The Dragoons of Solomus Prologue

Foreword to Reviewers and Readers

All of the strange words are intentional, and I can give an explanation of them if it is desired or needed. Also after the contest I entered The Dragoons of Solomus chapter 1 into is over I will be combining this into it to resolve any questions and issues that might be raised with ch 1 standing alone. So if you want to review I would suggest reading this and ch 1 back to back (and leave the review there) to give me better feedback.

The Dragoons of Solomus
Prologue
The First War of the Dragon

         In the ancient times of Solomus there were no Dragons. There were beasts of several kinds, be they of fur, flesh, feather, or scale. Also, during that time there were the great wars among the seven races of the world, the humans, dwarves, aureuns, gekkuns, evelupens, tengus, and sylvans. With nothing to unite them or put their differences aside, despite their similarities.

         Then he came, Dharak Zerstörer. He arrived out of the night’s sky from a world far away on a meteor. Not unlike the usual falling star, yet Dharak’s falling star was as dark as the moonless night. It spread a feeling of ill omen to all who saw it. Initially it seemed as if nothing had changed, but in the kingdom of Havilah Dharak drew in the most evil people that land had to offer, and using forbidden magic he transformed them in to the first generation of evil dragons of  Solomus. Unlike a true dragon which can have an impressive appearance, grand stature, and forceful command these were twisted versions of a dragon, smaller in their overall appearance and intertwined in form resembling a dragon combined with some other creature, but their power was equal to that of a true dragon despite their warped forms.

         Using his new dragon legions Dharak reduced the kingdom of Havilah to ruins overnight. Then using his power, he opened a gate to a small empty universe and molded it to his desires. Turning it into an evil and corrupt universe and drew a portion of a race known as Deamons to this new enclave of evil. They swore to serve him in his pursuit of serving his master the Prince of Darkness. During this time Dharak created an additional race to serve him, the dragon halflings, for while the dragons of Dharak were powerful too many lacked the intellect or ability to lead his growing armies. A Dragon halfling was created by a human or someone from another race consuming the enchanted blood of Dharak, or one of the powerful and intelligent first generation Dharak dragons. This was a dark time for the world, but in this the seven races were able to put aside their differences, and see while not of the same blood they were of the same family. Alas though things were still dark for them, but when things looked there darkest there came a shining hope.

         In those dark times when the races of Solomus believed they would inevitably be conquered by Dharak’s armies, there came a hope. In the middle of one of the darkest moonless nights of the year there came a shining star flying through the sky. It lit the world up as if it was the middle of a summer day. It landed with a great sound that was supposedly to have been heard over half the world. When the army of Dharak approached the crater a roar was heard one not unlike that of the evil dragons, but unlike the roar of the dragons they were used to this one instead brought inspiration. Inspiration of strength, goodwill, and virtuousness in the people but fear in the minions of Dharak. As they fled from the crater a majestic white dragon rose from it, Orochi sister of Dharak and his enemy. She, along with her mate, had pursued her older brother after the murder of her twin brother, Helios, and sometime before he reached Solomus he also killed her mate who had tried to stop him from reaching any other worlds. She had sworn to stop his evil and prevent him from corrupting any other worlds.

         Though she alone was more than a match for any of Dharak’s created spawn and minions, even in numbers that could not be counted in terms of raw power. She could not defeat her brother’s organized armies without help, but she had prepared for this. Sometime before she arrived to Solomus Orochi made contact with the Andreals. A race of wing beings who where the archenemies of the Deamons and fought them whenever and wherever they could. She got the greatest of their smiths Hepheastes to forge seven weapons designed to kill evil dragons and could imprison Dharak in his own kingdom in a prison of time until judgment day. After her arrival, in the guise of a beautiful maiden, she gave one of her weapons to one noble representative of each race of Solomus. The human, aureun, geckun, and tengu received swords, the dwarf received a lance, the evelupen received a staff, and the sylvan received a bow. The seven became known as dragoons warriors who fought against the evil dragons.

         Only a few months after her arrival Orochi was forced to withdraw from the war, though she wanted to continue. Orochi delivered the first of her and her deceased mate’s brood. These young wyrmlings, as well as later broods, would become the good dragons of Solomus. Despite her withdrawal the seven were now able to directly confront the dragon halflings and dragons whom lead Dharak’s armies as generals. They lead the mixed rebel armies of Solomus to their first victories because without the might of the dragons or the magical power of dragon halflings the rebel troops were able to easily handle deamons and monsters that made up the bulk of his armies. Soon more victories followed, and they keep pushing them back. Back to the land of Havilah, and back to the gates of Gamorrah. It was there the seven decided that they alone would enter Dharak’s kingdom of Gamorrah to face him.

         The seven traveled in the lands of Gamorrah for forty days and forty nights. Traveling and fighting his minions during what could be called the day there and hiding and resting during the night. Many dragons, dragon halflings, monsters, and deamons did they kill during this time. Finally they made it to Dharak’s fortress, and there they waged an epic battle for the future of the world. According to some tales the battle lasted for days. However long it lasted the seven finally struck the severely weakened Dharak all at the same time to utilize their weapons special
combined power. Sealing him in a prison of time separated from the rest of the universes in his own kingdom and fortress. (The reason Dharak was sealed away is because as a second generation true dragon the dragoons’ battle would have had to last even longer. Not that he is unkillable, just really hard to kill.)

         With Dharak sealed away the seven returned to their world, and the clean up began. Even though the war had been won the minions of Dharak remained. However, without their master they were disorganized, and then in Gamorrah the dragons and dragon halflings started fighting amongst themselves for power and control of the only city, Zeboim. This allowed the dragoons to easily clean up the trouble makers spreading evil in the world. The deamons found new allies, friends, and leaders among those who were already corrupt in the world, but being normal flesh and blood creatures themselves they could be slain with a normal weapon. They caused trouble but not to the level the dragons had.

         Soon the dragoons realizing that the evil dragons and dragon halflings would not be going away and started training possible successors to their weapons and legacy. And if no suitable successor was found Orochi provided them a special guardian made by Hepheastes for each weapon to protect it and test a possible welder if the dragoon should pass away. Each of the seven designated a place for their guardian and passed the knowledge down with their successors and in legend.

         With time the number of good dragons increased, and they began to wage war with Dharak’s spawn, often working with the races of Solomus. Some even did what their mother had been able to do and take on a guise of one of the races and soon the half-dragons were born, the positive to the dragon halflings negative. With time the First Dragon Wars gave to the Second and then the Third. Then after the Third Dragon Wars they started becoming allusive still fighting Dharak’s spawn but staying out of the affairs of the people of Solomus, and with this many people began to believe dragons to be the stuff of legends. Nonetheless the evil dragons
and dragon halflings still plot. They still destroy. To forget the darkness is to invite it to return in full force, for many seek to free their master from his prison, for the keys that can lock the prison door can also unlock that prison door, and release its prisoner.

          For the people of Hebron village, nestled between the Ephraim mountains and Ramot forest, this is all legend, myth, and superstition. As they go about their lives as normal on an unusually warm autumn afternoon with no idea what was happening not far from their village, that myth was about to become very real. Nor did they even have a foreboding of the horror that would soon fall upon them. Not all was quite in the forest. Two ancient enemies were about to go at it, battling in a large clearing, a dragon and a dragoon.