Chapter 1
In the world called Elfidhe, there are only three continents: Loonf, Wou’er, and Pe’arrle. The world is ruled by the Celsis (the nobility). The Celsis possess enormous magical abilities and have managed to tame dragons—creatures that ruled the skies for centuries. However, the Celsis are terrible rulers, interested only in power and wealth. The common people do not even consider them their true leaders. The real authority lies with the Fabularis (the legendary); they possess skills and magic even greater than the Celsis, ensuring the world remains intact and preventing civil wars from breaking out.
Below them are the Potentes (the powerful), who serve as protectors of the people and the nobility. They are strong, but not enough to be called Fabularis. Then, there are two remaining groups: the Mundanis (the normal) and the Inanis (the powerless). The Mundanis possess a small amount of magic—just enough to be respected and lead a comfortable life.
On the other hand, the Inanis are people with little to no magic at all. They have been tortured for centuries, shunned and mistreated. They lead difficult lives in remote villages, having been expelled from society two hundred years ago. However, there is a "beautiful legend" about them. They are called "The Tenacious People" because, despite everything, they survived and continued to live.
But there is another nation: the Dragons. Dragons are immortal beings. They ruled the world many centuries ago, and nothing could harm them. Yet, one ancient hero managed to defeat their ruler, forcing a pact between dragons and humans. They agreed to stop attacking one another and started to help each other instead. Thus, instead of horses, soldiers gained dragons. However, dragons remained stubborn—only they can choose their riders.
I am Viviana Fenn. I was born as an Inanis, without even a spark of magic... or so I thought. Since I was little, I have been labeled a demon because I was born with pointed ears, just like the fairies and elves in old fairy tales. To the people around me, I wasn't normal, but they didn't run away from me. The Inanis always stick together, no matter what.
I lived a quiet life. My mother worked in the fields and my father was a lumberjack. My older brother helped my father, while I looked after my three younger sisters. My brother was the happiest person I knew. His dream was to become a writer so children could enjoy his stories. Back then, in my eyes, he was a hero. Today, he is just a naive fool.
I never knew why my parents forbade me from going out during the day, but perhaps it was better that I never found out. My grandfather was a strong man, at least in appearance, but he was a gambler. He lost too much money once and couldn't pay it back. To settle his debt, he promised that his first male grandchild should be killed—and if that wasn't enough, his first female grandchild should be taken to become a Dracobellatori (Dragon Warrior).
You guessed it: my brother and I were his first grandchildren. Being a Dragon Warrior is the greatest title one can have, but not when you are a woman. Young women are a favorite food of dragons. Even though they are "friends" with humans, their true nature always comes out, and they often devour the women sent to them—especially those who are Inanis.
One winter night, my life changed forever. It was around two in the afternoon. My brother and father were in the forest, and my mother was in the field near the house. I was looking after my sisters; nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Mother came home and made us dinner. Then, we heard footsteps. We thought it was my father and brother, so we ran outside to greet them.
As soon as we opened the door, we saw the horror. Dad was terrified and covered in blood. Mom screamed in tears, and my sisters and I had no idea what was happening. Only later did Dad tell us that the Fabularis had caught my older brother and beheaded him. Dad said my brother didn't even fight back; he just let them take his head.
The first thing I felt wasn't pity or sadness. I thought he was a fool for accepting death so easily. That happened five years ago. I am seventeen now, but the feeling of injustice still haunts me. I cannot forgive him for giving up.
