Dragon and Prophesy

by Nathan Chidlow

  CHAPTER ONE

  THE PROPHESY

  It was a very cold night, unusually cold too. A stout, hasty old man, limping on one foot hurried into a cave well-hidden below a hill -its summit seemed to reach the very sky. He went very deep into the cave where it was very damp and cold, but his coat which looked like the ruffled feathers of a large winged-beast- very ancient, it must have been passed down through generations -helped keep his body warm. His silver-gray beard, rich in mass and length- moved waveringly. It's enough to keep his chest warm.

  He came directly in front of a sign, a red dragon well carved into the rocky closure, covered in dust and mist- only curious eyes can find it. He spoke gruntly to the inanimate beast; he was muttering the gate-keeper’s spell. The dragon came to life at once, dangling uneasily as though it had been hinged to the rock by another spell. Then some part of the rock seemed to ‘cave-in’, revealing an entrance enough to accommodate the old man. “Allitroe,” he said, this time much louder, the whole room he was standing became lit, with several lanterns floating in the mid-air and they appeared unaided. The room had an odd smell. As though one has stepped into a library of old collections, a biology laboratory, and a store full of garlic, all at the same time. It’s not just a room, it’s an archive. Scrolls and lots of scrolls, documents alive with magic, there were several books too, neatly arranged on shelves and book cases. Another section had the remains of magical creatures: skulls- dragon skull; human skull; and other kinds of skull, belonging to different animals. Leaning against the wall at another section of the cave was a skeleton that must have belonged to a very short man- a dwarf most likely. Also, in several jars were different creatures preserved in a slimy fluid: octopus; a pale owl with doughy feathers; a two-headed python; and other unusual creatures. Sorcery was evidently preserved there. The large frames on the wall housed pictures of odd looking men; they all had full beards like the old man. The pictures were dangling on the wall, not particularly hanged... just dangling.

  The old man walked briskly towards the scroll section, he has been the archivist for eighty years now. His father died when he was very young but his uncle took over all the affairs relating to the archive. He learnt a great deal from his uncle, who later left and was never seen again- there were rumors he might have been abducted by an evil mage. The old archivist looked closely at one of the shelves at the scroll section. He was looking for a scroll in particular, a scroll that might hold answers to the several signs he has been seeing and the several questions in his head. The archivist worshipped certain unknown gods as all archivists before him did. They seem to have been warning him about an impending doom, if balance does not return to the magical planet. He had an unusual dream a night before; he saw a scroll with codes written in amber red- usually the color of a dragon’s blood. He needs to find that scroll.

  More so, the stars have been sparse rather than organized lately and this night in particular was unusually cold. The magical world does not have seasonal changes like the earth. Seasonal changes on the planet are simply rigid. While the astral bodies have an organized structure rather than scattered, taking different shapes every night, seasonal changes are almost impossible. Although weather conditions on earth differ from place to place, seasonal changes still occur at different parts of the earth. In Lonus; winter, summer, autumn and spring depend gravely on which part of the planet you find yourself, the ocean fortress or the woodlands, the frozen wastelands or close to the volcano. Despite the fact that the archive is situated in a secluded place, surrounded by hills, and it's closer to the desert than the land of mountainous rocks, it is usually hot most of the time and mildly cold at night but not this night- it was gravely cold.

  The now impatient archivist reached down and pulled out a book. The only book in that section and almost hidden too. The shelf housing several scrolls, in front of which the old man was standing, opened gently. Parting into two equal halves, several scrolls on shelves and book cases, arranged on both sides of a tiny room, and reaching its very top were revealed. It looked like a closet but you can walk on and on for several hours, before reaching the end. A friend of the archivist had helped him conceal the session, using logic. Magical creatures are most likely going to turn to magic, but there is no spell that can open up the shelf and if forcefully opened, all the scrolls will disappear into thin air.

  The archivist walked into the opening, now more impatiently. “Alas!” He exclaimed, “of course I should have thought so…it’s theộb-ra’ (Hebrew, a name given to the scroll and whatever prophesy it contains). It means ‘good-evil’. That is, it contains the Prophesy about good and evil. “Yes!” He exclaimed, “eureka…eureka.” He reached out to take a scroll at the far end of one of the shelves and pulled it out gently. It looked like what he saw in his dream. The scroll contains words written in codes. There are very few people who can decode the content of the scroll but that is one of the most important skills an archivist must possess.

  He walked out of the opening and returned the book which had gained him entrance back to its place, and the shelf closed back, without evidence that there are tons of scrolls behind it. He walked towards a table, the only furniture unoccupied in the entire archive and pulled closer a fluttering lamp, which was nearby. Grabbing his spectacles with the other hand- such spectacle with very thick lens, he leaned very closely to the scroll and started interpreting what has been documented in it. “A one… without magic… shalt bring balance… to the... magical world, using… tools born of magic.” He lifted his face off the scroll and looked towards the ceiling, as though it held answers to the question now registered on his heart. “Hmm… one without magic… balance…, tools born of magic.” He muttered. “That time has come then.” He folded the scroll and walked out of the archive as briskly as he came, leaving everything as he met them- the lamps, the shelves, the entrance with the dragon sign.

  CHAPTER TWO

  ETHAN ALGER

  The manager at Brimax Technologies is a pudgy but an animated fellow with a plump belly, sagging heavily that one can’t notice he has a belt around his waist. He believes employing Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Y is the best way of dealing with an employee. Ethan Alger has been working with Brimax Tech for five years now but he is definitely a Theory X employee. Tall and of moderate built, he is not one of the most handsome guys around but he has a comely personality. His love for technology is only second to adventure, so he doesn’t think you should work like a ‘mule’. He loves his job but it can become boring without some adventure, his philosophy to work is “all work without some adventure makes Ethan a workaholic,” which Ethan cannot afford to be. He was in Kenya last year and India a year before. He hated being a desk jockey.

  “Are you playing that game again?” The manager, Mr. Bulk is now standing in front of Ethan's desk, in an office he shares with four or five other colleagues.

  “Damn!” Ethan cursed under his breath. He knocked down a sign plaque that indicated that the desk belongs to “Ethan Alger”, it went face down on the already disorganized desktop; he was trying to hide what he has been doing on his computer. He finally got to unlock the Lion’s gate and now he is going to finish the Dragon Lord. He got stuck at this stage all week, and finally he crossed the hurdle… but thanks to Bulk, he has to start again.

  “No, boss,” he lied, “I just sent a mail to Mr. Brian, I’m waiting for his reply." He added quickly. "And I felt rather than just wait and do nothing, I will get on with my game, get pass the Lion’s gate today and kill the Dragon Lord once and for all,” but that only stayed a thought.

  Looking weightily at the disorganized desk, Bulk said “I wonder what makes you so unusually disposed today,” picking up the sign plaque lying face down. “Eth
an Alger” he read the name inscribed on it and looking back at Ethan, he placed it carefully on the desk, “you are not fired…yet,” he said and then turned to leave. Taking a few steps, he looked back as though he had left something behind, “Ethan, stop playing that game while at work, this is your last… I’m serious.” He warned with a forced grin before he finally walked out of the room. That is not the first time he has warned… or rather threatened Ethan. Ethan is quite valuable to the company; he doesn’t just take work seriously according to Bulk's assessment. Hence he utilizes the provisions of McGregor for a Theory X employee.

  “That’s not a stomach, it’s a hell of a load,” Ethan muttered, like he was saying that to get back at Bulk, but he was soon joggled by an incoming call. He has been expecting Jessica’s call all day. “Finally…! She called,” he said excitedly, knocking down the plaque again.

  “Hi, I’ve been expecting your call” he answered his phone.

  “Yeah, I know… I’m sorry to have kept you waiting dear,” was the reply at the other end of the line. “Work has been a little bit more demanding recently… argh… I know I’m always saying that but really there’s a lot to do around here hon. and I don’t seem to be ahead of schedule these days…” She trailed off.

  “I know J… I know work has been demanding, okay? It’s the same here at Brimax as well. My boss has been on my neck all week.” Ethan tried not to make her feel guilty.

  Jessica Sandford is Ethan Alger’s girlfriend. She is beautiful, jovial and light-hearted. Her eyes are as dark as her hair, her dentition as perfect as her frame. Right from high school, Ethan had always admired her but he doesn’t think they can even become friends. She is way out of his league. Ethan wasn’t the popular type and not one of the ‘brilliant chaps’ in his class but he is a very industrious young man and does well above average, academically. Ethan has always loved technology and getting things done with it. When the high school band wants to perform or an exhibition by the science club was going to take place in the great hall, Ethan is that person you can count on to get things done. He has a team he works with, from lightning to sound, start to finish, they’ve got it. Ethan had lost his mother when he was barely walking on both legs. His father never re-married. He was married to his work, his research, throughout his life. As a professor of history, he prided in owning a vast library somewhere below the living room- an underground treasure. H. Alger will lock himself away in his underground treasure with his head buried in one book or the other, sometimes a whole day or two. Ethan’s grandparents shouldered the responsibility of taking care of him even before his father passed away. Professor H. Alger left for his son a house with lots of books and research works securely kept in his library. Before Ethan got a job with Brimax, he wanted to move out of his grandparent’s house and start a living. He could not afford a comfortable apartment yet, but he owned a house legally- A privilege afforded him by birth. He moved in and made the old house look like it has just been erected, by putting his hands to work. Ethan thought the door next to the kitchen door leads to the basement; he opened it once but have left it locked ever since. “Must contain dad’s stuff,” he had said, without stepping into the dark room.

  Jessica never noticed Ethan throughout high school, while Ethan glossed over his inability to approach her. However, Jessica could not but notice him one morning. She had just resumed as a new archeologist at a private laboratory and research firm and she had started having issues with the equipment. A device that should help detect materials with biological tendencies has not been responding as she desired. A call was put through to Brimax technologies, since they are responsible for all installations and repairs at the laboratory. Ethan thinks he can fix it, because the engineer, who should have done that, was away on another engagement for the company. Ethan is not directly involved with installations and repairs; he works with the department concerned with product design and viability. Nonetheless, knowing how gadgets work and fixing them when issues arise is not a problem for Ethan.

  Ethan had helped her greatly that morning, apart from fixing the device so well, he had started a smooth conversation and made her laugh a great deal- effortlessly, reducing the stress she had to deal with on her first day at work. She had not dated anyone since high school and Ethan had outgrown his shyness. They started dating a week later.

  “He just left my desk when your call came in and that is how he has been showing up at my desk almost every hour and unexpectedly, of recent, demanding what the work progress is…I don’t know what his problem is, “Ethan complained bitterly. I am supposed to report to the head of my department, while the head of department in turn reports to him. But my manager is different; he goes directly to everyone, asking for the work progress.”

  "...oh Ethan…!" She said, amidst hearty laughter. "You find your manager's routine checks absurd? C'mon Ethan, you need to start your own company, where you are the boss and you can work whenever you want." She said, giggling.

  "Yeah…! You are right J, but I will need you in that company."

  "Whoa...! And what will I be doing for you gentleman...testing samples of biological materials, Sarah thinks could have belonged to a dragon or samples of some unknown DNA belonging to a creature that is neither human nor an animal known by animal scientists and biologists?" She asked, teasing.

  "Wow is that what has been taking your time? Dragon and all…? Sounds big... like dragon big... What of dinosaurs? Why did Sarah suggest dragons… how about dinosaurs?" Ethan asked, jokingly.

  "Yeah... yeah hon. it’s quite big... we have found some samples that appeared to belong to a very large lizard. We can’t make assumptions based on some myth, we have to prove it scientifically and beyond doubt that those samples belonged to a dragon or a dinosaur maybe. Sarah thinks the creature could have had wings- huge bat-like wings maybe, dinosaurs don’t have that. We can't seem to get our hands on what the other creature might be yet..." She answered, casting her thought back to what she had been ruminating on.

  As though Ethan noticed that, "no J, you will be involved in a research that explains why there is a strong geomagnetically induced current around monuments and springs and how to harness it...that is what you will be doing for the company, to start with."

  "Ley lines…?" Jessica asked absentmindedly.

  "Hmm... I think I heard something like that... ley lines, yeah. But my scope of work is to design a geomagnetic and geothermal power plant, though the viability is still low... How did you know about ley lines anyway?" he asked, surprised.

  "The funny thing is my research has been around an area where a ley line was found actually, Worcestershire... We might have found some biological materials belonging to a dragon and some other creatures, but they are largely deposited around the ley lines here... around wells and monuments." Jessica answered, she's proud of how far they have come.

  "J... I’m resigning." Ethan changed the subject."

  "Not again Ethan, we are not doing this again." Jessica said, disappointed.

  Ethan had brought up this issue a year before when he went to India and have asked Jessica to go with him, but she couldn't. She dissuaded him from leaving his job; they were still young and still have a long way to go career-wise. Ethan agreed with her at the time but he has made up his mind this time around, nothing... not even Jessica, can persuade him to do otherwise.

  "I've made up my mind...and you know it's been a long time coming...you know it." There was silence at the other end of the line. "I only wanted to know if you can get a vacation leave and come with me... we will go to Africa, the Caribbean and Asia... Anywhere away from all this stress... you know… J?"

  "I'm sorry Ethan; I won't be able to come...I can't just leave now, they need me...we are in the middle of a huge project...I'm sorry." Jessica said. "We've got three months more and I will get a break next month, I will come over so we can talk better."

  "Yeah... fine, you don't have to. I'm leaving at the end of the month." was the reply.

&n
bsp; "C'mon Ethan... You are sounding like I always turn you down." She protested.

  “Oh no...You don't, you just couldn't make it last year and you had to leave Kenya the next day we got there, for some emergency at work." He said.

  "I love my job Ethan and I have no plans to resign."

  "Oh is that what this is about... fine." Ethan said almost angrily.

  "I've got to go now... talk to you later" Jessica said, wanting to end the conversation.

  Ethan caught a glimpse of Mr. Bulk in an adjacent office room, who was pointing to his wrist watch repeatedly and raising both hands, the tip of one hand touching the palm of the other. The kind of gesture a coach makes when requesting for substitution, that was his way of telling Ethan that he has spent too much time over that call and that his warning still stands.

  "Okay... I've got to go too anyway." The line went dead.

  ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

  Jessica dropped the phone and walked out of the make-shift tent that has accommodated her for some weeks now. She is slightly crossed with Ethan, she can't understand why he wouldn't want to keep his job but she knows Ethan is someone who loves adventure and wishes for more. Confining him behind an office desk is like a wild beast giving itself to be tamed willingly. Jessica feared he will leave his job one day and it seems that day has finally come. She won't be the only one who is away sometimes because of the demands of her job. Ethan wants to see the world, all the video clips he uploaded on his YouTube channel after his expedition in India last year, had received massive views and likes. He must have made up his mind to start something new.

  Jessica noticed a strange looking old man suspiciously looking towards her direction. While everybody was busy with one thing or the other, the strange looking man just stood vainly and he was looking at her... stringently! Jessica turned around to be doubly sure; he was definitely closely watching her and stood as though transfixed. They have been working there for some weeks now; they have found what looks like the remains of a dragon and then some other creatures and some humans too. It looks as though a war had taken place there, must have been many decades past. There was a heavy sign on the outpost indicating that the region is off limits to outsiders. Only scientists, laboratory assistants, caterers and some security personnel were authorized to be there. "How did this man get in?" Jessica was speaking to herself as she approached the man. "Hi, please this is a restricted area, you shouldn't be here. Didn't you read the sign?" Jessica informed gently, but as she turned to show him where the heavy sign has been placed and then back to the stranger... he was gone.