Another Eden: Terra King

Chapter 1

           It was an early evening, just before the skies bled with warm, golden colors and the sun closed its eyes from the world once more. With the castle perched on top of the mountain peak, the sun glared down upon the stone walls and pillars merged from the earth. The court wasn't like any ordinary one you've seen or read about before, for this one was made up of the finest jewels, gems, and gold the world has ever seen. The shadows of the seven-pointed portcullis loom made it seem like the teeth of a fallen beast had appeared. A shrine of a dragon, who stood tall and proud above the mountain, was placed on a pedestal that was surrounded by hanging pelt banners of fallen enemies on the plinths underneath. Below laid a large cobblestone path leading up to the dark, torch-lit entrance, nearly a thousand stairs uphill from the lower lands. When you finally reach the gate, you are greeted with a red carpet with its perimeters laced in gold. The deeper you go, the halls become more warm and cozy, fit for a king. The torches themselves were dragon skulls hung from the walls, their mouths agape, allowing their fiery light to illuminate the marble coated fountain placed in the middle of the main entrance. A massive crimson doorway that was heavily guarded was to the great hall's left. A golden hue oozed under it, making it mystical.

           Behind the door was the throne room, which had two dragons communicating. One being a mahogany scaled titan with shamrock accents that had four-fingered bat-like wings sat on a hill of gold and riches. He looked down at the smaller, feminine dragon with fiery orange scales painted with brick and gold colors, her body laying low, submitting before her King. Her right arm curled into her chest and extended her left, making her nails spread out far and wide into the form of a bow.

           "They're ghosting us." The female dragon said calmly, her voice bouncing off of the walls, creating an echo.

           "What do you mean, 'ghosting us'?" He questioned the king, his voice a more resounding echo now.

           "The Renegade is ignoring every threat we throw at them." She held her placement, "and whatever I tried doing to get their attention won't-"

           "Then that's their problem." He said, "If they're going to ignore our threats like nothing is going to happen, then I guess we'll just have to follow through with it, won't we, Okma." His voice boomed across the walls despite his demeanor being calm.

           She sighed, her chest rising and falling slowly. "You've known me long enough to call me Sorah." She raised her body, standing nobly before him. He took a deep breath and sighed as well, his breath smelling of hot embers. He stepped down from his throne and walked towards her, his chest protruded past his biceps, and his masculinity could intimidate former kings. He sat down to level himself at her height, using his claws to raise her chin to look up into his emerald green eyes. "And you've known me long enough to not bow before me, my love."

           "Yes, Dracul..." She closed her eyes and pressed her head against his chest, feeling the beating of his heart against her cheek. The warm breeze of the summer wind flowed through the open windows of the castle and grazed their sun-burnt scales.

~ ~ ~

           In the space of his mind, Dracul held onto Sorah that night. His wing wrapped tightly around her body as bundles of dark velvet red blankets and pillows coated over their scales. He looked out the window, seeing the high peak of the outside world that he's the ruler of. The night fell quickly. The starry sky above them twinkled in his eyes, reflecting off of his sharp black talons. Dracul and Sorah were the only dragons large enough to reach the skies ceiling, as the other dragons weren't capable, making their perch unreachable by flight.

           She woke up to his stirring, making her sigh in pity. "You must rest for tomorrow, Dracul. What's keeping you?" She asked. Sorah had two sets of horns. One group was curled over the two straight horns on her head, creating an almost pretzel-like appearance.