The League of Dragon Riders

A Long Story

Asher Jordan was at a loss for words. The world around him seemed strangely familiar and yet it was all so new. Deep down he knew this was where he belonged but he knew he couldn’t thrive here. He was used to the technology of the modern age. He was not used to huddling next to a fire for warmth with a scratchy blanket thrown over his shoulders. The room itself was old. The large stone walls were covered in shelves of books in languages Asher was sure his world had never seen. The fireplace itself was huge enough to cook a large pig without an issue. His friend sat at the thick wooden table looking through one of the said books but Asher doubted he could actually understand it. 

Jasper would try to because that was just his nerd way. Asher doubted, however, that he ever found something he couldn’t figure out how to understand. 

“Sorry,” a woman’s voice interrupted his string of mental insults pointed toward the pale teenager sitting hunched over a book. At the sound of his voice, Jasper sat up and turned toward the older woman as she moved to sit in one of the large chairs that sat before the fire, “I had to take care of something. Many are suspicious of you two.”

“I assure you,” Asher said, “that we are not here to cause any harm. We’re actually here seeking help.”

“Yes,” she nodded as she gestured for him to sit. She waved Jasper over and they sat down beside each other as she looked into the bright flames for a moment before turning her attention back to them. She smiled softly to herself before letting out a long sigh, “either way, it will take some convincing. I know you speak the truth, Asher, but no one else does. They saw you disappear when you were a babe. I doubt most even believe you’re the same child. Not to mention your friend here.”

“Is there anything I can do to convince them?” 

“Unfortunately, no,” she shook her head sadly, “we’ll have a hearing tomorrow and if they vote against helping you, I can’t go against them.”

“What if they vote to kill us?” Jasper spoke up, “I overheard that chatter.”

“I suppose I’ll have to follow that ruling as well,” she said but a knowing smile stretched across her face, “however, I doubt we’ll have an easy time trying to accomplish that.”

“That’s fun,” Asher muttered before glancing over at his friend. Jasper seemed bored as if the prospect of dying in this foreign land didn’t bother him. Asher had yet to find anything that bothered or scared the older teenager. He cleared his throat and turned back toward Alaina before speaking, “is there anything I can do? Why do they hate Jasper so much? They’ve never met anyone like him before.” 

“It’s your eyes,” she said, her voice turning cold as she turned toward the other teenager. Jasper didn’t look bothered as she regarded him. He simply stood to his full height and slid the book back on the shelf. She came and sat down beside Asher near the fireplace. It was a solid five minutes that went by before Jasper came and sat down on his other side. Jasper’s eyes were on the fire and for a moment Asher thought he could see anger in them. Perhaps more bothered him than he let on.

“He has done nothing to warrant your hatred of him,” Asher complained as he looked over at her. She seemed to consider his statement for a moment as she looked down at her hands. She seemed to fight with herself as her eyes darted back and forth. She glanced up at him with a sad smile before sighing. 

“It isn’t he who I hate,” she answered finally. She looked over at Jasper but he kept his eyes forward and his face stoic as she continued, “it is who he comes from.”

“How do you know who I came from?” Jasper said, wording it just as she had. He didn’t seem offended, only curious. Like he said, there is very little that can rile Jasper up. 

“It’s a long story,” she said, sighing as she watched the flames, “but I’m ready to tell it if you are ready to listen, Asher.” 

“What else are we going to do?” he said, sighing as he followed her gaze toward the bright flames. They were large and cackling, threatening to eat away anything they came in contact to. Asher felt better being protected by a few feet of space that kept them away from the flames. While he didn’t fear dragons, he did fear fire. 

“My story starts after the great kingdoms of old fell,” she glanced over at Jasper before turning her attention to her hands, “dragons hadn’t been seen in so long that they were only creatures of legend. We had heard, however, of rumors of their revival long before I was pulled into their world. Long before my village was burned to the ground by a treacherous fiend...perhaps I am getting ahead of myself.”

“Perhaps?” Asher smiled as she reached out and grabbed his hand. 

“You were our success, Asher,” she nodded, “you are the product of so much bravery and courage and...death. Of course we hadn’t know we were doing it for you but...I’m getting ahead of myself again, aren’t I? We need to start in the beginning.”

Asher nodded as he leaned forward almost subconsciously. This was it. He was finally learning of his beginning like some sort of comic book hero origin story.

“It all started,” she said with a distant look in her eyes, “in my home village, nestled deep in the Elder Forests…”