Growing Embers: Daughter of Ruin

By Eurice Cruz and Transforming Wagon

When the town of Valor sends hunters to kill the Ruin Dragon, Saria is forced to defend the creature that raised her. Equipped with her hand-made weapons and dragon skills, Saria must be prepared to abandon her pacifist ways.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781458344212

Book preview

Growing Embers: Daughter of Ruin

By: Eurice

Growing Embers: Daughter of Ruin

1st Edition

Copyright © 2021 Eurice Pérez Cruz

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4583-4421-2

PART 1

In the middle of a great clearing surrounded by an ever-expanding forest dwelled a proud town. This was Valor, a small town where everybody knew each other and problems were seldom life-changing. Life here was simple and fulfilling: one would work all day and rest during the night. Folks would trade goods with each other, creating a healthy environment where everyone took care of their neighbors. The unity and well-being of the Valorians were guaranteed under the rule of the Goldsworth family, descendants and heirs to one of the founding members of Valor.

The Goldsworths had been around in Valor longer than any other family, and because of this, they were considered the de facto leaders of the town. Thanks to their ancestors’ leadership and the wealth they had accrued in times past, the affluent family had managed to improve on the quality of life in Valor, making it easier for all their grateful subjects. From walls that defended the town to the manufacture of hardware and tools, the Goldsworths were considered the benefactors of Valor.

With the passage of time came the hopes for a better and greater future. And so, the Goldsworth family built their very first metalworks factory. Using coal and wood as fuel to power the heavy and complicated machinery, the Goldsworth factory produced all manner of wonders, both practical and ornamental. Anything anyone wanted or needed, the factory was able to do it. To the Valorians, it seemed like there was no limit to the magic of the Goldsworth factory.

And so, Valor had come into a new age of prosperity. But not everyone was happy.

Some time after Valor had jumped forward in terms of development thanks to the Goldsworth factory, the clearing expansion grew ever more, and with every passing year, more trees were cut down to fuel incessant production. Wildlife kept retreating outwards, and the creatures who were unable to adapt to the precipitous changes in their environment died. The rivers were now dry, and Valorian expeditions had been sent further into the depths of the forest to find more sources of water. In the process, they cut down more trees and dragged them away. The more Valor grew, the more the forest shrunk.

But in the darkest depths of the forest, an enigmatic being slumbered, unaware of its surroundings.

This was the Ruin Dragon, a monstrous being born of darkness. Since time immemorial, it had traveled the world, running with its powerful legs or flying with its huge wings across the lands. With its dexterous tail, it was able to ensnare a bull or even cut down a tree with a flash of scales. Despite the magnificence of this legendary creature, the mention of its existence was met with fear more than awe. According to the people who had claimed to have seen the Ruin Dragon, the creature was an omen that brought dark times and destruction wherever it went; hence, the name. Yet no matter how many people claimed to see it, the dragon was nothing more than a myth.

This would prove to be false.

On a typical day where the sun greeted Valor through the filter of smog, the townsfolk went about their daily chores and responsibilities. The marketplace was busy as usual, flooded by a sea of heads made up of customers and merchants that bartered relentlessly. In the industrial district, the Goldsworth factory ran as noisy as ever. From the buildings one was able to hear the cacophony of yelling men and metal striking metal. Even in the quieter places like the park or the alleys, it was possible to listen to Valorians talking. It was like this every day.

But the sounds of Valor stopped when a strange cry came from the sky.

The Valorians paused and looked up so as to identify the source of the strange sound. There was nothing at first, but then they saw it.

From the clouds hovering above Valor, a shape swooped down at impossible speeds, piercing through the wind like an arrow. It was the Ruin Dragon, diving like a spear towards the town. The monster spread its wings, casting a shadow over the helpless Valorians, who ran to their homes for safety. From the dragon’s maw, a ball of fire burst, colliding with the factories’ smokestacks in a fiery explosion that destroyed the surrounding buildings. From within the factories, one could hear the piercing screams