The Heroes I-The Black Fire Lighthouse

Chapter I-A Lovely Night with Ominous Visitors

Looking over the peaceful village was always a pleasing sight. The Near Star had already sunk behind the large mountain, Mount Killimore. It sat at the far edge of the village, casting the first shadows of night over the people and the moon taking its place to emit a faint light for them to still get around. The village was set on three levels, each one dropping to a cliff and connected by sets of stairs. The first level is where the calm Lake Kio rested for the people to swim in and fish its depths with a few buildings to make up the Market place and the mayor's house. A set of stone steps led up to the second level of the village where the teacher, Mr. Killimore, lived and where the majority of the houses were to make it a little easier for the people of Kio to go to their classes to learn the ways of the land. The third level held the Healing Room and beyond that was Mount Killimore; this level of the village also held the beginning of a heavy stream that the mountain spat out and pounded its way through the middle of the village to fall to each level until it reached its way to Lake Kio. On the opposite side of the Lake, the village was met with a large forest that was quiet and peaceful about one hundred meters in and after that, no one dared to go any further.


Sitting on the second level of the village was a young man and woman looking down at the lake, hands locked together and no space left between them. The lake sparkled beautifully against the moon's shine and the gentle breeze blew through the village, bringing the smells of smoldering fires from the houses below. The lake was almost perfectly smooth, only the slightest ripples surfing across the surface in response to the breeze.


The woman shifted her eyes from the moon to the lake in amazement and said, "It's beautiful, Layle."


"Thought you might like it, Ivy," Layle replied, smiling down at his betrothed.


Ivy scooted a little closer to Layle and grabbed tightly hold of his waist as she looked down at the lake and saw the surface beginning to ripple. A large shadow was rising up from the depths of the lake and when it broke through, it sent droplets of water toward Ivy and Layle both of whom looking at the creature in horror at first, then in astonishment as the spectacular creature came into view, a low and gentle growl coming from its throat. A long serpent, like creature was floating into the sky at least fifty meters in length, the color of a rainbow, but the color ran through the creature as if it were made of liquid even though it was a solid animal. It was the Rainbow Fire Dragon that was legend to live in Mount Killimore, now in front of them. Four large, muscular legs that held claws as large as a human torso, a mane traveled down its neck and back, licking the air like flames. It turned back toward the lake and dove back down to its depths, barely leaving a ripple of its existence.


"Oh, wow, that was the Protector," Ivy said in amazing, starring at the place where the Rainbow Fire Dragon was just moments before.


"Err, yeah, yes it was," Layle choked. "Tonight is going to be a wonderful night." He smiled down at her and leaned over to lock their lips together.


Above them at least one hundred meters, standing next to an entrance to the Mount Killimore Coves were three men. They hid in the shadows peering over the peaceful village, watching everyone blow out their candles for the night. These men were dark and not the usual guests someone would see in Kio; their eyes followed the Protector back into the water, a low hiss coming from one of them.


"The boy is right," said a scratchy voice. "It is going to be a most wondrous night, especially when we grab our treasures."


The man turned on his heel and walked into the Coves, the other two following behind him, getting ready to cause the greatest disaster Kio has ever witnessed in its time as a loving, peaceful village. That peace was about to end.