Lord of Earth

Lord of Earth

The sun was just starting to set as the little family and their guide reached the forest that was said to be home of the great dragon known as the Lord of Earth. The reds and oranges of sunset blanketed the trees and stones of the forest. A few small dragons flitted between the branches, and little Sunniva squealed gleefully at the sight of them. Her mother, Elva, worried about the eight-year-old's interest in dragons. She had the girl sitting in front of her on their horse. Her husband, Aelric, rode beside them on a separate horse.

Strangely, though, the horses did not start at the sound and smell of these dragons. The calm of the forest moved even into Aelric's core. The usually suspicious and overprotective archer began to relax, almost trusting his daughter and wife would be safe.

"How much further?" he asked their guide, Thunor.

Thunor, on his dragon-steed, shook his head. "The Lord of Earth may be deep in the forest or near the edge. It all depends on how he feels the call of the world around him, the cry of Dragonkind. Look around you. You will notice, I'm sure, how far apart many of the trees are, how large things seem here."

Aelric surveyed his surroundings, and immediately began to feel like a miniature being, an ant in the large home of something far greater than he was.

"How do we know we are safe?" Elva asked, her voice barely rising above a whisper.

"Ancient dragons draw in energy in many ways, not through eating in the traditional way," Thunor said. "The Lord of Earth is so ancient and powerful that he not only absorbs energy, he also lends it to this whole wood. Creatures here do not eat meat, even those who usually would. They barely eat plants. This forest is in a perpetual state of peace, at least peace from the food chain."

"I wish the whole world felt like this," Sunniva said. "It's warm inside me. Do you feel it, Daddy?"

"I do," Aelric said, and he did. He felt strength coming back to him that he hadn't felt since his youthful days of service in the army.

They soon road to a ledge, which overlooked something of a ravine. It looked like a river had cut through this place, or maybe something just as large and powerful. Thunor stopped on this rocky outcrop.

"This is where you must wait," he said. "You are lucky. He is near."

Thunor then dismounted, and Aelric's family followed suit. Suddenly, there was a rumbling sound from far down the ravine. Aelric unshouldered his bow started to reach for an arrow.

"No," Thunor stated. "You must not fire on an ancient dragon like the Lord of Earth. He will not harm you."

"How can you be so sure?" Aelric asked.

"It's so peaceful here." Sunniva moved to the edge of the outcropping without any hesitation. She looked down the ravine, toward the rumbling sound. Neither she nor the horses were frightened by it.

"That's how," Thunor replied.

Aelric tried to relax, slinging his bow over his shoulder again.

He moved a bit closer to the edge of the cliff, along with his wife and daughter, and they watched.

Through the fog, they soon saw the great dragon approaching them. His eyes glowed yellow-orange, a match to the colors of the sunset that cut through the forest. He was, serpent-like, but with many horns. He moved through the forest holding his upper body aloft, two talon-like hands before him, two bat-like wings folded in against his narrow back. He paused while still a short distance away from them, sniffing at the air, and the many chains and piercings that adorned his horns jangled pleasantly. He came closer and closer, until suddenly he was lowering his mighty face down toward the little family.

All three were hypnotized by him, but it was Sunniva who broke the spell. She took a few more steps forward, her arms outstretched toward the face.

"Mom," she said quietly. "Can we keep him?"

Her mother bent over, reaching to touch her daughter's shoulder, but her father's eyes stayed on the dragon, his arms crossed.



While the family was hypnotized in the presence of the great Lord of Earth, Thunor took the reigns of his dragonsteed and slowly walked away, down into the ravine. No one noticed his departure. He had been paid to lead the three to this forest, and that was all. All else was up to them.