Chapter One
Trail Of Ice
(I stared across the never-ending stretch of sparkling blue water, wondering what mysterious creatures might still be down there waiting to be discovered. The glittering water seemed to wink at me, as if daring me to try and unveil some of its many mysteries. The thought that this maybe the last time I look into the horizon, guided by the clear sea in my hometown did not strike me at the time¡)
I was to be sent on a mission, a mission to find the seven different Dragon Jewels. The strangeness of it all made me want to laugh. Out of all the people in our village it was I who had been granted this quest. I wasn¡¯t extraordinarily strong or amazingly brilliant. I had no unique features in which I could brag about.
It was time to return home. Time to sleep and I could worry about everything tomorrow. Warm in my bed, I allowed my thoughts to wander. I heard a lone owl¡¯s haunting hoot as it swiftly flew off into the star-studded sky like a piece of silk floating in the air.
When I awoke the next morning I was temporarily blinded by the bright light filtering through the window. Outside the birds tested their sweet lilting voices and dewdrops glinted and flashed in the morning sun. The leaves and grasses were various shades of beautiful, velvety green and the sky was a lovely, tranquil azure. A small stream ran down the flower-dotted mountain and through the green pastures where deer, cows and horses mingled together.
I sat up, stretched and yawned. I was tired yet eager to get on with the day. As soon as I was dressed I was out the door, admiring the landscape as I made my way towards the house of the man who was supposed to tell my about my mission.
I came to a small hut-like house where a tall, thin man with a merry face, spectacles and a long silver beard sat at a rough, hand-carved table. He wore a long, blue robe of satin and a pointed hat to match. He looked up as I entered.
¡°Beautiful morning isn¡¯t it?¡± He beamed.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s a lovely morning.¡± I replied feeling happy and slightly nervous.
¡°Coffee?¡± He offered me a steaming mug of brown liquid. I accepted it gladly.
¡°I suppose you want to know more about your quest?¡± he half asked me.
I nodded before taking a sip of my coffee. It warmed my insides magically and I felt on top of the world for a few seconds.
The man looked amused at my reaction. ¡°Great coffee, isn¡¯t it? Made it myself, with a bit of help from my trusty wand here.¡± he held up a long pointed stick that looked as if he had cut it off one of the trees outside.
I was trying to decide whether he was some sort of crack-pot or just a bit strange when he continued.
¡°Zedrick¡¯s the name and magic¡¯s my game,¡± He cackled gleefully.
Crack-pot, definitely a crack-pot¡ I thought to myself, glancing wistfully at the door.
¡°No, I¡¯m not crazy. I¡¯m really a wizard. Here let me demonstrate.¡± He waved his wand and said a few words that I couldn¡¯t understand.
A few seconds passed and¡ Nothing happened. I rolled my eyes. He banged the stick on the table mumbling about the ¡°wand¡± not working. Suddenly a handful of sparks jumped out of the tip of the stick.
¡°Aha!¡±
After I finished my coffee I said bye and thanked him then began my long, dangerous journey.
When I was almost halfway out of town I remembered that I didn¡¯t have a single idea where the dragon¡¯s nest is but I also knew that I couldn¡¯t turn back to ask.
Soon after in a grassy meadow I was passing and something caught my eye. It was a dewdrop, a single dewdrop but what was really strange was that it seemed to be made entirely of ice.
I squeezed it expecting it to melt but when I opened my hand it was still there.
I had the slightest feeling that I will need this and any others that I happen to come by.
As I walked on I continued to find little dewdrops of ice. Every now and then I would find one and put it in my coat pocket.
I was beginning to feel cold and my coat pocket was now beginning to feel heavy.
After stumbling over many logs and rocks and making several wrong turns I finally saw a huge ice dewdrop thing. The words ¡°Do not touch without all ice¡± engraved into it.
I thought I had most ice so I prodded it with my finger, which was a mistake because suddenly a huge bolt of electricity shot through me and I pulled my hand away as fast as the electricity had went through my body. I shook my hand furiously and then looked down at it and caught sight of another tiny dewdrop. I picked it up and was about to touch the big dewdrop again but hesitated because I didn¡¯t want to get myself electrocuted once more but after a while I closed my eyes and touched the huge dewdrop and waited for the searing pain to shoot through my body but instead the world turned upside down and I felt myself being sucked into the huge ball of ice and for a moment I froze and everything turned cold and after that I fainted.
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(c) 2010 Maya Chilam Foundation