Chapter 1: A New Day, A New Adventure…
It was a bright and sunny morning. Summer had just started, and all the children had gotten out of school one week prior.
Siblings Emmy and Max in particular were enjoying themselves. Their parents have given them the next seven days to enjoy themselves as a reward for their good behavior, and they couldn't be happier about it.
They're routine for such days was to play and color, then pay a visit to their dragon friends in Dragonland. There, they'd have some adventures and learn some life lessons, before coming home for the day.
Little did they know that today, they were about to embark on the greatest adventure of their lives.
The kids were in the playroom as usual, with Max playing with his toy cars and Emmy reading her 'book of dragons' at the table.
Just then, a magic glow came from the secret drawer underneath the window. Emmy was the first to notice.
"Hey Max," she said, hoping to get her little brother's attention.
"Just a minute, Emmy," he said, "My red truck is about to win the race!"
Emmy looked over and saw Max running his two toy vehicles in a straight line, his blue car in his left hand, and his red truck in his right hand. Emmy put her foot down.
"Sorry Max, but the dragons are calling us," she said, "Look!"
Max finally stopped playing and looked at the drawer. He finally noticed the shimmering glow coming from the drawer.
"Wow! Let's go!" Max said.
He rushed over with Emmy to open the drawer. Emmy pulled out the dragon-emblem chest and opened it to reveal their favorite possession: their enchanted dragon scale! They held it together, and spoke the rhyme they said many times before...
"I wish, I wish, with all my heart, to fly with dragons, in a land apart."
With that, the dragon tapestry on the far wall came to life, and the dragon pictures encircled the children, who then disappeared in a flash of light.
Meanwhile, in the enchanted realm of Dragonland, two dragons, one large & blue and the other smaller & pink, were sitting by a tree, looking around for someone to show up.
"I hope Max and Emmy get here soon," said the blue dragon.
"I know, Ord," said the pink dragon, "It's been five minutes, and I don't see a sign of them."
"Wait," said Ord, "I see something, Cassie!"
He pointed in one direction. Sure enough, about twenty-five yards away from the tree, there was a cloud of magic dust swirling around in a vortex. A flash of light later, and Max & Emmy stood in its place.
"Emmy!"
"Max!"
Cassie and Ord called out to them respectively and rushed over to greet their human friends. Ord, naturally, reached the kids before Cassie could, and embraced them in a crushing hug. Though Max and Emmy were somewhat used to this (especially Max), they soon needed air.
"Uh...Ord," Emmy choked out, "You're...squishing us."
Ord finally noticed their faces turning blue like his scales, and gently let them go. "Oops," he giggled, "Sorry."
Cassie approached Emmy (whom she had a special bond with) and gave her a hug of her own. It was gentler than Ord's, of course.
"Hi Emmy," she said "I'm so glad you're here. We need your help!"
"Why?" asked Emmy, "What's going on?"
Ord spoke next. "Something bad is happening in Dragonland."
"Yesterday," said Cassie, "an evil spell was cast on the forest of darkness, and it suddenly became all twisted."
"The forest became twisted?" Max asked, "What does that mean?"
"It means that the forest is now *gulp* scarier than before," said Ord, "The trees lost their leaves, the flowers & fruits are gone, and everything is gray colored!"
He pinched his nose in disgust, "And the place smells bad, too!
Emmy and Max were shocked at this, "You mean...someone cast a spell to make the forest rot away?!" asked Emmy, "Who would do such a thing!?"
"We don't know," said Cassie, "but somebody might know who's doing this."
She pulled out a note and handed it to Emmy. It read: Please come here soon and bring Max and Emmy with you. Signed, Quetzal.
"Quetzal is calling everyone to the School in the Sky," Cassie continued, "He says he saw something big in the forest before it happened."
"Yeah," said Ord, "so let's go, everybody!"
"WAIT!"
Everyone turned to look at Max when he shouted.
"Aren't we forgetting someone?" he asked slyly.
The gang knew immediately who he was talking about. "Zak & Wheezie!" they all shouted.
"I'll get them," said Ord, rushing over to a nearby knucker-hole. He looked down in it and called out, "ZAK? WHEEZIE?"
The ground shook for a moment, and up from the hole shot out the group's resident two-headed dragon. Zak & Wheezie flew upward for a moment, then downward, and finally landed in front of the group with a loud thud.
"What's up?" they both asked in unison.
"We're going to see Quetzal," said Emmy, "are you ready to come?"
Wheezie seemed excited. The things she was wearing gave it away. She had a knight's helmet on her head, and a wooden sword in her hand.
"You BET we're ready!" she exclaimed, "It's time to find out what monster hurt our forest! An adventure awaits!" she held her sword into the air like Excalibur, "LOOOOVE IT!"
"Take it easy, Wheezie." said Zak, trying to calm his sister down, "This is serious. Besides, we're only going to hear Quetzal's thoughts about..."
"Ahem"
Zak turned his head towards Cassie, as did Wheezie.
"Before you start arguing again," said Cassie, "we need to be at the school very soon."
Zak and Wheezie giggled sheepishly as everyone prepared to take off. Emmy climbed onto Cassie's back while Max did the same with Ord.
"Alright everybody," said Emmy, "Next stop, the School in the Sky!"
With that, the dragons flew into the air with the kids on their backs and set off towards the school's location.
Elsewhere, two sinister figures watched the children & their dragon friends through a crystal ball.
"Are these the ones you told me about?" Maligna asked Cyrus, who stood at her side.
"Yes, mistress," he clarified "Those two are Max and Emmy, the children who always ruin my egg hunts."
"Ahhh. So, THESE are the fools who foiled you those many times."
Cyrus nodded.
"Fascinating…Well, even if they are as resourceful as you claim, they have never encountered a being as powerful and evil as I!" she chuckled evilly.
"You must be so, indeed," said Cyrus, "since you DID drain all magic from the forest of Darkness."
"And soon, all magic in the realm will be mine! And not even these wretched preschoolers can stop me!" "She cackled, "Now, heed my orders, serpent."
"What do you command?"
"I need you to follow those brats to the School in the Sky and eavesdrop their meeting with the schoolmaster. If you don't find anything useful from their lips, then infiltrate into the building after they leave." she commanded.
"Yes, Maligna," Cyrus said. And with that, he tightened his bowtie and slithered out the door. Maligna gazed into her crystal ball one last time.
"Soon you will see, children. Even in paradise Dragonland, nothing can stop the forces of evil from rising. We will meet in person soon enough…"