1

The Beginning

Everything was quiet, except for the natural sounds of the forest birds and insects. Patches of sunlight shone down on the ferns where the branches of the pine trees above could not keep it out. Where the sun could not find passage, deep shadow engulfed everything in its path. The air was several degrees cooler in the shade.

I was crouched in the ferns, the branches hanging over my head, hiding me. My hand gripped the handle of my spear tightly and the adrenaline pulsed through my veins, keeping my muscles loose and ready to spring. "First battalion," I whispered hoarsely, "stand ready." My orders were conveyed to the group of nearly twenty soldiers, men and women alike.

By peeking through the branches of the ferns, I could see the large dark shapes of our advancing adversaries. They crept through the deep brush, completely unawares of the ambush they were walking straight into. Now I could hear as well as see them swiping branches out of their way. From this vantage point, near the top of the hill, I was able to see nearly the whole group of the Urgal soldiers. They were a scouting group, clearing the way for a bigger army to come through.

"Take arms!" I whispered to my sergeant.

After repeating my orders, he waited quietly behind me for my next order, the order that would decide the fate of my battalion.

I stood up and yelled, "Attack!" My soldiers yelled and stood. Throwing my spear, I didn't wait to see if it would hit its mark. Spears flew over my head as I ducked down into the brush and reached for my second spear.

The scouting Urgals roared with rage and tried to hide behind the trees for safety.

"Second attack!" I yelled loud enough for everyone to hear.

With cries of rage and authority, my battalion of men and women hurled their second spears.

Suddenly something to the left caught my eye. "Left!" I cried, swinging around and ducking to snatch the dagger from my boot. With fear beginning to overpower the feeling of victory, I watched as hundreds of massive Urgals rose from their hiding behind trees, below shrubbery, and behind rocks. They raised their curved swords and clubs and with a wild cry of savagery, they charged at us. A few of my men nearest to the surprise attackers crumpled to the ground, large splotches of red blood soaking through their clothes.

"Retreat! Retreat!" I ran back up the hill, looking over my shoulder to make sure my battalion heard my cry. Those who were still alive weaved through the ferns and raced after me.

Once I leapt onto the old, crumbling stone floor of the old castle ruins, I immediately felt safer. I sprinted into the midst of Commander Wilnerth's great army. My battalion skidded to a stop behind me.

"They're coming, Commander," I panted, out of breathe.

His hand on the hilt of the sword on his hip, young Commander Wilnerth cleared his throat. "For-ward!" he yelled and pulled his sword from its sheath, raising it to the sky.

The army marched forward, swarming out of the crumbling ruins like ants from a hill. I charged with them, screaming as we plunged into the army of blue. With my dagger, I slew two small Urgals with one swipe, then reached down and picked up one of the dropped spears.

Overhead, shrieks erupted from the sky. I looked up and saw the glimmer of the sun off the shiny scales of our dragons. One of them, a blue dragon, swooped down into the forest, and then returned to the sky, two soldiers screaming and writhing in his claws. I could hear the clash of our four dragons and Riders against the Lethreblaka, however many there were. The squealing of claw against scale was deafening.

With a savage yell, I charged forward, holding the spear out in front of me to ram into any blue coats in my path. I was nearing the front of our lines, still charging forward at full speed, when a shattering pain erupted from my stomach. I cried out in immense pain. Falling to my knees, I curled over and yanked the arrow out of my stomach, crying out as it left my body and took flesh with it. My head began to feel dizzy, black splotches clouding my vision. Vaguely aware of the soldiers swarming around me, I fell forward into the ferns, and knew no more.

I was too weak to move, too weak to even force my eyes open, but I could feel someone moving me. And then, it didn't seem like time had passed, but I could feel a strong cold wind blowing through my hair and clothes. And then it was over, and I was somewhere very warm and comfortable. But then I couldn't think of anything besides the pain, red hot pain spreading from my stomach to the rest of my body.

Several times I awoke, but I couldn't tell how much time had passed, and I could only keep myself aware for a moment before I slipped back into unconsciousness.

After a time, who knows how long it had been, I managed to open my eyes. I was in a room, lying on a bed and staring up at the wood ceiling. Unable to turn my head, I just stared upwards and listened. A face came into my view. It was the face of a girl with long blonde hair pulled back, but with strands falling into her face. She had pretty blue eyes, a curious look in them. Her pink lips parted and she said, "It's okay, you're safe. I'm a friend."

I tried to speak, to ask her where I was, but all I managed was a strangled murmur, before I was overtaken by a fit of coughing. The force of each throat-scraping cough raised my back off the bed, which made my stomach burn and force another cough. Unable to stop the coughing and pain, I kept going, beginning to cough up sticky blood, which trickled down my chin onto my bare chest.

Red and black splotches clouded my view of the girl standing over me, but I could vaguely feel her cool hands on my hot forehead

"Shhhh," she soothed, "breathe, Captain."

I tried to do as she said, trying to calm my wrecked body and breathe deeply. As soon as the coughs retreated, I fell back into exhausted unconsciousness.

The next time I awoke, I tried to turn my head to examine the rest of the room. It was a small room, yet cozy. A low fire crackled in the hearth. I lay on the only bed, but the girl was asleep on a blanket next to the fire, her blonde hair falling over her face. It was hard for me to keep my eyes off her sleeping form, her beauty was overwhelming. Yet, there was something about her that told me she was dangerous.

She stirred, raising her hand to rub her eyes. Suddenly she rolled over and stared at me, her eyes fierce. Then the fierce look in her eyes faded and she stood to walk over to me. "Good morning, Captain."

"Hello," I whispered hoarsely.

Placing her finger on my lips, she said softly, "Don't speak, it weakens you." She bent to pick a cup up off the floor. Using a spoon, she began to feed me a thick liquid. She saw the aversion in my eyes—for whatever the liquid was, it tasted disgusting!—and explained, "It is the milk of a Feldûnost. It will make you well, trust me."

The door to the room opened just as I took anther sip, and a man walked in. He was a warrior, dressed in leather and chain male, with a sword strapped to his hip. He carried himself with regal distain, head held high. Something about him told me he was dangerous, powerful. "Korine, you summoned me?" he asked, walking to her side and glancing down at me with disapproval.

"Yes. This man, Captain Nerik, has suffered many injuries in the recent battle. I'd heal him myself, but I haven't the strength or training. Could you?"

His fingers curled around the hilt of his sword, and he glared down at me with distaste.

I hadn't realized that I'd fallen asleep, but I dreamed an amazingly vivid dream.

In my dream, I was on the back of a black creature that could fly high and fast. Below us, the ground was lit with thousands of fires and I could hear the clang of metal against metal and the shouts and screams of men and women. But we weren't the only creatures in the sky, another beast dove from above us and rammed into us, sending us hurtling towards the blood-drenched ground. I slashed with my sword, sliding it through the flesh of the beast on top of us. It roared in anger and pain, releasing us to escape.

Then I saw the rider, he held a sword high over his head as he and his beast, a dragon as I could now see it, fled. They soared away from us, but I shouted and we pursued them. We were faster, and we overtook the enemy dragon and rider. I shouted and leapt from my dragon onto his and he defended himself with his sword. We parried on the back of his dragon. Suddenly his dragon flipped upside down and I fell through the dark night air towards the ground. Before I could slam into the hard earth, though, my black dragon swooped underneath me and I landed softly on his back. Then we quickly gained altitude, because the loser was always the one underneath.

I kept my eyes on the dragon and rider above us. They hovered, waiting for us to get closer. Before we could get near enough to attack, though, my strength suddenly started seeping from me, like it was being stolen. Unable to even hold myself upright, I fell forward onto my dragon's neck and fell unconscious.

That was the first of the dreams.