The chronicles of Isosharia

Ok folks, here's some of my best work here, I may make the movie out of this one.

Ok, now this following text is ALL copyrighted. The rest of the story id currently at a publishing firm and will be published in a few years when parts 2 and three have been finsihed. This is my book, I am an author/cartoonist.

The Chronicles of Isosharia
Book one: The founding.


Prologue: The Ceremony


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The sun shone high above the island of Shovus and this was good, for it meant that the stones were coming soon. Each mother wished only for their young to be the first and only chosen. One of the half-elf mothers called upon her youth of sixteen years. “Xiash! Come my son, you must prepare for the
ceremony!� called Mayra. Xiash had been busy working on his swordsmanship; a part of each boy's training. He came from his practice to prepare for the annual Ceremony of the Stones. Xiash sighed; he didn't see the point of the ceremony at all. “Why does anybody think I will be chosen, nobody has even been chosen nor ever will.� He reluctantly placed on his best robes as his mother wished; these blue robes were not at all “best� they had been torn and were old and faded. He sighed again as his mother led him toward the mountain path.

He looked up at the mountain and was filled with awe, even though he had seen it many times before. The great mountain was carved in the shape of a mighty lizard with great wings. He had learned that these beings were known as
dragons, but he knew nothing else of these creatures. He wondered what would happen if a youth was ever actually chosen. He laughed at the idea of the young boy or girl being held up and carried to be the next elder and lauded with lavish gifts. He also wondered what the stones even were for; the elder had always taught that the stones that came each year were a gift from one much greater than he, and that the chosen would be rewarded greatly. Xiash was hard pressed to see the value in the stones, he had seen them once before, but each was the same; oval-shaped, colored rocks that were placed upon the altar at the top of the mountain each year when the sun was at its highest. Nobody to his knowledge had ever seen how the rocks ever got there, much less knew who placed them there.

As he reached the top of the mountain, he thought more about the stones and the ceremony. When he finally reached the top, he saw the stones, he didn't pay much attention to them until he saw the one resting in the middle, this one was obviously superior to any Xiash had seen. It was made of pure crystal, and was clear in the sunlight, he saw that inside it was a bright light that shone just until the outermost layer of the stone. Every thought he had about this ceremony being a waste suddenly vanished as he marveled at the stone. The elder, Hragtra began to speak. “Today is The Ceremony of the Stones. It is a day where these youths will have the privilege to be tested to see if they will be chosen. I am pleased that our people have been blessed with this chance…� Xiash had stopped listening and had turned back to stare at the crystal stone.
And as he started at it, he saw it flash, no, not a flash, but a solid, thin, column of light pouring out at him. Xiash blinked and the light was gone. The sixteen-year-olds were about to begin the ceremony.

The young men and women each went up to the stones and knelt before them, and each time, nothing would occur. It went on for hours, considering each youth would have to kneel for so long. Then, it was Xiash's turn; he walked up to the stones, his gaze kept on the one of crystal. And as he knelt before it, he hoped this stone would choose him. The stones sat before him and when he kneeled, the stone began to make a sound as if there was wind; but nothing more. Xiash stood back with the others. “What was that sound? There isn't any wind today.� But, as soon as he had thought it, a wind began to blow.

That night, Xiash didn't go to sleep, he couldn't he continued to think about what had happened at the ceremony. Thoughts began to race through his mind. “What was that light? Why did the wind blow? Why was there a crystal stone? When will the stones be taken away?�

That was when it hit him: the stones were not going to be here tomorrow, if he was going to see that crystal stone he'd have to see it now. He then crept towards the mountain. He thought about using the path, but then decided against it, he did not want to be caught, and, even though there were no guards at this hour, he surmised that the path was too dangerous.
He had climbed before, but never this high or this far. He began to lose his footing at times, and he had to go down and find a new route more than once. Once he reached the mouth of the “dragon� in the mountain, he was able to sit upon the ledge that was the lower jaw. He sat for a while, and then resumed his climb to the stone's resting place. He finally reached the top and saw that the stones were still there. At first he was relieved, then worried. “Why are they still here? It would be impossible to reach the top and go back down by now without being spotted.� He decided that, regardless of his fears of how the stones would be removed, he would examine the crystal one thoroughly.

He crept over to the altar and found the crystal stone. He began to look at it, and then pick it up to feel its texture, and he realized that it was hollow in some places, very strange. Then he saw a light, but not from the stone.
It was unlike anything Xiash had ever seen, it was like a shadow of light, a black light. And it was suspended in mid-air, about three feet above the stones. It then began to swirl, as if it was being stirred, the swirling stopped as it stretched downward towards the stones. Xiash Quickly leapt in front of the stones to try and save them, but it was too late, the light made contact.


Part one: Hatchling

Out of all the magical creatures in the world of Arglandia, none are more mystifying then the great dragons. Dragons are giant flying lizards with great and terrible powers that are unknown to any man. Dragons are the chosen guardians of the world and seek only to protect it, as is their sacred duty. To protect the world, they have been gifted with unbelievable magical powers of all kinds, some of which even they can not control. They are the greatest of lizards, wielding great wings and tremendous bodies with powerful scales as their armor. Dragons are born to the sky, and so they have command over it and all things below it. These flying Behemoths have always been regarded for their strength, wisdom, and sheer power. They are among the wisest of creatures, even before birth. A dragons feeling are more powerful than their claws, teeth, or massive body. A dragons feel can destroy or create, regardless of the dragon's will. The Dragons have always lived in protected secrecy and isolation. Always.

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It was like being having his body be turned inside-out over and over again as he was flung through the portal. Xiash exited the portal in a place he had never seen before, which was not saying much, as he had never seen anything outside of the island.

He was in some sort of vast swamp, it was sweltering out, and he had the crystal stone in hand, the others were gone. He tried to listen to find if there was any form of life around him, he heard none, he was alone. He then set the stone down and stood up, and as he turned around, he saw something that made him wish he was alone.

The creature was six feet tall at the shoulder and hunched over, it resembled a dog in many ways, with its protruding fangs and its canine snout. It was incredibly burly and could easily rip Xiash to shreds. Its body was covered in fur and it wore a small leather loincloth. In its hands it held a morningstar, and on its back was a standard of a massive paw print. Xiash had sent his creature before in a bestiary, this creature was a gnoll.

Xiash began to run away from the beast, but then forced himself to turn back and grab the stone. He had come all this way for it, he wasn't about to lose it now. He began to dart through the swamp, always sure to run on the driest land possible. He looked back and, to his horror, the gnoll was not only larger and stronger than he was, this creature was also much faster. And, perhaps even worse, this being knew the swamp much better than Xiash did, and he would surely catch up to him.

Xiash began to think of a plan, he then saw a stone, and he stopped to pick it up. He would have to aim it just right. He threw the stone and hit the gnoll clear between the eyes, and the creature cried out in pain. Then it got up and charged at Xiash once more. “Fal'dag! All it did was anger him more!�

Xiash ran as fast as he could, so fast that he began to lose his grip on the crystal stone. Then he remembered the ceremony and began to run off in search of light. He found a clearing and waited for the gnoll, positioning himself. The gnoll appeared in the clearing, in the perfect spot, Xiash tilted the stone enough so that it caught the light. And a column of light struck the Gnoll in his already injured eyes; the gnoll howled in pain and ran towards Xiash. Blinded, the creature ran off in the way he had come.

Xiash sat down upon a stone in the clearing and rested, he would have to make camp soon, and this clearing was as good a place as any, as long as he could defend against the gnolls. He found that the sun here had dried out the stray branches, making decent firewood. He also found other supplies like rocks and sticks to build a shelter. The job took only a few hours, and Xiash was not very skilled at building, but the shelter would keep him dry in the rain, at least.
Xiash then lit the fire to make a meal for himself, he was lucky that he had taken a single piece of meat with him to eat on the way down from the mountain. He cooked it and ate it, and, although it was satiating, Xiash was also not a very skilled cook. He added some more wood to the fire for the night when he realized that he must be very far from Shovus, as it was only noon there.

Xiash laid himself to sleep, and wondered if he would ever return home, but that was a job for another day, and he had had a most trying one today.

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Xiash awoke the next day when it was still dark, he would have to get used to this new schedule. He was glad he hadn't had to endure any midnight gnoll attacks. He then took one of the rocks he had found the other day and began to sharpen it, he was hungry, and would have to hunt. He tied the rock to a stick in a haphazard manner and made a shoddy spear, but it would have to do.

He walked out of his camp and found a young boar nearby, he threw his spear at it, and although he missed the boar, he did aggravate the mother. The enraged boar chased Xiash away, her small but strong tusks providing warning to him. Xiash returned to his camp empty handed. He had always liked herbs.

Xiash decided that after breakfast, he would have to seek out a way to escape this morass. He placed the stone inside his pack and brought a spear with him, just in case. He walked through the swamp and found that, without gnolls chasing him, it was actually somewhat charming. The swamp seemed to go on forever, and every tree and rock looked the same. The only reason he wasn't afraid of not finding his way back to camp was because he had put a cross-shaped scratch on the trees from the camp using his spear.

He found a tree with a scratch upon it, and thought he had gotten turned around, but he saw that this scratch was not his own, it was that of some huge creature, like a large wolf. It was the mark of a gnoll. As Xiash followed these marks, he soon learned that gnolls marked their territory with more than scratches.

He heard sounds coming from a thicket and so he crept over to it, and he found that it was a gnoll camp. And that they were deserting it. Xiash watched as they cleared the camp fast and efficiently. When the gnolls had left, he snuck into the remains of the camp and found some food sacks left behind, mostly onions and herbs, but a bit of fresh meat left. Xiash quickly left before any gnolls returned. He walked back to his camp only to hear more noises. The gnolls had ransacked his camp. They were still there and Xiash waited for them to finish so he could take what was left from his old camp.

Xiash used a tarp from the gnoll camp to make a pack, which he carried all his supplies in, Xiash had never held this much weight and hoped that no gnolls would chase him when he carried this. He walked through the swamp and camped each night, each day being similar, failed hunting and poor meals.
One day, as he tried again to hunt, he found a cave, and when he looked inside it, he found that it had inside of it a whole clan of gnolls inside of it. These ones were much more burly and larger than the ones he had seen. He tried to back up quietly, but when he turned he found himself face-to face with what appeared to be one of the clans' largest, or maybe that was because he was so close to it. He tried to run from it, but it caught him and picked him up before he could even step a foot away from it. He tried to thrash to get away, but all that did was cause the gnoll to hit him with his club. He blacked out.

He awoke chained to the wall of the cave, with his arms and legs bound. He stared at five large gnolls. He guessed that the largest of them was the clans' leader. The large one bent down to him and said “Whoteryewdooneree?� Xiash didn't understand at first, but then realized that he was still dazed. The gnoll repeated “What are you doing here?� Xiash answered “I am lost here� unsure of whether or not the gnoll wanted him to answer or not. The leader motioned to his pack and asked “what you got in the pack� his voice had a bit of a growl to it and it seemed as if he struggled to speak Xiash's language. “It is a stone.� Xiash answered. The gnoll ripped open his pack and took out the stone, when he saw it; he stared at it in awe as if he was holding a pack filled with gold rather than a shiny stone. Although Xiash didn't blame him for being surprised at the stone, Xiash was too when he first saw it.

“Where you get stone?� The gnoll demanded, seeming angry. “At my home, on an island� The gnoll, then grabbed Xiash and pulled him from the wall so hard that he broke the chains that bound him. He then threw him into the other wall and took the stone to the end of the cave where Xiash couldn't see it. He was alone and could see the exit, with no gnolls in sight; they all must have followed the leader. Xiash saw that there were various weapons along the wall; he grabbed the nicest sword he could find, and bound it to his hip. He thought about trying to get the stone back, but he new that he was no match for the gnolls. He doubted he could defeat one, let alone a whole clan.

He raced out of the cave, determined to find a way to get the stone back, up until now, he had thought it simply a shiny stone, but seeing how the gnolls wanted it made him sure it was much more. He grabbed his pack from outside where it left him and made camp atop the hill that the gnolls cave was bored into. Xiash went to sleep, all the while trying to find a way to get the stone back.

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Xiash awoke the next morning early; he had barely slept the night before. He looked over at the mouth of the gnoll cave and saw that the gnolls were banding together in a group, they were brining wagons filled with provisions and supplies for some kind of journey, mostly food and water, Xiash didn't see the point in all that water and food, the gnolls could easily hunt and water springs were found often in the swamp. They were preparing a caravan.

Xiash packed together his things as well, he would have to get more, but this would have to do if he was going to hunt the gnolls down and retrieve the stone they had with them. He looked at the sword he had stolen and hoped he would not use it.

The caravan began at noon, a poor time for traveling of one did not wish to be attacked, but the gnolls weren't the wisest of creatures. Xiash climbed down the hill and entered the abandoned cave, no gnolls, the entire clan was leaving. He held the weapon close, just to be sure. Xiash searched the cave for any supplies left by the gnolls. He was lucky that the gnolls weren't very tidy; he gathered up more food and a bow and a quiver which he filled with stray arrows from the den, most of which were snapped in some way, but it was better than nothing.
Xiash watched as the caravan moved along, it went slower than he had hoped for, but it was still fast enough. He easily kept up pace with the gnolls and would camp out when they did, and left when they did as well. He was restless, he did not wish to follow the gnolls any longer than necessary, but he needed some way to draw the leader from the group so he could retrieve the stone.

Xiash decided that he would watch the gnolls closely to see if he could use any information about them to his advantage. He had to be very careful when he watched them; he had to stay at a downwind distance so their canine noses couldn't sense him. He was lucky that the gnolls were probably the strongest power in the morass, because they didn't act very wary.

Xiash quickly learned that he was right in thinking that the large one was the leader, he always took food and water before the rest, and any who wanted to eat or drink before him were denied food and drink. He also learned that the leader, while old and shaky, had a reason for being feared and respected by the others, Xiash once watched him practice spellcasting, Xiash had learned of magic, but had no idea how to use it.

Xiash would watch them for many days and nights, always one strategic step behind them. After about a week of traveling, The scenery began to change, Xiash found that he fell into less and less mud holes, which he somewhat regretted, because this had probably helped him evade the noses of the gnolls. The land was getting dryer and the winds and trees were becoming less frequent, meaning Xiash was sometimes at a loss for a hiding place. The gnolls were soon traversing a vast desert, abundant in large boulders and pits, Xiash shouldn't have too much trouble finding a hiding place.

Off in the distance, Xiash saw a mountain ridge, which didn't seem too odd until he saw that there was a great black peak than dwarfed the rest of the mountains. The gnolls seemed to be headed for that mountain.
Xiash soon realized the unusual packing for the caravan, the abundance of water and food was not for the swamp, but for the barren wasteland. He then found that he could use this to his advantage.

The caravan moved in an interesting way; the wagons were spaced apart by several feet, and each wagon held an almost identical array of provisions, watersacks, and supplies. The wagons were rotated from front to back each hour, and they left most of their supplies behind when they got tired of pulling the weight. The broken weapons were the first to go, this was good for Xiash.
Xiash acted as a scavenger, picking up arrows and spearheads, trying not to laden himself down either. He had brought a watersack, but it would not be enough for the trip. He decided to remedy this and the problem with the gnolls in the same manner. He found that the weakest and laziest gnolls were the ones to pull the wagons of the caravan. They were easily distracted and often punished for it.
Xiash followed behind the gnolls over the course of a few days as they passed through a ridge. He hid behind a rock as the caravan passed by; he waited for the last wagon to come and he drew out his bow. He aimed carefully and shot an arrow clear into one of the watersacks, silent. The water began to trickle out at first, but then a steady but quiet stream began to emerge from the sack. Xiash followed behind and filled his sack from the water that was collected in the holes and pits. He used the longer alternate paths through the ridge quickly so he could repeat the process, but this time with more arrows piercing more sacks. He specifically dulled each arrow so that it would make a small hole in the sack, then fall out, leaving no sign of his work.

His plan did not take long to come into effect, two days after he began; the gnoll chief punished a gnoll for drinking all the water in the sack. This continued for many days, and gnolls quickly started to leave the clan. The plan had an even more profound effect later on; as the gnolls ran out of water, many left in order to survive, and a few died of thirst. This was all according to his plan. He was reducing their numbers significantly enough so that he could get the stone with out too much resistance. It wasn't long before there was only one wagon left, pulled by the last two gnolls, who trudged along after their chief, who was acting very wary.

Xiash had taken a wagon and loaded it with simply water, for this was essential to his plan. He found a large pit and filled it with water until it was full. Then he placed a metal shield he had found against a rock and he fired an arrow at it from far away. The sound was a thunderous crack, because the arrow was at close range and was laden with stones. The sound caught the gnoll's attention and drew them to the source. The chieftain tried inn vain to force them to return, but they completely ignored the chief once they saw the water they had prayed for.
Xiash took the opportunity to search the last wagon, but the stone was nowhere in sight, then he saw the familiar shining of the crystal, it was held on a pack worn by the chief. Xiash crept up behind him and drew his sword. He was about to reach out for the stone when he was struck with a devastating force.
Xiash was thrown back against the stone wall; he was still panting when the gnoll chief walked over to him, and said “So you stole water, I thought so, why you want it so much?� “It's mine.� Xiash answered. He then stood up, and held up his sword, he knew he couldn't steal the stone; he would have to take it by force.

The chief drew his staff, he was at least going to let Xiash fight him, it seemed he obviously did not see him as much of a threat. Xiash knew that he would not have the time to tire the gnoll, for the others would soon return. He decided to strike first, he ran at the gnoll, and swung his blade, the gnoll easily countered with his staff, he then ushered another magical blow at Xiash, which was deflected when it met his blade. Their weapons were like flames, licking at one another, only fueling the other's fury. Sparks flew as the blade struck at the staff with enough force to put a notch in it. Xiash took his chance to strike the chest of the chief; it was met with the gnolls firm bracer. Xiash leapt back and drew his bow; he fired three shots, more for a distraction than damage. Then as the gnoll evaded the arrows, Xiash twirled out his sword and charged at the gnoll, and he swung, the blade caught the light as it moved, causing it to shine as it cut through the leather armor of the gnoll, and through the fur and skin as well. The gnoll staggered back and fell, clutching his wounds. Xiash heard him howl and the sounds of the others coming to his aid, he quickly picked up the stone and darted off, leaving the sword.

As Xiash reached a cave at the end of the ridge, it began to rain. He had recovered the stone and was finally safe from the gnolls, at least for now. Then the stone began to shine its familiar shine, although there was no other light within the cave. It had a crack in it; it must have dropped during the fight when the chief fell. The crack began to crawl along the side of the stone and then the stone began to fall apart, revealing something that was inside of it. Before Xiash could see what it was, the stone's remains were lifted into the air and flew at him, when the touched him, he felt as if his chest was on fire. He blacked out.


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Although the dragons are the most mystifying of all the races, there are others whom are quite close. Most of these are the descendants of the dragons themselves, such as the great serpents, and the sea dragons. One such race is the great lizards, more specifically, the lizard men. The lizard men are direct descendants of the dragons. They are the oldest of intelligent races aside from the great dragons. They evolved when dragons began to live within the earth and thus needed no wings or their vast size. They became the first humanoids, and they are the creators of all weapons, from the sword to the scourge. Their speed and power are unmatched, but, like the dragons, their numbers are limited. This is why they were easily defeated by other races like the dwarves and the elves. They soon began to flee from them, and thus the race is becoming extinct, only a few tribes still live in Arglandia. They live beneath the earth and within mountain ridges. Their power is still strong, but long forgotten.

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Xiash awoke within the cave, alone; there was no sign of the stone. But when he arose, his chest felt heavy, as if he wore great armor. When he looked under his tunic, he found that his chest was covered with a thick layer of crystal, like that of the stone. Before he could think about it, he heard a sound within the cave. He turned to see what made the sound, but he felt the pain in his chest and he fell down again. He got up a second time and saw a creature in the corner, he had seen it before. He turned to it, but as he stood, an arrow shot past his head. He turned around to see that a cloaked warrior was standing at the entrance to the cave. The warrior stood at least seven feet tall, and the warrior's body was completely covered with the cloak.

“Come.� The warrior commanded, by the sound of the warrior's voice, Xiash was sure he was male. Xiash was tired and still weighed down by the crystal about his chest; so he followed grudgingly. He followed the warrior down the crag and reached a small cave at the bottom of one of the foothills of the mountains. Xiash couldn't help but stare at the vast black mountain that loomed over him.
The two entered the cave and Xiash saw that it was lined with torches down a path. Xiash looked at the walls as he passed and he saw that they were decorated with ornate paintings of battles and creatures, the images were more precise than the bestiaries he had read.

At the end of the tunnel, Xiash stepped into an opening, which led to three other tunnels. The cloaked figure walked down the one in the center and Xiash followed, sure that the warrior could easily catch him if he ran. This tunnel was much different than the first. It had been lined with weapons, which wasn't much more different than the gnoll's cave. But here, Xiash saw every weapon he had ever seen. He found swords, maces, staves, wands, axes, polearms, shields, scourges, morningstars, daggers, bows, spears, throwing knives, crossbows, and many weapons he had never even imagined before. Each one was crafted in a way that put even the greatest he had seen to shame. The hall of weapons loomed before him; certainly it couldn't have been carved by humans. Not even elves could create such arms. He saw a weapon on the wall that looked as if two scimitars had been welded at the blade and forged to the same hilt. Another weapon appeared to be a sword at first, but the sword was not a blade, but it was covered in spikes, as a morningstar would be. But by far the strangest of weapons he saw hung from the waist of the stranger before him. It appeared at first to be a single curved blade, melded with his hand. But Xiash saw that the weapon was in fact a thick, axe-like blade with a handhold carved into it. The weapons' use was indeterminable, was it used as a sword would be, was it used as an axe with the wielders' arm as a hilt? Xiash continued to marvel at the weapons until the stranger stopped.

He turned to Xiash and said “Come, Kraavak wishes to speak to you.� Xiash again noted that The strangers' voice was low and scratchy, as if he bore some throat disease. The stranger stepped aside and Xiash walked carefully into a large opening, he heard the sound of his boots hitting the ground with a thud rather than a scrape, the rooms' floor was crafted from some form of marble. The room was filled with no other strangers, except for one whom sat upon a chair, crafted from pure obsidian. The paintings on the wall were all of faces, the elders of this tribe, but not one of them looked like any man Xiash had seen before. Then he looked into the face of the one on the throne, and saw a face much like the others, and Xiash was sure this was not a man.

“Repsu, why have your brought this youngling into our midst?� Kraavak said. The stranger stepped up and said “I found him alone in a cave, so I brought him to you.� “Why would you bring this one to me, could he not be allied with the ragefang caravan?� “He had something with him when I found him.� “What did he have with him?� Kraavak said irritated. “Elder, He had with him…� Repsu appeared afraid to speak the words. “A-a-a dr-dr-dragon, Kraavak.� Kraavaks' eyes seemed to burn with both fear and wonder. “Leave Repsu, I would like to speak with the rider myself.� “But elder, the dragon is naught but a few hours old.� “Regardless of that, leave.� Repsu reluctantly left through the tunnel.
Kraavak turned to Xiash and said “So, you are to be the next rider?� Xiash had no idea what he was talking about, what could that small creature have to do with riding anything? “I do not know what you mean.� Kraavak wore a skeptical look. “You are telling me that a youth with no knowledge of dragon riders could become one?� He looked at Xiash for a while and then asked “Where do you call home, youngling?� Xiash was afraid what the answer might mean but he decided he had no better path to take. “I come from the island Shovus.� He answered. Kraavak sighed and said “I expected as much, please follow Repsu to the chambers; if I am correct, he should be right outside the door.�

Repsu entered the room and ushered Xiash out with a grin. The two began to walk down the tunnel. After a few steps, Repsu asked “What are you called?� Xiash answered “My name is Xiash.� He was sure his fear of these creatures was showing, because Repsu then said “My name is Repsu, Champion of the Jakru Tribe. We are the last remaining bastion of Lizard Men in all of Arglandia. And with that, Repsu showed Xiash to his room.


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The dragon were the first creatures ever to come into existence, and from them, all things evolved, one such daughter race is the lizard men, They descended from the mighty earth dragons, whom did not wield wings, but merely walked on land. The lizard men came far before any other humanoid race. They are the creators of all weapons, of all magic, of all war. These creatures have survived by fleeing, for other races have overtaken them. Although a single Lizard man can defeat fifty men, the other mortal races outnumber the lizard men a hundred to one. Now the lizard men hide under the earth, waiting for their time to come. Waiting.

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Xiash awoke the next morning and was in a stone room. The walls were carved with perfection that surpassed even the elves. Whatever these Lizard men were, they were genius craftsmen. Xiash pushed against the door, at first it didn't move. This door was carved from pure stone; it must be four inches thick to be this heavy. He pushed again, and the door gave free.

Xiash felt the cold of night, surely the rest of the Lizard men were asleep. Xiash decided that he must discover who or what they were and what their goals were. Xiash went down the empty hallway and found a small tunnel; he had no idea where he was, so he decided to see what was down here. At the end of the hall was a door with bars, Xiash looked through and saw that he was overlooking the throne room he had been in before. He saw that one of the Lizard men had no hoods on.

He had not gotten a good look at one of the Lizard men yet, Repsu wore a cloak and Xiash tried not o look at Kraavak for fear of being disrespectful. At first the Lizard man looked like a Lizard standing upright. But, as Xiash looked closer, he saw the human characteristics. The Lizard man stood as much as seven feet tall, he was this, but muscular. He wore not but a loincloth and shoulder armor. His body seemed frail, but as Xiash saw him move, he noticed that the lizard man was almost solid muscle. The Lizard mans' scales were dark green, like a leaf almost dead. His scales all pointed downward from his neck, down his arms and legs they all curved to allow more movement. The scales themselves were not rounded as on most lizards Xiash had seen, but pointed. The scales were in layers; this must be why the Lizard men needed no armor. Even metal wasn't as powerful as the scales. The scales only differed upon the feet, hands, and face. On the feet and hands, the scales all pointed towards the toes and fingers, but on the soles and palms no scales were found, rather a leathery skin covered them. The scales on the face all pointed towards the tip of the mouth. The Lizard man had an enormous jaw; it could probably crush stones with it alone. The face had many features like that of a human, the eyes were not beady, but rather they seemed to be the same as Xiash's'. Around his neck there was a necklace of teeth that seemed much like his own.

Xiash stopped examining the lizard man when he heard Kraavak speak. “So Repsu, what do you propose we do concerning the youngling?� “Well elder, we certainly can not kill him, he is a rider, the last one existed only in legends!� “I am aware of that, and I can assure you Repsu that no harm may befall him so long as he is in my charge.� A wave of relief fell over Xiash. He was at last safe. “So what should we do, we can not allow him to stay here, we are in enough danger as it is.� said the other Lizard man. “We can not allow him to leave, as long as Nydoth seeks his treasure, the boy will never be safe.� replied Repsu. “We seem to have a dilemma, we can neither allow the boy to stay nor may we allow him to leave.� said Kraavak “So, we must find a solution to ensure both his safety as well as our own.�

The room fell silent for what seemed an eternity before Repsu spoke. “Perhaps he would remain safe if he was protected on his journey home.� Kraavak considered this idea and then responded. “How could we protect him? Our numbers are limited and we still could not ensure his safety, remember Repsu, you must remember what exactly is at stake here.� Repsu answered “We could send one of our warriors to join him, he could train the boy for combat so he could survive alone. This is…� The other Lizard man interrupted “The youngling has next to no knowledge of weaponry or combat, he could not survive without years of training.� Kraavak nodded in agreement. “He was able to raid a Barkpaw caravan! Does that not prove his worth?� shouted Repsu. The elder then said “The boy shall be tested, if he is suitable as a warrior, then one of our warriors may accompany him, but only of his own will. I will not force our people into such a situation. Jadgu, test the youngling, report to me.�

As Jadgu left the room Xiash realized that he was expected to be in his chamber. He rushed back and made it to the door less than a minute before the Lizard man.
He heard a knock at his door. He answered, already knowing who was on the other side. Jadgu simply grunted “Come�. Xiash followed Jadgu down the third of the tunnels to find another chamber that very much resembled an arena. Jadgu gestured to the amazing assortment of weapons along the wall and said “Choose one, and we shall duel� Xiash carefully chose, trying to find a weapon that was close enough in structure to a sword so he could use it, while different enough to impress upon the Lizard man that he had a knowledge of weapons. He wanted to pass the test, primarily because he never heard what would happen if he failed. Needless to say, he did not wish to find out. As he chose a weapon with two curved blades curving away from the hilt he wondered why Jadgu had neglected to say this was a test. Jadgu acknowledged his choice by asking “ready?'. As Xiash answered yes he braced himself for the inevitable pain of this elite creature that stood before him wielding what appeared to be a mace with a sword hanging from the handle by a chain.

Jadgu grunted something that sounded like a “go� but Xiash wasn't certain. Then, with no further warning, Jadgu charged at him. Xiash knew he was outmatched in this fight, so he would simply try to evade the strokes of the monstrous weapon. He ducked to the right, only to be smacked by the blade. No blood. That was good. Xiash then heard a sound like a sword cutting through the very wind, and he extended his sword instinctively behind his head while he sat on the ground. The metals clashed with a clap of thunder; Xiash quickly leapt to the side after his experience with the blade. He managed to stand before he had a block of obsidian being whirled at his head. He ducked and he was surprised to hear a clack as he slid on the rock. His sword had scraped against Jadgu's scales, Jadgu tripped, more from surprise than loss of balance. Unfortunately, Jadgu did not make contact with the earth; he rolled to the side using the added support of his powerful tail. Xiash knew he would fail this test if he didn't strike once so he took this opportunity to whirl his two-bladed sword at the Lizard man, He made contact with the back; a blow that would have sent most humans to their knees. Instead, Xiash heard a sound not unlike rock being ground into dust. He had torn at the creatures cloak, but had done nothing more, his weapon had struck a spike, one of many razor-like spikes that lined Jadgu's back. When Xiash got a hold of his sword, it had a noticeable dent in the blade. Any doubts about Jadgu's choice to not wear armor were gone faster than Jadgu whirled with his mace and made a clean stroke at Xiash's leg. Xiash expected his bones to shatter from the force, yet they did not, neither did they feel any pain whatsoever. Jadgu had stopped short of Xiash and gave him the chance to gain his balance back. Xiash wasn't sure if he would rather his bones shattered or this flaw on his combat test. As Jadgu swung again, Xiash was sure he would rather his bones remain intact. The Lizard man hurled the mace at Xiash and his hands began to slide at his own strength. The mace slid more until it flew out of Jadgu's hands. The mace was going to strike Xiash in his chest, and if he had the reactions of a deer, he still would never have had a chance to dodge the black stone flying at him. It made contact.

Pain seared across Xiash's chest, the blow was too severe for him. He heard a crack like thunder. He fell to the earth in pain, he was either going to die or have every bone is his torso broken. The feeling of bones ripping through his body did not come. Instead he began to feel a different sort of pain, a pain that erupted from his chest and spread across his body to his fingertips. He couldn't bear this agony further, he had felt pain before, but this went deeper, as if his mind was being torn apart. His body seemed to feel this torment for hours, although his head told him it was a matter of seconds. Then, as if it never existed, the pain stopped, he felt nothing. He could feel neither the pain of the blow nor the bruises from his duel with the gnoll. Instead he felt as if he had rested for days prior to this moment, he was revitalized, he was strong. He got to his feet and found that they no longer ailed him. He stepped forward and felt rocks below his feet. When he looked down, he saw a handle with black shards at its tip. The mace had shattered. But how could this be, he was not the only one in shock; he saw Jadgu kneeling at his broken weapon and staring at is as if it was the most frightening thing he had ever seen. Xiash took this opportunity to strike with his weapon and the side collided with Jadgu's shoulder armor, the blow was clean, and the armor had sundered. Jadgu became alert as if he had just awoken from a slumber. He grabbed the blade attached to a chain and whirled it so fast the air hissed and he stopped it at Xiash's throat. “You lose� he stated.

Xiash was taken back to his chamber. He sat in the near darkness and thought to himself. “Why am I not dead or injured, I shouldn't be able to sit, let alone fight.� “How could I have possibly survived that attack, and not only that, but the weapon broke as well, as if I was wearing some form of armor…� He stopped suddenly. He remembered something. He quickly looked under his tunic at his white crystal torso, when he touched it, he felt it, this material was stronger that any he had ever seen. How had he gotten this? He could not remember it at all, he saw the light catch it and he remembered the stone. He gasped.
The creature that made the sound was a small version of a creature he had seen before, in a mountain. It must have been a dragon. The stone was an egg, and he had been chosen. After this realization, his mind began to race. He wondered if the elders knew about this, he then thought of the other stones and of the ceremony. Thoughts entered and left his head at frightening speeds. Before he could make sense of it, Jadgu stormed up to his room and instructed him to follow him to Kraavak. Xiash left with him.

When he returned to the throne, Kraavak and Repsu were still there, waiting for him. He tried to tell Kraavak of the dragon, but he was cut off. “Young ilsha, you have passed your test. You are free to go; one of our warriors will be accompanying you to your destination.� Xiash then asked. “Ilsha? I do not understand. And why must I be accompanied to my own home?� Kraavak spoke skeptically. “You know not of the legends of the Dragons?� Xiash shook his head. Kraavak began to tell Xiash of how the dragons were the world's guardians and the ones who befriended them and fought with hem were known as the Ilsha. Xiash was amazed at the story, although he did not learn much, he still was in awe. Xiash was still open-mouthed when Kraavak spoke once more. “Your young dragon has been cared for and will be returned to you, the best of luck to you. Now, it is time for you to meet your escort home.� Repsu spoke out “Father, as champion of the tribe, it is my duty to escort the boy.� Xiash was surprised to know that Repsu was the Elder's son. Kraavak sat in thought for minutes. “Alright then, but you will return when you are finished, you still must rule the tribe when I fall.� Repsu bowed and led Xiash back to the exit.

Xiash was about to ask Repsu about what he knew of the dragons, and of he and the Ilsha when they reached the exit. A hole in the rock held the small dragon. It was pure white, white like snow. Its eyes were closed; they seemed to be closed for since it was born. The eyes opened to reveal blue eyes the exact shade as Xiash's. He reached out for the hatchling and it crawled to his arms. The wings were miniscule and its body was small and frail. It was helpless. Repsu was about to say something when there was a loud roaring sound. Xiash turned to the exit and saw a cloud of dust, when it approached; he saw bodies on the horizon. Repsu shoved Xiash down a tunnel to a small hole in the earth and they leapt down it, the entrance was then covered with dirt and rocks. They fell and Xiash's skull hit the stone floor beneath.


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Xiash awoke next to the hatchling and Repsu. He blinked and sat up. “Are you alright?� Repsu asked. “Yes, I'm fine.� Xiash answered. He felt a comfort in his chest and saw that the dragon had its eyes closed and seemed to be concentrating. Xiash focused on the hatchling and felt more comforted and a single word rang in his head. Shizar.

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Dragons, like all lizards, are born from eggs. Dragon eggs are more intriguing than any other eggs. An egg is laid with the dragon alive within it already. When a dragon feels truly safe, it will break through the egg and hatch. A dragon is bound to the first being it sees. Dragons grow fast, but their minds grow faster. There are seven dragonflights. Each flight has control over a different form of magic. The Red flight has the power over fire. Blue lives in the seas and controls water. Plants and life follow the Green flight. Death and night are the power of the Black flight. The bronze flight controls the sky and rules over air. The Gold flight rules over the sun. And the crystal flight controls all magic.



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Cool, huh? Keep in mind I took out a lot so It wouldn't be a two-page post. It is actually MUCH longer than this.

Well, I got to the ^^^^^^^^^^^^ about lizardmen. I only have such a long attention span - maybe I'll read more later.


I have a few problems with it though...

1) You didn't character Xiash nearly well enough. He doesnt seem at all phased that he virturally went between worlds, and I don't think the idea to build a tent would come for a while after you finished being freaked out of your mind. There are a lot of things like this, where he doesn't seemed phased in the least (yeah, like the chrystals)

2) It seems WAY too much like Eragon. Way way way way WAAAAAAAAAY too much.

3) The ^^^^^^^ blocks give away way too much. It shouldn't be that obvious (I didn't know that the crystal stone was a dragon egg (hello Eragon) until I read the section about them, which virturally gave it away)

4) Some grammar needs improvement.

5) The whole "I gotta get that stone" thing seems forced.

Oh well, so much for my review. It's pretty good, but its flawed. Keep writing :)

This took me a lot of time to read entirely, that's why I did not rewiew or comment before.
This story is definitely overworked, and I guess it could make a nice cinematic.

I don't have any time to rate right now, but tell me if you want a rating or not, you may have a chance to escape my harsh ratings ^_^

I knwo it is confusing! I took out a bunch of passages. Like the one with the "Phased about being transported." He is pretty much in a state of confusion throught the whole thing. I only put in the passages from my roguh draft and I took out all explanatory ones. These are almost strictly events.

If it's going to be some of your best work, you may as well include everything, even if that would make it some horrendus (sp, argh) length. Just maybe stop it at half length or something.

Yeah, well I can't (part of the copyright). Just grade it based on the individual paragraphs.