If you want to read the prologue for this story, click here!

One afternoon, in the fishing village of Cassardis, in the bordering duchy of Meloire called Gransys, sixteen year old Alexander Savan Aster walked around, admiring the sun. The feeling of the sunlight caressing his face warmed him, as if it were an embrace. He was a very tall boy, towering over most of the Cassardi residents. His physique was that of Hercules as some would say, being able to lift great objects with ease. He stood taller than most, at six foot three inches, and a weight of 240 pounds of pure muscle. The village had been grateful for who he was, as he helped the chief with much of the hands-on work. Behind the front gates on a large stone bulwark lay the outside world, with soldiers standing ready beside it. 

“Here ye, here ye, the Prophets have spoken, friends. The dragon’s return is nigh, join the honorable dukes ranks and help us be rid of the foul beast. The time has come to lay down, rod and reel and take up the sword.” 

Alex sighed.

“Another day, another soldier jabbering about the duke’s ranks.”

Quina, a girl who is a few months younger than him, waved, so he waved back. 

“So what’s the deal with that ‘routine’ you got going on?” Quina asked as she approached him.

“A thousand push-ups? Every day?” 

“And the combination of things you eat, eugh…” 

“The sandwiches are pretty bad, but they have a lot of protein,” Alex said.

“Besides, you know why I do what I do.” 

“‘To be the greatest elite in His Grace’s army,’” Quina said, mockingly.

“Yes I know.”

Alex chuckled.

“Maybe I should take the place of those guards, because I doubt they or anybody here would be able to out muscle me.” He said, with pride in his voice.

“Yeah.” Quina added with a chuckle.

“Until Savan comes back.”

Alex sighed, his expression lowering and his pride diminished.

“Just wish he could see me now.” 

“I gotta check on Mother.”

His thoughts were clouded with memories of old, and childhood remembrances, as he walked over to his house, and met with his sickly mother, Jessica, who had been stricken with a form of cancer to her lungs. The sight of her in pain depressed Alex, and made him feel as if he hadn’t done enough to help her. 

“Hey,” he greeted, 

“Hello, Alex,” she replied.

“‘You feeling alright?” Alex asked.

“Hanging in there,” Jessica said, before a couple coughs.

“How old are you again? Like twenty-five?”

Alex laughed.

“Sixteen,” he responded.

“My birthday was on the third.”

“I know, I’m just picking on you,” Jessica added.

“You look and sound so much older.”

They were quiet for a moment, thinking of words to say.

“You need any… perhaps… Sunbright?” Alex asked.

“Sunbrights only help with mild illnesses, like the cold, you know that right?” Jessica said.

“Yeah, I know,” Alex added.

“I’m… Sorry.”

Jessica held on to his cheek and beckoned him close for a hug. 

“There’s something I must tell you, my son,” she said. 

“What?” Alex questioned, 

“Your father, William… I know you wish to know of him,” Jessica said.

“And I cannot keep his identity away from you any longer.”

“Father…” Alex spoke, before taking a few steps back, pacing around soon after.

“What about him?” 

“I know his… absence angers you,” Jessica went on.

“But you need to understand the fate behind it.”

“Fate?” Alex asked.

“It isn’t fate, it just seems like someone used you for your body, and then just went along with his life not knowing about the child he made.”

“And look at the kid now, bet I take the uselessness from him.” 

“Oh shut up, Alex,” Jessica spoke with frustration.

“You need to understand how important you are, how much of a great person you’ve become.”

“And as for your father, It’s time I tell you about who he really was.”

“Oh really? Well let’s hear about ol’ deadbeat dad,” Alex said before pulling a stray chair close and sitting on it. 

“Your father… was a strange man,” Jessica went on.

“He was a warrior, but there was something odd about his title.”

“And he would often speak of it.”

“Does ‘Greatest Coward’ fit?” Alex asked.

Jessica sighed.

“Anyway… he would often call himself the ‘First Chosen Arisen,’” she said.

“‘First Chosen Arisen’?” Alex questioned.

“He wasn’t one of them cultists, was he?”

“He didn’t seem like one,” Jessica said.

She went to say another, but paused and bore a look as if she were recalling more memories.

“Lucian…” She whispered.

“Who?” Alex asked.

“Nobody, just…” Jessica spoke.

“I’m not sure if you do, but do you remember Savan’s father?”

“Vaguely,” Alex went on.

“I do remember a faint memory where I was being taken care of by him.”

“When I was little, I thought that was Savan, which doesn’t make sense.”

“Probably because he takes after his father mostly,” Jessica said.

“There are some traits he takes after me, but it’s mostly Lucian that he takes after.”

“And not to mention… You look almost identical to your father.”

Alex sighed.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” he added.

Just then, there was a heavy gust of wind that blew open the door, followed by many footsteps of curious and shocked people. Alex went outside and noticed many confused faces. Suddenly, a man sprints from the beach, tripping over himself in pure fear.

“‘Tis… ‘TIS THE DRAGON!” 

The town full of people all gasped in surprise and looked at each other with confusion. Alex and a few villagers ran to the beach and stared up at the sky. Soon after, a crimson dragon came swooping down and destroyed the Docks of Cassardis, sending debris and water flying towards the village. The dragon then flew to the sand and burned everything and everyone in its path with its fiery breath. Alex saw one of the soldiers run with fear, leaving his sword behind. He ran over to the sword, picked it up, and ran towards the dragon, but noticed his mother standing before it.

“No! Step away!” He shouted, before sprinting towards her.

Jessica stood there, arms outstretched as the dragon readied its breath, before spewing fire at her, killing her instantly, and leaving no remnants behind. Alex jerked backwards, evading the flames. After a moment of pure shock, he screamed, dashing forward, his heart beating heavily, and giving a feeling as if it were in his throat.

As he sprinted, he roared with all of his power, aiming at its heart with the sword. When he came to its chest, he jumped high in the air and tried to slash the heart, but was soon swept away by the dragon with its gargantuan claw, causing him to fly quite a ways back. He tried to get back up, but he had been incapacitated. The dragon’s eyes glowed bright red as it started chanting in wyrmspeak.

During the chanting, the crimson creature’s claw slowly approached Alex’s chest, before tearing out his heart, and splattering blood everywhere around him. It continued chanting, and the heart started to glow, then the dragon threw it into its mouth and ate it. Alex weakly raised his hand and stared helplessly at the dragon as it flew away. Quina ran to his body and scanned it, realizing he was still breathing.

“Help me! He’s still alive!”

He weakly tried to raise his head back up, but fell limp again. Two bystanders rushed towards her, and helped carry him to the clinic. As they carried him, his vision turned black, but his story wasn’t over…