Chapter One

The Meeting

He wasn't sure where he was going. He just needed to walk off some stress. The park was usually empty by this time, though there were still some stragglers. Looking around, Frank was able to see one couple that looked as if they were trying to eat each other's toungs. Farther down the path, there was an older man lying on a bench trying to use old newspapers as covers.

Ahh Boston… birthplace of the Land of Hope! Hope my sorry ass… I'm still working at the same place since I was 15! I swear… McDonalds is nothing but a Black-Hole!

At least he was getting paid for it. Frank was on his way up the corporate ladder. After finishing his training, he was expected to help open his new store within the next few weeks. It paid the bills, and the company as a whole wasn't evil… just some of the people that worked for them. Evil… and retarded.

I swear to god.. if that jack-ass finds one more thing to nit-pick at me for… I may just consider leaving it for good. Who the hell cares if it's a double handled fry-scoop or not? It works just as well, and left handed crew can use it easier!... God that man can be such a pain in the ass!

He had just left work after being yelled at, yes, yelled at for making a mistake in one the purchase orders he had made for the smaller equipment for the new resteraunt. It was days like this that made Frank wish he could just … well… fly away.

Frank was as average as a man can get. He didn't consider himself as attractive as a movie star, but he didn't think he was ugly either. His dark brown hair was starting to sprout greys, and was thinning. He was of average height and weight. His skin was fair, but he didn't burn easily in the sun. He would joke with his co-workers, some of whom were black, that he was as white as a white boy could be. His co-workers would laugh and tell him he was alright for a "cracker". He was still in his work uniform as he was walking, and pushed his glasses back onto his face without thinking about it.

The lights in the park were just starting to come on, when there was a cry just through the trees. Frank wasn't sure what to do, but he knew there was no-one else around to investigate. Crashing through the brush, he followed the sounds and ran into a clearing where his eyes met the strangest sight he could have ever imagined.

"Be careful what you wish for… it just might come true!"

The voice came from an impossible source. He had to have been dreaming… dragons only existed in the stories. The was no such thing as a huge lizard like beast with wings and a long snout…

"It's rude to stare you know. The name's Draks. You must be Jake. It took you long enough to get here. My legs were starting to cramp up. We're running late… so if you don't mind… would you please close that fly trap of yours and climb up?"

"Wha… huh?" There was NO way this was happening… was he really… really having a conversation with a dragon… a… DRAGON?

Wait a second, did the dragon just say it was waiting for him?

"How do you know who I am? This is a joke right? Where's the hidden camera? I thought they canceled that show ages ago…"

"Show? What show?"

This dragon obviously had no clue what Frank was talking about, so he decided to drop the matter. He wasn't, however, about to climb aboard some strange beast without a good reason. He still wasn't even sure if it was real or not.

"Think about it this way buddy. How often do you get the chance to ride thru the sky on the back of a Dragon? I promise… I won't let you fall."

The beast that called himself Draks had a good point. Frank couldn't see how he or anyone else he knew would ever get the chance to ride a dragon… probably because They don't exist. I have to be dreaming. There's no other explanation for this. Soo... If I'm going to ride a dragon in my dreams…

"You won't let me fall huh? So what… if I fall, you're going to catch me?"

"I won't have to catch you if you use the straps and saddle." Draks shook his head, and muttured something that sounded an awful lot like "amature" under his breath. It wasn't until Frank looked that he saw the saddle and straps. Resigned to the fact that he was indeed dreaming, Frank managed to work his way into the saddle, and with some instruction from the dragon, also managed to secure himself with the leather straps.

Defying gravity, the large beast managed to get airborne. Before too much time had passed, Frank noticed the lack of land under his feet. They were crossing the Atlantic.

"So what, are we going to head towards the second star on the right and strait on till morning?"

Draks looked back at Frank and shook his head.

"Do I look like a flying pansy in tights? No, you moron, that would take us to Never-Never Land. I can't stand those guys… they drive me crazy. No… we're headed someplace else. I think you'll like it."

It never occurred to Frank that dragons would have the ability to be sarcastic. He kinda liked it. For a while, he just sat back and enjoyed the ride. It was rather surreal flying through the clouds. The dragon smelled an awful lot like cinnomin, and after a while, Frank realized that he wasn't cold at all. Strange… it was supposed to be cooler in higher altitudes, right? When Frank asked the dragon about it, the only reply he got in return was "I'm a dragon", as if it was answer enough.

"When do we plan on going back? I still have a job ya know."

"Um… we're not. You're needed in Nabelion. You're not going to believe me, but you're destined to be, well, someone of great importance."

Heh, yea right. If Frank needed any more confirmation that this was a dream, he just got it.

Funny though, how this particular dream seemed so real. The dragon's skin felt like rough leather, and Frank couldn't ever remember specific scents in any of his other dreams…

"That's cool. At least I'll have something to talk about when I wake up."

"When you wake up? I hate to break it to you, but you're not dreaming. You really do smell like French fries and burgers."

Frank felt the color of his skin drain. This has to be a joke. There's no way this isn't a dream!

"Hey man… jokes over. It was cool riding on your back an all, but I think it's time to go back."

"Hey man, this is no joke. Don't worry, we have someone waiting to greet you when we land, and I promise, you'll not regret it."

He wasn't sure why, but Frank couldn't help shake the feeling that he might regret this a great deal.

Draks decided to offer some more info.

"I'm a dragon. Dragons are the keepers of the realms. We help keep the balance that runs our worlds. It's hard to explain right now, and I'd much rather wait until everyone is together in one place before attempting to explain it you. If for no other reason, than because I hate repeating myself. You'll see when we get there."

Draks looked back at his rider, and the look he gave convinced Frank to hold his peace until they touched the ground. The two didn't fly towards the second star. Instead, it was more like fleeing from the night. Frank had no idea where he was when they landed, but he took a minute to look around.

They had landed in a field very similar to the one they left back home. The trees looked the same, the grass looked the same. The birds sounded the same, and he even saw a few field mice. Okay, everything looks normal. Soo… this must have been a joke all along. Yea… that's it. It was just a … oh crap

Frank saw a centaur ride up to the dragon. He looked strong, like he'd spent every waking hour he had lifting weights. He had a trimmed beard that was mostly brown with flecks of red and gold, and his hair was a deep auburn color. The hair on his head matched that of the other half of his body. He was wearing a sleeveless leather jerkin that just made him look more imposing than anything else, and strapped to his back were what looked like two very pointy and very heavy swords. He had a long wooden staff in his hands that looked like it had seen better days, but it also looked strong enough to knock a man out cold.

The centaur bowed deeply towards the dragon, then looked up at the passenger.

"He's a little scrawny isn't he? Are you sure you got the right man?"

Draks chuckled. "Yea, he's the right one. He whines a bit much for my taste, but he's got a true spirit. Frank, I'd like you to meet Milford. He's one of the locals in these parts. "

Frank started to unstrap himself and no sooner than he had tried to climb down he found himself dangling from one of the foot straps. The centaur laughed as Frank felt the blood rushing to his head.

"Oh, yea… he's a graceful one alright. You expect me to teach this imp how to swing a sword?"

Milford looked up at Draks, sighed, and trotted over to help Frank out of his predicament. "Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. Lets go you little colt. We've got some work to do."

Once Frank found his footing, he stood there with his jaw hanging. He didn't know his jaw had dropped until Draks pushed his chin back up to the rest of his mouth with a talon.

I think I'm going to go into shock. This had to be a dream… just had to be. The only problem is my ass hurts too bad from sitting in that damn saddle!

"So, what happens now?"

Milford put his arm about Frank's shoulder and gave him a tight squeeze. "I've got someone back at the village that is waiting to meet you. Let's not keep him waiting, shall we?" The centaur then started to walk towards a dirt road that the newly landed passenger hadn't noticed before.

A thought suddenly struck Frank. He wasn't sure why he hadn't asked, but he needed to know. He turned back to the dragon. "Will I ever see my family again?"

Draks sighed. "I can't answer that. I would if I could, but honestly I don't know."

Milford looked back. He turned around and leaned his human half against the staff as he looked on. "You can trust him. Dragons can't lie. It's against their nature. I'm sure you've heard that they usually talk in riddles? Well, that's why. They can't speak anything that's untrue. Don't worry colt, if Draks says your friends will be here, that means they will. Besides, you're not the first Outsider to arrive. There's already someone here expecting you. "

"Who is it? Anyone I know?"

Milford grinned. "You'll just have to follow and see."

Frank followed the centuar down the dirt road that wove through the threes for about an hour before the trees started to open up. At the edge of the trees was a villiage. Some of the houses had thatched roofs, others were made of bricks and shingles. Most of the shops were amoung those that were made of bricks. It was fairly easy to identify the local tavern, the blacksmith's shop, the bakery, the healer's home, and any other building most people would need in any villiage as they all had some sort of sign hanging over their entrances.

As he walked through the villiage, Frank noticed that it wasn't just centuars that lived here. There were men, women, and childern. Some were talking in groups, others were going about with their daily lives. It seemed like every step he took, every man, woman, and child within twenty feet of the newcomer stopped and stared. He couldn't blame them. They were dressed in bright colors, but not a one of them was wearing a pair grease stained slacks and a white shirt and tie. Most men were either bare foot, or wearing leather boots, and most women were either barefoot or wearing a sort of slipper obviously meant for everyday use.

The colors on the villagers were brilliant. I feel like I'm walking through a flock of exotic birds as they're showing off their plumage. The houses were painted in a similar fashon. The doors were yellow, and blue, some orange. The shutters on the windows were painted to match, and the buildings were usually a different color that complimented the doors and windows.

"Hoy, Mallory! Draks got one!" Milford waved to the blacksmith that was hammering away on an anvil. He was another centuar, and was covered in so much ash and soot, it was impossible to tell what color he was. He was just as big and looked just as strong as the escort.

"Hoy Hoss! He looks kinda scrawny to me. You think you can do something with him?" The blacksmith chuckeled when he noticed the glare Frank was giving him. "Nothing personal little colt. The other was even worse than you when he first showed up."

Frank continued to follow Milford through the villiage. He made some twists and turns past some of the houses, and brought his charge in front of what looked like a mix between an achery range, and stables. Towards the back, they could see ropes tied to poles and trees that had to be a type of obstacle course. There was a tall man with short dark hair running the course when they arrived.

"There's the other outsider, colt. I don't think introductions will be necissary." Milford put his fingers to his lips, and whistled. At that moment, the young man came running over. Frank was in for another shock when he saw his younger brother standing in front of him.

"DUDE! It's about time you got here! What took you so long?" His brother is a little taller, with a lean build. He'd been known for having such a goofy grin that's gotten him out of trouble more than once. It was that grin that welcomed Frank.

"I honestly didn't know I was expected. How did you get here? Do you know who else is supposed to be coming? Do you know why we're here?"

Rahv shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. His grin dissappeared and was replaced by a scowl. Ahh yes… that's the Rahv that Frank knew and loved. Happy one second, the next, pissed off about something. He had to admit, in this case he couldn't blame him for being a little angry.

"You know I was supposed to be in Korea, right? Okay, right, so my Seargent sends me out on some bogus errand into town to pick up a part we needed to for a truck that's been acting up. I get to the shop, but there's no one there. I look around, call for the attendant, no answer. So I try calling the base again, and the damn line is busy! I figure, what the hell, I'll just sit here and wait for someone to show up. I sit down on the chair, and I guess I fell asleep, cause the next thing I know… I'm sitting against some tree in the middle of the woods! So at this point, I'm like freaking out, cause like… how the HELL did I get there right? Then this centaur dude walks up, and nearly slices my head off with one of those damn swords he's got on his back and starts yelling at me! At this point, I about shit my pants. I mean… its a FUCKING CENTUAR! Then he's got the nerve to start laughing at me, and you KNOW how I hate it when people laugh at me…"

Milford started to chuckle. "Then I knocked his head in, and threw him over my shoulder. He woke up with a splitting headache in the healer's home. When I learned he was awake, I introduced myself, and told him that he's stuck, so he might as well get over it. He didn't like that, and wouldn't stop yelling at the healer and I untill Draks showed up." Milford was grinning from ear to ear at this point, as he watched the color from Rahv's face fade away in a matter of seconds.

"Dude, they've got a freaking dragon! A DRAGON Frank!"

Frank could only nod his head and proceeded to tell his brother about meeting Draks, and had to supress his urge to laugh as he saw my brothers jaw drop to the floor.

"You rode on him! Dude, what were you thinking? I thought he was gonna bite my head off when I saw him!"

"Well… " Frank looked at his brother and grinned. "I figure any creature with the intellegence and wit to be a wise ass has got be worth getting to know."

"We can finish this conversation later. For now, it's time to train." Milford led the two to a building that wasn't really a stable, but more of a storage shed. He picked out two bundles of bound sticks shaped to look like swords. He handed one to Frank, and another to Rahv.

"I want to see what the two of you know about the sword arts. Face eachother, and the one to get the least amount of bruises won't have to wash up after dinner."

Frank looked up at the centaur, and shook his head. "You've got to be joking, righ…. Ouch! You bastard!"

Just as he turned, he had to jump back to avoid another one of his brothers attacks. Frank knew nothing about fighting with swords, and it seemed like Rahv knew what he was doing. To avoid getting hit by his brother, Frank ended up running around the obstacle course, picking up every stick and stone he could get his hands on and throwing them in Rahv's general direction. Within a few minutes, they had an audience.

"Get him Ravh! You can do better than that!"

"Ha! The newcomer landed another one! Hey Milford! DUCK!"

It wasn't until one of the rocks hurled by Frank's arm connected with Milford that the centaur decided to call a stop to it.

"Well, I think I've seen quite enough. There's hope for you yet little colt." Milford looked at Frank and grinned. "You're smart enough to know you don't know how to use a weapon, so you pick one that you can use. It's a little sad that the only thing you know is how to throw stones, but because you managed to hit your brother more than he hit you, you get to relax tonight. Well done!"

Through the course of the afternoon, the brothers went through some simple exercises that were meant to help them learn not to stab themselves in the foot by accident. It wasn't untill the sun was almost below the trees that they were interupted.

"Dinner's ready Milly! Stop harrassing those boys, and bring them in here to eat before it gets cold."

The voice was musical, and came from a young centaur that looked almost half the size of the tutor. She had bright red hair, pale skin, and her centuar half looked like flames in the evening light. She was wearing a bright green jerkin that enhanced the curves of her human half.

"That'd be my wife. Gessella is the best cook in the villiage. Come, you'll see what real food tastes like."