[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-born-as-a-witch":3,"chapter-born-as-a-witch-born-as-a-witch-chapter-115":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Born as a Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1702564,2172,"Chapter 115: Drakorra","born-as-a-witch-chapter-115",115,"\u003Cp>The following morning dawned bright, the skies swept clean by the night winds. Excitement hummed through the Dragon Academy like a song carried in the halls. That day, both academies were to be allowed into Drakorra, the great market-city that gleamed like a jewel at the bend of the River Seryth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the outer courtyards, the students gathered, buzzing with restless anticipation. Teachers barked orders and reminded them of rules, but their words slid like water over stone, no one could stop looking at the dragons waiting in the field beyond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of them, sleek, scaled, alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were smaller than the colossal guardians of legend, yet still magnificent: wings like sails stretched wide, scales glimmering as though dusted with starlight. Some shifted colors with the angle of the sun; others gleamed in pure tones of emerald, sapphire, obsidian, pearl. Their eyes glowed with intelligence, sharp and ancient, meeting each student’s gaze with unsettling weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the signal came, the first group mounted. Dragonshifters moved easily, vaulting onto their companions, their hands brushing horns or necks in gestures of familiarity. Human students climbed more cautiously, guided by their hosts and handlers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira and Maelin were placed upon a jade-green drake whose scales caught the morning light like polished glass. As Lira settled into the saddle, her pulse thrummed in her ears. The dragon’s muscles shifted beneath her like coiled thunder, and the faint rumble of its breath vibrated through her legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragons leapt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earth vanished beneath them in a rush of wind and sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira gasped as her stomach dropped, but the sensation was nothing like the measured glide of airships. This was raw and alive. Each wingbeat was a thunderclap, each tilt of the body a dance with gravity itself. The dragon surged upward, the air roaring past her, her hair whipping free. She clutched the harness, eyes wide, as the academy shrank into a cluster of towers below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They rose higher, and the world unfolded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mountains carved with silver veins glittered in the morning sun. Rivers wound through emerald forests like molten glass. Far on the horizon, spires of black stone jutted into the sky, veiled by drifting clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there is was, nestled at the river’s bend— Drakorra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A city unlike any Lira had ever seen. Its buildings climbed like carved cliffs, adorned with dragon statues and banners that shimmered with woven runes. The streets gleamed in spirals, not straight lines, as though designed to echo the curves of wings. From above, it looked less like a town and more like a living sigil etched into the land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jade dragon let out a low, musical call, answered by others in the formation. They dipped lower, weaving through one another with breathtaking precision. Some riders screamed with exhilaration, others with terror, but all were caught in the rush of flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s fear melted into awe. For the first time, she felt the sky not as emptiness, but as a vast, living expanse meant to be claimed. Her breath caught, this was freedom, terrifying and perfect. She closed her eyes, and for a heartbeat, let her own wind stir around her, mingling with the dragon’s power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The descent toward Drakorra came too soon. The dragons folded their wings, spiraling with elegance, landing in a broad clearing outside the city gates. The earth shook with each landing, then stilled, leaving the students blinking, stumbling, their feet suddenly clumsy after tasting the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But none of them could look away from the city ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drakorra awaited, alive with sound and color, a place where earthbound life and dragonkind walked as one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students spilled from the dragons like a river of movement, their feet touching solid ground after the dizzying heights of flight. The air of Drakorra was thick with life: smoke from food grills, scents of exotic spices, and the faint tang of magic lingering on the cobblestones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The streets were wide, yet twisting and layered. Stairs carved from stone spiraled to upper terraces, bridges arched gracefully across open-air markets, and windows of shops glimmered with runes that flickered as people passed. Dragons of all sizes lounged in alleys, wings folded neatly, eyes glinting with watchful curiosity. Small ones darted between stalls, scavenging crumbs or nuzzling friendly passersby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teachers led the students carefully, though many drifted slightly, drawn by curiosity. Lira’s group moved together, still bound by discipline but eager to absorb everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at the gemstones,\" Maelin whispered, pointing to a stall where stones of impossible colors pulsed softly, as though alive. \"They’re... glowing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They resonate with elemental energy,\" the dragonshifter guide explained. \"Only a few here can feel it, but they hum faintly for those sensitive enough. Try not to touch too many at once; your senses can overload.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s eyes widened, and she moved closer, fingers twitching. She could almost feel the faint vibrations, like a heartbeat in the stones. Maelin nudged her, smiling. \"You’re already drawn to it, bookworm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She flushed but laughed quietly, letting her gaze wander as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the street, another group of students had gathered around a stall where a merchant fed a small, winged dragon the flickering blue flames of a special herb. Its scales shimmered like liquid sapphire, and it opened its mouth to release a tiny puff of smoke, careful not to burn its handler’s fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some human students gawked, unsure whether to approach or back away. A few dragonborn whispered warnings, shaking their heads at careless behavior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira lingered, enchanted by the harmony between creature and human. \"They trust him completely,\" she murmured. \"Like they understand each other without words.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin nodded. \"We need to learn that too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not all was calm. A few students, proud and reckless, began jostling one another for space at the more popular stalls. One boy from Lira’s academy tried to snatch a glowing herb from the dragon-handling stall. Sparks flew but not of fire, from elemental reaction. The merchant hissed, flames licking the boy’s sleeve before he could pull back. The small dragon chirped, wings fluttering in warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teachers moved instantly, corralling the students. \"Respect the creatures!\" one shouted. \"And the merchants!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira watched as tension rippled across the group. Even the dragonshifters stiffened, eyes narrowing. Kael gave the offending boy a sharp look, and Thalren’s arms shifted, a faint shimmer of scales rising along his skin as a silent threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment passed, but it left a hum in the air. Even amid wonder, the students realized the city demanded respect, caution, and cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the group wandered deeper, they found food stalls emitting scents that made their mouths water. Roasted meats that glimmered faintly with elemental essence, steaming bowls of a glowing green soup, pastries that hissed softly as they cooled. Lira hesitated, unsure what to try first, but the dragonshifter guide beside her offered a friendly pat on her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Try a bite. This is part of learning the land,\" she said with a wink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira sampled a small pastry, surprised as a warm, sweet essence spread through her chest. Maelin eagerly devoured a steaming skewer beside her, cheeks puffed in delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Veyran, still awkward but slowly tempered by recent lessons, picked a small gem-shaped fruit from a stall and popped it into his mouth, grimacing, then relaxing as its flavor spread. Lira caught his eye and almost smiled. Progress, at least.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By midday, the students had wandered through streets, bridges, and terraces. They had seen merchant dragons, magic-infused items, and food that hummed faintly with elemental power. Lira felt her mind buzzing, not just with wonder, but with the subtle threads of connection forming among their group. Dragonshifter and human, rookies and seasoned students, all learning together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And above it all, the towers of the academy gleamed in the distance, a constant reminder that this was only the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students wandered through Drakorra’s winding streets, marveling at every stall, shop, and terrace. Some carried small purchases: tiny trinkets carved from enchanted wood, glowing herbs in crystal jars, charms etched with protective runes. Lira herself picked up a delicate silver pendant shaped like entwined vines, feeling its faint pulse of elemental energy as she tucked it into her bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin chattered nonstop about every unusual smell and color, dragging Lira toward a street where small dragons perched atop signposts, watching the crowd with bright, curious eyes. Lira laughed quietly, her attention split between the dragons, the shimmering market stalls, and the people around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she noticed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few villagers were watching them, not with casual curiosity, but with an intensity that made the hairs on her arms stand on end. Some narrowed their eyes, lips pressing into thin lines; others whispered to one another, glancing furtively at the students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Lira thought it might be her imagination. But then she caught the gaze of a shopkeeper whose shop brimmed with glowing crystals. His eyes lingered on her, sharp and calculating, before he quickly looked away. Across the street, an older woman, wrapped in a cloak that shimmered faintly like dragon scales, muttered something under her breath as she shuffled past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even some of the dragonshifters noticed. One of the silver-haired guides stiffened, their hand resting instinctively on the hilt of a small dagger strapped to their belt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you see that?\" Lira whispered to Maelin, nodding subtly toward a cluster of villagers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin followed her gaze, frowning. \"Yeah... that’s... weird. They’re staring at us like... like they know something.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s stomach twisted slightly. Something about the intensity of their looks felt different from ordinary curiosity. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t awe. It was... awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group moved on, teachers and guides shepherding them through the crowd. Yet Lira couldn’t shake the feeling. Whispers seemed to follow her from the corners of streets, shadows flickering at the edge of her vision. Even among the noise of the market, she felt eyes, watchful, calculating and tracking them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced at the pendant in her hand. The silver vines gleamed faintly, as if catching the sunlight in an unusual way. She shook her head, trying to dismiss the unease. Maybe she was imagining it, letting her nerves run wild after the flight from the academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But deep down, Lira felt a prickling certainty: Drakorra held secrets the city was not ready to reveal to them... and some of its people knew far more than they let on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the group continued deeper into the market, Lira’s eyes kept darting to the watchers, her curiosity sharpening alongside a flicker of caution. Something was stirring beneath the city’s vibrant surface, and she had the distinct sense that she and her companions were about to be drawn into it sooner than they imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The streets were alive with movement and color. Vendors called out, displaying gleaming trinkets, glowing herbs, and strange mechanical contraptions powered by elemental magic. Dragons perched on signposts and rooftops, watching the passing crowd with curious intelligence. Human and dragonshifter students alike pressed forward eagerly, eyes wide with wonder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the villagers were clearly delighted to see them. Children ran ahead, waving small banners, their laughter ringing through the streets. Shopkeepers smiled broadly, offering free samples of pastries or sweets, and even small dragons nuzzled students who approached gently. Lira noticed the joy in the bright eyes, the warmth in the greetings, and for a moment, she felt the city’s heart open to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"See?\" Maelin whispered, nudging Lira. \"They like us! This is... amazing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" Lira said softly, smiling. She reached out to pet a small, pearl-white dragon perched on a cart, feeling its wings flutter lightly under her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as they moved deeper into the market, Lira’s attention began to shift again. Her eyes, trained to notice subtle details from years of meditation and observation in forest, caught something that unsettled her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the corners of narrow alleys, between shadowed doorways, some villagers watched them with entirely different expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with a hooked nose leaned against a wall, arms crossed, his gaze sharp and thin with something resembling disgust. Another strange woman wrapped in deep violet fabric muttered to herself as her eyes flicked harshly toward the students, the lines of her face twisted into an expression of contained anger. A few others, hidden behind stalls or peeking from upstairs windows, gave them looks that were cold, sharp, or hard with judgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s stomach tightened. The feelings emanating from these watchers were strange, almost palpable: a mix of resentment, suspicion, and a subtle, simmering ire. It was not the fear or awe of someone encountering dragons, it was something far more personal, directed specifically at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as the joy of the welcoming villagers washed over the market, these hidden, sharp gazes prickled at Lira’s mind. She noticed the way some of the shadowed figures whispered to one another, hands brushing over objects that might conceal weapons or charms, and the subtle tension in their bodies, coiled and ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maelin,\" Lira murmured, keeping her voice low, \"look at them... some people aren’t happy we’re here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maelin followed her gaze, frowning. \"Yeah... I can see it now. Some of them... they almost hate us. Or something worse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, her fingers brushing the edge of the silver pendant she had picked up earlier. There was a strange resonance in the charm, faint but unmistakable, and it seemed to respond to the unease in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group moved cautiously through the streets, teachers keeping a careful watch, guiding students past both friendly smiles and shadowed glances. Lira’s eyes swept constantly, trying to track every subtle gesture, every hint of hidden emotion. She noticed the silent anger behind some windows, the barely-contained disgust in a few shopkeepers, the whisper of warning passed among the watchers in the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like walking through a city with two hearts: one of warmth and celebration, the other of quiet, simmering tension. And as much as she tried to enjoy the sights, the smells, and the creatures of Drakorra, Lira could not shake the feeling that the shadows were watching her in particular—and not kindly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as laughter and music echoed from the central square, she sensed that some of the city’s people carried anger that could flare into action if given a spark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time since arriving in the Dragonlands, Lira felt a shadow of caution creep into her excitement. She knew, somehow, that this city was more than it seemed, and that hidden beneath its vibrant streets, there were eyes watching, waiting, judging... perhaps even plotting.\u003C\u002Fp>",2428,"2026-06-06T14:30:21.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","97b0d8c18a53f65340647f71669db2e6f177f62f7c7276d7ecbee576bb244c76","born-as-a-witch-chapter-351","born-as-a-witch-chapter-114",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborn-as-a-witch-cover.jpg"]