Serene's POV

I covered my ears as the fighting outside got louder and louder. I wanted to cry but Emma told me to stay quiet or a dragon might find me.
Dragons don't get along with us keys. Dragons like to devour us keys and absorb our marks to give them more power. We have lost so many keys to this war and I am the youngest out of all of them.
I am only nine years old and I am scared out of my mind because of all the dragons outside. Suddenly a crash came from the other side of the room I was hiding in. I slowly peeked out of my hiding spot to see a red dragon sniffing around the room. He was much smaller than the others, around my age, but still big enough to devour me.
I watched as he walked around, nearly tripping over his own wings and tail. I giggled quietly, his attention turning towards me. His hazel eyes looked straight at me. I gulped then made a run for the door.
Five feet away from the door, I felt a scaly tail wrap around my waist and pull me in front of the young dragon.
I shook in fear as he opened his mouth and dropped me inside, closing his jaw behind. I screamed and yelled for help, only to be swallowed.

Kai's POV
I had found a very young key. I quickly devoured her and took off before the other dragons could find me. I couldn't let them hurt such a young key. I flew deep into the forest then landed by a river and looked around.
When I saw that the coast was clear I gently spit her out onto the ground. She had passed out from being so scared.
She had long purple hair and her key mark glowed white on her neck. She was in a small purple dress with no shoes what so ever.
She was not like the other keys I had seen. I gently licked the girls cheek and watched as her eyes fluttered open.
She looked at me fearfully then clenched her eyes shut tight.
I then changed into my human form and gently touched her arm. She looked at me and stuttered, "who are you?"
I smiled then replied. "My names Kai Flamey. I'm a fire dragon."

Serene's POV
I stared at Kai, scared for my life. He had auburn hair, hazel eyes and a scar going across his right eye. He wore jeans, a red hoodie and red tennis shoes. He didn't seem like the other dragons, but Emma taught me to never trust a dragon no matter what.
I backed up slightly when he reached out for me.
"Hey it's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you." He smiled softly.
He gently reached out and began stroking my mark to calm me down. I slowly relaxed, letting my mark turn purple. He smiled and sat down in front of me.
I watched him carefully, making sure he wasn't going to try anything.
"Can you tell me your name?" Kai asked kindly.
"S-Serene Waters, key of portals." I stuttered.

Kai's POV
I smiled when Serene started talking to me. I know dragons shouldn't get along with keys, but I couldn't help it.
I didn't want to devour this key for her mark. I wanted to make her my friend. But in order to do that I had to earn her trust.
All of a sudden I heard a roar in the distance. I had to hide Serene and fast.
I looked at her then looked around for a place to hide, but there was none.
Then I remembered that keys can shrink. I looked at Serene and sighed. "I need you to shrink."
"W-What?!" She began to shake again. "You just want me to shrink so you can devour me in your human form!"
"I'm not going to do that. I promise. Just trust me on this. Please." I spoke softly.
Serene looked at me for a moment then shrunk down to the size of a miniature doll. I gently picked her up and placed her in my pocket before the dragon landed in front of me.
This was no ordinary dragon.
This was the shadow dragon.
Her name was Abigail Shadows.

Kai's POV
I watched Abby closely as she changed back, staring at me with arms crossed. Her blue hair was pulled up in a pony tail. She wore jeans, a black hoodie and combat boots.
Abby was one of the toughest dragons I knew. I looked up to her. She would often sneak me a cookie when the other dragons wouldn't let me have one. She was one of the only dragons that was nice to me. But at this moment she didn't seem too happy with me.
"Kai, you know you aren't supposed to go off on your own. What if a key had found you?!" She yelled.
I looked at the ground shamefully. I hate making Abby upset.
Abby calmed herself and sighed. "I'm sorry for yelling, but I can't let you get-" she paused and sniffed the air then looked directly at my pocket.
"Kai, is there a key in your pocket?!"
I nodded slowly. Abby seemed shocked. I couldn't tell if she was angry or even going to try and devour Serene.
"Let me see the key."
"A-Abby-" I began.
"Now Kai." She demanded.
I sighed and gently pulled Serene out of my pocket. I was scared to know what she was going to do to Serene.

Serene's POV
I looked up at Kai then at the girl dragon. She stared at me, not moving a single muscle. I began shaking, fearing that she would devour me.
"Abby, this is Serene." Kai smiled a little.
Abby kneeled down to Kai's height, messed up his hair then gently picked me up.
"Hello Serene," she spoke softly.
"H-Hi," I stuttered quietly.
Abby gently petted my head with her finger, calming me down instantly. I relaxed in her hand as she examined me.
"Serene, how old are you?"
"I'm nine," I answered.
She sighed then looked at Kai. "The battlefield isn't safe for either of you. I'll take you both back to our home and when the fighting is over I'll return Serene to her home."
Kai smiled and gently took me back into his hands. He was very gently with me, even when I wasn't shrunk. He's not a bad dragon, he's only trying to help and so is Abby.
Abby transformed, then set us on her back. Kai laid down, holding me to his chest as Abby took off with us on her back.