The Stone of Salazara (Book 1 of Saga of the Stones)

Chapter 1

The whole town was in bedlam. People were running down the streets, yelling and screaming. Mothers tried to calm their children as fathers aimed crossbows at the sky. The children from the local orphanage were on the run, older ones herding younger children through the streets to the shelter. And in the midst of those orphans was me, a thirteen year old girl with no seen purpose in life.

All this commotion was being caused by a large, scaly flying creature in the sky. Yep, a dragon. Fire flew down from the dark clouded sky, lighting houses on fire all through the village. Some people were passing buckets of water to each other, trying to put out the fires. However, their efforts were fruitless.

The other orphans and I were running down the dirt road to the dragon shelter. Sylvia, one of the older orphans, called ahead to me from the back of the group. "Siv! Run ahead and open the trapdoor!"

Following her orders, I picked up speed, my leather boots kicking up dust and rocks as I ran. Reaching the trapdoor, I grabbed the handle and lifted up the stone. Sylvia and the other orphans reached the door and lowered themselves down. I prepared myself to jump down into the stone caves below.

A roar came up from behind me, and I felt long sharp claws rap around my shoulders. A moment later, my feet were hanging in midair, the wind whistling through my long black hair.

Other than a startled yell from me, a few moments were silent. For now, let me tell you some more about me. My name is Siv, and I'm thirteen years old. My hair is pitch black with one blonde strip, and my eyes are a violet purple. My mother died a week after giving birth to me, due to a disease which had killed my father a few months before. Both sets of my grandparents were already gone, and my only living relative was my Uncle Anthony, who was halfway around the world in the country of Sanova. To tell the truth, I don't even know if my uncle knows I'm alive. The only way I know about him is because one of his childhood friends still lives in the village. He says that Sanova is in a famine, otherwise, I would probably be sent there to be in his custody.

Back to the problem at hand, the dragon. It was a deep green color with golden eyes, flecked with silver. It had long pointy teeth, yellowed with age.

"You're a bit scrawny, but you might do," said a deep voice from above me. I looked up, startled. The dragon was grinning down at me, a wicked grin in his eye. The dragon faded, and a hazy vision of a burning village appeared. After a moment, my perspective zoomed in on a young boy, around my age, with brown hair and sky blue eyes. He looked scared. My view turned again, and I saw an older women with the same hair and eyes as the boy. To my horror, the building she was standing in the doorway of, collapsed in a pile of ash and flames. The scene faded, and the dragon appeared in front of me again. It seemed that not a moment had passed, and the dragon began talking again.

"King Kamari will decide whether you'll be food, or a servant. Personally, I hope he rewards me for my hundredth catch."

"Congrats on your hundredth catch," I said sarcastically. "How were you so successful, did one of the baby dragons help you?"

"Be quiet human! I've lived much longer than you, and seen much more! I'm over five-hundred years old!"

I grinned. "So you're over five-hundred and I'm only your hundredth catch? Man, that's sad."

The dragon growled angrily. He muttered a few words under his breath, and I blacked out. I guess he had put me under a light sleeping spell.

I don't know how long I was asleep, but by the time I woke up, it was light out, the sun just above the horizon. I was slouched against a stone wall. Torches lined the walls, lighting up an immense cave full of dragons. Thankfully, none of them noticed me. They were mostly just talking to each other. A few people wandered around the room, carrying huge trays of lamb, beef, and pork. I stood, and slowly walked around the perimeter of the room. I came up behind a girl, a bit older than me, with long black hair with one brown strip.

"Excuse me, where am I?" I asked the girl, tapping her on the shoulder. The girl jumped and dropped the tray of scraps she was holding. She spun around.

"Gosh you scared me!" she paused, trying to catch her breath. "Okay. So, are you the knew servant?"

Just like with the dragon, her face faded away, and I saw an older man with a short gray beard putting a small cage-like necklace with a bright green stone in around my neck. The view changed, and I saw a group of elves crossing a field in the distance. My view zoomed in on an elf in the lead, with blond hair, blue eyes, and a golden glow. The girl's face returned.

"I guess so."

"Welcome to King Kamari's caves. I'm Isabelle. Here, I'll show you around."

"Thanks Isabelle, I'm Siv." Looking down at the spilled scraps on the cave floor, I asked, "Need help cleaning up?"

She looked down at the scraps and laughed. "Yeah probably."

Isabelle gave me a quick tour of the caves after helping her clean up. She showed me the sleeping quarters, the staff room, and the kitchens. There, an elderly lady named Minerva immediately made me a meal out of some beef leftovers. Afterwards, Isabelle showed me the dragon's dining room, throne room, and sleeping caves.

Later that day Isabelle and I sat in the servant sleeping quarters, talking about this and that. It wasn't until then that I noticed the necklace she was wearing. It was a circular cage, with a small bright green stone in it. Just like the one in my weird vision!

"Isabelle, where did you get that necklace?"

Isabelle held out the necklace, and smiled sadly at it. "My dad gave it to me. He was a sailor, and one time he found this at sea. Ten years kater he gave it to me for my tenth birthday. Then he had to leave to help Kiolim in their Civil War... on the way home his ship was attacked. Henever came back," she sniffled, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I was only ten then, and it's been eight years." She shook her head and looked up at me. "Oh well, I guess it happens to everyone sooner or later doesn't it? Losing a parent."

I decided to change the subject so Isabelle wouldn't get too sad. "So, what's the one thing you've always wished to happen to you?"

Isabelle thought a moment. "To find true love in the most unlikely place. What's yours?"

"To actually have a purpose in life. To have an adventure."