Dawn of the Dragon Riders

The afternoon sunlight lazily crept through the forest canopy. A cacophony of insects and birds played a song as old as time. Off in the distance, a doe grazed while her twin fawns danced around a tree.

What a perfect day.

Ari thought as he watched the deer. With a contented sigh, he stood and began his journey to the river. Once a week he traversed the forest he guarded over to bathe in the healing waters of the Namoai River. The river was once the gathering place for all dragons throughout the land but now only a brave few dared venture to its sparkling green waters.

As he walked, animals lifted their heads as if beholding a king before the smaller ones returned to their busy days. Sunlight glinted off Ari’s brilliant red scales edged in a fiery yellow and cast little red beams along the ground and trees, making the forest seem as if it were covered in glittering gemstones. Even though he was fully grown, Ari was still amazed at the sight.

Since the days of great persecution over a thousand years ago, dragons were scarce in the land. Humans turned against dragonkind, turning hunting them into a sport. With every dragon killed, the naturally flowing magic of the world slowly disappeared. The lack of magic drove elves from the lands and with them, many magical creatures. Now, only a handful of human sorcerers possessed magic and brutally ruled over human villages.

Of course, that was someone else’s problem now. It was once the duty of dragons to protect the balance of the world. According to Ari’s great-great-grandfather, humans and dragons once lived in harmony and dragon riders were common. But that wasn’t Ari’s concern. All that mattered was keeping the source of the Namoai River pure and clean for the few dragons who dared venture to her shores.

A cold chill ran down Ari’s spine as the forest suddenly fell silent. Fear mingled with curiosity as he looked for the source of the forest’s unease. The light summer breeze shifted, bringing with it a strange smell. It was an unfamiliar scent mingled with the stench of death.

With a sigh, he made his way toward the source. Uncertainty flooded him as the foul odor grew stronger. Ari hesitated at the base of a hill littered with leaves from last fall and rotting trees. A barely audible sound drifted on the breeze bringing a cold lump into his stomach. Swallowing back fear, he took a few deep breaths as he pulled from the magic in the air, coating his scales until they bounced light in just the right way to camouflage himself.

Ready for whatever dangerous creature awaited him on the other side of the hill, Ari stealthily made his way to the top. Every crunching leaf and snap of a twig made his heartbeat quicken. By the time he reached the crest of the hill, he was fully prepared to leap into the air and fly off instead of fight.

Ari, you’re a dragon! You should be ready to fight whatever is on the other side of the hill not run away like a coward at the first unknown creature that comes your way. He scolded himself.

The air stilled as he peered over the hill into the small valley below. The sound of hiccupped sobs hit him first followed quickly by the smell of dried blood and feces. In the middle of the small valley sat a tiny human child. Its clothing was torn and bloodstained. Deep gashes ran the length of its chest and arms.

The sight made Ari’s heart flip in his chest. It was only a child. A child in pain and separated from other humans. It was well known that humans always traveled in packs and were overprotective of their young.

Should I help it? The thought crossed Ari’s mind as he stared down at the dirty human.

At what age are they dangerous?

Ari quickly shook the thought from his mind but eyed the child warily. He didn’t know the first thing about humans other than they killed his kind for sport. Wherever humans went, death and destruction followed.

It’s none of your business, Ari. Let the humans take care of it.

The decision made, he turned to walk back down the hill and resume his trek to the river. A fresh wave of sobs filled the air, pulling at his heart. Dragons were ruled by instinct to care for the younglings even if it wasn’t their offspring and the agonizing sound of the human child weeping was more than he could bear.

With a sigh, he turned around, shook the magic from his scales and walked toward the child. It looked at him, snot and tears running down its face, and other than a few hiccups, there wasn’t another sound. As Ari drew closer, his heart beat faster and he watched the child unsure if it was capable of hurting him at such a young age.

He stopped thirty feet from it and stared deep into endless blue eyes filled with tears. There wasn’t a trace of fear in the child’s eyes, so Ari swallowed his own fear and said, “Do not be afraid, little one.”

The child hiccupped as a snot bubble popped from its nose.

“What is your name, little one?” Ari asked, unsure if it understood him. He knew from his great-great-grandfather’s stories that humans understood dragon speak just as dragons knew every language they encountered. It had something to do with the magic bond all humans were capable of with a dragon if they were found to be worthy and have a pure heart. Of course, that all depended on the youngling knowing human speak in the first place.

“Fieo.” The child wiped snot from his face as he answered.

“Your name is Fieo?”

“No! Not Fieo. My name is Fieo!”

Confused, Ari stared at the now angry human child and tried to understand what it was really saying versus what he heard.

“Do you mean Theo?”

“That’s what I said.” The child responded.

No, it isn’t. Not even close. Ari thought but quickly shook it off and said, “I’m Ari.”

“Arwee.”

Close enough.

“Yes, Ari. Why don’t you come with me to the river? The water will–” how do I tell a human child about magical healing waters?–“make the owies go away.”

It looked around for a long time as if waiting for another human to show up. While Ari waited, the breeze picked up and sunlight spilled into the valley. The child stared in wonder as Ari’s scales reflected thousands of sparkling red beams across the forest floor and trees.

Everything else forgotten, the child held his hand out to Ari and said, “Okay, I go with you.”

A new wave of dread filled him as he stretched out his wing to the tiny hand and gripped it with the three-clawed fingers at the pinnacle of his wing. Without another word, he led the way toward the river, going at the child’s pace. The trek should have taken twenty minutes but lasted over an hour because the child had to stop frequently.

By the time they reached the sparkling green waters of the Namaoi River, Ari was frustrated by the tiny human. It hadn’t stopped whining in unintelligible, high-pitched mutterings the whole way and when questioned, it burst out in fits of screeching.

How could humans survive to adulthood if they acted like this?

They stopped at the bank between two cypress trees before Ari looked at the child and said, “Little one, you need to take your clothes off before you get in the river.”

The child looked at the lazy, gently swirling water before turning back to Ari and holding his hands above his head.

Confused, Ari asked, “What do you need, little one?”

“Help.”

“I don’t know how I can help you.” Ari stared at the human child unsure what to do. He knew that humans wore clothes but didn’t know how they put them on or removed them. Theo, however, was undeterred and continued to stand there with arms up. With a sigh, Ari carefully brought his wings forward and attempted to pull the shirt over the child’s head. The badly torn clothing ripped in half at an angle so he cut it off the rest of the way using his claws.

The moment it was off, Theo removed the rest of the clothing and stood there completely naked. Well, it’s a boy. The thought flashed through Ari’s thoughts as he studied the extent of the injuries covering the child. With a shudder, he stepped into the water, beckoning Theo to follow him but the boy stood on the bank looking at him with fear dancing in his eyes.

“Come, little one.” Ari said in the softest voice he could muster up as he reached out with his wing, offering to take Theo’s hand. “Do not be afraid. I’ve got you.”

Theo reluctantly grabbed the three, clawed fingers extended to him and allowed Ari to lead him into the warm water. The moment the water touched the first cut, Theo gasped and jerked, losing his grip on Ari and slipped beneath the water. Instantly, Ari lunged forward searching for the boy with both wings. It seemed like an eternity passed before he pulled Theo, coughing and sputtering, from the water.

The once nasty gashes were now nothing more than unblemished skin. With a sigh of relief, Ari sat him down in the shallows and attempted to clean the dirt and dried feces from the boy. After he was clean, they stepped out of the river and Ari dried him using heated breath and a few flaps of his wings, causing Theo to break out in little squeals of delight.

“You must be hungry, little one.” Ari spoke as he looked back at the river.

With one last glance at Theo, who stood there in complete fascination at the thousands of glittering, red beams dancing around the riverbank, Ari stepped back into the water. Using his wings, he started fishing for one of the many monstrous fish hiding beneath the sparkling aquamarine depths. It didn’t take long before a curious fish strayed too close and he snatched it up like a hard-earned prize. Behind him, Theo yelled in celebration and as Ari turned, he saw the boy jumping with fists in the air. Feeling energized by the enthusiasm, Ari held the fish higher and roared in triumph causing Theo to become more vocal.

Ari laughed as he quickly gutted the fish and washed it before pulling a large stone from the river. Something he remembered seeing the elves do when he was young. Once it was in place, he laid the fish on it and very carefully roasted it. Theo clung to his leg while he bellowed a steady stream of fire around the fish and hoped he was cooking it correctly. After it fell apart with the slightest touch, Ari used magic to cool both the fish and the rock it sat on before urging Theo to eat.

The sun had begun to set as Theo finally quit picking at the fish and let Ari finish it off. He looked down at the human child and once again got lost in his endless blue eyes. It was hard to imagine what he would look like when he was grown. His dark brown hair had hints of red and blond masterfully blended into it. He would probably be a very handsome young man. He would also most likely become a warrior as most males did and there was a good chance he would end up hunting dragons as well.

A sliver of fear speared through his chest at the realization that this tiny child could one day kill him.

“Arwee?”

“Yes, little one?” Ari quickly responded.

Theo rubbed his eyes as he said, “I’m tired.”

With a soft sigh, Ari walked over to some pine trees and scooped up enough fallen needles to make a bed for Theo. Once he carefully spread them out over a moss bed, he laid down and said, “Come and rest now, little one.”

Theo didn’t hesitate to run over and snuggle up to his chest. Ari watched as the light faded from the forest and was about to settle down for the night as well when Theo sat and said, “It’s too dark. I’m scared, Arwee.”

“Do not be afraid, little one, I’ve got you.” He replied as he laid his head down, forming a crescent shape with his body. Once in position, he began cyclical breathing while stoking the fire deep within his chest. Soon, little lights like glowing embers shone through his red scales, casting Theo in a warm light. Theo watched it in fascination for a while before settling down once more.

Feeling satisfied that the technique used on young dragons worked with his human child, Ari stared at Theo. The tiny, naked human boy was finally drifting off to sleep illuminated by the glow of Ari’s fire. It was a sight he never thought he would see as the last of his line. It was hard to imagine that it wasn’t a dragon curled up against him but as he stared down at Theo he knew no matter what happened next, he would defend the boy with his last breath.

***

Ari lazily lifted his head and stared at the midmorning canopy above him. For a long oblivious moment, he sat there enjoying the songs of the birds. Then as if everything from the day before came crashing down on him, he looked down at the pine bed beneath him only to find it empty. His stomach fell at the sight and he quickly stood on all fours while frantically searching for the boy.

“Theo!” He shouted into the forest, silencing the birds.

Fearing the worst, Ari rushed to the river’s edge and shouted once more. He wasn’t sure if humans could drown in the healing waters but as he looked at the slowly flowing river, he couldn’t help but wonder. Unsure of what to do, he walked downstream for several miles before turning around and following the river further up from their campsite.

Hours passed before he heard a distant peel of laughter and he rushed toward the sound as quickly as he could. He found Theo splashing around in a large mud puddle a few feet from the river. A sudden surge of anger overtook Ari as he said, “Theo! You can’t run off like that. What if something happened to you?”

As Theo looked up at him, the laughter in his eyes died and his face fell, breaking Ari’s heart. Before Theo could speak again, Ari quickly calmed his voice and gently said, “I’m not mad at you, little one. Forgive me for shouting but I was afraid.”

“Sorry, Arwee.” Theo replied before walking over to him and hugging his right front leg.

With a relieved sigh, he replied, “Just don’t run off again.”

Theo squeaked out a quick okay before burying his face in Ari’s leg for several minutes. The longer Theo stood like that, the more guilty Ari felt for snapping on him.

Suddenly Theo pulled away and said, “Play with me.”

Before Ari could respond, the boy ran off and jumped into the largest of the mud puddles. Theo continued to splash around as Ari stopped just before the mud. After a few minutes passed, Theo stopped and gave Ari a hard look before telling him to play with him. Ari shook his head in response. They had more important things to do today like try to find the humans who were missing their child.

“Play with me!” Theo exclaimed as he jumped up and down over and over again. “Don’t you know how to play?” He finally asked when Ari refused to move.

With a sigh, Ari relented and jumped into the first puddle, splashing mud everywhere. Theo squealed in delight. It took Ari a few minutes to relax enough to finally enjoy the moment. It had been years since he’d had fun.

They played until Theo was tired and Ari washed him up in the river before trying to fish. Just as a fish came close, Ari snapped his head up as the familiar tingling sensation ran down his spine, alerting him of an incoming dragon. Without a second thought, he lunged to the riverbank and told Theo to hide but the boy froze.

Before he could say anything more, the air rippled with magic and a dragon landed a few hundred feet from them. His scales were slate grey with blackened edging, making him look like a large pile of stones. It was the look of a dragon that had gone too long without bathing in a magic spring or river.

He looked at Ari with vibrant green eyes, reminding him that he hadn’t seen another dragon in nearly a decade and had forgotten that all dragons had green eyes.

“What are you doing with a human, Ari?”

“Stryker?” Ari hesitantly asked at the familiar voice of one of his father’s friends.

Stryker growled in response causing Theo to scream. Before he could run off, Ari stepped over him, hiding him from view with his body. Without looking away from Stryker, he spoke softly to Theo, “Don’t worry, little one, I will protect you.”

“You would defend that monster after what humans did to your family? You’re a traitor to dragonkind.”

“He’s just a child.” Ari angrily responded as he flared his wings. Deep in his chest, dragonfire sparked to life.

Stryker flared his wings in response to the fight challenge as smoke billowed from his nostrils in anger.

Beneath Ari, Theo hugged his leg and whimpered. The sound brought to life something primal within him and he pulled magic from the air in preparation of fighting another dragon for the first time in his life. Magic arced and danced across his wings causing his overlapping scales to pull away from his body, forming spiky armor.

Ari’s family was one of the few dragon lines capable of harnessing lightning and he was fully prepared to utilize it to bring down the much older dragon.

Sensing the shift in the natural magic, Stryker stepped back as he dropped his wings and bowed his head in surrender. Ari didn’t back down until his opponent was out of firing range.

Stryker didn’t say another word as he plunged into the heart of the river, fully disappearing into the sparkling depths. Ari reassured Theo that he was safe while scanning the water. A small eternity passed before Stryker broke through the surface and exploded into the air. His beautiful emerald scales edged in orange flashed in the sunlight, bathing the forest with shimmering prisms of dancing green light.

The sight robbed Ari of breath and the magic clinging to him dissipated as the urge to fly filled him with an almost painful longing.

“Beautiful!” Theo whispered in wonder from beneath the safety of Ari’s wing.

“Yes.” Ari agreed before tearing his eyes from the disappearing dragon. “We need to go.”

They walked together in silence for a long time before Theo started asking Ari questions every five seconds. The never-ending question of why was beginning to annoy Ari but he did his best to push it down. Every time they came across a wild edible, Ari distracted the boy with it and listened to Theo’s stories of eating the berries or mushrooms with his father.

By late afternoon, Theo’s questions turned into complaining in a high-pitched whiny voice. The latest of which was about his feet hurting but he refused to ride on Ari’s back. Frustration setting in, Ari tried his best to block out the human child’s constant nagging but his patience was running thin.

“Can you please settle down before you attract a predator to us?”

Ari’s question was immediately answered with a shrill shriek. He quickly looked down at Theo only to see the boy contorted into an unnatural shape as he bent backward at the knee. He seemed to melt to the ground where he continued to shout and scream while beating his arms and legs against the dirt.

Oh no, I broke it. Ari thought as he stared in horror at the withering mass on the forest floor.

The shrieks soon turned to little sobs and Ari stared in bewilderment unable to comprehend what was happening. It didn’t take long after that for Theo to pass out. With a sigh, Ari carefully picked him up and laid him across his back before picking up the trail they’d been tracking to retrace Theo’s steps.

If human younglings acted like this, how did they survive to adulthood?

***

It had taken them three days to reach the place where Theo was separated from the rest of his human pack due to the child’s slow pace. The grisly sight still haunted Ari two days later. From the looks of the carnage, a pride of magically enhanced predatory cats had ripped them apart.

The only good thing to come out of it was now Theo had a couple shirts to wear so he wasn’t naked. Of course, the oversized shirts nearly drug across the forest floor but they seemed to comfort him. He knew his parents were dead and had hardly spoken a word in the last two days. It was a feeling Ari knew all too well but he missed the innocent babblings of his human child.

Noticing that Theo was rubbing his eyes, a sign Ari had learned the hard way meant he was tired, he quickly said, “I’m tired, little one. Will you take a nap with me?”

“I’m not tired!”

Lie.

“I know, little one, but I am. Will you nap with me?” Ari asked in a soft, sleepy tone knowing that he had to make Theo believe it wasn’t his naptime or else another screaming-melting fit would break out. Tricking the child into napping had been the only option lately.

“Fine.” Theo finally replied. “But I’m not gunna nap.”

Ari laid down as he reassured Theo that he didn’t have to sleep, knowing full well that the kid would pass out soon. Theo snuggled up to his chest and was quiet for so long that Ari believed he was asleep.

“Arwee?” Theo whispered as if afraid to wake him.

“Yes, little one?” He whispered back.

“Where are your parents?”

The question brought a shaft of pain to Ari’s chest and he took a shaky breath before replying, “They are gone. They were killed by humans a long time ago when I was young.”

Silence filled the air that seemed even more empty than before.

“So, we are the same?” Theo’s question was filled with sadness.

“Yes, Theo. We are both orphans.” Ari tried to keep his voice from choking up as he spoke.

“Can I be your family?”

Theo’s innocent question broke Ari and tears slipped from his eyes as he said, “Of course you can, little one.”

Ari wept silently while hiding it from Theo. By the time he finally calmed down, the boy was sound asleep. As he gazed down at him, Ari’s heart swelled with love for the human child. Perhaps his great-great grandfather’s stories of humans and dragons bonding weren’t so crazy after all.

***

Two weeks had passed since Ari found Theo and as they stopped for yet another rest break, Ari couldn’t help but feel the impending weight of having to take him into the human village. He’d circled it three times now in the last two days. It was a very small village nestled deep in the woods. The only thing connecting it with the closest city nearly sixty miles away was a poorly maintained cobblestone road. The village’s insignia was one Ari knew from his mother’s description and something he hadn’t seen in person until coming across Theo’s parents nine days ago.

“Smoke bath! Arwee, smoke bath!”

Theo yelled up at Ari while jumping up and down, pulling him from his thoughts. Since leaving the river, Ari had given Theo smoke baths to clean him up and keep the bugs away. For some strange reason, it had turned into the most exciting part of the day for the little human.

“Okay, little one.”

At his reply, Theo stripped out of his stained shirt and looked up at him in expectation. With a shake of his head, Ari ignited the fire in his chest and lay on his belly. The first couple smoke rings he puffed in Theo’s direction circled him, eliciting a round of giggles as they brushed only his legs. Theo quickly demanded more and squealed in delight as Ari started blowing one ring at a time for him to jump through.

The game lasted for several minutes before Theo rushed straight to Ari’s nose and said, “Smoke blanket!”

With a chuckle, Ari gently blew a light stream of smoke over Theo while he danced in glee. The sound warmed his heart and he closed his eyes to memorialize the moment. It was one that he would carry with him for the rest of his life.

“Beautiful!” Theo exclaimed, his voice full of wonder.

Ari quickly opened his eyes only to jerk back in response to the neon blue smoke bellowing from his nostrils. Shock flooded him at the sight. He was too stunned to stop the smoke.

This cannot be.

The thought crossed Ari’s mind as his great-great-grandfather’s stories came flooding back of dragon riders. Blue dragon smoke was the binding force between dragons and humans. Once a chosen human inhaled enough of it, they gained the ability to use magic. The bond tied their lives together, lengthening the human’s lifespan as well as enhancing their senses.

He’s much too young for magic. It’ll destroy his young mind.

Pain pierced his heart at the thought and Ari knew that he had no choice but to return Theo to the village. It was where, according to Theo, his aunt and uncle lived. Heart breaking, Ari forced the smoke to stop and said, “We are going to the village now.”

Theo’s face fell but he nodded as he pulled on the shirt he’d discarded. With a heavy heart, Ari took Theo’s little hand and finally led him into the village. His scales shone in the sunlight, attracting every villager as they approached. Ari hesitated at the sight of so many humans.

“Don’t worry, Arwee. I protect you.”

Two humans rushed toward them calling out for Theo. A man and a woman stopped short of them and eyed Ari with distrust. Theo gave Ari’s hand a gentle squeeze before saying his aunt’s name and running into her arms.

“Goodbye, little one. I will see you again one day, Theo.”

“Wait!” Theo shouted before saying, “I love you, Arwee.”

“I love you too, little one.” Ari said as tears filled his eyes.

Theo rushed to him and gave him one last hug before Ari nodded at the humans and flew back into the woods.

***

Epilogue

24 years later

“Oh, guardian of the woods, please give us safe passage.”

The man’s cry reached Ari deep in his cave and he quickly jumped up to answer the call. He’d been escorting humans through the forest for over twenty years now. He never missed an opportunity to help if he could, especially now that the sorcerers were waging war against the innocent.

As he neared the entrance, he was met with a familiar scent.

“Does my nose deceive me or is it Theo I smell?” Ari asked as he stepped from the cave.

His breath caught in his chest at the sight of a man armed for war standing before him, a child clinging to his leg. His endless blue eyes held Ari’s attention. He would know those eyes anywhere even though two decades had passed since he last saw them.

“Ari.” Theo said as he bowed.

“And who is this little one?”

“My youngest, Wes. He’s been sick so we had to stay behind but it’s not safe here anymore.”

Ari nodded and offered to fly them over the dying forest. He was the last magical creature left since the Namoai River dried up.

Theo accepted the offer as he scooped Wes up in his arms and climbed on Ari’s back.

It’s time. He’s old enough to bond.

The thought crossed Ari’s mind as they flew high above the canopy. Deep in his chest, the smoke was itching to be released.

“Theo?”

“Yes, Ari?”

“Are you going to fight against the evil sorcerers?”

Silence stretched for a long time before Theo sighed and replied, “I’ve fought against their armies for three years now while helping refugees. I’m starting to feel like its hopeless but I cannot lie down and let them win.”

Theo’s words filled Ari with delight and anticipation while his heart swelled with pride for the man Theo had become.

“Then I will join you in battle, Theo.”

He started to protest but Ari cut him off and explained to Theo about their interrupted bond. It was his destiny to become the first dragon rider in over a thousand years. Together they would bring balance back into the world.

“Ari,” Theo’s voice was choked with emotion, “all these years, you’ve clung to this without trying to find me. I cannot imagine what you’ve gone through.”

Ari chuckled in response and said, “I’m a dragon, Theo. I knew you would come back when it was time. And here you are. So, what do you say, shall we fly together with the armies of men against evil?”

Theo shouted into the sunset, “Bring on the smoke!”

With a chuckle, Ari finally released the blue smoke he’d held in for far too long and bound himself to his human.