Hinleyah's Conquest

Prologue

" Hello?" Michiko's voice softly echoed as it traveled through the forest she lay in. A cool breeze swept through her hair, and rays of sunlight made the morning dew glisten. Where was this place? She questioned her surroundings in her head, for this place looked like no other she had ever seen on the plains of Ramentia.

She was surrounded by tall trees, that part was normal. What was not normal, was that they were wisteria trees. Beautiful in their purple and blue hues and dusty colored bark, but confusing all the same. Wisteria trees did not grow in groups on Ramentia, and yet here she lay, in a grove of these powerful trees.

" Hello?" she said again, for she felt she was being watched. The wind passed through the wisteria blossoms, causing some to glide down to the forest floor. The presence she felt did not go away, and the movement behind her did not go unnoticed. It was a powerful presence, one that would set fear into any magic user. " I know you're there, and you know I'm here, so why the secrecy?"

In response, large trees crashed to the ground and blossoms of wisteria flew past Michiko's face as she turned to face her foe. But what she was met with, was stunning, beautiful, and terrifying all at the same time. A great golden dragon stood before her.

She was serpentine in body structure, and stood taller than a cathedral. The dragon's massive wings curled over the landscape, and their royal purple colors glittered in the sunlight. The scales of her underbelly flickered like fire and captivated any eyes that looked upon her. Silvery gray horns curved around her tufted ears. Decorative jewelry dangled from the horns atop her forehead that stretched past the base of her neck. Rigid orange back plates adorned her body from her mussel to just before her tail.

Her entire appearance was graceful and demanding. The jewels, the two sets of horns, the brilliant purple tail fin that looked as soft as fur; it was all alluring. But her eyes were what Michiko was drawn to first. Her jade green eyes were not all that captivating. But it was the pain, the sorrow, grief, and anger embedded in those jade green eyes that made Michiko lower her guard.

" What great pain have you known? Who are you?" Michiko approached cautiously, and the ancient dragon leaned down to eye level with Michiko. " Did you seek me out? Why am I here? Where is here?" Michiko questioned, and she reached for the golden maiden's snout.

The graceful beast let Michiko touch her smooth gold scales. Her scales were cool but Michiko could feel the barely visible scars that lined the dragon's nose. " Tell me, please. Why am I here?" Michiko asked again, and was given a strange and frightening answer. She was given visions of war, blood shed, death, and murder. " Save them. Save them. Please, save them. They no longer hear me." The words pounded in Michiko's ears, they shouted and pleaded with her to save those who had yet to be lost.

Michiko did not know where she was, why she was here, or what this dragon truly wanted from her. What she did know was that a strange feeling of dread flooded her mind, and she feared she was far from the land she once knew.