Fantasy
There Weren't Always Dragons In The Valley
“There weren’t always Dragons in the valley,” my Grandfather said, but they had been there for all of my life and for all of my father’s life. No matter how much I might have wanted to believe him, I always reminded myself that on any given day, he couldn’t recall after he’d eaten his breakfast of corn mush if he had been corn mush, or split pea porridge, or a slice of bread so I paid him little mind. I only knew only that watching the sky for the Dragons had always been a part of my life.
By Jim Richards4 years ago in Fiction
Dragon Business
There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. Once upon a time and not so long ago, Tranquil Valley was filled with lush trailing vines, laden with delicately scented blooms. Graceful towering trees gave shade to the tiny, brightly plumed songbirds. Iridescent butterflies shimmered in the air, and when the twin suns rose over the mountains, the sparkling waterfalls were nothing short of breathtaking. Travelers came from all corners of the Three Kingdoms to behold the beauty of Tranquil Valley, and the money they spent on food and ale, lodging and cunningly carved souvenirs kept all nine picturesque Villages of the Valley prosperous and content. Then one day Lars the Mariner came riding home over the pass, with a gift for his five year old daughter.
By Suzanne Cowhard4 years ago in Fiction
A Reckoning Wind
There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. And there had never been a queen on the throne. Until now. I look out over the table of pompous blithering lords and sigh inwardly. It has been a week since my sudden ascension to the throne. A week since the King’s Guard found me weeping, awash in the blood of my beloved father as he lay dying in his chamber. Half the kingdom remains in mourning over his passing while the other half squabbles over who can rightfully claim the throne. The King’s Guard has fallen into disrepute, shamed for their inability to protect the king from an assassin. As well they should.
By Erin Hensley4 years ago in Fiction
The Prophecy of the Dragon Tamer
There weren't always dragons in the valley, there was a time when all things were peaceful and serene. Life was simple and bland, with no adventure or risk, everything was perfect. A little too perfect in my opinion. I always had this foreboding feeling that something terrible was about to happen, but everyone just brushed it off. My story begins before the dragons, they'll come in later on, don't you worry. Oh, dear, where are my manners, I am Scarlett-feather, my real name is ruby but I like to be called by my witch name. I have reddish-brown hair, a few freckles, and bright green eyes, the tale-tell sign of a witch. Now back to my story, when I was a wee lass, I would always get into trouble when I practiced my magic, catching things on fire, letting loose the animals, I even made it snow once, in the middle of summer. my parents always said I would do great but reckless things, and oh my, how right they were. I was around fifteen years old when I had my first dragon sighting. We had been hearing of strange attacks by giant lizard-like creatures that spit fire, from the nearby villages, and my parents were worried, they wanted me to start practicing my magic so I can protect myself, and possibly the village.
By Digi Dragon 05 (Or Digi or Revely)4 years ago in Fiction
Ghosts of the Past
Skips Sandalin poked at the rim of ice choking the neck of his bottle. It was designed to chill the drink with each sip yet all it did currently was inhibit consumption. Skips’ Gills always dried out after using Multi-System Mass Transit, his skinscales were even beginning to feel crispy to the touch. He returned his attention to the elongated boddle of nutrient supplements that came standard in most Federation restock centers. Any attempt to remove the chunk of ice filtering the viscous flood was futile so he turned his attention to the quartermaster.
By A.C Hofstetter4 years ago in Fiction
The plague of Dragons
There weren't always dragons in the valley, at least, that is what we thought. The valley of Scath lay at the foot of the largest mountain in the kingdom and few would make the arduous journey across its ridged peaks. Its summit was razor sharp rock for miles and its forest a labyrinth. It is also said that more than mere wolves waited in the shadows of the emerald canopy. I remember vividly hearing those words slither out of the old soothsayers mouth and running to cower behind my mother. “Ye best behave little one or the Bodach will snatch you up,” she would cackle while a sly smile spread across her thin lips. All those years I thought she was a mad old woman taking pleasure in torturing children with nightmares, but now, I have come to understand that not all of her stories were untrue. In the days of my youth, the soothsayer’s outlandish tales were all I had to worry about. I would race over to my mother with tears steaming down my face begging her to tell me that the ancient hag was lying. That the Bodach and the Fomorians were made up to scare me and the other children. I would look into her hazel eyes, and she would smile a gentle smile, kneel down, and speak softly while holding my cheek. “Aye my love, these are but tales and nothing more,” she would say,” the soothsayer merely speaks of dangers all should take heed of. The Bodach speaks of the dangers of strangers, and the Fomorians to the dangers of the water. That is all, A leanbh.” She would tenderly wipe away my tears and wrap me in a warm embrace until I was consoled, then lead me down the winding path to our home. I would climb in my bed, eyelids heavy, and sleep peacefully with the knowledge that all those scary stories were only the fantasies of an old woman. I would awake in the early morning to find nothing had happened. I was in my own bed and not in an evil witch’s cauldron, or trapped in the land of the otherworlders. I was safe, and that would always fill me with a giddy gratitude; but now as I traverse up the mountain I find that I am far more afraid of the unknown then when I was a child. Hopefully seeing Roisin’s warm expression will erase my fears. Not many new faces roam through here, but, after he came, everything changed. The once quiet and peaceful air of my village now fills with the cries of the ill. A sickness has begun to run rampant through the towns people and, despite all of her knowledge, our village healer has had no luck in treating the infected. Roisin moved a strand of her rose colored hair behind her ear as she began crushing herbs in a bowl. “I don’t understand,” she exclaimed with a heavy sigh,” nothing is working. Salves, teas, herbal baths, nothing!” She was silent for a long moment be fore she spoke in a whisper,” This wouldn't have happened if ma was still here.” I turned from the bassen of dishes I was washing to look at her. She seemed so much smaller than I remembered. These long months had taken their toll on her, and I could see her hope failing her. “Roisin, you must keep faith,” I spoke softly with as much happiness as I could muster at the moment as I crossed the room. “We will find out what is causing this.” I placed my hand on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. A small smile adorned her lips as she nodded slowly. She turned to look at me the door to her home swung open. There in the doorway stood a large man. His clothes and hair dripping from the hard rain that began to pour down. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. His figure was hard to see shrouded in the dim light, but when he stepped forward, we could see that it was Riosins’ cousin. Bryan walked briskly to her side with a small nod of greeting to the both of us. “Bryan? What urgency has brought you here? In the rain no less,” she questioned. Surprisingly, a look of seriousness set into his normally happy features. “The Eldar has requested everyone come to the square…immediately”, his sky blue eyes held worry as he brushed back a lock of raven hair from his face. Roisin turned to me, uncertainty and fear crossing her face, as she reached out for my hand. “What has happened?” I questioned sternly as I searched his frame for any clue to what this was about. He sighed in exasperation,” I’ve not a clue, Addy, but I know that the elder sent me in the mist of a deluge to come and get you…and any others straggling about,” he finished, throwing his hands up in irritation,” now can we go before I get a large chunk of my ass taking’ out for being late?” Bryan moved to the door and jerked it open, motioning with his hand for us to go. I looked to Roisin and gave her hand a light squeeze of reassurance. I took a deep breath and walked out of the door first. It was not often the Eldar called for the whole village to gather and when he did, it was rarely good news. Dread started to well inside my stomach as we made the march down to the center of town. The rain had begun to slow, and by the time we came to the edge of the dense forest, stopped all together. The main road was muddy and slick, through it didn't stop the little ones from racing around to jump in all the puddles. A smile came to my lips; you can always count on children to liven up even the worst of times. I turned my gaze forward and saw all the adults gathering around an old tree stump and followed suit. I took a place next to Roisin and waited for the Eldar to take his place atop the sudo stand. The Eldar was an old man and had become fragile over his many years. It was hard not to admire him; he had spent his life in service of the village and was loved and respected by all. The Eldar moved slowly toward the center and beckoned Bryan over. Bryan help him up to the stump and made sure the Eldar was balanced before he waled back to his place in the crowd. The Eldar cleared his throat and immediately silence washed over the attendants. “I know things of late have been hard. Several of our friends and neighbors have become quite ill, and though our healer is trying her best, the illness is still present.” A wave of whispers rolled through the crowd. All the efforts to cure the sickness have been in vain and people were becoming scared. The Eldar raised his hand and the assembly quieted once more.” Through my years watching over this village we have had many illnesses. ‘Tis the way of life, but this is one I have yet to encounter. Two weeks ago, there was a traveler who came through our town. Many of you came to me and told me the traveler asked you strange questions about our home and the flowers that started to grow near the crops.” The Eldar looked around judging the crowds reactions before he began again.” Now, I do not believe that this man is the cause of what is happening, but, I do believe he may know something about it. That is why… I want a group of three to go and find this man, and bring him back here so that we may find away to stop the spread of this affliction!” Everyone in the gathering stayed silent for a long moment. Leave? No one has ever left our village. We find all that we need here. What our crops do not provide, the forest does, and what the forest does not provide we will find in the river nearby. Though fear ran in my veins, the Eldars words sprinted through my mind. It did seem to fit. The strange flowers the began to bloom, then the visitor, and after that, the sickness came. It was worth the risk to leave if it meant it could save my home, but could I do it? Could I find him? I looked over at Roisin. Her soft rose locks draped over her ear as she scanned the crowd with her amber eyes scanning over the crowd to see what brave soul would choose to take on this task. I could see the dark circles under her eyes muc!h clearer now. The line around her mouth had deepened as well. Would she be the next one to become ill? Was the stress of her hopelessness to heal those in failing heath going to cause her to be next? Terror gripped me at that thought, and At that moment I knew, I would not let that happen. I was afraid of the unknown, but the unknown future was far worse than unknown ground.
By Amanda Crum4 years ago in Fiction
Descending the Mountain
There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Long ago, there were monsters that roamed the frozen land and terrorized the rest of creation. Hulking, insatiable beasts with trap-like jaws for crushing and claws for ripping apart anything unlucky enough to be within each. The dragons had arrived soon after those monsters and intended to make the Valley their home as well, but the bloodlust that overtook their equals became unbearable to their gentler nature. The dragons took flight as their wings enabled them to like no other beast could. They knew we were up there in the mountains, hiding in caves and surviving on melted snow and any scraps we could find.
By S. C. Almanzar4 years ago in Fiction
Ni' Hao by Tiffany Wormack
There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Until San Jose’ better known as Silicon Valley was flooded by rains and huge strong winds. Buildings were cracking and starting to lean as if they were about to tip over. Vehicles like chargers, camaros, and other employee fast cars that were freshly wrapped in expensive paint were starting to sink and become almost submerged in rainwater. When a young full of life business intern, an Asian girl named Ni’Hao was working in Silicon Valley at the time and could not cope with the bad weather. She lived through one psunami in her country and became frightened and did not want a repeat of bad experiences with natural disaster. Subsequently, she kneeled before the children’s Buddha to pray for their protection and then kneeled to pray to the Mahayana Buddha for a statewide protection against natural disaster in California. She was reluctant to pray because she recently prayed against the wildfires but periodically they kept coming. This time she prayed a special prayer with more specific requests for the protection of all Cali employees, students, and residents. To her dismay. Within a twinkle of an eye, then came the spiritual dragon, better known as (Shenlong). Shenlong was the ruler of the rains and winds. Ni’Hao had heard stories and fables from her continent of dragons roaming the earth but her wide eyes stretched wider and wider in disbelief as her mouth hung open as wide as the Grand Canyon. She was flabbergasted. Standing before her was a real giant and then all of a sudden appeared a second one called “The Earth Dragon” named (Dilong). Dilong controlled the waterways in San Jose. It had eyes like shiny jewels and razor sharp teeth with a huge iguana like tail.
By Tiffany Wormack4 years ago in Fiction
