Last stand.

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The last stand(prologue)

Richard clutched his rapier tightly in his left hand. His face creased in concern and worry at what was unfolding in-front of his eyes. A lightening bolt shone brightly agains’t the dark contrast of coal black clouds gathering over the small outcropping, thunder rumbled ominously over the plains to his ears. A portal flickered into existence not ten feet away from him, glowing faintly with an unknown deep purple light. Richard gasped suddenly taking a step back from the swirling mass, as a pair of light blue demonic eyes stared up at him from the portal.

A sound issued out from the portal, like a cat’s purr but deeper and more fearsome seeming to gain volume as It carried through the area A brilliant white colored scaly arm protruded from the portal its clawed fingers spreading wide on the turf gaining balance. The rest of the creature followed, shuffling as quickly as its great size would permit through the gate-way between worlds. Richard looked the creature up and down noting the colossal and slender form, the creature was covered in stark white scales and had short stocky powerfully built legs, that looked like they could hold up a two story building with no trouble, the long neck snaked up to its full height staring down at Richard with It’s distinct light blue eyes. It was easily the most beautiful thing Richard has ever seen… and probably the most deadly as well.
“My name is Saura I’ve been sent from the past to aid the elven people in their time of need.” Richard flinched as the dragon touched his mind sending a cold prickly feeling down his spine, the voice sounded surprisingly feminine and gentle but had a strong tone of warning. He decided to stay on this beasts good side.
“I was sent by the council of ivy to welcome you to our time Saura, I am called Richard… “ His voice trailed off as Saura whirled around her massive tail soaring over Richard’s head crushing any stone ruin left in its path. The dragon stared intensely at the portal clearly disturbed. Hissing into his mind, “what is it?” Richard asked bewildered brushing dust off of his collar.

“They approach.”

CHAPTER ONE: A secret



Lightening lanced overheard, sending shockwaves of thunder rumbling ominously over the hills and plains. Richard looked up into the sky shielding his eyes with a hand. "The spirits seem angry, tonight." He mumbled under his steaming breath. Still thinking back to what all had happened since he had left the high council of elves. Richard's eye flicked to the side narrowing slightly, watching his companion, the ancient dragon Saura lumber down the muddied path beside him. But the one thing that was bothering him the most was that sense of fear Saura had shown, when she first appeared out of the portal. Why would a dragon be afraid of anything? Richard questioned himself, he had asked Saura of course but she had just dismissed his curiosity with a grunt and the flick of her massive tail, gesturing for him to stow his questions and begin their journey back to the Elvin capital city of Shazamoor.
The sun had not shone in days; it had been a constant downpour ever since they had started their journey back. The trees whistled in the breeze eerily screeching as if they were talking to each other in some long forgotten tongue, sending shivers up Richard’s spine. Tiny yellow eyes peeped out of the shadows in-between the trees watching the two as they trudged onward. He turned to Saura, “Why are you afraid?” The bulky dragon came to an abrupt halt, eyeing Richard fiercely with one beautiful blue eye that was easily larger then his head. A minute passed by, two, they stood staring into the other’s eye.

“Dragons... are not afraid of anything, nothing in the ancient world and nothing in this world. Could stand seconds in combat with a dragon, you would best remember that young elf.” Saura moved away from Richard uttering a low growl that seemed to make the air around her vibrate like a million angry bees.
Richard stood running his hand through his hair a moment longer thinking it all over in his mind; He watched Saura walk and studied her colossal footprints. They soon filled with rain water turning the dirt to mud. Richard looked down into the muddy water in thought.

A massive form flashed across the puddle, illuminated only by a chance bolt of lightening it flew through the sky followed closely by another figure very close to the same size as the first. Both flew overhead veering off to the east and out of sight. Richard blinked and took a step back in amazement. “Dragons!” He gasped out in wonder “that’s what Saura is afraid of! More dragons!”

Richard ran to catch up to Saura his mind raced with what he had discovered about her, and about what he had seen hovering over them only a few miles back. Richard tripped falling face first into one of Saura’s footprints with a muted THUD, He groaned in dismay picking his mud soaked body up and shaking himself off as best he could manage. Richard shovered as the mud started soaking into his clothes, causing cold spasms to run through his joints. He had been running for an hour now and Saura was nowhere in sight, “Where are you?!” Richard yelled into the night, his voice echoing back into his own ears.

“Damn dragon.” He finally pronounced plopping down on a fallen log he had found on his short excursion for shelter during the storm in the nearby woods, His clothes were now thoroughly caked with mud and felt stiff whenever he moved his limbs. Richard breathed out deeply rummaging in his pack for a cloak. Soon he conjured up a thick sharp looking cloak, it was red with a bright green trim along the edge work that curled into fearsome dragon heads in the corner and tiny green thorns around the sides. The cloak itself was made of a curious fabric that Richard had no knowledge of. It did not deteriorate over time and was surprisingly hard to rip. He himself had never accomplished the task, in his youth it had become a game to try and rip the cloak. Richard looked it up and down admiring the smooth fabric imaging how much sleep his sister Patra had lost trying to find this treasure. Patra was an avid merchant and she delighted in seeing all the new gifts and beautiful things brought into their city. But when the first news of the war reached Shazamoor, Patra was the first new recruit to sign up. She was always willing to help her people and now was camped at Shilodem to learn to become a mighty lancer of Shazamoor “may the good spirits be with you oh dear sister.” Richard whispered his eyes still fixated on the cloak