I'm really sorry about the super long year long wait, guys. I hit high school, and then I hit a patch of writer's block.

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"Witch!" I sprinted down the cobblestone road, dodging knives and pots. I swiftly clawed my way up an iron pipe on the side of a nearby house and swung myself onto the roof. I ran along the clay shingles a bit before I deemed that I had run long enough. I glanced down at the winged lizard in my hands. I spread open my fingers and let the tiny serpent fly away. I had saved the creature from one of the village-people. They hated dragons with a passion.

Yes, you heard me right. Dragons.

Here in the kingdom named Serpinta, dragons roamed the land. But they were few and hated by the people that populated the kingdom. For whatever reason, I had no idea. Serpinta lay west of the Hidden, Northern, and Southern kingdoms. A hierarchy used to rule the lands until the war in the Hidden Kingdom started, and the rulers here fell, too. The royal family had been lost, along with the heir to the throne.

But, anyways, back to the point. 'Witch' had almost because a second name to me, along with a few other choices words the villagers decided to throw at me. They townspeople despised me, and the feelings were very mutual in return. I was also called a thief, even though I had stolen nothing. They just had to find someone to blame for everything, and that someone just happened to be me.

Here in this kingdom, I was basically alone. My team from when I used to work for a man named Highroller had most likely stayed in the Hidden Kingdom. I have high doubts that they joined Big Green, and that they're mostly lying low, trying to get new lives thrown together. I honestly didn't know how they were; I broke off contact with them when the war ended, as everyone thought I had died. And it was honestly so much better that way, as much as I missed my teammates.

Redirecting my attention to where I was running, I leapt across the spaces between two houses, kicking a few shingles to the ground as I scrabbled for a grip with my boots. Continuing on my run, I raced over a few more roofs before I slowed down a bit and looked around. The lanterns around the village were all lit, which only happened during special occasions. I then realized that today was the day the 'Lord Protector' of the land was visiting. I literally spat from my vantage point. The Lord Protector was a coward who had ridden on the royal family's success, and was now leader only because he had fit originally had the title before the war started. I crept along the roofs as towards the main road of the village, where most of the people had gathered. There, in the middle of the path, was the Lord Protector, smiling and greeting townspeople like he actually cared. As the politician moved along the crowd, I followed by the rooftops. At one point I had lost sight of him as he passed under the overhang of a building, but found him in an alley a good five minutes later. The Lord Protector was being led by a cloaked man I had never noticed in the village before, and he seemed to be in a trance as the man stopped and stepped behind the politician.

"Your reign over this land is over. The new heir shall be found and they will lead this land into greatness once again." The cloaked man pulled out a large dagger and stabbed the Lord Protector through the back of the chest. I nearly vomited as I saw the other end of the blade sticking out the front of the politician's chest. The cloaked man instantly let go of the sword as the man fell, and sprinted into the darkness. I immediately jumped down onto the ground and crouched next to the fallen Lord Protector.

"Sir!?" I shook his shoulders. There was no response. Suddenly I was tackled to the side and pinned down.

"Guards! Over here! This girl killed the Lord Protector!" My face was shoved into the dirt. I instantly struggled and got a gasp of air.

"What!? No, I didn't! I found him like that! I swear!" I defended myself before I was shoved down again.

"Shut up, murderer!" I coughed as I tasted dust. "You've been caught red-handed!"

"Sir, what do we do now?" Another guard asked.

"We throw her in prison and send for the authority force from the Hidden Kingdom." Their captain ordered. My eyes widened; the 'authority force' would most likely be warriors from Big Green. I struggled to get up, hoping I could get away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the guards' swords flash, and my eyesight instantly turned to black as he slammed the handle of his sword against my temple.