The Royal Tract was crowded as usual. Everyone was moving in small groups heading towards exclusive shops or the Central Bank. Some were just strolling along heading for the wealthy villas in the heart of the city or the vast parks scattered around it. Bleist also took a stroll to see the city. He had come here the day before to visit an old friend who had just taken up his post as Ambassador to Dagos. At first he had been fascinated by the centre of the capital, but now it seemed to him somehow artificial, lacking that unique originality he remembered from years ago. I might have expected this, he thought bitterly. Dragons love everything new and adapt another European fashion without the slightest thought. He shook his head as he passed a group of men in black justacorps and the same hats. Suddenly the Tract began to repulse him. It didn't enthrall him the way it used to because it reminded him too much of the main arteries of Paris, London or Berlin. It ceased to appeal to him. Somewhere inside, he felt an overwhelming desire to see that Dagos he remembered again. The streets where dragons strolled freely, shimmering in an unimaginably huge array of colours, where every now and then someone took off and landed on the pavements. Crowds of visitors mingling with the citizens. Clusters of shrieking dwarves betting with dragons on who has the stronger head. Clusters of elves, roaming here and there in search of various goods available only here. Mages hurrying in their bulky robes with scrolls and books to libraries and countless laboratories scattered all over Dagos. Outbursts of thunderous laughter supported occasionally by plumes of fire shooting into the sky. The smells of local cuisine wafting from the wide-open doors of restaurants and beckoning you to enter. Groups of small children running through the streets or playing aerial tag. It had all disappeared somewhere, replaced by elegant men and women roaming the Royal Tract without much purpose. He missed that city.

Bleist snorted disapprovingly and turned into one of the streets further away, wanting to see if the whole town had changed or if it was just the rich who had created some new trend and were trying to impress each other. He didn't quite know where he was going, he just let his feet carry him by themselves. He walked quietly somewhere in an undefined direction, immersed in his own memories of youthful trips to the dragon capital and the excitement that accompanied them. He smiled involuntarily as he recalled how he felt when he first arrived here. Slowly he delved into the other districts of Dagos discovering that nothing had really changed. The further he moved away from the Tract the more he liked what he saw. The crowds may not have been there, but it still felt like the way it used to be. He passed small stalls and shops offering fresh products, cosy restaurants tickling his nose with pleasant smells. Several children ran past him, shouting and laughing, and when they passed him they jumped in front of him, turning into dragons and flying over the buildings to escape from one of the younger boys, who, with a smile, tried to chase them and catch someone. The sun shimmered on their multi-coloured skin as they dashed up the street.

Bleist laughed and suddenly decided that he would stay there for a while. He took a quick look around and headed for one of the small restaurants that had attracted him with its colourful signboard. He was hungry, and it was from there that the pleasant smell of roast meat and spices came to him. He sat down comfortably at a table looking at the life going on in front of him. He felt like the old days again.

-What would you, honourable gentleman, wish for?- asked the grim waiter, a powerfully built dragon, looking at his guest distrustfully. Bleist only now remembered that he had put on a pale blue robe and leather armour with gold decorations and an Atlantean star on his chest.

-Dagyan roast and beer, please,- the mage threw in with a smile, -just make sure everything is served the way it has always been done here, and not some fancy version for the rich,- he poked him playfully with his finger.

The waiter looked at him from under his furrowed brows for a moment, and then smiled radiantly which completely transformed his face. He became a cheerful, good-natured giant with laughing eyes and a wide smile. Bleist found that he probably looked like this normally, and grimaced at the sight of rich people wanting to change everything. He liked this attitude.

-I'm getting it.- The dragon nodded and snorted as he looked across the street at a group consisting of dwarves and dragons preparing for the age-old competition of who can drink more.

The wizard watched everyone walking down the street in awe and began to reminisce about his youth again. He laughed in spirit suddenly realising that he was behaving just as he had done on his first visit to the city. He sat in some random pub, ordered something local to eat and watched the overflowing multicoloured stream of dragons, mages and other creatures uninterrupted. The same sounds reached him as then: laughter and the roar of lively conversations. He was glad to have found that Dagos of years ago.

Finally, the waiter returned and, with a gleam in his eye, placed an aromatic roast and a huge mug of beer in front of him. He glanced once more at Bleist and left to serve other customers. The wizard could have sworn that the dragon glanced at him with interest every now and then, but he didn't care. He drew the scent deep into his lungs and enjoyed the unique aroma of the spices used here. Then he reached for his mug and took a massive sip. He choked and coughed. He was a little surprised. He had expected a rather ordinary beer, but he had been given a dwarven version of the drink. Now it was burning in his throat and tears were pushing their way to his eyes. He croaked, reminding himself that exactly the same thing had happened the first time. All these years, he had forgotten that dragons buy beer from dwarves because they consider it so much better than others. Finally, he wiped his mouth with his hand and set about his meal.

The whole time he was eating he was looking at the street and the life going on there. He watched the haggling with the traders, the laughing groups strolling everywhere and the children who continued to play tag every now and then disappearing over the roofs of the tenements. It was these that most attracted his attention, bringing back another wave of memories. This time he recalled his childhood spent on Atlantis and the games he used to indulge in with his friends. He sighed as he finished his lunch and sipped the rest of his beer. He sat for some more time looking at it all and then got up leaving a few gold coins on the table. He knew he had left too much, but to him this meal was worth far more than those measly pennies.

Bleist moved on ahead, down the street. He wondered where he would get to by continuing in this direction. He continued to look around the whole time and was content to absorb everything he saw. He gloated about his surroundings and the joyful life going on around him.

He had long since moved away from the wealthy part of the city and was now wandering through streets lined with tall tenements that housed the shops and businesses of small craftsmen below. From time to time, smells came to him, undeniably coming from some alchemy laboratories. He smiled then, thinking of the dragons' love of experimentation and the pursuit of knowledge in contrast to their love of comfort, laziness and wealth.

The sun was already slowly beginning to set as Bleist arrived at one of the harbours located inside the city, by one of the three rivers flowing through it. He stopped watching the water painted red by the setting sun. Down below, he could see fishing boats leaving the harbour for a night's fishing outside the city. There were already fewer people walking around, but the restaurants were slowly filling up with guests.

The wizard breathed in the fresh night air enjoying another familiar sight with his eyes. Suddenly, a single silhouette in the sky caught his eye. It was approaching him rather quickly. After a moment, he noticed that the dragon flying towards him was black. He wrinkled his eyebrows slightly curious about the approaching figure. Among dragons, the colours black and white were very rare and rather infamous. There were stories circulating from the beginning of civilisation about two powerful brothers who were infamous for their cruelty. One of them was precisely black and the other white. Dragons also firmly believed that these colours brought bad luck.

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Bleist watched the young dragon land near the wharf and was even more surprised to see golden eyes diligently sweeping the shore. He immediately transformed into a man. He was undersized, looked scared and a little neglected. All the time he was looking around nervously. After a few seconds, he let himself run towards the nearest side street and disappeared around the corner.

The mage stood curious about the dragon's appearance. Somewhere in his mind the thought was palpitating that this young boy was special in some ways. The black colour of the dragon's scales was extremely rare, but the golden eyes perhaps had never yet occurred. Two unique qualities that made him draw attention, but something told Bleist that there was more to him than that.

A few seconds after the boy's disappearance, a large band of shimmering youngsters of various colours landed on the wharf. They looked as if they were looking for something.

-He has escaped us again!- shouted one of them, casting ominous glances all around.-How could you have lost him?!- he shouted at those standing closest to him.

Bleist did not hear the answer, but it was unlikely to satisfy the dragon, who seemed to act as the leader of the band. He merely waved a paw armed with powerful claws dismissively and bared all his teeth.

-We'll find you anyway, you freak! -he shouted at full volume.-You can't hide from us! -he added and, flapping his wings furiously, took to the air. The others looked at each other and followed him.

Bleist watched them fly away disapprovingly and thought with sympathy what the black dragon must have been going through as he fled from them. He already knew why he was frightened and why he had disappeared so quickly. He shook his head and looked at his pocket watch. It was already approaching eight o'clock so he turned back and, taking the shortest route, set off towards the Embassy. He had a little over an hour until dinner in the company of his friend, and he was not in too much of a hurry, knowing that he would certainly make it in time. His thoughts were once again roaming freely pulling up some old memories and soaking up the atmosphere of Dagos.

His thoughts were once again roaming freely pulling up some old memories and soaking up the atmosphere of Dagos [https://img.wattpad.com/45e7cb6149ff2e0a0c6fa0b07e74636d020cfeb2/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f73716b314430497748596c4763513d3d2d313532333638343739382e313832616361643562333630313335303236313832393832383331322e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Bleist entered a large study in the Embassy building. The room was rather large, and the huge windows opening onto the garden and the fireplace with its cheerfully crackling fire further enlarged it visually. The room was rather sparsely furnished. In the centre stood a mahogany table with carved scenes from dragon mythology, which had been a gift from the Dragon Council to the first Atlantean Ambassador who had taken up residence in this very villa. The table was surrounded by comfortable chairs with embroidered upholstery. Against the walls between the windows stood tall bookcases piled from top to bottom with heavy volumes in dark bindings.

Othis leaned against the ledge of the fireplace thoughtfully gazing into the flames. He had been a busy man lately and did not often find time for private meetings or relaxation. Even though he had only just taken office, he already felt tired of the political life of Dagos. Its intricacies and mysteries that had to be discovered on his own. He had always been told that he was a born politician, but the current situation showed, at least according to him, that he still lacked a lot. Very often he had to deal with specialists and his predecessors getting lost in a tangle of disputes and intrigues. However, he nevertheless did his job and ran the politics of Atlantis to the best of his ability, and he could tell from the reactions of his superiors that he was not doing as badly as he thought.

-Hello Hugo.- Bleist smiled, seeing his friend in a state of deep thought.

-Darius!- Othis turned to his guest and rushed to hug him in greeting.-You have been away for a long time. You must have been admiring some of the wonders of the Tract, or any of the city's parks.

-To be honest, I don't like the central Dagos at all anymore.-The mage squirmed slightly with distaste.-I really liked the old one better, which I still remember from my term.

-Well, tastes are not to be discussed.- Othis waved his hand towards the table.-Sit down, dinner will be served soon.

-You always know what I need.- Bleist accepted the invitation and sat down on a chair opposite his host.-Tell me how your time in your new role is going.- He asked, looking around the room once more.

-You know, everything was great at first, but after just a few days I got fed up with everything. Constant meetings with all kinds of representatives of the nobility, endless balls following one after another and being the number one topic on the list of gossip can really wear a person out.- The mage rolled his eyes and waved his hand warding off the memory.- It doesn't matter. Let's not spoil the evening with tales of some twisted business. Rather, tell me what's going on with you.

-You know.- Bleist nodded his head slowly.-Old misery. As an advisor they rather keep me on Atlantis, but just as often I have to tangle with all the diplomatic missions which is no fun for me.

-I think it will be different here,- Othis stated with a glint in his eye.

-Surely.- Bleist laughed cheerfully.-I'm on holiday here, so it must be better than on business trips.

The conversation continued until and during the serving of the meal. The friends exchanged insights about the city, politics, but also told each other various anecdotes and adventures that had happened to them since they last met.

The friends exchanged insights about the city, politics, but also told each other various anecdotes and adventures that had happened to them since they last met [https://img.wattpad.com/036eb5ba46f6b7a8b29d3588b9eb1bd79fcc00d7/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f32726e5672725a76756b6a5077413d3d2d313532333638343739382e313832616361646139656266376339663630323838363938313931392e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

When they had finished eating Othis suggested a walk in the gardens of the villa grounds to which Bleist readily agreed. The two mages were silent for some time watching the night sky dotted with sparkling stars. It was warm outside and a pleasant breeze was blowing bringing with it the quiet sounds of the nightlife that was beginning to flourish in Dagos.

After leaving the study, they set off through the gardens and park passing the many gazebos and places of reverie scattered throughout the compound. Finally, they sat by one of the lakes, in whose surface a large round moon was reflected.

-It's peaceful here.- Bleist sighed and thought of the garden located behind his estate on Atlantis.-Quiet and peaceful....

-Yes, you're right.- Othis breathed deeply while looking at the stars.-It's a pity I don't have enough time to sit here in the evenings.

-Don't exaggerate.- Bleist waved his hand slightly.-If I were you, I'd book at least one evening a week to relax in nature and let my shattered nerves cool down a bit.

-And you're right again.-The friend smiled at him.-Basically as always.

-Maybe not always, after all you were the one who became Ambassador.

-And you are the Grand Master's military advisor. I don't see a big difference.

-I do see it.- Bleist leaned back slightly and squinted his face towards the sky.-You, however, have more freedom.

Othis only nodded. He didn't feel like pursuing the subject further, as he knew they could complain about the many drawbacks of their current lives, but they both knew perfectly well that they were happy with what they were doing.

Bleist's attention was suddenly drawn to an object that obscured the stars for a split second. He quickly realised that it was just some dragon. However, this awakened that memory from the harbour and the premonition reignited in him with even greater force.

-You know, something... strange happened today.- He paused and only continued when Othis glanced at him almost demanding the rest of the story.-I was in the city and of course I went to the old part of Dagos....

He stretched the story, which should have been short and concise into an uninterrupted monologue into which he poured all his feelings. At the end, he shared his premonition with his friend.

-I'm not sure why, but I feel that he is somehow different, special.- He shook his head not knowing what to say next.-I don't know why, but something persistently tells me to find him. Don't ask me why, because I don't know.-He shook his head.-I don't know what to do, advise something.

-From experience, we both know that such premonitions are rarely wrong, and accurately read can make all the difference. Just... Just are you sure it was about that dragon and not someone else?

-I am sure.- Bleist nodded without a hint of hesitation.-I could not be mistaken.

-If that's the case, I can help you look for him if you want, but I wouldn't count on too much.

-I understand and I am grateful to you.

-I wonder who he might be....