The sun cast its final beams of light over the city of Aneham, painting the ancient domes and spires of the capital in shades of gold and crimson. The city buzzed with excitement and anticipation, as the citizens prepared for the awaited event: The Hunter’s Homecoming.

As night fell, huge orbs of fire floated above the city streets, creating a warm and festive atmosphere. The crowds were a riot of color and laughter, wearing masks and costumes that ranged from elegant to ragged. Some wore elaborate gowns and suits adorned with jewels and feathers, while others wore simple tunics and cloaks patched with different fabrics. Leo looked in envy at some masks and costumes that had magical properties, such as changing colors or emitting sounds or smells. Everyone, young and old, was eager to join in the fun and feast. The air was filled with music and chatter, as well as the aromas of roasted meats, fresh breads, spiced cakes and exotic fruits. Some stalls also offered magical treats, such as candies that made you breathe fire or ice cream that made you levitate.

He looked over at Charlie, who was grinning from ear to ear as he looked out over the crowd, stalls, and entertainers traipsing throughout the streets. Leo had to shout to be heard over the buzzing crowd. “So, what’s the word?”

Charlie leaned closer to Leo and spoke in a conspiratorial tone. “I heard some juicy details from my sources. You won’t believe what the families have planned for this festival.” He pulled Leo by the arm and led him down the street towards the nearest pub. Leo followed him eagerly, curious to hear more.

“The Solas family are going all out this year,” Charlie said. “They have hired the Kellers to throw a buffet for the whole city and have brought exotic ingredients from their lands. Rumor has it they have also arranged for fireworks to light up the night sky every night. They say the fireworks are supposed to move this year.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing,” Leo said. “What else?”

“The Aquira family are being very secretive this year,” Charlie said. “They have taken over the upper floor of the Grounds. They had it closed off from the public two weeks ago. They say they are preparing a spectacular show of water magic and acrobatics that will feature their dragon partners and other sea creatures. They have also ordered all the pubs in the city to stay open 24/7 and offer free drinks to everyone, I guess their healing waters have been used to brew each drink.”

“Free drinks? That sounds too good to be true,” Leo said.

“It is,” Charlie said. “There’s a catch; not all of the drinks are alcoholic," he grumbled, a sour expression crossing his face. "Some of them are lightly alcoholic beverages for underage wizards and witches. Each drink has a different effect on the drinker.”

“That sounds fun,” Leo said, "and the Cerulis?”

“They are showing off their skill and creativity this year,” Charlie said. “They have brought their sharpshooters from the mountainous region to perform an aerial display of ice magic and archery. They say they will shoot ice arrows into the sky and create beautiful patterns and shapes with them. They have also erected an ice and snow art show in the city center, where they have carved out sculptures of dragons, animals, people, and scenes from Sinu’s history. The rumor is they want to celebrate Sinu's culture and heritage with the citizens.”

“That sounds cool,” Leo said.

“Literally,” Charlie said. “It’s freezing in there. You better wear something warm if you want to go see it.”

“What about the Thera family?” Leo asked.

“The Thera family are bringing their best musical troupes and dancers from the forested region to entertain us this year,” Charlie said. “They have organized parades and shows throughout the city, where they will perform songs and dances that harmonize with their dragon partners and other forest creatures. My mom mentioned each of their instruments have been enchanted so the listener feels the mood of the song.”

“That's incredible! Who created that enchantment?” Leo asked incredulously.

“Who do you think? My mom!” Charlie responded. “I guess that's what she's been working on for so long the past few months, she was paid for discretion as part of the commission.” Leo couldn't fathom what kind of magic it would take, the runic knowledge one would need to understand, to come up with such an enchantment.

“The Mora family are being mysterious as usual this year,” Charlie continued. “They have set up a tent in a dark alley near the city center, where they will perform shadow magic and illusions that will challenge our senses and our minds. Apparently, they are also adding to the city patrol, with shadow lancers said to be patrolling the city.”

Leo gasped as he heard the words “shadow lancers”. He could hardly believe that such elite and secretive warriors were in the city. Shadow lancers were bonded to living shadows, enigmatic creatures that only the Mora family could summon and control. The Mora family guarded their secrets jealously, and no one outside their clan knew how they forged their bonds with the shadows. Leo had heard that to become a shadow lancer, one had to cloak oneself with illusion bond magic for an entire day without interruption. That was a feat that few bonded witches or wizards could accomplish, regardless of their type of magic. Leo felt a surge of curiosity and awe as he scanned the dark alleys that crisscrossed the city, hoping to catch a glimpse of the legendary figures. The two boys took off into the night, looking to see how close to the truth the rumors had been. They hadn't made it far when the night sky lit up like the midday sun.

Leo and Charlie watched in awe as the Solas family lit up the night sky with their fireworks. The Solas family, who governed the northern region of Sinu, were known for their fire magic and their affinity with red dragons. They often like to boast that they had the most powerful and majestic creatures in the nation and loved to show them off. The red dragons were huge and splendid, with scales that shimmered like rubies and flames that could melt steel. They soared above the city, roaring in sync with the explosions that formed dazzling shapes and patterns, from stars and flowers to dragons and phoenixes.

"Wow, look at that one!" Charlie exclaimed, pointing at a dragon that spewed a stream of fire that split into a dozen smaller sparks. "It's like a firework itself!"

Leo nodded; his eyes wide with wonder. He had always dreamed of seeing a dragon up close, but he knew it was impossible. Even at the Grounds, he was never permitted to see the dragon hatchery or enclosure. He was only ever allowed into the maintenance lobby to collect the old eggs for disposal. Even that was a rare treat, as a dragon's egg looked like none of the other mythical creature eggs. In reality, he had no chance of ever meeting a dragon, let alone bonding with one. He felt a pang of envy as he saw the Solas family members riding on their dragons' backs, waving at the cheering crowd.

"They're so lucky," he muttered. "They have everything. Power, wealth, fame, dragons..."

Charlie nudged him gently. "Hey, don't be so glum. We have this entire festival to enjoy, right?" Looking away from the riders in the sky, Leo looked at his friend and nodded. Charlie was right, as usual. But maybe it was easier for Charlie to be so optimistic, considering his station in life. What could Leo ever hope to accomplish as a tracker? Charlie, noticing the internal struggle in his friend’s eyes, decided it was time to move on. "Come on Leo, let's go."

He grabbed Leo's arm and dragged him along one of the main avenues, where the Solas family also hosted lavish food buffets. True to Charlie's word, they offered a variety of dishes that tantalized the taste buds. There were spicy curries that made one's mouth burn, sweet pastries that melted in one's tongue, and everything in between. All the food was infused with a hint of fire magic that enhanced the flavor and warmth.

"Come on, let's try some of this!" Charlie said, grabbing a plate and piling it with food. He handed Leo a cup and said, "Here, drink this. It's Fizzwizz. It's supposed to make you feel giddy." Leo took a sip and felt a tingling sensation in his mouth. He coughed and sputtered as bubbles formed in his throat.

Laughing, Charlie yelled to his friend over the roaring activities surrounding them, "Let's go see what else we can find!" He pulled Leo along the crowded streets, where there were other attractions and entertainments. There were games, shows, and shops that catered to every taste and interest. Slowly, the two made their way to the top floor of the Grounds, joining an ever-growing line of people who were whispering excitedly about what show they would get to see in the massive training grounds usually reserved for the riders.

Entering the arena, Leo and Charlie marveled at the water show that the Aquira family put on. The Aquira family, who ruled over the eastern coast of Sinu, were masters of water magic and bonded with blue dragons. They and their dragons moved in perfect harmony, creating stunning effects with water. They made waves and splashes that glittered in the moonlight, forming shapes and patterns that delighted the crowd. They also performed acrobatic feats and tricks, such as diving, spinning, jumping, and balancing on water jets being controlled by witches and wizards holding glowing blue-green staffs. The blue dragons were sleek and graceful, with scales that glowed like sapphires and water jets that could cut through stone. They looked like they were having fun as they played with their partners and the water.

"Wow, they're amazing!" Charlie exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Look at that one! It's making a rainbow!"

Leo agreed, his eyes locked onto the spectacle. He had always loved water magic, but he had never seen it used so beautifully and skillfully. The riders had controlled each individual water droplet to form an arc in the air that shimmered in the moonlight. He immediately had to stop the feelings of jealousy that sprouted as he watched the Mora family members lucky enough to have bonded with a dragon. Each one of these creatures was tenfold rarer than the other mythical creatures in the Sinu nation. Each one of the performers in front of Leo had helped to patrol the nation's borders, fought in battles between the nations and families, possibly even in wars. Being bonded to a dragon increased your lifespan up to a thousand years or more, and so each one of these people were masters in their crafts.

Leo and Charlie walked through the city, each new day bringing about the feeling like they were in a different world from the day before. They saw all sorts of bonded mythical creatures and their partners. There were mermaids and unicorns, swimming in fountains or grazing on grass with their human companions. There were griffins and phoenixes, soaring in the sky or perching in trees with their riders. There were fairies and pixies, flitting around with their tiny wings and sprinkling magic dust on their friends. There were centaurs and minotaurs, walking on their hooves, towering over the people near them. Throughout the city, each family made sure to display their presence, with witches and wizards of each family performing for the citizens on every corner. True to their nature, each of the five appeared to be trying to outclass the other families, displaying their power and wealth with little thought.

The Cerulis family, who controlled the eastern mountains of Sinu, excelled in ice magic and had white dragons as their partners. They put on an aerial display of ice magic and archery, shooting arrows that froze in mid-air and formed intricate sculptures and patterns, but would then burst apart and rip into their intended target. The white dragons were elegant and noble, with scales that sparkled like diamonds and ice shards that could pierce through anything. These dragons were also equipped with a secondary set of wings, much smaller than the primary set, that allowed them to stay in the air for longer. The Cerulis family members also showcased their artistic talents in a grand art display in the market center, where they exhibited paintings, sculptures, and jewelry made from ice and snow.

The Thera family, who oversaw the western plains of Sinu, were adept at nature and earth magic and had green dragons as their allies. They provided musical troupes and dancers to parade throughout the city, playing instruments and singing songs that enchanted and entertained the audience. They also had their dragons join in the music, using their vocal cords to produce harmonious notes and melodies. The green dragons were lively and friendly, with scales that radiated like emeralds and sonic blasts that could shatter glass.

The Mora family, who managed the central district of the nation, specialized in illusion and shadow magic and were paired with black dragons. They did illusion and shadow magic performances throughout the city, creating realistic images and scenes that amazed and startled the spectators. Leo had been keeping his eye out for any glimpse of the shadow lancers, however time and time again he failed to discover one. The Mora's black dragons were mysterious and cunning, with scales that blended into the darkness and shadows that could conceal anything.

The festival was a whirlwind of fun and excitement for the people of Sinu, who celebrated their culture and heritage for three days and nights. Leo felt like he was living in a dream, drinking so much of the magical drinks at the pubs that he lost track of time and reality. He drank Fizzwizz that made him feel giddy and bubbly, Spark that made him see colors and shapes and sent a racing energy throughout his body, Dreamy that made him feel relaxed and sleepy, and many more. He only knew that he wanted to enjoy this time as much as he could, because soon his sixteenth name day would come, and he would have to start his apprenticeship out in the wild. He would have to leave the city and join the hunting expeditions, where he would face danger and hardship every day. He hoped that he would bond with a laelaps, but the reality was that he would bond with something else, something less impressive and useful. He feared that he would bond with a cat and end up as a house servant or something less useful than even that. Leo drifted off to sleep on the night of the third festival, thinking of his eminent future and what it may hold.