Silver Dragon

I really love Alara!

Once, a long time ago, there were seven royal creatures. They were kind creatures who guided and taught the People. The People who lived in the world of the time were scared of these creatures because of their limitless powers. So, they used the gift of magic bestowed to them by these creatures to bind them. Some of them were so angery they were consumed by their new hatred of the People and tried to kill them in the human bodies they were trapped in. These Rogue Royals were punished by their still good counterparts. Now five of the Royals are rouges and are attacking the two remaining good Royals. Alara is the human embodiment of the Silver Dragon, one of the last good Royals. She is being hunted by her older brothers and sisters as she searches for her oldest brother, Darkin, the Night Wolf. Helping her is a human mage named Markus. Now both are hunted by the Rouge Royals and must work together to survive. 

 

 

        Alara looked out over the deep, blue waters. The coast was a beautiful place that time of the year and day. The multicolored leaves drifted on the crisp breeze and the setting sunlight reflected off the water. The wind stirred her long white hair and green dress. She walked into the camp she shared with her friend, Markus. She placed the fire wood she had gathered next to the fire that was already burning and sat next to Markus. 

        Markus was a tall man, dark haired and tanned skin. His blue eyes were sharp and missed nothing. He had a strong face and a strong will. He was leanly built but as strong as any man five times his size. If that wasn't enough, he was a powerful mage. Not as strong as Alara herself, but powerful enough to hold his own against one of her middle-aged siblings. 

        “How far away are we from your brother's place?” Markus asked. He started to get out bread and cheese for our supper. 

        “Just another half day down the coast.” she answered as she took the food he offered her. “Thanks again for coming with me.” 

        “It’s no problem at all. I was coming this way anyway.” he took a bite of bread and cheese. He smiled. “Besides, I don't mind helping a beautiful woman.” 

        Alara blushed and concentrated on her food. Not long after both were done eating they took out their sleeping bags and slept. 

        The next day, the pair had been walking for a few hours when they came to a large hill. Alara smiled.         “My brother's house is just over that hill.” She started to walk faster. She hadn't seen her brother in one hundred and twenty-seven years, not since Maria, the Sun Bird, joined the Rouges. 

        “Alara, slow down, we don't know what is over that hill.” Markus picked up his step to catch up with her. Alara ignored him and started running toward the little white cottage her brother had had for four hundred years. 

        “Alara!” Markus called as she got farther ahead. She couldn't stop even if she wanted to. Her beloved eldest brother was just over the hill. When she reached the top, she would see his homey cottage and small garden and his open doors and windows. They would be safer together, stronger together. Together, they could convince the people of their goodness and get their help. Together they could- 

        Alara reached the top of the hill and screamed with everything in her. Tears came to her eyes, blinding her, but she could still see the field below. The image was burned in her mind for all time.

        The field her brother's cottage used to be in was a blacked crater. Bits and pieces of burned wood was everywhere. Everything was gone. Only the memories of good times were left. 

        Running down the hillside, Alara prayed to the Highest Power that Darkin was still alive. She had always been closest to her oldest brother. He had always been there for her, even during the time before their imprisonment that none of them really remember too well. 

        She was about to leap into the crater when she was grasped from behind. She cried out and remembered that Markus was with her. He turned her around to face him and she looked up into his tan face. 

        “Don't, Alara. The ones who did this may have laid a magical trap in there.” he pulled her close to his chest when she tried to pull away. She leaned against him, sorrow working its way into her mind, numbing her body. “From what I can tell, this happened about a week or two ago. I think the area was empty when it happened, though, because I don't sense any remnant of any living thing. I don't think a living creature has been through here in a month or more.” 

        Alara calmed instantly. Now that the shock was fading, she could feel nature trying to tell her what happened. Her brother had left two months ago after finding out that Kurrin, the second to oldest of us, the Steel Snake, and the leader of my rogue siblings, had found out about his cottage. She felt an instant sadness that Darkin had to abandon his favorite place, but at least she knew he hadn't died. 

        Sliding out of Markus' arms, she headed toward a group of trees to the north of the crater. On one of the trees, a little ways from where the cottage had been, was a tree with a swing attached to a large branch. It was a bench-like swing, big enough for three, and made of the same wood as the tree. Darkin and Alara used to sit in the swing and just talk. She sat there now, and a vision dominated her mind.

 

 

         Darkin is sitting on the bench with me. He is looking up at the sky through the tree branches. A light breeze ruffles his jet black hair. His blue eyes sparkle in his dark face. He looks down into my eyes and smiles. 

        “Oh, Alara, it is so good that you are getting this message.” he says. “Kurrin is up to his old tricks. You know, trying to kill us. We can't make our move now. The Rouges will see us trying to convince the people and will kill us.” 

        “But, Brother!! The people are the most open minded they have been in centuries. If we don't try now, we may have to wait for five more centuries!!” I can't believe that he wants to abandon our mission. We have been working for the people's understanding since we were imprisoned.

        “Yes, lay low. We have no choice.” 

        “But-” 

        “You can't tell anyone, not even your mage friend. Especially your mage friend.” 

        “Why? He is trying to help us.” 

        “He wants to destroy all the Royals. That means us, too.” 

        I fall silent. Our situation is not a good one. We are trapped with only one way to move. Back into the shadows. 

        “Fine, I won't tell anyone and I'll go into hiding again.” I say sadly. I don't want to go back to the shadows, but I will if I must. 

        “I'm sorry, Alara.” Darkin said as he puts an arm around my shoulders. “I know you hate not being with people. But it’s only for a little while, okay.” 

        I nod and the grove shimmers.

 

 

        Alara opened her eyes and looked at Markus, tears filling her eyes. Markus had an arm around her shoulders, like Darkin had in her vision. The only difference was that Markus' eyes were not filed with brotherly love, but Alara thought she saw something there, but her tears made it impossible to tell. 

        “What's wrong, Alara?” he asked. 

        “I just loved his cottage and I hope he's okay.” She could tell that her tears were upsetting him. She tried to control herself. 

        “I'm sure he is.” Markus rubbed his hand up and down her arms, trying to warm them. “Is there anywhere he would go that you know of?” 

        “Not that I know of.” I replied slowly. Darkin would think it better if we hide away from each other and in different places. The only reason she had known he was at his cottage was because he had told her. 

        “Do you have anywhere else to go?” 

        “No.” 

        Markus thought a moment. “Come with me,” he said after a few seconds. “I'm heading to my cousin's house. He studies the Royals and his dig team just found a series of underground chambers written in the Old Tongue that he thinks is about the Royals and the Old Ones' relations with them before and soon after the binding. He wants me to translate the writing. You can come and stay with us.” 

        I paused to think. It would be easier to fake death in a crowded dig sit than out on the road and the chambers Markus mentioned sound interesting. Darkin said to go into hiding, but he never said when to.

        “I love ancient history. I would love to come.” I smiled at him. “Plus, I may be of some use. I can read the Old Tongue.” 

        A smile spread across his handsome face. “Then it’s settled. Let’s get as far from here as we can until night falls."

        We both got off the swing and started off.

 

 

        His cousin's house was small, brightly colored, and just outside one of the oldest cities in the world. Wayne was a lot like his house, only he never was in the same place for as long as a house was. Wayne loved collecting things and his house was full to bursting with anything you could imagine and a lot of things you could never dream of. He had a huge gathering of Old texts that would make the Capital Library green with envy. 

        It was because of his study of these texts that Markus' cousin thought a hidden chamber of the Old People was under his backyard. Wayne had been searching for information on the Royals since Markus' parents had been killed ten years ago and had come to believe that the chamber was there. Wayne wanted to know why it happened, Markus wanted to know how to get rid of them. 

        “It's such a cute house,” said a light voice behind him. Markus turned to look at his beautiful companion. Alara had to be the most beautiful lady he had ever seen. Her white hair was went down to her waist and shimmered in the morning light. The smile in her crystal blue eyes matched the one on her lovely mouth, lighting the pale skin of her face. Intelligence shone in her eyes as brightly as moonlight. She looked up at him and her smile widened. 

        “Yes, you should see the inside,” he said. “Then again, maybe not. He has a little of everything in there. I'd bet that you would have a hard time finding your way around in that place.” He laughed and she joined him. Her laugh sounded like the little silver bells his mother had collected. 

        “There you are!!!” a voice called out from the left of the house before them. Wayne was running toward them, holding onto his large brown hat so he wouldn't lose it. He was warning dusty brown breeches and tunic with a brightly colored, equally dusty vest. He ran rather fast for a short, round man well into his thirties. “You've come just in time!! We are about to break through!!” 

        “Then let’s not miss it!” Alara laughed and started running toward the site. The three of them reached the edge of the dig area when a shout rang up from the center of the site. 

        Wayne started bouncing and clapping. “A door!! How exciting!! They reached a door!!” 

        It was true; they had uncovered a stone slap with a handle on it. The door was quickly clean of all dust and dirt, leaving it completely free of the soil around it. It was lined with writing, the Old Tongue. The three bent over the door while the site workers left to take a hard earned break. 

        “The characteristic are post-binding, so the door is roughly around six thousand years old.” Wayne said as he studied the words through a magnifying glass. 

        “No, no.” Markus shock his head. “The door design is pre-binding. Your conclusion must be wrong, Wayne.” 

        “No, you are the wrong one. The door must be as old as the writing.” Wayne snapped.

        Alara's laugh stopped their argument. 

        “What's so funny?” they asked in unison. 

        “You two are arguing like old hens!! And both of you are right and wrong!!” she laughs louder.

        The two men looked at her with the same confused expression. 

        She giggled. “The door is pre-binding and the writing is post-binding. This is the door to the secret studio of Marrin Vysirkis, the artist who first made contact with the Royals and was one of the first to learn the use of magic. The door was made before he meet the Royals and he put the writing here after the binding, so that the person who found the studio would know what was inside.” 

        The cousins looked at one another, then at Alara, then at the door. 

        “How did you know?” Wayne asked, bewildered. 

        “I read the writing. It explains it all.” 

        The cousins looked at each other again, and then bent over the door, reading the writing. Markus finished first. 

        “Well, why didn't we think of that!” he laughed. Wayne nodded and studied the door for a few more seconds. 

        “Do you want to open it?” he asked. 

        “Yes!” said the other two at once. Alara started giggling as she moved out of the way of the workers Wayne called over. It took them a few tries to open it, but they did manage to make the door swing on rusty hinges. The three looked into the dark of the chamber below. 

        “I bet there is some kind of lighting system that can be turned on near the door,” Alara said. “Marrin would not have gone through the trouble of making this room without one.” 

        “Yes,” Wayne though a moment. “Mark, summon some fire and look around for one.” 

        “Why me?!?!” 

        “Because you know magic.” 

        “Get a torch, you idiot!” 

        “Now, boys, don't start the name calling,” Alara moved past the two men and raised her hand, which was surrounded by silver fire, and walked into the hidden room. “Found it!” 

        Bright light filled the huge studio. Alara gasped as she saw what was inside. 

        Markus went into the room with Wayne close behind him. It was a studio; everywhere you turned you saw a piece of art. The art all seemed to depict one person. 

        Markus walking up to the statue standing in the center of the room. It was of Alara, he knew it. There was no way it could be anyone else. The rest of the room was filled with her image and that of the Silver Dragon, youngest of the Royals. He looked over at Wayne, who was studying a painting on the wall to the left. 

        “The Silver Dragon, no doubt about it. This one shows the Dragon showing some children how to use magic.” Wayne turned around to look at the statue behind Markus. “Hey, that looks like you, Alara.”

        The cousins turned and saw Alara sitting on the floor in front of the door, crying noiselessly.

        “Alara!” Markus crossed the room and knelt in front of her. Her eyes were fixed on the painting at the back of the room that Wayne was now looking over. It was Alara's likeness again, only this time she had huge wings coming out of her back and silver scales made designs on what skin was showed. She had her hands out in front of her, making a barrier. A man who was half snake was attacking the barrier, trying to get at the people she was protecting. 

        “It’s the Dividing Battle. The fight that separated the Rogue Royals who wanted us dead from the Royals who stilled wished to protect us.” Wayne said to no one in particular. “It is said that of all the Royals, the Silver Dragon loved us with all her heart, and wanted to protect us from her siblings. They say it was the Dragon who gifted us with our ability to use magic and it was she that taught us its use. There is a rumor that the Old People didn't want to bind her at all.” 

        “He tried to warn me,” Alara said quietly. “He told me to stay away from the field that day that I shouldn't go meet with the others, but I didn't listen. He felt so bad about that, about putting me in pain. Hr tried to tell me before he killed himself about his studio, but I was too sick to listen to him.”

        “What do you mean?” Markus asked, trying to understand. “You knew Marrin Vysirkis?” 

        “I-“

        “What, Alara, going to give yourself up?” a voice mocked form behind them. 

        Markus looked up and saw a great gold wing before he went flying across the room. He slammed into the painting not far from Wayne, who cried out in fear. When Markus looked toward the door again, it was empty. Alara and his attacker were gone. Yelling and cursing drifted in from outside. 

        “Alara!!” Markus yelled and ran across the room, through the door, and outside with Wayne close behind him. The light blinded him for a few second, and then the scene before him shocked him to the core. 

        A tanned woman with golden wings growing from her back flouted in the air a few yards away. She had on the tight, black robe of the Rouge Royals and her hair and eyes were as golden as her wings. She was looking down at a silver winged, silver scaled woman standing on the ground in front of the door. Her great wings were spread protectively, blocking the door from the golden woman’s view. All that could be seen of her besides her wings was her white hair and the pale skin of her back. 

        “Silly, Alara,” said the airborne woman, “you still think the humans could love you as they once did? You are a fool!! They only see us as monsters!! They deserve to die for their crimes!!” 

        “No, they do not!” snapped the woman in front of the door. “They just need to be shown that we mean them no harm!! That is all it takes! They will not hurt us if we do not hurt them!” 

        “Maria, the Sun Bird,” Wayne pointed toward the golden woman. “According to what I heard, she just recently turned.” 

        “Turned?” Markus asked, abounding trying to follow the women’s argument. They were apparently talking about something that happened five centuries ago. “What do you mean, turned? I thought all Royals were Rouges? 

        “If all the Royals were Rouges, we would be dead by now. Right now, two Royals are still on our side. Darkin the Night Wolf and Alara the Silver Dragon. It seems that your Alara is the Silver Dragon.”

        “I will silence you, then!” shrieked the Sun Bird as she dove at the Silver Dragon. Markus raised his hands to cast a spell, but he wasn’t quick enough. He saw a flash of silver scales and Maria was covered in water and ice, her wings frozen to the ground. She shrieked in fear and pain. A fierce wind blow through the site and she disappeared. 

        “Alara?” Markus reached out to touch her shoulder, but she moved away from him. 

        “I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Markus,” she said. Her voice sounded so sad it nearly riped his heart out. “I didn't mean to endanger your or your cousin's lives. I will leave now so I don't bather you any more.” She spread her wings to fly away. 

        “No!” Markus ran forward and graped her arm. He turned her around to face him. 

        Alara was even more beautiful than she had been before, if that was possible. Her eyes were no longer a crystal blue, but a bright silver. Her skin was pale and silver scales made strange designs on her skin. She wore a silver-lined green skirt that hugged her hips and shirt that barely covered her breasts. Her white hair was the same as it was before, white as pure light. The silver dragon wings were bent and ready for escape. 

        “Don't go, Alara,” he said as he held her eyes with his. “You aren't evil, that is for sure. Why would you want to leave me?” 

        Shock flooded her lovely face. “But you hate Royals.” 

        Markus smiled. “Most of them.” To silence the argument he know she would start, he closed the space between them and kissed her. 

        That kiss changed his life. He knew in that instant that there was more to life then revenge, more than one-night-stands with random women. There was a warmth in her kiss that made him feel at home. He knew he loved Alara, even though they had know each other a few weeks, even though she wasn't all human, even though her family wanted her gone. He loved her. 

        When he pulled back her eyes were a smoky silver-gray. “Okay, I'll stay.” she said, breathing heavily.

       Markus chuckled and pulled her against him for another kiss.

Reviews

[Just Me]

This is sooooo awesome! I just L - O - V - E Alara!!!!