Where Dragons Haunt
Where Dragons Haunt
By
Scott Meaders
Copyright © 2007 by Scott Meaders
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned,
or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
First Edition: July 2007
Printed in the United States of America
To Tom Meaders, my dad.
I miss him— In life and death, I am proud to be called by his name.
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank four wonderful women that have made the publishing of this book a smoother transaction. Kathy Spagle, Mary Huber, Jan Meaders, and Tracie Meaders previewed the story, edited for major errors, and made valuable suggestions that helped to make the reading of this book more enjoyable for you the reader! Thanks for your help.
The Diaspora Series
The First Book in the Re'shiyth Trilogy
Where Dragons Haunt and Owls Congregate
Chapter 1
Courage is resistance to fear,
mastery of fear
- not absence of fear.
~Mark Twain~
“Ahhh, dragons breath, be gone,” the old man burst out finding little time for the young boy’s fancies of heroism.
At first Zoe, being of lowly birth, meant to leave. But neither the old fool before him, nor all the fiends of hell could quench the burning in his bosom for the quest upon which his heart had thrust him forth.
“Good Sir, I beg of you…”
“Are you still before me? Goose gizzards! I will have no more to do with your fancy! Scoot along boy. If you know what’s best, scoot along.”
“But Sir, you have yet to tell me where I might find the great wizard.”
“Great wizard, ha! Great wizard indeed, ha! You tire me boy, I must rest,” the old man sat upon a enormous seat of mahogany. Zoe had not noticed the intricate carving of a great dragon upon the wood. The armrests were formed by great dragon talons consisting of six-inch claws at the end of each appendage. The seat and base of the huge chair seemed to consist of the hind legs and lower body. The upper portion of the dragon formed the backrest upon which the old man was now resting himself. Above the man, who had now fallen into a deep sleep, towered a large serpents head with lively eyes penetrating deep within the soul.
The boy became fixated being mesmerized by the magic of the dragon. His eyes searched the intricate pattern upon the scales seeing the history of time written upon the scales of this lifeless beast. He followed the scales on the side of the chair up to its beastly head. Becoming fixed on the eyes, the boy felt a loss of control. He wished to look away but found that he had neither the will nor the resolve to do such. Thus Zoe looked intently into the eyes of the wooden replica. The boy’s surroundings became fuzzy melting into a distant blur until only the black glistening center of the dragon’s eye was noticeable.
Instantly Zoe found himself lost within the dragon’s eye unable to stop his forward movement. He walked through a misty haze with little fear though not knowing if his feet were upon solid ground. He walked in this mist for some time with darkness and light intertwined until he came to a familiar place of the past. The boy momentarily covered his eyes to shield himself from his history knowing the gruesome details. He heard his father call to him, and he watched as the details of life showed themselves to him again.
“Boy; Boy!” The youth saw a younger more timid version of himself run towards his father. The rudish looking child stood before his father expecting some form of direction. “Here Zoe; look how I take care to start a fire.” The youth watched himself examine his father’s work taking note on all occasions how his father had painstakingly taken precautions to shield the flames from the wind and elements of the land. After his father had finished he looked at the child seeing naiveté. “Zoe.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I wish to talk to you about things,” he paused not sure how to proceed. “There are things in this world. Things that are different than us.”
“Yes, Father. Like the animals.”
“Yes, like the animals, but there are others, not quite like us and yet not altogether like the animals.” Zoe did not quite understand what his father was saying. “There are creatures that look like men, but stand as tall as trees.” The boy giggled. “Boy, I speak the truth to you.” The young child could tell that his father was serious and put his childish ways aside to hear of things which were seldom spoken. He became fearful at his father’s words. “There are fish like creatures that can walk like us, but they breath water. It is true; I have seen them with my own eyes. I am told there are strange kinds all around. I have even seen sorts with pointed ears that look like us.” Zoe was beginning to be overwhelmed by the talk. “There are creatures, creatures I tell you that have the ability to change shapes or, or even look like you or I.”
“Father, you frighten me!” Zoe let out trying to get his father to stop.
“It is for your own good that I tell you these things. We have hid in this part for some time now. They are coming; I can sense it.”
“Who, Father? Who?”
The man looked over the terrain as he spoke to his son, “I know them not, just that others come this way. Those that we wish never knew the light of day. Son, if something happens...”
“Like what father?”
“Boy! Let me speak with out your ungodly forsaken voice being heard!” He lowered his voice to a whisper, “If there ever should come a time where something happens and you know not what to do, look to the west.” Zoe looked to see where his father was pointing. In the great distance the young child could see a huge mountain. “At the base of that mountain lives a man. Well, he looks like us, but he is not of our kind, well, he… um.” He let out a big sigh not knowing what to say. “If trouble happens, go to him. He will know what to do. He is the great wizard!”
The scene in the boy’s past faded into darkness and another one came before his eyes. He was above the circumstances watching hopelessly as he could see his family before the fire. The event had previously happened months before his journey and Zoe knew the outcome. He saw his two sisters playing, dancing around the fire making merry while entertaining his mother and father. The mother and father were clapping and being greatly amused at the frolic dance the children were doing.
The man, his father, looked up at his son that had been sent away early for punishment. The youth watched and saw within the man a soft side, a contemplation of the removal of his son’s punishment. Zoe shed a lone tear as he watched the horrific fight unfold before his eyes. Two beastly characters came upon the group quickly and made quick work of the father, bringing his life to an end which was there but a moment ago. They ravaged the mother and sisters before doing in like manner to the women as they had the father. The youth watched from the opening of the rock knowing the terror and fear that was held within the shell of a boy that was hiding. Zoe felt shame, guilt, hatred—a swirling of confused emotion as he knew he would be dead if he had done anything to help, but death seemed easier than life with the weight of his lack of action bearing on his mind and soul.
Covering his eyes wishing for the sight to vanish, Zoe again opened his tear filled eyes to see things of a different sort. Many scenes flashed before him, horrific things of destruction, vile death and misery. He saw the second sun turn blood red and being ripped in half spewing its fire from heaven upon the inhabitants of the land. He saw people, disfigured people with flesh rotting on their bones. The earth opened up and swallowed some, waters consumed others, and land fell upon a portion of the people. Many horrib
le things the child saw of which he knew not what to think. Only that this scene quickly vanished leaving the child little time to wonder about the things that would come to pass.
Again Zoe found himself in a place viewing something of what he took to be the future. He saw dragons and owls of all kinds with bones, a terrible sight for the boy. He walked carefully through the uneven terrain looking for something, some sign of why he was there. Then he saw himself in the midst of this hellish nightmare, ducking and running from pursing dragons and owls. The child could scarcely breath as he saw himself mortally wounded by a dragon’s talon. He reached out his hand as if to save what life was left in himself only to have the scene vanish quickly before his eyes.
One last vision presented itself to the child. He saw in the darkness the old man. Darkness surrounded the man as only a shaft of light illuminated the frail looking person. The youth called out to him but nothing, no words were heard or expression changed. Then suddenly a shaft or spear like object was thrust through the old man. Great pain and anguish could be seen on the man’s face, not for himself as life was fading from his eyes, but for the rest of creation as he seemed to understand the evil days to come. At the end of the spear were ten clad in dark armor, ten towering figures. As they stood there glorying in their victory, the dark figures noticed light coming from the place were the youth was now standing, the eight creatures came with fierceness and might towards the youth. He backed up covering his face screaming in terror as a hand clasped on to him, “HELP!”
“Boy! Come to, Boy it is I, not some hellish dream.”
Zoe opened his eyes and saw the old man before him. He looked around the room and everything is as it was, except the old man seemed younger somehow. As if life had been restored to him with his rest.
“Tell me boy, Tell me, What did you see?”
His mind raced through all of the things he had seen and then the thought of the old man came to his mind. He spoke in fear for his safety not knowing what the man might do, “I saw…I saw nothing.”
“Nothing?” he released his grip upon the boy and looked intently at him reading his soul, “No one ever looks into the dragon’s eyes and sees nothing. I see fear in your eyes boy!” At his loud voice bursting forth, many jars and glass objects in the room suddenly exploded as the man raised his hands showing his displeasure. “A fear that controls you a fear that has mastery of you! Let out with it, what is it that has so gripped you that the embers of hell would not persuade you to speak!”
Zoe knew he must say something, but he did not want to tell him anything of importance still fearing for his own life, “I saw; I saw.”
“Yes, well, what did you see?”
“I saw my families death as it had happened five months ago.”
The old man looked at him again with distrust, “Yes, I suppose that would put
fear in any child. But did you see anything else? There are few who look into the eye of a dragon and do not see something of the future.” Zoe only shook his head as to intimate that he saw nothing of the future, thought he knew with his whole being that the old man did not believe him.
The man sat down again thinking for a moment. Then struck suddenly with a strange thought the man addressed the child. “You spoke of your family’s death?”
“Yes, Sir. I did.”
“Yes, indeed. Who was your father?”
“His name was Merim-nao. He told me to look for the great wizard—the great wizard at the base of this mountain. He was very anxious about it and said that he was to care for me. I must come to you.”
“So it is time. I might have known. Foul breath upon the wind was not of chance, but of the wicked times to come.” The old man seemed to be contemplating something, something the child did not understand.
“Time for what?”
“Ah, yes!” His attention was drawn back toward the child, “I am that Great Wizard, Ha! Great indeed!”
Chapter 2
Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you,
they're supposed to help you discover who you are.
~Bernice Johnson Reagon~
The child looked at the great wizard not understanding how this could be, “But, but…” he left off knowing that his vision was part of his misunderstanding. How could this great wizard have fallen to such depths of despair, to be killed in such a way?
“It is true, I am Mikhahale the Great Wizard of lore, Ha! Great wizard indeed, Ha! I am the great protector, the chief guardian!” He turned to get a strong drink as he continued to bellow out laughter mumbling words to himself. He took an old bottle that looked as if it had not been used for hundreds of years having cobwebs attached to the base with dust caked on all sides. The wizard’s hand became dirty with the touch of the bottle leaving his imprint upon the neck. He took his robe and whipped it clean before opening the top. A foul stench came forth with power from the bottle. The bottle was a dark red that did not allow one to see the contents inside. The wizard having cleaned it turned toward the young boy, “Zoe, that is your name?”
“Why yes, how did you know? And I thought your name…” He did not get to finish.
“You will need some of this! The times have come to an end! Ah, I was wondering when time would come to a standstill? I must be getting old.” He poured out a clear liquid into a cup that seemed too small to hold any amount of liquid to quench a thirst one might have. He gave the small cup to the child and intimated that he should drink. The boy held the drink in his hand, as the cup was smaller than his whole hand. He feared what might be in it, or what trickery the old man might be doing, as he did not trust the man to be who he claimed.
The man in turn poured himself a similar portion and downed it all in one quick drink flinging his head back to allow the drink to go quickly down his throat. He let out a small gasp as if the liquid had caused him some form of pain or discomfort. The boy saw what the man did and tried to do in like fashion, but found the foul taste to be to powerful and spewed it all out on the floor and table before him. Great laughter erupted out of the old man, “I suppose a few more years and little more hair on your chest is needed for this foul drink!”
Zoe saw nothing humorous to be found at his expense! He again returned to his line of questioning, “How did you know my name? And I thought the great wizard was called Merlin?”
Mikhahale did not like this line of questioning, as most great wizards have tempers! “Do you not know the slightest of truths boy!” With his words he motioned with his hand having a scowl on his face and muttered a few unintelligible words and the door to his abode blew open with fierceness. Outside trees were uprooted and a tempest was in a fury.
Zoe fell to his knees, “Please, don’t hurt me, Please! I just don’t understand!”
The wizard dropped his hand and allowed for the tempest to dissipate in the wind and the door to find its place upon the hinges once again. “I suppose not, young lad. I suppose not.” The wizard sat down and looked at him and thought for a moment, “My name has been changed over the years as some know not how to pronounce it. Merlin is just one way in which I have been called. I have also been called Michael, Merkale, Michalin and a dozen other less flattering names. I am one in the same with all the names, though my true name is Mikhahale.”
“But how did you know my name, was that a wizard’s trick as well?”
Mikhahale did not like the tone of voice Zoe used when he said ‘wizard’s trick’, nevertheless he withheld his anger for the youth. “That my child is no trick, well, not a trick of mine, I should say. I myself named you!”
“You what? How could you have named me?” Zoe didn’t understand how this wizard had anything to do with him or his name.
“Um, yes! This will be more difficult than I had originally thought. I named you because I found you!”
“You what?”
“I found you. About 13 years ago, I was in another part of the land, and I was doing the biding of the gods, then I heard a distant sound, that of a ch
ild, infant in distress. I followed the annoying scream when I found you. I turned to leave you.” Mikhahale could see that disbelief came over the face of the child. “Oh, yes, I was going to leave you there to die. I am no great moralist, and I have nothing to do with children and that sort of thing. When I went to go, Hagios the Holy stopped me. Yes, the god of gods would not allow me. So I took you and gave you to the first family I found on my journey back to this part. Oh, you should have seen me for that week, while I took care of you. I was a bumbling idiot. Oh what a fool I was, ha, ha!”
“You were going to let me die! Why did Hagios have you keep me?”
“That I don’t know, just that when you were of age the Re'shiyth would be upon us! The beginning is now”
“The Re'shiyth?”
The old wizard poured another drink for himself and hinted at giving one to the boy; he shook his head no. The man put it down his gullet in like fashion to the first. “Ahhh! Yes, the beginning of all things leading to the end of things. Hagios told me that you are a measure for the Re'shiyth, when you come of age to put it clearly. I suppose that you must be of age now as you are on your own, without mother or father.”
Zoe sat upon the ground being overwhelmed by everything that had happened to him in the past five months. First his family dies of which now he finds out that his family is not really his family. Then has all these visions and now to find out that they might actually come to pass. He sat on the ground and started to cry.
“Bah, what is this, bah! You sit there and cry. Bah, get up boy, get up!” He helped Zoe off of the ground and took him to a chair. “Look, child. In your small time upon this land horrible things have happened. These difficulties are not put upon your path to stop you where you are. You were not found as a babe, so as to wail upon the ground when you are grown. No indeed! These troubles are here to help you, to help you know thyself! To discover who you are!” The wizard got up from his side and paced for a moment and then looked directly at the boy. “I must be alone.”
Where Dragons Haunt (The Diaspora Book 1) Page 1