Dragon Sword

Chapter 1 - The Rose

I think names are the best way to start. My name is Devon Walker and I was living in an intensive care unit in Midway hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Where I am now I do not really know! I am not sure when I regained consciousness, or for that matter, if I regained consciousness or if this has all been a dream. I think, now that the introductions are over, I should tell you a little about myself.

I am, or was of average height, average weight, and I guess to be perfectly honest, I was average in every way possible. I was one of those people that you look at, wave to, and promptly forget. I did not even realize the monotonousness of my existence until a new life was thrust upon me.

I just returned home from a trip to the African rain forest, where I was on safari (I won a free trip on a radio contest). I was there to see (not kill) some of the few remaining wild apes and cats. On the plane trip home, I began to feel a little sick. I assumed that it was due to airsickness or jet lag. As the plane began it's landing, I had decided to take a taxi to the hospital. I made it off of the plane, through the terminal without incident, & into the cab feeling worse by the minute. The taxi pulled-up to the curb, I paid the cabby, entered the hospital and promptly fainted in front of the admitting desk.

All that I can remember is going in and out of consciousness in the following couple of days and hearing people talking about me. I can remember hearing during that time, someone that I assume was the doctor, he said something about high temperatures and delirium. I can only assume that he was talking about me. I dreamt so much that shortly I could not recognize what was real and what was not, if I was dreaming or awake, and soon I didn't care anymore.

All of a sudden I was free of the dreams, the pain, and the intense heat from being awake. I was floating in an odd existence, not sure of my dreams, my reality, or even my own existence anymore. I was drifting in a cloudy place with no ground in sight anywhere. I'm not sure where I was, or what I should call it. Then I heard a voice talking. At first I was not sure if it was talking to me.

"Of course I am talking to you, you fool!"

I still thought that I was dreaming, not sure if I was asleep or awake. "Who are you? Where are you?" I asked.

A definitely feminine voice cried out. "Who am I? Do you not know? No, I see that you do not. Suffice it to say that I am a Goddess and you are a mortal, so do not presume to question me too often, as my patience is not as limitless as is my existence." Then softer, the voice said. "Ask me what you will."

I said the only thing that came to my mind. "What proof do I have that you are a goddess? And why am I here, wherever this is?"

"You want proof?" Then a bright light shone upon all of the surrounding nothingness. I covered my eyes and I could see the bones in my hands through my closed eyes. It seemed to burn into my very soul as if searching out the truth of my existence, the little white lies that you tell all the time, the love I felt and for whom it was directed at. She looked into my soul and saw every good thing and every bad thing that I did throughout my entire life and how it affected those around me. I yelled, I screamed, and I pleaded with the goddess to take away the light. As suddenly as it came, it went away again.

It took my eyes a few minutes until they could be used again. When I could finally see, everything was back to cloudy nothingness once again, except that there was an unbelievably beautiful woman sitting cross-legged on a cloud smiling a wonderfully bright smile at me. She had long, flowing, blonde hair and a smile that could melt your heart. She was about five foot two and perfect in every possible way imaginable.