PRETTY PLEASE WITH ICE CREAM ON TOP, READ THIS INTRODUCTION STORY! IT'S NOT THAT LONG AND YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN LATER CHAPTERS IF YOU DON'T!
Many, many years ago, when humankind first evolved and time began. Extraordinary creatures of every kind roamed the Earth. There were Giants, large bears, tigers, wolves and reptiles, elemental creatures, fairies and dragons.
All creatures were gifted with wisdom and the power to communicate with mankind, but some were dark, powerful and ruthless beings that were feared by man and became foes of human civilization. Some creatures were friendly, spiritual beings that could confer blessings on humans and were even used in wars, especially the dragon.
There were eastern dragons, and western dragons. In Asia the dragons helped men on quests, and armies. They were beautiful sky creatures that were and praised and cherished by men for their guidance and service to humans.
The western dragons had to be faced down by almost all great warriors before they could conclude their quests, they burned down villages and towns with their fiery breath, who dared opposed a threat to them. They laid underground, sense they had no wings to fly, guarding huge piles of treasures and gold they had stolen from the surrounding countryside. They were mankind's worst enemy.
One day a war dragon wandered off into the Far East. Its dragon comrades had been slain, by a powerful western dragon named Monjahku and his comrades, along with the human army they let borrow their strength, and lost the war. It was injured badly and fairly weak from the it's previous battles, but it refused to become captive to new subjects and lose its freedom of the skies. So off it wandered.
It saw an Earth creature named Durga, who was with a pack of Tigers in India. They were Guardians, protectors of a rich nearby village. When this happened the dragon fell from the sky, to the ground, weak from his long journey and fatal injuries.
When the dragon awoke, its injuries were healed by the Durga tiger. His wings however, would probably never be strong enough to support him in flight again.
The dragon told her who he was, where he had come from and the story behind him. The tiger did the same. He quickly learned from the tiger that her and her comrades would infiltrate known enemies who threatened or attempted to steal from the village. But she wasn't the best hunter in the pack, and she was very different from the other tigers. In fact, because of it, she was lonely. The tiger suggested that the dragon stay in the village with her and her pack, and be a help to the villagers for the time being. He felt sympathy for the earth creature and since the dragon's wings would probably never link him to the skies of freedom again, he agreed.
At first the villagers were afraid, but it didn't take long for the villagers to take a liking to the dragon when they found out he was a war dragon from Asia back in the east. He asked the villagers how he could be of service, and they quickly replied to join the tigers on their quests. Since the village was always in danger by creatures, humans and small bands of dragons from the west, they would need one on their side. But the tigers were very biased towards him and the idea of joining them. All accept one.
The tiger and the dragon quickly became friends, and on quests, and battles against foes when they worked together they were pure destruction to anyone in their path, and got most of the work done. People called them the white flame. And the rest of the tigers began to appreciate him on their side. With every victory their powers grew, and the dragon began to feel his wings strengthen, little by little.
But one day the village was ambushed by an unknown band of dragons from the far west. The tigers were greatly outnumbered, and fell defeated to the wrath of the western dragons. They set the entire village afire, with their fiery breath and stole every piece of luxury they could find.
The tiger and the dragon saw that their efforts were futile with the rest of the pack dead, and surrender was out of the question. But an escape would be impossible on ground, they were surrounded.
The dragon quickly told the tiger that they could maybe escape to skies and not be followed, of his wings wouldn't fail him. And since it was their only hope the tiger climbed on the back of the dragon, and he struggled to take off, but when they became airborne, the weight of the tiger was too much, his wings weren't as strong as they were before, and they came crashing back down to the Earth.
The band of dragons assumed the tiger and the dragon dead from their limp motionless bodies, and left the village with their treasures.
When dawn came the dragon awoke, but the tiger didn't survive the fall. Because in the end the dragon was a sky creature and the tiger belonged to the Earth. The dragon learned from the remaining villagers that the band of dragons who ambushed them were lead by a dragon named Monjahku. A chilling desire to kill raced through the dragon's body, he roared as raged and other emotions of turmoil built up in his chest, like sorrow and grief, for the loss of the villagers, his comrades, but mostly for the loss of his friend, the tiger.
The dragon left the ruined village, promising the villagers that he would return someday.
The day that I was rescued and brought to the village of Freudenstadt, I knew, that my old life, was over. Listen to my story. This… may be my last chance.
I was cold, weak and exhausted. My entire body ached and burned with pain. I attempted to move my hand to lift myself off the ground, but quickly regretted it when a searing jolt of pain shot up my shoulder.
Damn it... it even hurts to move. How did this happen?
And that's when I remembered, the battle with Astraophe at Ottestenburgh castle. I defeated him, but then that cursed war god he served commanded the earth to open up and swallow me. And then I ended up here. Here… Where was I? My eyelids felt heavy. Just opening them halfway felt like it took all the strength in my body. But I did. I ignored the hammering pain I felt in my head that pulsed and blurred the edge of my vision, to focus on my surroundings.
Above me, the sky was grey. The air felt thick, and humid. I could hear water rushing past me on my right, a river bed. Tall dark trees were on almost every available piece of land. I saw mountains and grassy hills. And beyond that, a dark forest. I must have still been in Germany, but far away from Ottestenburgh.
Where ever I was, it was an unfamiliar land and there were no people. I closed my eyes.
I remember lying there for I don't remember how long, listening to the water run downstream and the birds chirping, thinking: Even if there was, I doubt someone would rescue a stranger from a foreign land.
Not that I was hoping to be rescued.
I sailed the seas and saw the world my father never could. If I died, I would have lived and served my purpose. Astraophe was dead. My brother and crew had been avenged. And I owed Kilik and Xianghua my thanks, and wished them the best of luck, wherever they were. But it was my story and it ended, just the way I wanted it to.
If not, then I would return to the seas, and continue traveling. On my own if I had to. After all, it was where I belonged. Then, I heard a voice.
''Heiden! Come quick!'' called a strained voice. Quit a distance away. The voice sounded like it belonged to an elderly German man. I heard a pair of steps descend, sloshing through the water across the riverbed. I tried to open my eyes, to see who was coming near me, but they wouldn't obey.
''What is it?!'' said another male voice. This voice sounded much younger, someone around my age.
''Someone's been hurt over here in the riverbed!'' The voice was much closer, and even though I was half dead, half asleep, I knew the person was standing near or crouching over me.
Then I heard another pair of footsteps slosh across the riverbed. Everything else I heard after that I couldn't remember or I didn't hear it clearly. I only caught bits and pieces of words.
''It appears to be a foreigner.''
''He's not from around here… sure. …...the man needs help, grab his legs''
''Father, this may be dangerous, we don't…. who …..man is.''
''Well we can't let him die here.''
I felt myself being lifted off the ground, as I began to drift away.
I awoke to the smell of firewood in a large wooden cottage house. When I opened my eyes, I saw that my entire body had been wrapped thickly in bandages. I felt numb and hot. It would have been impossible to move.
I gazed at the walls. On my left there was a hearth a few feet away, on the far wall to the right, there were pitch forks and other farming tools aligned against the wall. There was no light coming through the windows, so assumed it was night.
I heard something clatter like medal and fall to the floor with a rattle. ''Damn Heiden calls himself a blacksmith, but can't fix a stinkin' handle on a stinking pot!'' yelled an angry voice. The old man walked over to the hearth beside me and placed a pot on floor. I assumed he was the old man who rescued me from the riverbed. He was about to turn and go back to the other side of the cottage, but then glanced down on the floor at me.
''Ah, your awake are ya?!'' He laughed, a low whispery laugh. ''Well that's good. You've been asleep for days. I was beginning to think you were dying on me. How do ya feel?
I muttered something unintelligible. Damn, even my mouth was bandaged.
The old man laughed again. ''That's alright, a few more days and the bandages will be gone. I don't know what happened to ya, but whatever it was, son it was a miracle that you survived.''
I survived…
The old man turned and began to clatter pots on the other side of the room.
I closed my eyes, and drifted away, with that one thought repeating in my mind.
I survived…
When this happened the dragon fell from the sky, to the ground, weak from his long journey and fatal injuries.
HAHAHA! I made up that introduction story all on my own! That's right, I didn't copy it from a website or any of that! Tell me what you think! REVIEW! AND STAY TUNED!
