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When I was little my father used to tell me stories of the brave men and women who tamed the fire-breathing rulers of the sky. He told me of epic adventures they shared together, tales you may only imagine could have come from fiction and fairy tales, as Dragons, so it's been told have, never been anything but mortal enemies to the human race.

There had been a time when Dragons waged war against men, and men against Dragons. Each side were desperate for ownership of the others' territory. Dragons wished to rule over the land and men deeply desired to own the sky.
For decades they battled for it, each race determined to completely eradicate the other. There were no compromises. It would be all or nothing, death or complete rulership. There was no in-between.

It seemed the war would never end...

Until the day a child was born of both sides.

Late in the 12th century, during the final days of the Black millennium, a very special boy was born to a very ordinary family. His father was a blacksmith, his mother a seamstress, and just as so many were in those days they were hopelessly poor and slowly starving to death.

The endless black cloud of smoke from the fires of the war that raged just beyond the Eastern Kingdom shadowed their village in an eternal darkness. It had been an age since last the sun had broken free of the smog and the only rain that fell was acidic and poisonous to taste. Nothing grew in the soil any longer, no animals could survive in the wastelands surrounding the village. The only food they had were the minimal rations sent and gathered from the kingdom far across the desert.
Because of these harsh conditions no child had been born to any family for nearly four years. No woman was healthy enough to bear young. So when Adilay gave birth to a tiny, but living baby boy there was great joy and celebration. The villagers saw this as a sign from the Gods that the sun was soon to return and in hope that his birth was in fact a sign from the heavens Adilary and Tong'sei named the baby boy Kei'Tal - meaning bringer of peace in the tongue of our ancestors.

It wasn't long after that word travelled by raven to the village that the King was in desperate need of weapon forgers. His army was low on their supply and if they were not fitted with more immediately they would lose their advantage over the Dragons they had gained in these last few months. He called upon every blacksmith in the country to come to his aid and for their services he would reward them with riches beyond that which they could possibly imagine.

It may not have been the sun, but it was the miracle Tong'sei had been waiting on for over a decade. It was a chance to provide properly for his starving family.

But few can deny that a God can be just as cruel as he can be kind.

The blacksmiths and their families had travelled deep into desert land to reach the Kingdom. Already weak from starvation they were an easy meal for wandering predators, and an even simpler target for a couple of bored Orcs.
All were slaughtered but Kei'Tal, who's mother had bundled him up so tightly against her that the hideous monsters did not take any notice of him at all. It happened so suddenly, and was over so quickly, that the Orcs were far out of earshot long before the distressed baby began to cry.

However, whether by luck or fate the infant's cries did not go completely unheard in that barren wasteland. In a cave hidden deep beneath the sands a dragon lifted her head and intently she listened.
Any other of her kind would have ignored the desperate wails of a human child, but as a new mother herself Veratai's instinct would not allow her to do so. She dug her way out from beneath the warm earth and cautiously she crept towards the pile of bloodied bodies, following the muffled sounds of the baby's sobs.

Aware that they were not alone Adilay lifted the wailing child from her chest with her last ounce of strength and held him out to the approaching dragon. She begged the creature to show him mercy and take him to safety.
Such a task, Veratai explained to the dying woman, would be impossible for the her. She could not stray far enough from her den of hatchlings to return the babe to live amongst humans, nor was she willing to put herself at such a risk. But her compassion got the better of her as she understood far too well the desperation in the woman's eyes.
'I will take him.' She said. 'I will raise and care for him until the opportunity arises for him to return and be amongst humans.'
There are no mortals who would not have accepted such an offer, for dragons and man were truly the worst of enemies. But the dying mother laid the child at the dragon's feet and with her final breath she told Veratai 'his name is Kei'Tal. Please, help him become a greater man than those who have poisoned this wretched world.'

Veratai held true to her promise and raised the child as though he were one of her own. She taught him to survive in harsh environments, to find water where there appeared to be none, but most importantly she taught him the dangers of his own breed. She told him of how man had begun to hunt dragons for sport and in doing so had started this century long war for domination.
If she had anything to say about it she would have never let Kei'Tal, who had grown to be so precious to her, return to live with such savage beasts. But as most children his age Kei'Tal could not quell his curiosity about his own kind. So, on his sixteenth year when the other Dragons left the nest he too bid his mother a fond farewell and set off into the desert to discover man for himself.

Kei'Tal soon arrived at the entrance to a bleak little village ripe with the stench of death and decay. He was at first very cautious but that fear was smothered out by the pitiful state of the beings he saw. The few living people he passed were barely more than tired old corpses that dragged themselves through the fields, slaving away on a farm that would sprout not a single morsel of vegetation.
It was not long before he found the courage and spoke with one, curious of why they lived in such misery.
The elderly man explained to him that Dragons had driven them to this. They had stolen so much of the humans food that they'd had no choice but to kill them in order to preserve their way of life. As far as he was concerned it was the Dragons who had started this war, not the other way around.
Kei'Tal told the elder of where he had come from and explained the side of the story from the Dragons point of view. This seemed to greatly upset the stranger and when Kei'Tal asked if he might be able to help the old man simply replied,
'You can leave this place. A child raised by dragons is a bad omen. You are in league with the very creatures who have turned our home into this abysmal nightmare.'
'But I offered my loyalty to no one.' Kei'Tal protested. 'I am human, but I understand dragons very well. I will seek the Dragon Lord and I will end this war. You will see, the sun will shine on your village once more.'

Despite the old man's protests Kei'Tal ventured out into the world beyond. He braved the Panaem desert, crossed through the dark forests of Hawthorr, and risked life and limb to climb high into the volcanic Krietos mountains where he met with one of the mightiest dragons of old. Miroc Fireborn.   

Had it not been for his scent Kei'Tal's quest would have ended in the moment his eyes met with Miroc's, but the enormous orange beast was curious as to why this boy smelled so familiar.
'Why do you wreak of my kind, human?' The mighty dragon's voice boomed.
'I was raised by your kind.' Replied the boy, not an ounce of fear in his voice.
Miroc laughed.
'I wish to ask you to point me in the direction of your Lord.' Continued Kei'Tal
'And for what purpose do you wish to speak with Av'il?' The monstrous beast roared.  
'To end the war.'
Another laugh escaped Miroc's throat.
Kei'Tal was uncertain of just how to reason with a creature that could end his life in a single bite. Veratai and her children weren't even half as large as Miroc, and certainly not near as frightening in appearance. But he wondered if this Fire Born might be as credulous and vain as his own family could been. It was worth a try.  
'Veratai Desertborn raised me. She told me how your kind are suffering at the hands of my own. Your numbers are dwindling and with each day that passes you face extinction at the hands of mortal beings. Though, man is not fairing any better. Innocent people are suffering just as you are. They too are facing their end. If this continues neither of us will remain, and what kind of world would this be without humans or dragons? I dare think that the Orcs may rule over it.'
'Orcs!? What nonsense is that? Orcs are far too stupid to rule.' Miroc snorted disdainfully.
'Maybe not. But they are still plentiful, and quite powerful. Though if not Orcs then perhaps elves shall take claim of the lands. Or maybe even the skies…'
Miroc let out a snarl and considered for a moment a world run not by dragons or man, but by Orcs and Elves… Dwarves even! Then with a grunt he replied. 'In the Snowy mountain peaks of Morow you will find a mystical Dragon called Aurora Winterborn. She is the most powerful of our kind. The Lord will not listen to a human, but she may. Find her and you may find an end to your war. Now leave, before I change my mind and have you as a snack.'

With Miroc's direction Kei'Tal travelled through the treacherous regions of the winter lands in search of the mystical Winter Born. Though suffering greatly against the harsh winds and bitter temperatures he did not stop. Even when his body could handle no more and he faced death in the face he fought on to continue forward.
Alas, the freezing temperatures and heavy snow were too much for even one so determined as Kei'Tal.

It is said that there are none in this world aside from a dragon whom can reach the top of the Morow mountains. It was an impossible task for any ordinary man.

Exhausted, freezing, and nearing death Kei'Tal collapsed on a ledge and as his world grew dark he apologized to the dragons and men of which he had failed.
Fortunately, it seemed that once more fate was on Kei'Tal's side. Just as his cries had been heard by Veratai 16 years ago so now was he heard by another of the Dragon race. When next he awoke Kei'Tal was curled up next to a fire, sheltered by a cavern from the bitter wind. His eyes grew wide in astonishment when they were met with the icy blue orbs of the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.
'Are you the Winter Born?' He asked.
'What do you think?' Replied the dragon's gentle voice.
Kei'Tal stood and approached the creature without fear, in awe of her beauty. Where most Dragons were covered in scales she donned a silky white fur coat. Instead of thin leathery wings hers were coated in shimmering silver feathers. 'I have no doubt. Though I am curious why you saved me.'
'I have been waiting a very long time for a human to brave these mountains, for a mortal who would risk his life to save both Dragon and Human alike. I have been waiting for you Kei'Tal, and in answer to your next question yes, I will help you in your quest.'  

And so for the first time a human rode on the back of a Dragon, their souls bonding together as one as they flew into the battlefield and stood between the two warring sides.

I've been told many different endings to this tale since my father passed on. Most call this version of our history a myth, others believe that humans defeated the dragons in the end and drove them to extinction.
But, my father was convinced that his ending is the one and only truth.

The coming together of Kei'Tal and Aurora marked an era of peace between man and Dragon. Kei'Tal was celebrated as the hero who had brought back the sun and was given the name of Dragonborn by the Dragon Lord. For generations after his family were recognized as the only people who could ride on the backs of of the rulers of the sky. So long as they lived peace would forever exist between the two races. They would never again fight for possession of the sky or the land. The earth was ours and the Sky belonged to the Dragons.

Inexplicably the Dragon race seemed to have vanished over time since the days of old. There are some who don't even believe they ever existed in the first place anymore.
But my father was convinced that they are still here with us, hiding amongst our kind in a mortal shell.
Though what it was they are hiding from he never said. He died before he could.

I believe it is my purpose in life to find out where they are and free them from whatever it may be that has forced them into isolation.
 
My name is River Dragonborn and I am the last remaining Dragon Tamer.

Author's Note

This opening needs a lot of work. I have a massive case of writers block and honestly don't want to publish this yet but in order to continue on writing the story this had to be finished first.... and if I didn't publish it now I would probably get lazy and never bother to return to it and make excuses and... well, whatever. You don't want to read this, you want to read the story.

Just know I will be returning to this chapter in the near future to flesh it out and make it less... high school level... ugh.

Reviews

[JacqueNthewritersblock]

Personally, I think you're being a bit too harsh on yourself, which of course is typical for all writers. We are our worst critic!

With that being said, the very first sentence of this...Chapter(It seems more like a prologue to me) ensnared me right off the bat, so I'd say you are well on your way to creating a very eye catching story. There are a few grammatical errors, and punctual mishaps, but nobody can catch all of their mistakes. I suffer from this as well. But I did thoroughly enjoy reading this chapter of yours and only wish that you will continue to create and shape the world you've birthed!

[Flukenspoggle]

Thanks a lot. ^.^ A friend of mine actually said pretty much the exact same thing to me, haha. Once I get over this block I won't be so harsh. I'm just getting frustrated. My stories come so clear in my head but just refuse to transfer to paper.

As for the the general errors... I've been out of school so long, and so very out of practice right now that my grammar and punctuation has suffered greatly for it.... though I won't lie, it's always something I've had trouble with. One of these days I'm going to take a couple refresher courses. Lord knows this dusty ol' brain of mine could use them.