The Quest for the Dragon's Eye

In faraway lands, there existed a legend of a jewel called the Dragon’s Eye. The jewel was said to have been created from the remains of the very first dragon to have existed. The dragon was called Xinrui, and the stories stated that she could wield all of the four elements – fire, water, air, and earth. While Xinrui was undoubtedly the most powerful and wisest creature alive, even she was subjected to the laws of the one true Creator. Like all of the His creations, Xinrui eventually returned to his side, although some would argue that the Creator allowed her a bit more time on the mortal plane simply because she was a favorite. It is said that He was so enamored by his first fierce reptilian creation that he decided to make many more in her image from her mortal remains. However, perhaps because the Creator refused to disturb Xinrui's mortal resting form too much, He only utilized her claws, scales, horns, and spines for His new endeavor.

No one knows why, but the dragons that descended from her eventually lost their connection with their creator, which is why they gradually lost their ability to control all four elements. Some believe that He felt that the new dragon creations could simply not compare to His beloved Xinrui, so he devoted less effort to maintain His connection with them. However, such talk was considered blasphemous, and no one would openly admit to believing it - such was the wrath of the dragons. In any case, the existing dragons could now only control one of the four elements; the element that each dragon wields is determined by the part of Xinrui that they were made from.

In this world, there is one universal rule: the weak are dominated by the strong. And so, it is in this world that humans revere and worship dragons as guardians, and it is in this world that a legend exists of the Dragon’s Eye that can grant its owner, not matter what species, the ability to wield any element of their choosing. While no one is quite sure of the jewel’s precise location, there is a general consensus that the jewel can be found at Xinrui’s final resting place, which is deep in the heart of sacred dragon territory. No man, no matter how well equipped, had ever returned after they set off for the territory, and now, no man was foolish enough to try it.

It is also in this world that a young woman finds herself seriously considering the possible existence of the Dragon’s Eye. Make no mistake, this lass was not enamored by the jewel’s power nor did she desire its power for her own personal gain. Her attention had been brought to the jewel by her childhood friend who had gotten the idea that with the use of his wits and her strength, they could surely retrieve the jewel and save their country from impending doom. His heart was set on the matter, and he knew that his friend’s heart was far too noble to not explore even the slightest chance of saving their beloved home. While she was every bit noble as he believed her to be, she was the only one that had seen and participated in the horrors of the war. She knew what awaited them once they left the comfort of home, and if other humans were capable of atrocities during war, she could only wonder what dragons were capable of when threatened by thieves.

With great enthusiasm on his part and great reluctance on hers, they both set off in the middle of the night so as to not arouse suspicion from their respective family members. Fortunately for them, most everyone in the village was fast asleep as their bodies attempted to recuperate from toiling all in day in the fields. The pair was eager to escape unnoticed. After all, they were certain that any that heard of their endeavor would simply call them fools and force them to stay in the village. But the pair knew that this was one of the last chances they had if they had any hope of saving what was theirs. The others in the country fervently prayed to the dragons for assistance and guidance even though the dragons had shown time and time again that they would not meddle in so called trivial human affairs. And so, it is with this knowledge in mind that our two young heroes depart from the safety of their homes and embark on a journey that is sure to be passed down for generations to come.

Author's Note: In the original story, there is a fisher-maid that retrieves a special jewel that was thought to be lost in the sea for a man that she loves. As she grabs the jewel from the top of a coral pagoda, which is submerged underwater, a sea dragon emerges from his lair, and it essentially calls all of the sea monsters to begin attacking her. The girl, knowing that the dragon will not touch a corpse, ultimately kills herself and inserts the jewel in her chest so that her loved one can still get the jewel once her body surfaces.

I think that the basic premise for my story is the same in that there is a special jewel to be retrieved from the possession of a dragon (or dragons in my case). I decided to leave out the idea that a girl would give up her life for her loved one because I am not a big fan of romance in adventure stories, which is what I am kind of gunning for. Also, I thought a story of two friends embarking on a potentially home-saving adventure would be more interesting and fun for me to write.

3/18/19 Update: I added some more background information, but I am not quite sure if I like how it detracts from the main quest. I may or may not make some more big changes next week.

Bibliography: The original story can be found here. Story source: Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).