Dragonia: The Dragon Stone

Chapter 1

1

Year 511 D.A.

Devarius stood in the center of Saefron. The red sun hung high in the air, while the orange sun was as small as one of the moons. Winter had just begun. Spring was arising. Each passing day, the orange sun would grow in size.

Saefron was abandoned. The city lay in ruins. The empire had indeed come back to finish it off once they’d regrouped. Devarius made sure the resistance wasn’t there. He walked around all the shops, salvaging anything he could, but most was either destroyed or stolen.

Ayla stepped by his side. Devarius smiled as he reached his hand out to touch her behind the ears. He scratched her favorite spot. A low rumbling came from her throat.

“We begin a new chapter,” he whispered. He brushed his hands through his short hair.

You can do this, Ayla said.

“I’m not a leader,” Devarius said.

You led all those people to the resistance. You led people into battle. With your leadership, the resistance defeated the empire twice.

Devarius shook his head. “That was a fluke. Both of those were small battles. What can I possibly do against the entire empire?”

It takes one step at a time. One battle at a time. But if anyone can do it, you can.

Devarius took one last glance at the city before leaving. He knew they’d never be able to come back. At least, not so long as the Dragonia Empire ruled.

Devarius left the city, unsure if he’d ever return. He wandered south until he came to an unmarked grave. Devarius knelt and said a prayer to the creator. He may not have agreed with everything Ellisar stood for, but he was a good man, a man who wanted what was best for the people. A simple unmarked stone marked his grave. It wasn’t extravagant, but Devarius knew it well. Perhaps when it was all over, he could come back to give him a proper gravestone, but it would have to wait. He didn’t want the empire to tarnish his gravesite. It would be best if no one knew where Ellisar lay. Devarius reached into his pocket and withdrew a blue scale. He pressed it into the ground in front of the rock.

Heavy footsteps approached. Devarius paused, then looked behind him. Alora, Ellisar’s dragon, approached, sadness in her eyes as she looked at the grave.

“I am sorry for your loss,” Devarius said. “We are all saddened by his passing.”

Thank you, human.

Devarius studied the beautiful dragon. For the longest time, Devarius had thought there were only red dragons, and that it was only wyverns who had many colors. But Ellisar had hidden much from him. And seeing Alora stand in all of her glory in the red sunlight was a magnificent sight to behold.

Like Ayla, the dragon was a beautiful dark blue. Her blue scales glimmered as Devarius took all of her in. He found Ayla to be beautiful as well, but to see a blue dragon, all four legs, and the incredible size, there was no describing it. He wished he could find more dragons, dragons like Alora, who would fight against the empire instead of for it.

“We will fight back. And one day, we will defeat the empire. You have my word,” Devarius said.

Alora tilted her head and did what Devarius would consider a scoff. How do you plan to do so? It looks to me as if we barely survived that battle.

“The resistance has a long away to go, but we will get there. That I promise you.”

Alora shook her head. You may have to do so without me.

“Without you?” Devarius asked.

I have spent the last hundred years with Ellisar. I helped him through it all, and I did it all in secret. We knew revealing me would only stir trouble. I was kept in the shadows, and I was all alone, except for Ellisar. But, he is gone now. And I can no longer hide in the shadows.

“You don’t have to,” Devarius said. “There is no need for you to hide. You’re a part of us now, the resistance. I want you out there with the others, with the wyverns. There’s so much you can teach them.”

Alora shook her head again. No, I don’t belong here. I am not a wyvern. I am a dragon. I need to be with other dragons.

“Other dragons? All the other dragons are mindless beasts controlled by the emperor.”

Not all of them. Some of them have fled this land to find another, away from Galedar. I will find them.

“So, you’re going to abandon us?” Devarius asked.

I’m sorry. I cannot stay here. I have stayed for a hundred years because of Ellisar. All of this time I wondered where my kin went. It is time I went to find them.

Devarius closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “I’m frustrated with you, but I understand. I know it must be hard for you to be here all by yourself.”

Thank you for understanding. Perhaps, one day, we will meet again.

Devarius wanted to respond, but he didn’t really know how. After another moment though, it was too late. Alora spread her wings and jumped into the air. She flapped, and with each stroke of her large wings, the dragon elevated into the sky. Devarius watched her, his hands cupped over his eyes. He tilted his head as he saw her traveling east. There was nothing east of Saefron. At least, nothing known. It was only the vast sea.

He sighed, then knelt at the gravestone again. Like Alora, he would miss Ellisar, but it wasn’t for the same reasons. He didn’t have the same bond Ellisar and Alora shared. Devarius’ longing to have Ellisar back was because Devarius didn’t want to lead the resistance. He didn’t want the responsibility. He wanted to defeat the empire, but he didn’t want to have to lead the entire resistance to do it. Gulping, he touched the top of the unmarked rock above Ellisar’s body.

“Rest well, Ellisar,” Devarius whispered. “I will succeed. You can count on me.”