Dragon War [not finished]

History: Leo

LEO'S POV

We’re all sitting at the table in my house, and Evelyn says she has something to say.
“Well, the other day, when Ryia rescued that cat, it was really strange. She threw it down to someone watching-“
“That would be me,” Margaret butts in.
“OK, I couldn’t see you. Anyways, you passed it off to someone else, and that person walked over to the creek and dumped the poor kitten in…”
She trails off as Hadrian walks in, eyes wide. “Did you say that a man dumped a cat in the river? By the waterfall, perhaps?”
She nods. “It was really cruel. The poor cat-“
“Leo, can I talk to you? Alone?”
I stand, startled, but walk into his workroom and shut the door.
“What is it?”
He just hands me a strange charm, and he shows me that he is wearing one almost identical. “Always wear this,” he warns. I just nod.
He nods back, as if confirming to himself that I would do what I’d said. Then he hands me a metal key. I don’t recognize the material.
“Hadrian, what’s going on?”
He looks at me. Then he begins speaking. I recognize the first couple words from the fiction he wrote-
“Once upon a time, the world was happy and peaceful. There was no war, no dragons, no evil rulers or scheming criminals. But then, one day, a man was born who was part man, part dragon. He could shapeshift into either as he pleased. One day, he was angry at his younger sister and his parents. No-one knows why. But he was, and he burned their village down. No-one escaped, except me.
“He returned to human form and stayed that way for about five years. I was around fifteen at the time, and I had a dragon I had named Blazer. When the man, known as Killian, turned back into a dragon, he realized he had the power to control them. So he took them all and used them as an army- the ultimate army. He destroyed whatever was in his way. He was determined to rule the world. But…”
He trails off and looks at me. “But I was part dragon too. I took them, for my power was younger, stronger, and less used than his. He was furious, so I hid them. The key is to their hidden lair, where they are safe. Do you have any questions? I can see them burning in your eyes.”
I do have questions, just too many. “Are there any other part-dragons?”
“You mean Dragonmen? Not that I know of. We have to keep ourselves hidden, because even though no-one remembers the whole story, they know that the war that turned hundreds of cities to ruin – the Dragon War – was the fault of a Dragonman. So we keep ourselves hidden.”
I nod and walk back into the main room, with no words.
“I like your necklace,” snorts Margaret, pulling me out of my thoughts. I blush and stuff it in my backpack.
Peter stands. “It’s getting late. We all need to get home. Especially me, I have strict curfew- I can’t wait until I’m not just a squire anymore.”
We all nod and head home.