Adam C

Prologue

The lady looked down at the sight on her front doorstep. A crying baby lay inside a wicker basket, wrapped up in a woollen blanket. She spotted a small note. It read:

“This child’s name is Eli.”

She flipped the tiny white card to the other side.

First comes the day,

Then comes the night,

And only the chosen one

Shall awaken the light.

Some kind of prophecy, she thought, as she bent down to lift the basket. She brought the baby inside her home. She and the baby both needed to get some rest.

Chapter 1

15 years later…

“Rise and shine, Eli,” announced his mother.

Bleary eyed, Eli got up out of bed. The family of two lived in a small hut, but it suited their needs. He and his mother lived in the small village of Dragle-Upon-Tyne. He walked outside to have breakfast. Today mum was cooking Eli’s favourite breakfast, scrambled eggs and baked beans. He went out to the kitchen to eat.

“Yesterday I was to told that apparently there is going to be a dragon coming to terrorise and destroy the entire village.”

“Oh, Eli! What have I told you about all that folklore?”

“I know, I know. It’s not my job to listen to any of it, but -” Eli’s words were suddenly interrupted. Crash!

The house across the alleyway went up in flames. Eli stood there and looked at the sight before him. Through the smouldering debris of what used to be a house Eli saw a terrifying sight, an immense and fierce looking dragon.

“Noooooo!” Eli screamed. He knew the people in that house. The dragon swooped down and breathed fire on the house once more. It was hard, confronting such a terrible sight. Without a second glance, the dragon flew away, up into the mountains that were forbidden to all. It didn’t care. It wasn’t the first time it had killed people for fun. Eli was irascible at the dragon. t night, Eli’s mother came to him.

“Eli, there is something I would like you to read.”

Chapter 2

Eli read the small letter before him.

Dear Eli,

I’m sure you have heard about this wicked, evil dragon that has wreaked havoc among Dragle-Upon-Tyne. I have watched over the village for so

long, and I know that you have the courage and bravery to slay this evil

dragon. It is a huge ask, I know, but please do this for the people of Dragle-Upon-Tyne. They do not deserve this.

Yours sincerely,

Mayor Archibald.

“Why me?” Eli screamed. There was no response. “Why do I have to go out and slay this dragon? I’d rather be burnt alive by its fiery breath.”

He felt mocked and betrayed. He felt like he was in the middle of darkness, like no-one could hear him. The weather outside his little bedroom window was gloomy and grey. He seemed to also shrink a little. He went up to his room and willed himself to sleep. He wanted to sleep… and sleep… and sleep forever, never wanting to wake and face the task that had been forced upon him. But he knew in his heart he really had no choice and that he would need to confront the dragon.

Chapter 3

“Go to the mountains, Eli, and defeat the dragon,” the bearded man’s words were vivid and blurry like it was a dream. “I am Wizard Draven and I have been sent to help you along your journey. You will be granted magical armour and a sword, the only weapon that can defeat the dragon,” Draven explained. Eli forced his eyes to open, but it was like magic. He couldn’t open them, nor could he stop listening. Draven’s words bounced around Eli’s head and didn’t escape. Finally, Eli’s eyes snapped open. It was the morning already.

He went downstairs to have breakfast, but he could not stop thinking about his dream, about Draven’s words, about this armour and sword.

“Are you okay, Eli? You look like something is bugging you?”

“I just had the weirdest ever dream... about some old guy giving me words of wisdom, it all seemed so real!”

Good wizard Draven had told him about rendezvousing at the place where the village meets the mountain. Eli could ignore this call, but he knew what he had to do. He walked to the foot of the mountain where, as promised, he met Wizard Draven, the man from his dream. Eli stopped, stood and stared. The mountain was forbidden to all, but in order to defeat the dragon, it had to be scaled.

Chapter 4

It had taken days to climb the mountain and, soon enough, they reached a suitable spot to create a shelter. Good Wizard Draven had made Eli a bed with his magic. It was crafted out of wood, with cowskin blankets and a pillow of sheep’s wool. Eli slept and dreamt. In his dream, there was fire… all this fire and he was going to be burned alive. The dragon flew around letting everything burn. It didn’t care at all; its grin showed it was enjoying itself. Eli was helpless. Where was Draven? Where was anyone? It was just Eli and the dragon. He was terrified, his heart was pounding in his chest. He felt that his feet were glued to the spot.

Suddenly, Eli sat bolt upright in his bed in their little shelter.

“Are you alright, Eli? Do you need some milk?” Draven asked.

“No, but thank you for your consideration. I had a vision! All of Dragle-Upon-Tyne was being destroyed by the evil dragon,” Eli replied, still shaken.

“Well, visions will be of rather frequent occurrence, now that we know that you are the chosen one. In the morning, we will set out for the sword and armour. As I told you, only this particular sword can defeat the dragon from your visions.”

Chapter 5

Eli woke with a start. There had been another vision; this one depicted him finding the sword and pulling it from a rock. Draven entered Eli’s room.

“Big day, Eli. We must venture to the mountain to find the sword and the suit of armour.” Eli rubbed his weary eyes. “So? What are you waiting for? Let’s get our survival packs ready and head off,” Draven exclaimed.

Eli and Draven climbed up the remainder of the mountain to find the armour and blade, but it wasn’t easy. Eli lost his footing and slipped down the rocky face of the mountain.

“HELP!” he called.

Eli was soon lifted up into the air, levitating for a good few seconds, when he noticed Draven using a wand of some kind. Eli softly came down to the ground.

“Thank you, Draven,” Eli said with immense gratitude.

“Thank me later. We must find the armour and sword before the dragon strikes again, or else all will be lost, forever,” Draven explained.

Soon enough, they were at the top of the mountain. Eli looked around. He looked at the burning ruins of the village and hoped that his mum was not harmed. The armour hung in mid-air, with a golden aura surrounding the polished silver torso and the eagle-like helmet. Behind it, a sword plunged into a rock. Eli walked up to the mighty sword and looked at it slowly, up and down. He donned the shiny armour, and it almost felt like part of him. It was very thick and durable, but surprisingly light. He moved over to the sword and clasped it by the hilt. He heaved at the sword upwards. The silver blade came free and shone in the moonlight like a second sun. He swung the blade at the ground and the grass was singed as if burned by fire, explaining the now red glow of the blade.

“We must return to the shelter before it is too late,” Draven said authoritatively, already heading back to the shelter.

Chapter 6

With the fate of Dragle-Upon-Tyne in his hands, Eli made his way up the hill towards the dragon’s lair. They followed the smoky smell of dragon’s breath and smouldering shrubs and trees. They were quite high up. Consequently, the air was very thin. Eli and Draven tiptoed quietly into the mouth of the cave. The dragon’s breath was hot, and Eli felt himself thawing after such cold temperatures outdoors. The master and apprentice strode further into the cave and saw it. Right there. In flesh and blood. The dragon that had done so much bad towards Dragle-Upon-Tyne.

Suddenly, the creature’s eyes snapped open, revealing the cold putrid yellow.

“Use the sword, Eli! Use its energy!” Draven instructed. But those were to be his last words. The dragon breathed fire all around the cave, engulfing Draven.

“NOOOOOOOOO!” Eli was furious. Draven was like a father to him. Draven had believed in Eli and made him feel he could defeat the dragon, now he was lost. It was just Eli and the dragon. Eli, Dragle-Upon-Tyne, everything; it all came down to this. In his mind, Eli saw all his ancestors giving him strength… Giving him knowledge… And power... Eli focused everything on his sword, and a golden energy shot out of it. It made it’s way towards the dragon, and it was vanquished. Eli had fulfilled his destiny, and slayed the dragon that had been terrorising Dragle-Upon-Tyne for so long.

Chapter 7

Eli returned back home to Dragle-Upon-Tyne, However, it was very much different to what it had been like before. Flowers bloomed, Trees blossomed, and it was a place of happiness and good fun. Dragle-Upon-Tyne was a very happy place from then on, but life without Draven would never be the same. Later on in the day, Eli’s mother showed him something. Eli had picked up Draven’s notebook when they were staying on the mountain. His mother told him about when he turned up on her front doorstep so many years back. There was a page missing from the tiny notebook, and the tiny piece of paper fitted right in. Eli couldn’t believe it. He was a boy created from Draven’s magic, and he never knew. He was very fascinated, but he was so sad that he had lost his father in the battle. There is a memorial in the town square, and engraved on it, it reads:

Wizard Draven

Rest in peace.

Dragle-Upon-Tyne was a very bright and colourful place from then on. When it was time for mayor Archibald to step down, Eli was appointed into the job. Bad things never happened again, and it was the happiest place on earth.

“First comes the day,

Then comes the night,

And the chosen one only

Shall awaken the light.”

THIS CHILD’S NAME IS ELI