DRAGONBAND

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INTRODUCTION

In this world, anything is possible. Histories come and go, and soon they are forgotten by the mortals of this world. I am here to make sure it is not forgotten. My name is Dunarth Silverscreen, god of scribes and scholars, chronicler of history.

I'm here to tell you a bit about this world, how it began, and how it came into being.

Some would say that it started on the world of Leothenia, where we gods and goddesses first ruled. But soon the people grew prideful and arrogant, and believed they could live without the gods. Then they abandoned us all together and we left them in turn.

With us we took the two races that still spoke to the gods, the Elves and Dwarves. We brought them to a new world, a much bigger and more impressive world then Leothenia. This place had many different creatures, many more then Leothenia ever did. Soon new gods and goddesses appeared, taking their place at one side of the world to wait.

Savage forces arose to fight in their way, but the Elves and Dwarves out shone them all. Though, very soon they grew tired of the tedious and wanton creatures destroying their homes and killing their people for no other reason than to do so. They made massive ships that worked on magic, and sailed across the Sea of Fang. Some Elves and Dwarves remained in the continent that had been called Draston, and their races survive still, but they are few. After thirty millennia, humans also traveled across the Sea of Fang to join the Elves and the Dwarves.

Barbaric groups, in the absence of the Elves and Dwarves, became civilizations. They rose and fell, and sometimes re-rose.

Now, my fellow deity will explain what happened over in Sasuga.

****************

I, in turn, am Shalos Whiteeyes, contemporary of our fellow god Dunarth, who you have already met. I reside in what has been coined Sasuga, and I also write down the rivers of history so it won't be forgotten by the mortals of this world.

When the Elves and Dwarves came across the Sea of Fang and landed on Sasuga, they split, each taking to their own places. For over five thousand years they remained as such, learning and building their homes and capitals. What surprised me and my fellow deities the most was that the Elderborn Elves and the Dwarves actually kept in touch and helped each other through trade. It was astonishing and delightful to see.

But even they grew tiresome, and Tylinsa especially, wished for more races to fill our continent. Then came the Era of Sunderings, where each god or goddess took a handful of Elves (because they were the most populous) and changed them into wonderful new creations. Felansi, Shari, Des-vard, Tai Vaeri, Su-vard, and many, many others came into being. Each race was taken by their group to the middle of the Plains of Kyr and told to go in every direction. And so it was.

We deities were happy for another ten thousand years. Wars among the races came and went, but we made sure that no race was destroyed. We had made them ourselves. How could we stand by and let our very children be killed before our eyes? So things went for a span of time that was impressive to even the long-lived Du-vard. Though, some of the dragons present at the Elderborn's first coming were still alive. Maybe we should shorten their life spans or something such. Anyway.

Fifteen thousand years had passed and things were pretty interesting during those long years. Then something even more interesting happened. We received word, by Dunarth, that humans were now crossing the Sea of Fang. Humans? The deities asked in unison, and then looked at each other. A wide grin spread across everyone's face. Here was something new and exciting, and even Dasredas and Tylinsa grinned at each other. I was a bit shocked at how delighted everyone was. Normally you couldn't get Dasredas and Tylinsa in the same room without there being a catastrophe.
Anyway, the humans arrived quickly, and grew even more quickly. Every race that we had created knew that if they didn't do something to their lands, the fierce and quickly reproducing humans would overrun them. Thankfully, the humans weren't a stupid people, and within only a few hundred years, the kingdom of Salamir was born.

Of course, Tylinsa, being the little mischievous devil that she is, couldn't help changing the humans. Each human clan of Salamir had named themselves after an animal, usually, like a raven or a wolf. Well, Tylinsa changed all the clans to resemble their animal. I still don't know why. I think she just didn't want to be bored. Anyway, the clans were changed, with the House of the Centaur actually being a centaur. I wonder if Tylinsa thought that was funny.

Eventually the humans that didn't like Salamir went east, met the other races, and settled there. By this time, the dragons' curiosity had been piqued, and they didn't waste any time meddling and having their fun. More wars came and went as normal. All the deities were quite happy. I'm happy if they're happy, because if they aren't happy, they give me a hard time. Anyway.

In my opinion, Tylinsa has some talking to do to those Salairim humans. But to my astonishment, the Salairim took pride in their new features, and it must be said, it was much easier to see what House or Houses a person was from.

**************

The wind rose from the north, sweeping southeast over Silver, Cobracorpen, and Isatarist. The tree
branches in the Tantilinan forest lightly thrashed about leaves rustling. It would have been a beautiful day for Jonanth Landrek, had the sky not been depressingly overcast. He happened to be traveling in that forest that day, though Jonanth wasn't a traveler.

Actually, Jonanth was a Larethion elf blacksmith. Some would wonder why a Larethion Elf wasn't in Lareth. Well, Jonanth and his sister Jacky—they called her Jacky even though her name was Jacanesa—had left Lareth because of all the racial prejudice. They could get by in the world however.

Jon was a blacksmith, and though his body was naturally slender like that of an Elf, his shoulders, arms, and back were extremely muscular from his chosen profession. He wasn't very tall for an Elf though, maybe six foot, but one didn't notice because Jon was a domineering presence by nature. His long blond hair was braided in elegant Elven style, and his piercing blue eyes saw all.

Jon inspected the forest around him, his eyes shifting from left to right with his pointed ears listening for any sound. As he walked, his feet were as silent as those of a prowling cat. Suddenly there was a sound nearby from the road Jon had decided not to walk on. From the creaking of wood and clomping of a horse, Jon assumed that the approaching creature involved a cart. Maybe a few carts.

The Elf brightened. Maybe it was some traders. If it was, maybe one of them would be willing to part with some information.

As he peered through the brush he saw figures appear on horseback. Of what he could see, there were five riders spaced around two horse-drawn carts. The man that was in the lead was an older man with a salt-and-pepper goatee, and he looked like he knew how to use the sheathed sword at his hip. All in all, a typical human, except perhaps for the wicked scar that ran across his forehead.

Riding beside him was another human, but this one of the opposite sex. She was rather slender, but lean and tough looking. Her body was covered by leather breeches, a hunter green shirt, and a leather tooled vest, along with gloves and knee-high black boots. She carried a longbow slung over her shoulder and like the man she rode beside, wore a sword.
Guiding the wagon horses were several other humans, but that wasn't odd in and of itself. What was strange were the goblin and black robed Elven mage that rode towards the rear of the carts.

Jon frowned at the mage and goblin. Goblins weren’t usually evil, just very chaotic and prone to bursts of random emotion. But a black robed mage...

He turned to leave, but the human with the scar called out a greeting to him. That human must have very sharp eyes. Jon turned back around to face them. “Hail to you, fair travelers.” Jon said loudly so they could hear him.

The scarred man road his horse up, the woman archer following close behind. “Hail to you as well,
Elf. I am Toran Farsan, and this is Omara.” The man named Toran said.

“Jonanth Landrek,” Jon answered, glancing at the goblin and black robed mage. “Any news from up north?” Jon asked and Toran shook his head.

“Same old. That damn dragon is causing trouble and gathering up its armies. And—” Toren was cut short as the approach of beating wings sounded above them. The wind picked up and trees whipped around with such ferocity that it nearly appeared like they would be yanked from the ground. Then Jon saw the huge body burst from the clouds. Everybody stood there, mouth agape.

It seemed impossibly huge, with a body that stretched over a thousand feet and wings that were twice that length. It just flew past, not paying them any attention in the least.

“We should feel very luck that we’re still alive.” Toran said calmly.

Jon stared at him like he was crazy. How could the man be so calm? He felt like someone had punched him in the gut. They had just seen the Dracona-estani.

CHAPTER ONE – FLEE FROM ISATARIST

A black robed mage sat quietly at a table in an Isataristian tavern called The Black Dragon. Maddie uth Gathon sat in the darkest corner of the inn she could find, crossing her bare arms below her breasts. She kept her fine black cape unwrinkled as she sat, long chocolate brown locks falling softly over a large hood. The woman had her legs crossed, and black leather breeches hugged every curve.

She wasn’t there long before the bartender, a huge Krie minotaur, approached her.

The minotaur, named Kaaz, sported spiraled horns that were as long and thick as one of Maddie’s arms. He had chestnut fur and several scars all over his body, which was so muscular that one would think he moved mountains for a living instead of the humble profession of a barkeep. Kaaz wore thick leather breeches and an embroidered armband on his right arm, but no shirt.

“What may ye be wanting, lass?” He asked, his deep voice rumbling through the inn. She and Kaaz were old acquaintances; otherwise, Maddie would never have tolerated being called ‘lass’.

Maddie looked at Kaaz with eyes that were as green as polished emerald. “Enothion red, if you please.”

Kaaz nodded his head and walked back to the bar, crossing the distance in only a few massive strides. He agreed with the woman when it came to the Elves of Enoth. Those Elves may be a bunch of tree hugging druids, but they made some of the best wine in Draston. On that score, there was no doubt.

The minotaur soon returned with a glass of smooth white wine. “There you go, lass.” He said, then turned, and went back to the counter.

Maddie nodded her thanks.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” A voice asked from across the table.

Maddie jumped in her chair, jerked her head towards the direction of the voice, and stared in shock. There was an Elf sitting at her table and she had no idea how he got there. The woman quickly composed herself.

“Pardon me, but it’s rude to interrupt someone's solitude. But that’s beside the point. How did you get there without me noticing?” Maddie frowned, her voice as cold as the winter wind and her face showing shock that she rarely let others see. It seemed as if the Elf had appeared out of thin air. Maddie surely would have seen him slip into the booth.

The Elf had jet-black hair that fell lightly on his back, a twisting circlet of silver winding delicately
about his head. Steel gray eyes gazed at the woman, and Maddie sensed a deep wisdom hidden behind those eyes. Neither of those things really startled the woman much, but the strange magical aura surrounding him like a beckoning light did.

“That is so, milady. I do so apologize for frightening you.” The Elf said apologetically.

She nodded, her black cape rustling. “I assume that such an esteemed person such as yourself would not come to one such as I if it weren’t important. What is it that you want to tell me?”

Maybe he had teleported. That was possible considering the magic aura.

“The Dracona-estani is very powerful, too powerful.” The Gray Elf added, making reference to the Lord of Dragons that inhabited the North. Maddie felt a sense of dread. “Something must be done. He grows stronger each day, and the one thing that may help is an ancient artifact called the Estani-shardan. I'm sure you have heard of it.”

So the man is a Wilder, Maddie thought to herself. To think, he’s giving someone from the Order of Magi an order! She could have laughed out loud. She should drag him back to the Tower for this. The Order of Magi did not take kindly to Wilders of any kind. If they were caught, a Wilder had two options. Join the Order or get "burnt".

All Wilders have the Talent of casting spells without spellbooks. The Order can literally suck that Talent out of them, leaving the Wilder "burnt" of his or her Talent. A burnt Wilder can still learn to use spells and such, but they cannot cast without a spellbook or scroll. Maddie herself was a Wilder, but she had gone to the Black Tower and taken the tests.

Maddie opened her mouth, but the Elf raised his hand.

“Please listen, I beg." Said the elf. "The gods have chosen you and your companions to obtain the Estani-shardan and kill or banish the Dracona-estani from the materiel plane.” Since Maddie was too shocked to reply, the Elf continued. “Listen closely. You and your companions need to be out of Isatarist by noon. Danger approaches. I can feel it in the air.”
Maddie stared at the elf incredulously, not knowing whether to scoff in his face or actually give his words a bit of credit. Even if he was telling the truth, there was no way she was going to be able to get out of Isatarist within the next ten minutes.

“The Dracona-estani? The Dragon Lord?” She smiled coldly, emerald eyes flashing. “We may be good enough fighters when it comes to parties of orcs or maybe even a young dragon—maybe—but not even the gods can expect us to go up against a dragon that has a two thousand foot wingspan and a body over one thousand feet long!”
The elf nodded. This distressed Maddie a good deal. If the gods wanted the help of the Order of Magi, why would they send a Wilder Gray Elf to talk to her? Yes, she was a relatively high-level mage, but she was of no importance in the Order.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it." The Elf whispered in his soft voice. "First, all you must go north. About fifty miles from here is a small village named Ishar. A young Elf lives there with two human parents. He is part Gray Elf, part Creetos Elf. He needs to be protected and brought forth to the Hall of Elements. He knows the way to the Hall.”

“Maddie? Who are you talking to?” A familiar voice suddenly said beside her.

Maddie turned to see her friend Jacob standing next to her. He smiled, mischievous blue eyes sparkling with an inner fire. He was always attempting to impress the ladies, always, even when it made him look the fool.

Grinning from ear to ear, Jacob leaned down and tried to plant a kiss on her cheek. She swatted at him in an annoyed manner and glared daggers at him. His words brought to mind the Elf, and when she turned back to the table to answer Jacob's question, she stared in shock.

The Elf was gone. Vanished. Magic was no longer winding through the air as it had when the Elf had been there.

Teleportation, it must be.

While Maddie sat with a dumbfounded expression on her face, Jacob took a seat and yelled loudly to Kaaz to bring him some ale. The minotaur scowled but did what the cheeky human had asked. Jacob knew that Kaaz hated being ordered around. So he did it as often as he could.

“What’s up, my Maddie? Up to no good I suppose.” Jacob grinned, and then winked. Maddie was about to answer with a snide remark, when a shrill scream from outside interrupted her.

“What was that?” Maddie asked herself, her eyes narrowing in apprehension. She had a horrifying feeling that something was extremely wrong. Shouts and screams sounded outside the inn, accompanied occasionally by breaking pottery and the squeals of frightened animals.

Maddie hurriedly looked at the magical device around her wrist that would tell her what time it was. Her eyes widened.

It was noon.
Everyone in the inn stood up and went to the windows for a look.

“Someone shot eh lady!” One man cried out.

“Dragons!” Another shrieked.

Maddie reached over the table and hauled Jacob to his feet. “We have to get out of the city!” She told him, trying not to panic. Blast it, she should have listened to the Elf.

“What about the others?” Jacob asked, concern written across his features.

“I’ll get Kenna and Albert. You find Ben and Michel.” As an afterthought, Maddie said, “Meet us outside the city past the northern gate.” Then without waiting for him to reply, she fought though the crowd in front of the window so she could look. What she saw completely shocked her. Maddie felt her heart miss a beat, and she gulped, sweat dripping down her neck.

Isatarist was burning. Red and blue dragons circled the city, their great leathery wings casting dark shadows on the mayhem below. Occasionally, one of the dragons would swoop down, belching balls of flame that exploded upon impact, decimating everything within range of hurling stone and debris. People screamed and wailed, trampling anyone in their way. Rogues and thieves took the opportunity to do a good deal of robbery, and the city guards, most of them nearly frightened out of their minds, were having a time of it trying to stop the thieves and control the people at the same time.

Of course, that wasn’t the worst of it, Isataristians had seen dragons before. One man shouted, pointing upwards at a particularly large blue dragon. Several human-size creatures were jumping off the dragons, flapping wings that sprouted from their shoulders. The creatures were covered in black scales and hissed from heads that looked like crocodiles. They descended quickly, hissing and enjoying the carnage with a savage delight.

Almost as one, everyone in the city screamed. The black-scaled dragon men laughed, the sound a throaty hiss that promised death.

The hissing alerted Maddie that there was something she needed to do. Quickly, Maddie turned away from the window and raced up the stairs, scaling them by threes and fours. Her boots sounded loudly off the wooden floor, and the black cloak rustled around her body, flying outwards as Maddie whirled around the corner. The woman slammed the door to Kenna’s room right off its hinges with a violent kick, splinters flying in every direction.

When the dust had cleared, Maddie was confronted by two Elves, a female half-Elf, and a male Elf from Cobracorpen. The female, a young Silver Knight named Kenna, had her greatsword brandished in front of her, her large brown eyes narrowed in shock at having the door blasted apart. The
Cobracorpen Elf was also up with a sword in his hand. As Kenna noticed that it was her sister that had ruined a perfectly fine door, she rolled her eyes and glared at Maddie.

“Why did you…” Kenna began but Maddie swiftly interrupted her.

“Quiet yourself, sister.” Maddie growled icily, and both her sister and the other Elf blinked in surprise. Normally, Maddie wasn’t so offensive. “Dragons attack Isatarist.”
The male elf gaped. “What are you talking about?”

Maddie glared at him, and he silenced himself quickly. “Kenna, Albert, get yourselves to the north gate. The rest of us will be waiting. Time is of the essence.” Without another word, the woman disappeared into the hall.

*****

For a moment, Kenna and Albert looked at each other, and then they both went into a flurry of action. Kenna tugged a chain mail hauberk over her shoulders, the armor falling to about mid-thigh, and then Albert helped her buckle the heart-shaped breastplate of a Silver Knight over it. The woman strapped her greatsword across her back while Albert buckled his own greatsword on his belt. He wasn’t wearing shoes, so he pulled his boots on his feet and clasped his cloak around his shoulders.

Outfitted, Kenna and Albert stepped out of the room, dancing over the trampled door.

When Albert and Kenna hurried through the inn, the only creature still inside was Kaaz, who stood behind the counter with a huge battle axe. The smell of burnt flesh and wood drifted through the air and nearly made Albert gag. Kenna didn't breathe through her nose and roughly tugged Albert to go faster.

“Good luck out there.” Kaaz rumbled.

Albert gave him a simple nod as he and Kenna dashed out the door into the streets.

The streets were packed and people scurried about like frightened rodents. Everyone pushed and shoved each other out of the way in a mad frenzy to get to the city gates, and sometimes that resulted in a trampling. The din of terrified voices, breaking glass, and random explosions assaulted the senses from every direction.

Albert shook his head in dismay. They were going to have to fight their way through this? His mind raced. How could they kill dragons? They couldn’t. Isatarist had no siege weapons and all the guards were running for their lives.

Kenna pulled sharply on Albert's arm. "If we don't move we'll be tramp...." Her voice was cut off with a strangled gasp as a wave of Dragonfear came upon them. The people nearby that had been formerly screaming were cowering and whimpering in fear, tears pouring and eyes closed.

It took all of Albert's willpower to move, and when he did, he looked up into the sky to see a huge blue dragon sweep down out of a cloud. The dragon flew low over the city, and Albert could make out several dozen creatures on its back. As the dragon flew directly over Isatarist, the creatures leaped off, their horrid black wings carrying them safely to kill and pillage below. Kenna and Albert both paled at seeing Dragon-kin. The creatures' hissing reverberated through that portion of the city, shaking people out of the Dragonfear and making several screaming riots.

“We have to get to the palace Kenna!” He shouted over the din. She nodded as they set off toward the palace, pushing their way down the winding streets. If the palace grounds were holding, there was still hope to cleanse the city of Dragon-kin, before they could group up.
“Maddie won’t be happy about this. We're not bloody heroes, we should leave the palace to the paladin!” She shouted as they ran down an empty alley.

“I don’t really care if Maddie is angry! It feels right to lend our services. Besides we may be rewarded.” Albert answered.

Kenna nodded her head. “Don’t give me your excuses Albert, I follow where you go.” She said quietly, almost too quiet to be heard. He frowned at her as they made their way to the Queen's Palace. Women were confusing. Period.

As they came out of an alley, they saw the palace. It was beautiful, the pure white marble glinting in the sun. Tall towers, soaring into the sky to make the palace one of the highest buildings in Isatarist, looked like winding hands reaching into the heavens. As they neared the palace front, the pair saw the five huge columns that adorned the entry way. Albert wasn’t sure if the columns were for show or if the palace really needed them for support. Their way was obstructed by the hundred-foot-high wall that ran all the way around the palace grounds.

Albert could see the guardsman and archers on top of the wall peering out at the streets. The gates were opening, the Elf realized. Within seconds, a squad of paladins marched into view. Albert kept his face clear of emotion, even though he had never been able to stand a paladin's righteous and glory seeking ways.

“This looks like it’s under control Albert." Kenna said beside him. "This attack was obviously only to cause mass mayhem. Let’s get out of here before the city is completely besieged, because if we're still here by then, we're all screwed.” The woman half-Elf sent him a fierce glare. “Don’t even tell me you’re that stupid! Or I swear on my grandfather’s grave that I’ll punch you right in the face!”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Albert hissed. Then he composed himself and said softly, “Let’s go.”

************************************

Jacob and Ben busted into the back door of The Twinkling Star. Smoke wafted into their faces and made them pause, coughing for air. Women dressed in attire that some would say couldn't even be considered attire, danced on a stage in the center of the room. Most people in the place were watching them, laughing and hooting lewd jokes and flinging mugs of ale all across the tavern. Though, the ale nearly served to wash away everything that was in the filthy place, which was pretty sad.

It didn't surprise Jacob in the least that Michael had chosen such a place. If he was correct, then Michael would be at the front of the lot, watching the women and getting drunk.

He turned back to his companion and said, "Ben, stay out there and make sure nothing unsavory doesn't come back in. I'll be back in a minute."

Hefting a massive greataxe over his shoulder, Ben nodded. People who were hurriedly leaving the tavern skirted around the extremely tall and imposing man. Ben was from the Ice Plains and looked like he could break a tree with one swing of his greataxe. Usually, people gave him wide berth.

Jacob glanced around the room. People were emptying it quickly, which miffed the dancers a great deal, until they realized why everyone was leaving and joined them. Michael wasn't to be seen, so Jacob dashed for the stairs.

He stopped as Ben appeared in the doorway and shouted, "Mich is out ‘ere!”

“Oh, good. Then we’re out of here!” Jacob answered, running out of the tavern.

Jacob looked into the sky just in time to see a gigantic blue dragon hovering in the sky above them. Its huge golden eyes stared at them as it inhaled deeply, preparing to lash out at them with its lightning breath.
“Dragon!” Jacob screamed as he dove back into the tavern. Michael and Ben weren't far behind him.

The lightning bolt cracked into the ground, sending their ears ringing. A cloud of dust slammed into the room, so thick that they would barely see. It took a moment for the dust to settle, and as he waved smoke and dust away from himself, Jacob looked to see if his companions were alright.

Michael stood there, one hand on his head and the other holding a bottle of whiskey by the neck. He glared at the bottle and threw it across the room to hear a satisfying shatter of glass as it met the wall. The man mumbled something about how the bottle wasn't going to help his headache. As he looked, Jacob realized that blood matted Michael's black hair.

Well, he deserved it.

As the dust cleared, they all could see the gaping hole in the wall that used to be the door.

"I wanna get out of here." Jacob muttered to himself.

His companions both nodded in agreement.

He stepped through the gaping hole, and then the ground crumbled away beneath his feet. He screamed like a little girl as he, Ben, and Michael fell into darkness. They all met ground far below, in what felt like to be a small river. Jacob heard Michael cursing eloquently.

"Jake?" A voice asked. It sounded like Michael, though Jacob wasn't sure.

"Over here." Jacob replied, trying to stand up. That's when he realized how incredibly foul it smelled in this face. Blinking away tears because of the noxious fumes, he looked up and saw a massive hole high above him that looked to be about ten feet wide.

Michael and Ben sloshed carefully through the sewer and joined Jacob.

"There should be a walk over there." Jacob pointed beside the tunnel walls. "The sewer cleaners use it."

"Oh, dandy." Ben murmured.

"We gonna have to climb up one of those ladders?" Michael grimaced in distaste.

Jacob grinned, delighting in Michael's disgust. "No, I have a better idea."

As they followed the flow of the water through the tunnel it got darker and darker, until it was pitch black.

“Damn! It’s dark down here… I wish we had a torch or somthin’.” Michael complained. No one had time to answer him because he squealed as he suddenly dropped under.

“What the hell?” Jacob shouted.

Ben roared something as he dived in after Michael, disappearing into the slime. After a few moments, no one came back up. Grimacing, Jacob started slowly sliding his feet towards were they had both fell fallen in. With a yelp of surprise, he slipped headlong and fell into a hole...