The Ten Dragon Masters
Chapter One
As usual, the characters are mine, Onderon is from the Star Wars galaxy and therefore not mine. Enjoy!
Brief Overlook: This is set quite a few hundred years before KOTOR 2 on Onderon. There is the legend of the Ten Dragon Masters that were supposed to look over the planet, but they fell to greed and infighting. Only one remained pure, and that was Avis. Mortals were often attacked by Diablo, the Dragon Master of War and Destruction, and now due to a young woman's innocence and a boy coming into this world who has Diablo as his father, things on Onderon are set into motion. Based on Gabriel's choices, Onderon could continue to prosper, or fall into the hands of the Sith and be destroyed.
The cold breeze whipped through Onderon's grassy plains, hinting at the snowy winter to come. A small boy, no more than ten standard years old, sat bundled under an old cypress, his nose buried in a leather bound book. His shaggy blond hair fluttered in the breeze, the only sign of movement that could be seen in the midday sun. Blue eyes roved over each of the yellowing pages, absorbing the information like a giant blue-eyed sponge.
Once, long, long ago, there were ten Dragon Masters placed on Onderon by the Elders to help the people and protect them from harm. Argus, Sirus, Azurra, Kelpo, Raze, Qoordis, Malarn, Avis, Sandora, Dragon Masters all, but the greatest of them was Diablo. With red eyes like the heart of an erupting volcano, thick white hair the colour of Hoth's snow, and almost as tall as a Wookiee, Diablo was the fiercest of them, the most likely to create bloodshed.
Each of the Dragon Masters stood for the various races of the galaxy, and the ancient Sith were no exception.
They were: Argus the Wookiee, Sirus the Bothan, Azurra the Human, Kelpo the Selkath, Raze the Trandoshan, Qoordis the Nelvaanian, Malarn the Zabrak, Avis the Chiss, Sandora the Weequay, and finally, the half-breed Massassi Diablo for the Sith.
Always there must be balance, even among the Dragon Masters, so for one representing the Sith, so must there be one for the Jedi. The Jedi was Avis, a young female who was temperate, wise, and always had an open mind. This was the perfect counter for Diablo, who's bloodlust, power, and the need to dominate, which those traits are not allowed to run rampant.
As life went on, each of the Masters became tales, then legends, and finally a myth. They each began to represent a certain aspect of life and emotion for the Onderonians.
When war was rampant, it was blamed on the Lord of War, Diablo. If peace reigned, it was due to the prowess of Avis to calm Diablo.
Sometimes, when powerful, destructive storms raged over the continents of Onderon, the early settlers said that it was Diablo and Avis fighting for control of the planet until the next storm arose.
"Gabriel! Gaaaabriieellll!" sounded across the plains, shaking the boy from his trance-like state.
"I'm comin'!" He yelled, marking his place in the book and stuffing it into his pack as he raced across the plains. Thick black clouds grumbled on the horizon, shadowing the pastures below them in deep shadow.
Gabriel's boots barely made imprints in the thick green grass as he ran towards his mother. When he finally reached her, she held her arms out and grabbed him into her tight embrace.
"Oh, kiddo, you don't know how much I worry when you run off like that. What have you been up to?" She huffed into the boy's hair.
"Mum, I didn't meant to worry you. I was just reading a book I borrowed from the library today up by that cypress tree."
"Alright kiddo, but let's go inside. The weather looks like it might just be getting ready to get nasty tonight."
She looked out at the threatening clouds and sighed.
It was going to be a long night.
Gabriel turned a few more pages in his book until an odd chapter caught his eye.
Children of the Dragon Masters? He thought. That couldn't be right. Everyone knew it was sin incarnate to even think lustful thoughts of the Masters, much less sleep with them.
As he flipped a few more pages, Gabriel realized that there were an assorted few who could "persuade" one of the Dragon Masters into a brief fall from grace. However, the Dragon Master Diablo was notorious for tempting offworlders, and quite a few Onderanians.
After reading for a few more minutes the boy yawned and glanced at his bedside clock. Gabriel winced at the time, knowing that if his Mum caught him up this late, she'd skin him alive. He quickly flipped the switch and settled down for sleep in the darkened room. The book fell silently to the floor, flopping open on a peculiar page. It showed the demonic image of Diablo entangled in the embrace of the Darkside and seemingly enjoying it. A dark mist seemed to waft from the picture, causing the air to distort slightly. It moved through the house towards Gabriel's Mum's room.
She was wide awake when she heard the all to familiar voice of a former lover.
"Ahhh, Sandy, I didn't think you'd be up this late," The strong scent of brimstone washed over the older woman as the evil creature wrapped his arms around her from behind."Were you expecting me?"
"Diablo, go away! You are not welcome in my home!" Sandy hissed.
A low, throaty chuckled answered this. "Sandy, when did your welcome ever matter to me? You gave yourself willingly to me once, and that clears the way of a path that can never be reversed."
Sandy merely growled in frustration and rage. "I don't know why you're here, but you need to leave!"
The Dragon Master merely tightened his grip. "You know why I'm here. Where is the boy?"
"There is no boy. Leave."
A sharp talon fingered her ear, threatening pain if she answered wrongly again. "You lie. I know he is here. He accessed the book. I will only ask once more, then I will find him myself. Where is he?"
Sandy said nothing, her eyes growing into golfballs as she saw her son in the doorway.
"Mum?"
Oooooooo! Cliff hanger! This was something I thought of when I played KOTOR 2 and then watched a combination of Xena and Reign of Fire. This is the funky results. this story I kind of like, but like my other stories, this one may conk out. If so, then this was most likely a wast of my time... In other words, please, please, pleeassse, leave a comment. I don't really care what you put, but please put something up if you read this!!!
-Wildcat