The Heart of Dragons
Volume 1
Thomas Ackerman
Chapter One: Capture
The sun shone down on a carpet of crystal white snow, on the side of a mountain in a vast and lonely place in the Alps, just north-west of china. I gazed out across it. My name was Bartimus and I was a dragon. I blended in perfectly with my surroundings. I was the perfect colour for a snowy lair. That's where I am at the moment, in an icy cave in the middle of the mountain with a spectacular view.
What am I like? Well, I am not as feisty as my Black dragon cousins. As any good history book should tell you (and I quote) "Black dragons are malicious beasts that disgorge acid. They normally lurk in fell swamps but are also drawn to places with a good sheep population. They are the most likely to side with the evil magicians than with the good ones" Like I said I'm not one of those. Neither am I as mighty as my red dragon brothers. I quote again "Red dragons breathe fire and make their lairs inside mountains and volcanoes. They are the mightiest of the coloured dragons, and the oldest of the rival demon princes and demigods in power. Their personality is most like that of a cat. Not loyal to any Human but fiercely loyal to their dragon cousins" I am (in my opinion) the best of them all. I am a white Tibetan Ridge Back. A dragon of, in my opinion, more regality and prowess than my cousins. To the book I am, how do they say? Oh yes: "With the ability to breathe fire like the red dragons, White Tibetan Ridge Backs are highly adaptable but prefer to dwell in cold places such as glacial rifts, cold mountain peaks, and icy caves. Most famous for their white scales, they aren't the most colorful of the dragon kind, but they are the most likely to help humans rather than eat them."
So I'm the good one in our 'family'. Not too feisty and not too unpredictable. But something wasn't right. I was perched on the side of the ledge that hung just out side of my lair and was casting a watchful eye over the whole surrounding area. Nothing moved. All was silent, too silent. Not a movement anywhere. Not a rabbit, not a fox. Not even that pesky wolf (Who sometimes comes too close to my cave). When I realized what was going on it was too late. I had been over powered by a group of humans and put inside of a thick metal box. Over powered by a bunch of humans? A magnificent dragon such as myself, but how? I hear you ask. Well you must remember I am only three dragon years old, that's about five of your years and I am not much bigger than a human child between the age eight or ten so it was not a problem probably. If I had been in my late twenties I would be about five times as big as I am now, with my ability to breathe fire, at the age I am now I have to work at it. I can only just breathe a small flame. But when the time comes it would have been almost impossible to catch me! But in no time at all I was very heavily sedated and fast asleep.
Chapter Two: Sold On
"So this one is fresh from the mountains?" asked an inquisitive voice.
"Yes got him a week ago." Said a deeper, older voice. I woke up and stretched out my wings. It had been three weeks since my capture in the Alps but I had been looked after well. I got daily exercise (three or four laps of the shop to strengthen my wings) and a good diet. Over the weeks my strength had flourished. Although these past few weeks I was able to get my fire from a small flame to a ten centimeter blast but it would only come for a few seconds. I once set a man's beard on fire by accident. It only happened once but the man just laughed it of. His name was Albus Dumbledore and he walked off with a phoenix called Fawkes. Fawkes was amazingly beautiful. He and I had become firm friends and was sad to see him go. Fawkes was a bright red with black tail feathers. He also had black and red plumage on top of his head. This made him look like a chicken, a rat said so once. Fawkes looked and him and the rat internally combusted. Anyway he had yellow feathers around his face and the brownest eyes you'll ever see. The wizard said that he was going to the Hogwarts School of witch craft and wizardry. Later I heard that he had helped some kid called Harry potter defeat a Basilisk. Good on him. But back to my story. I was chosen to be the birthday present of a young wizard. When the wizard's father took me out of my cage I looked up at him lovingly and he immediately bought me. I soon learnt that the young wizard was cold Tómas Griffin. He was the son of a very well known Detective called Detective Darral Griffin.
As we got in his car he put my perch on the front seat. On the way home Darral told me all about his plans for Tómas birthday which was today. As Tómas was out with a friend of his, one Ines Garcia, and his mother it gave Darral the perfect opportunity to put me in the house. Darral told me not to panic, put my perch on top of a high table. After about fifteen minutes a dripping wet Tómas and an equally wet girl wondered in. The girl was presumably Ines Garcia. When Tómas saw me he stopped dead, his eyes bulged out of his head. Then a smile spread all over his face.
"Do you like him?" asked Darrel. "He's a White Tibetan Ridge Back, don't forget you have to name him,".
"Wow my own dragon. But what do I call you?" Tómas asked to himself. It might be good to know that dragons can talk. We talk dragon and English. I don't now why English but we do. I decided to talk to Tómas in a soft voice at first then I would talk to the rest of the group.
"My birth name my mother gave me was Bartimus." I said to him. With that he jumped back in fright.
"Did you just speak?" asked the bewildered boy.
"Yes. Yes I did. All dragons can speak Dragon and English. I don't know why English so don't ask." I purred.
"That is so cool" said Tómas.
"Yes, yes it is. You are my master and I am your apprentice" I said "By the way it is time for my evening wonder round the house like your father promised"
Chapter Three: School
We were taken to the school in Darrel's Ford GT. It was a beautiful car with a blood red exterior and snow white racing stripes going down the middle of the car. With a top speed of over 200 mph it was the ultimate car. Dad only used it for work but it was my first day at school so dad made an exception. It must have been a miracle but Darral managed to fit everything in the boot (which was under the bonnet) although I did have to go on Tómas' lap. As we got onto the motorway Darral opened the taps and the Ford rocketed off with all 550 horse powers roaring like demented lions. Tómas' school was in the city of Aosta in Italy. It took the best part of thirty two glorious hours and five fuel stops. As we pulled up at the front gate we caught the attention of quite a lot of people. All the kids around us had their apprentices following them everywhere they went. Tómas thought that I could be trusted and let me out. Since our time together we had formed a strong bond. Now I don't think I could leave him even if I wanted to.
As soon as I had dropped to the ground and stretched my wings. Everyone looked at me. Tómas' dad went over to a lady in the courtyard and started talking to her. It was not long before we wondered over to them. Darral saw us and told us that the woman was a work college of his and that she had a son coming to the school as well his name was Adam Anderson. We had been put into the same form group. Adam and Tómas had started talking when I decided to wonder over and hop onto Tómas shoulder. As I was only about 1ft long by about half a foot high, so I could sit on Tómas' shoulder quite easily.
"YOU'VE GOT A DRAGON AS AN APPRENTICE?!" exclaimed Adam.
"Yes, didn't you notice?" asked Tómas.
"No, not until just now" explained Adam. I was on the floor and spread my wings at this point. It was then I noticed the griffin that Adam had as an apprentice. He was wondering around the cabin aimlessly. Griffins are strange animals. They have the head and wings of an Eagle and the body of a lion. They have a set of razor sharp, retractable claws. They can also carry very heavy loads, and are spectacularly loyal to their owner.
"You have a griffin? They're so cool." I said
"Not as cool as you though" he said "his name is Tobias."
"Do you have a White Tibetan Dragon? Wow their so rare. What's he called?" said a girl when we walked into our form room. She was about one or two centimeters smaller than Tómas and was stroking a Phoenix that looked rather elegant in the sinking sun. "I'm Robyn. Robyn Young pleased to meet you."
"I'm Tómas Griffin and this is Bartimus. Pleased to meet you too" said Tómas. I was flattered some one had known I was rare!
Chapter Four: The Heart of Dragons
The first sign something is wrong is when the people of your house look at you in a sympathetic way. That was what had been happening to Tómas for the last few days term. But then it happened. When Igor Karkaroff walked into Tómas dueling lesson I knew some thing was up. Igor had a sad look in his eyes.
"Yes head master" asked Daniel McKinley, Tómas' dueling master "can I help you?"
"Yes can I talk to Tómas Griffin please," said Igor.
Tómas stood up with me at his heals. Igor looked down at me when we were out of the classroom.
"I haven't seen a White Tibetan Ridge Back in ages. He really is a fine one isn't he?" said the headmaster.
"Thank you very much "I said back.
"Oh you're welcome, polite as well. Well done young Tómas. Now to the matter at hand, what do you know of the Heart of dragons Tómas?" asked Igor with a look of worry in his eyes.
"Nothing sir" replied Tómas
"Did you know that your father had received it as a gift from his last case?"
"No sir"
"No well the heart of dragons is in fact an amulet." said Tómas' head master "It is made of two dragons fashioned into a heart. The dragons are made of the two most powerful stones ever, the blue diamond and the purple crystal of Samarkand. These two stones together can make the wearer of the amulet very powerful indeed. Anyway there was a break in at your house last night and the thieves took the heart of dragons. Your father tried to stop them and was badly injured. Your mother was injured as well but not as badly. I visited them late last night your father told me to tell you this "the man you seek is known only to the Dragons as the Basilisk. The way to find him is through your dragon" He wants you to find the Heart of dragons. I have been asked to let you do what you must to find this Amulet. Is all of that clear Tómas?"
"Yes sir I have only one question" said Tómas there was a look of worry in my master's eyes.
"That is?"
"Can I stay here? As I have no where else to stay. I also want to continue my schooling, is that ok." asked my master.
"Of coarse it is" with that the head of Durmstrang academe of Witchcraft and Wizardry turned on his heals and left. We walked to our next lesson, which was defense and charms, to receive a volley of questions from Adam and Robyn . I had a lot on my mind but when I heard that the charms teacher was teaching how to turn you apprentice into a water goblet I was suddenly very nervous. When it did come to my turn I was very brave and didn't run. When Tómas said the chant I was turned into a diamond water goblet encrusted with rubies and sapphires. Everyone was impressed as I changed back into my ordinary self.
Chapter Five: the Sapphire dragon
"How did they know about the Heart of dragons in the first place?" asked an inquisitive Robyn.
Tómas had spent the last three hours talking over the details of what Karkaroff had told him. I had been thinking about any one who would know about this Basilisk person. Then I knew.
"Can I make a suggestion? I think I Know some one who could help but your not going to like who it is and where they are." I said.
"Go on then" said Adam.
"Well legend says that there is a Sapphire dragon that lives close to where I was captured. I use to be good friends with him. And trust me; the sapphire dragon is no legend!" I said "he had the power to answer any question and be able to find anything. He may be our only chance. But I am only small and can only carry one person. But if I know where I am I might be able to find two more of my Red Dragon brothers to help you." I thought it through. If I were to get training in how to breathe fire I might be better help. I decided to go to the vet for some advice in the afternoon before fifth lesson.
"It's a mental idea but it might just work" said Tómas with that the lesson gong sounded
"Tómas I am going to the vet to get advise for my fire breathing skills I'll find you later" a said to him.
"Ok don't take any risks though" he said. With that I left. Flapping my wings and effortlessly flying in at the vet's window.
"Oh hello there, where did you come from?" asked the vet.
"I came of my own accord I want some advice on how to breathe a bigger flame than this" I said breathing out flame to the best of my ability.
"Ok" said the vet slowly "try this it is a special remedy I used to make my dragons flame as good as it is now." The vet reached into a cupboard and took out a bottle of red liquid. Then he dipped in a spoon and fed it to me, little by little until the bottle was gone. "Now the way it works is that you have got to practice breathing out fire once a day every day for about a month otherwise the medicine won't take affect. What it dose is increase the amount of flammable liquid that you fire glands can produce, but remember practice everyday for a month so you learn to control you flame"
"Right, thanks ma'am" I said and flue out the window and off to my master.
Tómas was in his charms class at the far end of the school. I was relieved to I wasn't to be turned into a water goblet. Instead they were learning the Servonos charm. This was a charm to face off the worst of all demons. It will produce a mythical creature in a sort of ghostly form. My master's was a Dragon. The dragon flapped its huge wings and breathed a ghostly blast of fire. This made several other apprentices faint and the rest hide. Tómas was congratulated very well and the several apprentices that had fainted were taken to the vet. Robyn and Adam both tried a Servonos charm and funnily their Serconos' were, for Robyn, a Griffin and, for Adam, a phoenix. We where ready for our quest to find the Blue dragon, I must find two more dragons to carry Robyn and Adam. I'll do that tonight
Chapter Six: The Alps
That night I went out into the wild and found two red dragons to take my master's friends with us on our quest. The two dragons stood about 7 feet high and about 8 ft long from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. They were very big indeed. I was a bout 7 ft high and 7.5 ft long so it gives you a reference to size. Their most striking features where their black horns that covered the top part of their head and ran down their back bone. They were truly beautiful.
"We don't like thissssss" hissed one of the red dragons
"Why should we give rides to your masters friends?" hissed the other. This was a problem but there was a way around it. Red dragons love being remembered as the Best so what better way to get them to do as I say than to suggest them the remembrance they deserve.
"Look if you do this for me you'll go down in history as some of the greatest dragons of all time! How about that?" I said
"Hum. We'll come and meet these friendsssss of yourssss" said the bigger of the two.
"Thank you. Follow me then we have to meet the Humans" I said.
Two hours later three dragons flew low over the Durmstrang castle and landed in a patch of gardens on the east wing. Robyn was the first to come out of hiding. She walked up to the nearest dragon and went down on one knee. She held out a piece of meat
"Accept my humble offering o great dragon" she said. The dragon responded by bowing it's head low before allowing Robyn to put the meat in its mouth. Then Robyn started to stroke the dragon's nose and it nuzzled up to her.
"You have been trained well missssss" it said then it turned to me and said "I am beginning to agree with your judgment young Bartimus"
"Yesssss me to" purred the second one. It looked as if Adam had copied Robyn's lead.
"O mighty dragons may we have the pleasure of knowing you names?" asked Tómas
"Yesssss young wizard my name is Shesha and my brother'sssss name isssssss Laden and we will help you on you quest."
"I think we should go somewhere else look at the crowd." Said Tómas
"Yessss indeed" Shesha replied. It was true a large crowd had gathered in the wings of the courtyard.
"You might want to climb aboard" whispered Laden to Adam. He nodded and climbed up and sat down between two spikes in the Dragons back. Robyn did the same and Tómas climbed up onto my back and held on very tight. In a few seconds we were air born and fling low over the towers in a v formation with Shesha at our head. It was a great day and the view was great from up here. It was time to go on our quest.
"Take a good look at the castle Tómas it might be the last time you ever see it again" I said
"I hope not Bartimus, I really hope not" said I small voice "By the way I've seen you practicing your flames."
"You have?" I asked
"Yes me, Adam and Robyn, their getting really good. If you want I'll help you to master some of those tricks, like controlling the shape of your flame."
"Thanks Tómas" I said "Thank you very much"
Chapter Seven: A Sapphire Promise
The trip was hard and the humans were all grateful for their warm winter coats. I was getting a bit emotional at this point. Memories were hammering their way back into my head. The night I was captured and the night I saw Tómas for the first time. 'What would of happened If I hadn't of been captured?' I thought 'would I be seeing three dragons flying to the sapphire dragon? Would the world be different?' I didn't know but some thing I did know was that I was glad I was Tómas' Apprentice and no one else's.
"What is that cave?" asked Robyn.
"That was my home" I said. It wasn't how I remembered it but I could see how much it had snowed over the last six months. It was then a flash of blue caught my eye.
"There I saw it. The sapphire dragon landed in that cave down there." I shouted to Laden.
"I saw him, let's give him a visit". We swooped in and landed at the foot of the cave.
"Come in, come in, don't get cold standing out there" said a voice from deep down in the cave. We wondered in and were confronted by a dragon as blue as the sea. The emotion on his face was a mixture of mad rage and tranquillity. "I know why you came. And I know what and who you seek. I will help you but only if you help me" the sapphire dragon.
"Ok if that is what you want we will help you. What would you like us to do?" asked my young master bravely.
"This is a heat sapphire. It is only useful after it has been under intense heat," said the dragon indicating to a stone in the middle of the room. "Each of you will take it in turns to breathe upon the stone and try to make it into a Heat Sapphire rather than an ornament. If you succeed then I will help you on your quest."
"Ok Shesha you go first then it is your turn Laden. After Laden it will be your turn Bartimus" said Robyn.
Shesha stood up and put her head back and blew flames all over the sapphire. Nothing happened. Laden tried, the flames hit the stone and went round it. When he stopped I noticed a small hole in the top of the stone. I breathed my flames in to the hole, making the flames as thin as a needle but as hot as the centre of the earth. The stone turned a pale blue colour and the Sapphire Dragon smiled.
"Well done my young dragon. You have proved yourself to be an observant young dragon with a mighty flame inside of you. That will be useful in times to come," the sapphire dragon turned to Tómas "I will help you on your quest but later. Now I need to teach you something. It is possible to be like a dragon if you're a sorcerer. You can make your whole body burst into flames or just your hand .To do this you must focus, clear your mind. Imagine the flame glittering in you hand, when you think you have the flame raise your palm and throw your hand outwards. If you have got it right, a bolt of flame will come shooting from your hand. Once you have that try and make the flame a different shape colour or heat. Like Bartimus here." Each of the humans tried it. Tómas got it first time and a bold of Blue flame hovered in his hand like a ball. Robyn and Adam both tried and succeeded on the second time round.
"Now to business, I have a prophecy for you. The man you seek is hidden well. He hides beneath the big Ben bell. You'll find the thing that matters most, but beware as evil is hiding quite close." With that the dragon flew from his lair and in to the night. We followed heading of towards London.
Chapter eight: Basilisk.
The journey took twenty three hours and when we finally arrived in London it was getting dark. We decided to land on top of the big Ben clock. To our right there was a door which had been forced open by a hail of gunfire. We entered the door and crept down the stairwell that the metal door hid.
"With this Amulet I will be the greatest man that ever lived. I will be able to control the world for ever!"
"Yes boss"
There where at least three men in the room. One cradled a fully automatic SRC G36 and the other held an M4 automatic machine gun. The third man held a small metal box that was about the same size and shape as a match box. We decided to hit him fast and hit them hard. Our plan was that Adam would skirt around back and take out the first man, Robyn would take out the second and I would hit the man in the suit and take the amulet. We had just got it sussed when all of a sudden I felt the cold metal barrel of a semi automatic pistol in the base of my scull. Tómas turned round to see who my attacker was. At first all he could see was the barrel of the gun in my face. It was a semi automatic Daisy Powerline. It was held perfectly steady. This man was trained to kill. I glanced over at Robyn and Adam. They both had guns pointed in their direction.
"Move" said the man in front of Tómas nudging his gun further down the stair way. He obediently got up and walked down the stairs with his hands on his head.
Up on the roof Shesha and Laden and I were getting worried.
"Do you think we sssshould help them?" asked Laden
"Yes I do. They have been down there for more than three and a half hours" I said walking towards the door
"Ssso what do you sssagest? We go in there breathing fire and thrashing our claws about?" Asked Shesha sarcastically
"No we need to know what is going on inside that place. I'll go" I said
"Ok good luck" whispered Laden
"Thanks." I whispered back
"Right" said Shesha, with that I slipped inside. All the sounds of the outside world disappeared. It was totally silent. I wondered down the stairway and found my self in the middle of a big room. It was then that I hear voices. And they were coming closer!
Chapter Nine: the most powerful Magician
"Do this do that I can't wait till I get paid" said one of the guys
"Me too, I don't like Basilisk but he pays well" said the other. I decided to strike. As I dropped to the floor the men spun round, pulling out their guns in the process. I smashed my tail into the first man so fast and hard that he flew into the other man blasting them both into the wall. The third man ran at me with a knife but tripped on a wonky paving stone and fell onto his face. I stooped down and gripped the hem of his jacket and threw him across the room. He smashed into the wall on the other side of the room with an agonising crunch. He fell to the ground and lay still. I flew off down the tunnel they just came from. This tunnel led into a block of cages. There where about thirty in all but only three were being used. I instantly saw Tómas and, with a quick bust of bright blue flame melted the lock on Tómas', Adam's and Robyn's cages.
"Let's find Basilisk" said Tómas
"Right let's kick some magician butt" said Robyn very out of character.
"Who are you and what have you done with Robyn Young?" asked Adam, she just gave him a smile that could melt Scottish boulders.
Ten minuets later we came across the entrance to Basilisk's lair. He was sitting in the middle of the room studying a load of papers.
"I know what you're planning Basilisk!" shouted Tómas
"Oh do you now?" asked Basilisk "Tómas Griffin"
"You almost killed my father." Shouted Tómas tears springing to his eyes "and I won't rest until you're behind bars"
"Ambitious brat aren't you, many good men and tried and failed"
"Why you sick b-" started Tómas
"Tómas its ok he is only trying to mess with your head. Let's kick his sorry ass!" shouted Adam
"In the words of young people to day, bring… it… on" said Basilisk. Five men stepped out from behind the shadows, all of them holding MP5's, M16s and AK47s. They all opened fire at the same time. Robyn reacted quickly. Uttering some words she waved her arm across her body and an invisible wall appeared in front of us. All the bullets hit the wall and dropped to the floor with a clatter. The men looked completely stunned. We looked at each other and smiled
"Our turn" I said. The three humans clicked their fingers and a ball of flame appeared in their palms. The children threw the balls of fire as I blasted my flame breath directly at them. The men took one look and Ran for it.
Chapter Ten: And So It Ends
"Come back you cowards" shouted as he dived out of the way of a fire ball.
"You paid us to get that amulet not to fight monsters and kids who can throw fire balls!" shouted one as he ran.
"Oh lord!" said Basilisk clearly annoyed "if you want a hob doing do it your self" he jumped up and went to the table, or what was left of it, and scooped up the amulet. "Lets see you take me on with thi-" he stuttered to a halt when he saw a the amulet swinging from Adam's fingers. It looked as if Adam had secretly sneaked around to the table and pinched the amulet. Basilisk was now bursting with rage.
"Give that back you juvenile delinquent!" he roared.
"I don't think so, it belongs with Tómas. He is the rightful owner of it now isn't he," said Adam turning to Tómas handing him the amulet.
"I said give that BACK!" shouted Basilisk at the top of his voice scrabbling to his feat as we turned to leave. All four of us turned round at the same time and fired four sapphire blue fire balls at him with deadly accuracy. They all exploded on impact with Basilisk sending him flying into a solid brick wall. He fell to the ground and lay still.
"I think it is about time that we left" I said. Three grubby faces all turned to me.
"Yeah good idea" said Robyn "let's go home"
"Home to what? We'll surely be expelled from the academy" said Adam glum faced.
"Don't be so sure, I had a word to Igor Karkaroff, the head master, before we left. He said we could break any rule we wanted to as long as no one was hurt. I forgot to tell you because we had lots on our minds."
A few minuets later we wondered out and where met by Shesha and laden
"Wow you actually made it out ssssafe and sssound!" hissed Shesha
"We new you would," said an eager Laden "Where to now?"
"Back home" said Tómas.
As the city of London slowly awoke form its slumber, three dragons took of into the rising sun. Those people who saw this sight rubbed their eyes and looked harder. And all of them noticed the three tine figures on each dragon's back. They say magic is a myth, they'll never now how wrong they are.