Prologue

A little about Luna's world

My world is made of four tribes; Edafos, Kyma, Fotia, and Araki. Each tribe has their own responsibilities. The gardens are planted and maintained by the Edafosi, animal husbandry is cared for by the Kymas, tools and weapons are forged by the Fotias, and the Arakis watch over and care for the other three tribes. We, the Araki, consider ourselves the guardians of Chora, but this job would be close to impossible without our dragons. My name is Luna, this is my country, and I have been born into a long line of guardians. 

I live with my tribe in the mountains that sit in the center of Chora. The mountains sit close together with deep valleys and sharp peaks. If we were not here to control the winds that normally tear through these mountains, no one would be able to stand atop the peaks let alone live among them. Each building is settled into the mountain caves, all except that of the Iget and his wife which is a castle sitting atop the highest peak of the largest mountain overlooking all of Chora. The castle has been named Vasilias in honor of the first Iget who reigned from inside it’s walls. The only times that a Paidi is allowed into the castle was during the dragon ceremonies, as a cook or maid, and to make deliveries. The very ground inside was considered sacred and it is inside Vasilias that the most precious of Chora’s belongings are guarded.

Dragon eggs are among the treasures held in Vasilias, whenever a child of the Araki tribe is born, they are brought into the chamber and it is then that they are chosen by their dragon. There were three dragon types that could choose a child, and once a child is chosen they will spend the rest of their life following the path that is set before them by their dragon type. Warrior dragons, running dragons, and protection dragons.

Warrior dragons are the largest of all the dragons, their body shape is similar to that of a lion but not their size. These dragons were as large as a house. With broad wings and strong bodies these dragons could create powerful gusts of wind capable of neutralizing any prey. Their dark green skin could withstand attacks from both fire and earth. Any human chosen by these dragons becomes destined to serve in the military unit of the Araki tribe, and therefore serve all of Chora. Running dragons are the least common of the three types, with slender, serpentine bodies and white skin they are exceptional at stealth blending in with any cloud. These dragons could survive underwater for long periods of time, their streamlined bodies make them excellent swimmers and allow them to fly at extremely high speeds. Running dragons also have an incredible sense of smell that they use to track any prey. Their control of air is limited to the capture of prey, leaving destruction to the warriors. Protection type dragons are the most common of all, their smaller size is similar to a large dog and makes them useful companions. They cannot be ridden like the previous two types, but are extremely loyal and will protect their human at all costs. These dragons make use of their large teeth and deadly claws before resorting to the control of air. Their skin colors include every shade of blue. Each dragon type can control the element of air to an extent, warrior types being the most powerful and protection type being the weakest. Each dragon can also communicate with his or her owner through silent telepathy. The dragons can only place images into their companion’s mind, however dragons are able to understand what their human companions are saying. Humans only send images back when it is completely necessary for it is physically exhausting. All of the dragon types are silent except for a whine that they use only in emergency, such as when they are in pain or are scared.

Our island is plagued with violent storms and attacks from a wild dragon species we call Aplistos. They destroy crops, steal livestock, and render buildings to rubble. Usually the warrior dragons with their human companions are enough to protect from the storms, but to defeat an Aplistos, it took a team effort between the runners and the warriors. The Aplistos will remain hidden, only coming out long enough to ravage a field, town, or herd. Once the damage has been done, the runner dragons are sent out to track down the culprit. After the dragon is found, warrior dragons are summoned to kill the dangerous animal.