Dragon Keeper

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. After generations of relearning and practicing the old ways to bring the magic back into the land, they had returned. The land overflowed with abundance again and magic was practiced freely. When the dragons left us, we knew that as a people, we had made a huge mistake. A mistake that, instead of being rectified, continued for generations. Because of our mistake, the magic the dragons needed to survive slowly leached away and evil was allowed to seep in, ravaging our lands, and taking up residence in the hearts of our closest friends and loved ones. It seemed like very few were able to resist the new evil. As time went on, we lost ourselves, our traditions, and some even lost their lives. That was the darkest time in our history. Now that the dragons have returned to us willing to nurture and protect us, we hope to stay on our now enlightened path and never return to the darkness.

It all started when a young boy entered our village, located on the edge of the Kingdom of Arden, in search of a relic that was rumored to give the bearer eternal life. The boy, who went by the name of Zohar, was about 11 years old and taller than the average boy his age. He had wide blue eyes slightly covered by a fringe of dark brown hair. The remainder of his long brown hair was tied back with a thin strip of worn leather. He carried a satchel filled with his belongings which gave him the look of one carrying a heavy and overwhelming burden. He was alone and never spoke of parents or of where he was from. His only conversation was of his quest to find the relic. He hoped that others would join him if they felt compelled to do so. The people of Arden had heard of this prized relic before since the stories about eternal life had been passed down from one generation to the next since the dawn of the kingdom. Zohar spoke of his quest with such fervor that the most hardened men stopped to listen to him speak.

As gossip of the boy and his quest spread, a new spark of interest in the relic began to excite Arden’s villagers. One of the villagers that heard the gossip was a young girl that went by the name of Sarai. She was beautiful and everyone except her seemed to notice it. She had long red curls that she kept in a braid that brushed the tops of her hips as she walked. Her almond-shaped brown eyes scanned her surroundings making sure to take in every detail around her. She carried a draw-string bag at her waist and a smooth wooden staff in her left hand. She stood with royal confidence as her name suggested. As she listened to the boy describe the relic and what it could do, she felt an immediate pang of fear. She knew of the relic he spoke about and she knew where to find it. Her family had been entrusted with protecting it and keeping it hidden. She also knew that if it was discovered, they were all doomed.

The relic that Zohar was searching for was a manuscript that held the secrets of highly protected and dangerous magic. It was said that the pages, ink, and bindings were made from the flesh, blood, and bones of a rare dragon. It had also belonged to a woman named Ariadne, who was rumored to possess the power to speak to Death, commune with spirits, and control nature. According to the village elders, Ariadne did not enjoy living in the village very much, so she made a home in a small cottage in the center of the forest only leaving to sell her tinctures and remedies at the village market. Eventually, longer stretches of time passed between sightings of Ariadne until the memory of her faded from everyone’s mind.

Sarai made her way toward her mother’s home, leaving the village center behind her. A crowd of men had gathered to listen to Zohar and were beginning to discuss plans for their journey. Sarai made her way through town, the smells of the village, both fair and foul, entered her nose with every quickened breath. She was in a hurry. As she entered her mother’s home, she called to her in a panicked voice. Sarai's mother, Helena, answered her, walking toward her from the back of the house. Sarai explained to her mother about the boy, Zohar, and about the men leaving to join the search for the relic. The look on Helena’s face told Sarai that her mother understood the urgency of the situation. Fear coursed through her body and slowly made a home in the pit of her stomach. Sarai's fear intensified when she heard her mother say in a hushed but serious tone, “We have no choice. We must wake her”.