literature

Raven Story Pt. 1

Deviation Actions

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The village of Vandoren is quiet, the citizens are in their homes and the local roughians are in Moyer’s tavern, in their usual drunken stupors.  The road through town is completely empty, as rats and snakes scurry and slither across the open field behind the shops and other places business on the main road.  The field glows a golden brown that sings in the sunlight, of the days of old when it was luscious and green, giving it an ancient beauty.  A large blue lake is on the opposite side of the tavern completely surrounded by forest except for the small village.  The icy wind blowing from the north frosts the tips of the golden blades of grass, and the normal spring sun melts the frost away in a seemingly endless cycle.  The birds bring the village alive with their harmonious singing, as the snakes make feeble attempts at climbing the trees in hopes of getting an early lunch.  
Like clockwork, Moyer’s tavern doors fly open as the raggedy body of Marqus Deposee is thrown out at ten o’clock in the morning.  His thin and poor figure is hidden behind three layers of winter clothing, which Marqus never removes.  Marqus’ outer most cloak, which had been drenched in ale, is now full of mud from him coming in contact with the dirt road.  As he stands up his cheap swords, which look like they have not been cleaned since he bought them, clang together as they are held loosely between his belt and cloak.  Deposee shivers from the icy winds and begins to walk south on the main road, swerving about and talking to what seems to be an invisible companion.  He travels down the road and mounts his horse, which doesn’t seem to want to be mounted by its drunken owner.  Marqus looks up the road to see that the town is quiet and digs his heals into his horse’s hide making it lurch forward, creating a cloud of dirt which starts to travel south with the wind.
To the left of the tavern is the blacksmith’s shop, which is feeble looking compared to the amount of money he brings in through the local nobles who try and act as though they are legendary heroes.  The door opens in the back of the shop as a tall and muscular man with a shaved head, wearing old and sooty noble clothes, steps through the doorway.  He picks up his hammer and places it on the shelf, as it somehow continues to mysteriously end up in the corner by morning.  The tall man, obviously the blacksmith known as Alverious Jemson, lights the fire under a large stove device in the center of the shop.  Alverious pulls out a large sheet of platinum from his drawers and takes out a large jagged blade from its holster on his belt.  He eyes the sheet of the expensive and precious metal as he punctures the center of it with his jagged blade.  Jemson begins to pull the blade downwards cutting the sheet of platinum almost in perfect halves.  Placing one of the halves in the drawer, where he first got the full sheet, he walks back to the stove sheathing his blade.  He places the sheet on the stove and waits for several minutes, as the metal begins to glow red he takes out his tongs and begins to fold the sheet in halves only four times.  The blacksmith takes his hammer from the shelf and begins to pound at the folded metal shaping it as he pleases.  

As the sun reaches higher into the still lightening sky, one by one wives and children begin leaving or cleaning around their homes.  The main house on the corner is the largest and whitest in the village.  A child with short brown hair and pale looking, in worn traveling clothes, emerges from its massive doors and walks down the road past the tavern and to Alverious’ shop.  
“Hello Alverious,” the child said looking at Alverious curiously and excitedly at the same time.
“Oh, ‘ello young Ruckley,” Jemson replied in a deep, strong and rough voice.  “How migh’ you be doing on this beautiful mornin’?”
“I’m fine…” he paused for a second, “I was just wondering whether you started making that sword I begged you for.”
“Wha’ in the devil do you think I’m doin’ here this early?”  Jemson said, pointing at the metal on his stove, in a falsely agitated voice.
“You mean –“
“Yup, this is soon to be yours… in about a day or so.”  Alverious interrupted smiling.
This young man was known as James Ruckley, who was only eleven years old had the desire to travel and defend the helpless.  Whenever a citizen of Vandoren needed help ridding their homes of pests they would force him to do it; though there was not much force needed because once they said one word to him he was off to their house, ready to rid it of pests.  However, he was a mischievous child, whenever there wasn’t any trouble he would cause some.  Like the time, when he was seven, he set fire to his own tree house just to save the squirrels he himself had put up there moments before.  He managed to save them all, but two of them never were able to regrow the hair that was singed off their tails.  His mother was a half-elf, half-human and was a servant of the mayor (the one who owns the big white house on the corner).  His father had left eight months before his birth according to his mother, but the townsfolk don’t remember ever seeing her with a man.  
Ruckley’s mouth was open in enjoyment and anticipation; his eyes were focused on the metal being shaped by the blacksmith who was working at the same time as watching the child.  
Jemson finally broke the silence.  “Well now James, we can’t have you wanderin’ about and gettin’ in my way now can we?”
James looked up at him as if this was the first time he noticed him and nodded, then walked across the road to the lake.  He took out his small knife and began swiping at the fish near the lake’s edge.
The blacksmith watched him and shook his head while smiling.  “That kid is strange one,” he said to himself.
Behind the tavern the stables lay empty, as there have been no horsemen or real travelers in this village in ages.  Those nobles who do have horses use them to pull wagons and carts, so they are kept outside next to their homes.  The lake is calm as only two small fishing boats are tied up on shore, one of which is the mayor’s and the other James’.
Ruckley got bored of playing with the fish, and pocketed his knife; he walked over to his boat and jumped in.  Grabbing the rope he gave it a tug in such a way it unraveled itself from the stake in the dirt.  The boat moved slowly away from shore and James covered himself with a blanket he kept on it.  He fell asleep as the boat floated around within viewing distance of the shore.

Alverious watched Ruckley set off, and then continued to hammer away.  He continued this for an hour then went back to his drawer and pulled out a half a flat sheet of steel.  Leaving the platinum core of the sword on the stove, he took the steel to his anvil and with the hammer folded it in half.  With the tongs he removed the platinum core from the stove and placed it in the bucket of water to the stoves right.  He then, with his hands, placed the folded steel on the stove and began to pound away at it with his hammer.
A man soon emerged from his home (the big white house) and took a walk in the forest, as he usually does on beautiful mornings.  The mayor, a short happy man named Kenneth Zann, ran his little village with heart and knew everyone and everything in it upside down.  He was an intelligent man who was fair and firm in his decisions and law making.  
Zann walked throughout the forest and listened to the glorious melodies of the birds and in the distance the ringing of Alverious’ hammer, along with the sound of the lake waves splashing on the shore.  He usually did this to clear his mind and float his worries.  Kenneth stopped dead and looked as though he had just seen death, he was looking at a black cloth tied to a small dagger, which was stabbed into a tree.  The next thing he knew he was sweating perpusely with the look of pure horror on his face.  Zann quickly ran over to the dagger and pulled it out of the tree with such a force he almost fell onto his backside.  He then pocketed the dagger and the cloth, wiped his face with his handkerchief, turned around and walked back to the village.
As the mayor reentered the village he spotted mothers sitting on their porches and watching their children.  One by one each mother waved to him and asked him how he was feeling, after seeing close up how poor he looked.  Zann responded hurriedly “Yes, yes I am fine.  Just a bit tired is all,” and he continued to walk.  He found himself sweating again and clumsily wiped his face with his handkerchief.  Kenneth made it to his door and rushed up to his room where he passed out on his bed.

Martha Ruckley entered Zann’s bedroom and shocked to see him still there, cleaned the room around him.  Martha was James’ mother, a sweet looking woman with the heart to match and a deep love for kindness.  She was fairly taller than the mayor and had long flowing brown hair, which reached the small of her back.  As Martha cleaned she managed to move Kenneth to the center of his mattress, and she covered him up as though he were a child.  Ms. Ruckley left the room and continued in cleaning as she did everyday, only in the mornings because Zann always wanted her to be able to spend time with her son.  The work she did was easy and she made good money.  The inside of her small home looked almost as extravagant as the inside of the mayor’s house, but the outside was another story because she did not much care for the external appearance of it, nor did anyone else.

A man, dressed in worn and brown traveling clothes, emerged from the forest, looking to be in his twenties, and walked to Alverious’ shop.
“How goes it Alverious old pal?” the traveler said in a humorous and youthful voice.
“Oh, I didn’ see you comin’ there Draughm.”  Jemson said stopping his work, smiling and happy to see his friend, Draughm Bestirs.
“Long time no see my friend, how long has it been six months?”  Draughm said again.
“Jus’ about.  Where ‘ave you been?”
At hearing this question Bestirs looked a little fearful, then regaining his composure he said, “Oh, well…  Do you remember that message I got about my uh… family in West Stridehead?”
Jemson thought about what was said for a second and with the slight look of fear in his eyes said.  “Ah, yes.  Ok, I ‘member now.  I understan’, I won’t be botherin’ you ‘bout tha’, don’ you worry.”
“Thank you Alverious.”
Draughm and Alverious nodded to one another, and Bestirs departed to the tavern where he would most likely receive more questions; or he would be left in peace if the patrons were still hung over.
Jemson took the steel he was pounding and replaced it with the platinum core.  He waited ten minutes until it began to glow red, then he moved it to the side of the stove a little.  He took the steel and put it back onto the stove and placed the platinum on the steel to the right side.  Alverious then, with his hammer, folded the steel over on top of the platinum core.  As the two metals began to fuse together white sparks started to fly everywhere.  Jemson smiled and continued to hammer the three inch wide piece of conjoined metal flat.

Ruckley woke up in his boat and uncovered himself.  He rubbed his eyes, drank from his water skin and picked up the fishing pole he had mounted to the boat three days ago.  James removed the worms he kept in his pocket and placed one on the rusty hook.  He then cast off the line and mounted the pole again.  The water stayed silent for more than an hour and Ruckley had dosed off again.  Suddenly the calm surface broke as a loud and thunderous roar was heard and James’ boat began to lurch forward, fast.  His fish line was stretching from the stress of the speed and weight of the boat and the boy.  James woke up startled and grasped at the pole as the mount was beginning to break off.  He began to yell.  “Whoa!  Look at the size of this thing!”  But he had drifted too far from shore for any one to hear him.  
Realizing how fast he was going, Ruckley began to get fearful as he caught sight of a cliff directly ahead of him.  He pulled out his knife to cut the line but when the tiny boat went over a small wave it bounced and he hit his hand on the side of it dropping the knife into the water.  James continued to fall over as the speed increased and he struggled to get back up.  The nose of the boat began to take on water.  As the line, which oddly would not break, was creaking from the stress.  The boat seemed to be submerging into the water nose first and Ruckley in a panic tried to jump off, but got his foot caught on the mount.  James began to scream at the top of his lungs.  “HELP!  SOMEONE HELP ME!”  This attempt to get help went unnoticed, as he was even farther away than the last time he yelled for attention.  The boat was now completely submerged in the lake and he was now being dragged under.  James was being dragged down; his shoulders had already been submerged, and his head was now going under.
Moments later the water became calm again, the boat and James Ruckley had disappeared from its surface.  Only the child’s blanket remained floating on the lake.  The hammering was hardly audible from Alverious’ shop in the village.

The Mayor awoke with a start as Ms. Ruckley was trying to wake him up gently.  “Time to get up Mayor Zann.”  Her voices sounded as sweet as honey and very motherly.  She uncovered him and walked out of the room after seeing that he was awake.  Zann watched her leave and looked around the room remembering where he was.  His face changed from tired to petrified in a second as he remembered what he found.  He felt his pockets and fingered the dagger.  Kenneth ran from the house and headed for Moyer’s tavern and when he reached its doors he looked extremely tired, out of breath, and still petrified.
Zann walked through the door and spotting Draughm Bestirs in the corner fury swept across his face.  The mayor in a mad fit grabbed a glass of ale from the bar top next to the door and chugged it down.  He then walked in a straight line, bumping into the drunken patrons who were in his way, to Bestirs.
Draughm hearing the shouts from people getting shoved looked up just in time to dodge the large glass the mayor had thrown at him, which shattered on the wall.  
“HEY!!  What the hell was that for Zann?”  Bestirs said getting angry and now standing face to face with the mayor.
“What in the hell are you doing here in this bar when you know full well what could happen???”  Kenneth snapped back.
For almost half an hour mayor Zann and Draughm Bestirs stared at each other.  Then Draughm noticed the mayor fidgeting with the dagger.  His eyes became wide with fear as he began to think what this could mean.
“Is that…”  Bestirs paused, not wanting to say what he was thinking.  “Is that what I think it is?”  He finally got out gravely.
Zann nodded and mouthed yes.  He pulled the small dagger with the black cloth still tied onto the handle.  Draughm’s eyes got even wider, as he seemed to want to be anywhere but there at the moment.
“Does this mean what I think it means?”  He said sheepishly.
“I am afraid it does.  That Dark Legion is mobilizing.”  The mayor responded, his voice a bit shaky.

James woke up feeling fear come across him, as he was unable to see a thing because it was pitch black.  He felt around in the mud and his hands came across the end of his fishing pole.  On his hands and knees Ruckley began following the line still attached to the pole.  As James felt around he noticed the ground became dryer and dryer.  The boy moved forward and around many curves for what seemed to be hours.  His back was beginning to hurt and the mud had long since dried to him.  James’ eyes had still not adjusted to the darkness and he stayed close to the fishing line sure that he would fall off of whatever ground he was on.  Suddenly he realized his fishing line could not have possibly been this long.  “Two hundred feet maximum I think.”  He began thinking.  “But I have moved more than two hundred feet haven’t I?”  Ruckley started to panic when he squinted his eyes, as he turned left around another curve, light was directly in his face.
James sat on his legs for a minute to get used to the light.  He noticed it was not natural light however; it was what seemed to be light from torches.  As Ruckley looked around he noticed that he would not have fallen off of anything, but rather he would have bumped into a dirt wall that reached far above his head.  He stood up and walked into the lit area.  As he did so the light began to move forward following him.  James stopped dead not knowing what was happening.  He started to move again and stopped as the light followed him again.  Testing the lights he walked backwards to see if they would follow still.  They did.  Ruckley convinced that the light would follow him began to walk slowly down the tunnel.  The light still following him, he walked for what seemed to be another hour when he spotted a doorway of some sort.  It was arched at the top and very large.  He could have stood on top of three peoples shoulder and would still not reach the top of it.  James walked through the doorway and was dazed as he saw a mountain of gold, jewels, weapons, and other luxurious items before his eyes.  Following the mound to the top with his eyes, he noticed that the roof was itself about one hundred feet tall.  Ruckley walked around the base of the mountain then decided to sit against the wall and admire it, sure that it would disappear if he looked away he just stared.

The birds had stopped singing and the crickets have taken their place as chirps are heard throughout the village.  The moonlight shines off of the lakes calm surface and the blades of grass.  The hammering from Alverious has stopped since he cannot work in the freezing temperatures of nightfall.  Mayor Zann and Draughm Bestirs walk out of the tavern still talking to each other only under their breaths now so as not to tip off the townsfolk of their doings.  
Martha Ruckley was standing on the mayor’s porch looking out into the night as the two men came up and halted their whispers seeing her.
“What, in heavens name, are you still doing here Martha?  You should be home with your boy.”  Kenneth said an odd expression on his face.
“I would Kenneth but James hasn’t come home yet.  I am waiting for him here.”  She sounded relaxed and calm as she usually did.
“James isn’t home yet?”  Zann said looking perplexed.
“That’s right, but I won’t worry until I make supper and he doesn’t come.”  Martha cracked a smile and had just then noticed Draughm.  “Oh, Draughm.  It has been a while.  What have you been up to brother?”
“Hello sis.”  He said as he walked up to her and hugged her.  “I’ve just been investigating the Dark- OUCH!  Now what was that for Zann?”  He said grabbing his side and looking at the mayor, who had just jabbed him there with his elbow.
Zann had a look of slight anger on his face and was shaking his head, not taking his eyes off of Draughm.
“It’s alright, she knows.  I told her before I left.”  Bestirs said in a careless tone.
Kenneth looked at Martha, then back at Draughm questioningly then shrugged.  “Well there is nothing I can do about that now then.”
Martha looked down at the mayor and then back to her brother,  “What did you find?”
“Well they have multiplied about five times since twenty years ago.  They seem to be mobilizing as well.”  Draughm said a little stressed.
With this news Martha nodded and continued to look out into the sky.  “Well I’ll let the two of you to get back to business.”  She said without looking at them.
“Thank you Martha.”  Zann said exasperatedly.
Draughm walked up onto the porch and gave his sister another hug and continued into the house with Kenneth.

What seemed like hours had passed by since James first set sight on the mountain of treasure.  His eyes had begun to get heavy and he dosed off for a third time.  The child fell into a deep sleep and was slumped over against the wall facing the mountain of precious items.  Gold coins began to fall from the top of the mountain and it seemed to come to life.  There was a low rumble and James stirred about but did not wake.  Out of the top of the mountain of treasure, the head of an ancient dragon had emerged.  Blue, a small beard of scales from his chin, a large fin over the top of its head, two horns angled back, and what seemed to be fins from the back of his jaw.  The large dragon let out a soft roar as it was waking from a short nap.  He noticed James sitting asleep against the wall and looked at him curiously.  “So, this is the child I have chosen.”  Came a deep and thunderous voice from the dragon’s mouth.
At hearing this James jumped with the look of pure horror on his face.  He looked up to see the blue dragon staring down at him, revealing massive blue wings, which after the dragon shook tucked them close to his body.  Ruckly saw all of this and began to feel weak.
“So child, what might your name be?”  The dragon said in the same deep and thunderous voice.
“J-J-James Ruckley.”  James said frightened out of his mind and tears filling in his eyes.
“Well J-J-James Ruckley, it seems you are the chosen one,”
The boy looked utterly perplexed as fear had consumed him and he had dropped to the floor in the fetal position.
“No boy, I am not going to eat you.”  The dragon boomed.
James looked up at the dragon still scared, and weary.
“My name is Lioth.”  He spoke again.  “Young one, you shall be my protector.”
At this young James’ eyes became very wide as he took in what was being said.
“This means you are to visit me everyday until you are sixteen, at which time you shall stay here with me until the day I die.“  Lioth was serious when he spoke and continued.  “Do you understand what I am saying to you child?”
With a sudden burst of energy and courage Ruckley stood straight up and said, “Yes sir, I do.”
Lioth was taken aback by this and looked at James curiously.  “Your first order of duty is to get home to your mother and tell her the news.  Then you are to come back here tomorrow at noon.”  He finally broke the silence.
“Yes sir, but… how do I… get out of here?”  James spoke uncertainly.
At hearing this question, Lioth gave a smile, his large blue mouth.  “I thought you might ask me that question.  Especially since you are the chosen one.”  He motioned to a path leading to an underground bay.  “Your boat is in there and you will find you can get out through the opening to the right.”
James nodded.
“This of course is only temporary until I can get you some form of decent transportation.”  Lioth said.  “Now go to your mother and tell her.”
James nodded again wondering what Lioth had meant by “decent transportation,” and he ran to the path.  He saw his boat with the fishing pole attached again.  He looked left and saw the opening which he imagined from the outside looked like it was overgrowth on the mountainside.
Ruckley jumped into his small boat and paddled out of the opening.  Looking back he did not see any overgrowth.  Nor did he see an opening, but instead the side of a cliff.  James was puzzled, as he looked it.  He could not see the shore because of nightfall, but he could see the lights of the tavern and of the mayor’s house.  So he paddled towards them and was on his way.

Marqus Deposee, mounted on his horse, galloped into the village emerging from the forest.  As soon as he passed Alverious’ shop he dismounted his horse.  Leaving it in the middle of the street, his tattered body walked to the mayor’s home.  As he came into the light, from the candle posts outside of the home, his face became visible.  He had a fresh cut across his right eye and he was bleeding from the mouth.  Marqus’ outer cloak was stained with dry blood, mud, ale, and fresh blood.  He knocked on the door hard and then his body fell into it as he slipped out of consciousness.  Zann opened the door seconds later and the alive but unconscious body of Deposee fell onto his feet.  The mayor was disgusted at the sight; he dragged Marqus’ body into the room and closed the door.
“Hey Draughm…  Will you help me?  Marqus is drunk again.”  He said yelled into the kitchen.
“Again?  I though you said he was patrolling the bridge twenty miles from here.”  Draughm said looking confused.
As the two men got Marqus into a chair, they gasped at the wounds and the blood that covered his body.  Zann ran into the kitchen and seconds later came back with a towel.  Draughm took the towel without a word and began to get the dirt and blood off of Deposee’s face.  Kenneth ran back into the kitchen and emerged again this time with an empty pale.
“I’ll go get some water from the lake.”  He said, and he ran out of the door.
Bestirs continued to wipe the blood and tended to Marqus’ wounds.  When he had stopped the bleeding he sat back in the chair opposite of the raggedy and unconscious man.  The door opened again and Zann flew in.  He threw the water he had collected from the lake directly onto Deposee who woke up startled as he thrashed about on the chair screaming, “Not now, No PLEASE!!!”  Draughm ran over and held Marqus down until he calmed as he recognized his surroundings.
Marqus began to shake violently and he put his face in his hands as he hunched over on the chair.  Draughm got up and walked to the door then he turned around.
“Lets let him alone until morning then we can talk.”  He said, and then he turned back around and began to walk through the door to the kitchen.
Zann got up and began to walk, then he jumped when Marqus’ thin fingers clasped his hand and he said, “I have to tell you two something.”
Bestirs turned and saw this.  He walked back over to them and sat down in the chair across from Deposee again.  Zann sat down on the chair next to him and they watched him curiously.
“Its… its about what I saw at the bridge.”  His eyes got big, then small as he seemed to be struggling with what to say.  “I was sitting in a tree near the bridge watching like you told me to, Kenneth, and I heard a noise from under it.  So I jumped from the tree and inspected.  There I found a Dark Legion scout sleeping.  I pulled out my large sword and was about to strike when he woke and before I knew it my face was burning.”  He shivered as he was reliving the experience, “The next thing I knew, I was on my back and there was a dark figure standing over me with a blade to my neck.  The only thing that saved me was my horse who rammed the figure and I got away.”  He stopped and looked at them searching for any sign of reaction.

The front door opened from the house next to Martha Ruckley’s.  A young child, about three years older than James, emerged from the house.  Grey Zircon, James’ best friend and fellow partaker in mischief.  He was a little taller then James and a little smarter but he was very loyal to his friend.  They had been friends since James was five, when he set Grey’s lawn on fire to get rid of a gopher that had made a home in it (Grey’s mother sent James to do it and asked her son to help.  Little did she know what she would start.).  He walked to the shore of the lake, sat down and wrapped his arms around his legs.  His father would be home tomorrow from his job at the mines, and he was wondering what his mother would tell him.
The lake became silent.  No waves were splashing on the shore only slight ripples from the breeze.  This went on for a good five minutes.  Grey cocked his head as he thought he heard a sound from the lake.  After another five minutes of listening he decided it must have been a trout and went back to thinking.  He heard it again and he looked up fast.  The moonlight catching on the water, Grey looked hard and saw nothing.  Then again this time even closer.  Zircon looked to the mayor’s boat and noticed James’ was not there.  He looked out onto the lake again and still saw nothing.  He pulled out a small candle from his cloak pocket and a match from behind his ear.  Grey lit the candle and looked out again.  He heard the noise again and stood up.  
“Hey Grey.”  James called from his boat that had just entered the moonlight.
Zircon relived, walked over to where James keeps his boat and waited for him to toss him the line.  “Man where have you been?  You were supposed to go fishing with me at sunset.”
James stood up in his boat as it was near the shore and threw Grey the line.  “I know man, I’m sorry.  But you will never believe what happened to me.”
Grey looked at James curiously and tied the line to the stake.  “What…  What happened?”  He said finally
“I was fishing at about four o’clock in the afternoon, and I was sitting there for about an hour.  Suddenly I got a bite, but this was no fish, it dragged my boat and I all the way to the cliff in a hurry.  The boat went under and I got dragged in with it.”
Grey stared at James as though he were crazy but knowing James to be true to his word he listened.
“The next thing I know I’m in this pitch black cave and I walked through it for hours when I came across this light…”  He continued with the story.
When he was finished telling what had happened to him Grey looked like he was exhausted with thought.  They stood there for a while and Zircon finally opened his broke the silence, “You are going to do what now?”
James smiled as though he was happy to tell his story again.  But before he started Grey held up his hand and said, “Not from the beginning just about the part with you going to the dragon’s lair everyday.
Ruckley was a little disappointed, but he complied with his friend’s request.  “Lioth told me I was the chosen one, and that I am to protect him until the day he dies.”
“How can you protect a dragon?”  Grey asked perplexed.  “You’re only eleven.”
“I know but that’s what he said.”  James responded.
Zircon looked even more confused but shrugged and followed James to his house.  James smelt his mother’s cooking and said bye to Grey who was now starting to go home.  Ruckley broke out into a sprint, in the door and sat at the table.
“Good evening James.”  His mother said from the kitchen knowing he had entered the house.  “Well, where have you been?”
James got up from his chair went to the kitchen and hugged his mother.  “Guess what.”
“What?” she asked looking at the oven.
“I’m going to be a protector.”  He said proudly.
“I know son.”  She said with her back still to him checking on super
“H – how do you know?”  He asked looking perplexed.
Martha turned around.  “Oh, all of the adults in Vandoren know about Lioth.  It would have had to be either you or your friend Grey that would have become his protectors.  You are the only two here that actually enjoy adventure, everyone else here just wants there to be peace always.”  She said as though it was normal.
James stood there staring at his mother looking confused.  He stood in the same spot watching his mother make supper until she was done, when she ushered him to his seat.  Martha placed a roast in front of her son with corn on the cob and mashed potatoes.  James began eating but still watched his mother still looking rather confused.

Grey entered his house and his mother was upon him, giving him a hug and a kiss before he had a chance to close the door.  “Where have you been young man?”  Mrs. Zircon said sternly.
“I was just sitting at the lake and walking with James.”  He answered.
“Really?  And how is your good friend James?”
Grey thought about the dragon and about James being its protector and decided there was no harm in telling her.  “Well, James told me that he was just chosen to be a dragon’s protector.”  He paused seeing the look on his mother’s face.
Mrs. Zircon looked absolutely horrified as though she had just seen the devil himself.  “How?  How can James Ruckley be the chosen one?”  She asked herself.  “He is only eleven and barely that.”  Mrs. Zircon looked at her son then thought for a few seconds.  Her face relaxed and she shrugged.  “Well I guess Lioth has his reasons.”
Grey looked at the table and saw that supper had already been put out.  His mother then ushered him to the table and served him up a plate.  After he finished eating Mrs. Zircon sent him off to bed.  She began cleaning up the dishes and sweeping the floor when the door opened.  A tall and worn figure entered the home, his cloak soaked in mud, and his face plastered with exhaustion.
“Hello dear, how has work been this week?”  She said as she was walking over to her husband.  
Gordon Zircon embraced his wife and cringed in pain.  His wife stepped back looking at her husband in confusion as he was looking like he was stabbed.  He regained his composure and walked over to the couch where he sat down slowly making noises from his teeth in pain.  Gordon removed his cloak and a bloodstain was visible on his back and across his shoulder.  Mrs. Zircon screamed in horror and she passed out from shock.  Gordon fell forward off of the couch onto the floor and passed out as well.
Being awoken by a very audible scream Grey shot out of bed and ran out of his room into the kitchen.  “Mom!”  He yelled.  He looked around the kitchen then entered the living room where he saw his mother on the floor unconscious.  Grey ran to his mother and tried to revive her but she would not awake.  He then ran outside and began to yell for help.

Deposee was looking from Draughm to Zann and back trying to get any reaction from their faces.  He then decided to continue with his grueling story.  “There is one more thing…”  He paused looking more frightened.  “I know who the scout from the Dark Legion was…”  He passed again and the others looked at him curiously.  “It was G - Gordon Zircon.”  He said with finality.  
Draughm and Kenneth looked at him then at each other looking like they had just been slapped in the face.  Suddenly they heard the shouts of a boy from outside and they went to investigate.  Mayor Zann opened the door and looked out and was shocked as he watched Grey Zircon running up the steps towards him.
“Please help me Mayor!!!  My mother is unconscious on the floor in our house.”  He said hurriedly.
Kenneth looked back at Draughm and Marqus who began to follow him.  The mayor looked back and nodded to Grey.  They followed the boy to his house at a very fast pace and entered the house.  Draughm spotted Mrs. Zircon on the floor and rushed to her aid.  He pulled out a small vile from his belt, opened it and put it to her nose.  She woke up with a start and began screaming again.
“OH MY GOD!!!  My husband!  Help him!  He is bleeding to death!  Please someone help him!”  Mrs. Zircon Shot strait up and ran to the couch where her husband was before she passed out.  Zann ushered Grey outside as they searched everywhere for Gordon Zircon.  Grey came into the house and comforted his mother.  Deposee spotted a blood trail from the floor next to the couch and followed it to Grey’s room.  The trail stopped at the bed and Marqus looked around.
Deposee turned around to walk out of the room when he caught site of a wood plank coming at his head.  He didn’t have any time to react as the wood broke over his face.  His nose broke instantly and his jaw was rattled loose by the impact.  The board fell as Gordon Zircon ran to the bed and out the window.  Marqus dropped to his knees, then to the floor and fell unconscious.  Blood was surrounding his head as Bestirs was running into the room followed by Zann.  The two men picked him up and carried him to the couch.  At seeing this sight Mrs. Zircon screamed again and fainted falling into her son’s arms.

James awoke with a start as his mother had just run out the door slamming it behind her.  He got out of his bed and began getting dressed when he heard a scream.  He finished tying his shoes and ran from his house into the middle of the road.  Young Ruckley heard some familiar voices coming from Grey’s house and he ran.  When he got to his best friends door he saw it was open and his mother was standing just inside.  Martha looked down at her son; she had a grave expression on her face.  
“James, wait outside please.”  Her voice was serious and frightened.  “I will see if Grey would come out but stay outside.”
He looked up at his mother feeling fearful because he had never before seen fear in her.  His mother turned back and closed the door behind her.  James could hear the voices but he could not make them out.  He took a seat on the step and waited for anything to happen.  The door to the house opened and Grey emerged.  He looked very sad and angry at the same time.
“What happened Grey?”  James asked him.
“I don’t know.  I don’t know.”  Grey said exasperated.  “They said my father was working with some Dark Army.  Whatever that is.”
James looked curious at the name Dark Army; he had heard his mother and the mayor mention it before but little else about it.
“I don’t get it.”  James said confused.  “What does your family have to do with this Dark Legion, or whatever it’s called?”
“I don’t know.”  Grey seemed to be getting a little annoyed.
The two of them sat there for hours in silence as they thought about the possibilities.  The door opened and Kenneth walked through it looking down at the boys.
“James your mother would like you to go home and get to bed.”  He said sounding rather tired.  “And Grey, I recommend that you comfort your mother some more.”
Mayor Zann nodded, then walked passed them on the steps and waited in the road.  The boys looked at each other and stood up.
“I’ll talk to you later, ok?”  James said knowing full well that Zann wanted to talk to him.
Grey nodded and turned walking into the home.  James walked to the mayor and looked at him.
“Your mother has told me that you are the chosen one.”  Zann said looking directly ahead of him and walking slowly.  “How is Lioth doing?”
James looked rather confused, as he had not thought about Lioth since he had awakened.  Then realizing what the mayor was talking about his expression changed to normal.
“He is fine I believe, I don’t really know about dragons.”  He said thinking about a lot of things now.
“I’ll trust your judgment.”
When they got to the Ruckley residence the Zann looked at James not seeing a child anymore but to his surprise a young man.  “Things will be changing a little around here as you can already see.”  He paused choosing his words carefully.  “Tomorrow you will receive a few gifts and throughout this entire week you will receive things from the residents of Vandoren.  They will help you in your duties.”
James just nodded to this and began to wonder what he would need for his duties.
Zann nodded as well and turned down the street to Alverious’ shop.  He knocked on the door and moments later a tall figure opened the door and let him in.
James went up to his door and walked straight to bed.  He fell asleep instantly surprised at how tired he was.

After a few hours, Grey’s mother tells her son go to bed.  He does so and falls asleep almost as fast as James.  However, Grey’s sleep was not restful.  As he slept, his forehead began to give a faint glow of green; he began to see images…
A dark figure appeared in the middle of the room, fully armored with his sword at hand.  Another figure was then visible; as the dark figure approached it he spoke.
“Now Sir Zircon, for your failure as a spy for the Dark Legion under the authority of King Jerome Ruckley, you are hear by sentenced to death by dismemberment.”
The dark figures arm rose as his sword glimmered in the moonlight.  Grey’s heart raced as he realized who it was that was being put to death.  He tried to scream, but nothing came out.  The dark armored figure dropped his sword down on Gordon Zircon’s left arm, causing him to yell in pain.  The blood spilt to the floor and splattered all over him.  The Armored figure picked up the sword and dropped it again, this time on Zircon’s right arm, another yell.  A large puddle of blood began to form around Zircon and the armored figure’s feet.  Grey tried to move but couldn’t as he continued to try to scream to help his father.  The dark figure then moved his sword to his right; he smiled, and swung into the neck of Gordon Zircon.
Just then Grey woke up yelling at the top of his lungs.  “DAD!!  NO!!”  Tears streamed down from his face as his mother ran into the room looking equally as frightened.  She knelt down near his bed and laid him back down.  She then covered him up and touched his forehead for a few seconds.  Then Mrs. Zircon walked out of the room.  Grey however did not fall asleep immediately; he began sweating and realized it was daytime.  He closed his eyes and fell asleep again, not meaning to.

James broke out of his bed and went straight to the table.  His mother had eggs all ready for him.  He looked around for his mother but she was not there.  “Hmm, she must be at the mayor’s house early.”  He ate his food, which was pretty hot for his mother not to be in the house.  After he ate he went to his room again and got dressed.  
As he was leaving the house he noticed a large package to the left of the fireplace.  James walked over to it and investigated, looking around then back at the package.  He then saw it, a tag, with his name on it.  James looked at the package for a minute, and then decided to open it.  The brown paper tore off easily as he took sight upon a silver shield with intricate designs on it.  He lifted the shield and another package dropped from the back of it.  The young Ruckley looked amused and suspicious at the same time.  “Is this what Zann meant by gifts?” he asked himself.
Then James picked up the second package.  He ripped it open in the same fashion.  As the boy tore and tore at the paper he heard the sound of chains coming from it.  His eyes lit up as he saw it, silver chainmail.  It had the image of a dragon on the breastplate.  As James lifted the armor out of the remains of the brown paper it began to glow white.  He looked around and then back at the armor, he put it on top of the shield and it stopped glowing.  James’ face grew serious as he remembered the happenings of the last evening.  
James ran out the door and into the back door of the mayor’s house, hearing the sounds of Alverious’ hammer the entire way.  He looked around for his mother.  He ran up and down the stairs yelling out “Mom.”  Then James ran into the kitchen where he saw his mother.
“Hi mom.”
Mrs. Ruckley turned around and saw her son.  “Oh hello James.  I know what you want to know, but I cannot tell you.  You’ll have to ask Grey if you want to find out.”
“Oh, ok then.”  He looked a little disappointed and put his head down.
His mother looked at her son again.  “Oh, how did you like those gifts I left for you at the fireplace?”
His face lit up again and he looked up at her smiling.  “Oh Yeah they were great.  How did you get those?”
“They were your grandfather’s”
James looked a little weird as he had never before heard mention of his grandfather from his mother.  “What do you mean?”
“They were your grandfather’s.  He gave them to me when I was about your age.”
He looked more confused.  “Why did they glow when I touched them?”
She looked at her son calmly knowing she had to tell him, knowing that the truth would have to come out sometime and if her own son did not know then it could be his doom.  “Ok, let me tell you.”  She moved him over to the kitchen table and sat down.  “In order for you to know this you have to understand something.”  She paused for a second trying to think of what to say as she in someway was feeling hurt by this.  “Well, my family has an odd bloodline.” Another pause.  “Your great grandfather was an elf, and your great grandmother was a half-dragon, half-human.”
At hearing this, he seemed to become utterly confused.  “What are you talking about mom?”
Her expression became serious.  “Just listen to me for a minute.”  She paused again until James was ready.  “Your grandmother was a half-dragon, half-human.  What that is, is a human with draconic wings, and claws in the place of feet.”
James’ expression changed again he looked tired and perplexed all at the same time.  “Ok, I get that, but what does that mean.”  He looked at his mother.
“This means that you and I have a special power within us.”  Her face changed, as she looked clam.  “You and I have the ability to use magic.  We can manipulate things and see things other people cannot.”
James just looked confused, not even knowing why his mother old him all of this, then telling himself  “Because you asked.”
“Don’t you have an appointment with a certain someone today?”  His mother said as she had stood up and began to work again.  “Then you have to go and meet Lioth.”
“Oh yeah.”  James looked like he was in a daze somewhat.  He stood up and walked out of the kitchen then through the front door.  He looked down the road, seeing Alverious at his shop hammering away, James went to Grey’s house.  He knocked and stood waiting.  
Mrs. Zircon opened the door and invited James in.  “Grey is still asleep dear, but I will wake him for you.”  She left the room and left James sitting in a chair.
Moments later Grey entered the room fully dressed and still rubbing his eyes, which looked extremely red.  “Hey James, what’s up?”
“I was just wondering whether you wanted to go with me to see Lioth.”  He responded curiously.
At hearing this Grey stopped rubbing his eyes and smiled.  “Really?”
“Yup.”  James said smiling.  “Just have breakfast and I’ll go get dressed.  Ok?”
“Sure thing.”  Grey looked anxious.
James left the home and walked backed to his house.  He went over to the shield and armor and touched it again; it glowed even more brightly than before as he put on the chainmail, which fit very loosely on him.  He then put the shield on his back with the finished leather strap.  The armor glowed bright as ever as it shrank to fit his body.  He looked a bit confused as the armor shrank but then relaxed when it became a perfect fit.
Young Ruckley walked out of the house and his chainmail glowed more brightly as it entered the sunlight.  As he walked, the glow seemed to fade.  One of the ladies came from her porch with a package, as she saw James walking in his armor.
“James, come here a second if you wouldn’t mind, I have something for you.”  She said smiling.
James walked over to her and looked curious.  “Yes Mrs. Slithe?”
“Here take this.  Open it now, please, and try them on on.  I want to see how they fit.”
He took the package and opened it, inside where a pair of high quality leather boots, both had a dragon embroidered on side.  He smiled at seeing these, and hurriedly put them on.  They fit perfectly.  “Thank you Mrs. Slithe, they’re perfect.”
She looked at him and smiled, “It’s all my pleasure, now use them well.”  Mrs. Slithe looked at James’ old boots.  “I’ll take those back to your mother for you ok?”  She hugged him and hurried him off.
“Ok, thank you again.”  He said as he was walking and waving.
As he was walking back to Grey’s house he got three more gifts from other women of Vandoren.  Mrs. Fletch gave him a belt, which had many slots for two swords, a dagger, a compass, and a pouch on the side for first aid.  Mrs. Avell gave James a short sword with the emblem of a dragon on the blade, jewels on the handle, and fresh leather wrapped around the handle as well.  Mrs. Loundery gave him a pair of silver gauntlets also with the emblem of a dragon on them.  By the time James got to Grey’s door he was fully armored, and armed, except for the one sword Alverious was still working on.
James knocked on the door again and almost at the same time Grey opened it looking excited.  As soon as Grey saw James he looked very impressed.  “Wow, where’d you get all that cool stuff?”
“People kept giving me things on the way here.”  He was glad to see his friend happy.
“Oh, by the way, my mom wanted to see you for a second before we left.”  Grey said.
“Oh, ok.”  James walked to he kitchen where Mrs. Zircon was sitting.
“Hello James.  I just wanted to give you something, and by the looks of it I’m not the first.”  She was smiling.  Mrs. Zircon stood up and walked from behind the table and handed another package to James.  “Lioth himself asked me to give this to you last night.”
James opened the package and in it was a glass orb.  To him it looked like there were clouds circling inside and it gave a slight glow.
“Now this is a mystic item.  It will let Lioth install any powers he wants to give to you.”
Both James’ and Grey’s faces lit up with excitement.  “So I will have powers?”
“Yes.  Not that you don’t already.”  Mrs. Zircon said with a smile.
“I have powers?”  James looked flabbergasted.
“That’s right.  You and Grey both do.”
At this Grey’s face looked almost identical to James’.
“I will let Lioth explain the rest to you two.  Now you better be going, you don’t want to be late.”  Mrs. Zircon hurried the boys out as James wrapped the glass orb in a cloth he had in his pocket.
Yes... Granted I have been away for so damn long... Forgive me please ^^... Um I have Found Part one of the story... and so Now... I post it... Please don't let the gramatical errors get in your way of reading it... I haven't had a chance to edit much yet. Enjoy!
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