Fuse - E. L. Todd Page 0,2

the first landmass they could find. Unfortunately, they didn’t know who ruled it.”

Cora hung on every word, even though she’d heard the story at least a dozen times. The idea of winged beasts ruling over man was eminently interesting.

“Dragons are wise and powerful. They didn’t blindly trust the humans who came to their land. They watched over them closely, making sure there wasn’t a threat of any kind.” Miss Fitz looked at everyone in the crowd, watching their faces for a reaction. “After hundreds of years, the humans grew tired of the constant watch. They were allocated a small amount of land near the sea. As their population regrew, their resources dwindled. So, they asked the leader of the dragons for full freedom, to coexist in the land the dragons had claimed for their own.”

Cora fiddled with the ring on her forefinger. It was brown and constructed of birchwood. Nestled inside was a beautiful emerald. Dorian had given it to her years ago, but she never knew where he’d obtained it. Although she was a blacksmith, she understood the jewelry wasn’t cheap.

“Reluctantly, the dragons obliged. For hundreds of years, the humans had remained quiet and isolated. They never complained or turned hostile. And they seemed to appreciate the dragons’ beauty, particularly their scales. It’s common knowledge that the one flaw dragons possess is vanity. If ever met with a hostile dragon, compliment the brightness of their scales. That might be the one thing that can save you.

“The dragons could have simply killed the humans and ended their infiltration into the land, but as earthly creations, they understood the ground, soil, and grass couldn’t belong to a single species. In fact, everyone was simply borrowing it before his own body returned to the soil. While dragons are always wise, they didn’t realize just how poor this decision was.”

Tension rose in the campfire. Children pulled blankets tighter around their shoulders, and the fire crackled in silent protest at the story. The stars in the sky shone on, listening just as intently. Cora pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, forming a small ball.

“The leader of the people, King Lux, protested for equal freedom in Anastille. No longer would they be guests in this distant land. They would be delegated their own land and their own laws. Simply allocating more land wasn’t enough. So, he asked the dragons for a gift, a symbol of true bonding. After a full year of deliberations, since dragons take their time with everything, they finally decided to grant the wish. We call this the First Fuse.”

Quiet whispers erupted around the campsite. New visitors to the campfire asked their companions endless questions rather than just letting Miss Fitz explain it herself.

Miss Fitz raised her hands to silence everyone. Not once did she have to speak to gather everyone’s cooperation. Even in her silence, she possessed authority. “The First Fuse is the greatest moment in all of history, for it’s the moment when the dragon voluntarily agreed to fuse with a human, to become a hybrid, for man and dragon to exist as a single person.”

When Cora first heard this story, she could hardly believe her ears. To be combined with a dragon, to have the ability of flight and fire-breathing, was something that kept her up long into the night. Sometimes, she dreamed of spreading her wings and soaring high over the tallest crags of the mountains in the north. Sometimes, she dreamed of having scales of armor that glimmered under the light of the sun. And sometimes, she wished her dreams were a reality.

“When a dragon chooses to fuse with a human, it’s the greatest gesture a dragon can make. People say they can communicate with just their thoughts, and sometimes with only emotions and not even words. The joined being is comprised of two hearts, and at any time, the human version can reveal himself as he once was before molding back into the form of the dragon.

“When a human fuses with a dragon, he’s blessed with an unnaturally long life. He becomes almost immortal, only susceptible to death by mortal wound. Such a gift isn’t taken lightly.” Miss Fitz examined the faces of the crowd, and when she had the effect she desired, she continued on. “That was the beginning of the new age, where dragons, humans, dwarves, and elves lived among one another as equals.”

Cora didn’t know much about the elves or the dwarves. She knew they existed