The Journey Begins
"Are you Jane Turnkey?"
Thirteen year old Jane was silent as she stared up into the red eyes of the beast. The thing had just dropped inside castle walls, destroying everything around with it's long tail. When everyone had gathered to stare at it, the creature began asking for Jane Turnkey. Not wanting the beast to hurt anyone, Jane stepped forward. Her mother was screaming hysterically for her, but her father was there to hold her back.
"Are you Jane Turnkey?" it repeated. Jane stared, frozen. Even though she would never admit it, she was scared.
"Don't tell him anything, Jane!" Rake yelled. All eyes went to him, grumbling.
"You just...Know what, never mind," the beast said, shaking his head. Jane felt a smile come to her lips. He lowered his long neck and looked at Jane expectantly. "Well, get on, then."
"Where are you taking me?" Jane asked, curious.
"My cave," the beast answered simply.
"Now see here...you monster!" Jane's friend, the hired jester, ran to her side. He had been left on the doorstep of the castle - an orphan- so no one but his friends yelled for him to return. "Y-you can't, you don't have the right to,I won't let-"
"That's nice, floppy hat. Get on, Jane." Jane turned back to look at her family. She knew that this thing looked dangerous, but she wanted to know why he wanted her.
"You will bring me back," Jane stated, rather than asking, as she climbed onto it's neck.
"Of course," the creature agreed, his large green lips curling into an honest smile. "Hold on."
Jane grabbed hold of two large horns strategically placed in front of her on his head before the thing took off. Two yellow wings behind Jane fanned out and flapped through the sky, propelling them forward. She could hear Jester's distraught cries from below. Wind blew Jane's hair behind her. She laughed at this new flying sensation. It was...exciting. The beast craned his neck to look at her, as she squealed with delight.
"Having fun there, are we?"
"Yes, but how you...fly? What are you?" Jane asked, confused.
"I'm called Dragon," Dragon said. Jane nodded.
Dragon's cave was set on a mountain to the east of the kingdom. He led her inside and they entered a large tunnel. It was completely dark inside. Dragon opened his large green lips and blew a steady stream of fire from his mouth. Jane jumped back in shock.
"Don't worry," Dragon said, his voice muffled by the fire. "Look over here." Jane's gaze followed Dragon's finger that pointed at a wall. On the wall were an assorted number of runes in different writing forms.
"What do they say?" Jane asked, running her hand over a patch of them. Dragon shrugged.
"This Dragon writing is so ancient, I can only read a little. The only words I can make out are mine and yours," Dragon mumbled.
"What do you think this means?" Dragon's fire ran out and the room dimmed until dark.
"I don't know, but I think you should help me find the others who wrote this."