Prologue 1


    A voice as deep as thunder boomed, “Velestrya! The summoning circle is ready, bring in the tribute items!” Finally, the time has arrived. The proper elements have aligned, the formation flags are set in their proper place and all the necessary items have been collected. “All of you, quickly, contribute your mana and world energy!”


    The summoning circle started softly glowing. Faint sigils ever so gently peeled themselves off and began to float. Slowly rising higher and higher.  Barely audible childlike laughter rang. The brighter the circle and sigils glowed, the louder the laughter became until that was all that anyone could hear.


    The same voice that could previously be described as booming was now a faint whisper compared to the cacophony of laughter “Bring us any outer realm dragon and the tribute is yours!” he shouted.


    The light became blinding, lighting up the realm as far as one could see. The intensity of everything built up and crescendoed. Suddenly, the light seemed to just pop; the laughter stopped leaving a deafening silence in its place. Light particles fell from the sky like snow, slowly dimming and completely going out after touching the ground.


    Prologue 2


    Someone, please help me.


    Screaming on the inside, the boy opened his mouth, but all that came out was a muffled groan. “Hurry, hurry!” He could hear one voice whisper. He felt a pair of hands searching his pockets, different from the impossibly powerful pair holding some sort of dirty rag over his mouth and a knife in his side. His head was forced up so all he could see was the star-filled sky and his body held in place, between an alley wall and the man who stabbed him, his zip-tied hands held in front of him.


    Struggling only brought about more pain. He tried to scream out for help again. In response, his assailant twisted the knife in him. Screaming into the rag, he felt himself losing consciousness. The edges of his vision darkened as he struggled to stay awake. Staying awake long enough to get help was the only way to stay alive, he knew. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    “Shit, he’s got nuffin’ on em,” a gruff voice spoke out. The hands ended their search after having emptied his pockets of his wallet and cell phone. “Wallet wit a student ID and nuffin’ else in one pocket and a cheap phone in da otha'''' the annoyance clear in his voice. “THAT''S IT?!” cried the second tough but less abused voice, belonging to the pair of hands still holding the boy in place.


    Tightening his grip over the rag on the boy’s mouth, the attacker pulled the knife out of his side, producing a faint squelch. He pushed the boy aside and to the ground as he removed his hand from over the boy’s mouth and both thieves ran off. Laying on his side, his face against the rough pavement, the boy struggled to push the rag out of his mouth with his tongue.


    Managing to spit the rag out of his mouth, he called out for help, “Help! Call 911! I’m dying!” his weary voice cracking in anguish. He tried standing up, but his body gave out before he could even make it to his knees.


    It hurts. I’m scared. Someone, please help me.


    And there he lay, struggling to breathe, pain shooting across his body, bleeding out. The world turned to grey and gentle laughter could be heard. He couldn’t see where the laughter was coming from but he immediately called out “please help, I’m dying, please call 911”


    “Boy, what’s your name?” He heard a voice ask, in a raspy, breathy whisper. “My name is Kai, Kai Long. I’m hurt. Call 911!” He frantically replied, his hope rekindled. “Yes, now focus Kai, you must stay awake, '''' said the voice, still whispering. “ Focus on what I’m saying. You said your surname is Long, right?”


    Thinking that help must already be on its way and this person is trying to help him stay awake he answered “Yes that’s right, it’s Long” The voice, now sounding excited replied “Like dragon, right? Long also means dragon, right?!”


    Hearing the excitement in the voice, Kai worriedly replied, “Yeah, it means dragon in Chinese. Please tell me, the ambulance is on its way, right?”


    The pain he was in is more like a dull ache now. He was struggling to stay awake.


    The voice sounded panicked now “ My voice, Kai, hold on just a little more, focus on my voice! Surnames were derived by occupation or rank, right?.. Hurry Kai!”


    Dazed, he responded, “Huh? Yeah, learned that in school.” His words were slurred and his world was spinning, the darkness almost completely overtaking him. The voice sounded far away now, like a whisper melting into the wind. It asked, “So dragon, right Kai? You are a dragon?!”


    And so Kai spent his last moments on earth, zip-tied and bleeding out in an alley, responding to a voice that no one else could hear, and waiting for help that would never arrive. His last words were “yeah, dragon,” as he let out his final breath.