The Vermilion Skies of Blood

When the Pyric Empire falls to an invading army of Arctic dragons, young Prince Vermilion is forced to flee his home before he can ever inherit the throne. Accompanied by his cousin and fellow prince, Cinder, and their friends Scarlet and Magma, Vermilion must escape the conquered empire and find somewhere safe before the Glacics hunt them down. Their journey takes an unexpected turn when they are kidnapped by a mysterious group of Pyric dragons who claim to be descendants of the ancient royal bloodline. Hidden inside a supposedly safe volcano, the group reveals that they are the Pyric Empire's contingency force, created centuries ago in case its rulers were ever wiped out. But their purpose goes deeper than protecting the surviving royals. Their ancestors witnessed the mysterious death of Overlord Cinder nearly 2,500 years earlier, an event that shattered the ancient alliance between the fire and ice dragons. Before his death, Cinder supposedly uttered a prophecy that could determine the fate of the world. Now Vermilion has unexpectedly become King of Fire, despite having lost his kingdom before his reign even began. With the Glacics occupying his homeland, ancient secrets resurfacing, and a prophecy whose meaning remains hidden, Vermilion must learn what it truly means to be a king before the war destroys what remains of his empire.