MAGES OF SOUTHWICK: DRAGONS EGG

Chapter 1 p2

A cool evening breeze whips through Alreds long brown hair. The coo of owls and the scurry of the coons as they rush to get out of Alreds way. He pushes himself harder, he can feel his legs getting weaker. He’s been at this for half a day. The setting sun’s turning the once bright forest to grow darker. The trees start to move in the shadows. Each time a twig snaps, Alred can feel his heart jump. Beating against his chest.
Off in the distance he can hear the baroo of hounds looking for his scent. The babble of a stream break the mundane of his boots on the forest floor. He picks the pace up heading for the stream. A large branch snaps, the loud bang forcing Alred to jump behind a tree. He scans the forest as he grows darker, only the shadows to greet him. The birds have stopped sing and the beast have hidden themselves, only the babble of the stream remains.
He reaches the stream, the water clear, he can see the bottom, its deep than he hoped. Its to far to jump over and he doesn’t want to waste his crystals to make a bridge. A deep sigh escapes his lips, he looks down the stream to find a way to cross. He turns heading deep into the forest.
“Never again!” He mumbles. Shaking his head. “That has to be the last time. I’m never going to the Havrick Manor again.”
Something always seems to happen when Alred goes there. Although he has only been there twice, he doesn’t want to try his luck for a third time. Five years ago, the requested his hand in marriage, to Marthra Havrick.
She was a sweet soul, although he didn’t like her, she was nice to him. The life she had was a hard life, she was a big lady, and not fat. She was built like a troll and had the strength to go along with it. He brothers use to bully her until one day she could no longer take it. She snapped killing one of them, ripping him in half and throwing his body out of the tower.
Alreds grandfather, the master mage, Melvin happened to be there, and he took her away before they could kill her. No one has seen her since then, this family seems to be evil. Today marks the second time and final time.
The King sent Alred a quest, to check the crystal mine the Havricks run for the for the Kingdom. Each duke of the kingdom runs land for the Kingdom, most of them have a couple mines within their lands. they take their cut and give most of it to the Kingdom. The King sent Alred to check the mine and see why the numbers of the mine near the Havricks Manor. Unsure as to why the King sent him, Alred soon found out.
As he rode up to the manor and saw what he wishes he hadn’t. The ruts from the carts and holes from tent post. The burnt spots of the many campfires. Post left where dummies were attached. The whole thing screamed a war camp. Yet Alred still went inside. He should have turned and left right away. It also proves the Havricks have a spy in the capital.
The Taus sun sets, and the woods grew darker. Alred looks around and sees the shadows grow larger as Maus has about an hour left until it sets. He pushes himself harder to make more process before he rests for the night. The creatures of the day have disappeared, and the night dwellers are awaking. A faint whooshing noise breaks the quietness. Alred scans the purple sky, nothing to see, he keeps walking forward. The faster he walks the louder the flapping becomes. He can feel his heart beating against his chest.
“What in the world is flying this way?” Alred curses. He looks ahead and sees a large group of Thunk Oaks, the strongest trees in the Kings Woods. Breaking into a run he rushes for the tree. The flaps grow stronger, almost on top of him, steps away from the tree line. His worse is alive.
The trees he’s already past snap for the force of the winged creature landing. They snap, crashing town shaking the land. Alred jumps past the closest tree, his chest slams into its roots. The wind knocked out of him. He pauses let himself catch his breath, then rolls behind the tree.
He tucks his body as close to the tree as he can, the bark scratching the base of his neck, the only skin showing besides his hands and face. Stop freaking out! He screams inside his head. Alred presses back, trying to clear his head, he starts going over the list of creatures who could land this way. None of them making him feel any better. Although he’s a mage, there are still many things in this world able to kill him.
“I have to look. If I don’t know what is there, then I won’t be able to escape.” He slides his back against the rough bark, pieces of it snapping as he moves. Half of his head pasts the tree, he can see the large hole in the canopy, trees snapped right in half. His eyes follow the broken trees until…
His lungs stop working, even his heart seems to have stopped. His eyes glued to the beast on the forest floor. Frozen in place the creature turns its head until its golden eyes lock with his. It snorts, the warm air strong enough to push against him. His body jumps alive and hurries to hide behind the tree once again. His hands fumble with his staff, he ensures the fire crystal is still there, his fingers tighten around the staff, he pulls it closer to his chest.
“Child of human, why do you hide yourself?” The voice is smooth and commanding.  He can barely catch the feminine touch in her voice. “That tree will not be able to save you from me if I wish to destroy you.”
He stops gripping his staff with force and looks down at it. He stands as human who isn’t weak, although he doesn’t stand with the strongest in the world there are many creatures, he is stronger then. He turns and peeks around the tree again, the large shadow still hasn’t moved. He takes a deep breath, walking out from behind the tree.
Walking closer to the shadow, it still doesn’t move, as he gets closer the light from Maus shines down on to it. He’s stopped in his tracks. His eyes scanning the creature up and down, he gulps down the little spit left in his mouth.
“What does a dragon seek with me?” He manages to mumble the words out. His eyes still not leaving her. Dark blue scales cover her upper body while a pale blue run down her neck to her stomach. He looks closer at the scales, the way they bend with her body, linked together to protect them. His eyes move up following her neck until he reaches her head. The scales become smaller and harder looking, sitting above her shout, a pair of golden eyes look down at him. He looks past her eyes and see the group of horns sticking out the back of her head. The large two twisting like a corkscrew which has been stretched out over four feet. The rest making a crown around her head.
“I seek your assistance, a quest and if you prove your worth, I shall have a great reward for you.” She lowers her head until its directly in front of him. Her warm breath blows across his face, the heat warming him up while the smell of rotten flesh making him want to puke.
The mention of a quest and a reward for a dragon, Alred just stares at her unable to utter a single word. This is a chance in his lifetime he’s not sure he can pass over. He’s eyes lock on to hers, the deep golden eyes sucking him in.
“Follow the raising twins as the breach the sky. My lair sits in the abyss of Lagon Mountain.” She pauses, raising her head, looking back the way he had come. Deep howls break the quite eerier as the Maus gets ready to set for the night.
Alred looks past the dragon towards the howls. He could hear seven different werewolves at the same time. Seems a pack is just starting their hunt. He knows he needs to find a place to sleep tonight.
“Your own kind hunt for you. Make it to me to past your first test.” She lowers her head. Her mouth open, he can mange to make out the shadows her large teeth. “These in this are going to change over the course of time many will fail, while death awaits for all.”
Alred stares at her, the words she spoke sinking into his mind. He tries to pounder their meaning only for his brain to hurt.
He knows he’s not the smartest mage in the world, his grandfather always reminded him of that fact. He knows if he works hard, one he will accomplish the goals set before him, this was also a reminder from his grandfather.
The dragon stretched her wings out, the filled the open of the canopy. They flap down, the wind rushing through the leaves as they dance through the forest. They beat faster and faster as her body lifts from the ground. She looks down at the human before.
“I will be waiting for you, Alred Wooden.” Her wings moving to fast for him to see, a gust rips down to the ground as she bolts into the night sky.
His legs give out and he falls on to his butt, watching the mighty dragon disappear. His heart beating and blood rushing through his body. He falls back to the ground staring at the stars above. A smile stuck in his face, a dream of his is coming true. He was able to meet a dragon and lives to tell the tale.
‘Amazing!’