by Koren Rabe
The-aWorld-aBridge-ato-aTaprisha-afrom-aHasnorth-awas-aa-afairly-ashort-aone,-awith-aa-apretty-anormal-alandscape.-aA-along,-asweeping-asavanna,-awith-aa-afew-acliffs-aand-asmall-aforests.-aIt-awould-atake-aa-anormal-acaravan-aabout-aa-aweek-ato-across-ait.-a
Drago-ahad-amade-afantastic-atime-aby-adashing-athrough-ait-aat-afull-aspeed-abefore-ahe-aencountered-athe-aAeth-acaravan.-a
Hasnorth-awas-aan-aouter-aplanet,-aor-aa-aLesser-aWorld.-aThere-awere-aonly-aa-afew-asmall-apowers-aon-athe-aplanet,-anothing-aextremely-anoteworthy.-aThe-atrade-abetween-aHasnorth,-aand-athe-anations-aon-ait,-awas-anot-aextremely-aexpansive.-a
Therefore,-athe-anumber-aof-acaravans-athat-awould-aarrive-aat-athe-aentrance-ato-aTaprisha,-aon-aany-agiven-aday-aon-athis-aparticularly-aWorld-aBridge,-aranged-afrom-afive-ato-aten.-aSome-aMajor-aWorlds-aor-aplanets-awould-ahave-ahundreds-aor-aeven-athousands-aof-atrading-acaravans-amove-athrough-aWorld-aBridges-adaily.
The-aTandor-aEmpire-awas-aruled-aby-aan-aEarly-aLord-aClass-apower-aand-ahad-aaccess-ato-athe-awide-aresources-ain-aits-atwo-athousand-amiles-wide-aarea,-aas-awell-aas-athe-auntamed-alands-aaround-ait.-aBut-ait-awas-astill-avery-amuch-aa-afrontier-aempire,-aaccording-ato-athe-aAeth-atraders.-aAs-aa-aLesser-aWorld,-athere-ajust-awasn't-atoo-amuch-aspecial-aabout-ait.-a
Lesser-aWorlds,-aMajor-aWorlds,-aand-aExotic-aWorlds.-aThese-awere-athe-athree-acategories-aof-aWorlds-ain-athe-a30,000-aWorlds.-a
According-ato-athe-amerchants,-aTaprisha-awas-aan-aExotic-aWorld,-aa-aworld-atype-awith-aa-avery-aunusual-ageography.-a
"We're-aat-athe-acheckpoint,-aSir-aDrago."-aOne-aof-athe-aguards-aapproached-athe-awagon-ahe-awas-ariding-ain,-ainforming-ahim.-a
Drago-anodded.-aHe-athen-agot-aup,-astretching-ahis-aarms-aas-ahe-aleft-athe-aenchanted-awagon.-a
As-ahe-acame-aoutside,-ahe-agazed-aupon-athe-aenormous,-a200-meter-atall-awall-athat-ablocked-aoff-athe-aentirety-aof-athe-aexit-ato-athe-aWorld-aBridge.
It-awas-aa-apristine-awhite-acolor,-agleaming-ain-athe-aafternoon-alight.-aHe-asaw-aseveral-along-ascars-aon-ait,-aa-afew-aof-athem-astretching-afor-amiles,-acaused-aby-athe-aspatial-astorms-athat-asometimes-aerupted-aon-aWorld-aBridges.-aThe-awall-aitself-aseemed-ato-abe-aalmost-aa-auniform-aconstruct,-araised-aby-amagic-aof-asome-asort.-a
It-astretched-afor-amiles-aand-amiles,-aall-athe-away-aout-aof-asight-adue-ato-athe-acurvature-aof-athe-amany-amiles-wide-aWorld-aBridge.-a
Directly-ain-afront-aof-athem-awas-aa-alarge,-aten-meter-awide-agate.-aOne-aof-aonly-atwo-aentrances-ato-aTaprisha-aon-athis-aWorld-aBridge.-aThey-awere-aa-acouple-adozen-ameters-aaway-afrom-ait,-abut-aDrago-acould-astill-amake-aout-aa-alarge-agroup-aof-aguards,-aseveral-aof-awhich-aseemed-ato-abe-aWizards.-a
He-alooked-aup,-anoting-athat-ahe-acould-aonly-asee-athe-ahuge-awall,-aand-anot-athe-aworld-abeyond-ait.-aThis-aparticular-aWorld-aBridge-aapproached-aTaprisha-aat-aa-aslant,-aand-ahe-awas-atherefore-aunable-ato-asee-athe-aplanet-apast-athe-ahuge-awall-acutting-aoff-ahis-asight.-a
Despite-athe-arelatively-alittle-atrade-abetween-athe-atwo-aworlds,-athere-awas-astill-aa-adecent-asized-aline,-awith-aperhaps-atwo-adozen-adifferent-agroups-aof-apeople-aahead-aof-athem.-aThere-awere-aa-afew-apeople-ain-awagons-aor-acarriages,-aa-acouple-aon-ahorseback-aor-ariding-asome-atype-aof-alarge,-ascaled-alizard,-abut-amost-aof-athose-awaiting-aseemed-ato-abe-aindividuals-athat-atraveled-aon-afoot.-a
He-aasked-aone-aof-athe-acaravan-aguards-aabout-athis-aand-awas-atold-athat-asome-awarriors-aventured-aout-afrom-aTaprisha-aonto-athe-aWorld-aBridge-aseeking-acertain-abreeds-aof-abeasts-athat-acould-aonly-abe-afound-ahere-afor-atheir-abloodlines.
Taprisha-awas-aa-aworld-aunder-athe-areign-aof-athe-aAurelius,-aand-alargely-aas-aa-aresult-aof-athat,-aBlood-aMagic-aWizards-awere-acommonplace-ahere.-a
They-aquickly-amoved-athrough-athe-aline,-athe-aprocess-afor-achecking-aover-aeach-agroup-along-asince-astreamlined-aover-athe-ayears.-a
In-ano-atime-aat-aall,-ait-awas-athe-amerchant-acaravan's-aturn.-a
The-aguards-astanding-aat-athe-agate-awere-aall-ahuman,-awith-athe-aexception-aof-aa-asingle-acreature-athat-aappeared-ato-abe-amade-aentirely-aout-aof-asome-atype-aof-agrey-arock.-aDrago-awas-ataken-aaback-awhen-ahe-asaw-athe-aguard-amove,-astaring-aat-athe-acreature.-a
'A-amember-aof-athe-aPyrite-arace,-aintelligent-abeings-awho-apossess-aa-aunique-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-aand-aeven-amore-aunique-aconstitution.-aThis-aone-aappears-ato-abe-aat-athe-aSky-aClass.-aThis-acreature-adoes-anot-apossess-ablood,-aand-atherefore-aif-ayou-awish-ato-aabsorb-ait,-ayou-awill-aneed-ato-afirst-akill-ait-aand-athen-aabsorb-aits-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix.'-aAusra-acame-ato-athe-arescue,-asharing-ainformation-aabout-ait.-a
When-aDrago-aabsorbed-athe-abloodline-aof-aa-acreature,-ahe-awas-aessentially-aabsorbing-aall-athe-ainformation-aabout-athat-acreatures-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix,-athe-aobject-athat-adefined-awhat-aa-abeing-awas.-a
If-aa-acreature-ahad-ano-ablood,-athen-athe-aonly-amethod-ahe-ahad-ato-aabsorb-ait-awould-abe-ato-akill-athe-acreature-aand-athen-ause-athe-aenergy-ain-ahis-asoul-ato-aabsorb-aany-anearby-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix.-aHe-awould-aneed-ato-acarefully-apreserve-athe-acorpse-aif-ahe-awanted-ato-aenact-athis-amethod.-aIf-aa-abody-awas-adestroyed-aor-adamaged-atoo-abadly,-athe-asoul-aand-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-awould-aquickly-adissipate,-aleaving-ahim-awithout-aa-achance-ato-aabsorb-ait.-a
It-awas-asimilar-ato-ahow-ahe-amanaged-ato-apull-aWilliam's-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-aout-aof-ahis-acorpse-aand-astore-ait-anext-ato-ahis-asoul.-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix's-awere-anormally-ainvisible-aand-aimpossible-ato-adetect,-abut-athe-aunique-apowers-agiven-ato-athe-aFlock-aallowed-athem-ato-aaccess-athem.-aIf-aWilliam's-abody-ahad-abeen-adamaged-afurther,-ahe-amight-anot-ahave-abeen-aable-ato-asave-ahim-aat-aall.-a
"And-awho-amight-ayou-abe?-aWhat-ais-ayour-apurpose-afor-acoming-ato-aTaprisha?"-aOne-aof-athe-aguards-aspoke-aup,-aa-asurly-alooking-ahuman-awith-ashort-abrown-ahair,-aand-aa-alarge-apotbelly.-aThey'd-aalready-aworked-athrough-amost-aof-athe-amerchant-aguards.
"A-asimple-awarrior-alooking-ato-awork-afor-athe-aAurelius-afamily."-aDrago-asmacked-ahis-achest-aas-ahe-aspoke,-ahis-amuscles-astraining-ain-athe-aconfines-aof-ahis-askin.-aIt-awas-athe-aexcuse-ahe'd-adecided-aseemed-amost-areasonable.-aHe-ahad-athe-aphysique-aof-aa-awarrior,-aafter-aall.-a
"We-acan-avouch-afor-ahis-acharacter-aand-astrength.-aHis-aactions-asaved-aus-afrom-aan-aattack-aby-asome-aGreat-aBlack-aBears."-aOne-aof-athe-atwo-amerchants-aleading-athe-acaravan,-athe-amale-amerchant-anamed-aClarence,-aspoke-aup-aand-awalked-atowards-athe-aguard.-aThe-aman-awas-alean,-awith-ashort-ablonde-ahair-aand-aa-adelicate-acomplexion.-a
"Oh?"-aThe-aguard's-abeady-aeyes-aglanced-aover-aDrago,-aand-ain-aparticular-aover-ahis-apowerful-alooking-abody-awith-aa-afrown.-a
"Yes,-ahis-avaliant-aefforts-aare-awhy-awe-aare-astill-ahere-atoday."-aClarence-awalked-aup-athe-aguard,-aholding-aout-aa-ahand.-a
"I-ahope-awe-acan-aavoid-aany-atrouble-aover-amy-afriend."-aA-aglint-aof-agold-acould-ajust-abarely-abe-aseen-aas-athe-atwo-ashook-ahands.-a
"Of-acourse,-aof-acourse.-aHow-acould-aI-afault-aa-abrave-awarrior-alike-ayourself?"-aThe-afrown-adisappeared-afrom-athe-aguard's-aface-aas-ahe-agave-aDrago-aa-awarm-asmile,-aand-awaved-ahim-aforward.-aInternally,-aDrago-agained-aa-afrown-aof-ahis-aown.-aIt-aseemed-apetty-acorruption-ahappened-ain-athis-aworld-ajust-alike-ait-ahappened-aon-aearth,-abut-aeven-amore-ablatant.-a
"Welcome-ato-aTaprisha!"-aThe-arest-aof-athe-acaravan-aquickly-amoved-aforward,-amaking-ait-athrough-athe-agate.-a
Leaving-aDrago-ato-ahave-ahis-afirst-agaze-aon-athis-aExotic-aWorld.-a
Taprisha,-athe-alegendary-aArchipelago-awithout-aa-aSea.-a
He-ablinked-aas-ahe-alooked-adown-athe-alength-aof-athe-aWorld-aBridge.-aIt-alanded-adown-aon-athe-arest-aof-athe-aplanet,-aabout-asix-amiles-aaway,-athe-awidespread-asavanna-aturning-ainto-aa-asmooth,-arolling-aplain.-aA-ahuge,-aat-aleast-atwenty-mile-awide-acity-acould-abe-aseen-ajust-aa-amile-aoff-afrom-athe-abase-aof-athe-aWorld-aBridge,-aa-alarge-acollection-aof-awhite-aspires-ashooting-aoff-afrom-aseveral-apalaces-awithin-athe-aconfines.-a
Long-astrips-aof-afarmland-aco
uld-abe-aseen-asurrounding-athe-acity-afor-adozens-aof-amiles.-a
But-awhat-amost-ainterested-aDrago-awas-awhat-awas-abeyond-aall-athat.-a
Tarpisha-awas-aknown-aas-aan-aArchipelago-awithout-aa-aSea.-aThis-acity,-aand-athe-afarmland-aaround-ait,-awas-alocated-aon-aa-agiant-aisland-aspanning-aabout-aninety-amiles.-aFrom-aup-ahigh,-aDrago-acould-amake-aout-athe-aedges-aof-athe-aisland,-aoff-ato-aeither-aside.-a
However,-ainstead-aof-aan-aisland-asurrounded-aby-awater,-athe-amystical-aislands-aon-aTaprisha-awere-asurrounded-aby-anothing-abut-asheer,-agaping-acliffs.-a
Enormous,-ahuge-aand-avast-aoceans-aof-anothingness-athat-astretched-afor-adozens,-asometimes-ahundreds-aor-aeven-athousands-aof-amiles-adownward.-aLegends-ahad-ait-athat-asome-aexposed-aareas-aeven-aled-ato-athe-acore-aof-athe-aworld-aitself.-a
He-ablinked-aas-ahe-astared-aat-athe-ahorizon,-awhere-ahe-acould-amake-aout-aone-aof-athese-aoceans-aof-anothingness,-awith-aa-afew-aother-avisible-aislands-ain-athe-adistance.-aJust-astaring-aat-ait-awas-aincredibly-aunsettling,-aand-ainstantly-amade-ahim-acome-ato-aa-adecision.-a
He-aneeded-ato-asnag-athe-abloodline-aof-aa-abeast-athat-acould-afly-aas-asoon-aas-apossible.
.
###-aChapter-a33-a--aPotor-aCity
The-aplanet-aTaprisha-awas-aan-aextremely-aodd-aone,-aand-aits-aodd-ashape-aand-adesign-awas-apart-aof-awhy-athe-aBorrel-aAutarchy-adidn't-afight-afor-acontrol-aof-ait.-aThere-awere-arare-aresources-athat-acould-abe-afound-aat-athe-adepths-aof-athe-aoceans-aof-anothingness,-abut-athe-adanger-aone-aencountered-awas-arather-aextreme.-aFrom-afluctuating-aheat-afrom-athe-acore-aof-athe-aplanet,-ato-astrange,-aearth-dwelling-abeasts,-ato-adevastating-aand-apowerful-awindstorms-acreated-aby-athe-alaws-aof-athe-auniverse.-a
Taprisha-ahad-aanother-afunction,-ahowever,-athat-aset-ait-aaside-afrom-aother-aplanets.-aA-alarge-anumber-aof-aWorld-aBridges-aconnected-ato-aTaprisha.-a
23-aseparate-aWorld-aBridges,-aconnecting-aworld-aafter-aworld,-aall-aemerged-afrom-avarious-alocations-aon-athe-asurface-aof-aTaprisha.-aTaprisha-aserved-aas-aone-aof-athe-abetter-atransport-aworlds-aif-aone-awas-atrying-ato-aget-afrom-aone-aplace-ato-aanother-aquickly.-a
Near-aeach-aof-athe-a23-aWorld-aBridges-awere-amassive-acities,-afilled-awith-aa-acountless-anumber-aof-apeople.-aThere-awere-ano-alarge-anations-aruled-aby-aKings-aon-aTaprisha,-abut,-ainstead,-a23-aCity-aLords.-a
Each-aCity-aLord-acontrolled-aa-alarge-asection-aof-aland,-aholding-asway-aover-aany-aother-anearby-aislands-aand-atheir-aresources.-aAll-a23-aCity-aLords-awere-aeither-apowerful-aWizards-aor-ahad-apowerful-aWizards-aunder-athem.-a
Drago-ahad-ajust-aarrived-aoutside-athe-acity-aof-aPotor,-aand-awas,-aonce-amore,-awaiting-ain-aa-aline.-a
"We'll-aride-ainto-athe-acity,-aand-athen-athis-ais-awhere-awe-apart-aways,-asir-aDrago."-aClarence's-avoice-awas-asoothing-aand-acalm,-athe-atype-aof-avoice-athat-awould-afit-awell-aon-aa-amerchant.-aThe-aAethman-astepped-aup-anext-ato-aDrago,-agiving-ahim-aa-awarm-asmile.-a
"I-acan't-athank-ayou-aagain-afor-athe-asuccor-ayou-aprovided-aus.-aWithout-ayour-aefforts,-amy-awife-aand-amy-adaughter,-aalongside-athe-aguards-awe-ahired,-awould-ahave-aall-aperished."-aDrago's-aactions-ahad-aindeed-asaved-aall-aof-atheir-alives.-aMiraculously,-adespite-athe-aattack-aby-aMello's-aclones,-anone-aof-athe-aAeth-awarriors-ahad-adied.-aSeveral-aof-athem-awere-ainjured,-aand-awould-aneed-atreatment,-abut-anothing-aurgent.-a
"It-awas-anothing."-aDrago-agave-ahim-aa-awarm-asmile,-ascratching-aat-ahis-ahumanoid-aarms.-a
For-asome-areason,-ahe-afelt-avaguely-auncomfortable-ain-aa-ahumanoid-aform.-aAfter-aliving-aas-aa-abeast-afor-aso-along,-ait-awas-aa-astrange-achange-ato-alook-aat-athe-aworld-afrom-athis-aperspective.-a
He-acouldn't-ahelp-abut-afeel-aa-alonging-ato-areturn-ato-ahis-aMyyr-aDragon-aform.-a
It-awas-aodd.-aAt-ahis-acore,-ain-ahis-aprevious-alife,-ahe-ahad-abeen-aa-ahuman-abeing.-a
But-awhat-awas-ahe-aright-anow?-a
Even-aDrago-adidn't-aknow-athe-aanswer-ato-athat-aquestion.-a
He-amused-aover-athese-athoughts-aas-ahe-awaited-ain-aline-apatiently.-aThis-awould-abe-ahis-afirst-atime-aever-aentering-aa-acity,-aand-aDrago-acouldn't-ahelp-abut-abe-arather-aexcited-aat-aseeing-ahow-apeople-ain-athis-auniverse-alived,-aand-ahow-adifferent-ait-awould-abe.-a
..
Several-athousand-ameters-aabove,-aa-afaint,-ablack-asmudge-acould-abe-aseen-ain-athe-alate-aafternoon-alight.-aIf-aone-alooked-aclosely-aat-athis-asmudge,-awith-aa-apowerful-aset-aof-aeyes,-aone-amight-anotice-athat-athis-asmudge-ahad-aa-apair-aof-awings,-ablurring-ain-aand-aout-aof-avisibility.-a
If-aone-ahad-aeven-astronger-aeyes,-aone-acould-asee-aa-asmall,-acrystalline-askull,-aand-aa-aset-aof-aodd,-atransparent-afeathers.-aThe-acharacteristic-alook-aof-athe-aunusual-aand-aexotic-acreature-aknown-aas-aa-aCrystal-aEagle.-a
"That-amust-abe-ayou,-ahuh?-aYou-agot-ahere-abefore-anumber-aeleven."-aThe-abird-acawed-aout,-aits-avoice-atwisted-aand-abarely-aunderstandable.-a
"Still-ain-ayour-aTitan-aform…-aI-aguess-ait-amakes-asense-asince-ayou-ahad-ato-apass-athe-agate.-aTrying-ato-across-ain-aa-abeast-aform-awould-acause-aa-alot-aof-aattention."-aThe-abird-anodded-aits-ahead-asagely-aas-ait-afloated-ain-aspace,-aits-aeyes-apiercing-adownwards.-a
"But-ayou-astuck-awith-athose-aAethmen,-aand-aother-ahumanoids?-aMy-afoolish,-anaive-abrethren.-aYou-acannot-atrust-athem.-aPerhaps-ayou-acan-astill-abe-asaved."-aA-atwisted-asmile-aappeared-aon-athe-abird's-aface.-a
"They-aare-abut-aprey-ato-afurther-aour-agrowth-ato-aperfection.-aAll-aof-athem,-atraining-atheir-asouls-afor-aripe-aeating.-aHumans,-aAethmen,-aTitans,-aVampires.-aThere-ais-ano-apoint-ain-abefriending-aprey."-aThe-abird-ashook-aits-ahead,
"Allow-ame-ato-ahelp-ashow-ayou-atheir-atrue-anature."
..
The-aguards-aat-athe-aentrance-ato-athe-acity-awere-asimilar-ato-athe-aguards-aat-athe-aWorld-aBridge.-aThey-awere-amostly-ahuman,-amany-aof-athem-aclad-ain-agrey-aleather-aarmor-awith-aswords-aat-atheir-awaist.-aSeveral-aWizards-astood-aatop-athe-astone-agate,-alooking-adown,-awhile-aa-asingle-awizard-astood-awith-athe-aguards-aon-athe-aground.-a
The-awalls-aof-athe-acity-awere-anot-alarge-aat-aall-acompared-ato-athe-awalls-ablocking-athe-aWorld-aBridge.-aThey-astood-aaround-a13-aor-a14-ameters-ahigh,-aa-arelatively-asmall-aheight.-aThey-awere-along,-ahowever,-astretching-aan-aimmense-adistance-ato-acompletely-aencircle-athe-amassive-acity.-a
As-aDrago-aand-ahis-agroup-amoved-ato-athe-afront-aof-athe-aline-ahe-anoticed,-awith-aa-aslight-astart,-athat-athe-aWizard-aon-athe-aground-awasn't-aa-ahuman-alike-ahe-aoriginally-athought.-aThe-aslightly-agrey-askin-atone,-aalongside-athe-aman's-afine-afeatures,-agave-aaway-athe-afact-athat-ahe-awas-aa-avampire.-aThe-asame-aapplied-ato-athe-aWizards-aatop-athe-aentryway.-aThey-awere-aall-avampires.-a
'Right,-aright.'-aHe-amentally-anodded.-aThis-awas-athe-aterritory-aof-athe-aAurelius-aFamily.-aIt-awas-aonly-anatural-ahe'd-ameet-amore-avampires-ahere.-aThey-awere-aprobably-aa-acommon-asight.-aHe-afrowned,-awondering-awhat-ahappened-ato-athe-apair-aof-avampires-ahe-ahad-asent-afleeing-aearlier.-a
"Move-aalong,-amove-aalong."-aTheir-acaravan-areached-athe-afront-aof-athe-aline.-aLike-abefore,-athey-aunderwent-aa-asimilar-ainspection.-aThe-aguards-awere-aquestioned-abriefly,-aas-awere-athe-amerchants.-a
"Oh-aa-aTitan,-athat's-auncommon-ain-athese-aparts.-aWhat-abrings-ayou-ato-aPotor-aCity?"-aOne-aof-athe-aguards-aasked,-awaving-aat-ahim-acasually.-a
Drago-aanswered-athe-asame-aas-abefore,-athat-ahe-awas-aseeking-ato-awork-afor-athe-aAurelius-aFamily.-aThe-aguard-anodded-aand-aasked-aa-afew-amore-aquestions-abefore-awaving-ahim-athrough.-aAt-aleast-ahe-ahadn't-aneeded-aa-abribe-ato-aget-ainto-athe-acity.-a
Despite-athe-aguard's-aapparent-alack-aof-acare,-aDrago-adidn't-afail-ato-anotice-athat,-aup-aabove,-athe-aWizards-astanding-aatop-athe-agate-awere-awatching-aeveryone-awith-aeyes-athat-apierced-aeverything.-aWhile-ahe-awasn't-aextremely-asensitive-ato-amagic,-aat-aleast-anot-ain-ahis-aTitan-aform,-ahe-acould-avaguely-afeel-athat-athey-awere-acasting-aspells-aup-athere.-a
If-ahe-ahad-ato-awager-aa-aguess,-ait-awas-a
probably-asome-aform-aof-amagic-adesigned-ato-asee-athrough-adisguises-aor-alies,-ato-ahunt-aout-acriminals.-a
Still,-ahe-amade-ait-athrough-awithout-aa-aproblem.-a
What-aunfolded-abefore-ahis-avision-aas-ahe-awalked-athrough-athe-agates-acould-aonly-abe-adescribed-aas-aa-ahuge-ashock.-a
People.-aCountless,-ahuge-anumbers-aof-apeople,-amoving-aback-aand-aforth,-ain-aevery-adirection.-aHe-asaw-ahumans,-avampires,-amore-aof-athose-aPyrite-arockmen,-aa-afew-agroups-aof-aAethmen,-aeven-asome-ascaled-ahumanoid-awhich-aAusra-aidentified-aas-aDracons.-a
A-ahuge-avariety-aof-apeople-amoved-aalong-aa-alarge,-atwenty-meter-awide-aroad-athat-astretched-adown-aand-aout-aof-asight-afor-amiles.-aThis-aroad-aappeared-ato-abe-amade-aof-apaved,-agrey-astone,-awell-aworn-awith-atime.-aOn-aeither-aside-aof-athe-ahuge-aroad,-alarge,-awhite-aor-agrey-astone-abuildings-aof-aa-avariety-aof-adesigns-acould-abe-aseen.-a
Many-aof-athe-abuildings-ahad-alarge-asignboards-afloating-aout-aover-athem-aor-aover-athe-astreet.-aHe-asaw-asome-athat-aadvertised-ablacksmith-aservices,-aothers-afor-arestaurants-aor-aeateries,-aand-astill-aothers-afor-ainns.-aHe-asaw-aa-afew-ashops-acalled-a'Blood-aShops'-awhich-ahe-aassumed-ahad-asomething-ato-ado-awith-athe-avampires-aand-ablood-amagic,-aand-aa-afew-aother,-aless-acommon-atypes-aof-ashops,-alike-aplaces-ato-abuy-arobes,-aother-amagic-aingredients,-amedicine.-a
The-anext-athing-ahe-anoticed-awas-athe-anoise.-a
It-awas-aloud.-a
People-awere-ayelling,-atalking,-acrying,-acalling-aout-anumbers,-aroaring-ain-aanger-aat-apeople-ain-atheir-away.-aThe-abustle-aof-awagons-aor-acarriages-amoving-adown-athe-acenter-aof-athe-astreet,-adragged-aalong-aby-amagic,-ahorses,-ascaled-alizards,-aor-aother-atypes-aof-afantastic-acreatures.-aIt-awas-aa-avery-adifferent-asight-afrom-aeven-athe-amost-acrowded-aof-athe-acities-ahe'd-abeen-ato-aback-aon-aEarth.-a
Drago-ahad-abeen-aliving-aoff-aon-ahis-aown-afor-aseveral-aweeks-anow,-ain-athe-awild.-a