Mystery of Small Water Dragon

created by CyRa & Moandor

Prologue
In the age of war and fear, when the wild furious animals occupied Wilderness, when Moroch’s beasts spread death and destruction around the land and Lord Lon’Li’Uni’Sm’s sad story began, a small warmage guild came into existence in the dark forest near Ancient Cavern. For many years Guild Masters trained their prentices to become great and experienced warmages, many years they lived calmly secluded. But one day all has been changed, forever.
   It was cold stormy day, when a new prentice joined the Guild. Since the beginning, this small boy has appeared to be strange guy. Especially his eyes were terrifying, being coloured unusually deep dark blue and as cold as the eyes of a death man. He knew many things, which any of Old Guild Masters had never heard about and wild animals, especially wolfs, tried to get out of his way.
   Several years later, the boy was the best of all prentices of the Guild and Moroch declared a total war to the Warmage Guild. The Age of Peace ended and the Age of Blood began. During the years of the cruel fights many members of the Guild died. In addition, the strange boy grew up and became the Guild Grandmaster. He and his adherents fought as much as they were able to do, but in vain.
        The Grandmaster knew the end of the Guild was coming. Trying to safe the rest of his people, he created a very powerful ring to help him to conquer Moroch’s army.
   A bloody battle took many weeks. In the end, Moroch was defeated but the Warmage Guild was completely destroyed and anybody, except the Grandmaster, didn’t survive. He had to run far away from the ruins of the Guild, wandering around Wilderness to hide from Moroch's beasts. He knew Moroch has never stopped to find him. There were two reasons: his ring and carefully covert sign of Moroch on his right arm.

Stoneglow, many years later
Dark clouds were flowing through the sky, it was drizziling and icy piercing wind pervaded everywhere, under warm clothes, into old stone houses, just everywhere. It was foggy autumnal morning and a small town, called Stoneglow, was slowly woken up.
   Near the only bank at the town walls, there was the only pub in Stoneglow. Last evening a group of archers and hunters celebrated their very successful hunt there. Last guests left the pub at 4 p.m. so John, Bartender decided not to close the pub. He could get more money if some hunters, returning from a night hunt in Wilderness, would come in his pub.
   And so this morning were in the pub only four people – John, Bartender, a completely drunk archer name of Verdish, an old wizard Mithithron and some ugly guy, quietly sitting in the corner.
“Who’s that, John? Glock!” That’s really strange guy, isn’t it?” asked Verdish trying to sit back on his chair.
John didn’t pay attention to him. He was fed up with drunken archers, especially drunk archers who made problems constantly.
“Hey! Hey! You! Yup, you sitting in the corner?” cried Verdish. “You are really strange guy, aren’t you?”
The foreigner looked at the archer without saying a word.
“What a hell is you staring on me, hmm? Do you think that you are better archer than me? Yes? I’ll show you, what a hell am I. I’m the best archer in Stoneglow!” Verdish stand up and reeled to the foreigner. The stranger, wearing ugly black coat, didn’t say word again and got up, too.
   “Guys, please!” cried John, “Calm down! There’s no place for fight!”
“Shot up! John,” retorted Verdish. “I’ll fight when I want to do!”
“Don’t worry, good man,” suddenly said the stranger. His voice sound coldly calm with the sign of well-respected men. “And you, Archer,” his dead cold eyes were looking straight at Verdish, “stay with your booze.”
Verdish wanted to answer but he was completely terrified with stranger’s dead look. He couldn’t say a word. He staggered and felt down on the floor. For a minute he tried to get up. But thanks his drunkenness, he wasn’t able to arise. Finally he stood to lie on the floor snoring loudly.
“Here is your money, good man,” said stranger to John. He was ready to leave when a small boy intruded into the pub. “Moroch attacks! Moroch forces are here! They kill all of us!” cried he completely scared.
   “Where are they?” asked the stranger.
“Near the town gate,” whispered the boy.
“Bartender, take the boy and go to the cellar!” ordered the stranger. “And you go with them, old man,” he turned to the old wizard.
“No, young guy, I’m old but strong! We shall fight together!” strongly answered the old wizard.
“Let’s go!” said the stranger and they left the pub.

This is a chapter from Mithithron’s diary:
Battle of Stoneglow
Finally, we reached the town-gate area. I’ve never seen so many Moroch’s beasts together. They were everywhere! Some town guards tried to stop them, but they were unorganised. A town-guard leader died. I saw his disfigured body in the battle field.
   “They must be organised or your city will be destroyed!” said the stranger, standing next to me.
“But who shall organise them? You?” asked I, but he didn’t hear my question. I saw his dark wearing figure in a group of the town guards, making orders. I didn’t realise it. But his influence on the people had to be huge. He was the well-respected man, I’ve ever met.
“Good man!” suddenly I heard his voice, “your skills could be useful for our intention! Do you wanna fight with us?” Did I hear some signs of laugh in his voice?
“Yeah, I shall fight!” answered I and our bloody way to victory started.
Outside of Stoneglow, I could have seen finally all strength of Moroch’s attack. Many skeleton warriors, zombies and the worst monsters of Moroch, the raases, attacked our city! There were blood, thorn bodies, rests of death zombies and skeletons ... Everywhere! I started to feel really sick.
   Fortunately, the stranger suddenly appeared next to me. I couldn’t have identified him. His wasn’t wearing in his ugly cloak, but dark coloured armour ... I can’t say: “It was exactly dark.” Actually, the better description could be characterized as “many shades of darkness playing unusual symphony”. ... With small silver signs on his chest. I’ve never seen this sign. It appeared like some old runes used on legendary kilrin armours. As weapons he had a meteoric sword attached to his belt and wooden wand.
“Listen to me!” cried he, “Do you see their leader? Do you Lich Lord, there?” I looked in the direction, he showed. I saw a robust Lich Lord’s figure surrounded by group of raases. His stinky power was making of the death town guard’s souls Lost souls to made Moroch’s army stronger.
“This is our target!” continued the stranger, “every Moroch’s attack has its commander, if we killed him, and they may lose!”
   Leading by the stranger, our group started to force our way to Lich Lord. The far we were of the city the most monsters attacked us. The stranger and I tried to protect the town-guards in our group to Lich Lord Spells. But our huge effort cost many lives. We were able to kill some zombies and skeletons, but the raases appeared as an impassable difficulty. More and more town guards died threaten by raases claws, burnt by their spells or poisoned by blood of hurt raases. The stranger fought as well as he could have done. Finally, the raases were defeated!
   I was hurt by raas, when I saw this part of my story. I wasn’t able to say if it’s really happened or not. The stranger and Lich Lord finally stand against themselves. It was impossible fight! I’ve never seen so many spells used in a battle of two men. Of course, a battle of a man a creature.
One moment, the stranger appeared to lose. Fortunately, it was only an illusion! He suffered only several scratches. And then ... I can’t exactly say what really happened. Some unbelievably dark light covered Lich Lord and the stranger. I didn’t know wherefrom it comes. But it destroyed Lich Lord ...
   Suddenly, I realised. The stranger wasn’t just hurt by scratches, having been caused by Lich Lord’s sword. He was poisoned, but he fought again ...

... back in Stoneglow
Hurt by poison, he didn’t know what happened with him. He remembered the killing of Lich Lord. Than, he didn’t know how, he fought again and again with skeletons and zombies. Suddenly, all enemies were death and Lost souls of Stoneglow guards disappeared to land of Moroch. And he remained to stay in the middle of bloody bodies and some screaming wounds. All around was rotating in crazy rounds. His head was spinning he saw only red vapour. No, it was bloody fog! All around was blood! From where does this darkness come? What does happen with him? Finally, he fainted.
   It was so hard to open his eyes. He could hardly have moved. Of course, Lich’s poison started to be effective. It didn’t take long time and he ...
“Stay calm and rest!” a voice came from somewhere.
“Where am I? And who are you?” asked the foreigner wanly.
“You are in the Stoneglow Wizard Guild,” answered the quite young voice.
“And who are you?” the stranger tried to sit.
“You should stay to lie.” Finally he recognised the woman’s voice.
“What’s your name?” asked the stranger again. Finally, he was sitting on the bed and stood a chance to look over a room. It was an ordinary room. Sitting on the bed at the right stone wall, he could have overlooked the all room. There was a quite large bookcase and a desk with different pottery and herbs at the opposite wall, near a door stand a wooden chest. But there weren’t any windows.
“The main part of this Guild is hidden underground,” said she, “do you like my humble room?”
“I like names,” answered he coldly.
“O.K. I wasn’t pleasant to you. My name is Illeana. What’s your name?”
“Don’t care. Where is my armour, my sword and my .... My stick?”
“You mean, your wand, I suppose. There’s, next the chest,” showed she. “Your armour is very interesting and I heard about legends about your Guild.”
He wanted to answer. But a horrible pain took him words form his mouth. He got an intensive spasm. He couldn’t have breath.
   “The poison spreads more quickly, than I except! But don’t worry! My Master went for some herbs to cure you!” She tried to give him a hope, but he knew the end was coming.
“I’m afraid, we haven’t much time. Now listen, please listen carefully ...” starting to cough blood and gasping, he tried to speak. “My name is ...”

His name was Ayden. He was the Grandmaster of the powerful Warmage guild. After many years living under Moroch’s attack, he decided to save his people by creating this ring. When the horrible battle ended, only he survived. He realised, that Moroch has never stopped to find him. And he had to save his powerful weapon. He run to Wilderness and after wandering many years, he finally found place to live in the small village, called Mantibow Colony. He found a new prentice to give him all his knowledge and so the ring, one day. But Moroch’s beasts didn’t sleep, didn’t rest and have never stopped to find. Despite his huge effort, he couldn’t have save his new prentice and had to leave Mantibow Colony. He saw, there was no chance for a normal life and he will forever wander around Wilderness. Sometimes, when he felt alone, he visited the nearest town or village. This way he came to Stoneglow. He rescued our city before Moroch’s Lich Lord and his army by using his great experience and his ring. And so ...
   These words still keep horrible sorrow in my heard. His pain was horrible. But he tried to hold it back and told me his story. I hoped my Master returned and Ayden could survive. It was too late. Several minutes before my Master came, Ayden had breathed out last time. As I promised I took his armour and his sword and dropped them into the Stoneglow pond. Then I took his wand a prepared to leave Stoneglow, forever. My Master asked me, why I had to do it. But I wasn’t able; I didn’t want to give him any answer.
   Now after four years, my journey led to Stoneglow again. I was horrible surprised what I found here. My old Guild became well-known everywhere. It was always a dream of my old Master. He used Ayden’s remembrance for his own aims. Now, I stand here, by statue of the hero, who saved Stoneglow four year ago. I don’t see Ayden. I see only my old Master’s pride. He found the way. He did from Ayden a man, who he would never have been. My old Master created a Guild hero, who never lived.
   I’ll always remember Ayden’s face sagging by sweat, telling me: “Swear that you find him! Swear that you will protect the ring forever!”
“I swear,” I answered and Ayden died. I left Stoneglow to find a secret man, who could help me to gain power to create the ring. I found him, Ayden. I found him. He was nearly to dead, but he was able to give me all knowledge, I needed. Ayden, I fulfilled my promise and I swear I will protect the ring, forever.
   Sometimes, I asked myself, who was that secret man with sign of Moroch on his arm. Who was this powerful wizard? From where did he come? Was Ayden his real name or not? Why did he decide to trust me? Why did I decide to continue, to live his ghastly destiny?
I know the answer, as you my Small Water Dragon. Me, the Grandmaster of forgotten Warmage Guild, and you, my friend, are lost forever. I know Moroch has never stopped to find me, my friend. And I swear I’ll protect the Ring of Mystic, forever. So goodbye, my Small Water Dragoon, I’ve never seen you again. I’ve never seen you till Moroch lives.

Epilogue
The old wizard Mithithron was walking to John’s pub to get his regular beer. He was walking round the pond when he saw a young woman wearing a black ugly cloak, having an old rucksack and holding a wooden wand. It can’t be! It can’t be an old prentice of my friend Terek. Illeana left Stoneglow several years ago! He stopped.
   His memories returned back in time, when the Forgotten Graves appeared near Stoneglow. In this labyrinth of corridors defeated Lich Lord must drop magical belts, forever. He must die again and again and his lost soul still waits for Moroch’s forgiveness. But Moroch never forgive.

And suddenly, deep in his mind, he saw the true.

When Lich Lord’s army was defeated four years ago one man died. He has still remembered his face and cold eyes. He remembered his heroism and a stupid comedy, created by his friend Terek. Several days after the stranger’s death, out of the blue Small Water Dragoon appeared in the Stoneglow pond. He smiled mysteriously. Many things happen in this strange world, doesn’t it?

Its a very good story, but somewhat disorientated. (is english a secondary language?)

I definitely like it.

Good job =)

Fabulous. I think the plot was pretty good.

Cheers,
Anich

Thank you, Anich and ThePlaneskeeper 


The Planeskeeper: Y are right - english is my and Moandor's secondary language, btw. I know there can be some mistakes in the story, I shall try to improve it during the time. Definitively, thank y for your remarks.