The One-Eyed Dragon
This land of pure soil and feather skies change with magic essence. Each part of this world divided by the elements. House of Fire, House of Oceans, House of Earth, House of Winds, House of Lightning, House of Night, and House of Day each harmonize beneath the feathery heaven. The peaceful world of Paradisio, the realm of dragons. Dragons that wear the flesh of mortals take flight in their own world, untied by humans. However this tale focuses around one dragon alone, The One-Eyed Dragon Masamune. A dragon of the lightning clan, said to be a powerful entity that lounges in the thunder clouds. His story begins where beginnings are most important, where they mostly belong, Masamune's birth within a flower.
~0~0~
The large flower began to shake its pure white buds, slowly crinkling side to side. The nurse dragon ran quickly to the dancing flower and softly rubbed its lush petals. Ever so slowly the flower began to open; a small baby began to cry within from the sudden burst of light. The nurse slowly lifted it from its cradle and wrapped its fragile body within a blanket. The constant sobbing slowly halted as the nurse slowly rocked it back and forth.
"Oh, did a flower finally open?" Another nurse whispered as she rubbed the newborns small head. The nurse holding the baby nodded in reply and watched as another bud began to open. A purple flower slowly began to bloom; a young baby slowly opened his eyes and even grew wings. It slowly flew up, landed in the nurse's arms and snuggled in the same blanket the first newborn was resting in.
"What was that? A newborn at first never opens its eyes let alone its wings!" The nurse cried, watching as the slumbering babies slept peacefully in her arms. The two nurses shared a glance at each other, and then moved the babies in the bath house.
"What should we name them?" A nurse asked.
"How about we name them… Masamune and Yukimura." A nurse claimed. Both of them nodded in agreement as they washed the two together. Yukimura's eyes were wide open as he watched the nurse scrub the sleeping Masamune. Suddenly Masamune began to open his left eye. Both of the nurses gasped because he tried to open both but all of his efforts were of no avail. Masamune couldn't open his right eye no matter how hard he tried.
"Is there something wrong with him?" One of them asked. The nurse lifted Masamune from the tub in hopes of him getting examined but Yukimura started wailing as soon as she reached the door. The nurse responsible for Yukimura tried to calm him down but he kept crying and kicking, his arms reached out to Masamune. The nurse carefully dropped Masamune back into the tub and Yukimura calmed down. Masamune, unable to open his right eye, stared at Yukimura with his left, finding him very odd.
"This baby seems to have a birth defect. He may never open his right eye, but something about this baby seems…odd." A voice came from the door. Both of the nurses quickly bowed before the figure.
"Is that really true, Lord Ieyasu?" One of the nurses asked, carrying Masamune to him. Ieyasu took Masamune from her and slightly rocked him back and forth.
"Yes, I see it clearly. The power he laments is extremely unstable but if he can control it, he may preserve future peace within Paradisio." Ieyasu whispered as Masamune began playing with his finger. Both nurses shared a glance at each other. Not once has the Arch dragon of the Sun been wrong.
"Poor thing." Ieyasu mumbled as he put the baby to sleep.
~0~0~ 17 years later
Masamune silently adjusted his eye-patch over his right eye as he flew past other dragons. He always found it strange, why did he only have one eye while everyone else had two? His master, Kojuurou said he was born that way but even after all these years it didn't make sense at all.
"MASAMUNE!" Yukimura called, flying right at him. Masamune reacted quickly and forced his wings upward before they ended up knocking each other out of the sky.
"Hey! Yukimura you klutz! Watch where you are going!" Masamune yelled at his long time friend.
"Masamune this isn't fair! How come you were born with the lightning element and I was born with fire?" Yukimura wailed, clinging to his arm. Masamune sighed. Yukimura was a good kid, but he is such a crybaby. If he wasn't with Masamune then he wouldn't talk to anyone. He chose Masamune out of everyone. According to the teachers, we were born together meaning our bond is deeper than any other dragons could possibly manage. But with Yukimura, if Masamune wasn't with him, he either cries a lot or gives everyone the silent treatment.
"It's just the way things are. It only means I live in the House of Lightning and you live in the House of Fire. It doesn't mean we can't see each other anymore." Masamune chuckled, rubbing Yukimura's head in hopes of stopping his tears.
"Hey! You two get out of the way." A voice said. Both of them turned around to meet the sinister gaze of the Arch Dragon of Night. His snow white hair that covered his chestnut eyes made it impossible to read his expression but the daring aura that surrounded him gave Masamune the hint to move out of the way.
"My apologize Lord Mitsunari." Masamune grumbled, taking Yuki's hand and trying his best to remain composed around an Arch Dragon. It is considered taboo to disrespect the dragons directly under our hierarchs grace. To them the hierarch is our god, and the Arch Dragons are her children, blessed to lead normal dragons through life. Mitsunari gave a small laugh as he flew past but before he left, he suddenly turned around.
"That reminds me, Sanada I need to speak with you. Come to the House of Night after your duties." Mitsunari said, flying back towards his home under the moon.
"Uh…Yes Lord Mitsunari I shall do so." Yukimura stammered. Masamune pulled Yukimura to the side and warned him to be careful. The Arch Dragon of Night is the most evil dragon alive, and when he isn't fighting other dragons he isn't happy. Yukimura took note of his warning and flew off to the House of Fire. Masamune, recalling his idea to visit Ieyasu, began to fly to the House of Day, hoping Ieyasu's cheerful mood will enlighten Masamune of all his worries.
~0~0~
"Well well, look who decided to pay me a visit." Ieyasu chuckled. Masamune landed softly on the ground, retracted his wings, and bowed to his friend before entering a warm embrace.
"Sorry I'm late Lord Ieyasu. Yukimura ended up freaking out when he heard we were placed in different houses." Masamune explained. Ieyasu patted his head, not even bothering to hide his enjoyment.
"Don't worry I understand. However can I ask you something Masamune? I need someone else to confirm something for me. Tell me, what separates the Houses of the Hierarch? Name every house for me as well." Ieyasu asked. Masamune was stunned by this sudden question but he didn't want to disappoint his dearest friend.
"The House of Fire is surrounded by a bed of flames and a sky of ash, House of Oceans is beneath a vast sea, House of Earth is mixed within a mass of forest, House of Wind is in the center of a tornado, House of Lightning always has thunder clouds and lightning surrounding us, House of Night has a moon shining over their heads always, and House of Day has the sun that never sets." Masamune explained. Ieyasu turned his back on his friend, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"That is correct. Each house exists on a feathery sky far beyond the realm of humans. Each co-existing in perfect harmony. You see Masamune; each element cannot be without the other. If one is lost so are they all. Never forget this." Ieyasu answered.
"Yes my Lord." Masamune mumbled eyeing his friend. Ieyasu was acting strange. Anything with eyes could see that. Masamune was contemplating on whether to ask or not but something told him not to. Ieyasu was the kindest dragon he has ever met, and knowing that something is troubling him means something is very wrong.
"Lord Ieyasu! Masamune! We got trouble!" A voice yelled from the sky. Both of them looked up to see Motochika, a dragon from the House of Oceans, landing poorly on the ground before them. He bowed before Ieyasu and was panting out of breath.
"Speak man! What has happened?" Ieyasu yelled, his very being pulsing a golden colored aura. The blazing sun above them suddenly grew hotter, meaning the Arch Dragon was in a foul mood. Motochika steadied his breathing.
"Well, I saw Yukimura flying to the House of Night so I got kind of worried, you know since Mitsunari is REALLY mean. As soon as he got there a bunch of his lackeys attacked him and knocked him out. Mitsunari then shoved him down the sky and into the mortal world!" Motochika cried. Both Ieyasu and Masamune eyes grew wide. In the mortal world you lose your human form and if a human finds a dragon they can turn immortal by devouring a dragon's heart.
"Masamune! I need you to go into the human world and search for Yukimura. I will summon the other Arch Dragons and deal with Mitsunari." Ieyasu demanded. Masamune nodded, ran to the edge of the House of Day and jumped into the clouds that divide Paradisio and the mortal world. As Masamune descended from the skies, a bath of lightning pulsed all around his body. His human skin began to change blue as his scales began to grow out. The wings opened wide as Masamune began to grow larger and larger. As the lightning subsided, a large one-eyed blue dragon conquered the sky.
"Yukimura where are you!" Masamune roared, causing the trees to bend from the pressure of his wings as he flew past. Since both Yukimura and Masamune share a deeper bond he could sense he was close but wasn't sure if Yuki was injured.
"…Masa…mune." A voice called through his head. It was feint but he could hear it clearly. Yukimura sounded near death; his voice husked and cracked, his breathing very uneven. Masamune followed the traces of his voice, Yuki's aura finally catching Masamune's sight. He flew higher into the skies, willing the clouds to cover him except his sight, as he saw a bleeding red dragon chained to the earth by magic. Humans began to circle Yukimura, swords pointed at his chest, ready to carve out his heart.
"I won't allow this!" Masamune boomed, the clouds all beginning to release thunder. Lightning began to pour on them, causing them to scatter. Masamune shot out of the clouds and landed before Yukimura, snapping the chain with his tail. Yukimura stood from the ground and darted back into the sky, Masamune following right behind him. Neither of them spoke until the clouds broke, landing on a pedestal of the House of Day. Yukimura, back in his human form, collapsed from all the blood loss. Masamune caught him before he fell to the ground. Motochika and a nurse dragon ran up to them and took Yukimura to be treated.
"Wait…Masamune, Mitsunari…intends…to overthrow the hierarch. You…have to stop him!" Yukimura yelled pulling Masamune towards his face. Masamune took Yuki's hand and nodded. Then the nurse and Motochika carried him inside. Once again the blue lightning danced around Masamune, but in Paradisio they have to chant an incantation to use their dragon forms.
"Here I shed this mortal coil. My flesh become scales, my fingers to claws, my teeth to fangs. Bring forth the power that was lost and which is mine. Oh great Hierarch, grant me the strength to face my foes under your grace, as my eyes gaze into the light." Masamune chanted, causing the pure azure lightning to contract within him. Again in his dragon form Masamune took to the skies, flying to the Palace of Harmony, where the Hierarch was waiting.
~0~0~
Masamune landed softly before the castle gates. Normally the place was swarming with guards and dragons but for once the place was silent. Masamune could only figure that Lord Mitsunari has already been through here, as he pushed the gates open. He treaded carefully, expecting an ambush but only to be greeted by the unending silence. As he entered the palace he was halted by a strong force from within. Taking a peek inside he saw all of the Lords collapsed on the ground, except for Ieyasu and Mitsunari.
"IEYASU! This is your entire fault! The Hierarch banished the great lord of the night, Lord Hideyoshi, and it was YOU that executed him!" Mitsunari bellowed. Ieyasu was panting really hard; a large gash in his stomach could be seen clearly.
"Why must you champion hatred Mitsunari? Why nurse these sins of old?" Ieyasu asked, tears falling from the sides of his cheek. Mitsunari spat on the floor completely disgusted with Ieyasu. Masamune, furious of Mitsunari hurting all of his friends, burst into the room and tackled him to the ground.
"What! How did you get here?" Mitsunari yelled.
"How DARE you. First you almost killed Yukimura by tossing him into the mortal world but now you threaten to claim Lord Ieyasu's life for something that happened in the past?" Masamune growled. Mitsunari struggled to get out of Masamune's grip but he couldn't. Masamune, not wanting to hear anymore crushed Mitsunari under his foot and dug his fangs into his neck, killing him without much effort.
"Don't EVER go near my friends." Masamune mumbled, returning to a human form. All of the other lords slowly got up, six dragons gathering around their fallen comrade.
"So it has finally ended." A voice echoed through the halls. A fair maiden with black hair trailing far down her back stood before them all. The Hierarch bowed before her chosen children, thanking each of them for their sacrifice. She knelt beside Mitsunari and mumbled a few words of apology before facing Masamune.
"Tell me One-Eyed Dragon, do you know why Mitsunari forced Yukimura into the human world?" She asked. Masamune shook his head, unsure of how to answer. "It is because you were meant to be the next Hierarch. Mitsunari took advantage of your deep bond, and hoped the humans would kill you both. You were born with the power of the gods, the very essence that would lead Paradisio to a brighter future. And Masamune, that time is now." The Hierarch continued. Masamune eye grew wide as he swallowed each word that came from her mouth.
"Me?" Masamune asked. All six lords gathered around him, patting his back in sympathy. Ieyasu smiled at Masamune and all seven of them escorted Masamune to a strange chamber. Inside the chamber was a large chrysalis beneath the worn torn sun. The Hierarch softly stroked it then turned to face Masamune.
"This chrysalis is what makes dragons Hierarchs. You must sleep within it for three successive days. Once inside you will fall into slumber, as you accept the power of the gods. You see I am dying a slow death, an illness. I need you to take my place." The Hierarch explained. Masamune slowly walked to the chrysalis, and rubbed it. It slightly glowed at his touch, sending warm waves through his being. Masamune glanced at the Hierarch and she smiled. Sighing, Masamune nodded and began to step into it.
"WAIT!" A voice yelled. Masamune turned to see Yukimura and Motochika standing at the entrance of the chamber. Yukimura tackled Masamune, tears streaming down his face. "Do you intend to leave me behind?"
"Sorry Yuki, I have to do this." Masamune said, wiping the tears from his face. Yukimura nodded.
"Fine, let's make a promise. I'll grow stronger and become the next Arch Dragon of Fire, and you will rule Paradisio wisely. Ok?" Yukimura said holding out his pinky. Masamune chuckled at his childish behavior but crossed his pinky with his.
"I'll be waiting." Masamune said, as he entered the chrysalis. In a few seconds Masamune fell into slumber, holding onto to that promise forever.