Chapter One: The Soldier

He never intended to become a soldier.

He hadn't even wanted to join the army in the first place.

Cyan Blue grew up in the slums watching people fight whether it be hunger, poverty, or themselves. Though he was the son of the mayor in this Providence, they faired a little better than his other friends who were forced to drop out of school to work in the mines. It wasn't an ideal place to live but unlike other providences- this one wasn't rich in natural resources. Crammed into a small corner of the world overshadowed by the glamorous appeal of Providence A, Providence C struggled to even receive monthly rations from Central. His father feuds tirelessly with the monarch to secure better conditions for them.

At an early age, Cyan learned that every day of his life would be a fight: sometimes he could run away, and sometimes he simply had to take the beating. He quickly realized he did not have a taste for blood especially after his half-brother beats him up nearly to death when Cyan walks in on him shagging Michael Milestone's sister during mourning hours. It was taboo to do anything indecent during the designated time set by Central that allowed everyone to take a moment of silence for their fallen ones. Seeing his brother like that while candles were lit downstairs honoring their late mother made him feel queasy. It didn't help that his brother's fists were just as quick as they were hard.

He remembers that he didn't cry. He had been beaten up by his brother multiple times over the years. The boy seemed to harbor a deep-seated dislike towards him. Maybe it was because even though Cyan was an illegitimate child, he resembled their father more. He had smaller stature, yet sturdily built with a handsome face. Sky took after his mother who hadn't been nearly as beautiful as Cyan's mother, but she had the right connections allowing their father to take his place as mayor. Even when Cyan's mother was quietly mourned in the bathroom as he lit two candles downstairs allowing the faint smell of jasmine to linger in the house, no one stopped him. His stepmother ignored him as if he was nothing more than air- something to be felt but not seen. His father adored him, but to an extent as if cherishing an illusion. He was useful and purposeful in that moment being a child and earning the man good grace with the families when it came time to vote but that was it. Held at arm's length, Cyan was just another pretty face wasting away in a small, run-down town.

It came to no surprise that Michael Milestone would find out that his baby sister had gotten pregnant by the town's scoundrel who shacked with every girl. Cyan was surprised especially when he was staring at the barrel of a gun aimed towards him. When it fired, the timing in his ears felt like it was bleeding. Faded screams seemed so far away as he knelt to the ground.

He did not cry.

As he grew up, Cyan became aware that though he was not a fighter, his brother, Sky, sure was. Every other weekend found the brothers in a scuffle with someone. Whether it be with Roger Evers from around the corner or Michael Milestone from school, Sky could never avoid trouble. Cyan once found that he had bitten a man's ear off who had insulted his mother only later to find out that man was Roger Ever's uncle and Roger tried to stab Sky. Cyan had been there to carry his brother home as he half dragged the older boy. He had always been the one to take care of the wounds and nurse him to health. Sky would deny it and pretend the events never happened, yet his treatment towards Cyan grew slightly more bearable. The beatings were less and the severity of his harshness wore thin.

It came with no surprise that Cyan grew up with healers' disease- he felt obligated to help those who needed it, but never himself. Watching people get hurt had stained his perspective on life. Wounds lingered and scars rarely disappeared, but someone had to be there to at least heal them. Sickness and disease were telling passages of times and Cyan found great relief in being able to elevate such ailments.

There was a simple remedy in stitching up a busted head or an epiphany in curing a decade's old cough as you experiment with different herbs from your backyard. Sometimes, playing doctor was the only thing that kept Cyan from losing his mind completely as the screams from downstairs grew raucous deeper into the night. Sometimes, Cyan would watch from the stairway as his brother drink himself into a coma before he would go out into the night seeking outpatients to heal (fix).

So, if he could help then it was ok if they couldn't help themselves. Like his grandmother had always told him, some people can't be saved. And his brother was one of those people.

But he wasn't trying to save anyone- not at first.

See, the Army only comes to the Slums because many young people are dirt poor who could barely afford their next meal let alone a college education. Being labeled somewhat prestigious allows him an advantage as he could win backing from a donor though it was unlikely considering his family's name meant nothing in the world of politics.

Candidates had to be the best of the best and though they had the grades, they didn't have the status. Still, Cyan scraped by just enough money to afford basic school supplies, so the thought of medical books or lab equipment was not even realistic for him. To be honest, going to War was probably the only future he had if he didn't want to end up beaten to death by his brother or die of hunger like few hundreds of slum kids once winter rolled around.

With posters and propaganda signs all being advertised, decorating the town hall as he walked to and from school, it wasn't hard to find out recruiting dates or events. He hadn't even realized it was Career Day until he was walking into the school auditorium and something caught his eye.

A beast he had only heard of in legend and yet there it was before him.

Cyan will never forget the first time he had seen her. If not for the metal chain around her neck, binding her to her master, he wouldn't have given her a second glance.

That day, he had been accompanied by his friend Sorah who held onto the crook of his elbow ogling over the tables as she happily chatted away her ambitions of following him. They were the only two children of status in the providence, so it was almost expected of them to marry in the future. Cyan frowned at this thought, but he put it aside as his curiosity got the better of him.

"Let's go back." Sorah pulled at his arm, tugging down his jacket sleeve. Cyan glanced over at her face. Brown curly hair and pale skin, she looked like all the other girls in Providence. Staring into her grey eyes, her cheeks were flushed slightly as she pouted.

"Let's go look at something else." She begins to turn, but Cyan takes the opportunity to slip his arm from her grasp. Ignoring her protests, he eyes the table. Feeling another presence beside him, he looks over to tell Sorah off, only to see Royce Wilder standing there.

Royce was the type of guy who found the war fascinating. Maybe it was due to the fact that his father was a vetted commander now retired and his grandmother had been a wealthy baroness marrying his grandfather who had been a general. Service and duty had been ingrained in him since birth. His childlike enthusiasm only showed how naivety of a sheltered child who knew nothing about the real world- having never experienced hardships considering he belonged to Providence A. The two found themselves, fast friends, after being lab partners in last year's biology class. That and they both had destructive step-brothers. Similarly, both their older siblings seemed smitten with alcohol and a certain degree of violence.

The woman, who was standing at the table with the military pamphlets and the sign-up documents with regulations and rules listed on them, was tall and sturdy. Her wine-glass-like figure was clad in the classic civilian uniforms given to every officer serving. Her short-sleeved navy-blue shirt sculpted her muscles; her arms were scarred mostly from fighting on the first line or in close quarters. Her dark skin was slightly lighter in some spots suggesting she had recently spent a lot of time in the sun. Holding the chain lazily of the dragon, it seemed rather relaxed considering how dangerous they were. Cyan's eyes were instantly taken by the other woman beside her.

There was no doubt she was a dragon.

The collar was the standard metal collar that was bulky against her delicate neck. It hung loosely resting against her shoulders. Attached to the leash, one might think how much of a chance did the army woman have at stopping the dragon if it decided to attack? The only true security Cyan felt was that he could make out the faint glows of an electrical current flashing from underneath the metal: if she were to suddenly get aggressive, it would shock her into compulsions making it impossible to move.

The dragon's eyes were pale. Paler than a human and almost as white as her sclera making it seem like she didn't have pupils. Angular, round cheeks rested underneath narrowed eyes that were slightly sunken in as her grey-blonde hair flowed like waves down to her chin. The length suggested it was usually pulled back into a tight bun before battle to avoid maintenance. Her downward-turned lips were pressed together revealing slight interest at the newcomers. Her maroon skin made a stark contrast to the dull, black, and blue military uniform she wore matching her master. Cyan couldn't help but stare at her who in turn, stared back at the youth. In her eyes, he saw storm clouds shrouded in emptiness. There was a slight sway in her stance, though she made no sudden movements, he could almost feel her restlessness. Everything about her seemed both powerful and frightful as if waiting for the moment to reveal her true self. Cyan felt a spark of something go through him as he clenched his fist trying not to reach out and touch her.

She was alluring, drawing him in with the appearance of innocence and calmness, but he knew she was deadly.

That is why he was drawn to this table in the first place. How could something so legendary be so contradictory?

The woman introduced herself as Commander Allison Wilks. Upon noticing how the teens seem awestruck by the fine specimen beside her, she grinned a bit wider. It was a feral sight as her obvious joy seemed to resemble orders being shouted.

"Providences finest fighter right here. This is my Quinn. A fine Asian Dragon mixed with English which ya can see by the coloring of her eyes and skin. Pure eastern dragons tend to have darker hair while pure western dragons have lighter eyes. All of them have fair complexions. Makes a girl envious," she pouts playfully, crossing her arms as she looks at the dragon. "I've had her since I was eighteen when I first joined the ranks."

Quinn didn't seem bothered by the unwanted attention of the newcomers. Like any other slave, she dipped her head slightly in acknowledgment of their presence before straightening back up into a respectable stance. Her eyes didn't meet Cyan's again as she looked out at the vast sea of grunge children alert of any potential dangers. Her interest in two strange teenagers enamored by her like she was a piece of art made her clench her teeth. Cyan saw the slight movement of her jaw and instantly felt embarrassed by his behavior. His mother had always taught him it was rude to stare and here he was acting like a child seeing a rainbow for the first time. However, it was hard to look away. Despite her beauty, which was a defining factor, it was the silent presence she brought: an unnatural stillness of a predator hunting. If not for his closeness in proximity and keen eye, he would not have noticed how little her muscles twitched.

"I heard it takes years to get one, right? They're not exactly the cheapest." Royce

spoke up. His interest was more so in the image rather than the actual cause. Just as curious as Cyan, he too, was attracted to the dragon for different reasons. Wilks tapped her chin lightly, slightly cocking her head as if thinking of what to say.

"It just depends on your rank and location. The more dangerous an operation, the more likely you get assigned a dragon, so it could be almost instantly. Because both of you are looking to go into medicine, I'd say the chances of you being sent to the front of the lines is almost definite. You'll probably get one before your first year is up."

Royce couldn't help but smile at him while Cyan bit his lip. He hates confrontation more than anything, but he knew he couldn't avoid it especially if he was about to enter the biggest fight of his life. The idea of being sent into such a deadly situation so quickly didn't sit well with him. Yet, he didn't have much of a choice. As long as he was helping people, it couldn't be all that bad. Though plenty of people would miss him and the expectations of being the mayor's son were far and few, being able to serve the King was enough to put him in good graces with just about anyone in their Providence. Cyan still questioned it though. He couldn't make rash decisions especially one so large on the fly. With war came lies and deception regarding the conditions of what it was like out there on the frontlines. Was he ready to be a War Hero?

"Why do you say we'll be on the front lines?"

"I don't mean it literally, but medics are required to be close at all times to the battles. You won't fight much and I doubt you'll be in a lot of bad situations, but your job isn't less dangerous than that of the soldiers. Not only are you responsible for a troop, if you ten men assigned to you, but they'll also allow double to fight. Then you have to account for the dragons as well which helps decrease mortality rates by one-third."

Wilks continued to smile through it was harsher than before. Cyan couldn't tell where she had lied in her statement, but he knew something wasn't quite truthful either.

"Also, serve for four years and we pay for the four years of your education equating to a medical degree." She added quickly.

Without further thought, Cyan had already stuck out his hand as if taking the deal of a lifetime. Even if it meant selling his soul, a chance to leave Providence was rare these days and he couldn't refuse this opportunity.

If he had seen the slight frown Quinn had cast towards him as he signed his life away, maybe he would have thought twice, but it was too late.

"Deal." He said, before shaking Wilks's hand.