“Oh, joy, could it get any hotter?” His voice was raw with frustration. Drax flung a fallen branch into the air, his anger and discontent boiling. He stood up and grabbed a farming tool. Drax lived in a small village, on the outskirts of Carnareia, where the air was mostly dry and hot. He spent his days helping his father with their small farm, growing crops that thrive in harsh conditions.

Dragons like Drax weren’t welcome in Carnareia's more populated spots. The city dwellers shunned and feared them, while the powerful Elementals looked down on them as inferior like their scales and wings made them less worthy.

Dragons struggled to make a living and earn respect. Drax’s father told stories of when people revered dragons for their strength and wisdom, but now they consider them outcasts.

Beyond Drax’s village, six Elementals reign. One, responsible for weather control, grew frustrated with people's minor disobedience and unleashed sweltering heat. A lifeless tree stands nearby, its branches like skeletal fingers.

As Drax worked alongside his father, he noticed the deep lines on his face, etched by years of struggle as a dragon outcast. His father’s eyes, once fiery with determination, now seemed weary from endless battles against Elemental scorn.

Walking back to their shack, Drax’s eyes clouded with unease as he gazed at his father. His shoulders sagged under unspoken expectations and showed resentment when he spoke.

“What’s on your mind?” His words were heavy with skepticism.

The words hung in the air like a challenge, and Drax’s father met them with an unwavering gaze. The silence followed was oppressive until his father broke it with unexpected news.

“I’ve saved enough to send you to Blueborne Academy,” his voice was low and deliberate.

Drax’s expression darkened like a gut punch. He slumped onto the couch, scanning the desolate landscape outside for answers. Memories of their village, people, and way of life threatened to overwhelm him.

“Why would I want to leave?” His voice cracked with emotion. “We have everything we need here. What are we supposed to gain from living in some city full of strangers?”

His father’s expression turned stern, but Drax saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes. “You’ll fit in just fine,” he said. “You’ll make new friends and learn new things.”

But Drax knew that wasn’t true. He’d heard stories about dragons being treated poorly. A lump formed in his throat as he processed the news.

“I don’t want to go,” he whispered.

His father’s expression softened, and he reached out a hand to comfort his son. “I understand, but we must do what’s best for you.”

Drax nodded jerkily, feeling like he was torn in two directions–between his love for his father and his desire for independence.”

As dawn’s faint light crept in, Drax’s worries dissipated. He jumped up from the bed, his mind racing. He packed his bag and hit the road, leaving an uncertain future behind.

Upon trekking to the bus leading to the train station, he watched rabbits scurry towards their designated routes. He saw one curious individual stray away, only to have its life cut short by a hawk’s deadly talons.

As Drax stepped off the bus, the cacophony of sounds hit him like a slap in the face. Horns blared, people shouted, and announcements echoed through the station. The air was thick with food vendors and exhaust fume smells.

Drax scanned the crowds, looking for his train. He’d never been to this city before, and everything felt overwhelming. The towering buildings loomed above him, casting long shadows across the platform.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

As he walked towards the ticket counter, some rowdy teenagers pushed past him, laughing and shouting. Drax felt a surge of frustration. Why did people always have to be so loud?

He reached the counter and checked his ticket, anxious about leaving his village behind. As Drax checked his ticket, the air vibrated with the music pulse, and Uni’s feet tapped out the beat as he strolled up to Drax. His eyes locked onto Drax’s, and a bright, irrepressible grin spread across his face.

“Hey, man!” Uni said, his voice like a burst of confetti in the wind. He flung his arm around Drax’s shoulders, nearly knocking him off balance. Drax’s grip on his ticket tightened as he tried to shrug off Uni’s grasp.

Drax couldn’t help but admire Uni’s striking appearance as he struggled to free himself. A white skin tone, coated with black symbols running up his arm, shimmered in the station's fluorescent light. The symbols seemed to pulse with power that only a demi-elemental could possess.

Paired with a jean jacket pressed with a style that only the models Drax saw on billboards could compete with. The belt sparkled with the rarity Drax heard of in the legends his father told him. It was topped with pale, spikey hair, blowing in the gentle breeze.

“Yo! Are you like... a dragon, dude?” Uni asked, his voice loud and cheerful. Drax’s gaze remained skeptical as Uni poked at his scales. He swiped Uni’s hand away with a flick of his wrist, his wrist tightening as he stood straight.

“What do you want?" he asked, his tone cold and guarded. Uni’s grin faltered for a moment before recovering. “Just introducing myself, man. I’m Uni. What’s yours?” Drax’s eyes remained unimpressed. “Drax.” Uni’s eyes lit up. “Sweet! So, Drax, I feel like we’re supposed to be friends or something. Fate brought us together." His unsettling enthusiasm laced his words, making Drax’s skin crawl.

“Also, if the symbols didn’t give it away, I AM a demi-elemental, son of the earth Elemental.”

The harmonies beaming in the background seemed to amplify Drax's nervousness. As Drax walked through the crowded train station, he couldn’t help but feel unease. The sounds of the city assaulted his ears as he was sensitive to loud sounds.

Uni’s words, meant as a joke, only added to his discomfort. “Yo dude, you look like a ticking time bomb! You’re about to blow!” Drax’s gut twisted with anxiety as he felt his friend’s eyes on him. He had always struggled with feeling like an outsider, and Uni’s comment only made him feel like he was indeed a ticking time bomb, waiting to erupt.

Drax felt his heart pounding as they approached the escalator. He hated being this close to so many people and how they stared at him like he was some freak. He glanced down at his scales, his eyes tracing familiar patterns and colors. Why did they have to be so... obvious? Why did he have to stand out like this?

The music played harshly; Drax felt it in his bones, his skin tingling with the rhythm. But it was wrong. The notes seemed discordant like they scraped against each other like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Drax caught sight of a group of people staring at him as they reached the top of the escalator. The twisted faces showed looks of shock and fear, and Drax felt his anger simmering.

Drax’s anxiety reached boiling point. Suddenly, Drax’s body exploded into motion. He charged forward, his massive strides devouring the distance between himself and the crowd. The surrounding people scattered in terror as he thundered towards them, his roar shaking the air.

Drax’s strength was unlike anything seen. He ripped apart tables and chairs, sent trash cans flying, and smashed through walls easily. The ground shook beneath his feet as he unleashed fury on the city.

But it wasn’t just destruction he sought–it was a way to make them see him. To make them understand, he was more than just a freak, more than just a monster. He was a force to be reckoned with.

The music screeched to a halt as Drax stopped his rampage. Panting heavily, he stood amidst the wreckage, his chest heavy. The city around him lay in ruins, but for one moment, he felt free.

Uni approached him cautiously, eyes wide with awe. “Dude, what happened?”

Drax’s gaze narrowed, still simmering in anger. “You know exactly what happened," he growled, his voice low and menacing.

Uni looked at the chaos and inhaled. “Dude! That was AWESOME! You’re so lucky that this part of the city was on the outskirts, otherwise, you’d be paying a pretty hefty fine.” Drax, now seeing his train in this distance, walked off.

”Hey! Wait for me, man! I don’t know where you’re heading, but I’m coming! Fate remember?”

Drax and Uni sat in a quiet car as the train rumbled on, away from the platform hustle and bustle. Uni was still bursting with excitement despite the chaos they left behind.

"So, Drax, what's the plan now?" His eyes shone with curiosity. "Normally I'd stop talking to you, but since I'm stuck with you, my father sent me to Blueborne Academy, so that's where I'm heading." Drax looked out the window, his eyes absorbing the wondrous colors of the city, compared to his dry village. Though this was an exciting trip, Drax was still feeling uncertain, as his senses were tight, and the whole thing didn't feel right.

"Blueborne Academy!?" Uni nearly fell out of his seat. "That's the most prestigious academy in Blueborne!" "Hence the name, man." Uni slouched playfully. Spells, studies, and discipline all wandered through Drax's head. What could this opportunity bring to him? More importantly, he left everything he'd known growing up.