CHAPTER 3

DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES

The trip through the portal knocked the wind out of Soren. He felt like he was being thrown against invisible walls, and the sharp scales on Inferno's back did nothing to comfort him. By the end of the ride, Soren felt as if he had broken several bones, and had narrowly managed losing his leg, and some other important body part, to Inferno's scales. With a loud pop, they escaped the time stream and landed in front of a castle, with several odd-looking creatures in front of them.

"Sorry about the ride. In time, riding a dragon will be like nothing to you."

"A proper saddle should help." One of the figures walked toward Soren, and offered him a hand to help him off the ground.

"Young Soren, my name is Cicero. I am servant to the Elven King Lincoln. I realize you may be confused and hurt, the first of which will be resolved momentarily, but allow me to attend to your physical ailments." With a quick hand motion and mumbling that was incoherent to Soren. Suddenly, his bones slid back into place, and the cuts on his leg healed, leaving fresh skin in their place.

Soren sat, bewildered, as he examined his bones, which were now whole again. "Thank you, Cicero. Inferno, you never mentioned that there were elves in your world!"

"You never asked." A sly smile appeared on his face.

Cicero cleared his throat, and began to speak to both rider and dragon about the grave situation that faced them.

"Soren, for as long as any of us have remembered, the land we know as Cerisia has been ruled by Orion, the Dark King. Orion has ruled our land with an iron fist and thousands of soldiers. We are the Renegades, the elves who reject Orion's oppression and attempt to undermine him any way we can. We managed to steal Inferno's egg, Orion's most valuable treasure, and guide him toward our cause. You and Inferno are destined to fight Orion's Army and attempt to take back Cerisia."

"Is that all?"

"Not even close. That is what you might call making a long story very, very short. You should get some sleep, for tomorrow, our greatest warriors will instruct you in the art of swordsmanship."

Cicero and another elf, who introduced himself as Casca, showed him his room.

"Tomorrow, you begin your training under Casca. May you rest well, young rider.

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Soren jerked upright. A crash inside his room had taken him by surprise. It was just after midnight, but a figure in dark armor stood tall and menacingly in front of him.

"Wha- who are you?" His limbs shook with fear.

"Hear my words, Soren the Dragon Rider. You and your pathetic dragon will die at my hands. Your puny little resistance attempt will fail, and as soon as I find the location of the Renegades, I will kill them one by one, and finally finish off you and your dragon. Your time in Cerisia will be severely limited. I, King Orion, will personally make sure that you never see your precious home world again."

With a sudden burst of flame, the figure was gone.

Soren woke up for real this time, and thought about what he had just witnessed. The figure's words still echoed in his head, especially his final line: You will never see your precious home world again."
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