Killing Monsters

by R T Islington

  Hiroki named his dragon Thunder, after the storm that seemingly called the dragon out of his egg, and though this young dragon is far from fully grown, he is a marvel and showing signs of potential grand dragon power! The year is now 417 and Hiroki has just turned twenty-one whilst his dragon is five. Thunder’s body is covered in incredible golden scales from head to tail and has dark red eyes. Thunders wings are also gold with a dark red underside. Upon channelling his green dragon fire, the horn on Thunder’s head beams a dazzling bright aura, and though only five, this dragon seems to be quite the powerhouse. The only ever recorded golden dragon was the first grand dragon Storm and Hiroki jokes that his faithful companion is the son of Storm, that couldn’t be true . . . could it?!

  Humans

  Humans are the most common species in Dragons Continent. The humans reproduce at a faster rate than other species and are mobile, energetic, battle hardened and have mastered agriculture and farming. Humans can build settlements and villages in all known climates across the map and can also master multiple weapons as well as organise great armies, some of which are the greatest Dragons Continent has ever seen. Battle strategies and experience over hundreds of years has seen the humans take over and control the entire eastern side of Dragons Continent. Humans find themselves perhaps the most hated race in Dragons Continent, rarely have years passed without war or skirmishes between one another as well as attacks on other races. All other races distance themselves from humans and avoid if possible, making deals, general socialising, and reproducing with humans. Humans have a barbaric history amongst each other, rape, genocide, war and a thirst for conquest and superiority over all has shattered both the Eastern and Centre Plates of Dragons Continent. Now more than ever, a fear spreads amongst Dragons Continent as it’s believed that the winning kingdom on the Eastern Plate will soon set their sights on Centre Plate, and if Centre Plate falls, humans will stop at nothing to see all other races submit to their power and might. Currently the evil king of the North side of Eastern Plate, King Marius, is locked into a barbaric war for total dominance of the Eastern Plate against an equally wicked and evil king, King Zolom, of the Southern side of Eastern Plate. Many lives have been lost throughout the last twenty-five years of the war however, this long drawn out clash now seems to be coming to its end, and victory for both kings is seemingly hanging in the balance. The winner of this epic war may be decided by who is willing to sacrifice the most personally rather than sheer might. The most powerful human kingdoms throughout history have made no attempt to hide their desires to take control of Dragons Continent.

  The humans that are not fighting on the Eastern Plate have settled on the Centre Plate in small villages and towns, and there are even some powerful kingdoms that have been forged. The Centre Plate is home to multiple species and factions such as humans, woodlanders, wolfmen, blood maidens, mages, and many others. The Centre Plate is referred to as ‘Free Land for Free People’ and whilst there are still battles here between the different races and factions, these are typically resolved in fair time and years of peace follow. Despite the races of Centre Plate typically despising each other and constantly seeking their own ideas of dominance and dominion over others on Centre Plate, there is one thing that is agreed on by all and shared, and that’s the hatred towards the humans of Eastern Plate. The beings of Centre Plate, regardless of whether they are human, mage, wolfman or blood maiden know too well the hostilities and macabre violence that Marius and Zolom’s armies will bring should they invade Centre Plate which is starting to become more inevitable, and if the East tries to invade the centre, no doubt all the races and factions of Centre Plate would have no choice but to unite and stand as one! Throughout the Centre Plate of Dragons Continent different warlords own small armies, villages, and settlements, they are always scheming, raping, pillaging and murdering their way into even more power and dominance, causing great unrest amongst the nomadic ways of life throughout Centre Plate. It seems as though violence is a trait that will follow humans to every inch of the world of which they occupy, and although it’s wise to remember there is good and bad in all races, the humans seem to have a knack for bringing death and violence to all lands, perhaps the elves were right to shun them completely.

  The first mass groups of humans to ever leave Eastern Plate hundreds of years ago, left to start new lives. Eastern plate had been a human warzone for many years, most notably when two royal families started to take power and kill off the small villages and warlords that did not submit to the powerful families. Small villages, settlements and groups of factions were forced to pick a side and fight or face execution. The first humans to leave Eastern Plate and start new lives for themselves ultimately arrived on the Centre Plate of Dragons Continent as refugees, with nothing but the clothes on their backs, they arrived with nothing, apart from what they and their horses could carry, but due to their toughness, robust spirit and superior farming and agriculture skills, they were able to thrive on these new lands.

  Not all humans are wicked and bloodthirsty, there is good and bad in all races. Many humans live nomadic, simple, and peaceful lives. It was the humans that founded the island of Swordsman Shores in the year 130 and the famed combat dojo ‘School of Thoughtless Strikes’ The first early human warriors onto Centre Plate sailed far out and discovered this uninhabited island. The island was perfect for times of desired seclusion and peace and due to this seclusion, warriors would come here to train and polish their combat skills free from the distractions of everyday life. Overtime young boys were sent here to train under the tutelage of some of the most skilled fighters on Centre Plate, and this island became Swordsman Shores, with parents even tending to send their children there to be raised as fine warriors to protect their families and loved ones. The combat programs here became so popular that even elves would send small numbers of their children to the island who preferred hand to hand combat instead of their native elven magical combat. Over the years, Swordsman Shores has become home to many dojos and distinguish swordsman, the island is considered the heart of swordsmanship.

  Humans have no natural magical ability, however they were the first to sense and discover ‘Aura’ which is a life energy inside every living thing, and through years of dedication to meditation and fine tuning their spiritual senses, they can now sense whether somebody has a good or evil spirit. It is said that the skill to sense aura is a skill that even the elves are envious of, and those practitioners of aura sensing can also communicate telepathically with close friends and loved ones. Humans that did not pursue this path of enlightenment soon regret the decision, knowing very well that one cannot simply learn the aura way of life upon shunning it, it must be learnt and practised from childhood. Controlling the spiritual aura energy inside one’s body also enables greater combat performance, with some of the most skilled warriors claiming to have the ability to be able to read the movements of their foes in battle, enabling them to come out as victors with decisive blows and sword play techniques.

  Most humans on Centre Plate aim for peaceful lives and merely want to be left alone. Some humans over the years have been known to set up households and reproduce with elves though this is rare. Unfortunately, the human/elven half breeds are shunned by pure elves and not allowed to live amongst their elven people, they are branded ‘Unnatural Abominations’ and ‘Half breeds’ therefore they would reside with the humans of Centre Plate. Having a mix of human and elven physicality resulted in all kinds of bullying and harassment from humans as well as elves, although at the very least, they could live out their lives amongst humans regardless of the ignorant and constant sneers and bullying, instead of being completely banished like the pure elves had enforced upon them. The half breeds were gifted in their own right with human strength and elven magic ability which saw them make fine warriors. Overtime, these half breeds, saddened and angered by such an insulting name decided to name themselves ‘Hunters’ and due to their mixed abilities of physical strength, combat skills and the abilit
y to use magic, they became good monster hunters and contract killers. Throughout the years they became swords for hire which allowed them to make a profitable living. It took many years for both humans and elves to acknowledge this and the term ‘half breed’ is still used as a racial slur towards the hunters.

  Despite the human’s violent nature, they are a highly successful race. They are now firmly set on Eastern and Centre Plates, and their combat skills, agriculture, farming and construction abilities have seen them ascend to great heights and forge mighty kingdoms.

  The dragons themselves grew to admire the human spirit, and the dragon, Umbra famously once said, “The balance in humans between good and evil is what shapes them, with an individual being able to walk the path they desire, ultimately, this balance is what makes them human.”

  Elves

  The elves of Dragons Continent have much to be proud of, firstly they can truly claim to be the only race to have mastered magic. Humans for some time have had no magic ability, not until at least the mage mutation began, and the vampires’ magic is not as powerful. Dwarves can abstract magic from precious stones and gems to use and imbue into weapons and armour, thanks to their superior blacksmithing skills, and their magic wielding power is modest. The mages are a young race in the world and are only beginning to tap into their destructive dark magic thanks to their mutation, however the hunters, thanks to the elven blood in their DNA due to humans breeding with elves can also use magic to a very small degree and level. Elves have mastered all elemental magic which includes fire, water, ground, ice, wind, and lightning. Some elite elven magic wielders can ascend and go on to learn life changing magics, such as healing, calming spells and most recently, the power of teleportation. Elves are born with the ability to control magic in their very genes, and it is thought that elves possess even more latent ability to control powerful magic upon reaching their potential, though pushing themselves to these dangerous levels results in chaos, and the individual ultimately destroying themselves due to the sheer power of this ultimate magic. To date, elves are assessed yearly to ascertain their abilities, control their talents, and prevent self-harm due to pushing beyond the boundaries of their abilities. The use of magic is draining and hard on the body, therefore elves will always try to reign in their thirst for power. It’s common knowledge from recorded incidents throughout elven history, that if too much magical power is in the possession of an elven being with a lack of control, it can lead to madness and insanity among this race of beings. Many elven individuals have fallen folly to their own madness and destruction in this seemingly never-ending quest to push themselves to new magical, and now forbidden heights.

  Since the dawn of time, elves have been able to tap into magic, and due to this, they have viewed themselves as the superior race of Dragons Continent which would be hard to argue after spending time in their beautiful and architecturally flawless island. Some of the most renowned scholars and warriors throughout the world are elven and have all contributed to elven advancement. There once was a powerful elven warrior called Bregolien, who mastered fierce combat magics, such as fire, ice, and lightning. Through countless battles and conflicts, he was able to wield this power effortlessly and lead the way for other elves to follow. Bregolien wasn’t the only master magic wielder, Raina a beautiful elf excelled in healing spells and medicinal practices, giving way to the elven race being able to cure illness and disease, and as a result of this major advancement there is a statue of this beautiful elven healer in the centre of the elven lands. Another female elven warrior was Asuithiel, who used her great control of fire and ice and merged the two complete opposite elements, creating a calm combination that could be used to imbue swords, shields and arrows, and Asuithiel was the first to combine magic with combat weapons. Many hundreds of years ago, the master scholar Melcinitan, who had dedicated his life to teaching and reading, invented magics to calm the water and ferocious waves of the sea, allowing the elven race to build ships and sail further than they had ever before! Thanks to Melcinitan’s discoveries and research, the elven navy excelled in sailing and exploring. The use of elven traditional magic doesn’t stop with elemental attacks. As previously mentioned thanks to the efforts of Aesuithiel, weapons and armour can be imbued with magic, making them fearsome combatants on the battlefield, which was very much needed with elves being physically weaker than most other races. The Elven homeland is the pride and joy of this race. The elven race being the first to master magic in its purest form gave themselves a huge advantage over other races in the early few hundred years. They were able to use their magic to craft megalithic building structures and magically imbued pyramids, as well as spiralling towers, far greater than any other race in Dragons Continent. The dragons themselves would regularly fly over elven lands simply to view their advancements in building structures and culture. The Elven School of Magical Arts is where all ten-year olds are sent to develop and enhance their magical abilities until the age of twenty-one. The school is in the centre of their homeland and is a marvel to behold, the school sits within a giant pyramid with imbued diamonds, gemstones, and meteorite construction, it’s a fitting location for young fearsome elves to train and enhance their magic. Upon graduating the school at the age of twenty-one, the young elves are given the opportunity to stay on further to develop their magical abilities and ascend to greater heights, or by learning more advanced magics such as teleportation and healing. The elves who do not find further studies appealing have the choice to enrol in one of three specialist combat schools on their lands, which are The School of Archery, The School of Swordsmanship and The School of Ships and Sea Warfare. The most skilled elves that finish school with the highest potential and signs of latent power, are invited to join The Elven Royal Guard and serve the king and queen directly, this is said to be the highest honour for any elven being to receive.

  Considering all the elves have achieved over the years it’s understandable why they make no apologies for viewing themselves as the superior race, and are referred to by other races as. “Pointy Eared Snobs.” The elves do not care, as any jealousy or negativity directed at them is merely taken and worn as a badge of honour, furthermore angering their rivals on Dragons Continent. Looking at the history of elven lore and their incredible achievements, you would think them to have no demons or blemishes throughout their history, however as we all know too well, there is good and bad in all races, and even the elves have moments in history which are less flattering, and quite monstrous.

  The first shameful act and the most commonly known throughout the world and to other races, was the banishment and forced exile of their own people, during the first few hundred years of their known existence. We know elves are born with natural magical ability, tall, slim and pointy eared, however, there was a period where at times, elven women would give birth prematurely by some months, and these elves born premature were understandably born weak, undersized and required medical magic regularly, to ensure survival throughout their first few months of life. The average height of an elf is roughly six foot, give or take, with the tallest reaching heights of six five, they have naturally slim and slender frames, however the premature elves being born were not only smaller, only ever reaching heights of around five four, but they were also considerably weaker, skinnier and had a skin tone of a light green, unlike the healthy born elves who had a naturally pale skin complexion. You would be correct in thinking these attributes were viewed as deformities which lead to bullying, harassment and segregation by the healthy born elves, however things got worse, as astonishingly, it came to pass that the premature born elves harnessed no natural magic ability, nor could they carry out even the basic of magic skills. These poor premature born elves were subjected to all kinds of harassment and were ultimately forced to the outer areas of the elven lands, however things would soon get unimaginably worse. The king in power at the time, in the year 199, King Bellcaunion, passed an elven law during his last years alive to have the premature elves banished and f
orcibly removed from the elven lands as they were deemed useless, weak, pathetic and a strain on pure elven resources. The kings new law passed decisively throughout the supreme elven court and the premature elves were rounded up and marched out of their homes, which went down in Dragon Continent history as ‘The Mass Cleansing’ This act of wickedness was thought to be incredibly out of character and hostile from the elves, it gained the attention of the grand dragon Storm, and sparked multiple visits from Storm and his brethren of dragons to investigate this event in more detail. It is known that though dragons are bound by Storm’s order to remain partisan and neutral when conflicts and events are taking place, Storm himself still tried to reason with King Bellcaunion, as he felt a slight remorse for these premature born elves that had committed no crimes, and were simply harmless mutations. The elven king refused to listen to the grand dragon Storm, and pressed on with the removal of the premature born elves, and it is said that Storm roared with such anger, it shook the castle of which the king resided in, which clearly demonstrated a dragon's magnificent power and destructive force.

  Storm bellowed to the elves that were present. “This act of filth will tarnish your legacy until the end of time.” And he took to the sky and never returned to the elven lands. King Bellcaunion passed away days later.