Dragon Boy: PROLOGUE

         “You have to keep your voice down!”, a harsh feminine whisper ordered in the darkness. It was the dead of night, not even owl’s wanted to pursue their black skies in this pitch darkness. Yet two figures stood in a small clearing amongst the thicket of the forest. A yellow glow flickered, illuminating the figures of the night. The whisper belonged to a tall, slender woman cloaked in black with snow-white hair. The light came from her palm. The other was an even taller, rough looking young man with disheveled black and red locks. He stood barefoot, dressed only in tarnished black pants.
         Their faces were filled with anger, confusion and a hint of hopelessness.
         “Well then what am I to do, Liana? Let you go the wrong way?” The young man turned his back to the woman and walked briskly away from her. “Come on, then.”
         The white haired woman complied with a grim frown and trudged behind him, closing her hand and putting at the light. Her brilliant silver eyes shone brightly in the darkness.
         The two carried on through the forest, silently. Wolves howled in the distance, making the woman flinch. As they passed, bears snored in their dens, which man the young man quietly giggle.
         “Are you sure we’re going the right way, Soren? It is my brother’s house.” The woman’s tone was sarcastic and smug.
         Soren grunted. “A dragon’s nose does not faulted. Even a sorcerous can’t track in pitch black without being noticed, killed, or eating.” He flashed back a smug grin, revealing huge and flawlessly white and pointed fangs. He flared his nose and a light wave of smoke rushed in Liana’s face.
         As she coughed, trying her best to keep silent, Soren laughed rather loudly.
         They walked for what seemed like hours until Soren stopped. Liana crashed into his hard back and punched it, causing no damage. “Keep moving!”
         “What for,” he asked, “we’re here.”
         In front of them was a small cottage with smoke bellowing out of the chimney. Light glimmered into the darkness from the windows. The sides of the cottage were a light, weathered blue; the roof, tarnished and falling apart, was vibrant red.
         Liana rushed passed Soren, who diligently followed after her. She knocked on the door faintly and waited impatiently. After what felt like hours, the door slowly opened. Standing in the doorway was a man with the same white hair as Liana’s but icier. His shaggy hair stopped at his ears leading to a short white beard. His eyes were the same as Liana’s; in fact, he looked exactly like her, in every way except for being a man.
         “Dear sister,” the man said gently, “what is the problem?”
         Liana pulled her cloak back with one hand revealing a small bundle in her other arm. The bundle wriggled and fidgeted and whimpered. Liana looked up at her brother with pleading eyes.
         “Come in.”
         Liana and Soren entered the small cottage and immediately sat in two chairs by the fireplace. A fire burned, warming the cabin. The man walked over to Liana and knelt by her side.
         “How could this be? You are a woman, more girlish than you should be, but a woman none the less; and Soren is a...well not a man.”
         Soren scowled into the distance.
Liana nodded her head. A tear ran down her face.
         “Bartholomew, it is true. Some how, when I turned Soren human, he obtained all of the attributes of a common man.”
         “I am not common”, Soren snorted under his breath. Liana glowered at him.
         “Anyway,” she continued, “The duke has sent an army after us. They want him, brother. They want our baby. We need you to take him. Raise him for us. On the day of his fifteenth birthday, set out on a year long journey to Glamor, the Kingdom of Fire. Soren and I will hopefully be there waiting. Teach him everything he will need to know to keep himself safe, he will have the powers of both sorcerer and dragon.
         Bartholomew stared blankly at his sister. He lowered his eyes to the bundle in her arms. Gently, he pulled a piece of the cloth back. A small baby boy with snow-white hair with red streak stirred. When he opened his eyes, Bartholomew fell back in astonishment. His right eye was the same metallic silver as his mother and uncle. His left eye was blood red, like those of his father. Soren smiled with pride upon seeing his son.
         Liana stood up and handed the baby to Bartholomew, who was still amazed by the boy’s appearance. “I will take good care of him sister. You and Soren have no worries.
         He led his sister and her husband outside. She turned and hugged Bartholomew tightly, then kissed the baby on the forehead.
         “Goodbye my precious boy. Mommy and daddy will see you very soon.” Liana kissed the baby once more and then over to Soren. Soren nodded at Bartholomew and kissed his wife. Then Liana spoke unheard words and Soren began to change. His pupils turned to black slivers in his red eyes. His back stretched and shook as large wings protruded and flapped. His hands and feet turned to scaled claws. In minutes, the abnormally tall, black-red haired man turned to a giant black and red scaled dragon. Liana climbed onto his back, and the dragon rose into the air and flapped away into the night.
         Bartholomew was alone by his home. He looked down at his nephew and smiled.
         “I think I will name you Sorick. You will be strong one day. You have no idea the power burning inside you.” The baby boy giggled at his uncle. Bartholomew turned and walked into his cabin and shut the door behind him. In the night, a faint roar sounded and within seconds, the forest was as it should be, peaceful and quiet.