The Journey To Orillion

Chaper 1: Dreams

      Esmeralda jolted from her dreadful sleep, pulling the soft white blankets around her tightly. Her long jet black hair swayed as she maneuvered her eyes around the dim room, hearing the storm outside of her roaring wildly, unleashing the great beast from within the haunting clouds.
       She looks down at her sweat-covered, cyan blue nightgown. It was only a nightmare. Esmeralda says, a little relieved. Her face pale, Esmeralda tries to calm her racing heart and lightly lays her shaken mind down on the fluffy pillows her mattress provides. Although Esmeralda wishes she had a place to hide, she knew the terrors outside wouldn't shelter her; her mind wouldn't let their shields down for a split second, not after that horror. Esmeralda finds herself stranded alone in fear. The fierce black dragon she met in her dreams wouldn't be kind enough to let her into his throne room, at that moment, the dragon king would be laughing at the pathetic display of her weakness. Esmeralda refused to allow Karagra get the best of her. She closed her eyes, and, ignoring the immense downpour, drifted back to the dream realm.
       Esmeralda looked around her as the new dream filled her mind. Trees sprouted and reached high into the sky, their branches dancing in the wind. Animals were born and set free of their shelter, and they were happily stretching out their limbs. Esmeralda turned around in awe. A crystal clear pond formed behind her, showing off its multicolored koi fish and small aquatic turtles. The light glanced off the lake, making every ripple shimmer.
       Esmeralda turned her point of view to the sky. She admired the lengthy trees and their splendid branches. Only hints of the sun passed through the layers of leaves, giving the forest a peaceful sense. An elk then made itself known to her. Esmeralda whipped around, her thick black hair responding to the change in direction, and fell on her slender back and shoulders. Her blue gown spun about her, unfurling the wrinkles of the dizzy spin, then once again swayed softly to the breeze of the wind just above her ankles.
       Esmeralda examined the excellent living thing. The elk was male, its long, woodlike antlers splitting randomly. It's sleek, brown body was muscular, and looked like it could be the dominant male, if it had a family. The beast then bent its joints and laid on the tamed, healthy grass, folding its hooves under itself. Esmeralda found herself wanting to ride the beautiful elk. With a shaky hand, Esmeralda extended her arm to his muzzle, hoping for his consent. The elk didn't find Esmeralda threatening, but possibly amusing. The elk watched calmly as her eyes shut and moved her hand closer... And soon she was touching the soft fur of the beast. The elk started to unfoil his legs, and Esmeralda jumped back from fear of losing her right hand.
       Esmeralda, who just turned fifteen, was not used to animals. The elk could tell, too. The beast bent its forelegs in a kneeling position, beckoning for Esmeralda to get on. Esmeralda carefully stepped to the graceful elk, her bare feet brushing the grass beneath her as she approached him. The elk waited patiently for Esmeralda to get on, knowing that she would need to be prepared for the ride.
       After settling on the elk's mighty shoulders, she felt him push back, then soar around the trees as if they were in a flat plain of smooth grass. Holding on to the wild elk desperately, she felt the elk's muscles moving furiously but easily, as if this speed was normal for him. A line of brush blocked the way ahead, and she knew what was going to happen. Esmeralda tried her best to find a better grip, but when the elk gracefully leapt over the thorny bushes, that's when Esmeralda's fingers gave out, plunging her into a whole new world.

      Esmeralda found herself in a dark, stalactite-filled cave. Water dripped carelessly from the stalactites, making hundreds of tiny rivers that drained into a large pool in the middle of the cave.
      Esmeralda realized that she had a flashlight and flipped it on. Her torn nightgown dripped with blood and water, compliments of the fall into the bushes and the groundwater. Esmeralda didn't feel the pain, only surprise as she walked perfectly on a broken ankle. With her flashlight, Esmeralda examined the area around her. Even within the light, the stalactites looked menacing to her, and she tried to stay clear of their falling ranges. With all the water dripping, it almost seemed as if it were lightly raining.
       Oh, good. No bats. Esmeralda commented. Silently behind her, an oblivious water serpent arose from the pond to greet its home. The dragon, now aware of the girl in the cave, flicked out its forked tongue to smell her so she could decide whether to eat her, if not poisonous, or to bang her about until her bones are ground to dust against the walls of the cavern.    
      Esmeralda heard a hushed snake-like sound near the pond. She slowly rotated to face the location of the strange noise, but what she saw was no ordinary snake. Esmeralda shook with fright as the aquatic monstrosity moved closer to her, examining her with a tasteful eye. Esmeralda stared into the dragon's hard, black eyes. She then realized that the dragon looked like it was made of glass. Her flashlight's steady ray was shattered against the dragon's rough skin. The dragon's nose was the focal point of the glass-like scales; it was extending from the sharp, pointed nose, and grew along the dragon's entire body. She followed the flashlight along the serpent's body to where it extended out from the water. The beast viciously hissed to bring Esmeralda's attention back to her eyes.
      Who are you? A feminine voice said in Esmeralda's mind. She jumped back in surprise and concluded that that dragon was talking to her, seeing it was the only thing that could be.
       Esmeralda took a breath and said in a panicky voice, "I-I am Esmeralda." remembering her manners, Esmeralda continued, "And w-who might y-you be?" she studdered.
       I am Adracia. Now, why are you intruding in my abode? Adracia asked sharply.
       "I did not mean to d-disturb your home, dear Adracia," Esmeralda said politely. "You see, I am only a d-dream." She said, pointing to her broken ankle. "I will not bother you any l-longer, seeing that I will wake up soon." Hopefully... Esmeralda thought.
       The emerald-colored dragon contemplated her next move. In her thought process, Adracia's eyes became a beautiful fiery color, glowing with heat and piercing Esmeralda's own dark blue eyes. The dragon reered back and looked at Esmeralda with a new perspective. Esmeralda didn't know what to expect, nor did she know what the dragon had discovered, but she soon knew nothing and everything.