The Grand Hall of Alana was packed full of half-dragons' in their finest clothing. Dazzling jewels glittered off some of the richer nobles, though they were outshined by scales polished to look like mirrors. Yet strangely such a fine group of creatures were silent, staring at the front of the room, where 2 thrones were placed. Both were occupied, and in front of them was a figure.

In the first and larger of the thrones sat a regal looking man. He had chestnut brown skin, with dark hair and maroon wings. His scales glowed with an almost gently radiance, and his kind, yet stern face seemed to frame his sapphire eyes perfectly. He looked around 20 years old, but seemed to have an ancient wisdom about him. His clothes were modest compared to some of his courtiers, but the thin strip of gold encircling his brow told the world that there was more to this man than met the eye.

The woman sitting beside him was small compared to her husband, with honey colored hair and purple eyes. Her wings had a golden hew to them, and they seemed to make her more radiant. Her pale skin shown slightly under the light that came from globes of light hung from the ceiling, making her almost glow.

In her arms was a small baby boy. His eyes were sapphire and his skin dark, like his father's. Yet his thin hair was honey colored, like his mother's. He lay silently, as if the mood of the courtiers was contagious.

Standing in front of the thrones was a human. He had oily black hair and his eyes seemed to sneer at the handsome couple in front of him. His clothes were black as night, and he leaned on a staff that was covered in runes.

"I, the great Belthezar, have won again. You have lost your war, the last to have fallen under me. But I will give you a chance to have your country back, just like I gave the others."

The courtiers behind him murmured uneasily. They didn't like the way that this was going, even if they would get their country back. Belthezar looked back at them and they were silent again.

"If you will give me one person from every immediate family, including your own, then I will pull my troops out of this discussing place and leave you in peace. If you refuse my generous offer, then I will enslave all of your people instead of just a few and make them work in my mines."

The King and Queen looked stricken foray moment then the king sighed. He had heard what the wizard had done to other countries that he had concurred, and that it was worse to refuse the offer.

"We accept your offer, sir." He said stiffly, glancing around the room. All was silent. Belthezar sneered.

"Then you will allow me to inquirer about the name of the person who will be joining me from your family?" He grins evilly at the sounds of distress coming from behind him. The King and Queen glanced at the small baby in her arms and the King sighed. It was the only way. He opened his mouth to speak again.

"'Tis me, sir." says a small voice from the shadow of the thrones. It belonged to a small boy who had been standing in the shadow of them.

The boy couldn't be more then 4 years old, yet his eyes held a certain aspect of wisdom. He resembled his mother more then his father, with light skin and purple eyes. But his hair was a darker color and the few scales that he had were maroon. He wore plain clothes like his parents, but his seemed to be a bit big on him. It gave him a rumpled look, though it seemed right for him.

His parents gaped at him. They had not noticed their older son standing there, and they had not told him about the meeting.

Belthezar was surprised at the answer as much as the boy's parents were. Yet he grinned anyways and bowed.

"I will begin my collection in a week. Good day to you." He clapped his hands once and said a word, then was gone.

The King and Queen glance at their audience and stand. The room, filled with the loud voices, is suddenly silent. The King clears his throat.
"Let it be known that one person from every family is to be at Jehia Square a week from now. Any who do not send anyone, will be dragged and the entire family will go."
He looks at the Queen, then exits, their son following.

In a private room minutes later, a sobbing sound is heard. Inside, the Queen is clutching her son, sobbing quietly. The King looks on with sad eyes.
"Why?! Why did you do that Divi!? Why!?"

The boy looks at his mother in a strange way, totally calm. "Because I couldn't let him hurt Jerohe. I promised him I wouldn't let anyone hurt him, and I won't let that man do it just because he's evil."

The King glances at the baby in his arms and sighs. How had he forgotten the promise the boy had made to the baby when he was born? He had taken it lightly then, but now he saw that by either fate or magic, his son would see it through.

Sighing again, the man goes over to his wife, gently pulling her off Divian. "Jen'arrow, it's too late now. We should make the best of the time we have left with him." She nods and the King turns to his oldest son, handing the baby to his wife and taking off a necklace in the process. It consisted of a thin gold chain, with a charm that looked like a dragon on it, its eyes made of a stone that kept changing colors.
"Divian, I wasn't going to give this to you until you were older, but now it seems I must. It is an enchanted necklace. There is no specific thing that you can do with it, so you must find ways on your own."

He places the necklace over the boy's head with great reverence. Divi for the matter looked serious enough. His father sighed inwardly. His son would grow up all too soon in those mines, and he wouldn't even be able to see him again.

Divian watched his parents with slight sadness in his eyes, then at his younger brother. His parents would never know the things he had seen or know.

He hadn't told them that he had been listening when the Maguse had prophesized about him. He remembered the day well...

"We have seen something about the boy... He will be unlike any other... For he will never fully grow into his scales or wings... They will only be there when he is hurt or in need...
He will change his name, no more be Divanious Alavaro, no more be royalty.
He will be a savior and a murder... But he cannot cry for his deeds... For he shall only cry when the world has ended and there is no one left...

He had left then, having heard what he needed to know. He had always been different, knowing deep inside that things would change.