Here There Be Dragons

Chapter 2

I feel like this chapter is kind of choppy since I don't have the patience to write 1500+ words in one sitting (yes I actually made it a bit longer than my goal). A beta or someone to read through and make tweaks is definitely needed (please comment if interested!)

XxKat

Dragons lay perfectly spherical eggs in sizes that range from as small as a ping pong ball to as large as a grapefruit. While not true in all cases, the size of the egg often reflects how large the dragon will become. Small dragons are known for fast flying, using their speed to quickly land hits and get out of range of opponents. Larger dragons are known for taking down opponents using sheer force alone, trusting their scaly plate armor to protect them long enough to end the battle.

Once you have been given permission to bond with a dragon, whether hatched or unhatched, you should keep it close to you as possible to allow the soul bond to form. The closer the two of you are, the stronger your bond will be and the more you will be able to do together. As the day of it's hatching approaches, your dragon's egg will begin to move around more and more frequently. Less than twenty-four hours after the first cracks appear on the egg your dragon will hatch and training can commence.

-A Guide to Dragons

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The day started pretty normally for Andrea. Well, as normally as a day in a world at war ever starts. Just last week the Town Council decided it was too dangerous to send children to school. Security had become more important than education over the last few years, and many parents had stopped sending their children long before the decision was reached. Andrea was one of the fortunate ones, close enough to the end of her official education to not be harmed by the decision. Some of the younger children were not as lucky, only just able to spell their own name, let alone read or count.

She never thought she would miss attending school, but at least attending gave her something else to think about other than the passing of days and their impending doom. The news reports were getting consecutively worse and the repetitiveness of staying home was starting to get to her. Doing nothing made her feel like a sitting duck just waiting for an army to come and finish them off. Because of this, most days as soon as the rising sun signaled the end of curfew Andrea would be racing out the door. Her younger woodland friends were happy to be able to see her more often wanting nothing more than to play without knowing of the impending danger around them. The older and wiser mythicals however, were worried about her. Still, Andrea did her best to keep herself busy as often as possible. Even going so far as to volunteer to do her least favorite chores on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, winter was coming to a close, the mythicals needed less and less of her help as spring rolls in. Andrea was beginning to feel quite useless without something to keep her busy. This led to her hovering and mother henning all of the creatures in the forest. Even the Sprites, who craved attention at the best of times, were beginning to feel overwhelmed by her antics.

It wasn't that surprising when the Forest-Mother called for an audience with her. As the prime protector of the wood, it was the Forest-Mother's job to oversee all comings and goings. Therefore, Andrea had met the gorgeous woman many times as she began to hang around the woods and her people more often. Honestly, she was probably just going to tell Andrea to calm down and take a few days to herself in order to give the mythicals some space. Andrea was dreading the conversation before she even trudged into the clearing.

Finally making her way past the trees blocking her vision of the clearing, she froze in shock. Surrounded by animals in the middle of the clearing, this mythical must be the Forest-Mother but she was in no form Andrea had ever seen before. Instead of tan skin, auburn hair and a T-shirt with jean shorts all Andrea could see was green. Her hair, or at least what would constitute as hair if she was human, was the rich emerald green of healthy plant life. In fact, it seemed to be made up of some sort of plant. A hand, a few shades lighter than the hair, gently caressed a wandering faun before easing it back toward its mother. Foliage was draped against her body to preserve her modesty, although that was probably just for Andrea's benefit. It was a drastic change and more than a little surprising for poor Andrea.

"My dear child," the mother said noticing Andrea's quiet entrance. "I am sorry to surprise you like this but I'm afraid my true form will be necessary for today's proceedings."

"Is something wrong Mother? What's happening?" The inquiries are ignored, answered only with more vague wording.

"I had hoped we had more time, but it seems we do not my child. Your time has come, and I am powerless to stop it without endangering you later on in your journey."

"So you're going to kill me? Just like that? Huh... not exactly how I thought I was going to go out," Andrea let out a nervous laugh and began to back her way out of the open area.

"No my dear," Andrea let out a quick breath of relief. "The Council has been watching you and five others for many years now. We have seen how you've matured despite the terrible world you have grown up in and you six have been chosen out of billions. Though we've pushed it back for as long as we could, the world is going to need your help soon and you need to be prepared." She ushers Andrea and various creatures to the edges of the clearing and ignores all protests as she spreads her arms wide. For a moment it all goes quiet. Nothing happens, then, a soft glow incases the Mother until she is unbearable to look at and Andrea must cover her eyes for the fear of being blinded. A gentle rumbling begins in the ground, rapidly growing to a loud growl. The attack on Andrea's senses grows, a red-tinged light seeping between her fingers while her ears ring so badly she fears they'll begin to bleed. Suddenly, just as soon as the assault began, it ends leaving Andrea stunned on the ground.

Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, Andrea looks up surprised to see the Forest-Mother looking down at her with an extended hand. Grateful for the help, although admittedly wary of what in the world just happened, she pulls herself up wobbling just a bit to regain her balance.

Where there once was grass in the middle of the field, there is freshly unearthed soil. An old looking leather messenger bag, the kind with all the buckles and straps on the front, lies on top of the dirt. The Mother picks up the bag, tenderly brushing it off before handing it over.

"I have kept this safe in stasis for numerous years. Many a man has come searching for it in that time but none have possessed the proper traits at the proper time. We have finally managed to find six chosen and the time to act is now. I am bestowing a great responsibility on you Andrea. Take this and discover your destiny." With those last confusing words and a dizzying sensation, Andrea is deposited just a few feet from her house bag in hand.

Lucky for her, both of her parents' bikes are missing from the front so she won't have to try and sneak in past them. She lets herself in through the front door and heads upstairs to the first door on the left, her room. All in all, it's a pretty basic room just a bed and desk, war doesn't allow for excess. She makes room on her desk for whatever might be in the bag, old treasures put away in drawers to be found all over again later. She gets lost in past wonders and stories of the past.

Thirty minutes later she can't find any excuse to keep stalling, her hands smooth over well-worn leather on the way to the many buckles holding it closed. Whoever last owned this bag definitely used it for many years before the Forest Mother buried it deep. Taking the plunge she undoes the straps, opening up this well-loved bag for the first time in who knows how many years. Opening her eyes it barely registers that she closed them in anticipation for something horrible happening. At the top of the bag is the softest green wool Andrea's ever felt. She unravels it in awe to show a gorgeous winter cloak obviously meant for places much cooler than the one she's currently in. Gently, she sets it aside before reaching in for the next item. It's a huge emerald, slightly smaller than her fist and perfectly round. Unsure of what it is or what it's supposed to do she tucks it into the cloak so it can't roll away. The final item is a beautiful leather bound book the words "A Guide to Dragons" written on the front. All she can feel is shock, the Mothers words were finally beginning to make more sense. With nothing else left to do she cracks open the book and begins to read.