Chapter 3

By the time darkness falls, I finally make it home.

My home is in the suburbs, right next to the family cemetery. The entire cemetery is dilapidated—the Council of Three Dragons rejects our application to renovate it every year.

I push open the shabby wooden door. My mother Mary sits at the dining table, a bowl of cold porridge in front of her.

She stands up, her eyes first falling on my face, then on my work uniform—the clothes are burned with several charred holes, half the sleeve is gone, and my whole body reeks of smoke and fire.

"What happened?" she asks.

"I was fired by the company." I set down the toolbox.

"These are dragon breath marks! Are you injured?" Mother embraces me.

"It was the Red Dragons. They tricked me into the park and tried to burn me to death."

"Oh my God!" Mother holds me tighter.

"How did you escape?" Father Thomas comes out leaning on his cane. "Dragon breath flames can't be extinguished with water. From what you're saying, you shouldn't have survived at all."

"I don't know either." I look at my hands. "Father, Mother. I feel that our family's curse can no longer contain me."

They gather around me and grasp my hands.

"The Black Dragon's power has never disappeared, it's only been locked by the curse." Father nods. "Perhaps you really can overcome the curse's pain."

"This is too risky! I won't allow you to risk your life again!" Mother's voice trembles.

"Quick! Everyone! Break down the door!"

Noise erupts from outside. Footsteps are dense.

The wooden door is kicked in and shatters into pieces.

"Take them! Take them all!"

Uniformed police rush into the house—seven or eight people crowd into the small room.

"Wait! What's going on!"

Two policemen pin me down. I see them arresting my parents.

"We received a report that the Meldred family's private park was set on fire!" A police captain enters. "After investigation, you and your family are prime suspects. We're arresting you in accordance with the law!"

"No!"

I break free from the police and kneel before the captain.

"My parents have nothing to do with this. I'm willing to take full responsibility!"

The captain sneers and waves his hand. "Fine, then cooperate with us."

"No! Mark!" My parents try to rush over but are roughly shoved to the ground by the police.

I'm fitted with handcuffs and leg irons, a black cloth bag pulled over my head.

I can only hear my parents' cries, feeling utterly agonized.

They kept me in prison overnight.

Early the next morning, I'm taken directly to court.

Standing in the defendant's dock, I see the doorway packed with reporters holding cameras. Three judges from the Council of Three Dragons sit on the platform, expressionlessly flipping through materials, occasionally glancing at me.

"The defendant committed arson on private property, constituting destruction of property and endangering public safety—a top-level serious crime." The presiding judge bangs his gavel. "Do you plead guilty?"

I lower my head and slowly exhale.

"It was Young Master Carlos who set the fire himself. He wanted to burn me to death."

The entire courtroom erupts. Reporters desperately push their way in.

A Black Dragon janitor accusing the Red Dragon family's young master of burning down his own family's park? Front-page news.

"I can't breathe fire! And I had no arson tools!" I pound the table. "You know this! I'm innocent!"

"Silence!"

The judge pounds the desk violently. It takes a long time before the courtroom quiets down.

"You have no right to make such accusations!" The judge points at me. "We also have a witness."

Boss Green takes the witness stand. He's dressed in a suit and tie, trembling with nervousness.

"Honored dragon judges... I'm willing to testify. This Black Dragon Mark was my employee yesterday, but I discovered he left his assigned work area during working hours."

I stare at him. He doesn't dare look at me.

"I can confirm that it was Mark who set the fire during this time. This is his lighter for smoking, left at the company—"

"You're lying! I don't even smoke!"

I wave my shackles in protest. The police hold me down firmly.

"The evidence is clear and complete. The court will accept it and render a final judgment."

The three judges confer briefly, then rise simultaneously.

"Defendant Mark, convicted of arson, assault, and destruction of property, sentenced to a cumulative thirty years, plus fifty gold coins in damages."

"This isn't fair! You—"

A police baton strikes from behind. Everything goes black.

When I wake again, I'm lying in a dark, gloomy dungeon.

I grip the bars, sweating profusely, trying to use my power again—no response.

Red warning lights flash. Someone walks into the corridor and stops in front of my cell.

"How does prison feel?"

Even though the corridor is pitch black, I can recognize those shoes instantly.