Arrowhead | rise of the brave tangled dragons

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

"Breaking news," the caster spoke into his microphone, less than an inch from his lips. "Reports of what appears to be a dragon and bear have come from the heart of Scotland's Inchcailloch forest. An individual has gone missing and a family of four injured. Authorities are warning everyone to stay away from the woods until we have more information. If we get a visual, we'll be sure to broadcast it. We... we can get a visual, right? What- we can't- what kind of thing can't we see- I'm reporting a hoax-"

A brunet boy leaned forward in his seat, frowning. "Not good, not good, definitely not good." He muttered. His thumb tapped on the remote, and the TV turned to a black. Rising, he turned and headed over to his bed. The small English dorm room wasn't quite what he was used to, granted, but it was where he was meant to be, he knew it. Or rather, the Man on the Moon knew it. Now he knew why.

This report was only the beginning of something bigger, and much, much darker. Pulling out a small wooden box, he placed it on the bed. In one corner, there was a boomerang, in another, a half of a cylinder with diamonds on it. In the opposite corner was a delicately painted snowflake, and in the final one lay a golden cloud. In the center are two symbols- a blank Russian nesting doll and a Christmas cookie. Just above the center, the word 'believe' gleamed back at him. A soft smile touched the boy's lips. Flipping it open with a quiet creak, he reached inside. When he withdrew his hand, a snow globe resided in his palm. He brought it gently to his lips. "To the North Pole." He whispered, then tossed it at the TV. A swirling, foggy portal appeared before his very eyes, and a booming laugh echoed out from the other side.

Jumping up, he dove through the portal. It disappeared along with him with a bright white flash.

The freezing cold welcomed the boy as he tumbled onto the glossy floors of a new, bright, frigid but enchanting place. "Jamie?" The booming voice questions, and a tall, broad-shouldered man turned around. His fingers combed through his beard as the young man on the floor awkwardly smiled back, giving a small wave. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, you see, North." He clambered to his feet. North dwarfed the boy, but Jamie had grown in leaps and bounds since their first encounter nearly a decade ago. "We've got a problem. You might want to call in the gang."

"Aye." North nodded, trusting him without a hint of hesitation in his jovial but fierce steel blue eyes. Jamie had been more than useful before, and seemed incapable of lying or deceiving, no matter the circumstances.

Jamie dusted himself off. His gaze lingered on North, watching him as he gripped a handle on his board of... things... and turned it. The globe, which shone brightly with all the lights of every child who believes, erupted with a brilliant white light, shooting it up to the sky and causing the gorgeous waves of Northern Lights.

Behind Jamie, a spot on the floor opened up and from it, a pedestal rose. A ray of moonshine traveled to cover it. One of the little elves, a short thing with a bell to announce his presence, walked straight into it, toppling over. One behind him laughed, and a yeti rolled his eyes before resuming his job.

North turned back to Jamie. His gaze landed on the human boy, then moved onward, to the pedestal. He frowned, his brows furrowing. That meant... "Trouble is afoot, no?"

"Yeah," Jamie sighed. "You might want to sit down for this one, too. It's a little insane."

"What's insane?" A third voice joined them as a teenage boy with white hair and a staff soared into the room, landing neatly between the two men. "Because you wouldn't believe my week. I bet I can do better than... whatever you have to say, kiddo."

Jamie smirked. "Bet."