Rapture, chapters 1-2

                                                                                  rapture




                                                                            aurora a. frederick





                                                                              -the great betrayal-




    Many years past, the world was a place of peace and harmony, not of violence and bloodshed. Everyone knew that in order to survive, they needed to depend upon one another, not kill each other without reason. Not to say that the world was perfect, There were, of course arguments among the people, but they knew better than to resort to needless killing.
    The world was not always dominated by humans. Elves, dwarves, and many others used to walk the planet. At the time, all believed that their neighbor was equal to them. The different groups did not live separately, they all lived in the same villages, be they human or not. But, as even the village idiot can tell you, the world is not like that.
    Not anymore.
    Petty arguments began to get the better of the human race, and the killings began. The other ones tried to help, but when an elf harmed a hume, a dwarf would harm an elf, and the cycle began to get worse. The once peaceful lands were now lands of fear, hate, and murder. The future was looking bleak.
    Then the different species began to separate from one another. The dwarves were the first to leave, headed to where they believed they would be happy, away from the elves and their foolish magicks. Then the elves began to grow wary of the humans and their ignorance, beginning to believe that the humans, as well as the dwarves, were not worthy of their presence.
    This went on for years, and before long, the humans began to forget about the other creatures of the planet. They soon stopped caring for anything but themselves, and after a time, not even that. Murders were a monthly occurrence, robberies were almost nightly, and the earth surrounding the villages was dead-no animals, no plant life, nothing.
    Only one creature realized what was happening to the world, and only that creature knew that unless something was soon done, they may all cease to exist. This creature was not a human. This creature was no dwarf or elf. This creature stood tall, towering above the tallest man. This creature was more intelligent than any elf, more powerful and menacing than any dwarven army. This creature could mold flames at its will while soaring through the skies. This creature, was a dragon.
    Even in the earth's earliest days, when all got along, the dragons saw themselves as higher beings, and their power gave them that right, so never before had anything like this happened.
    One dragon approached an elf one day. They got closer and closer until the elf held up her hand and touched the ice blue scales of the dragon. At that moment, the elvan woman's entire body grew numb, as did the dragon, soon, both were trembling in pain. Then it was done, and when the woman pulled away, there was a blue scar on her hand where she had touched the beast.
    The two were forever linked in the very first dragon and Rider Bond.
    Together  the dragon and its Rider flew through the skies, finding others who would help their cause, and thus, the Order of the Flame was born, and slowly, the world began to brighten once more. For centuries, elves and dragons continued this pattern of Bonding, keeping the world at peace, but history has a funny way of repeating itself.
    There was a new found king, his name long since forgotten, he had ruled for little over fifteen years with no problems. But power corrupts even the purest soul.
    The human king began to study in the elves'  Ancient ways of magick, and soon became a master of the black art of necromancy, along with many other little tricks. But it still was not enough.
    Never, never had a human Bonded to a dragon, it was an unwritten law. The king knew that, despite his rule,  the Riders had more power and could overrule any of his orders if they saw fit. If he could become a Rider...with a dragon beside him, and his fierce magickal abilities, he would be unstoppable to man, beast, or elf.
    So he appealed to the court of Elders, none of which were humans as the world had quickly adopted prejudice, he demanded, he begged, he ordered them to make him a Rider. Time and time again, they would laugh in his face and tell him to go back to his throne room. The final time he appeared, the Elders were growing tired and decided to show him that a human simply could not become a Rider.
    They gave him an egg and told him to concentrate, to focus on what his plans for this dragon would be. The egg soon began to glow a deep red, and it began to defend its self by burning his hands.
    He threw down the egg and stalked out of the temple. He was not done.
    The Elders had forgotten one thing about this man; he had all but mastered the black arts. He took his armies, every single man, some still mere boys, and slaughtered them all. He then gathered the blood that had been spilled by them and brought back their tortured souls into physical forms that were far from human.
    Some were turned into creatures that would come to be known as Tientieas; creatures only half as tall as man, but more lethal than any feral beast.
    Then there was the Sharrom, creatures of all black. Almost nothing was ever discovered about them, and for good reason: when the Sharrom attacked a village, there were no survivors.
    Then there were the few, the very few, that were turned into Berendantis. Magickally and physically, they are the kings most powerful weapons. They leave nothing, not bodies, not animals, not buildings, nothing, in their paths.
    With his new armies, the king declared a war against the dragon Riders, an all who would stand in his way. And no one, not even the most powerful of seers could know just how devastating this war would be, or what an impact it would make in the pages of history.
    This war reunited parts of the world. The dragons and their Riders could not handle it on their own, and the rest of the people stepped up to help.
    And so the humans, dwarves, elves, and dragons fought together to save the lives that they knew.
    The two most powerful warriors the world could offer had been life long friends, one an elvan Rider, the other a human warrior that wielded a sword. Soon, the king's armies were beaten back, and he himself, murdered. For three days the world seemed to rejoice, but the war was not over.
    The warrior had always envied the Rider, and soon, envy grew to anger, anger grew to hate, and hate turned into a plan.
    The warrior did the unthinkable, seeking out the Berendantis and becoming one of them, giving up heart and soul...for the power to kill the dragon.
    Led to the woods by a strange feeling, the Rider soon discovered the remains of the dragon. Right there, the Rider threw down the blade, and vowed never to fight again.


                                                          *          *        *          *          *          *          *
    This all occurred well over five hundred years past, and to this day is known as the Great Betrayal--for more than one reason.But history has a funny way of repeating it's self, and another is about to begin.Except this time, there is no one to protect us. This time, unless the human race pulls it's self together, we may all perish. For all we have left is five unhatched eggs that could hatch for anyone at anytime. We had better pray that the right hands discover them. Our fate is in their hands.

   



                                                                                    -discovered-


    He looked through his scrying bowl, and 'king' Baltor smiled. How careful they had been to keep these eggs hidden, after all, it had taken him ten years to finally find them, but now that he had discovered their location, they were his.
    Baltor had been the king for fifty years now, a man who ruled through fear. He was evil, and it was well known that after he claimed the empty throne the Berendantis had arisen from the shadows they hid in to serve him.
    The people of Mille Sesaue had never seen their king. Not even his own men had ever seen his face, at all times he wore a long white cloak with a caul that hid his face.
    He walked out onto the balcony, and looked down at his waiting army.
    "What are you all waiting for? Go...and retrieve the eggs...bring me what is rightfully mine."


                                                                          *          *          *          *
    Gorstag watched as his men worked to perfect the barrier that stood between the outside world and the dragon eggs. The elves had made it perfectly clear that they were not happy with having to leave the eggs in the care of the dwarves, and this was their chance to show the elves that they were not as incompetent as they appeared.
    Gorstag was the closest thing to a ruler or leader that the dwarves had. He was one of the oldest men in his region, his once raven black hair now speckled with grey. His auburn eyes did not show his age, but scars hidden by his beard did. He was armed with a battle axe that was taller than his short body, but it had been his choice weapon for years, and he always met his mark.
    But now the little old dwarf was growing impatient, mumbling to himself over and over, "Blasted elves...think ther all high 'nd mighty....but when ya need 'em, they certainly take ther sweet time...'xpectin' us to do all ther dirty work fer them..."
    He knew that the elven queen's second in command, Chiron,  would want to avoid a battle at all costs, but he also knew that Chiron would not let them down. This was a life and death matter, he would be there.
    Would he not?
    "If the little prat thinks that I'll be a-gaurdin' these eggs any longer 'n I have to, he's another thing comin'. We've more important things ter be doing than watching a bunch of fossilized--"
    "Oh, would you just shut up?"
    Gorstag spun, ready to scalp whoever had spoken so out of place, but found himself face to face with Chiron, backed by six other elves.
    Over six hundred years old, Chiron's appearance was that of a man barely over twenty-five summers. His amber hair showed almost no silver, his emerald eyes still shining bright on his ivory face. He had the build of a typical elf; tall, lean, a face with high cheekbones and a strong jaw. His ears pointed at the tip, the only sign of his elvan identity. Behind him stood Umyra, a long, feline-like female with golden hair and sapphire eyes, and Chilaem, a young-even by human years-elf with topaz eyes and reddish brown hair.
    Chiron was dressed in black, his blade hanging loosely at his hip.
    "Ah," Gorstag grumbled in his Irish accent, "excuse me, I just 'appened to assume that without yer dragons, ye had become a bit of a pansy."
    "Listen, you midget troll, you lot volunteered to guard the eggs, you were not forced, and we were willing to go to someone else."
    Gorstag was given no chance to argue, in that instant, the Sharrom had started appearing everywhere, and his men were being thrown against the stony walls of the cavern.
    Everyone, with the exception of Chiron,  went after the Sharrom. Chiron kept his sword sheathed and turned for the back of the caverns, where the eggs were being kept.


                                                                            *          *          *          *       

    Baltor picked up the ebony egg very slowly, not wanting to upset it.  He grinned to himself as he mumbled something.The egg began to glow, then vanished. He grinned once more as he bent to pick up a golden egg, which burned him on contact. He dropped the egg and laughed to himself, "Do not worry, soon you shall see things my way..."
    "I fear I have to ask you to leave the eggs where they are, your 'majesty'."
    Baltor drew his blade as he turned to face Chiron, " I knew that if i ever met you....I knew I wold not like you."
    "My sincerest apologies.Now get away from those eggs. They will ne'er be used for your army"
    Baltor shook his head, "When will you elves learn that 'never' is a word used far too often?"
    There was an explosion from the front caverns, Chiron turned his head, and Baltor ran to him, his blade drawn, covered in different magicks that had it glowing a deadly red.

    Umyra had seen Chiron go to the back of the caves, straight for the eggs, and she followed him. But by the time she had gotten to the end of the path, she could see Chiron fighting someone, she did not know who, but Chiron had everything under his blade, or it looked that way.

    Chiron had been able move away from Baltor's initial attack, but Baltor was quick, and had taken Chiron's blade. They fought for what seemed like an eternity, Chiron using nothing but his magick. There was something about the white robe that Baltor was draped in, it seemed to almost be absorbing all the energy that Chiron was putting into his spells.Baltor rushed him, and he went to sidestep, but Chiron had used to much nyama and in one move, Baltor took the sword and had turned it into Chiron's stomach. He fell to his knees, not able to breathe. Baltor stood over him, panting.
    "Truly...it is poetic justice...this sword bringing your death. Look at it that way, son, at least...your misery will end." The survivors of the raid began filing into the cavern, Baltor vanished, preferring not to end up looking like Chiron.
    When Umyra reached Chiron, his life had already been drained, his body just a shell. She turned to Gorstag and cleared her throat."I'll take the eggs into hiding, make sure they get safe. There is something I need you to do for me though."
    "Aye,"Gorstag nodded,"what is it?" Umyra bent at the waist and spoke into Gorstag's ear. The old man's eyes grew wide, but he nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll do it."
    "Wait. Chilaem, I want you to go with him."
    "What? Ye don't trust me, is that it?"
    "That's exactly it. And our horses are stronger than yours and would never listen to you. Both are to go."
    The young elf nodded, a grin on his lips, while Gorstag stormed off, cursing under his breath.
    The rest of the survivors began to leave also, none noticing the ebony egg that was missing--only Chiron knew of it and the dangers that it held.




chapters 3-up by tuesday