Chapter One

In the small town of Ralkalen there lived a boy named Caro Ferani. He was a descendant of Rikon Ferani, one of the first Ralkalen humans to kill a sand dragon.

“Grandfather Rik, tell me the story of you and the dragon again. I really like it! Please Grandfather! Please!” said Caro.

“Oh alright,” replied Grandfather Rik. “I was a young lad around your age and I had gone to the Desert of Halo-”

“Isn’t that really far? Past Halkol, City of Light?” Asked young Caro. Grandfather Rik sighed and looked at Caro.

“Yes, now please don’t interrupt me. As I was saying, I had gone to the Desert of Halo to look for Cactusbaery. The fruit is quite good and Ralkalen was running out. They had given me a small dagger in case of orcs. They weren’t expecting a sand dragon!” Grandfather Rik chuckled. “It was about 1:30 at night. I was about to set up camp when I saw 2 red eyes in the shadows. I took my dagger and threw it. It hit an eye! Oh that was just about the worst mistake I ever made. He came after me. I finally saw his face. He looked like a combination of a Orcride and a dragon. With sandy looking scales and three scaly tails. He attacked.” He pointed to his eyepatch. “Blood everywhere. The dragon opened his mouth. One eyed and limping I pulled out a fang. As you know, sand dragon fangs are highly poisonous. I stuck it through his other eye. A roar. I limped away as fast as I could and that was the last thing I ever heard out of that beast!

“But how?” sputtered Caro. “How did you survive?” Grandfather Rik looked down at his mechanical leg. If only the kid knew. Not everything is as simple as it seems.

The next day Caro got up a little later than Grandfather Rik. He got out of bed and when he saw Rik he looked up at Caro. 

“Here take this.” Rik told Caro holding something in his hands. Caro stepped forward. Another step. He gasped when he saw what Rik was holding. A dagger. The sheath made of sand dragon scales. He touched it. He hesitated. Then took it.

“The very same one.” Grandfather Rik told Caro. “Let me tell you something else. A great evil exists in this world. Only darkness where there would be human. I do not know much of it. Head down to Halcif.”

“But… Why me? I am not going there without you! Come on Rik!” Replied Caro, confused. Not as confused as Rik. Caro had never called by only his first name. 

“I CAN’T” yelled Rik. If only mom was here. Thought Caro. 

“I AM NOT LEAVING WITHOUT YOU! THINK ABOUT WHAT MOM WOULD SAY! SHE TOLD YOU TO WATCH OVER ME!” yelled Caro in reply. Rik was taken aback. Caro processed what he had just said. “I’m sorry…” he trailed off. 

“Fine. We leave in 3 days.” Replied Rik walking to his room. Caro stood there panting. He looked at the dagger and a single tear fell from his eye.

“Why me…” he whispered.

Chapter Two

2 days after the day that Caro was given the dagger, Caro was getting ready to leave. He looked out at the city he had known for so long. He sighed and laid down. He went to sleep. The next day he awoke to Grandfather Rik at his door. Caro stood up. They silently walked down to the door. He opened it. He walked to the front of town, Grandfather Rik next to him. He exited Ralkalen. Facing north they departed. 

“Orcs. Up ahead.” Rik said an hour or so later. Caro unsheathed his dagger. Soon as Rik had said they heard voices. 

“Meat. Up ahead. Come Gruthengut. We are hungry.” Then Caro saw it. A green face. Riding on an Orcride. And another one. A scar through Gruthenguts eye. Rik took out a small sword. A questioning look from Caro made Rik whisper:

“Stole it. From an orc bout’ 11 years ago.” Rik replied. Soon Rik jumped out. Caro followed. Slash! Gruthengut was screaming. Rik had just cut off one of his arms. Blood was spilling out. Caro slashed at the Orcride. It howled in pain and quickly was killed. The rider of it jumped off yelling a battle chant. He was swinging a mace designed with many patterns of war. Caro took a blow to the arm. He dropped his dagger. Rik quickly cut off Gruthenguts head. Then the mace swingers one. The mace fell to the blood-stained grass. Caro collapsed, clutching his arm. “Come on.” Rik said, dragging Caro behind a rock.

“Why so fast, Grandfather?” Caro whispered. Rik kept looking up at the sky nervously. Then Caro saw it. A vast blue creature. A Shredder. 50 feet long at least. With long trailing claws and a giant wingspan the Shredder roared. It was looking around as if it was hungry. Then Rik ran at him and jumped on his tail. The Shredder flipped its tail back and forth. Rik held on for dear life. Caro saw what was happening and jumped out. He ran at the creature dagger in hand. The Shredder saw him. He ignored Rik and ran face first at Caro. Caro looked down on the ground. 20 feet away was the mace. That was strong enough. He ran for his life. The Shredder clawing at him. 10 feet. 5 feet. 5 inches. He snatched up the mace and brought it down on the Shredders foot. The Shredder roared as his leg was cut off. Blood spilled on Caro. As this happened Rik climbed up his tail. He reached his body. He used his short sword to pop off a scale. He stabbed it in the newfound hole. Blood spilled out and the Shredder started to flap his wings. Caro jumped up and grabbed on. Rik was still slowly climbing up the body. He reached the face. He stabbed it in the eye. The Shredder stopped. Blood spilled out more. The Shredder fell. Caro and Rik fell somewhere inside The River. The Shredder made a deafening noise as it hit the ground. Rik and Caro fell ashore several hours later. Rik opened his eyes. Caro slowly got up. They sat there in silence.

“Let’s never do that again.” said Caro. Rik agreed. They laughed. Off in the distance they saw The Last Peak. They both silently agreed to head there. They kept on sitting. “So should we head there or what?” asked Caro.

“First let’s set up camp for the night.” said Rik. Caro nodded. “You gather the materials.” said Rik. Caro nodded unenthusiastically. He headed into the nearby forest. He walked through when a familiar smell came to him. Orcs. He unsheathed his dagger. He crouched down. He stalked. When he saw it. An Orc and a Dundersheather. A Dundersheather is a sort of combination between dwarf and Orc. Common in Hakorin, Halis, and Calaton. As they walked past Caro he snuck behind them. He threw his dagger. It hit the Dundersheather in the back of his head. He fell to the ground dead. His blood spilling out. Caro grabbed his dagger as the Orc whirled around. Blades met. The Orc struck Caro in the arm. A single drop of blood fell onto Caro’s dagger. It soaked in. Caro looked at it in wonder. Then he was struck by the Orc again. He screamed and stabbed the Orc. Green spread across the Orc’s body. Poison. The Orc fell to the ground. Caro grabbed some sticks and moss quickly before more Orcs came. He ran through the forest. And he did not stop until he reached camp.