The Ghost of A Dragon's Touch

Bridge Over the Lake of Sorrows

{A/N PLEASE REFER TO THE PICTURE ABOVE FOR THE BRIDGE. THANK YOU.}

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The Lake of Sorrows is said to contain the soul of an ancient TitanoWolf that died at the hands of the Fallen. Once the soul was captured in the waters, whomever attempted to cross it was doomed to die from being dragged down into the depths or eaten alive. Only the Dragon of Light, Jubalie, can pass through the waters without harm.

Now, as man has evolved to build, a bridge was created to span the length of the lake. The Lake itself is always cloaked in a thick fog, the TitanoWolf lurking nearby. Always watching...

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Ghost had finally made it to the halfway point; the dreaded bridge over the Lake of Sorrows. Before, he'd rushed his way across, the fog having been thinner. Now, it loomed like a thick curtain over the skies and lake, casting eerie shadows over the trees. It was noon, but the sun was blotted out by the dense fog. Ghost glanced around and snatched up a long branch, packing the spindly end with needles and shredded bark. With his flint and steel he snapped a spark to life, creating a torch. But instead of an orange flame, it had turned green from the fog.

No matter, it'll do. And he started off toward the bridge, the trees growing shorter and thinner as he made his way toward it.

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The bridge, he noticed, had been deteriorated over time. The once strong and solid beams were now crumbling under its own weight. Steadily, he made his climb up the ramp to the main bridge, the condensation around him growing heavier on his cloak as he gained altitude. He had to shake it off a few times before he had made it up. He took a breath to calm himself, ending up coughing as the fog created a thicker atmosphere than what he was used to. After a long coughing fit, he was finally able to breathe.

He raised his torch, standing upright. With a sigh, he rested it on his shoulder and started off. The fog was too thick to see even ten feet in front of him, the torch giving some visual aid. Ghost had heard of recent events on this bridge. Most were not well-taken either. Ten cases of murder or disappearance, two cases of suicide, and one case of insanity from the psychosis of the bridge atmosphere. It was as if the structure was alive in some way, but unless some golem conjurer made it, it was impossible.

Ghost continued walking for what seemed hours, the eerie silence all around him making him uneasy. The hair on the back of his neck began to raise, his senses on high alert. He frequently glanced around, not a soul seeming to be there. He continued on, his torch finally going out after what seemed to be two more hours of travel. He decided it was time to rest.

Sitting on the pristine platinum surface, he unshouldered his bags and opened one. Inside, he dug around. He tossed out a piece of dried meat and his water skin, catching the meat in his mouth. But he stopped his work, hearing the distant rattle of chains. He quickly glanced around, seeing nothing but the fog. Narrowing his eyes, he went back to work.

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Once his belly was full and his thirst quenched, Ghost had set off down the bridge once more. His torch was alight with the green glow the fog created, the actual fog having cleared a little. He kept moving, the growing feeling of something watching him nagging at the back of his neck. He kept glancing behind him, always finding nothing.

Finally, he stopped moving.

"Alright. Whoever is following me, show yourself at once!" Ghost shouted into the fog, his voice echoing through it. He waited for an answer, a frightened patron, anything. Instead, the wind blew from the other side of the bridge, back toward where he came from.

He gave a disgruntled huff and turned back where he was going, a very large snout greeting him. Ghost gazed in both awe and fear at the creature, its three pairs of eyes glaring back. Swallowing, he lowered his torch and stood again, his hands raised.

"Don't hurt me, please... I'm not here to harm you..." Ghost pleaded, slowly backing away. The creature silently followed, its gigantic body somewhere beside the bulk of the bridge.

"I just want to cross." Ghost said.

"What Order do you follow, human?" a loud, deep voice asked, coming from everywhere.

Ghost swallowed his fear, "Order of the Light Dragon." he replied, clutching the torch close.

The great beast's head shifted from side to side, as if inspecting his very being. 

"I shall Guide you further. To the Edge..." the voice hissed in hushed tones, sending chills down Ghost's body. 

As the voice dwindled to an echoed whisper, the bridge began to change. It warped and twisted, forming a flatter, wider path leading downward. The distant sound of chains seemed to clack and clink against the bridge as it moved. Once the movement ceased, the voice spoke again.

"Travel far, human. The Snake follows you close..." Before Ghost could speak, the six-eyed beast vanished into the fog.

Swallowing the utter terror that swept across him, he hurried down the bridge to the opposite bank. When he glanced behind him, the bridge, lake, and fog was gone.