The Continent of Tomorrow

       While traveling with a dragon would normally be a problem, it wasn’t the case for Zardes and Malkar, who lived in a time of globalization. They were helped by a special kind of transportation: a private barge they rented.

       The ship was specially designed for riders traveling with their dragons. Basically, the top deck was kept to a minimum to accommodate the dragons traveling with them, and thus, there was quite a space for dragons to sit in and slept. The travel to Ternor took three days without any problems, especially with a crystal-powered ship courtesy to Main Continent’s magic. They basically married the magical community of Main with the technology-based Ternor Continent, which provided a safe travel for travelers undertaking this long journey. This also enabled a ship with less crew on board, as most of the components were automatic.

       Zardes and Malkar were apparently the only one using that ship due to its size. It was pretty small, and it could only fit one dragon around Itresil’s size. The ship’s crew was not very lively, but they were friendly and started many interesting conversations, including life in Pol Hain Harbor and the relationships with the dragons who helped them. They also said that the travel to Ternor was quite common and they chartered the ship for Order members traveling with their dragons.

       The sailors, however, were worried that the new technology could spell the end of their little charter business. They had heard that Ternor was developing a flying ship that could be used for long travel over the skies, without the need of intercontinental capable ships. But, as long as dragon riders were around, they had business.

       The sea to Ternor was calm with a couple of waves, though as soon as they reached the ocean, it started to become chilly. The ship was also surprisingly stable. It’s almost like a platform in the middle of the ocean. It was such a pleasant, uneventful journey.

       Zardes looked towards the sea with Itresil eating the fish she just caught behind him. While they had a stove to cook the fish, due to her being a hell dragon, her touch was enough to cook the fish. She ate it silently, while the hellhound turned and opened a cigarette.

       “(What are you thinking)?” asked the dragon.

       “(I’m wondering about Atmell, and his wyvern).”

       “(Oh…)”

       She put down the fish near her. Her expression was sad.

       “(I’m…)”

       “(Don’t be, Tresi. It’s not your fault. I’ve kept reminding you that).”

       “(But I’m a dragon, Zardes. A proper hell dragon. How could I have my mind jumbled like that. It’s not right. Isn’t a dragon supposed to be more immune to magic?)”

       “(Then they might have something more powerful).”

       “(You can’t make me think otherwise, Zardes. I was the closest to them when they disappeared, and I did not even catch a glimpse of it at all, not even a light or magic or even the usual smell of ash and soot when demons are involved. Now, they’re gone for who knows how long. It’s all my fault).”

       Zardes understood his dragon well. While she was a hell dragon, she was different from the other as she was quite sensitive, almost like a human. Many hell dragons were hard to approach, mostly because they were highly critical or simply manipulative to an extent. A dragon rider who rode a hell dragon had a unique relationship with their partner that it was hard to determine whether they were being used or simply tried to understand their partner. This was also the reason why there were not many, if not at all, human riders with a hell dragon partner. There was one recorded instance of a freelance rider with his hell dragon. Unlike Itresil, the ‘dragon’ in question was closer to a wyvern, though slightly bigger. She was still around, mostly because she had died and currently guarded the Limbo Gate. It was quite an irony that she was a hell dragon despite of having an angelic name.

       Itresil was sensitive and blamed herself most of the time, although Zardes calmed her down. Unlike those mishaps, however, this was far worse to cope. Atmell and Arcturus, new pair of rider and wyvern, was snatched away right under their noses to an unknown place. He wished them luck, though he doubted if he would ever see them again.

       Thus, he usually tried his best to calm his big partner by nuzzling her with his snout. She knew what he attempted, and nuzzled him back, before he hugged her.

       “(Whatever happens, always hope that those two are still alive),” said Zardes. “(I know Atmell, and I can certainly trust Arcturus. Atmell is good at reading situations, while Arcturus is not of this world. He must have an idea on how to cope in a new world).”

       Itresil wanted to protest, but she knew that her partner was right.

       “(You’re right),” she said, calming down. “(At least they are together).”

       Zardes smiled towards her, knowing that he wasn’t lying when he said that. Somehow, despite of being a hellhound, he could read others, even humans, from their manners. Aside from that, he knew Atmell personally. His drive to follow his dreams masked his true potential as a negotiator, apparent when he convinced Arcturus, a ‘wyvern’ out of that world, to become his partner and swore an oath with the human. It was a remarkable feat no one aside from Malkar and Zardes would know.

       The journey through the sea lasted for a couple more days before they reached the Dinosaur Island, otherwise known as the Isola Region of Ternor Continent. Previously a mysterious island, it was called so because of it being the home for the only known indigenous reptilian humanoid races, evolved from the supposedly extinct dinosaurs of Earth. While they collectively called themselves ‘Lizardfolks’, some were closer to dinosaurs than lizards, and were appropriately called ‘Saurians’ by anthropologists. The name stuck and had been so for almost a century.

       They stopped by the island for rest and refuel. In the time since its discovery, it had become a tourist attraction for the Ternor people, mostly because of its status as a national park and reserve for these reptilian people. They were kind to outsiders, and even made sure the visit was as pleasant as possible, provided no one started the problem first.

       One particular place that was of a cave where Azureath, an ice dragon since the time of Grandos, was imprisoned. The chains that held her were still there, along with the crystal that kept her alive and young for thousands of years. It was once covered in ice, but they all disappeared when Azureath was freed.

       It was of importance for the history of both continents because it was where the ice dragon in question met her rider, the first Ternorian to have become a dragon rider and the first non-human to be a rider. His name was Hans Rezmirn, a Lycanthrope (shortened to Lycan) from Sideview Village, also the brother of Lilac Schelkz, nee Rezmirn, the wife of Ifrit Schelkz, arguably the most famous of the Schelkz lineage alongside his brother Nergora Schelkz.

       Zardes, in his capacity of being a dragon rider, knew Azureath personally. She had retired from the Order ever since Hans passed away and had lived in a mountain where she once called home. The age started to caught up on her, and she was a wise old female dragon who liked to reminisce of her time with Hans. Thus, getting to see the place she was kept for a long time made him sympathize with her. What if Hans never met her, or even chose to free her? Would the future of the relationship between Ternor and Main be different? The hellhound may never know, unless he time traveled. He would not dare, though. He liked the world as it was, despite of its flaws. He did not want it to fall to chaos, like many fictions involving time travel.

       They boarded their ship at dusk, after they had rested. The journey to Ternor from there was not far, only taking half a day to reach, though it was a considerable challenge, as it was night, and it was quite dark when they were in the middle of the strait between Ternor and the Island. It was as if they were the only ship going to Ternor.

       It did not last long, though. As they sailed on, they started to see night fishermen catching fish, giving them something of a companion. Then, the harbor guard came by, patrolling the area while communicating with their ship via radio communication, which was quite an innovation, and something that would help the Order if it wasn’t so new.

       Ternor was always known to be the land of technology, and it was quickly apparent when they approached the harbor. Zardes and Malkar quickly noticed the big gap between the two continents in term of technology, though both developed into modern era uniquely (with a little adaptation in some parts). Ternor flourished through technology, while Main flourished through magic.

       But then, unlike the glimpse of technology as recorded from the Draconian World, it was clear that the direction of development of technology in Ternor went to a different path. Malkar, who had read many books copied from the now inaccessible Draconian World, quickly found the right word for Ternor.

       “Steampunk,” he said when they docked. “That’s the term, right?”

       “For what?” asked Zardes.

       “For Ternor. All their technology is powered by steam. I think there was once a theory by past futurists in Draconian World about a future dominated by steel and steam.”

       “(And that’s what Ternor is?)”

       “(Something like that. Now, where are we going to stay for the night?)”

       Zardes asked the sailors, who said, “There’s an inn near the river checkpoint. You might want to check there. Many of them are frequented by sailors.”

       “You don’t?”

       “Nah. We prefer staying on the ship, in case someone wants to hire us.”

       Zardes chuckled. “So professional.”

       “Other than that, we’re very tired. It has been such a great three days,” said one of the sailors. “Safe trip.”

       Zardes waved goodbye to them as Malkar and Itresil walked in front of them.

       As the harbor was one of many that opened to the sea, there were places for dragons to sleep and rest along with their riders. There was also an Order of the Dragons embassy, but it was closed for the day. They needed to register Itresil for travel within the continent as dragon travel was limited due to limited infrastructure for them. Ternor continent used a unique form of automobile powered by steam that looked very messy and unconventional with all the gears and pipes lining all over it, along with a big chamber that took most of the automobile’s space to process the steam. It was hard not to consider it a prototype.

       That night, Zardes and Malkar stayed in an inn called ‘Red Dragon of the Green Hill’ (the real name was short, but unpronounceable), owned by a man named Gawain. He spoke Common, but with a very thick accent. He usually woke during that time to manage the pub, while his son managed the day business. It was a well-known establishment for travelers, mostly because it was close to the two transit systems used for travelers to go inland: the river harbor and the train station.

       Gawain himself was surprised when two hellhounds came in and talked to him with a non-Ternorian accent. He quickly realized that they both came from a different continent.

       “I know it’s suppose ta’ be common for hounds to be riders, but not here,” said Gawain. “Hounds from Main’re mostly traders or scholars.”

       “He’s a scholar,” said Zardes while pointing towards Malkar.

       “Good on you, lad,” said the man with a smile. “I’ve got a friend back home. Boeras, his name was. He’s kind and helpful, even if he can be quite frightening with those red eyes and sharp-looking teeth. But, if you know him well, you might as well see him as a kind dog. I always joked to him about how he looked like a bloodhound wearing a red-colored contact lens!”

       He laughed loudly.

       “Oh, sorry, lads,” said Gawain after he calmed. “Anyway, what’s yer business?”

       “Uh…back to the Underworld, I guess?”

       “Ah. Family reunion, eh? Boer does that a couple of times. I understand. You know how to go to Sideview, right? Just take the Northbound train, get off at Wayfar, then take the bus to Sideview. If ya need the schedule, take one in the counter near the door.”

       Gawain pointed them towards a neatly arranged counter full of books, presumably the schedules for the mass transit systems.

       “Oh, and no dragons.”

       “No dragons?”

       “Sorry, lad. New rules. They don’t want them disturbing sensitive new materials. They can ride with you on the train, but that’s it. No flying over populated areas.”

       “Oh…Tresi will not be happy about this.”

       “She can stay in your embassy if you like.”

       “Oh, they do that now?”

       “Yeah. Big, undeveloped compound used for dragons. Still no flying, though, but there are no rules to fly over the sea or the forest, so that will do.”

       It wasn’t that much of a problem for Itresil, though. She may be worried all the time, but if Zardes assured her, it would be alright.

       They talked with Gawain about the state of affair in Ternor, anything to avoid, and things that could prove useful for their travel to Sideview. The old man only told them that it did not change much aside from the banning of dragon flight over populated area, though he did say about a ‘stir down under’, which did not seem to cause a problem on the surface, though Gawain had noticed some hellhounds in his pub engaged in a heated argument that often ended with a brawl. He did not understand what they say because they spoke in Hordo.

       Then Malkar asked Gawain about the Fuzandres, the demonic vampire bat people that were once considered dangerous and mysterious due to their avoidance of the sun. As Fuzandres had never migrated to the Main Continent, they were not seen anywhere there, unless some undocumented ones ended up in Main.

       “Well, they’re still mysterious. I’ve met several in the harbor, but they only come out at night. Mostly because they’re vampires,” said Gawain. “But honestly, the reason why they are not seen is mostly because their faces are scary. I mean, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t like a bat’s face, and especially not a furless one. They creep me out.”

       “Are they offended by it?” said Malkar.

       “Not if you got some weirdos with that particular interest. They’re harmless, so why not?”

       Zardes wanted to meet one in their travel. Fuzandres may had been mysterious due to their nocturnal activities, but they were not that bad, at least for the hellhound.

       It was a long night, and both were tired, so they rented a room for both and slept for the night. Nothing unusual happened that night. The harbor town was a very silent and slow town that seemed to be a gateway of sorts for those leaving the continent and getting into the continent. There was a bigger port south of the small harbor town, but it was mostly used for shipbuilding and cargo, a courtesy to the far advanced region of Dusdolf.

       It was uneventful that night, so the two hellhounds slept without worry.

***

       “(Will you be alright without me, though? This is going to be a long trip),” said Zardes to Itresil.

       “(Why did you say that? I’m a dragon, not a human child!)”

       “(Well, this is the first time we’ll be separated for a while. I mean…we’ve been together for how long? 10 years)?”

       “(Look, Zardes. Don’t worry about me. I’m sure the Order member here will keep me satisfied. Just do your job, but don’t forget about me, okay?)”

       Zardes chuckled. “(How could I?)”

       “(That’s a joke, but eh, I’m not good with that. Come on. You’ll miss your train).”

       It pained Zardes to be separated from his hell dragon partner, but what could he do? He needed to pay extra for weapons. He was not willing to pay more for Itresil, despite of Malkar’s offer to pay the transport cost (he had a lot of money due to his work). In the end, they traveled without Itresil. Let’s hope it wasn’t something they would regret.

       The steam-powered train was quite modern in many senses. The steam-powered locomotive was small and streamlined, aside from it being quite fast. There was a brochure detailing how it was powered by ‘environment-friendly power from Main’, which Zardes could only assume to be magic-infused crystals. It had been in use for years to replace the solely steam-powered engines years ago, briefly replaced by diesel before it fell out of favor when arcane tech was introduced from Main.

       It was quite uneventful, given how their trip was nothing special now. They only needed to meet the Schelkz family currently living in the Underwold and managing the city of Drundas as its mayor (it lost its status as a kingdom when monarchy fell due to the Revolution a hundred years ago). As the castle of Schelkz was abandoned following the death of the monarch and the escape of the princes Nergora and Ifrit, it was in a dilapidated state until one of the Schelkz family returned, restored the castle, elected as mayor, and lived there.

       Zardes reminisced on his time on that continent. Unlike Malkar, who had lived in Ternor for a while before moving to Main, Zardes was born and raised in Main’s Western Region, more specifically in the town of Dickens. It was a small town settled by early immigrants from Ternor, more specifically, Ternor’s region of Tragoria where they talked Common. These immigrants came to start a new life in an unknown, recently discovered continent.

       Ashten, his mentor and the one who help him find a dragon partner, came from Ternor and moved to Main to join the Order after meeting with his dragon partner Grodel in his youth. There was quite a history between the two, but at the end of the day, they were the closest of friends. Thus, the hellhound wanted to return to Sideview to at least revisit the memory of his first encounter with Itresil. It was a shame that she could not come.

       The train reached Wayfar three hours later. The city of Wayfar was quite big and was a far cry from the overpopulated city with a high crime rate a couple of years ago. Abandoned areas were repopulated by hellhounds and Lycans, and the roads were paved and cleaned for the automobiles. It seemed that it had changed.

       That was what the two hellhounds thought before they saw a hellhound being thrown out of an established, apparently due to misconduct. Then, another hellhound came out and grabbed the thrown one by the collar of his shirt, talking in Hordo.

       “(You got some fucking guts to show your face around here),” said the aggressive one. “(I have said this before, and I’ll say this again. She does not want you anymore).”

       “(Are you serious? You’re protecting that bitch? How much did she pay you to protect her, huh?)” said the other.

       “(Nothing, except that you are clearly stepping out of the line. I won’t say it again. Get. The fuck. Away).”

       The threatening hellhound was serious with it, given how he was baring his teeth. The threatened hellhound just grunted, scoffed, then punched the bartender, knocking him down to the ground and stunned him. He then spitted on him before saying, “(You can’t even take a fucking punch. Next time you try and stop me, your eyes are next. She’s mine, you hear me. Mine).”

       Of course, by instinct, Zardes wanted to knock some sense to the clearly obsessive hellhound who was too violent for his own right, but he was quickly apprehended by a police officer who was around. His impulsive behavior clearly did not bode well with the others, but after he was taken away, they all looked away, leaving Zardes and Malkar to help the hellhound up.

       “(You alright?)” said Zardes as he helped the hellhound up. Half of his face was bruised from the heavy punch.

       “(Y-yeah. Thanks),” he said, while spitting out a tooth before sighing. “(This is getting out of control).”

       “(He’s in police custody now),” said Malkar. “(Somehow, I can’t believe someone that violent actually exists).”

       “(You haven’t seen him drunk, and I reckon you two aren’t even from around here).”

       “(How do you know?)”

       “(We don’t dress like that around here, and you’re clearly wearing a weapon permit to carry that thing around),” said the hellhound while pointing towards Zardes’s sword.

       “(What the hell was his problem, anyway?)”

       “(Domestic violence. Quite common in a city this big. Most does not spill to the streets, but well…that’s one of the bad things of Wayfar. Anyway, you two going to Sideview)?”

       “(How do you know?)”

       “(What other reason? You came from Main. I can only guess family reunion, but I don’t think that’s the case).”

       “(Well, we are trying to research something in Ternor),” said Malkar. “(For that, we need to go to Drundas).”

       “(Drundas, eh? My father’s from that city. Quite open, though don’t expect it to be a model city).”

       “(Aren’t all city?)”

       The hellhound chuckled. “(Yeah, right? Anyway, you’re welcome in my bar any time you need a drink or just want to talk. The name’s Sevilis).”

       “(My name’s Zardes, and this is Malkar).”

       “(Right, then. I know you’re busy, so…see you later).”

       Zardes waved to Sevilis as they walked to the bus station. As they slowly disappeared from his view, he was approached by a hooded figure. The brown-furred hellhound turned towards the figure and quickly recognized him.

       “(You took a considerable risk to come here),” he said. “(It’s not the best time for you).”

       “(Those two hellhounds…did they come from Main?)”

       “(I think they are. Why are you so interested?)”

       “(Because I can sense it. They have been touched by the ashes of the death).”

       “(Ashes? Look, why don’t you ask them about it? They’re going to Sideview for a business).”

       “(That’s exactly what I’m trying to do).” He then turned towards the bus station, but Sevilis stopped him.

       “(Whoa, there. I can’t let you follow them),” he said. “(This is for your own sake).”

       “(I will be alright).”

       “(I said don’t. Wait until nighttime).”

       There was a pause from the hooded figure. He then turned his head towards the hellhound to reveal a bestial face with bright blue eyes.

       “(I know you’ve protected me for a time, Sevilis, but…it’s time for you to let me go. Thank you).”

       Sevilis wanted to say something, but the figure forcefully pulled his arm and hurried his pace towards the bus station. The hellhound sighed and said, “(That idiot…).”

       The hooded figure quickly found the two hellhounds he searched for. They were waiting for the bus, oblivious of what’s waiting for them in the Underworld. The figure had known the day would come when the kingdom of ashes was found. He had been waiting for so long.

       And the discovery of it would spell destruction for all…