Susan remembered how happy she was back then. When she and Steven would often play together in forest when their parents were away, practicing on her to control their powers with her keeping Steven’s flames in check and him making sure she didn’t get pulled in by the river’s strong currents. It was perfect, Susan finally stopped feeling alone when it was just her and Steven, remembering how safe and happy she felt when she was with him, knowing that he would always be there by her side whenever things went wrong, and how much fun they had together while playing together. The moments she spent with Steven were the happiest moments of her life, ones which she cherished with all her heart. *Sigh*, but those cherished moments were nothing more than memories now...

  “...I AM STRONG ENOUGH TO BE A GOLDEN DRAGON GUARD!!!!!” Steven yelled out, he his eyes having turned in to blazing red dragon eyes and entire body set ablaze with an intense flame so great to grew and consumed the entire house.

  Susan, standing the corner, could watch as Steven’s body ignited in a fury that spread throughout the entire house, watching with eyes with terror as she wondered if the blazing inferno that stood before could truly be her brother as everything was engulfed in blazing red and black smoke.

  Everything changed after that, Steven stopped playing with her, grew cold and distant, focusing more on controlling his power and growing strong enough to prove to his parents that he had what it took to be a Golden Dragon Guard. Eventually their parents decided to enrol them both in the Dragon Academy. That’s when Steven began to lash out, causing fights with the other students, beating them all up to blood pulp. Thanks to Steven’s behaviour, once other Students found out he was her brother they started distancing herself from her.

  Susan was alone once more without anyone by her side.

  *Sigh*, Susan looked down at the meal on her table, hearing the chatter of the other student laughing and joking around with their friends as they sat on the same table while having their meals.

  ‘Must be nice’, Susan thought to her with a weak smile on her face while staring at her meal.

  “Hey, mind if I seat here”, an unfamiliar voice asked.

  Susan then rose up her head and looked up in disbelief at the girl holding a tray of food that stood next to her table. Looking at her extensively, examining her with her eyes to make sure she was real person and not a figment of her imagination.

  The girl stood tall with a proud smile on her face wearing an academy uniform with the emblem of an air dragon before saying, “Great”, and proceeded to take her seat next to Susan.

  Susan just watched with a bewildered and confused look on her face as the girl took a seat next to her.

  “It’s Susan right?” asked the girl.

  Susan, not used to talking with people, simply nodded her head shyly.

  “Great, I’m Flora. I’m kind of new in the academy”, said Flora.

  “Oh, I see, you must not know, that’s why you decided to seat with me”, said Susan with her head bowed, thinking that once Flora found out about Steven she would want nothing to do with her just like the others.

  “Oh, are you talking about how you the sisters of the infamous Steven, ‘The Raging Inferno’, dumb name by the way”, said Flora as she eat her food.

  Susan just looked Flora with mix of shock and disbelief.

  “You knew?” she question.

  “Was I not supposed to, I mean it’s not exactly secret”, said Flora.

  Susan upon hearing what Flora said just looked at her, wondering why, despite knowing that she was Steven’s along with his reputation in the academy, did she still choose to sit with her.

  Flora noticing Susan staring just sighed before saying, “You know I can sense you staring at me right”.

  “Oh, sorry about that”, said Susan with her head bowed down, feeling a bit embarrassed.

  Flora just sighed once more before saying, “Look I don’t know you or your brother, the latter of which I don’t care to know but you on the other hand, you seem alright”.

  Susan upon hearing what Flora said seemed slightly. Flora didn’t seem to care about Steven and terrible reputation in the academy; neither did she seem fazed by the fact that she was his sister.

  “Hey, you said your new here. Did you just get enrolled in the academy?” asked Susan with her voice slightly more audible.

  “Yeah, I got here a few days ago. Mom thinks coming here would teach me so ‘discipline’ and how to be ‘responsible’”, said Flora.

  “Yeah I get it, I’m here for a similar reason”, said Susan with bowed head.

  “Really, you don’t seem like the type to need discipline”, said Flora.

  “Not for me, my brother”, Susan spoke softly, trying her best not to shed a tear as she thought about Steven.

  Flora upon hearing what Susan said just sighed before saying, “Well if half of what I’ve heard about him are true then that does make sense. So, you got roped in with your brother and now have to attend the academy”.

  “Yeah, something like that”, said Susan with her face bowed down.

  “Bummer”, said Flora as turned to her food.

  “Why exactly are you here?” asked Susan.

  “To eat, like everyone else”, said Flora.

  “Yes but why this table, with me. Even if you’re new here, you know about my brother and his reputation, why take the risk”, said Susan.

  Flora just sighed before, “My Flora, Flora Supriyi”.

  Susan eyes widened upon hearing Flora’s last name, recognizing it as the very same one that belong to the Golden Dragon General of the wind, recalling how her parents told her about them in their stories about their past adventures fighting in the battle against the Dark Dragon Lord and his army of Dark Dragon Warriors.

  “Yeah, that’s the exact same look the other students gave me when I told them”, said Flora noticing the look awe and shock in Susan’s face before letting out a sigh.

  Susan, sensing that something was bothering Flora, said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to look so surprised. My parents are...”

  “James and Marina Finiton, the Generals of fire and water”, said Flora completed her sentence.

  “You knew?” said Susan a bit shock.

  “Again, wasn’t much of a secret”, said Flora somewhat coldly with coming off as rude before she taking a bite of her meal.

  Susan, glancing at Flora could tell by the way she kept her eyes low as eat that something bothering, perhaps it had something to do wither being the daughter of Golden Dragon General, recalling how her mood seemed to change the moment she revealed that fact.

  “What’s...wrong?” Susan shyly asked, not sure if it was right for her ask.

  Flora upon hearing what Susan said, glanced at her, her eyes seemed dismissive at first, as though she didn’t feel like talking but then she let out a sigh before saying, “I’m sick and tire of being compared to him”.

  “What? “Said Susan, shocked upon hearing what Flora.

  Flora then let out a sigh before saying, “Look don’t get me wrong, my father is great me, deserving all the praise given to him and an even better father but *sigh* the problem with having someone as great as Victor Supriyi as your father is the fact everyone expects you to live up to him. I’ve lived my entire life being told of what is expected of me, what I should and shouldn’t do, and all just so frustrating”.

  Susan, seeing how tensed Flora looked, said couldn’t help but relate, although she and Flora’s situation weren’t the same, she knew what it felt like to live in someone else’s shadow, after all the entire academy knew her more as Steven’s sister and not as Susan.

  Letting out a deep sigh before saying to Flora, “I get it, you just want to be known for who you are and not as the daughter of a Golden Dragon General”.

  Flora upon hearing what Susan couldn’t help but smile at her, “Yeah”.

  And that was how she made her first friend in the academy and from that day on she no longer sat alone in the cafeteria to have her meals and finally someone to talk and laugh with.

  A few days later that she made her second, Prince Akiri of Eretchela.

  Akiri was a bit of shy boy and like Susan before Flora, spent most of time alone buried in book or studying in library. He didn’t really know how to talk to people and mostly kept to himself.

  Susan was the first one notice him seated on alone on his table in the cafeteria one and asked, “Who is he?”

  “Don’t know, must be a new student”, said Flora, shifting her gaze to the spectacled boy seated on alone on his table wearing an earth dragon school uniform, nothing much of him upon seeing his dull and scrawny looking appearance.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Susan, standing alongside Flora, a tray of food in hand and yet to pick a table, glanced over at the boy, seeing his face bowed down and facing his food with sad and lonely look on his face, couldn’t help but reflect on how she was in the exact same spot a few days, seated along on her seat without single friend wearing the exact same long on her face.

  “Susan”, Flora called out to Susan, snapping her out of her thoughts.

  “Can we had to our seats already or do you plan of eating while standing”, asked Flora.

  Susan then diverted her eyes away from Akiri and shifted her gaze to Flora, an idea forming in her head.

  “Come on”, Susan said before grabbing hold of Flora and began dragging her away.

  “Hey, what do you think you’re doing”, Flora yelled in protest which was only met with deaf ears by Susan as she continued dragging her.

  They then reached their destination, Flora looking at Susan with a look of shock and confusion, asking her a single question with her eyes, “Why?” before shifted her glance to the very same spectacled boy looking back at with a look of equal shock, wondering why the two had come to his table.

  “Can we have a seat”, asked Susan with a cheery smile on her face.

  “Su-re” the boy stammered with a slight blush on his face.

  Susan then took a seat next to him, startling the boy a little causing him to blush even more.

  Flora still standing there looked at Susan, wondering what on earth had gotten in to her and why she had dragged her all the way there to see with the spectacled boy.

  “Flora, aren’t you going to seat”, asked Susan.

  Flora then took a deep breath, deciding to just seat, thinking that she would get back at Susan later.

  “What’s your name?” asked Susan.

  The boy, taken aback by Susan question, spoke with low voice almost as though he was whispering, “Akiri”.

  “Akiri, that’s a nice. Where are you from?” asked Susan.

  “Eretchela”, said the boy shyly with his bowed down.

  The very next thing that could be heard was the sound of Flora spitting out her food out of shock upon hearing what Akiri just said.

  “Did you just say you’re from Eretchela”, said Flora leaning in a bit too close to the boy.

  “Y-yes”, the boy spoke, feeling uncomfortable by how close Flora was getting to him.

  “As in the most advanced and developed kingdom in the land, ruled by King Eric, the Golden Dragon General of earth”, said Flora.

  “Y-yes”, the boy responded still feeling, immensely uncomfortable by how close Flora was.

  “I’ve always wanted to go there. My dad would always tell me story of how incredible it. Is it true you’ve learn to harness the power of lightning and use it to light up your homes instead of having to use a torch or candle”, asked Flora in excitement.

  “Er...It’s called electricity and we’re still working on it. So far we’ve only been able to produce a small sphere of light but the light only lasts for a few seconds before blowing up”, said Akiri.

  “What about the Sky Dragons, the massive air ships big enough to house more than hundred people?” asked Flora.

  “Oh that, my father was exactly the one that invented as way to enhance transportation and travel across vast distances”, said Akiri.

  “Really, your dad is the person that invented. Yeah, must be a really important person”, said Flora.

  “Yeah, in fact you could say his royalty”, said Akiri his bowed down low.

  Akiri back then was a bit of a shy boy, he didn’t really talk or say anything unlike Flora that couldn’t seem to shut her mouth even for moment, he seemed as though he was just a timid spectacle wearing boy that was a bit of a book worm, seemingly to have an answer to every question thrown his way and loved, much to the shock and bewilderment of Flora, to spend his free time in the library reading and studying. The two of them would often see together during lunch, talk a little with Flora barrelling questions upon question about Eretchela on him, which he timidly answer, and they would often meet after classes in the training room where Akiri showed off his immense strength to them, recalling him on a few occasions lifting massive boulder that was at least ten times his weight over his head with as though it was nothing. Akiri’s strength, though rare displayed, was truly astonishing, if only he had a little bit confidence in that strength as it was fact that infuriated Flora to no end.

  As time went on, the three of them grew close and eventually Akiri felt comfortable around them to begin to open up to both her and Flora. Explaining to them how his father brought him to the academy, thinking that life in the academy would suit best, along with the fact that he was the son of King Eric Owin, the Golden Dragon General and the Prince of Eretchela, with Flora being the most shocked upon hearing the later.

  “You’re a freaking PRINCE!!!!” Susan recalled her yelling upon Akiri revealing his royal status as a prince.

  “Yes”, Akiri spoke with his face bowed, almost as though it was fact he wasn’t proud of.

  “Wow, I can’t believe that I’m talking to an actually prince uhm...I mean your majesty”, Susan spoke, a bit flustered, not knowing how to address Akiri.

  Akiri’s head, upon hearing Susan address him by ‘your majesty’, hung even lower down, as though those very words were one thing he never wanted to hear.

  “What’s this majesty talk, his Akiri”, Flora spoke up causing Akiri to raise his head upon hearing what she said.

  “But Flora his...” Susan was cut off by Flora saying, “A four eyed book worm from Eretchela who seems to have an answer for ever goddamn question”.

  Akiri upon hearing Flora’s words turned to, with a twinkle in his eyes and a slight blush on his face, her words feeling his heart with warmth he had never felt before.

  Flora then turned to Akiri and said, “So four eyes, what was it like living a massive palace”.

  A warm smile formed on Akiri’s face before he began telling them more about his life.

  After that day, they all grew closer as friends, sharing almost everything together. Recalling all the times they laughed, joked, and fun together, talking after classes about their lives and everything they had been. With Flora and Akiri being children of Golden Dragon General they could understand the pain Susan felt from not having parents that were always there for them, though their pain was lessened by the fact that both their parents weren’t Golden Dragon Generals, Akiri had his mother Queen Ngina and Flora, though they never really sure eye to eye, had has as well, and as for she, all she had was Steven *sigh* and well...

  “Stop that, your face doesn’t look right with that frown on it”, said Flora.

  “Yeah, you look better when you smile”, Akiri added.

  A smile then formed on Susan’s face before embracing both Flora and Akiri. She may not have Steven but at least she had them, they stood by her even after...

  Susan eyes widened in shock and horror upon stepping to the training room and seeing a battered and beaten Akiri on the floor and on top of him was none other than Steven, with fist clenched tightly and engulfed in flames with Flora standing not too far away with burn mark on her hand, watching it all with scared and worried eyes.

  “Ste-Steven”, Susan spoke softly, her almost a whisper but was loud enough for him to hear and turn to face her.

  Looking at him, his eyes glowing a fierce red like a raging inferno, Susan could not tell if she was looking at her brother or monster....

  Susan just stared at the infirmary’s door, her eyes filled with both sadness and fear, not having the strength to open the door and face especially after what Steven did. She then took in a deep, summoning every ounce of strength she could muster and reached out to door, grabbing its handle and slowly opening it.

  Upon open the door and stepping, she was met with the gazes of her only two friends, Akiri resting on a bed with a few bandages concealing the bruises caused by none other than Steven, and Flora seated next to him, seemingly consoling him.

  “I’m...”Susan spoke, her voice shaking and trembling with a mix of shame and guilt.

  “...sorry”, she spoke with heard bowed and low voice barely even a whisper.

  Her two friends just stared at her, their gaze soft and warm, harbouring not even a single speck of fear, anger, or hatred towards her.

  “You’re such a fool Susan, you know that right”, said Flora with a warm smile on her face as she nodded her head to Susan foolishness.

  “What?” Susan raised her head to look at her friends who both greeted her gaze with a warm smile.

  “Don’t worry about what happened Susan, it wasn’t your fault”, said Akiri with a warm smile.

  “Yeah, It was yours”, Flora tone instantly changed as she shifted her attention away from Susan to Akiri.

  “What? But I’m the one who got beaten up”, said Akiri.

  “Exactly, you’re a freaking earth dragon warrior with freakish strength. A single punch from you would have been enough to end the fight but no, instead of growing a spine you choose to stand there and let yourself be beaten to pulp”, said Flora.

  “But...” Akiri was cut of mid-sentence by Flora continuously wailing at him, “But nothing, yesterday I saw break a boulder with just you bare hands....”

  Susan watched on as Flora continued yelling at Akiri, with an awkward and confused look on her face. After that day Flora never stopped being on Akiri’s case and constantly yelled and wailed on him to no end, and constantly pushed him to things he didn’t want to, there was even a time even a time she managed to convince him to pretend to be sick and skip classes, something that the knowledge loving Akiri would have never agreed to it if it wasn’t for Flora. Granted she also managed to convince her as well but Akiri was the kind of person that would gladly spend the entire days in a library studying if could, missing a day of learn in the class room was akin to having his soul stripped out of his body, and yet Flora managed to convince him. Susan couldn’t help but smile recalling that day, with Akiri crouched on his bed with dead pale eyes, shivering and shaking while muttering fact about history ranging from, “The Great Earth Siege of nation Kiri...The Flooding of the Simban islands...The fall of blazing kingdom Embera”.

  Susan, recalling the state Akiri was in, at some point question if he was actually sick. Susan, glancing back at the memory, could help giggle a little. Those two were her closest friends in the academy, the ones who stuck by her despite knowing how Steven could be, she was really lucky to have friends like that in her life and she knew it.

  *Sigh* Then there was David. Recalling the first time they met, being introduced by Flora in the cafeteria. He seemed strange at first but was funny and sweet, a tab bit naive though. He also had a good heart and just like Flora and Akiri was more than willing to look passed Steven’s attitude and didn’t harbour any form of anger or hatred towards him even after Steven attack him in the Cafeteria. At first he seemed childish, always were that adorable playful smile but Susan knew masked pain way, recalling how Steven would wear the exact same fake smile to hide his pain back when they were still kids, and it didn’t take long to figure out something was wrong but never opened up to her *sigh* just like him.

  Susan then recalled what she saw in the dark dragon warrior’s Sky Dragon before it crashed down. Though the event from that day was still somewhat of haze, the image of David yelling and screaming like a made beast surround by four elemental rings along with a violet one made of dark energy. Recalling the Pain and hurt she saw hidden away in mad and intense in his eyes as he struggled to maintain control. It was easy for him and she knew the battle wasn’t over *sigh*, but she had made her choice. Knowing how dreadful and painful it felt to be alone and understand the battle David had to fight wasn’t something he could fight alone. He needed a light in the darkness, a beacon; something to guide his was way back if he ever lost himself to the pain. Thinking of Akiri, Flora, along with herself, she hoped that the bond they shared would be enough to serve as that beacon, the light needed to pierce through the darkness and help him find his way back.

  Susan then opened up her mouth the release the remaining bubbles of air she had in her body, watching them as the floated out of her lips and on to the water. Susan then closed her eyes, feeling the waves clashing against each other, pushing and pulling along with swirling currents. Susan did not try to fight or resist the flow of the waters but followed it, using her powers to create a current of her own to follow that of the waters, not trying to take full control over it and simply followed it. Subtle, following the movement of waves, guided the waves and then slowly began to changed the water’s current.

  “The power of water is a gentle one, not one of fury or force. To command it, you learn not t force it and simply flow with it. The more control you give it, the more it gives back to you. Be flexible enough to follow its flow and it’s true power will be revealed to you”

  The Students along with Mariji just watched on with eyes filled with awe and astonishments as the waves slowly before to calm down, and the currents began shifted and twist before converging at a single point. The water swirled and twirled in a single point before slowly begin to rise out of the lake. Susan then emerged out of the water, opening up her eyes, revealing them to have turned in beautiful ocean blue dragon eyes. The water lifted her of the lake and then placed her gently on solid ground.

  The other students just watched with a mix of confusion, awe, and shock in their eyes. Mariji on the other hand just looked at her with a look of pride and glint of hope in her eyes.