Dragon Rising

There weren't always dragons in the valley. Typically, they stuck within the castle's perimeter high up on the northern cliff. The majestic ones preferred the quiet company of the mighty wizard, Ryo wo, and his daughter, Ayumi, over the densely populated valley. Dragons are not social creatures by nature.

Life in the valley was becoming difficult. Chaos and confusion were taking over a once peaceful land. The people needed direction.

Ryo Wo, a generous soul, did not rule with an iron fist leaving the people to live as they saw fit. However, the people had fallen on hard times, and the wise one knew an intervention was necessary. The valley would surely meet with disaster and many unnecessary deaths without a plan.

With deep emotion and a heavy heart, the wizard, guided by his beautiful daughter, decided to restore order and harmony among the people; a dragon must rule the valley.

If left to their own devices, humans will squander resources bringing destruction to their own. History had proven this, yet the wizard had high hopes the people would prevail.

Centuries later and humankind learned nothing from its predecessors. Greed, waste, overpopulation, and growing hostility left an unsettled feeling that wafted within the castle's walls.

It was time for a change.

A draft was formatted and sent to all households in the valley requiring the attendance of every man and woman over 18 at a field trial: Dragon Rising.

At this ceremony, all candidates would compete for the honor of becoming the first dragon of the valley. The elected dragon would govern the people and restore balance to the valley and become a liaison between the people and the great wizard. So, Partnered, the future of humanity would triumph.

And so, it was written.

On an early June morning, Ayumi greeted the anxious residents of Naashi, the most beautiful valley in all of Japan. Broad-leaved evergreens, chinquapins surrounding a variety of blossoms, and the brightest plum shade morning glories were magically breathtaking.

Silently, they waited for Ayumi to sound the golden gong commencing the Dragon Rising Trials. Two thousand strong, each hopeful that they may become Naashi's first ruler, Dragon Rising.

Ayumi spoke a few words of guidance before the event.

"Dear people of Naashi, this is not a competition of speed, but endurance. First place does not guarantee a win. Instead, use your intelligence to guide you through your trials, as there will be many. Dragon Rising is not a game merely of win or lose. Humanity is at stake here, so make your decisions wisely. And, do not forget, the cliffhangers are watching you.

The cliffhangers are a highly evolved owl breed who sleep upside down on the cliff edges like a bat. Their talons are complex, with a profound suction ability and the precision to pierce through the thickest stone. The marble and asphalt-shaded creatures with orange eyes and a wingspan of three feet are unfriendly to humans.

These owl-like beings are known for stirring up trouble and are unpredictable by nature. The cliffhangers' erratic behavior leaves no room for human self-serving actions.

Ayumi rang the golden gong. Her silky waist-length ebony hair blew back like falling feathers with a subtle morning breeze. The ruby and sapphire jewels on her silver gown reflected hypnotically entrancing the waiting crowd. Indeed, she was beautiful with the softest ivory skin. But Ayumi was also as strong as any male warrior, and her aura dominated beyond a scented fusion of frankincense and rose.

High above, Ryo Wo held his staff against the sky. Bolts of electricity exploded like fireworks triggering a three-tier simulation on the ground below.

The Dragon Rising Trials were set to begin.

Ayumi whistled, and one of her trusty dragons swooped in from above, scooping her up, returning to the clifftop. She and her father took their appropriate seating cliffside. Noticing her father's slumped posture, Ayumi turned to him, taking his hand.

"It will be okay," she assured the wise old one.

"This is deception, Ayumi. The people do not understand all this trial entails."

"Father, we agreed that this is necessary for the evolution of humanity. History keeps repeating, and the people must embrace swift changes for continued survival."

"We are not a police state, child," Ryo Wo replied.

"No, father, but leniency is not working either. The humans will wipe each other out without intervention. Instead, they need to learn to live in harmony and spiritual progression. Dragon Rising will teach them the lesson of divine love, living a life of mutual respect and honor."

Ayumi cupped her father's face in her palms. She looked into his tired grey eyes connecting with centuries past; war, famine, disease, and betrayal imprinted on his soul. She felt his pain as a witness to hundreds of years of human destruction, and she sympathized with her father's pity, yet she knew better.

She caressed the wrinkles on Ryo Wo's forehead and wiped a lonely tear rolling down his cheek. Then smoothing out his long white beard and straightening her father's posture, She adjusted a large viewing globe in front of him for a closeup of the trial's progression.

"Trust me, Father, this is for the best."

In the background, a group of dragons snorted with approval releasing low light flame puffs from their nostrils.

Below, the trial participants were slowly making their ascension up tier one of the simulation. The valley people climbed the stairs of a twelve-foot wide metal platform. The winding staircase had handrails like any other passageway with the addition of strategically placed handlebars along the climb.

Young and old alike proceeded at an average walking pace without uttering a sound, only footsteps in the distance.

As the last of the crowd turned the bend of the first staircase winding, a mist of rain showers began. The people halted their motion momentarily, and all eyes fixated up on the glorious sky. Early morning rain was a long-held forbearer of good tidings to come. Indeed, a blessing; two thousand faces stood in awe, observing their miracle.

A recent unusual dry spell destroyed much of the valley's thriving vegetation causing a shortage of yams, onions, daikon, Kabocha, and various greens. A hundred years earlier, the Naashi people had experienced such a disaster once before. The people unfamiliar with lack did not respond well to the shortage. Greed, hoarding, and arguments broke out among people who typically were agreeable.

The past repeated, and modern-day Nasshi replicated their ancestor's actions.

The unexpected rain lifted the mood of the trial participants, and they began to cheer. Lighthearted chatter began among the competitors as they continued the climb, drifting with hope in their hearts.

Not far away in a slight cliff indentation, two cliffhangers hissed, ruffling their marble-colored feathers.

The Dragon Rising participants continued climbing, watching their footing as the metal became slippery from the rain. Strangers held their elderly neighbors' hands, ensuring they would not slip. The sky suddenly clouded over as the people approached the second bend; the rain showers became a violent downpour.

Blinded by the torrential rain, the crowd began scrambling for the side rail handlebars. Keeping balanced was challenging, and people started losing their footing. Then the sky opened up more, and a whoosh of sea waves gushed from the air.

A couple of the valley men began throwing punches fighting for the remaining handlebars, and panic mode set in. Others turned around, running down the stairs in mass hysteria.

The downward spiral of stairs vanished along with most of the people. In an instant, two thousand people became five hundred.

All went silent, and the sea of demise retracted. The sky was clear again, and the sun magically dried out the remaining simulation and trial participants.

One of the disgruntled cliffhangers plummeted from the cliff alcove snatching up the man who knocked out another to secure himself a safety spot with the last remaining handlebar. His screams echoed across the valley as the cliffhanger zoomed away. Releasing her clutch, the man fell to his death, eliminated from the trials.

All went silent once more. Five hundred people remained. Just ahead, tier two and the other cliffhanger awaited. Her robotic eyes scanned the crowd while perched on the second round entranceway. Her wings were fully open, greeting the valley people to their next test: Plank or Plunge.