Dragons of Surdaus

Dragons of Surdaus




Part I
Prologue: A change of heart
Chapter I: Lost in the Woods
Chapter II: Dragon Dreams and Flying
Chapter III: Friends for Life
Chapter IV: Flying Lessons
Chapter V: A Dragon in Truth

Part II
Chapter VI: The Legend of Mount Raynor
Chapter VII: Fight of Destiny
Chapter VIII: Mount Raynor and the Last White Dragon
Epilogue: The End of the Road?
 
 
 
 
 
Part I:

Prologue:
A Change of Heart


I rolled onto my side, trying to fall back asleep, when I felt myself bump into something. Jolting awake, I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in a forest; I'd bumped into a log with my left-front leg...

I was about to turn over and fall asleep again, when I realized: ~Wait... leg?!~ I looked down in shock at the leg where my left arm should've been: a scaly, emerald-green leg and paw with four white, razor-sharp, slightly-serrated claws, one at the end of each toe. Confused, I tried standing up on my hindlegs... and fell over backwards.

As I squirmed, trying to get up, I could see similar changes had occured to my hindlegs. A long, emerald-green, serpentine tail unfurled from beneath me as I writhed and flopped around. As I finally managed to roll to my feet, on all-fours this time, I could see two lavender, batlike wings folded across my long, emerald back.

I stood there, on all-fours, stunned, trying to contemplate what had happened to me. *Am I dreaming?~ I wondered silently, too scared to try to talk. As my eyes scanned the clearing I was in, I saw that the edges were thick with trees, with the exception of a small path between the trees to one side. Then I spotted a small stream near the boundary of the clearing. I ran towards it, desperate to see my reflection in the water, to see if it was true.

I bent down low to the ground and gazed into the stream... the long face of a young, handsome Green Dragon stared back at me. I tried to cry out in surprise, but what came out was a Dragon's roar! ~I've been turned into a Dragon!~ I used both of my forepaws to splash water on my face, desperately trying to wake myself up... but when I looked again, I was still a Dragon!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chapter 1:
Lost in the Woods


I walked carefully, watching where I stepped: I lifted one paw at a time, examining the ground before setting it down. ~Having four legs will take some getting used to...~ I thought miserably, whimpering whenever I stepped on something sharp, like a rock.

The forest I was in was dark, and I had trouble seeing at times. Sometimes, the branches would thin and I could see more easily, but, more often than not, I was completely in the dark. I could see, during those times, that the sun was still shining brightly above the trees. I walked slowly, head hung low and tail drooping, dragging along the forest-floor and leaving a line through the dirt behind me.

I was wandering aimlessly, looking for a way out of the forest.

After what seemed like hours -I couldn't really understand my Dragon sense of time back then- I concluded that I was completely lost. I stopped walking and slowly turned my head up, looking through the branches of the trees above my head. ~Too thick to fly through, even if I wanted to...~ I thought with a shudder. I turned my eyes back down to my feet and continued walking.
 
As the hours went by, and I continued my trek through the forest, I grew more confident in my step and could walk with ease: I was no longer constantly looking down to see what I stepped on, and the pads on the bottoms of my feet were starting to toughen from all of the walking, making it less painful. ~Maybe being a Dragon's not so bad after all,~ I thought to myself, enjoying the feel of the breeze on my face. I held my head up just above my shoulder and my tail was lifted up in the air, no longer dragging on the ground. It swished from side to side behind me as I walked.

As the hours dragged by, the sun began to set; I could see its orange glow through the branches. The branches weren't so thick here, so there was more light to see by. ~I must be nearing the edge of the forest,* I thought, quickening my pace.

As the sun finally set, and the full moon became visible through the canopy, I was confident I was nearing the end.

A couple of hours later, I yawned, my snout opening wide. I had trouble keeping my eyes open, and I stumbled as I walked. ~Must be getting late...~ I thought groggily. ~Maybe I should get some sleep...~ I came to a small clearing a little later on.

I nearly collapsed as I was going over to a log in the clearing, but I managed to make it. Curling up next to the log, I rested my head against it, using it like a pillow, and extended one of my lavender wings, folding it over me to keep me warm from the cold night air. Shivering, I closed my eyes, falling fast asleep....

~~~~~~~~~~
 
 
 
 
Chapter 2:
Dragon Dreams and Flying


In my dreams, I was still curled up. Suddenly, I heard a voice calling to me... calling to me by name...

~Aaron...~ a soft, mournful voice whispered into my ear. Reluctantly, I lowered my wing and looked around me. I was no longer in the forest: I was in a great void, surrounded by bright, fathomless colors. And there, floating above me, close to my head... was a distorted figure; nothing more than an outline. It was calling my name...

~Aaron... that's my name?~ I realized I couldn't remember much of anything- I hadn't thought about it since that morning.... "I-I am Aaron, who are you?" I spoke! I was so shocked when I discovered that I was a Dragon, I was too scared to even try, but there was something about the spectre... something about it made me feel at peace, not afraid anymore....

The figure sighed mournfully and floated closer to me. It touched the end of my muzzle with what looked like an arm or a Dragon's foreleg, and gently raised my head up. It gazed unblinkingly into my eyes for several seconds. The eyes were the only distinguishable part of the spirit- they were snow-white and seemed to be filled with tears, as though in sorrow or great pain. It whispered something I didn't understand into my ear, but I felt it meant 'come with me...'

I wanted to go with it; to find out who I was, why I became a Dragon... to get answers.

I started to stand up, to follow it as it glided away, but...

~~~~~~~~~~
 
Without warning, I suddenly awoke. My vision was distorted by a lavender shroud. Angrily, I shoved it off me and looked around, then rolled onto my other side. ~So it wasn't just a dream after all...~ I thought silently as I gazed at my reflection in the stream next to where I was sleeping; I had been sleeping there so I could see my reflection when I woke up.

My long, reptilian face was narrow and slightly arrowhead-shaped. My eyes' pupils were thin, almost-glaring slts, but my features were slight and rounded, implying a very young Dragon. I stared at it for several moments, then slowly lifted the left corner of my mouth... revealing a row of sharp, pearly-white, dog-like teeth. They looked dangerous and intimidating. As a Human, they would've scared me; but as a Dragon, I marvelled at their sharpness and ivory toughness. I opened my mouth completely and examined my teeth in my reflection, turning my head to study each one. Each tooth was long and pure-white, the end unblunted by age or use. The canines were especially long, and would curl over the corners of my my mouth -over my lower jaw- whenever I closed my mouth. The row extended to the far corners of my jaws, completely filling my muzzle.

I examined my teeth one last time, then sighed and got to my feet. I used my long, scarlet tongue to lick off the dirt that had accumulated on my long face during the night. I stretched my whole body cat-like, yawning broadly, enjoying the feel of the sand between my toes. My neck was incredibly long, like the rest of me, and almost serpentine in its articulation.
 
It was pre-dawn, and the sun had yet to rise in the sky. The world was cast into gloom and shadow, yet not complete darkness. My body was covered in morning dew, but I didn't mind it.

In the gloom, now able to see much, much better, I looked the rest of my body over: except for my eyes, wings and tail, I was almost completely emerald-green- my serpentine eyes were golden, my wings lavender, and my tail had a dark-blue tip to it. My muzzle was long and narrow, like a dog's. A line of short, snow-white, slightly-curved spikes extended from the base of my head to the tip of my tail. My claws were short and snow-white like my spikes, but they were razor-sharp and curved at an intimidating angle. This, too, called to the Dragon part of me. I was still unaccustomed to my increase in body-length, but I looked fondly at the beautiful, dark-green scales that encased my body like armor. Back then I didn't know exactly what a Dragon was, but whenever I looked at my new body, the same word kept rising to the surface of my mind: Dragon. So I assumed that's what I had to be.

As I continued my hike through the forest, I realized just how small I was; I was about the size of a large dog- considerably smaller than my old body, but I was fast and agile. I raced throught the forest, delighted by the feel of the wind blowing over my wings. In my elation, I decided to open them for the first time; to see if I could really fly.
 
I fluttered open my wings. A breeze caught them, lifting me into the air, and then... WHAM!

I landed back in the dirt, face-first. ~Maybe not yet....~ Dazed, I got shakily to my feet. Suddenly, I heard an amused chuckle come from behind me. I spun around, quickly folding my wings back across my long back.

I stood there, paralyzed, stunned by what I was seeing: a gorgeous, icy-blue Dragon with blue-green eyes. "You'll never learn to fly that way, young one..." she said in a kind voice.

I didn't know what to say, I was so shocked by her appearance. Before I knew what I was doing, I was running as hard and as fast as I could, trying to get away. The one though that kept going through my mind was: ~Another Dragon!~ I didn't know what it was about her that scared me, but I couldn't stop running. I was panting, exhausted from all the running, but I just kept going.

~Get a grip!~ I scolded myself as I was finally forced to stop to catch my breath. ~She may be able to help you!~ I continued running, not realizing I had reached the forest's edge until I burst out of it.

I was standing on a hill, overlooking a small town nestled on the edge of a long valley. I collapsed, too exhausted to go any further. Just as my vision grew dark, I saw a red, four-legged figure walking towards me....
 
 
 
 
Chapter 3:
Friends For Life


When I came to, I was in a cavernous room, lying on a large, stone tablet. I sat up on my haunches and looked around. The room looked more like a cave than anything else: the walls were made of stone and were rough and uneven, not smooth. Other than the tablet I was on, the only furnishing the room had was a crude wooden torch in a simple, steel bracket on the far wall, next to the empty doorway. My claws gripped the edge of the tablet and I was about to get up, when a Red Dragon walked into the room.

The Dragon couldn't have been any older than I was; we were the same height, though his neck and tail were about an inch longer than my own. He was mostly red -in the same way that I was mostly green- with some black: red eyes, black wings, claws, spikes and tail tip. His scales had a fire-red hue to them. The flight-arms were red, but the membranes were jet-black. The features of his face were similar to mine -slt eyes, rounded edges, arrowhead shape, etc.- but the jawline was sharper than my own. His head was long, but at least half an inch shorter than mine. He looked playful and jubilant, so I doubted he would believe me if I told him what I really was.

He plopped down on the floor in front of me and stared up at me unblinkingly. Just as it started to get uncomfortable, he tilted his head to the side, as if studying me. "You're an odd Dragon," he suddenly declared, making a growling noise deep in his throat. At first I was startled, then I relaxed as I realized he was laughing. "We don't have very many Green Dragons in Takeron Valley."
 
"I-I'm not a Dragon; I'm a Human!" I blurted out, then immediately clamped my mouth shut. ~Maybe that's not such a good idea...~ I thought, embarassed. It was so obvious that I was a Dragon, probably no one would believe otherwise.

The lizard rolled his eyes. "Riiiiiiiiight...." He stood up and turned towards the door. He paused on the threshold, and looked back at me in mid-step. Sighing, I got to my feet and followed him through the door.

We were walking down a long hallway lit mildly by soft-burning torches placed at intervals on the walls, lined with dark, doorless doorways. I could see dark shapes lying within them. The Dragon walked carefully, making little noise, and I quickly matched his gait as I realized why: the shapes were sleeping Dragons, and he didn't want to wake anyone up.

He looked over his shoulder at me, his mouth opening in what I guessed had to be the Dragon equivalent of a grin- it looked too reptilian to be the same as a Human grin, and he didn't have lips (A.N.: Reptiles don't have lips, in case you didn't know). "Name's Skye," he said. He slowed even more and lifted his right forepaw up, using it to gesture at the house we were in. "I live here."

I noticed Skye kept glancing left and right, through the doorways at the sleeping Dragons, and his gait would slow whenever he did so. ~He must've been the one who found me earlier, when I fainted...~ I realized, remembering the red, four-legged figure that had approached me. ~Must've been only a few hours ago, and he hasn't told anyone yet....~
 
He looked back at me again when I didn't say anything, a curious expression on his face. "Oh, um... my name's...." I thought back to that dream I had, where I'd heard my name spoken. "Aaron. My name's Aaron."

Skye grinned again and returned his attention to the hallway- we'd reached the end, and the front door. "Well, Aaron, come on." He pushed the door open with his muzzle. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

As we stepped through the doorway, I found myself in a small village. Well, relatively small, anyway; the houses were large, but there was a small number of them. I looked around for a moment, observing the day. The sun was still absent, but I could see a faint orange glow on the horizon to the east- sunrise was about an hour or so away. I looked down and saw Skye walking away. I trotted to catch up to him, and stayed behind him as we made our way through the village, between the houses. The houses, like the one we had just left, were made of stone, their supports hidden to sight behind the walls. At first, I thought it was a different village, but closer inspection of the surrounding area revealed that it was the same one I had seen while on top of the hill.

I looked up at Skye- he was stretching his wings and neck and yawning broadly. I realized it had to be earlier than I thought. ~Wow, is it really that early?~ I wondered; I felt wide awake, despite the fact that I had fainted from exhaustion only a few hours earlier. ~Maybe I just got more sleep than him...~ I decided, stretching my own, lavender wings. "Where is this, anyway, Skye?" I asked, folding them again.

He glanced back at me before answering. "Dragogoth Village, in Takeron Valley," he replied, folding his wings as well. "You're not from around here, are you?" he asked suspiciously. "The only Green Dragons around here are light colored, but your scales are dark."

I shook my head. "I'm from..." I began, but again the memories eluded me. The questions had been flying through my mind ever since I realized I couldn't remember my past: Who was I? Where did I come from? Why, no matter how hard I tried, could I not remember my past? "I-I'm having trouble remembering," I said, turning my head away to avoid Skye's eyes. "It's been like this since yesterday morning...."

"You conked it a while ago, right before I found you," said Skye sympathetically. "Seeldah said you were acting a little strange when she found you; just took off.... Assumed you might be having a little amnesia or sumthin', and asked me to watch over you until you woke up."

"Where are we going?" I asked, looking around. We had reached the outskirts of the town. There were fewer houses here.

"To speak with Seeldah," Skye answered, nodding towards one of the houses. "After you ran away like that, she's been worried about you." He grinned broadly as we approached the house. This house, like the other houses, was made of stone, but its wooden supports were on the outside, not hidden in the walls. The door was also wooden -and supported on a wooden frame- with the emblem of a Dragon engraved into the center of it. Strangely, it looked a lot like me....
 
~Maybe it's a Green Dragon...~ I thought, shrugging. Skye walked up the short flight of steps leading to the front door, pressed his muzzle against the wood, and gently pushed it open. The door creaked inward, revealing a dark, unlit room. The room was large and made up the entirety of the house.

By the gloomy pre-dawn light pouring in through the doorway, I saw that the room was filled with small wood carvings of Dragons-in-flight- on the floor and on shelves. Each was about a foot high, and had its own unique design. There was a total of about sixty to seventy statues. In the center of the room, standing at six feet high, was a stone statue of a wyvern, standing upright on its talons, wings spread, and beak opened, head turned upward. I felt a shiver run up my spine as I saw the statue; it was creepily life-like -even more so than the Dragon carvings- and I could almost see the fire in its eagle eyes. I quickly looked away from it towards the room's single living inhabitant.

On the other side of the abode, lying on a stone tablet similar to the one I had been sleeping on earlier, was Seeldah; I recognized her from our encounter in the forest. Her body was long and almost serpentine, but it was bulky, her length constituted most by her tail and neck. Her scales were icy-blue, and her wings were sky-blue. Her claws were a dull grey, but it didn't diminish the color of her scales, only enhanced it.
 
Her snout was long and narrow, with two long fangs curled over the corners of her mouth. Two long, sky-blue spikes protruded from the back of her skull, on either side of her head. Puffs of smoke emanated from her nostrils whenever she exhaled and her eyes were closed- she was asleep, and I tried not to wake her as we crossed the room.

I made certain to keep my gaze turned away from the wyvern statue as we made our way towards her; it gave me the creeps. Right before we reached her, I accidentally bumped into one of the carvings on the floor. It rocked for a moment, then settled back into place. I looked up at Seeldah anxiously, but the sleeping Dragon didn't stir. As we stopped in front of her tablet, though, her breathing quickened and she opened her blue-green eyes. As she raised her head from the tablet, the room brightened -several torches on the walls lit up- and she turned towards me. I looked away shyly. My mind was focused on Seeldah at the time, otherwise I would've noticed the peculiarity of the torches lighting like that. She smiled and turned to Skye. "Hello, Skye," she said in a light, kind voice. "I am glad you both came."

"Seeldah, this is Aaron," Skye introduced me, gesturing towards me with his paw. "He's having trouble remembering anything."

Still smiling, Seeldah turned back to me. I looked away again; I was still uncomfortable around larger Dragons. I realized that's why I was scared when I first met Seeldah: she was a good six times my height, and considerably longer.
 
Her tail flicked as she extended her neck towards me, and gently raised my head back up. As I looked into her deep, almost hypnotic, kind, blue-green eyes, all fear of her seemed to evaporate. "Don't be afraid, Aaron..." she whispered. "I won't hurt you." I turned my head away again, then looked up at her she settled back onto her tablet. "My name is Seeldah," she said, addressing me. "One of the four elders of this village, like my mother was before me." Her eyes flicked over me, examining me. "I had a friend named Aaron once, a very long time ago.... You remind me of him, though he was older."

"How old am I?" I asked curiously, looking up at her face.

Seeldah shook her head, a slight smile creasing her face. "I'd say about two months old, give or take... my friend was three years old." Her eyes flitted to Skye briefly, who was watching them silently. "You would be the same age as Skye in that case; you both are fairly young Drakes."

"You can stay with me and my family if you'd like," said Skye, grinning at me. "My mom's got a soft spot for orphaned Dragons...."

Seeldah chuckled. "Ah, but Aaron is not an orphan... that we know of yet." Her gaze returned to me. "But perhaps that would be best until you remember and we can find your family... or if they come looking for you."

I thought for a few seconds, considering it, then dipped my head. "Thanks..." I said gratefully. I paused for a moment, then looked back up at Seeldah. "I can't remember much before I met you in the forest...."
 
"You will fit in fine here," she reconciled me. "Many Dragons live in Takeron Valley: Red Dragons, Blue Dragons... even some Green Dragons," she said, pointing, -with a claw on her left forepaw- at each carving in turn- the three were more or less lined up at the front of the group to the right.

But there was one carving in particular that I was interested in... "Which one is that?" I asked, jabbing my head towards the carving I had tripped over. It looked like any other wood carving of a Dragon, but there was something... different about it, somehow.

Seeldah turned towards the carving I had indicated, and her pleasant demeanor turned to anger. "That is a Dark Dragon," she hissed in disgust, glowering at the statue. "Beware of the Dark Dragons, Aaron; they are evil, twisted Dragons that live near Mount Raynor to the north." Her eyes softened as her gaze turned back to me. "But now is not the time for that...." She chuckled, identical to when we first met. "I believe you are in need of flying lessons; you will fit in more here if you learn how to fly."

(A.N.: As not to create confusion: the following sentence is a recount statement, not a present-time telling)

Now, I know Dragons are cold-blooded and, technically, can't blush, but I swear I felt my face warm at the memory of my first attempt at flying. "Don't worry, Aaron," Skye remarked sarcastically, "no one gets it right on the first try... it took me three times before I could finally fly."
 
Seeldah laid her head back down, closing her eyes. "Meet me in the valley in a few hours for your first lesson; it's too early to do it now. Skye will show you where to go." The torches died down as she fell back asleep.

As we left Seeldah's house, and started back towards Skye's, I could see other Dragons going out and about. The sun was now just over the mountains, bathing much of the valley in sunlight. I saw several Dragons flying through the air- out stretching their wings and watching the sunrise from the air. Watching the dawn from the ground in Surdaus is beautiful... watching it from the air is breathtaking. I still remember that first sunrise I witnessed while in Surdaus... it was truly an incredible sight. Several days later, after I had learned to fly, I made sure to go up with Skye that morning to see it.

Now, as we made our way through the village, I walked alongside Skye instead of behind him. "Sure your parents won't mind me living there, Skye?" I asked, looking over at him.

Skye nodded. "My parents are friends of Seeldah's; they'll take you in," he promised. "You know, of all the relatives that live with us, I have only one sibling; my sister, Kelandra- everyone calls her Kel. We're pretty close, but Kad and I -he's my cousin- are almost as close as brothers. Most people think we're twins because we look almost identical, but we're actually not immediate family. "He glanced over at me and grinned. "Sometimes comes in handy, though...."
 
"What do you mean by that?" I asked curiously. "You gotten out of trouble that way before?"

Skye laughed. "Not exactly what I meant, but yeah, once... and he still hates me for it. A while back, me and Kad found this wierd powdery stuff up in the mountains. It was black, and smelled like fire. We -being the idiots we were back then- decided to play a prank on a Dragon called Zek: place some of the stuff in his room to drive him crazy with the smell."

"So what happened?" I asked. "Did the stuff explode?" I laughed.

Skye's face darkened. "Yeah, it did... but not in Zek's house, thank god." He turned and looked up at a mountain to the east. "You see that black spot up there?" I nodded- half the mountainside was black. "Apparently, we dropped some of the stuff on our way back, and it caught fire somehow... burned down half the forest before we managed to put it out. We started a second fire to cancel out the first- that's the only way to stop a fire that big. We think the stuff was some kind of powdered brimstone; made a big bang when it blew."

I nodded. "Then someone thought you did it?"

Skye shook his head. "It wasn't until a week ago that we discovered it was the same stuff.... No, Zek found the stuff we put in his room, and he claimed that Kad did it. He never could prove it, but he's hated Kad ever since." He shook his head again and sighed. "Zek has a very short temper, but him and I have always been on good terms; he hates Kad, but doesn't mind me."
 
"Does Seeldah know?"

Skye nodded. "I told her the truth about what happened... and she agreed that telling Zek wouldn't be a very smart idea. As I said: Zek has a short temper. The reason he didn't lash out at Kad was because he couldn't prove it... that's the greatest self-control I've ever seen him have."

I thought for a moment, considering, then asked, "It was you that did it, wasn't it?"

Skye shook his head, laughing humorlessly. "That's the reason why telling him would be a bad idea: it WAS Kad. It's ironic that Zek was actually right." He paused for a moment, then shook his head and continued walking. "I have nothing against Zek personally, but the second he makes a move against Kad... well, I'll do what I have to do...."

I waited for Skye to continue, but he remained silent. When he finally did speak, it wasn't to me....

"Good morning, Zek!" he called as a Blue Dragon walked across the street up ahead. Zek turned and nodded to Skye, but his eyes narrowed at me. Without a word, he turned and walked off in the opposite direction. "Oh, I forgot: Zek doesn't like Green Dragons very much," Skye apologized. "Never did explain why... eh, don't worry about; he'll get over it eventually... and I'm sure it has nothing to do with Kad. Zek is a very complicated person; not many people like him."

"You're friendly to him," I pointed out.
 
"I'm friendly to you, too, and I just met you," Skye countered, but the grin on his face told me he was just playing with me. He sighed. "I'm friendly to everyone, that's why few people dislike me. Probably gonna get me killed one of these days, but I believe kindness is more of a gift to the giver than to the receiver." I knew he was joking about the first part, but he was being serious about the second....

I nodded. "I couldn't agree more," I replied.

We continued walking in silence for several minutes. It was during this time that I realized Skye wasn't going straight to the house- it was taking for times as long than it should've taken. He was taking a longer, more circuitous route so that he could talk to me. And he wasn't doing it out of hospitality, either, but because he... trusted me. ~But why me?~ I wondered. ~Why would Skye choose me to confide in, when we only just me...?~ It wouldn't be until later that I discovered it was BECAUSE we had just met that he confided in me; I was someone that knew nothing of the events, and therefore wouldn't take sides in it. But, at the time, I thought it was because he truly trusted me. It is strange to have trust in someone you don't know or have never met... but it is, ironically, harder to trust someone you have just met than someone you have never met (A.N.: The basis for this philosophy, ironically, is political elections. When you cast your vote for someone, it is highly unlikely that you have actually 'met' the person; you have to trust in what you know of that person without having met them face to face).
 

I didn't know why, but I had a similar reaction to Skye. I would later discover that this was a personality trait I had retained when I became a Dragon; a trait I had as a Human (A.N.: Instinctively knowing who to trust and who not to trust is what Aaron's refering to here). But, despite that, the subject was making the Dragon in me uncomfortable, so I decided to change the subject.

"It just feels so wierd being here..." I muttered, looking over at Skye. "I can't remember anything before yesterday morning...."

Skye's face grew pained for a second, but he quickly hid it with a chuckle. "Still think you're a Human?" I nodded. I knew by his initial reaction that he had wanted to continue the conversation; that I was the first one to truly discuss it with him... and I hurt him by trying to change the subject. I would have to make it up to him somehow... and this opportunity was history; we had almost reached his house. "Well, whatever a 'Human' is, you're a Dragon now, so you might as well get used to it." He glanced at me one last time before starting up the steps to his house. "I'll go talk to my parents. You can go back to that bedroom you were in to wait; it shouldn't take very long."
 
Chapter 4:
Flying Lessons


The sun was high in the sky, a slight breeze was blowing, and the day was beautiful. I inhaled deeply, savoring the wonderful air. The short grass beneath my paws felt rough, but I had already gotten used to walking as a Dragon, and it didn't bother me in the least. It was several hours after our meeting with Seeldah, and Skye and I were walking through the valley to where we were to meet her. I shifted my wings restlessly.

"It's a good day for flying," Skye had remarked before we set out. I wouldn't know, but I felt very optimistic about it: not a cloud in the sky, lots of open room, plentiful winds -further up in the air- and no one around to bother us; we'd have plenty of privacy. Skye mentioned something that was happening that day in the village, but he said it was unimportant.

The valley had three rivers running through it at various points; we were to meet Seeldah at the northernmost bend of the middle one, about half a mile from Dragogoth Village. The river ran straight down Takeron Valley's length and connected to the ocean- the valley was four miles long, end to end, and the village was pressed up against the mountains that constituted the valley's northwestern tip. The river -its name I would later find out from Seeldah was 'The Endrick River'- ran straight through the valley for about three and a half miles, then forked off to the north and south, leading into the mountains.
 
The spot was a convenient place for flying practice for two reasons: a water landing -just in case- and privacy. I also found out that the river served as the town's primary water source, but Skye was very vague as to HOW exactly they transported the water; some vague reference to 'gretchyns' or something... and he just looked at me funny when I asked what a 'gretchyns' is. The water in the river was freshwater, not seawater; the ocean was the river's tributary, not its source. The water came from the mountains.

When we reached the river, I bent down to take a drink, then looked around. It was immediately obvious that Seeldah wasn't there yet. "I guess we'll have to wait..." I said glumly, sitting down in the grass.

Skye, however, grinned, unfurling his black wings. "...or start without her," he said roguishly. He crouched and lifted his wings, raising them into the air until they were pointing straight up, parallel to each other. Groaning, I stood up, unfolded my own, lavender wings, and crouched, raising them the same way he did. I looked over at Skye. He grinned. "You just have to force your wings down, and the wind will do the rest," he instructed. "Getting a running start sometimes helps, too, especially if there's no wind; there's always wind if you go high enough, but you can't always get to it the easy way." He paused, then added, "A mountain or cliff will give you more than enough of a boost, but you'll also have a more painful landing if you mess up." I almost laughed, but then I realized he wasn't joking. I nodded and readied myself.
 
A strong wind blew through the valley and, with a delighted roar, Skye forced his wings down and launched himself into the air. I followed a second later, though not as gracefully. It only lasted a moment before I began to fall. "Flap your wings!" I heard Skye yell. I immediately started flapping my wings madly, and my fall slowed. I slowly rose back into the air, my heart hammering in my chest; the event had triggered something in my memories...

.:I dove out the window, forty-stories up, trying to get it... I flapped my wings madly, trying to slow myself, before colliding with the cement....:.

The memory left me shaken, but I pushed it aside, to consider it later. ~You dolt! That's why you couldn't fly before!~ I thought, embarrassed. I twisted my neck around so I could look back at my lavender wings- they were still beating furiously from the aftershock of the flash-back. I forced my wings' beating to slow, and inhaled, calming myself down.

I took another deep breath and looked around. I was shocked to discover that I was fairly high up- that gust of wind, combined with the furious flapping of my wings, had lifted me higher than I thought it would. I saw Skye shoot off towards the northern mountains, and I went after him. There were strong winds this high up, making flying a lot easier. And I didn't have to flap my wings so often; I could glide and let the wind keep me aloft. Skye was right- it WAS a good day for flying....

Suddenly, Skye went into a dive. At first, I thought he was just playing around... until I saw it flying toward us....
 
I pressed my wings to my sides, using my forepaws to lock them in place, and went into a steep dive, dropping thirty feet, ignoring the instant fear I felt at the plummet... and just barely got my wings open in time to save myself from crashing, head-first, into the ground. I swooped, flapping madly to gain altitude... then was slammed into the ground anyway as something tackled me from above.

I rolled onto my back so could see the creature, and got my first good look at the thing...

~A Dragon!~ I thought, shocked. Then I realized: ~No, wait... it can't be a Dragon....~ It wasn't a Dragon... but it sure as hell looked like one: it had the same basic build as a Dragon -a lizard's body, a muzzle, batlike wings, serpentine tail and eyes, etc.- but it had a leathery hide, not scales. It eyes' pupils were pitch-black; its hide a dirty brown. Scars covered its thin, yet big, body.

The creature had been through many battles -as its scars showed- and was big enough to paralyze me with fear... for a few seconds.

I snarled at the beast -an unbidden instinct-, baring my teeh. It drove its head downward at me, aiming for my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut....

I heard of thump and a roar of pain. I opened my eyes and turned my head to see the monster -several feet away- writhing and flailing around, trying to throw something from its back. Then, with a great surge, it threw its head and shoulders back and I saw something tumble off of its back. "Skye!" I yelled as I recognized him. He tried to stand, then fell to the ground and lay prone and unmoving.
 
The big lizard turned away from me and I saw an old scar running down the length of its back- it started at the base of his neck and ended on his left flank. Skye had clamped down at the top of the scar- the flesh was ripped open there. I rolled over onto my feet, spread my wings and used them to propel my leap towards the creature. I opened my jaws wide and brought my claws forward like a bird of prey....

The monster roared as my sharp teeth sank into its leathery hide and my claws gripped its back, digging deep furrows in the flesh. It writhed frantically, throwing its head and shoulders back, trying to get me off. Twice it nailed me right in the face, but it only dazed me for a second, then I bit down even harder, a growl emanating from deep within my throat. I wouldn't let go until I bit into its spine. As my incisors cut deeper, and warm blood filled my mouth, I felt it beginning to slow... my teeth touched bone....

Suddenly, without warning, I felt a burst of pain as the creature bit down on my tail with its own teeth and tore me off. It swung its head back around and opened its jaws at the last second, sending me flying.

I slammed into the ground and rolled several feet before coming to a stop. Whimpering in pain, tears streaming down my face, I staggered to my feet. Most of the scales on my tail were either cracked or completely ripped off, and it was covered in scarlet blood.
 
Incalculable hatred burned within me as I saw the beast bend down over Skye's unconscious form, its maw opening wide to devour him.

I felt a burning sensation in my mouth; a peppery sensation building up inside my muzzle. It came from deep within me, and made its way up to my snout. Smoke began to billow from my nostrils and the corners of my mouth until, finally, I couldn't contain the heat any longer. I arched my neck like a cobra.

Fast as a snake, I shot my head forward, stretching my long neck to its full length, my jaws opening wide...

My eyes widened, and I watched in disbelief as a torrent of emerald-green flames erupted from my open mouth, shooting towards the monster as it stood up, Skye hanging limply from its mouth.

Without thinking, I snapped my jaws shut, cutting off the stream of fire... but it was too late- the flames hit the beast dead-on. The fire was weak... but it sure as hell got the thing's attention.

The monster dropped Skye's body and turned towards me, hatred burning in its eyes. I stood straight and tall, facing off against the monster. Now a steady, but small, stream of black smoke emanated from my nostrils, reminding me of the blaze I could now unleash. The lizard hissed angrily at me, but I stood my ground, confident I could beat it now.

Suddenly, while I had my eyes fixed on the Dragon-like creature, I heard a ferocious roar above us. I looked up...
 
...just as Seeldah landed between us. She snarled menacingly at the monster, baring her long, sharp fangs. The beast, deciding it was unwise to take on two Dragons at once, took off, flying straight into the air.

As it disappeared from sight, Seeldah turned towards me, the fire draining from her eyes. "Aaron..." she whispered, "...are either of you hurt?"

I tried to answer, but instead I collapsed, the pain, exhaustion, and blood-loss finally taking their toll....

Chapter 5:
A Dragon in Truth


When I awoke after what seemed like only a few seconds, I found myself in Seeldah's house, lying on her tablet. My tail -which was wrapped around me- was covered in bandages. The end of my tail was about an inch from my face. ~How could a Dragon put on a bandage?* I wondered, moving my head to the side a little so I could look around at the room. ~And how do I know what a bandage is?~ I didn't have long to ponder before -for the first one at least- I got my answer. A short, two-legged creature walked into the room.

He wasn't very big, certainly smaller than me- he had long arms, brown skin, short legs, wide eyes, big, pointed, batlike ears, and looked a bit dwarfish (A.N.: Think 'gremlin'). Not seeing that I was awake, he stooped down and proceeded to unwrap my tail. It didn't hurt when he unwrapped it, so I assumed my tail was healed already. I closed my eyes and let him finish. When he was done, though, I asked, "Who are you?"

The creature jumped, clearly startled. I rolled onto my side and lifted my head off of the tablet, looking down at him. Composing himself, he turned and scurried out of the room. ~Odd...~ I thought, staring after him. ~What's wrong with him?~

I was sleeping soundly, when... "Aaron, wake up!" I heard Skye calling to me. Groaning, I opened my eyes and sat up on my haunches, yawning tiredly.

"What's wrong?" I asked as Skye burst into the room, breathless. Other than his size, Skye really hadn't changed much in four months. Despite the fact that we were relatively the same age, he was about an inch and a half taller than me at the shoulder.

He looked exhausted. "A silver-and-gold Dragon's been running through the village, telling everyone to run." He looked up at my face. "We think it might be a Light Dragon...." I was shocked into full awakeness: a Light Dragon? Here? "Seeldah's looking for you- I don't know why, but it sounded urgent." He jerked his head back towards the door. "You'd better go find her. I'll go figure out what's going on."

A few moments later he returned, leading Skye behind him. Skye had a scar under his left eye, but otherwise he seemed completely fine. The creature bowed and left the room so we could be alone. The Red Dragon was wearing a big grin on his face. "You conked it any longer and we would've started digging your grave," he joked, plopping down in front of me. "You've been out for four days."
 
I suddenly had a splitting headache and winced in pain. ~Has it really been four days?~ And I was starving. "Got anything to eat?" I asked hopefully. Grinning, Skye pulled something out from behind him with his head and tossed it to me. It was a raw piece of meat, and I bit into it hungrily. When I was finished, I asked him, "Any idea what that thing was that attacked us?"

Skye shook his head sullenly and sighed. "According to Seeldah, it was an Avian." He paused. "Not many people have seen an Avian before; they rarely come out of the mountains to the north... and no one has any idea why this one did." He grinned at me. "No one's taken on an Avian and won before. They may not breathe fire, but they're still tough; yet you took him down all by yourself."

"What's going to happen now?" I asked.

"We don't know why it attacked us, but we've got a group together to go find out; Avians are pretty rare around here, but they have an eyrie further down the valley, on the edge of the mountains. I... insisted we wait for you, though- I figured you would want to come, too."

I laid my head back down. "Thanks..." I muttered. "When will you be ready?"

Skye laughed jubilantly. "Ready? We've been ready for two days!- we've just been waiting for you." He turned towards the door. "Now come on. Zek's already left; he got tired of waiting for you, and we don't want to keep the others waiting any longer."
 
I looked away.. "Yeah... just give me a moment."

Skye nodded and started to walk out. He stopped, turning around to face me. "Aaron... a few nights ago, before I met you, I had a dream. I didn't understand it at first, but I saw you in it..." he looked me in the eyes. "We were destined to meet. I don't care what you really are, but the second I saw you, I knew that you were different; more than just your color." He paused. "You're not a Green Dragon; you're something far different." He turned to look at the door. "Seeldah knows it too, that's why she wants to help you. Aaron... whatever might happen to us, remember that I will always be there for you, no matter what... I promise."

As he walked out of the room, I felt that a bond had formed between us; I had saved his life, and hadn't even known him for very long... I felt that we would be very good friends.

I lay there, trying to understand what had occured four days before.. ~I breathed fire... but aren't I supposed to be older before I can? Skye, as far as I know, can't breathe fire yet, otherwise he would've during the battle.~ I closed my eyes, thinking back to when I had breathed fire- a stream of emerald pouring from my jaws, past my ivory teeth without harming them.... ~I'm becoming more and more like a Dragon every day...~
 
I can't explain exactly what had happened that day, but I felt that something great had happened... Another part of my destiny revealed. I had a power I didn't understand; an ability I shouldn't have... Magic. I don't know why I know it, but it calls to me... from the past... from my past.

My future was as a Dragon, and my past couldn't change that. I knew then that I could never go back. This was my life now. My previous life was gone forever, and it was time I accepted that...

I stood up and left the room after Skye, leaving everything behind so I could truly begin again, becoming a Dragon in truth at last....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thus ends Part 1 of Dragons of Surdaus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chapter 6:
The Legend of Mount Raynor


4 months after the events of Part 1...

I pressed my shoulder to the beam and pushed with all of my might, grunting from the exertion, my claws digging into the dirt. The beam shifted and rose into the air. I stepped closer to the beam so it would go higher. Once it was in place, Gode ran under me, between my hind-legs, and tied the beam in place. Slowly, I pulled my shoulder away from the support... it held.

I turned to watch Kad as he worked on his own beam. He nearly droped it. Grinning, I walked over, pressed my shoulder to it, and helped him lift it.

As the last beam was secured, I stepped back to admire our work. Kad and I were helping to build a house for a family of Dragons who had just moved into the valley, on the edge of town. A Green Dragon called Renk was helping us. ~Good, we can start moving the stones tomorrow,~ I thought as I saw the sun starting to set.

As Kad and I made our way to back to the house, I thought back to four months before.... Maereth... the Avian... we discovered his name when we went in search of the Avians' Eyrie further down the valley to the east. When we arrived, we discovered that the Avians were in a time of famine- their natural prey -a race called the Dorguun- had recently disappeared from Takeron Valley, leaving the Avians with little food. The attack was out of desperation, not muderous intent.
 
With the Dragons' help, the Avians were able to get back on their feet and the attack was soon forgotten... but Maereth was still missing, and no one had seen him since the attack.

I pitied the Avian... I truly did; he wasn't in his right mind when he attacked me and Skye.

I shook my head and quickened my pace to catch up to Kad. Everything was falling into place- I didn't know how, or why, but I felt that all of these events were leading up to something... something terrible. Whenever I started thinking about this, my eyes would always rise to the snow-capped peak of Mount Raynor to the north... I knew, deep down, that my destiny lay there.

Seeldah warned me never to go there. She said that very dangerous creatures resided there, not just Dark Dragons... and not all of them Dragons, either. Skye didn't really believe that about me being a Human, or all of this stuff having to do with Mount Raynor- but he promised me that if I insisted on going despite what Seeldah said... he would join me. I appreciated his friendship, but I really didn't want him to get involved in this- for his own safety. I had a feeling I wouldn't have much of a say in it, though; Skye had a habit of 'insisting' on things, something he was very proficient at.
 
I had grown a lot in the previous four months. The scales on the tip of my tail had regained their blue color after a few weeks, though they now had a metallic sheen to them. My scales, though they remained emerald-green, had turned a slightly lighter shade of green. My size had nearly doubled; going from the size of a large dog to the size of a full-grown tiger. The spikes on my back, neck, and tail were now long and sharp. My eyes had gone from golden to emerald-green, though this had happened pretty early on. Seeldah believes it might've been connected to my fight with Maereth, though she doesn't know for sure. The claws on my hind- and forepaws were long and sharp as knives. My snout was now filled with two rows of sharp, shark-like teeth. My ability to breathe fire was peculiar for one at such a young age, but I had grown very proud of my new-found talent.

I was growing into a young-adult Dragon.

As we reached the house, I went straight to my room, ready to take a long rest after working all day. I curled up on my tablet, extended one of my wings over me -it was a cold night- and fell asleep, exhausted....

---------- (Perspective Change)

"Seeldah, they are coming. You have to tell him... now," the Dragon pleaded. Seeldah turned her head to look at the Light Dragon. His scales were mostly silver, but lined in gold, giving him the appearance of a knight in gold-and-silver armor. Two golden spikes protruded from the the back of his skull, on either side of his long, arrowhead-shaped head. There was desperation in his silver eyes. "We-are-running-out-of-time."
 
Seeldah hissed. "He is too young... he cannot fight them! If you send him now... he will die." Her eyes filled with tears. "We have to leave, escape before they get here... I will take him myself if I have to."

He shook his head solemnly. "My clan is coming, but they won't get here in time. He is our last hope, and you know it." He looked directly into Seeldah's eyes. "Only the Emerald Dragon can defeat Deathwing...."

"Then send for Celmax," Seeldah persisted. "Maybe he can defeat Deathwing."

The Light Dragon shook his head again. "Celmax has been missing for five-fundred eighty years, Seeldah- he is dead." His eyes softened. "I know how you feel for Aaron, Seeldah.... His death will be tragic... but innevitable."

Seeldah hissed in disbelief. "You want him to die!"

The Dragon lowered his eyes to floor, shaking his head sadly. "I do not 'want' him to die, anymore than you do, but the prophecy says, 'In their clash, the Emerald Dragon will die... and the Light of Raynor will purge the darkness.' He will die fighting Deathwing, but his death will end this war... that is why Celmax failed."

As the Light Dragon left, Seeldah lay there silently, her eyes streaming. ~'...and the Light of Raynor will purge the darkness,'~ she thought to herself.
 
Her gaze travelled to a far corner of the room, to a carving she kept hidden from Aaron whenever he came to visit her.... ~It looks just like him...* she thought with a smile, but her eyes continued to stream. ~I will miss him when he is gone... Jerek is right, Aaron must die....~ She turned towards three of the carvings in the front row before her, lined up next to each other: a Light Dragon, a Dark Dragon... and the White Dragon. She stared at the last one for a long time and then: ~It is time....~

----------

I was sleeping soundly, when... "Aaron, wake up!" I heard Skye calling to me. Groaning, I opened my eyes and sat up on my haunches, yawning tiredly.

"What's wrong?" I asked as Skye burst into the room, breathless. Other than his size, Skye really hadn't changed much in four months. Despite the fact that we were relatively the same age, he was about an inch and a half taller than me at the shoulder.

He looked exhausted. "A silver-and-gold Dragon's been running through the village, telling everyone to run." He looked up at my face. "We think it might be a Light Dragon...." I was shocked into full awakeness: a Light Dragon? Here? "Seeldah's looking for you- I don't know why, but it sounded urgent." He jerked his head back towards the door. "You'd better go find her. I'll go figure out what's going on."

I left the house and started towards Seeldah's. About half-way there, I saw a silver-and-gold Dragon dart across the street. Suddenly he stopped, turning towards me. He looked me over, a strange expression on his face, then nodded to me and ran off.

When I reached Seeldah's house, I pushed the door open and walked in. The room was lit brightly by torches on the walls. I sat down in front of Seeldah's tablet, gazing up at her.

"Aaron..." she whispered, her voice full of sorrow. "The time has come. I... lied to you- I know why you became a Dragon, but now I fear it is too late...." I heard a scream come from outside. "They are coming, and you must run... you are our only hope, now...."

"Why did I become a Dragon? Who's coming?" I demanded, my eyes streaming.

"You became a Dragon to fulfill your destiny... as the Emerald Dragon." She whispered the last part. "You were chosen, before you were born, to take up the mantle of the Emerald Dragons. On your tenth Birthday, you answered the call... and were transformed into a Dragon."

I heard a roar and another scream outside. I turned to leave, to try and help, but Seeldah stopped me. "Aaron, I know it is hard to believe, but you have to trust me." She was almost pleading now. "At the peak of Mount Raynor lies a wise White Dragon called Takeron; she was named after this valley. She is ancient, and the last of her kind. If there is anyone that can help you, it is she."
 
Seeldah pulled a carving out from behind her with her tail and set it down in front of me- it was cracked and glowing. "Time is short, Aaron... these statues are bound with magic: when the last of a Dragon Race dies, its statue will break.... Aaron, she is dying."

I sat there, staring at the carving, trying to take it all in. ~So I'm an Emerald Dragon, not a Green Dragon, after all... I WAS a Human originally....~ Then I snapped out of it. ~But now is not the time for that. I have to stay and fight, Dragon or not.~

"The Dark Dragons have come..." she hissed as the building shook violently, causing many of the carvings to fall to the floor.

I ran to the door and out into the night. ~This is it... do I flee and return home?... or stay and sacrifice any chance I might have?~ I thought hard, seeing Skye running towards me, then I made my choice...

---------------

Seeldah wathced Aaron run out the door, then turned towards the Wyvern statue. ~The only one not bound with magic...~ she thought silently. Suddenly, without warning, she spun completely around, swinging her great tail into it.

The statue crumbled beneath the impact, the pieces thrown to the left as her tail hit it from the right. As the remains fell, a large, purple gemstone clattered to the floor, its core glowing an emerald-green color. It was Heart of Emerald, the same one Aaron had been given as a Human. "What have you done...?" a voice suddenly hissed behind her. She swung around... coming face-to-face with Jerek.
 
She faced him, keeping the gem hidden. "Protected him from you... Deathwing," she snarled at the Dark Dragon. "I knew you would try to force him to stay, that's why I made him leave. Now... what have you done with Jerek?"

Deathwing cackled, his silver-and-gold scales shedding to reveal jet-black scales underneath. "I... took care of him," he answered, using his tail to throw Jerek's decapitated head at her- it was covered in blood, the spikes were ripped off, and many of the scales were missing. Seeldah's heart filled with sorrow to see Jerek dead- they had been close friends. His eyes darkened to blood-red- there weren't even any pupils, just blood-red orbs burning within their sockets. His claws and back-spikes darkened to a dark, almost black, grey. The spikes on either side of his head fell off, and twisted, curling black spikes began to grow in their place. "I had to take scales from his body -and those of many of my other trophies- to make this disguise... and it was worth it."

Now freed from the disguise, Deathwing's body began to grow larger and larger until he was twice as tall as Seeldah... and kept growing. Seeldah backed up against the wall, away from Deathwing, as his massive bulk tore through the ceiling, unfazed by the fact that it was solid-stone.

He stopped growing, and looked down at Seeldah in his true form. Seeldah gazed unflinchinly into his blood-red eyes.... "Aaron... will destroy you, you bstrd..." she whispered and Deathwing's foot came down, crushing her into the ground.

---------------
 
Chapter 7:
Fight of Destiny


...I was going to stay and fight. I didn't care that I was never going to return home- my friends needed me; this WAS my home.

As Skye ran up to me, I saw a Dragon fall from the sky and crash into a building. "Zek!" Skye screamed, his eyes filled with tears. Then I saw the monster that attacked him.... The Dark Dragon landed amidst the rubble and turned towards me. Its scales were mostly dark-grey, but they were outlined in black. Its eyes -black with blood-red, serpentine pupils- were filled with malice and insatiable blood-lst.

I opened my wings and, with a snarl, launched myself at the Dragon. It hissed and swung its tail at me. I slid under the tail, then latched on with my teeth. It swung its tail up, flinging me high into the air, and opened its jaws wide.

Unable to react in time, I fell and landed with my head in its mouth. The stench of dead and rotting flesh filled my nostrils as I fought to get away, pushing against its head with my forelegs and kicking at it with my hindlegs, its teeth closing around my neck. I saw the dead meat clinging to the insides of its mouth and teeth as its jaws closed completely, and my air was smothered. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the end....

Suddenly, just as its jaws clamped down, my eyes flew open, and so did my mouth. The moment of nausea lasted only a second before emerald flames poured from my muzzle, filling the Dark Dragon's mouth and throat....
 
I clamped my eyes shut, but kept my mouth open, allowing the blaze to erupt out. The Dark Dragon's scream was deafening as its mouth and nostrils poured fire and smoke, and it writhed in agony as the flames rebounded off the walls of its mouth. Then the walls gave and the fire finally burst out... and that... was the end of it.

As the Dragon's blazing body fell to the ground -minus its head- I too collapsed, too exhausted to move- that fight had taken a lot out of me. I felt something nudge me in the side, and I looked up. It was Skye. His eyes were still filled with tears. "Aaron, come on, we have to get out of here. There's nothing more we can do- it's lost."

I turned my head to the sky; it was burning a hellish, dark red... as red as blood. I could see Dragons fighting each other, and some of the them that fell were Dark Dragons... but there were just too many of them. ~So much death...~ I thought sorrowfully, watching as the villagers were surrounded and overwhelmed, one by one. ~Is this truly where my destiny lies...? This is the end; it's over, unless...* "Seeldah!" I cried, turning towards her house. The village was all but rubble now, giving me a clear line of sight to her house, the one building still standing amidst the carnage....

Seeldah's house exploded outward as a massive, jet-black Dragon rose from it. The black Dragon raised its head and wings and roared into the heavens.
 
The Dark Dragons answered its roar and flew towards the behemoth. The Dragon looked down and lifted its foot, then brought it down, crushing something beneath it.

I knew what it had to be.... My eyes filled with tears; she had always been there for me... always caring for me... always willing to help me, no matter what....

"Aaron!" Skye yelled as I got to my feet. I looked up. The gargantuan lizard was turning towards me, forcing its way out of the rubble with ease, knocking down the few remaining walls of Seeldah's house with its immense bulk. It opened its cavernous maw, and I saw the end coming....

~In their clash, the Emerald Dragon will die... and the Light of Raynor will purge the darkness,~ a soft, mournful voice whispered. ~You have served your purpose, Aaron... may you rest in peace....~

I closed my eyes, waiting for the flames to hit, happy that it was finally over.... I remembered that morning, four months ago, when I awoke to discover myself turned into a Dragon... I remembered my first attempt at flying and how, in doing so, I met Seeldah for the very first time... I remembered how I met Skye after he rescued me- a complete stranger, an amnesiac Dragon, and someone he had never met before nor knew anything about, yet he had helped nevertheless... I remembered my first flying lesson with Skye and how, consequently, we met Maereth... I remembered how I breathed fire for the first time to save Skye's life... it wasn't until that very moment, that I realized just how much it all meant to me, every moment of it... ~My only regret... is that I won't see how it all ends....~

...but fate... had chosen another path for me.... I heard a roar of defiance, and felt myself get shoved mightily to the side. As I skidded to a halt, I opened my eyes just in time to see the flames hit... my eyes streamed as I watched Skye fall to the ground....

I turned my tortured face to the sky, watching as the Dark Dragons all flew off to the east. The sky remained blood-red. I staggered to my feet and limped towards Skye's broken body. Nothing could've survived something like that....

His eyes were still open, and his face was etched in anger and defiance, set in a snarl. He sacrificed himself for me.... I turned my head to the blood-red sky and roared in misery, tears streaming down my long face. How could fate be so cruel? I had nothing now; I no longer had the will to keep fighting- my closest friend was dead....

Suddenly, I heard a rumbling noise. I turned to see Kad climb out of the rubble. His face filled with sorrow as he saw Skye's dead body. He gaze turned towards me, but I was no longer there....

I was going to end it, once and for all- I was going to kill myself. I shot straight into the air. As I looked around, taking in the valley one last time before folding my wings, I realized I had never left Takeron Valley as a Dragon. As my gaze turned towards the north, my eyes locked on Mount Raynor. ~If there's anyone that can help you, it is she...~ I heard Seeldah's voice in my head.

~Maybe death isn't the only way out of this...* I thought silently. It was the one last thing Seeldah had asked of me- she was almost begging.... ~I'm going to Mount Raynor.~
 
 
 
 
 
The Final Chapter:
Mount Raynor and the Last White Dragon


I flew through the night, not stopping for anything, even when wings began to ache and my vision blurred. My eyes streamed endlessly, further blurring my vision. ~I can't believe he's gone....~ I didn't look back, I just kept flying.

Finally, unable to fly any longer, I fell towards the ground. I crashed head-first into a tree, too tired to try and avoid it. I lay there panting, my jaw bleeding and my wings aching.

Weakly, I lifted my head to look up at Mount Raynor's peak- I was half-way up. I tried to stand, but found I was unable to- I was too exhausted. Suddenly, I heard the soft patter of paws on snow. I suddenly heard a soft, familiar voice calling to me.... I looked up to see a ghostly, Dragon-shaped creature walking towards me. At first I thought it was the apparation I had seen in my dream, but as it drew closer, I saw that it was covered in snow. When it reached me, it shook itself, causing some of the snow to fall off. I recognized it immediately then... I didn't even have enough strength to hiss at Maereth as he bent down to pick me up in his jaws.

Rather than eating me, though, he picked me up and proceeded to carry me through the snow. ~Why is he helping me, after I ripped open his back...?~ It didn't matter- I couldn't do anything to resist him, anyway, so I just hung there limply, allowing him to carry me through the snow.
 
By all appearances -after a while- he seemed to be headed straight for the summit- my own destination. My breath froze in the air as I exhaled, and I began to shiver as the temperature dropped the further we went up. Close to the top, we came upon a large cave. Maereth set me down in front of it. Having a little more strength now, I slowly got to my feet and turned towards the Avian... but he was gone- I could see him flying off into the distance. "Thank you..." I whispered, my voice hoarse from the cold.

I turned back to the cave and entered. A short distance in, I came upon a massive, circular stone door with the emblem of a Dragon carved into its center. At the base of the door was an indentation shaped like a Dragon's paw. Instinctively, I walked up to it and pressed my left forepaw into it. It was many times the size of my own paw, but my paw fit perfectly into the center of it, my claws sliding into the grooves at the top.

There was a loud clunk! and I stepped back as the door slowly began to rise, dirt raining down from its base. Beyond was a long, stone, torch-lit hallway. I shook the snow off of my body and started padding down the corridor, my claws clicking on the tiles beneath my paws.

I looked back over my shoulder as the door lowered, giving off a loud thud! as it closed. ~This is it...~ I thought silently. ~There's no turning back now. Now I must go and face my destiny....~
 
 
 
 
Epilogue:
The End of the Road?



When I reached the end of the hallway, I knew that this would be the end to it all... I could already feel the memories coming back.... I pressed my muzzle to the door at the end of the long hallway, and pushed it open.

As I stepped through the doorway, I gasped as I came upon a stunning sight: I was in a cavern covered in crystals of every color. A sky-light shone down through the center of the cavern, reflecting off the crystals and creating a great web of colors.

I walked slowly towards the center of the cavern, gazing in awe at the colors that refracted across the room: It looked exactly like in my dream.... As I drew closer to the center, however, my gaze was drawn towards what lay there: It was a massive, beautiful Dragon of the purest white, its scales shining brighter than the crystals. Its presence was overpowering; it gave off an air of incredible power and strength.

And yet... I could see it in the way its sides were heaving; its breathing labored. The Dragon was ancient, having survived to be the very last of its kind... Takeron, the last of the White Dragons... was dying.

As I approached, Takeron raised her head, turning it towards me. "Six-hundred years I have waited to see your smiling face come through that door... hello, Aaron." Her voice was exactly the same as it was when she spoke to me during the battle... and in my dream. "You have grown so much since last we met..."
 
I was confused: ~We've met before?~ Of course, there was that dream, but...

Takeron chuckled. "You wouldn't remember: It happened a very long time ago... you can't remember anything, can you?" I shook my head. She sighed, laying her head back down. "All that will soon change...."

I immediately perked up. "You mean...?" I asked, hopefully.

Takeron nodded, solemnly. "Your time as the Emerald Dragon is at an end. I had hoped you would be the one to finally end this war... but now it is time for another to take your place in this fight." She smiled, weakly. "Do you want to go home, Aaron?"

My eyes filled with tears... but not of joy. "Zek is dead; Seeldah is dead; Skye..." I couldn't say it; it was too painful. I shook my head. "I just want it to be over..."

Takeron nodded solemnly, her breathing growing more labored. "This is the last thing I will ever be able to do... my last gift to you." My body began to glow, and my eyes widened in shock.

"Twilight is upon me... and soon, night will fall.... You always were an odd Dragon." She managed a weak chuckle. "Perhaps this is for the best... when you wake up, you won't remember you life as a Dragon, but you will remember everything you had forgotten before you came to Surdaus."
 
Her eyes filled with tears as I rose onto my hind-legs and rose into the air, glowing brighter. I felt my snout, teeth, tail and claws begin to shorten; my fore-paws' toes began to lengthen; and my wings retracted back into my body. My scales grew soft. "Good bye, Aaron...."

"I'll never forget you... ever...." I whispered, my eyes streaming, rising towards the hole in the ceiling....


----------

Aaron continued rising towards the hole in the ceiling, and then... he vanished. With that, Takeron collapsed, her eyes closed, and her breathing ceased.

Far away, in the rubble of Seeldah's house, the carving of the White Dragon crumbled to dust.... Buried in that same rubble, however, Heart of Emerald began to glow brightly....

Takeron, the very last of the White Dragons... had died, using the last of her energy to transport Aaron home....

I hate to break an awesome story like this, but you named the chapter order wrongly. It should've been Chapter 8 and then the Final Chapter. The epilogue is what happens after the main story, so it would be what happens after Aaron gets back.

Epilogue:

In another world, Aaron's eyes snapped open. He was lying on a concrete floor. There were paramedics all over him. They all cheered when they noticed he had woken. They all began to make a clamor and he was put onto a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance. ~What was I dreaming about? Something sad. I can't remember...~ he silently thought to himself. As he grew used to his old style of life, his thoughts drifted and slowly, Surdaus drifted into the darkness. Yet, Aaron would unknowingly play a part in this story in another time.

In Surdaus, dragons walked the dust. Dragogoth Village was destroyed. The Dark Dragons had left. One dragon only stepped into the ruins of hut belonging to the dragon known as Seeldah. She stopped at the rotting carcass. Slowly, she paid her respects to the Ice Elder of Dragogoth and Takeron Valley. Then, drawn by some compelling force, she slowly moved the tail and unveiled a glowing gem.

Thus began the story of Karina and Aaron, a story to once again bring an attempt to destroy Deathwings.

Edit:

After reading the second part of this... i dunno O.o purely pwnage pwn own awesome book type thing, you can change the name of Deathwings to Noraa Krad.

Karina.... wow, that's actually the kind of name I was looking for! She's perfect for the role of Aaron's.... well, i won't reveal who she is, but she is important to the story.

My god... you had to have read Ascension to come up with the Ambulances and Paramedics scenario! Especially after what happened after Aaron became a dragon....

This epilogue is very interesting, indeed, but... sadly, I can't use it. The story of Aaron continues in Orion's Call, when Aaron is forced to return to Surdaus because the dying Takeron didn't have enough energy to send him all the way.

http://forum.runescape.com/forums.ws?49,50,600,54469654

I might post it on here. Not sure.

wow. i just came up with the epilogue based on the data you gave me here. :O. kool. oh and lol nice "censorship" on what Karina will be to Aaron

could you hook me up with the rest of your stories? oh and uh... the talking gemstone O.o got that from the Inheritance Quad? (Eregon, Eldest, Brisingr, ????)

O____O SKYE!?!?!?!? EVIL!?!?!?!?

TRUE NAME???? O___o?

BTW, have i told u ur a great fanfic writer? you should publish these

Dark Aaron LAWL!

OMG! I loved that thread! what was it called tho? =/ i forgot the title. who cares? awesome story but its true. you do have some plot inconsistancies and you need some more you know... details and more content. i give you 1267/1270 because i love random numbers with added statistics.

can you hook me up with all of your stories in order by emailing me them?

bolanok@gmail.com

thanks

Oh and an Edit:

Epilogue to The Runescape Thread Part Thingy Awesomeness Story:

Aaron returned to Takeron Valley. There, he lived with Skye and Kad. Their parents had died in the raid of the dark dragons. Things slowly returned to normal. Yet, Aaron felt unease. A feeling that things were not yet over. A female dragon wandered the world. A brother sought the universe. These are the tales of the Dragons of Surdaus.

Aaron returned to Takeron Valley. There, he lived with Skye and Kad. Their parents had died in the raid of the dark dragons. Things slowly returned to normal. Yet, Aaron felt unease. A feeling that things were not yet over. A female dragon wandered the world. A brother sought the universe. These are the tales of the Dragons of Surdaus.

_____________________________


"A brother sought the universe"..... Lol, that is so ironic, cuz that's the focus of part four of the series... well, the ending, anyway.

And plot inconsistencies? Man, ignorance can be bliss, lol. The people reading the series are ripping their hair out at the plot inconsistencies!


http://forum.runescape.com/forums.ws?49,50,567,56787822
http://forum.runescape.com/forums.ws?49,50,753,57028895
http://forum.runescape.com/forums.ws?49,50,244,58046683


As for the talking gemstones... Paolini stole that from me! I wrote Orion's Call a year before Brisingr came out! It was my idea, no one else's!

And about the censorship... you'll see what her role is in part 5.

heh. i already know her role O__o. at least, i know a lot of her possible roles.

and... my epilogues are pwnage

O.o whoa. weird. rotl part 1 is weird O___o good but weird. i've said this haven't i?

skye died . lawl O.o takeron. old lady takeron changes into young takeron and aaron starts hitting on her LOL!

lol O.o aaron killed himself and that captain of the pirates saved money by switching to geico.

OMG! FINISH LIGHT PART III!!!!!!! :DDDDD oh and btw, when you're finished with the whole series, can you send the whole book to me in a txt file or a word document? greatly appreciated. I might send it to a publisher in your name

OMG! You write like a PRO! no, check that. the pros shall BOW DOWN to you!

Huh?