storm dragon

Only smoldering piles of rubble remaind where Toterdam once stood.

First draft of the beginning of an older story I found while cleaning out my garage.

Toterdam lay in ruins. The outer walls had crumbled in some places while others had black scorch marks nearly ten feet wide. Every house was nothing more than a smoldering heap now. only the stone walls of the local lord's mansion were still standing. The once busy streets were covered in ash and strewn with black craters large enough for a cart to fall in. Oddly enough, no sign of the town's former inhabitants had been found yet.

"Definitely the work of a dragon M'lord," Captain Shomac reported to King Ormek. "Everything that could burn has been reduced to ash."



Ormek nodded solemnly, "The evidence definitely points to a dragon attack. I only wonder what could have provoked such devastation. Thank you for the report, Captain. Alert me at once if anything is found." Shomac nodded before jogging back to his men. Lord Omek remained in the rubble of the town square, racking his brain over possible causes for such destruction. He stared into the uneasy cloud filled sky but found no answers there. He has no closer to an answer several minutes later wen Shomac came racing down a street dodging potholes, "M'lord! Come quickly! The men have found something you need to see." Omek raced down the rutted road to his captain. Shomac never gets excited unless it's something major.

He soon found out just how dire the situation was. In a large clearing that had once been a market layed a green dragon. Crimson blood pooled from huge gashes on it's neck and back. Its once powerful wings that had carried it at breath taking speeds were now bent and torn. Patches of its green scales were blackened from the intense heat of dragon fire. Not a single man had dared to come near the beast save the king. Slowly it turned its head to face him.

Pain and determination filled its great emerald eyes. "Come closer, Ormek. I mean you no harm," She stated in a weak voice barely above a whisper.

The lord showed no sign of fear as he stepped to the dragon's side, "I didn't think you were still in this land, Lohrana. What happened here? Who had the audacity to do this to you?"

"Both answers are the same, Rongar." Pure hatred dripped from her forked tongue from that name. Every soldier gasped save for the king.

"I suspected as much. Only he is capable of such destruction. But why attack here? Why you?"

Lohrana scoffed, "Rongar could have cared less about this town. Even I was merely an after thought."

Ormek's eyes widened with realization, "Aerix!"

"The last male of a species you're trying to destroy does sound like an apealing target, doesn't it?"

He jerked back in surprise, "Aerix is the last?! Has Rongar really killed everyone else?"

"Yes. My son is the last male of my kind. We were preparing for a trek to the capitol of Yosa when we were attacked. The last female is there hidden among the yosan royalty. Forgive me for I have a tremendous favor to ask of you."

"Name it and it shall be done. I have not forgotten my debt to you."

"Watch over Aerix. He may be a man by human standards, but he is only a child in my race. I made arrangements with the Yosan king years ago in hopes that this day would never come. Send Aerix to Yosa on a trade mission for green silver. The king will know what to do there. Can you do that for me?"

"You have my word. Is there anything else I should know?"

Yes, he fully believes himself to be a green eyed Yosan, so use that to your advantage. Just do not allow him to get overly excited. He has absolutely no control of himself in his true form. Go now. Take my son from the building behind me. Leave me... here to... diiieeee." Her strength gave out, and she was dead before her head hit the cobblestone.

An opressive silence fell over the clearing as it began to rain. No one dared to make a sound as they all bowed. Tears silently rolled down Ormek's face as he trudged towards the only house left standing.

You helped me build my kingdom, Lohrana. You alone brought hope and peace to my people. I have not forgotten the debt that can never be repaid. I will care for your son as though he were my own. Your race will roar accross the skies once more or I shall die trying. Rongar WILL pay for what he has done. I swear it...