2:ERAGON AND THE PAST

The kingdom of Lukedonia is a big and beautiful city with lovely ancient Greek pillared structures and a large waterfall. It is a magnificent scene, some parts of the waterfall are as clear as a piece of glass, while some other parts are like Atlantis blue. It gushes over the mountain rocks. At its widest point, it surges and plunges water down the mountain. It has a beautiful serenity pool at the bottom with frogs and magical creatures croaking nearby adding to the wonderful sounds. It thunders water down into a pool like a gigantic water spout. When it topples into the ecstasy pool, it foams at the bottom. In the middle of the mountain are two colossal column pillars with a height of 50 meters, suspending baroque-style concrete open buildings made of white brick walls, marble floors, and white dragon pattern pillars.

The sound of children's footsteps swiftly approaching and chuckling could be heard from a distance. They ran to the edge of an open building and leaped into the air jumping from the building in the mountain aiming for the pool down below. Bright lights radiate from their bodies.

Puff!

Rainbow colors light up the air as they transform into medium-sized dragons ascending into the vast path of freedom, they glide in the sky happily. A young paled-skinned boy in a white shirt and black shorts runs through the brick stone floor ready to jump into the air. Suddenly, he dashes his barefoot to the ground stopping his speed and momentum at the edge of the pillared building. The fresh morning wind brush through his thick brown hair with the scent of seawater. He roams his red eyes at the distance. Faded towered building structures covered by clouded fogs and large dragon fire surrounding the city. He looks down at the height of the waterfall. His heart pounding with great speed and fear overshadowing his mind, he takes few steps backward from the edge when he hears a woman’s voice from a distance in the building.

"You can do it, my child. All you have to do is take one brave step and jump from that cliff edge, you will transform into a dragon that you are meant to be" The young boy roams his eyes looking down at the height, several meters of the waterfall he would have to jump.

"I’m afraid. I might not be able to transform"  the boy says.

He takes more steps backward and an elderly male's voice speaks.

"See, I told you, he is good for nothing coward. This makes it the 97th time he has failed to jump off. Maybe we should push him off!”

"Oh shut up old man!” the woman exclaims. “As an elder of the Sun dragon, you ought to encourage him. He is only a 14 years old child. He-”

"All those kids who jumped off the cliff started jumping when they were babies and now they are masters. Yet you pamper the child.” the elderly man cuts in.

"Son, if you are given one magic and you could save the kingdom or your family which includes your beloved, who would you save?” the woman asks, ignoring the elderly man.

The boy looks back and says "I don't know, maybe my true love or perhaps the kingdom."

“From the day I was born, I was told that I was different. I was hated by many because of rumors that say that the eighth headed dragon that destroyed Lukedonia was a seal in me. And for then, I was despised by the village. I have lost more than what I bargained for. I regret the cruel decisions I have made.

“When did this hatred begin I wonder? Did the hatred start when I was betrayed or was it when my mother died? No, this hatred started before I was born. If I remember clearly, the dragon fire clan had always taught us in fire school that fire was superior to all elements and first to rule all dragons. They pride themselves too much on it. This caused problems that started long ago during the time of Oregon the dragon prince.

“When Lukedonia was re-created after the war of five kingdoms in Oregon world, seven powerful dragons created seven dragon clans consisting of fire, water, air, earth, healing, lightning, and lost elements clan. These dragons were ancient and could shape-shift into human form because of the powers of the heart of magic place in the middle of the city. That gem gave life to all dragons. These clans consist of different shape-shifting dragons with their clan leaders and elements. 

“The lost elements clan was made up of dragons that went under hybridization with magic essence from an evil eight-headed dragon and pure magical essence however during the war; many clans of lost elements died remaining few.  These lost elements dragons possess terrifying magic power that transcends all elements. Normally, Dragons can use two or most three elements. This is also the same for some humans and demi-humans. Only a few can use more than four elements and they are called talented elements. However, dragons from the lost elements can make use of all paths of elements and their powers are covered in deep mystery.

“Prince Oregon's mother was from the lost element clan and Prince Oregon's father was said to have been born of the lightning clan. He married her for that reason because he wanted his son and linage to possess special abilities. Oregon was the second prince, his elder brother Agros was born from a different dragon mother. He was a strong man and he controlled fire. He was the leader of the fire dragon clan. He was the first dragon to ever discover the theory that can awaken the infinity black flames. After watching Oregon his brother' perform lost magic, he deduced that the black flame can only be awakened when someone special to you dies with a certain magical dagger.

“The war was much of a concern for both princes at that time, to be disturbed by any jealous behavior or who would be a successor to the throne. After the Lukedonia was destroyed by an eight-headed dragon which was defeated by Dragon prince Oregon, he created Roland with a mindset of unifying the five kingdoms that have been plaques by war. He created Lukedonia with the heart of magic as a source of life, transformation, and protection of his people. His elder brother Agros enthroned as king known as Drakon and the rule for a long time in Lukedonia and then passed the kingship to the next ruler and so on. Drakon became very arrogant and wanted to start a war with beast and humans entered the throne. He had a son, Aden, who looked and acted just like him. 

“The council elders of each element clan tried to talk to him, he won't listen. Anyone who tried to challenge him was burnt alive in the infinity black flame without mercy. He began to teach his son dragon prince Aden how to control and use those black flames for evil. Everyone thought they were doom when Aden killed his mother to awaken his power.

“But luck prevailed, the Elders discovered a prince born from the lightning dragon clan with a linage to the lost elements clan named Orobiro, the lightning dragon. His mother had been pregnant for the king. However knowing the wicked nature of the king to kill the Orobiro, he had been hidden. By right and blood, Orobiro was the firstborn prince before Aden. And so the seven clans helped him in his training. Each dragon clan master of individual elements taught him the elements of seven magic. Orobiro challenged Aden to a battle for the throne, that was the first time the monarch battle was created by the council of dragons. Aden lost. 

“Orobiro of the Lightning clan had won and became Drakon. Prince Aden died in the battle and the Fire clan lost its power. The Fire clan was angry at the disgrace they suffered. They wanted to rule forever and they tried to challenge various Drakon kings that followed after Orobiro, but were unsuccessful. The Fire clan feeds their young Dragonklins with hatred, sowing discord between the lightning clan and the councils of elders.

“The fire clan couldn't blend well with other clans. They tried several rebellions plot for power but the elders and the Drakon king made it compulsory that every dragon learns how to control fire as basic elements, with every dragon using fire as the basics with the help of the essence heart of magic. The fire dragon clan became weaker and weaker.

“There came the reign of a passionate Drakon king called Ohen. Ohen wished to stop the hatred among the Fire clan and his people. So he intentionally married from the Fire and Lightning clan and two baby dragons were born. The first was me, Eragon and the next was Phil, my brother. We were both fond of each other, we grew together venturing into dangerous exciting adventures together and pairing in battles. My mother told me about what the Lightning clan had done. She had tried to put hatred in me for the clan, I was not moved. But I was naive. I was hated by my clan, they outlawed me for choosing my brother over the Fire dragon clan. I tried my best to unite the two clans together but the hatred had a deep root. The only comfort that kept me going was Bumi who was supposed to be my teacher but later became the woman I love and adore.

“My brother was also a source of my happiness until King Ohen my father died. After his death, it was time for both princes to battle, to fight the monarch battle for the throne. On a fateful day, I learned that my beloved betrothed, Bumi had been held hostage. I was told to lose the battle for the throne so that my brother Phil would be King. Phil and I stood face to face with each other. I tried to speak to him about my unfair circumstances. That an unknown person had held my beloved hostage, and that the battle should be rescheduled so both princes can find a way to stop the hatred and fight equally. 

“I was ignored. The officiator began the battle knowing full well that I couldn't fight. Without lifting a hand, Phil placed water magic over my head and suffocated me with lightning. Phil won the battle. I was upset and I tried to speak to the council. I later discovered that Phil never liked me. Everything was all planned out. His dreams were more important than my ideals and the only reason he had been close to me was to find my weakness. Without a fight, I lost my throne. The council of elders turned a blind eye because they never wanted another fire clan to rule again. My beloved Bumi was never who she claims to be. She told me that she was sent to me to deceive me from winning the monarch battle. She was planted by a lightning clan elder who wanted power to be maintained in their clan.

 “Lost in thought I came back home. My mother had made a bargain with the Fire clan to make me the next clan head to revive the Fire clan's honor. She would have to die by the dagger of black flame for me to be awakened. That way, that flame would be a beckon of hope to reclaim a throne with a deadly glare in her eyes and she speaks.

‘Son, you have brought disgrace to us’, my mother said to me. ‘You must revive the dragon Fire clan. You must regain your honor.’

“My mother stared at me with her dark eyes, she gripped my clothes in sad anger. She reaches for a dagger. I tried to stop her. But she hurriedly thrust the dagger through her stomach before I could do anything. My mother stabbed herself in front of me, making sure that I would never forget what has been done to me, the shame and reproach I must endure to end them. With that glint of black flames in my hands, I turned to my clan’s rage for revenge. I trained hard. A window of opportunity for my revenge opened. As planned by the Fire clan, Phil was assassinated.

“And a rebellion began. My dragon men and I tried to steal the throne from Phil's son Argon instead of challenging the throne. However, I was defeated with the help of the council elders and its dragon Guards. I was banished to the wasteland. A prince lost everything living a life in the waste land, waiting for his day to come. It was there that I met him, the very one that regretted that he helped me. He was a dark human magician that they called the Summoned one. He promised to help me.”

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Eragon squeezes his dark eyes open. Tears roll down his cheek. He lay on the floor in a cave.

“This nightmare again. My mother torments me even in my dreams. I know what I have to do mother. Even if it cost me my life, I will regain my honor and become the rightful king of Dragonut of Lukedonia.”

He suddenly hears a commotion outside the cave. He walks out of the cave to see what was going on. A young man in a red robe dashes his feet through the desert Sandy waste Land. He stood before a massive gray wyvern dragon with two feet. The dragon was far one of the biggest he had ever seen. He looked tiny before its massiveness. The gray wyvern dragon began to generate flames in his mouth. The young man braces himself for impact. Suddenly a dark spiky colossal dragon swiftly descends from the sky on the wyvern dragon. It erupts a massive strip of flame on the gray dragon. Instantly, the gray wyvern dragon has consumed ashes. The dark dragon descended with a thud on the sand with its four feet. It was two times bigger than the wyvern. This dragon was no ordinary dragon like the two feet wyvern. This was an adult dragon. As soon as the dragon descends on the remains of the gray dragon, it vanishes from sight.

“Where did it go?” asked the young man as he roams his purple eyes around the wasteland. He instantly sees Eragon in front of the cave. Eragon walks past the smoke and flames where the adult dragon descended.

"Who are you?" the young man asks.

"I am EragonDagun, the banished dragon prince of Lukedonia. And you are?"

The young man lifts his face with glints in his eyes, "I am the Summoned one, the magician".