Dragon's Tooth - Prologue

Authors Note: Hey y'all new here. Trying this place out instead of Wattpad :) Eh so this particular version of the title (that is, Dragon's Tooth) has been in progress since November 2011 (not for NaNoWriMo :P ).

And IDK if this is the place for this so- enjoy :D

Prologue

The fading sun caught the last traces of the damaged, fleeing boats as it slipped beneath the horizon. Scattered out along the white shores, the smashed and burning hulls of the remainder of the Sulkranar’s fleet left a bitter reminder that the war was not over.

Beyond the shores, smoke poured into the blackening sky from the smouldering remains of the once bustling towns and lush woods and farmlands of Sayeke. Mingling with the acrid smoke, the stench of blood and death rose from every battlefield, scattered out far and wide across the country.

Wavering shadows wandered aimlessly near the burning villages, the cries of desperate children searching for their parents drowning under the screams of mothers as they found the remains of their families.

Water laughed nervously somewhere from the creeks, hundreds of watery eyes blinking below the surface. The slowly spreading red stain drenched the water with the taste of blood till it was almost unbreathable. Suddenly the water splashed, the eyes gone.

Far to the west, high up in the snow capped mountains, a low, ear-piercing moan echoed out across the sky. The mourning of a dragon. The mourning of errors made and lives lost. Its sound radiated throughout the entire country, the peaks of the mountains reverberating with the growing wails of dragons.

Deep within the ocean, the salty water churned with the wails of its own dragons, each mourning their shared loss. A frenzy of spidery tails fluttered along the ocean’s surface, the klien throwing themselves out of the water in their anger and confusion.

Never had any of them intended this. Their first battle had been made to prevent this – not to create it.

Slowly the wavering blue and red orbs of the two moons crept along the water’s surface, each moon’s light filtering down onto the world below, bathing everything in their soothing purple glow. Thousands of faces turned to the sky, a look of peace crossing their pale purple eyes.  

                  Along the edge of a mountain, its woods untouched by the flames of before, the crackle of a campfire struggled to keep its little group warm. A lone wolf suddenly howled from somewhere out in the woods, its eerie cry piercing the silence.

                  Her body shivering madly, the little girl tugged at the jacket she’d been wearing since she first ran from her house three days ago, its thin threads poor protection from winter’s icy grip. Her mother slipped her arms around the girls sleeping body, pulling the girl closer to herself and the fire.

                  The wolf howled again, closer now. The mother’s eyes snapped to its direction, a look of fear passing suddenly across her eyes. Wolves never normally harmed humans, but after what had happened – anything was possible now.

                  Suddenly she felt it, the eyes. They pierced the soul with their glinting silver, sending a chill of fear through all who felt it. The patter of soft paws against the pine needles drew swiftly closer, the panting of the wolf’s breath growing louder. A shadow suddenly appeared on the other side of the fire, its silvery eyes piercing the thin veil of smoke and straight into the woman’s own.

                  Human, the wolf greeted her with his thoughts.

                  Her grip tightened on the child beside her, a surge of bravery tinged with defiance replacing her fear for a moment.

                  “What troubles you, wolf? What is it that you want of me? I have nothing.” Her voice was steady, a mask of confidence covering her fear and awe.

                  The wolf whined, as if in pain. It lay down before the fire, its ears back and tail firmly against the ground.        

                  I wish nothing of you, human. I bring only a message,

                  “A Message? From who?” The wolf whined again, inching closer on its belly.

                  From the wind, human! It brings word of strange happenings, and of great sorrow, but also of hope. That is all it said,

                  “Hope indeed. Perhaps the wind speaks lies, for how can there be hope now or ever?” at this the wolf was on its haunches, its nose to the air, the howling of before now filling the little clearing. The girl suddenly jumped, startled in her sleep. Her mother placed a gentle finger over her lips to silence her, the girl’s body relaxing.

                  The wolf stoped, silence echoing out louder than its howl. Nothing - no sound, no replying howls. The wolf’s ears were pricked, listening desperately for even the faintest of sounds. Suddenly it stiffened, its ears turning towards the west.

                  The mother listened, yet nothing met her ears. There was a sudden yelp, then the wolf vanished. A faint rustling of leaves disappearing into the distance the only indication it had ever been there.

                  “Mama,” a soft voice whispered below the woman’s arm. Her eyes turned from their transfixed stare to her child’s pale, dirt streaked face.

                  “What troubles you child?”

                  “Where is Papa? And where is Poldrae? When will they come back for us?” The mother’s face stiffened, the tears she’d been forcing herself not to cry threatening to fall.

                  “I - I don’t know right now. But surely they will be back soon, Papa promised you, remember?”

                  “Are they going to be well?”

                  “I hope so, child,” the little girl nodded in response. Her mother’s fake smile faded as her eyes turned back to the sky, a single tear rolling down her cheek as thoughts turned to the two men she loved. Only this time, I fear papa made a promise he will never get to keep.

***

Fire raged around him, threatening to scorch him as it had done countless others.  His feet kept moving, arm kept swinging, the sword heavy in his hand, the tip dripping red. Blood curdling screams rang out from every side, some his fellow men, some his enemies.

                  But his feet kept running, his mind set on the one thing that mattered right now. A deafening roar from behind filled the sky above him, a brief look of hope crossing his face. A wave of heat rushed over him, the smell of fresh flames engulfing him. His feet moved faster, faster, his eyes searching.

                  Flashes of bloody bodies sprang out along his left, but suddenly fell as his sword flew out almost with its own mind. His eyes turned momentarily to the flashing silver beside him, his father’s face hidden behind the heavy helmet. Their eyes suddenly met, the determined look in his father’s eyes pushing him onwards.

                  Then he heard it, the grinding clunk. His feet slowed to a walk, his eyes lifting to face the noise. Wood shaft grated against wood shaft as the giant machine locked into position, the ropes taught, the giant spoon-like shaft filled with a black, burning substance.

                  His body lurched forwards with the sharp whistle, the air rushing above his head filled with smoke. He turned around, the sky before him lighting up, the deafening roar not far behind.

And then it happened, the stifled thud, the ear splitting shriek, the sickly cheers behind him, the splintering wood, his feet slowing down as the red blur before his eyes hurtled closer. The force of the dragon’s crash pulsed through the ground, sending bodies flying into the dirt.

                  Suddenly he heard his father’s warning cry, felt his body roll out of the way. Then he heard the slow whistle, the crunching thud, the ripping flesh, the dying scream. Felt his heart stop as his eyes landed on the shattered body of his father, lying beneath and around the dragon’s lifeless tail. He screamed.

Poldrae shot up with a start, beads of sweat trickling down his face, pulse racing as his own screams resounded over and over in his mind. His eyes flicked around himself frantically, desperate to see beyond the pressing blackness.

                  Two glowing orbs suddenly appeared out of the darkness, growing steadily larger as they drew closer. Gushes of warm, smoky air blew across his trembling face. Pushing himself backwards, Poldrae’s hand felt about desperately for the hilt of his sword, only to hit cold stone. His back hit against something hard with a thud. Gulping, he realized he was cornered.

                  The orbs became eyes, a glowing blue laced with flecks of sapphire. The smell of smoke grew stronger, a pale orange light flashing like a pulse below the eyes. Just as Poldrae began to make out the outline of the eyes’ head, they stopped. The sound of flesh hitting cold stone thudded softly around them, the eyes staring intently into Poldrae’s. His mind clearing, he stared back.

                  “You, you are a dragon, aren’t you?” He spoke, trembling. The dragon remained silent, its steady breathing and Poldrae’s jagged gulps of air the only sound. “What do you want?”

                  A glittering white, glowing almost like moons-light, appeared halfway between the dragon’s eyes and where Poldrae imagined the ground to be. It drew closer, illuminating the dragon’s paw. Poldrae eyed it nervously as it came closer and closer to his face.

                  The dragon’s paw suddenly jerked, slicing at his cheek. A gasp of pain escaped his lips. Blood trickling from the wound, Poldrae’s moons-light eyes suddenly flashed sapphire.