The Dragons of Illiandro

A Tortured Soul

Introduction

          Elenade, there is no place more beautiful on Illiandro. Elenade has flowing hills to the south, a large, glistening lake to the east, a vast forest to the west, and to the north the homes of many like me carved into the very majestic rock of the GlacialMountain range. Illiandro is the continent on which I live. It is very peaceful during the winter, but during the summer I regret to admit wars are always breaking out. Many of the beings are always seeking power and ways to overthrow each other. It saddens me very much to have to watch these countless wars come and go. Many of my brethren are like me during these times. However, there is one thing that keeps us from interfering and that is our vast magic.

          My race has lived on Illiandro for as long as I have lived. I am Vayn the emperor of the entire dragon race. We dragons take pride in having knowledge as well as medicine. Many of my brethren are teachers and healers, but there are some like me that are of the warrior breed. Though I am the emperor I am also of the warrior breed. Those of warrior breed tend to have control over multiple elements and also are able shift and become humanlike. Among humanoids the only way to distinguish us from them is our markings if we are not hiding them.

                     The Human War, summer 4012

          A millennium has passed since the short war between the two shifter races: Tigera and Arachnea. I have been trying for countless years to keep the whole of Illiandro in peace. I often consult with Allora, a human mage, when I have difficult decisions to make like the times when Cassian and Leze had to rescue their mates. Those times were very troubling for me because though I knew abduction, slavery, and child abuse were happening in the world everywhere I could do nothing but sit on my throne and wait for news that these practices were abolished all over Illiandro. To this day those three have indeed been halted before it could become a big deal; however our neighboring continent of Galidora is not so lucky. Galidora is where my Allora lives and she has told me of many troubles that her continent has gone through over the years.

          ‘Vayn!!’ My body shoots to a standing position at the mental force of my mate’s aura. ‘Allora, what has happened? I feel your pain, my love.’ I try to calm her fears with a mental embrace. ‘Vayn, my entire city is being forced into obedience by a dark sorcerer. He is trying to force me to be his queen but I have refused and now I am being tortured with the sight of my city’s female population being raped before my eyes. Vayn, my darling please, you have to come and help us.’ I feel her struggles at trying not to let her soul break. ‘I will be there as soon as I can gather my most trusted warriors. Be strong, Allora.’ I cut off from our link and immediately summon up my darkness and shadow port to Arkro’s cave. “ARKRO!!” I bellow out before I start pacing in my agitation. “Great One?” I stop pacing and turn to look at Leze and Ytinna. “Leze, where is your father?” The two bow before Leze responds, “He went to patrol the southern boarders with Kaze and Volkrum.”

          I sigh in irritation before I snap out an order to the head of my Alpha Squadron. “Gather all the warriors we fly to Galidora as soon as possible.” Leze bows and shifts to dragon form and takes to the sky. “Ytinna, do you think you could ask Artries, Oppo, Viska, Matta’s mate Raoh, and the elf Lorinth to help us with this emergency?” Ytinna bows and shifts to her wolf spider form and hurries off to do as I ask. I walk over to the edge, lift off the cliff, and fly up to Cassian’s cave. “Cassian, are you home?” My eyes nearly bulge as I am knocked to the ground. “What the…” I blink and look at what’s on my chest. “Rex, what have I told you about pouncing on your godfather?” I start laughing as I see Rex look sheepishly as Cassian. “But, dad, I haven’t gotten to see Vayn since I was 2.” I hear Reika’s laughter and she walks over and lifts Rex off of me. “Vayn is a very busy dragon Rex. He has a whole race to rule over.” She tells my godson as she sets him onto the ground. “Now go play with your friends.” I watch Rex shift to his dragon form and fly off towards Cestro’s cave.