Author's Preface
As Ryan flew on the back of Olar, he leaned toward his ear. "So, why don't you guys take the throne for yourselves? Why does your clan isolate itself from dragon society?"
"Simply because we must. It has been this way for a thousand years. Only a few know the reason why. Every generation tells their own story as to why. It's not something that I agree with, though. I, for one, do not feel tied down to the traditions of my elders."
"Makes sense, seeing as your father was king. Do you and Alyssara get along?"
"We used to. My clan forbade my mother from being betrothed to my father. They forced her to return to the clan. She tried to fight it for as long as she could. Eventually, she gave up and returned, bringing me along with her."
"That had to have been tough." Ryan looked into the sky. "Every society has some fucked-up rules. Where I come from, traditions rule over people. At some point, most people don't even know why they believe what they believe. They just follow the traditions blindly without ever understanding what started it."
"When we arrive, stay close to me. Do not wander. Our clan does not take kindly to outsiders."
"Wonderful, so you're bringing me into a den of lions. Thanks for that."
Olar landed outside a large city hundreds of miles from the royal palace of the dragons. As he landed, he transformed into a humanoid figure. His skin turned a deep purple, two horns protruded from just above his eyes, and black scales showed through on his skin. His magic conjured a long black robe that covered his body.
Ryan walked behind Olar as a group of dragons started following them. "Ummm... Olar... why are there like thirty dragons behind us right now?"
"Your scent."
Ryan lifted his arm and smelled himself. "They don't look too friendly."
"They won't touch you. You are with me!" Olar turned and smiled at Ryan. "I am the son of the leader."
Ryan's hand met his face. "Yeah, of course you are." He shook his head and continued to follow Olar.
As they walked through the streets, Ryan watched as dragon after dragon stopped what they were doing. Some stopped working immediately. Others' conversations died in an instant. Soon, over a hundred shadow dragons had formed a group following Ryan and Olar. Ryan watched as dragons flew in from the sky and landed. They transformed and joined the group following them.
Finally, Olar stopped, and Ryan walked right into him. "Oh shit, I'm sorry. I, uh, was kind of distracted." Ryan pointed to the large group behind him.
At this point, nearly every shadow dragon within the city had gathered. They all stopped a hundred feet away and stared at Ryan as Olar put his hand on Ryan's shoulder and laughed.
"This should be interesting." Olar turned. "Ahhh, Mother, how are yo-"
Olar's mother walked past him without a word. She approached Ryan and started to walk around him, sniffing the air as she did. She stopped behind Ryan and looked at Olar. "Take him inside. I will gather the elders."
Olar bowed, looked at Ryan, and shrugged his shoulders as he guided him inside a large building made of black stone. Inside was, again, nothing fancy. The halls were not large enough for a dragon to fit. They were made with one purpose, to allow only those who could transform into their humanoid forms to enter.
Ryan sat down at a black crystal table with Olar next to him. "What the fuck is happening right now?"
"Answers. I told you. You smell like him."
"What does that even mean?"
"I'm not entirely sure myself. I was drawn to you because of your scent, your magic. I can't explain it either. I do not know the answers, but you saw what happened out there. I have never seen our clan so docile. And my mother didn't question you or even threaten you."
"Threaten me? You brought me here thinking she would threaten me? What is wrong with you? What else aren't you telling me?"
Olar laughed. "Nothing. I have no answers. Like I said, only a few know the reasons behind why our clan does the things it does. I am not one of them."
Just then, a group of five dragon humanoids walked in. All five of them had the same deep purple skin. The hoods of their cloaks were pulled over their heads, exposing only their eyes and horns. One stood in the middle of the other four, carrying something on a black pillow.
Olar's mother took a step forward from behind the group. She sat down next to Ryan. "Welcome. I am Fyz, the leader of the Shadow Clan. We have waited a thousand years for this moment." She gestured to the elders. Each of them took a seat next to her. The one in the middle placed the pillow in the center of the table. Ryan stared at a large black egg that sat upon it.
"Reach out with your shadows," one elder said.
Ryan stood and backed up. "I am regretting ever leaving fucking Elyndor right now. I'm not doing shit until you tell me what is going on."
"Such a foul-mouthed beast you are. Very well, sit," the elder next to him said as he gestured toward Ryan's chair.
Fyz sighed. "You are aware of the prophecy about the king, yes?" Fyz hung her head as she mentioned the king. A small tear ran down from her eye.
"I am. I was told that your god said I had to step up or some nonsense like that. Look what that got me so far." Ryan pointed toward his missing arm.
"That was only half of the prophecy."
"What does that mean?"
The elder across from Ryan stood. "It means reach out to this egg with your shadows."
"You dragons really do not have any fucking patience, do you?" Ryan looked at Olar, who simply shrugged his shoulders.
Ryan took a deep breath and exhaled. He reached his hand out toward the egg. Shadows from every inch of the room started to quake. The room began to rumble as the shadows moved. They crept up the legs of the chairs, across the table, and started to gather around the egg. The shadow magic swirled around it while every elder and Fyz stood silently and watched. Ryan concentrated harder, pouring as much shadow magic as he could toward the egg. As the magic continued to swirl, Ryan's hand dropped.
"Fuck, I can't do anymore."
Ryan watched as the shadow magic remained. It was slowly being sucked into the egg. The egg started to pulse with a dark purple color from within. Then, suddenly, every bit of shadow magic was swallowed by the egg.
"It failed... again," one elder said.
"He is not the one," another spoke.
"Olar, my son, take this thing back where you found him."
Ryan stared at the elders and Fyz. "That's it? You're just throwing me out without telling me what the fuck that was all about?"
Olar grabbed Ryan's shoulder and lowered his head. "Let's go."
Ryan shook his head and followed Olar as the elders and Fyz talked amongst themselves. As they reached the door, the elders' conversation stopped abruptly. Ryan felt an immediate change in the air. It had become dense, filled with shadow magic. Ryan turned back and looked at the egg. It had begun pulsing. In an instant, it erupted with shadow magic. The shockwave knocked the elders, Fyz, Ryan, and Olar onto their asses. A purple beam tore through the roof of the building and shot toward the sky from the egg. As the elders sat on the ground, they each turned toward Ryan and stared at him. Ryan stared at the egg until the beam of magic finally dissipated. The once-black egg was now glowing purple, full of shadow magic.