Alright, everyone, this is just a quick re-edit. Chapter 5 should be up soon!

1

Prologue

I was never what one would call the conventional elf—I preferred solitude too much. In fact, by the standards of my race, I was a rogue.

It could never be seen, looking at me now, four hundred years later. My entire world, the one I had not wanted to be a part of, had changed me.

I was young and alone when Glaedr hatched for me. I had been cast out, more for the reason that it was my wish rather than any wrongdoing I had committed. I was rather adept at magic—in fact, I was one of the most promising students in all of Du Weldenvarden.

My quest for solitude, however, became unimportant when I found the egg. I could never—would never—seek complete solitude from him.

When Glaedr marked my palm with the geway insignia, I screamed as I had never screamed before. White-hot agony coursed through my body. Perhaps it felt like a dip in acid. It was not the worst pain I have suffered, but it was the worst at the time.

The first thing the dragon told me was that he was hungry. After I fed him, he told me to go back. I refused. From the day he hatched, Glaedr was like that. He always seemed to know what should be done, but he seldom pressed me to do it, unless it was needed. Maybe I should have listened better.

Glaedr and I lived for five years on our own, away from all others. That changed only when Glaedr mated with a wild female dragon.

And then she came.

She came, and with her a brilliant emerald dragon. She was older than I, as was the dragon older than Glaedr. I wouldn't find out her name for at least another week. Her hair was matted with what I instantly recognized as Dragon blood, and her face was streaked with gore. Still, she was beautiful in a sad way.

There was such sorrow in her eyes as she lay beside her dragon. The noble beast was passing into the abyss faster than she could save it.

"Sound the bugle now, tell them I don't care, there's not a road I know that leads to anywhere, without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark, lay right down, decide, not to go on…"

I ran to her without hesitation, speaking out loud for the first time in two years. I would not allow something as precious as a Dragon bond to die, not while I still had strength left in me. My voice was hoarse, and the words caught in my throat, but I managed to spit out the healing spell. Glaedr poured energy into me, and together we healed the emerald female.

I slumped back, against Glaedr's left front leg. It was my preferred position, as I was as left-hand dominant as an elf could be. The elf cried out in alarm. It was a sound like piercing bells—it was beautiful, but it made my head throb as if needles were being showed into my eyes and at the base of my skull.

"Wake, friend!" She cried out, "Stay here, with me!" Her voice was like waves dancing on the shore, breaking before they reached me. I cracked an eye open, "What is your name, friend?" She asked.

"Oromis," I muttered.

"And your dragon?" She placed a cold, lithe hand on my brow. It felt nice.

"Glaedr." And I faded away into the darkness.