I Raised A Black Dragon

Noah walked through the deserted streets, peering in the houses to see if there was any sign of life around. As far as she could tell, she and Muell were the only two around for miles. The hustle and bustle of the city was as far away from them as could be. 

But she could not let herself rest easily, especially when she came across a lake that was as dark as the night’s sky. Fortunately for her, there was an old wooden sign next to the lake that, although covered in algae, was still legible. 

“Tauren District 13: Harrell. Oh, what a relief. We’re still in Tauren. But I have never heard of Harrell. Appears to be an industrial town of sorts. Where is everyone?” Noah glanced back out over the empty streets.

Harrell was a far cry from the busy metropolitan city had come from. Noah theorized that for every massively developed city where the wealthy lived, there was an area that was on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Even if Harrell was populated, it seemed as though it would be one of those places where everyone lived in poverty and made their living at the factories. But that only made her feel more tense and on edge. Now that her invisibility spell had worn away, she was standing out, and not just because of the blue paint still staining her clothes. 

She had to expect that security in a place like the slums was not that great. Abandoned areas like Harrell made for prime hiding places for those who were laying low and hiding from the law. 

“We should leave, Mu, before anyone shows up. Hopefully we’ll meet up with Kyle before long.” Noah scooped Muell into her arms and moved down to the banks of the lake. If someone was going to sneak up on her, she’d rather be out in the open whilst she searched for the way out. 

As Noah got closer to the lake, more factories were visible from behind the dense forest that lay on the other side. However, she could also see that patches of thick green grass were growing on the surface of the black lake, and a rotting old tree stood on a small island in the center. The water was so dark she couldn’t see the bottom of the tree, and the smell left something to be desired.

She hadn’t even taken ten steps and she was pinching her nose to block out the stench. The closer she got, the worse it became. And when she got close enough, she could finally see why the lake was so dark: it was wastewater, with a thick layer of black grease covering the surface of the water. Dozens of dead fish were floating on the surface. Noah knew about the aftermath of rapid industrialization, but she had never seen it on a wide-spread scale. Usually only a handful of small rivers were polluted, but never an entire lake.

“What were the factories doing to create this much waste?” She said to Muell, who was desperately trying to break free of her grip. He managed to slip free and tear down towards the lake, Noah sprinting close behind him. She picked him just before he dipped his hands beneath the surface. “Hey! Muell! Stay back! We don’t know what is lurking below the surface. Or what has been dumped into it.” She stepped back away from the lake. 

“But Noah, I can feel magic. It’s faint, but there are definitely traces of the magic.” Muell tilted his head up to look at her. “It’s coming from somewhere around here.” 

“Magic?” Noah lowered Muell to the ground and crouched down. “Why would magic be here?” She had thought it was just environmental pollution, like some normal side effects of industrialization, but Muell said he felt magic nearby. 

“There are two kinds of magic: manual, and automatic.” Muell held up two fingers. “With manual types, the user has to intentionally and physically release the magic. But with automatic, any natural spells that occur will be processed automatically. You with me so far?” 

Noah nodded, even though she really wasn’t. 

“Now, here is my theory.” Muell nodded to the factories in the distance. “Automatic spells can be mass produced. Which is what I think has happened here. Or, rather, is happening here. Nothing else would produce waste on such a massive scale, enough to fill an entire lake.” 

Noah pondered on Muell’s words, and what it would mean for Laurent and the world if such mass production of automatic spells was taking place. Anyone would be able to get their hands on magic, and plunge the world into chaos.

“So, what can we do, Muell? We’ve found a secret factory, one deep within an abandoned district. Why was it abandoned in the first place? And how long has this been taking place?” She got to her feet. “We need to find Kyle. He would have an idea of what to do.”