Land of Dragons: Into The Shadows

Prologue

“There weren’t always dragons in the valley,” Damin yelled in a rushed voice.

“What are you going on about?” Kista grunted back as she ran after the four in front of her.

“Master Gaden. You and he were looking for the dragons,” Damin slowed his pace to join her, “there weren’t always dragons in the valley.”

Natan sighed, “what he’s saying is they are here, THAT’S what those Shades were raving about.”

Kista gasped, “what, and no one has found them until now?”

Demika jumped over a low set log with ease, “not no one,” she shrugged as she glanced to Kista before they picked up their pace once more.

“Past the mighty redwood, right at the trickling creek,” Finnlay mumbled.

“What did he just say?” Kista called.

“He has the way memorised through landmarks,” Demika called to her.

“What landmarks?” Kista demanded.

Finnlay answered as he pointed, “THERE’S THE REDWOOD, THE CREEK IS UP AHEAD, WE GO RIGHT THERE!”

Demika, Natan and Damin looked back at Kista and gave a shrug before doing their best to pick up their pace.

As they got closer to the creek a shrill screech pierced the air.

The group of five looked around them searching for the source. It was close they could feel it.

The screech came again before Demika called to her brother, “DAMIN LOOK OUT!”

Damin ducked just in time, a flying meagle swooping past him, its talons missing his shoulders by mere hairs.

Demika waisted no time. She had readied her bow the second the first screech sounded. She pulled the string back with practised ease and let the arrow fly.

As the meagle made its way back up to height the arrow struck it between the shoulder blades killing it instantly, the creature crashed to the ground somewhere in the thicket nearby. The five looked around them, where there was one meagle…

The five whirled around at another screech to see 5 more meagles coming at them, talons ready to strike.

The five could see the saliva dripping from their large fangs, they truly were terrifying creatures.

“W-we’re going to-to die,” Finnlay stammered as he clutched his bow staff.

“Think positively,” Damin told him.

“I’m-I’m p-positive we’re g-going to die,” Finnlay supplied.

Demika already had another arrow at the ready, “at least we still have our sense of humour,” she said before she let the arrow fly at its target.

The meagle gave a final screech as the arrow struck it in the eye before it plummeted to the ground like the first had.

Finnlay looked at Natan beside him. He gestured with a look that begged him to do something.

“No, no way, I could hurt someone,” Natan quickly refused the unasked request.

“But you have magic, you can stop them,” Damin said for Finnlay.

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Kista huffed at the three young men beside her. She stepped forward up onto a rock before her, turning slightly side on she threw her hand out, “THUNDERBOLT!”

As the words echoed from Kista’s mouth a spark danced over her hand before it shot forward striking the front-most meagle before jumping to the remaining three. The electrical current the bolt carried was enough to have killed at least 20 more.

The other four watched the rather singed meagles simply fall from the sky once the spell dissipated releasing them from the electricity’s clutches.

Kista flicked some strands of hair over her shoulder, “hhm,” she said with a proud grin as she turned on the rock she stood on and looked at the other four, “well, that’s that taken care of,” she hoped down and turned towards the creek, “come along, we don’t have all day.”

Damin pointed past himself at Kista on his other side as his mouth hung open as he looked at Finnlay and Natan.

Demika rushed past them, reaching for Kista as she did. “LOOK OUT!” she called.

Kista stumbled back as vines whipped past her, proud smirk quickly yanked off her face. She looked at Demika before the pair quickly ducked once more.

Damin rushed forward, sword-swinging down as the vines reached for his sister and the mage again, “RUN!” he ordered.

Without hesitation the other four did as he said, running towards the creek they had to turn right at.

Damin swung his blade with practised ease, cutting the vines down two, three even four at a time. Finally, it showed itself, the vineling that was attacking them. He turned quickly left, parrying out of the way of two vines before striking at the heart of the vineling.

He backed up some steps as it collapsed to the ground and shrivelled up like a dried-out branch. He pivoted on his feet and quickly rushed after the other four bringing up the rear.

It wasn’t the first time he’d fought against a vineling, he, Demika and their father faced vinelings and meagles all the time in these woods when hunting. He was thankful for all his father had taught them.

As he caught up to the other four his chest ached as he remembered how he and Demika had left them moments ago.

He gave his head a shake as Finnlay’s voice cut through the silence of the woods, “THERE IT IS DRAGON ROCK!”

Damin looked to where Finnlay was pointing, the rock formation that looked like a dragon perched on a cliff. The thing that had started all this.

Natan pulled Kista left, “This way quickly.”

She followed after him, Finnlay behind them, Demika and Damin at the back together.

They reached what looked like some stairs and took them two at a time.

“SEPHERON! KORAZION!” all but Kista called.

Sepheron appeared from the left of the stairs, Korazion from the right.

The two dragons looked at one another, then back to the humans rushing towards them.

“Something is wrong,” a young dragon said for them all. The shouting from the humans had drawn many of the dragons out wondering what was happening.

“YOU’RE ALL IN DANGER!” Damin called.

“WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW! BEFORE THE SHADOW ORDER FIND YOU!” Finnlay yelled.

“The Shadow Order?” Aerrax blinked as he looked at the five humans as they reached the last of the stairs, they had built into the cliff for them.

“Are coming… NOW!” Natan huffed as they slowed before the gathered dragons.

“Sepheron…Korazion…” Damin looked at the dragon leaders, “they are coming here to kill you all.”

The two dragons wasted not a second more. They turned to one another, rose on their back legs and roared to the sky.

The message was clear…

Run.