At the critical moment, Luna's mind sparked with an idea. She spun around and dashed toward the pastry stall she had passed earlier. The vendor, still watching the fleeing crowd with worry, immediately caught on to her intent when he saw her rushing over.
Without hesitation, he handed her a flatbread dripping with honey. "Try this!" he urged.
Luna snatched the bread, nodded gratefully, and hurried to the center of the street. Raising the bread high, she closed her eyes and whispered a short wind incantation.
A gentle breeze flowed from her palm, carrying the sweet fragrance of honey toward the panicked young dragon.
The little creature, frantically flapping its wings a moment ago, suddenly froze mid-air. Its tiny nostrils twitched as the irresistible scent reached it.
Turning its head, it quickly spotted the golden flatbread in Luna's hand.
With a childish cry, the dragon abandoned its chaotic flight and drifted toward the aroma.
"Yes, that's it. Come here, little one…" Luna coaxed softly, slowly drawing the bread closer to herself while backing away, leading the dragon away from the runaway cart's path.
The dragon, utterly captivated by the honeyed bread, followed without hesitation. As it bit down eagerly, Luna seized the chance—her palms snapped together, conjuring a shimmering bubble that gently enclosed the feasting dragon inside.
"Got you!" she exclaimed with joy. Inside the transparent sphere, the dragon hugged the bread, munching happily, blissfully unaware it was trapped. Luna carefully tugged the bubble back toward her, afraid of startling the little creature.
The crowd gradually returned to their senses, erupting in cheers. "Amazing, little girl!" someone shouted. The vendor hurried over, astonished. "By the heavens, how did you even think of that?"
Breathless, Luna smiled and spread her hands, letting the bubble float in mid-air while the dragon licked the honey from its claws. "I just thought… maybe it was hungry," she admitted shyly, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Just then, the magical guards came rushing back, relieved to see the dragon safely secured. They quickly assisted Luna in returning the creature to its cage. The vendor, overjoyed, inspected the dragon and let out a long breath of relief.
"Thanks to you, truly! You're incredible!" the vendor exclaimed, ruffling Luna's hair. "So young, yet so capable!"
Luna blushed at the praise and waved her hands nervously. "I… I just thought of it by chance."
Meanwhile, the boy who had fallen earlier was helped back to his feet by a guard. His scraped knee still stung, but he ignored it, running to Luna with bright eyes. "You were amazing! Thank you for saving the dragon!"
Luna flashed him a brilliant smile. "And thank you for distracting it earlier. I'm Luna—what's your name?"
"I'm Kevin!" he declared proudly, brushing the dirt from his face and extending his hand. The two children shared a cheerful high-five, their laughter ringing with the spark of newfound friendship.
The guard laughed heartily at the sight. "All's well that ends well! Little heroes, you're both unharmed, right?" After making sure, he gave them a thumbs-up. "Well done! The streets of Elphis could use sharp and brave kids like you!"
Luna scratched her head, smiling bashfully as the crowd began to disperse.
The pastry vendor thumped his chest with relief. "What a fright that was! But little miss, you've truly saved the day. From now on, whenever you want flatbread, it's on the house!"
Laughter rippled through the people nearby. Luna nodded happily, accepting his offer with a grin.
The pet shop owner, too, invited Luna to visit anytime and promised to give the mischievous dragon a proper name to remember this day. Hearing that, Luna's heart felt as sweet as honey.
Soon the street returned to its bustling cheer. Under the warm sun, Luna resumed her wandering steps.
One hand clutched the extra honey bread the vendor had gifted her, while the other twirled the colorful balloon string she had picked up earlier. Humming softly, she skipped along the cobblestone path.
Passing a lively stall, she waved her hand, conjuring a chocolate ice cream and a slice of strawberry cake with a spark of magic. Laughing, she caught them and took a satisfied lick of the ice cream.
Her shoes tapped a bright rhythm on the stone road as the breeze carried the fragrance of flowers. Vendors shouted cheerfully, and glimmers of magic danced in the air. The city pulsed with life.
Luna stopped at a shop window, her gaze caught by a pure white gown. With a playful flick of her fingers, tiny sparks of magic surrounded the skirt, making it shimmer with enchantment.
Rising on her toes, she twirled before the mirror, the hem of the gown fluttering gracefully. With a snap of her fingers, ribbons tied themselves, and cream-like blossoms appeared, blooming on her sleeves.
Shoppers nearby stared in wonder, as though watching a performance of magic. To Luna, however, it was nothing more than an ordinary moment of joy.
Then, as she continued savoring her sweets, her foot slipped on a discarded banana peel. She yelped as she stumbled forward, her ice cream and cake flying in an arc.
"Who leaves banana peels lying around?!" she cried in half-complaint, brushing her knee with a playful grin.
Suddenly, the air began to twist and ripple. Light bent strangely as her surroundings wavered. Luna blinked, her heart quickening with excitement and curiosity.
In the next instant, the familiar street vanished, replaced by a bleak and broken sky. Her footing gave way, and she landed hard on the cracked edge of a ruined street. Pain shot up her leg as she rubbed at the numb ache.
"My sweets—!" Reacting quickly, she conjured a magical catch between her palms, saving the desserts before they hit the ground. With relief, she dusted them off and muttered, "Thank goodness. Still edible, I hope."
Even in this unfamiliar place, her devotion to sweets brought a faint smile to her lips.
When she steadied herself, she finally looked around. Before her lay a war-torn street: asphalt torn apart, rubble scattered, buildings leaning precariously—some still smoking, others nothing but charred ruins.
The air was thick with soot and dust, carrying the distant echoes of explosions. Above stretched a sky of iron-gray gloom, cold winds howling through the wreckage. Luna shivered involuntarily.
"Where… am I? I was just at home, and now—this?" she whispered, wide-eyed. Yet her heart brimmed not with fear, but wonder. This was the kind of scene she had only read about in storybooks—an adventure waiting to unfold, and she was right in the middle of it.