Last of the Dragon Warriors- a Will of Fire Read online

  Copyright © 2019 by Adidas Wilson

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  Adidas Wilson

  P.O. Box 2262

  Antioch, Tn. 37011

  [email protected]

  www.adidaswilson.com

  Disclaimer

  The author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information within this book was correct at time of publication. The author does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from accident, negligence, or any other cause.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 – Dragon Clan

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Bonus – The Witches of Asgmod

  Chapter 1

  Dragon Clan

  “Ready to go?”

  Mari sighs and nods doesn’t look like she has much of a choice.

  The cell door slowly swings open and the guard stands there, towering over her, offering no help as she struggled to her feet. She shuffles out, and the unflinching guard slaps a set of manacles onto her wrists rather roughly.

  “Come on then.” He grunts, grabbing the small chain that linked both manacles together and dragging her along the narrow tunnel of the dungeon.

  She doesn’t say anything as they go, silently obeying the guard’s tugs as they climb several stairs before reaching a solid iron door that separates the dark prison from the world beyond.

  Metal screeches as the door swings open, and two more guards are waiting for them on the other side.

  “Get moving.” The first jailer grunts as he shoves her into the waiting pair.

  Still, she remains silent as she was escorted through the castle grounds, eyeing the destruction of its walls, the scorch marks that blacken its western side, and the general lack of life to be found. This side of the citadel took the most damage, but the underground dungeon was undamaged.

  Slowly, they make their way through the ruined corridors, large holes littering the ceiling allow the bright sun to filter through as they walk past hastily clear piles of rubble.

  Finally, Mari is brought out to the main courtyard, and she could almost laugh. How hard did she fight to get to this place not three days ago, only now, to be all too happily dragged out here?

  After her stint in the blackness of the cells, the sun is almost too bright as she’s near deafened by the roar of the gathering crowd, but she pays them no mind. Her attention is fully focused on the structure before her.

  The gallows.

  The two guards shove her forward hard enough to make her stumble. This is it; she thinks, this is the end of the line.

  Citizens of a land she hardly knows shout and roar as she’s dragged up the steps, there

  hatred clear in ever more spite-filled words.

  She doesn’t look at them, doesn’t protest as the noose is pulled over her neck, doesn’t try to fight back as the guards finally let her go, leaving her in the presence of the black hooded executioner.

  This is her fate for failure, for losing the war.

  The cry of the crowd reaches new levels as the executioner pulls the lever, and Mari sighs as she drops.

  14 years ago, …

  “You two be careful now, you hear me?” Mari’s mother, a slender woman in her thirties, called from the doorway of the small cabin.

  Her shout went mostly unheard by the two young children that had only moments before dived out past her in a race of hyperactive giggles and skips.

  Chapter 2

  “Why do I even try?” She sighed, watching as her two youngest kids took off for the forest edge.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll look after them.” Kasari said with an assured voice, readjusting her hold on her shoulder pack as she came to join her mother in the doorway.

  “I know,” their mother sighed, “remember I want you all back before dusk.” Kasari chuckled as she headed out, following the trail of her younger siblings. “Come on. Mother, how old do you think I am?”

  “Old enough to do as your told.” Their mother quipped back, smirking.

  Kasari only nodded, bowing her head slightly before turning to bolt after the disappeared scamps. As the eldest child of the Ri clan, Kasari took great pride in her new household position; now that she was 12, it was her job to watch over her siblings.

  The rugged clothes of her people hung loosely from her, held up only by the thick belt around her waist and buckled boots. Her long, deep blue cloak fanned out behind her as she ran, easily tracking the twins. As a Dragon-kin, tracking came naturally to her, her large amber eyes effortlessly picking out the footprints, her nose picking up their scent, and her narrow yet long ears twitched as she listened to them laugh.

  She smirked when she found them and pounced.

  “Got you!” She gloated as she snagged their backs in both of her hands, halting them from

  getting any further away.

  “Aww, no fair!” Dari huffed as he was stopped.

  Kasari smiled softly as she put the pair down, but kept a hold of them, crouching to be at eye level. She couldn’t blame them for being excited, they were only four and this was the first time they were given full freedom to explore the forest.

  They really did look like each other, both with short hair the colour of the forest in a rainstorm, wide violet eyes that remind Kasari of the sky at dawn, and crystal blue stumps poking between their hair atop their heads, the color inherited by all of the Ri clan. It didn’t help that their mother had a love of dressing them the exact same to further confuse anyone who didn’t know how to tell them apart.

  “Now, now.” Kasari said as she laid a hand upon their heads, careful to avoid the small yet sharp stumps of their growing horns. “I know you’re excited, but remember, we’re out here to forage, so follow me.”

  Dari huffed, always the energetic one of the young pairs, but Kasari knew just how to get him on board.

  “How about this, I’ll show you what we’re looking for, then you two can go off and try to

  find some. Whoever has the most before sunset doesn’t have to do chores tonight.” The pair happily cheered at the challenge, anything to get out of work Kasari thought. So, for the next few hours, she diligently searched and explained to the pair.

  “We need more beta roots for Mother to make her potions that she sells.” She told them as they slowly wandered through the lush undergrowth, until finally she found what they were looking for.

  “Ah, here, come see.”

  At the base of a Scale Bark tree, Kasari kneeled to dig between it roots. “This is perfect, beta root grows by feeding off the nutrients of the Scale Bark… here we go!” She grinned wide as she pulled up the large spiked yellowish ball to show the pair. “This is what we need, the bigger the better. Now before you go…” Having heard all he needed, Dari quickly dashed off, but Mari was more diligent and remained to listen to the rest of her sister’s explanation.

  “… before you go Mari, you can f
ind beva root if you can pick up on its scent. Have a sniff.”

  She held the spiked ball out, patiently waiting for her sister to sniff it. Cautiously, Mari leaned over to get a whiff, and recoiled immediately. “Eewww!” She whined, pinching her nose from the strong pungent smell.

  “Smells bad, doesn’t it?” Kasari laughed, “Shouldn’t be too hard for you to find it then, huh?”

  Mari glared at her sister’s mean trick but turned to head off to start her own search. But the truth was, Kasari simply needed the twins out of the way, and leaving them to search in the safest part of the forest was her best bet.

  Now alone, she stuffed the beva root into her pack, before turning to race through the

  forest. It didn’t take her long to reach her destination, on the Far Eastern edge of the thick woods. Climbing up the tallest tree on the borderline, she perched herself high to scout the area.

  She stayed there for as long as she dared, simple watching, waiting.

  Danger was coming, she could sense it. Far past the horizon, over the distant mountains, something dark was brewing, but what exactly she didn’t know.

  For as long as she stood watch, nothing seemed to change. The rolling meadows remained peaceful in their vastness, only disrupted but the rare traveler.

  Humans.

  Kasari knew very little of humans and their civilisations, only that they built large cities and had many small towns across the land. She had heard tales that such a city was just beyond the mountains she found herself staring at for hours on end.

  But Dragon-kin were secretive by nature, rarely did any of them venture beyond their forest border, and certainly not into human territory.

  Despite what stories Kasari had heard, the humans knew well to leave the Dragon-king's lands in peace, thanks to their protectors.

  Speaking of protectors, Kasari thought, I should be getting back soon.

  The sun wasn’t quite ready to set when Kasari returned to the heart of the forest, a smile playing on her lips as she spotted her siblings, all tuckered out from playing and foraging, lying curled up together in the shelter of the tall Scale Bark tree they’d started from. Her smile grew wider when she saw the small pile of beva roots beside each of them.

  Mari stirred as Kasari quietly filled her pack with their finds.

  “Mhh..sis?” She mumbled tiredly. “Have fun?”

  “Mhh, hhm.”

  “Good.”

  Bag filled, Kasari slung it back over her shoulder before she scooped the twins up into her arms. Disturbed by the movement, Dari yawned as he snuggled into her neck, both youngsters reaching up to toy with Kasari’s short spiral horns.

  Their mother was waiting for them in the doorway again as the sun began to set.

  “Well?” She asked worriedly.

  “No change.” Kasari mumbled as she passed.

  Just like her, their mother could sense the incoming danger, but the twins were still too young to detect it.

  Chapter 3

  “Found plenty of beva root though.” Kasari said as she carried the twins up to their bed on

  the small second floor.

  Their mother laughed as she opened the pack, seeing just how many roots the twins had found. “Even I can’t make all this into potions. Perhaps a visit the village Guardian is in order.”

  Kasari nodded, she too thought it would be good to see the Guardian.

  12 years ago, …

  “Come on Mari, you’re going to be late!” Dari laughed as he bounced on his heals just

  outside the door.

  “I’m coming, I’m coming!” Mari huffed as she all but threw herself down the stairs and out the door.

  Kasari was waiting patiently for the pair as always and smiled warmly at the twin’s excitement. Dressed in the ceremonial robes of the Dragon-kin, Kasari was very proud of her sister and brother.

  “Remember, this is an honor rarely given to any Dragon-kin, so I want you both on your

  best behavior.”

  Kasari had matured greatly in the last two years after the sudden death of their mother, taking on the sole mantle of caregiver to her siblings. It’d been hard, but at times like this she couldn’t have been happier.

  Taking a hand each of her brother and sister, she proudly walked them north, past other homes of their fellow tribesmen, and finally to the Great Caves that banked the north of their lands. In there, dwelled their Guardian, and today, the twins along with the other four young children of their tribe had been called upon.

  At the cave entrance, Kasari knelt to hug the six-year-olds and whisper, “Good luck.” She felt a bit like a proud mother, marvelling at how tall the pair had become, already reaching just past her waist.

  Mari and Dari grinned widely as they turned to gather with the other four and make their way into the cave. The caves were vast and complex, but this was a summons all Dragon-kin could understand, so the young group had no trouble finding their way in the dark.

  Huddled together, they soon came upon a low light, and knew they had found their destination.

  In the single largest cavern, they had ever seen lay the tribe’s Guardian. The Great Mother Dragon, Nehyjal.

  Both Dari and Mari had seen her once before, two years previously, but for a six-year-old, that was a long time ago.

  She lay calmly upon her belly, her sheer size filling most of the cavern, so large a single claw was bigger than the children. Her scales of deep grey and white, and golden eyes were lit only but the small fire in the center of the cavern. Coming upon a dragon in their cave would be a terrifying sight for anyone else, but not for Dragon-kin.

  Nehyjal let out a low rumble as she turned her head to regard the gathered children, a sound they all understood as welcoming. She then nodded towards the fire, and they understood.

  Just as they had all been taught, the six children slowly encircled the fire and slowly kneeled, fists pressed to the ground between their knees as they watched. For atop the fire was a

  small pile of stone, glowing bright from the heat beneath them. And carefully balanced within the ring of fire warmed stones, sat a clutch of eggs.

  Six eggs, six children.

  Nehyjal rumbled again as she curled her tail around the ground and lay her head back down to return to her vigil.

  There was something mesmerizing watching Dragon eggs twitch and shake, and Mari

  couldn’t look away.

  Finally, after a long time of sitting and watching, the eggs began to hatch. One by one, cracks formed down the smooth white curve of the shells. Mari didn’t notice when the others hatched, she was only focused on one single egg. It twitches a lot, shaking and threatening to roll out from its place upon the fire stones. But it stayed put as the first chip fell away.

  More chips joined the first as a hole opened in the top, and a small, slim head poked through.

  A dragon was born, and Mari was entranced. The hatchling was nearly as big as she was, but that didn’t matter to her.

  The dragonets squeaked as they wriggled out of their shells, to the deep rumbles of Nehyjal. One by one, the hatchlings scrambled free, and roamed around the fire stones, exploring their new world and each other.

  But the one Mari was watching was different. It squeaked as it sniffed the edge of the

  stones, spreading and stretching out its tiny wings as it made the leap. The drop wasn’t high,

  but no baby dragon can fly so soon.

  The small creature tumbled down, landing upon its back, it squealed as it looked around, before locking eyes with Mari. That was the beginning for them, of Dragon and Kin.

  Mari reached out to help right the fallen hatchling, and immediately it rumbled happily at her touch. She didn’t know it at the time, no child of their people ever does, but that was all it took to complete the ceremony of imprinting.

  They spent hours in the cave, playing and exploring, the baby dragons and their chosen Kin. Later, when the children finally left, it was with a hatchling at their si
de.

  As they exited, the adults of the tribe kneeled as they lined the path back to the forest, each offering a small gift to the new pairs. Arms full of gifts, Mari and Dari met with Kasari who smiled as she lead them all back home.

  In the quiet of the dark forest, the group came to a halt as they heard the loud joyous cry of Nehyjal, and watched through the trees as she took flight, alighting the sky with her fire in celebration. Her children had been born and imprinted with the Dragon-kin she had long since guarded.

  It was a good day for all.

  8 years ago, …

  Chapter 4

  Raising a baby dragon was no easy task. Unable to fly or make fire, the hatchlings were completely dependent on their imprinted partners for care. Luckily, Kasari was more than skilled enough to look after her growing family. She taught the twins how to fish in the rivers to the south, and hunt in the forest, how to make fire and cook for the dragons.

  For a time, everything was peaceful, or so Mari thought.

  She had been hearing talk from the tribe of a danger, but she never worried about it. Adults were always so worked up about trivial things, she thought, how wrong she was.

  It happened without warning.

  On a clear summer’s day, while playing with her dragon, whom she named Aniljem, their fun was shattered as a deafening roar shook the skies above their forest.

  Aniljem whimpered, cowering in fear behind Mari at the sound, as Mari herself was forced to cover her ears at the sheer volume of the roar. She may have only just turned ten, but even she could sense the danger in that cry.

  Turning to try to comfort Aniljem, she urged him to hurry back home.

  They raced as fast as they could through the forest, but what they found when they exited it was nothing but destruction.

  Their home, the Dragon-kin forest, everything Mari had ever known, lay before her eyes in a burning inferno.