"Lance! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"
He nearly puked as Clair jumped on his stomach over and over again and knocked the wind right out of him. Lance shot his stupid cousin a dirty look as he wheezed and hung over the bed like he was about to throw up. Did she just break his ribs?!
"I told you… not… to… do… that!" He snapped and leapt out of bed. Clair smirked and dashed away as fast as her legs would carry her, and Lance was right behind the slim girl. "When I catch you I'm going to -"
Lance shut up promptly as he ran outside his room and found his smiling grandfather staring at him. Clair stuck her tongue out at him from where she hid behind their grandfather's legs and jeered. His eyes narrowed, but he didn't dare try and chase her again. Grandfather was already annoyed at him for the shrine incident…
"And what will you do, Lance?" Grandfather asked patiently. His lips twisted in wry amusement. Lance didn't say anything. Well, he wished that's what he did. Instead he stammered something embarrassing and unintelligible that Clair would probably make fun of him for. Stupid Clair.
"...Nothing," he muttered at last. It was the right choice. Grandfather shook his head and patted Lance on the head. He squirmed away and looked up at the gigantic man with a childish scowl. "Hey!"
Grandfather chuckled and waved for Lance to follow him. "Come, come. I know you're excited to go on your journey, but you should stay to eat with the rest of the clan. You don't want to leave on an empty stomach, do you?"
Lance blinked, then a wide, stupid grin (that Clair was happy to point out) appeared on his face and he eagerly chased after Grandfather. No way was he going to be late for his journey! "Who cares about food? Let's go to the hatching now!"
"Oh?" Grandfather mused. He ruffled Lance's hair again and he fought the urge to pull away. Grandfather only did that because he knew it annoyed Lance! Why did he like messing with him so much?
"Yeah!" He pumped his fist. "Let's go, old man!"
Grandfather made a great show of stroking his long and making random, indecisive noises. Lance wanted to explode, but knew better. His elder was a patient, cruel man who would take pleasure in making Lance wait… and wait… and wait…
Just as he lost his temper about five minutes into the infuriating treatment, Grandfather raised a finger. Lance's eyes bugged out, he held his breath as Grandfather prepared to take him into the Dragon's Den and introduce him to his future partner. They would leave Blackthorn, travel the world, and be the strongest fighters in the entire world!
Then Grandfather hummed again. "I'm sorry, dear boy," the old man stroked his beard and looked off into the distance as though straining to remember something. "What were we discussing again? I'm afraid I've grown terribly forgetful in my old age."
"Grandfather!" Lance whined - no, he courageously demanded! - and the old man finally cracked a smile. "Please don't do this. Not today!"
After a terrifying silence, Grandfather sighed and motioned for Lance to follow him. "I suppose I don't want to send you off with bad memories of your dear elder. Come along, Lance."
Lance's grin was so wide it hurt as he chased after his wonderful, brilliant Grandfather. Clair was left in the dust.
"Hey, wait up!" Clair shouted as he took off through the compound's maze of hallways. Lance ignored her and Grandfather just shook his head as he always did as they ventured out of the clan compound and made their way across the fields into the Dragon's Den.
XX
Lance took in the dank darkness of the tunnels with no small bit of trepidation. Only a few flares lit the intricate network of the underground Dragon's Den, each lit by eternal blue dragonfire that banished the darkness wherever it went. He'd only been in here once before, and that was when Clair and Pike had dared him to sneak past the guards and find out what was inside.
He shuddered at the reminder of the terrible scolding he'd gotten when one of the clan members caught him trying to swim to the Drake's Rest. Lance would never dare tell Clair or Pike that he was pretty sure he'd peed his pants when Wataru Roy had exploded out of the depths of the Dragon's Den lakes atop his Gyarados. What had he been doing down there anyways?!
"Something the matter, Lance?" Grandfather asked knowingly. Lance shook his head. No way he was talking about that with Grandfather! Knowing him, the elder already knew about the whole incident anyways. He knew everything. "Aha, here we are! Pull us forward, Hana!"
Lance ran his fingers through his hair nervously and shifted uneasily atop the ridged scales of the Dragonite they rode as she easily powered through the still stream. Hana was his Grandfather's partner and had been with him every second of every day since. They were inseparable, and Father told him that was why Hana and Grandfather were such great warriors!
Thoughts of his father soured his mood, and Lance instead focused as they turned a corner and revealed a great plaza built in the deepest depths of the Dragon's Den. He stared and stared and stared at the beautiful monument to his clan. It was incredible! The cavern they turned into must have been miles wide and most of it was hidden away in the deepest black of the underground lake. The only light in it at all was pale blue dragonfire that burned in braziers on Drake's Rest, the resting place of the First Drake.
Even from here he could see the great wall where the names, birthdates, and deaths of every single member of their clan for thousands of years was carved by a Dragonite. Their accomplishments, mighty deeds, and victories recorded for all future generations to see… Lance set his mouth in a determined frown. His name was already on the sacred wall, and one day his legends would cover the entire wall! They'd have to make a new one just for him!
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Grandfather whispered. Lance stared at the aging man. Was Grandfather actually being serious? The man rested a withered hand on Lance's shoulder and pointed to various artifacts and records and scrolls. "... and there's the Horn of Drake Ryoto, who fell to Champion Taimu in the legendary battle of Mt. Silver. It is fashioned from one of mighty Shinobu's horns that was severed in their battle, hewn into the shape you see now."
Lance frowned. "You mean he lost? How? I thought he was supposed to be really strong. Ryoto was a Drake!"
Grandfather's wrinkled face split into a smile as he ruffled Lance's unruly hair. "Someone's been paying attention to Akemi's lessons," he said proudly. "I knew all the things she said about you weren't true!"
"Of course!" Lance declared wholeheartedly. He ignored Grandfather's teasing. It was his greatest talent! "I love learning about the clan. I do better than Clair or Pike every single time!"
"So Clair has told me," Grandfather said wryly. He tapped Lance on the forehead, which got a scowl from him. Why?! What was the point of that? "But I believe I should answer your question now," he said as they came closer to the plaza. Lance barely paid attention as he took in the heaps of ancient artifacts, and they were finally able to see the great mass of pale stone that connected the base of the plaza to the surface.
The Mausoleum.
"Defeat does not equate to weakness, dear boy. I daresay Drake Ryoto's place in history will never be equaled by another of our clan," Grandfather stared at the Horn with an expression that Lance couldn't quite place. "He and Champion Taimu were kindred souls. Born mere months apart from one another, and both united their nations by means of conquest, diplomacy, and guile. Do you remember the motto of Drake Ikki?"
"The sky is not large enough for two Drakes," Lance recounted easily. It was one of the stories Aunt Akemi liked to tell him, Clair, and Pike when their fights led to bruised faces, bodies, and (worst of all) egos. "He said it right before he fed his brother to his Dragonite, Toshina!"
Grandfather winced. "Not the proudest moment in our history," he mused, "but an apt expression for our needs. When Drake Ryoto realized another great conqueror stood in his way, he did not weep with sorrow, but with joy. He saw an ultimate challenge, a man with a vision equal to his own. And so they marched against another, and found themselves crossing blades and horn and fang at the foot of Mt. Silver where Indigo Plateau now stands!"
Lance paid rapt attention as Grandfather told the story. He was always the best at making things seem big and larger than life, like Lance and his cousins were right there with the Drake and Champion!
"They had gathered the largest armies ever seen. The legends say that they swarmed over the land like the sea and the clanging steel and shouts of their armies could be heard hundreds of miles away," Grandfather said quietly. Hana swam slowly and softly, her neck craned. She always loved hearing Grandfather's stories and Lance thought back to all the times she'd chased him pretending to be a monster from one of Grandfather's tales. "They saw all of this and fought for many days, but they realized neither could win if their armies laid waste to another. They did not desire wanton destruction, but to realize their dreams."
"Two dreams can't be realized. One of the dreamers had to be woken from their slumber," Grandfather said ruefully. He peered down his long, crooked nose at Lance. "Drake Ryoto and Champion Taimu approached and spoke for an entire day and night while their armies rested. They broke bread and shared countless stories and memories. They parted as men who knew their enemy. And so they declared to their allies that there would be no more battle, but a duel."
Hana's powerful tail paddled them to the plaza, but Lance didn't dare interrupt Grandfather's story. Even his burning desire to meet his new partner couldn't break him out of his stupor! Grandfather's voice echoed in the empty vastness of the Dragon's Den and his lined face seemed ancient in the ghostly blue dragonfire blazing throughout the plaza.
"It is said they fought for hours. Drake Ryoto brought only his beloved partner, Akinori, and the Blade of Hiro. Champion Taimu was joined by his favored partners: Mamoru the Resolute, Chinatsu the Cunning, and Shinobu the Mighty. They danced their dance, and Shinobu was smote by the Blade of Hiro and slain by Akinori's jaws. Yet Drake Ryoto fell in the face of Champion Taimu's fury, and his dream was ended."
Grandfather fell into a pensive silence at that, and Lance waited patiently for more. After an entire minute of staring at Grandfather, Lance realized nothing more would be said. "That's it?" He frowned. "What am I supposed to learn from that? All you told me is that Ryoto lost!"
"You remind me of your father when he was young," Grandfather smiled and stepped onto the cool stone of the plaza. "He never listened very well either."
Lance scowled as he took Grandfather's arm and was pulled easily onto the plaza. Was it asking too much for Grandfather to just get to the point? He hated these games!
"Drake Ryoto lost to his foe, but he was still strong in body and arms and ideals," Grandfather sighed at last. Hana pulled herself out of the water with ease. Great streams of it fell off her ridged scales, but she just looked happily at the plaza. She'd been here countless times before. "Losing doesn't mean you're weak, Lance."
"What's the point of being strong if you don't win?" Lance snorted. Nobody wanted to lose. He never lost! He was faster than Clair, stronger than Pike, and better than all the other kids he knew. None of them even came close!
"I hope you find that answer for yourself one day," Grandfather just shook his head and guided Lance past countless relics and inscriptions of some historic deed or another. He caught a few glimpses of the script, but not enough to really make anything out. All he got was a few dates, a description or two of some of the items, and occasionally glorifications of his ancestors. His chest flushed with pride at every single one.
Grandfather finally took them through the endless maze and halls (and also had to jerk Lance away from a few old, preserved swords and suits of armor) of priceless history and led him to a raised dais positively burning with dragonfire. Lance felt the heat of the lingering flame from a long ways off and couldn't even imagine how hot it would be on that platform…
Above it laid the spire that connected the plaza to the far-off roof of the cavern. It was so dark at that height that he could barely even tell where the spire ended and the darkness began. Lance felt his hands shake as he came closer and closer to his destiny. It burned before him.
They reached the stairs and Grandfather strode up confidently. Lance hesitated, afraid - no, cautious, he corrected himself - and chased after his grandfather. He refused to be left behind! Just as he prepared to race through the flames to ascend to the dais, they parted before Grandfather, Hana, and himself as though they'd never existed in the first place.
Grandfather motioned for him to stay put and circled around to the other side of a raised altar that held a single egg that twitched every few seconds. Lance wasn't an expert, but he could tell the Dratini inside was ready to get out and meet him! He shook in anticipation, and he envisioned the fights they'd win, the places they'd explore… the whole world would know who they were!
"The Drake's Rest!" Grandfather gestured grandly at the spire. "It is here that Drake Hiro's legacy remains entombed in the Dragon's Den. When he laid dying after he secured Blackthorn and the future of our clan, he chose not to pursue the freedom of being exposed to the elements and venturing into the sky. No! He clawed his way beneath the earth. He died trapped in stone so that his spirit might linger here and guide his descendants through the ages!"
"Honor to the Drake!" Lance declared as he had been coached by Akemi. The loremaster of their clan was very strict about Lance knowing this entire routine by heart. There could be no mistakes or he'd bring disgrace on his clan… or so she'd said. Mostly he was just happy that Clair and Pike wouldn't get to learn the ritual for another year! They had been so jealous.
Grandfather stared at him with a weighty gaze. "Drake Hiro sacrificed himself for the clan. His soul is bound to the Dragon's Den, and he will always watch over us. Because of his actions, the clan flourishes. We die and our spirits seek out the sky to rejoin our ancestors."
"Honor to the Wataru!"
"The Wataru are not fully human. In our veins runs the blood of heroes, righteous men, and kings. In our veins runs the blood of dragons!" Grandfather spoke lowly, yet his voice carried far. Hana stepped forward and peered down at the quivering egg on the pedestal. "They are our partners, our brothers and sisters! The bond between the Wataru and the Dragonite is one of equals. We are but one soul in two bodies! To dishonor that bond is worse than dishonoring the bond of marriage."
"Honor to the Dragonite!"
Grandfather motioned for Lance to step forward. He did, and stared at the egg with awe.
"Wataru Lance, son of Wataru Daren and Wataru Ama, step forward!" Grandfather's voice thundered in the great expanse of the cavern. "You have been deemed worthy of becoming a full member of our sacred clan, and it has been seen fit to grant you a life partner of your own. Do you accept the weight of our bloodline?"
"I do," Lance whispered.
"Do you accept the weight of our duty?"
"I do."
"Do you accept the weight of our bond?"
"I do!"
"Then lay your hands on the egg and awaken your blood!"
Lance didn't hesitate. He laid his hands on the trembling egg and held tight. It was so warm, nearly hot enough to scald his fingers, but instead of recoiling he embraced it. This was his partner! This was what he'd waited for! It didn't matter how long this egg took to hatch. He would be here!
The egg shook more and more, and he thought he saw a crack thread through it at his touch. Beneath his fingers the egg heated more and more and Lance felt a manic grin spread across his face.
Hana stepped forth. She lowered her massive head and seemed to regard Lance warmly for a moment before she opened her ferocious maw and gently breathed heatless blue flame against the shell. Lance's fingers tingled as the little flares licked at them, but it was over as soon as it began.
The egg cracked. Its shell collapsed apart the moment the dragonfire brushed it, and Lance stared at the little Dratini (thin, but nearly four feet long) that immediately let out a small cry and wound its way up his arm. His partner stared at him with big eyes and licked the side of his face with a long, smooth tongue.
Lance had just fallen in love.
XX
"Farewell, Lance," Grandfather tousled his hair one last time. Lance wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn't want to be too rebellious before he left. It had gotten harder and harder as they reached the outskirts of the clan compound... Lance would never think of abandoning his journey, but he'd miss his clan more than anything.
Even Clair, who had started crying, punched him in the face when he laughed, and ran back to her room. Lance grumbled something unintelligible and rubbed the bruise on his cheek. Why did he teach Clair how to punch again?
"Bye, Grandfather!" He said cheerfully and turned. Dratini was still wrapped around his neck and cooed before licking his face. The dragon had marveled at everything they'd encountered so far and Lance knew they'd be spending a lot of time checking out random things. Normally he'd think it boring, but with Dratini at his side instead of Clair or Pike... well, it seemed a lot less annoying!
"See ya, Lance!" Pike waved from Grandfather's side. The younger boy's dark hair was quickly and mercilessly ruffled by Grandfather, which earned a scowl from Pike. Ha! At least now Pike would know how bad Grandfather's teasing really was!
Lance said the last of his goodbyes (the rest of the clan had gotten to say goodbye as he walked through the dining hall) and didn't hesitate to step off into the world. The air was cold, the mountains loomed over them, and Blackthorn was to be his first stop.
Hours later he stopped to sit and rest for a while and laughed as Dratini peeked out from beneath his coat, marveling at the idea that this little dragon was going to be with him forever. Dreams really did come true!
Dratini licked his face and stared up into the sun as it suddenly shone brighter and clearer than he'd ever seen it. Lance grinned and followed his friend's gaze, only to catch sight of a brilliant winged figure wreathed in rainbows and sunshine coasting along above the highest peaks of the mountains. It turned to look at him with burning red eyes set above a beak shaped from gold, and regarded Lance and Dratini for what might have been an eternity before it seemed to vanish entirely.
Lance sat, stunned, and then a wide grin came over him as he hugged Dratini close to him.
His life was going to be awesome.
Here we go! I've been looking forward to writing Lance's story for ages. This is going to be pretty frequently updated. I think it'll be a series comprising of four or five chapters that will basically act as snapshots of Lance's life as we get to see how he became the man we know in Traveler. I hope everyone enjoys it and I hope you review! I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas!
Also, Pike is going to be Drake's (the Champion of the Orange Islands) real name in Traveler. He took Drake as a new name when he made his life down in the Orange Islands away from his clan.
Thanks for reading, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
