Fire & Stone_The War for Life

  Fire & Stone

  The War for Life

  Luis Robles

  Copyright © 2015 by Luis Robles

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email info@skygatetale.com

  Contents

  1. Darkness Falls

  2. The Seed of Power

  3. The Town of Thall

  4. The Forest

  5. Village of Solsadoce

  6. The Great Wall of Stone

  7. Tears in the Rain

  8. A Stone Kingdom

  9. Growing Strong

  10. Falling

  11. The Will to Help

  12. Iron vs Stone

  13. A Lost Dragon

  14. Behind Strong Walls

  15. The Onslaught

  16. The Gates of Oblivion

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Sky Gate Tale Links

  1

  Darkness Falls

  The world had become a very disenchanting place. The Gates had opened once more. Whether by accident or destiny, they had let out a terrible evil—an evil so vast that it blanketed the whole world. Darkness was ever present, ever so powerful.

  As the last Watcher of the realm of magic and men fell, and the seven originators of magic were reduced in power, the world had lost its hope.

  A new era of shadow was about to begin, an era that few would survive.

  In one last attempt to bring back the world to its former beauty, the seven originators of magic found a small flickering light amongst all the chaos.

  A dragon’s heart so pure, so rare, beating slowly and dying.

  But time was running out.

  2

  The Seed of Power

  Breathing each time slower than the last, the once mighty dragon lay there, dying. Lifeless bodies, broken pieces of armor, rivers of blood, and endless hurt surrounded him, outlining his silhouette. The Dakhali earth dragon clan was now gone, his clan erased by another. Powerful as the Dakhali were, they were but mice standing up to the shadows of the Gates.

  Having lost his will to live, the dragon lay motionless, ready to face his faith.

  “The world becomes a quiet place just before you die. There is no more shouting, no more pain, only memories of your life and who you once were. I’m glad that I only get to remember the good part. I’m going to miss them. I’m going to miss the clan, my family. I’m going to miss the whole being alive thing. I’m sorry that I failed you. I promised that I would see you again,” the dragon thought as his consciousness escaped him.

  “You are not done yet. No, not yet,” a distant voice was heard. “You deserve to live.”

  * * *

  The dragon awoke with some of his resilience restored, though unable to move. This time, he was inside a cave. No more bodies surrounding him, no more blood, but the pain remained. It didn’t take long for the dragon to notice the beings that were standing before him. The cave was lit by violet-burning torches, and the beings in front of him commanded attention, although unintentional.

  “Who are you, and why am I not dead? What level of cruelty is this?” the dragon managed.

  Slowly, the beings that stood before him came into focus. To his surprise, they looked human. He counted seven of them, and each with one thing in common: they were beautiful.

  “Is this a dream? No, no it can’t be! I died; I am sure of it,” the dragon thought as he rubbed his temple. “But if this is a dream, why does it hurt so damn much?”

  “I’m afraid this is not a dream, young dragon, and forgive us for causing you so much pain. This is only temporary, and the hurt will soon go away.”

  As she spoke in his head, the dragon recognized who she was in an instant but did not know from when or where; it was only a faint memory. Afraid of it all, he tried to get up, only to fall back on his knees.

  “Do not be afraid, young Dragon. I am Bliss, the seventh born under the magic moon, and we are the originators of magic,” Bliss said as she stepped forward. She was the most beautiful, the one that demanded the most attention.

  “The what?” the dragon managed.

  Another one of them stepped towards the dragon. “All that is magic in this world exist through us. We are what connect this world to the magical one, a gate of light in other words. We have brought this world many blessings, and taught mages the rules of magic; thus, we are the originators of magic. I am Harmony.” His voice was relaxing to the dragon’s ears.

  “You are here because we need you to save this world,” Bliss continued.

  “Need me for what? I don’t…I can’t understand. All of this is way, way beyond me. I think you might have gotten the wrong dragon,” the dragon said, with less pain as he spoke. “Well...I will be leaving soon...I think I can walk now. Nice meeting you.”

  Another one stepped forward and said, “A great part of our magic was taken away from us as we tried to seal away the shadows that plagued this world. I, my dear Dragon, am Melody.”

  The dragon kept still and began to pay more attention. Memories of his fallen clan began to replay in his head. They wanted nothing more but to live peacefully, and even that was taken from them by the ones touched by the shadows.

  “We came to you because there is much fight left in your heart, Dragon. Your heart is pure and wants nothing else but to rid this world of those vile things. I am Mystic,” Mystic said as he took a step forward.

  “You are the last of your kind, and our only hope—the world’s only hope. I am Joy,” she said, stepping forward.

  Nothing made sense to the dragon; it all seemed to be out of his league. “If it wasn’t for your intervention, I would have already been dead by now. But if you, the originators of magic, have tried and failed, what chances do I have? I am just a dragon.”

  “Are you sure about that? Or is that just the way things seem to be? What if I told that you are stronger than you know? And that the power you know is but a fraction of your true potential. Would that change your mind? I, my dear dragon, am Hum,” he said as he, too, stepped forward.

  “We have prepared a seed. But not just any seed, no. This is a seed that will unlock your inner magical gate, a seed that will never stop growing—a seed of power. We’ll plant this seed firmly in your being, and as each day passes by, you will get stronger. I am Serenity,” she said as she got close to join the others.

  “It’s all too much for me to understand. Inner gates, seed of power…” the dragon said as he rubbed his head.

  “Do you accept our gift to you, Dragon? Will you help us?” Bliss asked in her perfect voice.

  “We all have to die sometime, right? Eh, what the heck! If there is any way I can rid this world of those things, then plant the seed,” the dragon said, extending his hand, taking a long breath, and closing his eyes.

  Then, all seven magical beings uttered at the same time in the faintest of voices, “So be it.”

  The cave flooded in magic with the power of a tsunami, shaking everything, breaking the walls, but not harming the dragon at all. He had never seen such power in this form, powerful enough to actually have a form. It was heavy, hitting his chest as if it had solid mass. The wind was knocked from his lungs, and the young dragon stumbled back a step, gasping. As he breathed in, the air was cold and sharp, like a winter morning. A terrible chill ran down his entire spine and his eyes tightly closed, groaning in response to the sudden
magical onslaught.

  “In the past, seven gave their lives to protect this world. In the past, seven watched over this world. Now, you will rise as the last Watcher,” they sang softly.

  What had been cold before started to burn. Every inch of his skin felt as if it was being licked by flames. A loud groan of protest was heard as he shook from the pain. His arms and legs strained, as if they were being pulled away from his body, and a heavy pressure seemed to push down against his form. As the magic enveloped his body, the young dragon’s form began to change. Once small, he grew twice in size, nearly hitting the top of the cave. His limbs grew thick with muscles, his scales taking on a hardiness not unlike the rocks around him. Just as the strangers had whispered, they gave him power—a great, pure power that filled his body with confidence and strength. His humanoid form prevailed.

  As the spell finally came to an end, the young dragon, far different than his previous self, stared down at the figures. They seemed so small now when he stood tall high above them.

  “Tell me what I must do.” As he spoke, a deep rolling voice was heard, echoing through the cave. Yet, the figures before him seemed indifferent towards the change, not bothered by his loud voice.

  Harmony stepped forward this time, smiling up at the large creature. “The world as we know it is being ruled by creatures from another world that do not belong here. They come from a long forgotten place; they come from a long forgotten time. They are servants of the other half of magic, servants of the dark. They made their way into this world through the Gates. They crave only destruction, war. They want to break this world and send it back into darkness. You must bring an end to their reign. Have no mercy for them, for they had no mercy to those they cut down. It is because of them that your clan, your family, was lost long before their time.”

  His words cut deeply, but the young dragon slowly nodded, keeping his emotional state in mind. With the rush of adrenaline that had come from the magic, there was also the gentle warmth of Bliss’ touch as well, helping to ease his anxiety. Despite the circumstance, he felt calm, even powerful.

  “We have a map in which you can find these five evil creatures of the Gates. Follow the order; we were cautious to keep in mind who would propose the most trouble for you. Be mindful, for the final on your map is unknown to us. Try as we might, we have been unable to learn much of this creature and cannot prepare you. But fear not. You are strong and you are pure. The seed of power lies within your heart; it shall lead you to victory.”

  As the words trailed off, the dragon looked down towards his arm, seeing the now visible compass with five marks.

  “So these are them, right?” the dragon spoke with the faintest hint of a smile.

  As he looked back towards the group, Joy spoke now, carrying a serious tone to her words, “Go now, Dragon, and let the world know that it still has a fighting chance. You are now a Watcher of the realm.”

  Giving a single nod, the large dragon turned away from the seven figures, heading towards the opening of the cave, though hesitated when he heard a voice. Bliss. Keeping his back to her, he listened carefully to her words.

  “Just remember, my dear Dragon. We have granted you this grand power as a gift; however, it can easily be taken away should your pure heart become tainted by this dark world. We shall always be watching...”

  A warning, one that was understood. Without turning back, the dragon walked out from the cave and the moment he was distant enough from the opening, broke out into a sprint.

  He had been given a second chance in life, the ability to avenge his clan and the dying world. He wasn’t going to waste any of the precious time that this world still had.

  3

  The Town of Thall

  It was true, what the creators of magic had promised the dragon; it was all true. Each day that he traveled, he grew stronger and more accustomed to his body. His speed increased by the day, though leaving quite the trail behind him. Still unsure to his large size, each powerful step he took left a deep impression on the earth below, causing the ground to tremble. His presence was widely known by all living creatures as he approached, giving them time to duck away back into their refuges, still unaware if this large beast was friend or foe. Though his appearance was strikingly different than the dragons of the sky, his size was enough to make anyone cower.

  These little details were still vivid in his memories, his only company as he traveled towards the first mark on his compass. The mark grew closer with each movement and in the distance, there was the outline of a town, one he knew to be Thall. A soft smile lingered for a moment at the familiar sight, a comfort from the past during this strange, dark time.

  As the dragon drew closer to the city, a soft voice was heard, “Dragon.” The tone, light as the air that brushed against his scales, caused him to look around curiously. “Dragon, can you hear me?” As he continued to travel, the voice carried with him. He sensed no danger. Clearly, the source was not from a creature that he passed but someone that was calling out to him—in his mind.

  “Who are you?” he called out cautiously, never taking his eyes off the growing city. The voice called out again, one that was almost familiar, but the dragon had trouble placing exactly where he had heard the musical tone.

  “So little time has passed and yet you have already forgotten my voice? You should be sharper than that by now. I’m beginning to think that we might have made a mistake.” As realization started to wash over, the voice continued and he stayed quiet, allowing her to finish her words. “It’s me Bliss.”

  Yes, he recalled the woman so beautiful, with a touch that brought him instant comfort. Despite this, he couldn’t help but feel rather apprehensive. It was true, he had only left them a short time ago, so why was she here now?

  “No, I haven’t forgotten.” There was a slight smile that followed his words, comforted by the thought of the woman speaking to him, looking over him. The dragon had assumed the statement that they would be watching over him to be a threat, not an actual promise.

  “Dragon, I will help you on your journey until you bring peace to this world, or my last bit of magic is depleted. I will assist you in any way that I can.”

  As the words continued, her form started to materialize, a small weight against his shoulder as she took a seat. Sparing her a small look, he noted once again how small the magical woman was compared to his new size. She was barely the size of his head, her weight doing nothing to obstruct his current movement or speed. Returning the smile towards the dragon, Bliss slowly put her hands together, creating a dark blue, thick cloak to appear around the dragon’s large form. It only lasted a moment before the cloak was ripped off by the rapid wind that the dragon was charging against. With a light chuckle, Bliss created another before creating one for herself. “Cover.” The word caused the dragon to glance at her as a beautiful violet silken cloak appeared.

  Now, able to see her better, the dragon realized that the woman looked different than before. Her appearance had been slightly altered. Her wispy, violet hair was now quite short, her form far more human. Mainly, she lacked the vivid aura around her body; not having it made her human. It was something he was rather thankful for; after all, having a beacon or a target on his shoulder would not help his approach. As they drew closer, Bliss spoke once more, her voice still bringing him comfort even now.

  “Dragon, I must warn you. As we said before, and we cannot stress it enough, the evil we are about to face is not of this world. That being said, we have no way of telling how you will fair if injured by this beast. While I have complete faith in your ability, please tread with caution. Do not allow this blessing to give you a large head and your own arrogance to be your downfall. We won’t be able to create another you if something were to happen.”

  Listening carefully to her words, the dragon nodded, showing that he understood what she was saying. “I will defeat this creature, and it won’t be the last thing I do. I made a promise; I will cleanse this world and get rid of
the Gates,” he spoke boldly, doing his best not to sound as arrogant as the words felt, speaking more with a calm certainty.

  “Good.” Bliss smiled at his tone, yet seemed to keep her attention locked to the city they were approaching. “I shall keep watch of this creature and warn you if there is a ripple of magic. I can also assist you with finding their exact locations. I want to aid you as much as I can, Dragon.” Her words brought a much needed comfort.

  Although his body would not let him admit it, he was scared and nervous. He did not want to fail. The stakes were high: it was the Gates or the world. Only one will emerge victorious.

  The entrance of Thall drew closer, revealing a more detailed view. Slowing his speed, he felt Bliss shift, and magical pressure began to surround them.

  “I want you to look ahead and try to feel what you can’t. The creature is in there. Can you feel that, Dragon, this immense aura surrounding us?”

  “I can feel it. There is two—one shielding us, coming from you, and the other is full of darkness. It is as if all hope is lost; it feels like… sadness. So much sadness…”

  “Yes, Dragon, our magic is protecting you from the despair that has gripped these poor people. That is the name this creature has gifted upon itself as well.” Naming itself after the misery it caused—an arrogance that the dragon felt unbecoming of anyone, even those he saw as monsters. It was this type of self-gloating that would be the creature’s undoing.

  Approaching the large entrance, the dragon cautiously stepped inside, speaking in a whisper, “What shall we do now?” There was a bit of worry in his voice, but Bliss simply smiled to him, attempting to reassure the young dragon from his worries. It didn’t seem to matter how he worried or fret; Bliss was a calm entity, unmoving.