Early in the morning, before the sun climbed over the northern mountains, a loud metal horn echoed through the camp.
People stumbled out of their tents, eyes half-shut.
Ethan, wearing a black cloak and a leather belt, stood in the middle of the field. Fayra, Selena, and Luna were right by his side.
Ethan spoke loud and clear,
"Wake up! Today… is the first day of the army."
Luna laughed,
"God help them!"
Selena raised her sword toward the sky and shouted,
"Whoever survives, dinner's on me tonight!"
Everyone laughed, but deep down… yeah, there was a sweet kind of fear.
Ethan grinned,
"Good… that's the spirit I want."
Then he looked at Fayra.
Fayra smiled and said,
"We're ready."
**
The dragons lined up too.
Azarakhsh, Sho'leh, and Sama stood side by side.
Their hot breaths came out like thick mist between their sharp teeth.
One of the young guys, voice shaking, asked,
"We… we gotta fight with them?"
Ethan smiled,
"If you're gonna be the dragon army… yeah."
