The forest was peaceful. The sun was high and golden and the
sky was an endless blue. The sunlight dappled the lush green leaves of the
forest. The treetops were so thick and the trees were so close that it was a
sea of green from above until the horizon in all directions. It only broke up
in occasional clearings and watering holes. The birds sang sweet songs and
danced among the trees in bliss. The smell of life and flowers wafted through
the air. And through the trees and all the forest magic stirred and flowed.
This land may seem as though it were nothing more than a dream, a lush paradise
where one can escape to only in their own mind. This world is indeed real
though. This is Eden.
Eden is a world different from the ‘Mortal Earth’ for it
flowed and was created by magic. The story dates back to it origin long, long
ago, before the creation of Eden. It was about an epic battle.
Back then, the Mortal Earth was far different than it is
today. There were more forests, castles still dotted the landscape, and knights
practiced swordplay. Then there was also magic. Wizards, unicorns, centaurs,
satyrs, and other beasts of legend were part of everyday life. Humans and these
creatures lived peacefully side by side, helping each other as though they were
siblings. The creatures often taught men the ways of the forest, the secrets of
nature, how to navigate the seas using the stars, and stood by their kings
almost as equals. They also took place in wars forgotten a century later, and
unheard of now. And in return men gave them shelter, helped them in their own
battles, and cared for them. But not everything was in harmony. And it was the
mightiest of all creatures that protected the peace, magic, humans and beasts
alike. Those great protectors were the legendary dragons.
Dragons are serpent- like beasts with strong bodies and legs
and wings on their backs. They also breathed fire and flew with their wings.
But unlike what people think there are five breeds of dragons. They are the
European Whiptails, the Chinese Orientals, the Northern Ridgebacks, the
Southern Firespitters, and the Volcanic Firethroats. The Firethroats were the
only dragons that hated humans, while the others favored them. They would help
humans grow crops, teach them knowledge about magic and nature, and protected
them from danger. But the good dragons could not control everything. The dark
Firethroats controlled all the dark magic in the world, greed, malice, hatred,
jealousy, and all the dark feelings that plague us. They also lead all the evil
creatures in the world. Though most creatures could be good or evil, there were
some made of pure darkness, such as goblins, demons, the undead, ogres, and
unfortunately there are many more. The other dragons were in a constant b attle
to protect the good and the innocent and hold off the Firethroats’ minions.
But dragons were powerful creatures, though, so the dark
creatures were only a nuisance to the dragons.
But the Firethroats themselves were as strong as the others
were. They kill all the knights and warriors that try to slay them, then eat
their widows and children. They would gather themselves into groups of fifty or
more and in the dead of night rampage through villages, burning them to the
ground and eating all who live there. Their leader, for every dragon breed had
a dragon king, was the darkest of them all though. It was said that he came
from the fiery underworld itself.
He was called Riptoe, and the other dragon kings hated him.
All Firethroats are black, but he was a deeper black, darker than the night
itself. His eyes were a blazing red, and his teeth and claws were like
burnished metal. When the dragon kings would meet he would claim that he should
get the most power. But the leader of the European Whiptails and the dragon
kings, Goldenclaw, would deny him. Each time he failed Riptoe grew angrier and
angrier.
But the dragon kings lived side by side with the human kings
as well. But they were most loyal to the legendary Arthur Pendragon of Camelot.
They would help him make important decisions that would affect both humans and
creatures. And in return he never sent knights from his round table to slay
them.
One day though the kings discovered to their horror that all
over the world magic was fading and the dragons were losing control. Nobody
knows to this day what was causing it, and the humans and creatures were
beginning to panic. But at least there was one good thing, the Firethroats had
not heard about it yet. So the dragon kings gathered, but allowed no one to
tell Riptoe, with King Arthur.
