Wardens Of The Dragon Tattoo

Chapter 2 - Mealen's Destiny

Back to the small town called, Alliv. One of the townsfolk was called Mahrek Kuldrin. He was a good farmer, a brilliant fighter and he had all the ladies he could ever have wanted, but he was looking for something more, something fulfilling, and something that gave meaning to his life. Mahrek always had this strange tattoo of a dragon since birth and no one knew how it got there, but he was treated the same as everyone else none the less.

One night when Mahrek was out at his favorite spot under a large tree next to an enchanting lake, where he could sit and relax, and just listen to the world around him, his tattoo started to glow green and he had this energy flowing through him that was so strange it was unexplainable. The energy went through his body and shot up into the air in a green beam of light. Then the night went dark again.

Everything was normal except his tattoo had moved from his chest to his right hand and was still glowing. Mahrek was unaware that this was the work of a Dragon Dwarf who had summoned him. His grandfather had told him about it in one of his stories.

He said that one day someone will be chosen to discover the secret of the Dragon Dwarfs, but Mahrek never really believed him. He only enjoyed the stories his grandfather had told him. He was too stubborn to believe in such stories and only believed in what he saw.

His grandfather promised him his old bastard sword, which Mahrek absolutely loved, if Mahrek went to search for the Dragon Dwarf who had summoned him. Mahrek didn't know that this was his destiny. He knew he couldn't do it alone though, not out there in the wilderness of Tamra.

Mahrek woke up the next morning to the sound of birds chirping and the water flowing in the valley behind his house. He walked downstairs and stopped next to the study where his grandfather was sitting in his old rocking chair.

His grandfather was busy going through some old scrolls and taking a puff on his pipe now and then. Mahrek could see the old age has drained the color from his face and has weakened his limbs, but he knew his grandfather's spirit was still young and full of energy.

"Ah, good morning, my boy," he said, smiling broadly at Mahrek before returning his attention to his scrolls. "Would you mind buying some fertilizer for the garden when you go out today, my boy? The garden is looking a tad on the wild side," he said with a weak laugh.

"Of course, granddad," Mahrek said with a chuckle, before opening the front door and stepping outside. It was a chilly day today and Mahrek could see his breath fading away into the air as he exhaled.

He walked along a river stone pathway, which led him through the wild and mysterious garden, with tangles of rich, green undergrowth attracting birds and insects of all types, buzzing and singing the day away, and with a riot of wildflowers dotting the garden.

After walking through the garden, Mahrek was greeted by a blue, crystal clear river flowing along the edge of an old-growth forest, which stood proudly next to his house, where songbirds serenaded in the canopy of massive maples, oaks, and chestnuts that have stood unmoved since Mahrek can remember.

A small stone path led past the other farms to the center of town where the town's big marketplace was located inside a low circle wall of stone and The Drunksman's Alehouse, The Black Phoenix blacksmith, Mayor Helkin's house and more buildings were located in an arc around it. Mahrek strolled along the stone path and eventually reached the town's marketplace just after dawn, but it was already bustling with the town's merchants, local buyers and the occasional travelers.

Mahrek walked through the town's marketplace and examined some of the merchants' stands cursorily, including The Alchemist's Saloon, which sold potions and ingredients to make potions, The Paladin and the Priest, which sold magic trinkets, enchanted amulets and enchanted rings, and The Howling Boatman, which sold fishing gear, tackle and rented out boats.