Of Both Worlds

Chapter 1

Text copyright © 2016 by Jasmine Schroeder

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or copied by any means physical or mechanical without written permission from the author. If taking brief quotes from the passage, be sure to sight your source and make them no longer than half a page.

Ace Goldwood sat on the back deck of his uncle's lakeside house in Erie, Pennsylvania. His summer had barely just begun, and yet he wished it would end. There was nothing to do at the house. Ace sipped his soda and decided to go for a walk along the beach. The waves crashed on the sand. It was only about eighty degrees out and super windy. Ace's sandy hair blew all over the place. It was pretty calm on the beach...well, it was. 

A guy broke through the forest lining Lake Erie, blood dripping down from multiple cuts. Ace's eyes went wide. The guy was looking back over his shoulder and must not have seen Ace standing there, because he crashed right into him. Ace went down. "Ow," Ace complained. The guy scrambled to his feet, but slipped in the sand. 

"Run Typic!" The guy called forcing Ace to his feet. "Wait run? Run from what?" Ace thought for a second. "What's a Typic?" The guy shoved Ace making him stumble. The guy took off. Ace ran after him, his head full of questions. "What are you running from?" The guy looked behind his back and saw something that made his eyes widen. 

"Shit." The guy swore. Ace looked behind himself, slowing down his run. A dark green creature emerged from the foliage. It was about four feet tall and thirteen feet long, it had long muscled legs and dark green scales covered it from head to toe. It had a long tail with two, three feet long spikes on each side. Two dozen huge quills ran down its spine, it had sharp looking claws on its toes that dug into the sand. Its huge face was tipped with spikes and its long snout gave way to two large nostrils. The creature's four red eyes looked around the beach. Blood stained teeth protruded from its monster of a mouth. The creature lowered its nose to the sand and sniffed. Its head shot up when it caught their scent. 

Reality came back to Ace. This was not a creature from a video game. This was real and right in front of him. Ace's heart pounded. The creature bent down to the ground, inching towards Ace. Ace had about thirty yards between him and the beast.

"No. Sudden. Moves." The guy next to Ace whispered even though his lips didn't move. Ace didn't even dare nod. "Don't make eye contact." The guy commanded quickly after. Too late. Ace was staring right into those red eyes, and they just seemed to get bigger and bigger. Everything blurred around the eyes. The creature kept stalking nearer, but all that Ace could see were those big red eyes. The creature kept closing the distance, twenty yards away now. It sniffed the air, its head moving all over, but Ace kept his eyes on the beast's eyes. 

The creature started making a noise, purring? A scream emitted from the tree tops. Both Ace and the creature looked up to see a girl jump down from the tall tree and land on top of the creature. The creature bucked and threw her off. Its spikes all stood on end as it roared and waved its spiked tail around skimming the sand. The girl pulled out a dagger and swung it in front of the creature. In a millisecond, the creature turned around and used its tail to knock the dagger out of her hand.

It turned back around and sprinted for the girl. The guy standing next to Ace jumped into action. He jumped onto the creature's spiked tail. The creature flicked its tail sending the guy flying back a few yards.

"Dylan!" The girl cried out. The creature lunged for the girl who was crawling for her dagger in the sand. Ace hesitated then took a step for the creature.

"Hey," Ace said. "Hey!" The creature whirled. "Leave them alone!" The creature stalked towards Ace. 

"No, stupid Typic," The girl breathed. She had her right hand clutched close to her chest, it was bleeding profusely. The creature licked its lips, now dyed red and shiny with blood. Its spikes stood on end and it bared its bloody teeth, its spiked tail held high in the air.

Begone. Ace could have sworn he heard the creature say that. Ace looked at the creatures red eyes. It then turned and ran away, its long legs taking giant strides taking it farther and farther away. Ace fell to the sand breathing hard. 

The guy came limping over going over to the girl instantly. "Kaylin, are you okay?" He looked at her bleeding hand. "Holy crap, we got to get you back to camp."

"I'll be fine Dylan, what happened to your foot?" 

"Dislocated my ankle when the forest dragon threw me," Dylan hissed, looking down at his awkwardly placed foot.

Ace blinked. "I'm sorry, did you say dragon?" Dylan and Kaylin both slowly looked over at Ace, then looked at each other. 

Kaylin was the first to respond, "Why are you still here?" Kaylin asked. "Go run back home."

"Not until I get some answers." Kaylin and Dylan exchanged a glance. Suddenly his legs didn't work. 

Ace fell to the ground, his eyes frozen open. His body spazed out, his shoulders shook and his breath was uncontrollable. His vision blurred. Ace only caught bits and pieces of conversation. He felt his eyes being forced closed. "...stupid dragon...dragonstruck...can't leave him...help me carry him..."

Ace was walking on the beach and a dragon burst out of the forest. But Ace wasn't afraid of it, of her. She wasn't afraid of him either. "Why'd you attack me?" Ace asked as they walked down the beach together. 

Attack you? The dragon sounded surprised. I didn't attack you, the other boy attacked me. Ace looked the dragon over. She seemed healthy to Ace.

"You look fine to me." 

Not me exactly. He did land a few hits in though.

The dragon led Ace through the forest. He sought me out, this was no random attack. Ace ran his hands over the trees, he felt the damp moss, he could feel the heat of the day ending with the sun setting. This was less like a dream and started to feel like he was actually there.
"I'm still confused, dragon, how did Dylan attack you if you're barely hurt?"

Please, call me Aureliana. Ace looked at Aureliana, she seemed-docile wasn't the right word-kind. Aureliana seemed kind, kinder than most anyone had been to him all summer.

"Aureliana, how is this possible?" Ace asked gesturing vaguely around himself.
I connected our minds. All dragons can. Talonhunters call it dragonstruck. Ace's head was swimming. 

"Talonhunters...dragonstruck...what?"

I know this is a lot young one. Aureliana turned her four red eyes gently to the sky painted red with the setting sun. Just know that you are not alone. We are linked you and I. 

"Aureliana, I still have a question, what did Dylan attack?" Aureliana stopped and her red eyes saddened and she dropped her head.

My heart. Ace was horrified at what was in front of him. Aureliana walked around under a small outcropping of rock where a pile of soft sticks, mud, moss, and leaves beheld a tragedy. A dozen broken brown and green speckled egg shells with small lifeless dragon-like figures covered in blood. 

Dylan had taken the lives Aureliana's children.

******
Ooooh. Draaamaa! Dylan is a murderer! Ace is taken by Dylan and Kaylin to who-knows-where! (JK I know where he is) Anyways, give me a shout, tell me what you think and I'll be sure to get chapter two out there...eventually.
XOXO-razzyjazzy9686