The Adventures of Raegor

V

The mnock had led Raegor deep into the cave. It was very damp and dark, and there were numerous animal bones on the ground. Raegor shuddered to think what had eaten them.

Eventually the mnock entered a large room, where it lit a torch and placed it on the wall. It looked down, and a smile split it's face.

Raegor gasped when he saw what it was. On the floor lay a ten-foot long dragon. It was black and had huge muscular legs. Its wing membrane was translucent and it had a large tail. Spines reached all the way down its back and scales covered all of its exposed body. Raegor wasn't sure whether it was asleep or- the thing he hated to consider- dead.

Dragons had always had a hallowed place in society. In ancient times, when the pure line of kings that ruled the land were in their prime, dragons were considered a bane to the world and were hunted and shot from the sky by spiteful elves, dwarves, halflings and humans. Even the goblins and orcs detested them in that age. People regarded dragons with hateful awe.

All that changed in the Orc war. The goblinoids had advanced on the mortal kingdoms after defeating the elves and driving them into their forest. There were so many of them that they almost defeated the human and dwarvish armies until Ylgarn the Mighty dragon came down and routed the green-skinned foes. From then on the dragons were respected greatly. But bloodshed continued until the leaders of all the races of men, elves, dwarves and halflings agreed to cast a spell that affected the entire world. A spell that would allow dragon eggs to hatch in the presence of the being they chose to bind with. If the man, dwarf, elf or halfling agreed and touched the hatchling a bond would be forged between their minds so they could communicate telepathically. Also a dragon ring would form on the rider's hand so they could use magic. The riders had extended life and enchanted strength and agility.

The riders helped the Kings and kept the peace over the land for thousand of years until the King Mitch's wife gave birth to two twins : Nástak and Náskor. Shortly after King Mitch was assassinated and his wife took over until the twins were old enough. When the twins were both fourteen she divided the land in half. But Nàstak wanted to be high king of the land and murdered his mother, then turned and invaded his brother Náskor's land. At Krakaji they duelled but Náskor won and drove his brother away. However Nástak took the oath and became an immortal necromancer. He then invaded again and took some of Aolas.

Raegor lived in Nástak's part, and although the mountain villages like the one Raegor lived in were spared, the rest of the land lived under the sorceror's tyranny.

The mnock raised the wand and muttered a word that Raegor couldn't hear - it appeared he wasn't the only one to hide the word-keys he knew - and the dragon writhed in pain. It woke instantly and roared, breathing fire all over the mnock, whose wards protected him. The dragon lashed out with a huge claw, which crippled the mnock, cutting its stomach. The mnock cried out then raised its wand again and shouted a word, shooting an emerald bolt which hit the dragon on the nose. It moaned and collapsed. Raegor sprinted forward, angry. This was a dragon! Why kill it when there were only a few left? He skidded to a halt, then fitted a stone to his catapult. He pulled it back as hard as he could and released it. The stone smacked the spellcaster in the forehead, killing it.

Raegor ran over to the dragon. Its breath was laboured, heavy and it had a huge wound on its neck. "Styla" he whispered and the skin knit back together, even as Raegor's had only minutes ago. It seemed like years.But Raegor realised that there was no point. The dragon was doomed. It lifted its leg in a last goodbye, Raegor thought. But then he saw it. Crawling out from its mother's deceased body crawled a small green dragon hatchling.