside with these marks. They are offered up to the dragons, to spare their village. It seems that… you are one of those young women destined to be sacrificed. I'm sorry," she apologized. She seemed genuine, but I didn't want to hear it. I wanted to know how to fight this mark. I need more lessons from Merlin. Sooner than later it seems.

"Thank you, so much. I'll take my leave. But for your services, I shall leave this potion." I placed a vial of red liquid on her table as I fixed my clothes, and prepared to leave.

"A magic user? Is this the very rare potion, Aqua Tofana?" She was wide eyed, and seemed extremely intrigued.

"Indeed. Will it cover the expenses?"

"My dear child, yes! Thank you so much! Bless your soul!" She cradled the small vial of healing potion to her heart. Her appreciation radiated off of her. I simply smiled, nodded, and exited.

It was unfortunate, but I can not stay here a while longer to look into the details of my parents' suspected murderer. I need to get home, and prepare myself for a possible dragon attack, if this mark leads them to me. I have faith in my abilities as they are, but it definitely wouldn't hurt to have more training.

I entered the woods in which I came, and followed the invisible path I had made for myself. I walked as fast as could without magic. I was now paranoid, and needed to conserve every ounce of my magic power, since I was now aware that the worst could strike at any moment.

With the paranoia and stress fueling my body, I was able to speed walk my way back to the same area I camped out on my way to Larcbost, before the sun began setting. I took advantage of my knowledge of this section of the woods, amd began to set uo camp once again here. However, this evening, I did not have an appetite, therefore didn't even bother to nake a fire. I went straight into making my hammock amongst the branches in the trees. Though, I doubt I'll be able to sleep.

It was a rare time that I hated being right. I was not able to catch a single wink, and I could already feel it was deep into the night. The sun had disappeared behind the horizon hours ago, covering the world around me, in darkness.

I stared up at the stars, thinking about what the doctor had told me. Then, suddenly, a creeping sensation crawled all over my skin. I had quickly taken notice that the woods had grown quiet. Too quiet. Not even the wind in the trees made noise. My brow furrowed, and I whipped my head from side to side. I saw nothing in the dim moonlight. Only shadows, from the looming trees.

A snap then rang out from below, amd my body froze. I slowly looked down, amd heard a deep monstrous rumble from a very very large creature. I yelped as my birthmark began to glow and burn. It was then, that a pair of gigantic yellow eyes were seen in the treeline underneath me. They stared at me with their serpentine pupils, and I instantly knew what had come face to face with me.

A dragon.