Fantasy
Wanderers of The Sky
There weren’t always dragons in the valley. That never stopped us from flying though. After years in a chair you found me and helped me really feel the air long before we took to the sky’s above Porridge Town, a place without much if any magic a population that makes elder seem a youthful endearment and a local specialty that lost its not so special flavor decades ago. Our story together started here, the Saints Corp deems it a safe haven away from a ‘world open to sorcery, but not the invalid’ and they were right in all other towns along long River Valley it was a hated curse, my life. Our lingering blight conjured by Witchlings unwillingly and some purposely to siphon life when first their powers awaken; the effects are your health as most know leaving a loss of anything you hold dear. Painting or love of dreamy sights steals the eyes no more stars in a lilac sky, sweet smelling ponds of wandering duck berries have held many for hours at a time in aromatic reverie leaving all scent or the tasting one would do in holding one of those ambrosial delights gone. To step out every day into the world and relish the earth's many textures beneath bare feet only to lose the sensation. Passion makes their magic stir able to bring about the greatest of summoned wonders or other more unspeakable horrors living far off in tainted lands. More hated than us Torments as we’re known are those practitioners untrained and bound with fell goddess Hecate wanderer of worlds. When one of us is afflicted more than limb is lost, but those lives of girls young, new and afraid. The Witchling Hunts questionable mistakes leaving whole towns with more men than women and the shame of having resented them for it once burns me, not that their fate isn’t a worse one in towering pyres taking both body and soul. I lived a fool and a Torment, perfectly ignorant for years before I saw the horrid inferno. Wardens have no mercy ever. Porridge Town being so incredibly boring is the center of River Valley’s training grounds for aspiring Saints learning to care for old and perceived broken folk displaced by the Lily War seven summers ago. They’re medical science is akin to magic in how successful it is, with rare rather explosive exceptions, but over time I’ve become a gifted, not really, assistant to the assistant of Brother Ruben ever so grumpy. I managed well enough in my trusty steam cart running supplies to and from the mushroom shaped houses all painted whimsically and mixed of shape and size, small streams trickling everywhere you’d go it held a charming peace valued in old age, sometimes when late at night though seeing the town guard asleep I’d speed past the carts usual limit to break that quiet if only a little before anyone noticed. A drift or two here and there never hurt anybody, except Ruben that one time, but he doesn’t remember it thankfully or a stockade would await me. A spilled mug of night whisper tea made it convincing enough when he woke. He was thankfully easy to trick. Another late night was common since not being able to run made for an energetic mess after work with the Corps, Alfie was attempting his best to guard us from something or another probably fun and his post candle being snuffed out by me sealed a close eyed shift again. We needed few if only one guard since a garrison was down the road south. Alfie aspired to town judge someday so his was a constant morally superior presence. It was cool throughout town assorted brooks babbling like sleep talk, fire flutters buzzing a luminary dance around reeds, our holy moon beaming over wild storms ever present on the blue surface and stars countless all glittering in some proposal of marriage to the night. Porridge was best like this cool azure making living here a temporary delight…outside town that is. All seven of my room mates were ruining it from the other side of town snore talking or "snalking" as Tilde eloquently put it so the farther the better, while my cart sat in a stable it was easy to go on a regular wheel chair with some self-made improvements towards the town’s field limits. A hairy hopper croaking up bubbles from huge mouths was always a funny sight. The putrid smell a small price for a show. It stopped suddenly as did other sounds filling my stride. Halfway to the small woods a light pierced those few clouds, a fuchsia streak at that. “Holy marbles” needing new shock phrases, my breath left me and a larger more sinister shape, red in the sky, a bloody wound trailing behind what I finally saw the first streak to be a colorful airship from the library texts, just smaller, but faster than I read they could go. Smoke came rushing like ribbons out of the sides where fires sought dominance and lower it sank from the starry heights till a ball was thrown by the pilot to my guess at Reedy wood exploding into a purple gum enveloping half the trees just before impact, red scar from earlier grazing the horizon just before vanishing after. Regaining my senses and wheeling over the confounded rocky path I willed my arms into taking me to do…to do what? I don’t even know what I just saw, but someone needs my help. “Hello? Can anyone hear me?” yelling to no avail the damage on the craft was terrible as if mauled by a sky beast of old. “Please say something anything I can get someone to help!” I plead only to receive a dreadful silence…then a sound, rustling. ‘They’re alive!’ thank the Plan. “Don’t call anyone!” shouted a booming voice clearly irritated which is more than surprising given this is worse than some nuisance, “Take these and throw them at the smoky parts” they commanded. Four balls landed on my lap perfectly a diving suit clad figure emerging from the fiery wreck having thrown them, “Hurry before the fires spread!” without a second thought I threw one its green contents spilling out upon contact eating away all the smoke as if a person sucking in air flames disappearing. The rest were a quick ball game as we both saved the ship to which finally I demanded answers “Why shouldn’t I get the guard? What is this and who are you?” cocking their head to one side I saw them rear their hand back. “If I throw one just a bit harder at you what do you think it’ll do to the air in those lungs?” a threat said as quick as a hello they stared on the soot covered glass hole on their helmet keeping in with the cold of their tone. “Be a darling and live, you’ve been help plenty so come on up just use that ladder.” They trusted me to do so and I felt capable enough…besides explaining this to a man that counts misplaced stones as a serious offense in Porridge is best avoided. Testing the gum for stickiness it seemed to be hardening by the second, hopping off my chair I climbed the firm mass, my arms strong from regular use, eventually gripping a rope. The ships appearance a mix between new and old tech, visage akin to a quilt I avoided the spiky bits. Plopping over like some fresh catch I sat up appreciating the damage and its owner amongst dwindling heat. Claw marks ran deep into the white deck near the controls it seemed, clear signs of flame eaten wood and antiques as best to put it strewn about tied to whatever would hold. Painted flowers and animals in play lit with some luminescent artists magic lined the inside like a garden making the sight all the worse for it must’ve been a pleasure to sail in before, ‘A cottage that flies high.’ Finally I see the Captain I’d presumed without a crew having a patchy suit more fit for the depths of a story book ocean than an open sky it had pockets a dozen or so and what looked like weapon sheathes seen on guardsman having held some bloody tool the dry residue evident on their person. A single leather snake tube connected to a tank of sorts feeding something into the suit. “Are you okay?” I asked worried despite the threats, to this they clicked some release and a quick hissing of air left the helm as they revealed themselves. A girl, just a human girl, but one blessed with some divine design for she was a beauty beyond anything books, travelers or dreams could hope to compare. Eyes like a deep hot chocolate of winter festivals warm mugs inviting a long gaze, skin lighter by far to my Isle born brown flushed pink from rushed blood, hair matching the eyes holding a healthy shine with cotton candy wisps of color it all seemed to say she was a princess of some foreign place not a bandit despite small scars on her face. “What are you staring at?” she demanded mouth set hard and the death ball reared yet again. “Sorry! Sorry! It won’t happen again” breathless I begged marking it twice she nearly kills me. “What’s your name boy?” voice easing like her hand into a neutral sound and pose. “I’m all about your age by my guess so drop the boy my name’s Ry!” my pride getting the better of me. “Twenty year’s then?” she asked. I shifted having been off “Was a bit close I just hit twenty two.” At my sheepishness she laughed hard walking up to me “An old man then! Just my luck, the name’s Jin Sky Pirate and rogue artist extraordinaire!” she said proudly hinting at some legend behind her I wouldn’t know. “Well nice to meet you Jin, the Sky Pirate lucky to be alive.” I gave her my hand getting a puzzled look and a wary handshake, definitely a foreigner. “Just another project hit a snag is all I’ll get repaired and be back on track in no time”, her eye twitching at the memory. “That was a dragon wasn’t it? All forbidden in these lands by Saint Orden their self.” The words shocking at my uttering “How did you get past the border barrier and why didn’t you alert the Wardens? They would’ve been done with the beast by sunrise.” her posture shifted heavy boots scraping hardwood, “I don’t follow their rules or police! Bad enough he took me this far away from the Small Sea Peaks and now I’m scolded by a Valley bumpkin studying local politics? I’ve seen it all!” her voice rising indignantly. “The Pink Lady was wrecked when I strayed too close to the nest. Spirit scripture is brightest up the mountains where Dawn Riders once reigned just begging to be painted and the scales shed by their left behind pets don’t hurt to take either for gold. He chased me most of tonight till I saw this quiet little place and thought the supposed blessed streams would ward him…guess it did.” Smiling at her genius I countered “Why risk it all your life this ship for wealth?” this made me upset more so than I ever get to express. “A chance to soar above with birds running such a wonderful prize as this and…” I felt hot tears prick my eyes sore from rubbing them always out of habit. “Walk?” she said quietly. This was a jest it had to be! “What?” grinding the word out I felt even angrier at that balling my fists like a child, but she was right and that felt normal somehow like I’ve known that. “There are more ways than one to do it. The Lady was my Mom’s, part of a bigger fleet she had treasure hunting, loving people and fighting the rules like that of Dribble Valley here.” She laughed at her joke as did I. “I’d defend it were I a Corps Brother, but Dribble fits us around these parts.” As quick as all my anger had come it subsided. “I lived in chains all around after she passed on until I found this ship my family hid." her voice holding bitterness at the recollection. "Now I head onwards to collect more of her fleet! Crushing patriarchy around this messy world like Ma once did.” At her admiration I held a breath and felt myself wanting to hear more. "You don't know much about how people see me." I said testing her reaction as I do before opening myself to some pain of interaction. "I know tomorrow if they see you as less than a fire fighting geezer I'll start one in town myself!" proclaiming it as second nature she spoke. Suit wheezing as she moved closer till we were mere inches away breath tickling my face it smelled like candy. “People all over have a missing part or two in their hearts and I wish I could say the land holds some place where they’re complete, but if only some good it matters not for hundreds to get you” voice soft she looked into me not at. “I want to live like you do up in the air.” Heart speaking for me I meant every word. It beat faster while my mind was at peace. “Then join my crew.” She said smiling brighter than any stars above or the swirling lighting on the moon it all paled when she said those words lips honest and verbally sweet. “Help me repair Lady. It’ll only be a week at most and lets run away Old man Ry till we catch a falling star let’s make our wishes come true.” The words striking something up in me I felt flutterflies. It was all a dream and I’ll gladly dream it to break out the mundane. Pulling off a metal gauntlet then a padded glove she wiped my tears away her eyes watery too. “Aye Captain Jin I’ll fly with you” laughing at the welcome absurdity it felt fated. No more fear with this instant connection. “You said crew? Where are the rest?” looking around for an answer she flicked my nose getting my attention and gesturing, “They’re all somehow asleep in those knick-knacks around you, for they are Spirits each gifted at some task!” words mustering a spell of possibilities on what they’d be like. I have much to learn. Tears gone I reached out a hand and made the oath sign of the Valley one anyone would recognize for its odd looking hand sign. "This is my commitment." I said proud of my steps ahead. Fitting in around town was a full-time job. One that isn't often rewarded, but the Plan must have something in store I prayed for a change and it came. “The oath you’ll make is to serve me forevermore and since before this is our vow.” I repeated having heard it somewhere in my childhood. She said the first words that would give me new life. This town soon to be a memory I'd go to when darkest our quest would get. “Let’s fly like dragons higher than the rest.”
By Rony Rodriguez4 years ago in Fiction
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By Thomas Dennis4 years ago in Fiction
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By Laura Rothhaar4 years ago in Fiction
Order Harbinger
Prologue: Side A There weren’t always dragons in the valley. Not before the sky split. But those were dragons, sure as anything. Maria frowned and squinted. They were quick dragons too, that was for sure. First came the world-shattering crash, as if The Great One Above had dropped a guillotine somewhere in Heaven, then the dragons appeared and began unceasingly circling the town of Lumin that sat at the bottom of the valley. Maria watched from her perch at the edge of her family’s farm that was nestled in the upper left side of the valley. She glanced at the dragons, weaving throughout the sky, then at Lumin, bustling with its magical delicacies, then to the dragons, then to Lumin. Her mom and pop were down there, probably staring agape at the shadowlike behemoths overhead, alongside everyone else in the town. Butterflies hummed in Maria’s stomach, dancing in interpretations of both anxiety and excitement.
By William C Roberts III4 years ago in Fiction
The Warrior
There weren't always dragons in the Valley. But then again, there weren’t always monsters there either. The Dragons, or Dragonavenators as was their formal title, were an occult brethren bred to exterminate the host of unnatural monsters that plagued our once fertile and prospering land. They were the reason why even a small portion of the human population had survived this long. At least that’s what I tried to remind myself as I watched in intensifying outrage as a young Dragonaventor ate the last of our village’s small supply of food.
By Natasya Paris4 years ago in Fiction
DragonBone Valley
‘There weren't always dragons in the Valley. That was until recently,’ Valkyra thinks disheartenedly to herself. Her past childhood dreams of dragons coming back had come true only for them to be turned into monstrous nightmares. Before the dragons were “resurrected” she was too young to understand the events that led them there. Looking back now as an adult the chain of events that led up to that point felt avoidable. Regardless, she doesn’t have time to dwell on it now. Now she needs to make sure she and what's left of her family doesn’t die.
By ThePaintedWolfWoman4 years ago in Fiction
