Bright scorching flames blazed around Lian’s body, licking her exposed skin, coiling around her limbs and torso. She could feel their powerful heat as they writhed and lashed, but she remained impervious to their wrath. She gazed upward, high above the raging fire to its source, and was filled with a feeling of awe and fear. A beautiful, serpentine creature towered in the sky, its great crimson mane shining with fiery hues as it reared back, taking another deep breath.
Lian braced herself, her stance wide, arms bent with her fists clenched parallel to her ribs. The second blast bathed the slender woman in molten fury, and once again, she endured. She had taken the dragon off guard; she could see it hesitating, sizing her up, trying to figure out how she, an ordinary mortal woman, still stood defiantly before it. This was the perfect opportunity to strike back!
Still maintaining her pose, Lian reached into the depths of her soul to where her own wild inferno always burned. She drew that power upward with little coaxing, just as her father had taught her when she was a child. Her mouth opened wide, and a second later, flames, every bit as hot as those of the dragon’s, erupted from her. The gout of fire slammed into the unsuspecting dragon, inciting a roar of surprised outrage. Her blast had done no more harm to the dragon than its had to Lian; she made her point all the same.
As the flames tapered out, a broad grin spread over Lian’s face. Few had the gall to breathe fire back at a dragon, and the rush of adrenaline-fueled courage made her feel downright giddy. The dragon was regarding her more closely now, watching as her smirk turned into a laugh. It really should have seen its own face, she thought.
Much to her disappointment, the fight was over. The dragon lowered itself down, yellow eyes penetrating to her very spirit. Its lips parted, and she braced, thinking it was about to attack again after all, but instead, it spoke.
It’s, no his, voice was like nothing she had ever heard before. The deep rumble reminded her of standing in a circle of roaring bonfires. Yet, in contrast, his tone was gentle and imploring. Lian’s body relaxed, her demeanor turning somber.
“Byetzu, Tiyomi. Rise to the Heavens and rain purging flame upon the broken, wicked world.” The words echoed, reverberating through Lian’s heart, bones, and mind. “Byetzu!”
image [https://i.imgur.com/wtWYX96.png]
DECEMBER 844 AQE
“Wake up, Lian!” A hand was shaking her, the words breaking through her dream of fire and long forgotten, legendary creatures. Lian swatted at her father’s hand and mumbled, trying to convey she was absolutely awake even though her eyes remained stubbornly shut. She heard him heave a sigh and knew if she didn’t drag herself out of bed soon, he’d resort to more extreme measures.
“Lian…” He stretched her name out in mock warning, as he had done so often when she was younger. “You’d better get your lazy bones out of bed, young lady…”
She quite agreed, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to do much more than groan back at him. She was far too comfortable, too warm, her dream too pleasant! How could he possibly expect her to get up so early and under such conditions?
“All right, you brought this on yourself…” He didn’t hesitate any longer. A moment later, his strong, artisan’s hands were at her ribs, tickling without a shred of mercy.
“No, no!” she squealed, trying to fight him off. Lian squirmed and flailed against the inhumane assault. “Get off me, ruffian!” she shouted in between gasping breaths. “I’m up! I’m up!”
Taoru, as her father was named, finally relented and flopped unceremoniously onto the edge of the bed to catch his own breath. “I’m getting too old for that…” he teased, reaching over to affectionately boop her nose. “And so are you.”
Still quieting the last of her giggles, Lian swiped at the sleep in her eyes while sticking her tongue out. “You say that about everything…”
“Well, I warned you many times not to grow up.” He smiled, his golden eyes twinkling down at her with fatherly love. “But you didn’t listen to me.”
She was certain if he’d had the choice, Taoru would have her remain his little girl forever. Covered in dirt from playing outside, running barefoot around his workshop, sitting on his shoulders as they took long walks in the woods together… Lian missed those days as well, when she was small and full of innocent curiosity. She didn’t possess a single memory of ever being alone or frightened and had always known her father would be there for her no matter what.
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Lian reached for Taoru’s hand, marveling that even at twenty, hers looked so small in comparison. “Sorry, Dad,” she whispered and meant it.
They sat there together in silence for a few minutes, absorbing the moment, before Taoru finally leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his daughter’s head. “Come now, Miryu, breakfast is getting cold, and we both have a great deal to accomplish today.” He stood up and squeezed her hand once more before letting go and walking from the room.
She rolled her eyes at the sappy, draconic nickname he’d been using for her ever since she could remember, then watched him go. She admired everything about him, from the proud way he held his head to the subtle strength of his broad shoulders. The world didn’t make many men such as Master Taoru the Sculptor, who were both wise and kind, strong and honorable. He had raised Lian alone, her mother having left him to marry according to family obligation instead.
At the thought of her estranged mother, Lian hopped to her feet and busied herself getting ready for the day. Anything to take her mind off the woman she had never even met. It wasn’t long before she was absorbed in her tasks, brushing through her long, silky black hair, changing out of her night clothes and into the silk dress she wore around the estate.
“Lian! Come eat!” Taoru’s voice sounded from the other room, beckoning her toward the smell of breakfast. Her stomach growled and she gave it a consoling pat before leaving the room to join her father at the table.
It was just another cold, December morning for Lian. They chatted while they ate, then she helped with the dishes so that Taoru could head out to his workshop early. He had a new commission waiting to be started and after days of sketching, he was ready to begin sculpting the piece in earnest.
Lian’s day would be far less interesting. She had a mountain of books waiting in the other room to work through. Taoru had always insisted she be educated and though he was a gentle father, he expected her best when it came to learning. Whether it was language, history, or magic, though the latter was a subject much more to her liking.
After the dishes were done, Lian settled down in Taoru’s study with one of several thick tomes and began the process of translating the assigned passage. It was an ancient book written in draconian, passed down through the generations until it had come to Taoru. Someday it would be given to Lian so she could torture her own children with it.
She puffed out a sigh and let her thoughts wander back to the dream she’d been enjoying before she was so rudely interrupted. It was nothing new. She’d been intermittently having the same dream for several years now and she often wondered if it meant she was destined for greater things than this simple existence that her father insisted on.
Somewhere out there was adventure, just waiting for her to come along and experience it. Maybe Taoru had abandoned such notions, but Lian still saw excitement in her future. All she had to do was reach out and take her destiny by the reins. Except doing what she wanted and what Taoru wanted were two different things.
She didn’t dare voice the desire that even now nagged at her. Not because she feared reprisal, but because she didn’t want to hurt him by turning her back on what he thought was best for her. Lian knew without a doubt that Taoru only had her best interests at heart and yet she couldn’t help feeling trapped by it.
A distant, familiar rumble dragged Lian back to the moment and the ink that was dripping from her brush onto the rice paper. “Oops!” She dipped it into the inkwell, grimacing as a few more drops splattered the page, then she rose from her seat to scurry into the main living area.
The noise that still hadn’t abated could mean only one thing; horses. Someone was coming to visit and she was eager to see who. She hurried through the house and into Taoru’s workshop where he was wiping his hands with a cloth. It didn’t look as though he’d gotten very far, a fact that was confirmed when he turned around. There was fleeting irritation on his face.
“Who is it, Dad?” Lian was halfway to the shop door when Taoru’s stern voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
“Soldiers. Now go back to your studies.”
His tone left no room for argument, but she wasn’t about to give up so easily. “But, Dad…” She flashed her best smile, hoping to win him over with sheer cuteness. “What do you think they want?”
“Lian, don’t make me repeat myself.” Taoru rarely sounded so commanding.
Hearing it now sent a little chill down Lian’s spine. There was a somberness to her father’s demeanor as he headed for the open workshop doors. What was he so worried about? Why did he always get like this when the warlord’s troops paid them a visit?
Lian stared at her father’s broad back, noting the tension in his shoulders for the first time. His playful nature was gone, replaced with something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Fear? She shook her head, refusing to believe mere soldiers could frighten Taoru.
He cast a somber stare over his shoulder at her, warning her without the use of words that she was on thin ice.
Grumbling under her breath, Lian didn’t argue further. She turned away and went back into the house proper. Once she got there, she halted, arms folded over her chest and an expression of annoyed disappointment on her face.
“I’m not a child,” she muttered, ignoring how petulant she sounded.
Voices drifted in from outside, though she could scarcely make out what they were saying. Curiosity burned in her like a wildfire, threatening to consume her as she stood there fidgeting. It wasn’t like her to be disobedient, but on the other hand, she and Taoru rarely disagreed enough for her to feel the need to act against him.
Unable to stop herself, Lian crept closer to the front door. She’d been told to resume her studies, but she couldn’t resist the pull of what was going on just out of earshot. A little closer and she’d be able to hear everything that was being said.
She was right at the edge of the door and from her vantage point she could make out Taoru’s outline. She expected for him to turn around and scold her, but if he knew she was there, he didn’t give her position away. Smiling to herself, thinking she had outfoxed her father, she remained in position and listened intently to everything that was being said.