<span style="color: hotpink">The dragon heard someone speaking in its own language. It paused in its fiery rampage for a moment to listen. However, it quickly snorted in derision at the words it heard, a large plume of smoke rising from its nostrils. Rather than respond to the creatureâ€™s words, it seemed to ignore them and instead sent a vast fireball hurling at the village square. It then roared loudly. â€œBring me your champion! Or I shall burn this village and all in it to dust!â€ As if to emphasize these words, it roared again and quikly twisted its head about to cover half the village in flames.</span><br/><br/><br/>Ryelle was busy leading a pack of orphans through the village. â€œThis way, young ones,â€ she said as gently and calmly as she could. â€œThereâ€™s nothing to be worried about. Iâ€™m going to lead you to safety.â€ The baby in her arms squaled loudl at a near deafening pitch. She did her best the comfort the child. None of them were injured, just badly frightened. She paused in her steps to let the orphans catch up. As she stood there, she looked around to see what else her team wa doing. She couldnâ€™t see many of them due to smoke and fire. However, she did see the man in a black cloak. He seemed to be quite pleased with himself.<span style="font-style: italic">Maybe I read him wrong,</span>she thought to herself.<span style="font-style: italic">That is clearly the joy of one who has saved a life.</span>She nodded at the cloaked man in approval. She also saw Jasper aiding someone for about half a second. Then they vanished into invisibility. Then of course she could see Tom, who was urging the orphans along at the end of their procession. Ryelle shifted the baby in her arms to her hip. â€œCome now, children.â€ She said as she took a step forward. Just as her foot landed on the ground so did a large fireball directly in frot of her. She jumped back and spun around, putting the flames at her back to try to shield the child in her arms from the immense heat. She saw the other children screaming and bolting off in all directions. â€œNo! Stay together!â€ Unfortunately, her words were lost with all the screaming and the near deafening sound of the village burning. A few children remained, frozen stiff with fear. She motioned for Tom to pick them up and follow her.<br/><br/><br/>Tom dutifully lifted the small children, though he wished he didnâ€™t have to. One reeked of something unpleasant, and he was certain the child had soiled itself. Not that he could blame the young thing. It must be beyond terrified. He followed along behind Ryelle as his leader picked her way through the burning village. Oh if only they had started their mission a few day earlier. Perhaps then they could have avoided this whole mess. But no. Was this fate or mere coincidence? Tom sighed. He didnâ€™t possess the wisdom to answer such a question, nor did he really care. All he cared about was what was happening now, and now he was carrying a reeking soiled child through a burning village.