Heart of Dracden: Book 1

Chapter One

Storm clouds surround the valley for miles, which is not an unusual sight. In the distance, lightning strikes the tallest tree, the power of it shaking the cabin from miles away. It's in this cabin where we find a young man in his early twenties reading an old spell tome next to the fire, and a big Alsatian with her head resting on her paws next to him. The thunder and lightning giving her a little fright but a quick head rub and she's back to snoozing.

He places the tome down, and picks up another book, a piece of paper falling onto his lap. He picks it up and smiles when he sees the drawing on one side. It's a portrait of a beautiful woman with long wavy hair, two upturned eyes, a slightly pointed nose, and thin lips. Maddox. What this drawing doesn't capture of her are her fiery orange eyes that people find frightening and uncomfortable, the man, however, thinks they're fascinating. They can read him like an open book, even before her powers come into play. His heart seems to skip a beat. He misses her, and though he may be looking for a way to bring back his former love, he loves her.

In his mind, he counts between each clap of thunder, trying to figure if the lightning is getting closer to them, or farther away. One... two... three... BANG! Closer, good to know. He stokes the fire and places a pot over the coals to make some stew. The game meat is dry and chewy but it's food, and there's enough for the dog.

The night, like every other, is calm, even with the storm raging around the small cabin. Being the Valley of Raen, the storms are to be expected. This storm seems different, angrier, perhaps, as though the goddess Rae is on a rampage. The man continues eating his stew and making notes from the spell tome he's reading, hoping that these simple actions do not anger her further whilst he's in her territory.

It's as he's nodding off in his chair, he decides it's probably time to get into bed when things become stranger. In the on and off periods across five years, he's only ever told one person where he lives, someone who he knows would never tell anyone, nor would visit without some sort of telling beforehand. And yet, someone knocks on the door. For a moment, the man thinks it to be some sort of thunderclap, until it happens again.

Carefully, he stands from the chair and pulls his dagger free from the arm of the chair and moves silently towards the door. His dog remaining unbothered by the knocks, continues to sleep – must be someone they both know. Before he can reach the handle, the door slams open, sending the man crashing to the floor, his dagger scattering to the floor out of reach. Dazed, he looks up to see a tall, skinny man in the ugliest purple and lime green suit he's ever seen, and the man realises that this 'man' is no man at all, they're a god; Nylos.

"Why are you on the floor?" asks Nylos, frowning down at the man.

Grunting, the man gets up, glaring at Nylos. "Why are you here, Nylos?"

"So young, yet so hostile," says Nylos with a laugh, but the man is in no joking mood. Nylos sighs, "Orion, it is imperative you come with me this instant."

"Why? Give me a good reason other than 'you have to, Orion, it's life and death, Orion,' because that is not a good enough answer." He says mockingly.

Shutting the door, Nylos paces around the small cabin, thinking of how to word what he must say with great caution.

"It's easier to show you, rather than tell –"

Orion cuts him off, "No! You will tell me everything. Now."

"It's your brother, Elijah," says Nylos. "He's in a coma and no one can figure out why."

"What do you mean? How long has he been in a coma?"

"Three months."

A pang of dread stabs at Orion's heart. He grabs the nearest wall to stop himself from falling. For a moment, the room seems to spin in and out of his vision. Three months? His little brother has been in a coma for three months. Nylos reaches out and takes Orion's forearm to help him.