Tales of Wonder: The Boy and His Dragon

By Esh L

The story, set in the area of North East Asia, talks about dragons, giants and spirits which used to dwell together on earth and lived in harmony. Then men stepped in and wreaked that peace after they learnt that dragons’ heart could prolong life. But they owned no skills and had no means with these flight-abled creatures, and with wily manoeuving, they lured the giants into the hunt. Dark days begun as men hunted the dragons one by one, until the dragons were completely gone and even forgotten. The story then follows a boy, whose name is Lee Shan and when he was at the age of five, he stumbled upon a baby dragon without knowing what it really was. The baby dragon, with its mother gone, resided all alone in a lake until it befriended Lee Shan.
Their friendship grew and they soon became inseparable until eight years later, Lee Shan had to join a tournament which might have to send him away for further training if he won. Reluctant to leave, Lee Shan decided to lose the tournament on purpose. But things didn’t turn out exactly as he had planned. In the midst of the tournament, one of the participants drowned in the lake and everyone claimed it was the work of a dragon! What was worst, they had the dragon captured! Knowing that the dragon would not even kill a fish for its own dinner, Lee Shan set out to rescue his dear friend. Unknown to him, behind all these events were really the work of a long ancient dark forces which was also responsible for capturing his father and killing the dragons. In fact, Xiao Cong's disappearance was part of the conspiracy and only the long awaited dragon knight could save everyone. But no one knew when he would appear.
Xiao Cong also discovered that his ability to speak with the dragon was not by chance but rather, it was a gift of tongue which he inherited from his anchestor, who in turn received the gift from the Queen dragon when the future of the dragons and their lives were threatened.
He then encountered a group of orphans whose fate were similar to his; with either one or more of their family members captured by the same dark forces, also known as the dragon hunters. Together, they sought to change history and bring those dragon hunters to justice. But first, Lee Shan had to master his spells and be convinced that he was the dragon knight just as his new found friends had claimed. Could he really take up the responsibility of such an important task? Read to find out more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Esh L
• Release date: Jul 16, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476116396

Esh L

Borne and live in Singapore, I started writing since age 11. It is needless to say that one of my top dream job when growing up was to be a writer. But life doesn't often necessary end up the way we want it to be. Thankfully, we live in the age of technology and digital publishing has fulfilled my dream. Now I can share with you my stories, which have been kept in dark storage for a long long time. Now they are bursting to be discovered.

Book preview

Tales of Wonders

THE BOY AND HIS DRAGON

PUBLISHED BY Esh.L at Smashwords

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Text & Ilustrations

Copyright 2012 Esh. L

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

The Proprietor hereby assert the moral right of the author and illustrator.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade, or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.

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This book is for James, Jet, Jake & Josh

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INTRODUCTION

In the beginning, there were dragons, giants and spirits of the old, each dwelt in their own realm. The dragons governed the firmament and were protectors of the inhabitants in the terrestial sphere.

The giants, though they lived on earth, loathed the dragons and would sometimes captured them for food. But they were an indolent and unintelligent horde and mostly kept themselves away to the shadowy corners.

The spirits, however, always have a fraternal bond with the dragons. Mystical and shy, they resided in the hearts of woods and forests, much preferred to be left alone.

Men benefitted from the dragons’ protection and the dragons would help them as they were wont to do. But that changed when a devious canard began to spread. It was said that mortal life could be eternally prolonged with the consumption of dragon’s hearts. Greed gripes the hearts stronger than gratitude does and thus some men fell as men might be. But they owned no skills and had no means with these flight-abled creatures. With wily manoeuving, they lured the giants into the hunt.

Henceforth, heaven fell and dark days begun. A great war amongst giants, dragons and men broke out, fracturing the ailing amity. And to achieve their ambition, creatures which lied deep in sleep were too summoned by sorcery to do men’s bidding. One by one, the dragons fell and captured until they completely disappeared from the surface of this world.

The giants too were greatly inflicted by this warfare and few survivied. But men conquered and won; they seized victory and hid the dragons. In the course of time, they drove the giants away and compelled them to move into deeper and darker corners. From then on, evil prevailed and reigned over the terrestial sphere. For those who lived now walked in the shadows of the grisly battle.

And soon dragon became legends, then legends became myths, until they were forgotten.

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PROLOGUE

Between the snowy mountains and deep under the icy lake, there laid an egg which was brightly coloured red. The egg was very quiet and it was very still. Even the fishes thought the egg was ill.

Nevertheless, this was no ordinary egg. It did not belong to the chickens, or to the quails. It was not from the fishes, neither was it from the snails. It was something more extraordinary; it was a dragon’s egg.

Several months passed and a couple of months more. Then on one misty morning, when the first ray of sun ranted through the clouds, the fishes heard something alarming.

The sound came from the silent egg and out from the egg, popped a baby dragon’s head. The little dragon peeked and she took another sneak. Gradually she swam out, curious about her surroundings.

She saw the fishes and found them fascinating. Could one of them be her mother? Mesmerized by what she seen, she slowly joined them in. They dived and they swoop, they flipped and they dipped, swimming with the currents. Then the little dragon asked the fishes Are you my mother? The fishes shook their heads and swam on, leaving the baby dragon wandering on.

For a long while, the baby dragon swam alone. Thinking where her mother had gone. She thought hard and she thought long, then she bumped into something wrong. She bumped into a piece of greenish rock and suddenly out from the rock, popped a little tail. The baby dragon was stunned and amused. She eagerly swam around it to have a better view. Next from the rock appeared a leg and another, altogether four in total. Finally, out from under, a head appeared and both the dragon and the creature stared at each other. Baby dragon started to giggle; she had never seen anything so comical. She looked at the creature earnestly and asked, Are you my mother?

The creature’s response took forever and very slowly, it answered, I’m a turtle, not your mother. Then it wriggled and swam away.

The baby dragon was disappointed. Where could her mother be? Above the waters, a shaft of sunlight broke in, giving the lake a rainbow colour beam. The baby dragon put her head out of the water and took a peep, captivated by what she seen. She saw the immense snow-white mountains and the vast blue sky high above. She felt the chilly wind that gently touched her skin. The baby dragon went back in. It was much too cold and she decided that she would stay in the water and wait for her mother.

Suddenly she felt a nudge on her tail and she turned to see what touched her. She saw a snake, a creature with an elongated body, no feet and no hands, and a head that looked just like the end of the tail. Baby dragon was pleased to see the snake. Delightfully, she asked, Are you my mother?

The snake did not answer and did not reply. She turned away quietly and left the baby dragon behind. The baby dragon was so sad that she began to cry and soon she fell deep asleep.

Out from the distant, a shadow drew nearer. Emerging from within was an enormous creature. It had a head and a snout like a pig’s, with horns that looked like crowns on the top of it. Its snake-liked body cloaked with glittering silver scales and on the back of its body, was a long white downy mane. The magnificent creature spoke gracefully, Baby dragon, I am your mother.

Oh how overjoyed was the little dragon as she exuberantly swam next to her mother. Now with her mother next to her, baby dragon felt protected.

Oh ma ma, where have you been? cried the baby dragon, I have been looking for you and you could not be seen.

I was away up in the sky, said the mother dragon. Doing my job as a good guardian should be.

What’s a guardian? What do you do? asked the baby dragon excitedly.

A dragon’s duty is first to guard and to defend, the mother earth and the nature’s friends.

Can I do it too? asked the baby dragon.

Of course you can. Come, my baby, said the mother dragon. I will show you the world we live in.

The baby dragon followed fast; not wanting to be last. They swam round the lake twice, and then out in a flash, they flew up into the vast blue sky.

The baby dragon was enthralled. The sky was just as beautiful as the water was. She glided gently in the clouds, letting the wind fan her feathery mane. Contentedly, she flew on, being next to her mother whom she adored.

All of a sudden, the sky turned dark. The two dragons huddled under a shroud of mysterious black smoke. The smoke made the baby dragon sneezed and she did not like the smell of it. The two dragons flew for a long while before the black smoke departed. However, when the smoke was gone, the baby dragon was again alone.

Ma ma, ma ma where are you? I cannot see you.

The baby dragon stirred and woke. Then she realized all that had been a dream. The pitiful baby dragon sobbed forlorn and cuddled herself next to the water bank. She laid there weeping when unexpectedly; she heard a gentle voice saying, Hello! Surprised, she looked up and she saw a face. The face had two big eyes, a little nose, and a pair of puffy cheeks. The baby dragon had never seen anything quite like it.

Hello. replied the baby dragon shyly. Deep inside her, her heart was racing. Could this creature be her mother?

Are you my mother? asked the baby dragon, hopefully.

The creature looked stunned for a moment, then there was laughter and followed by a giggle and the giggle briefly washed the baby dragon’s worries away.

I’m a boy. I cannot be your mother. I’m only five years old! replied the little boy.

The baby dragon’s heart was broken at the answer; she started to turn away.

Please don’t go. She heard the little boy said. I can’t be your mother but I can be your friend.

The baby dragon thought carefully. A friend would be just as wonderful as a mother would. She emerged fully out of the water and climbed onto the water bank, standing just a little taller next to her little friend. The boy had pale skin and dark messy black hair, and behind the pointy tiny nose was a pair of big round black eyes. He had a thick layered of skin all wrapped on him and the skin seemed to have protected him from the dead cold air. The baby dragon and the boy looked intriguingly at each other as another gust of icy wind blew and embraced them.

What is your name? asked the little boy, looking at the baby dragon with great awe.

I don’t know. What is a name?

The little boy seemed very pleased that the dragon had asked him a question.

A name is what others think you are. he answered. My sister’s name is Xiao Hong, and that’s because she’s always angry. When she is angry, her face is as red as the bums of the monkeys are. That’s why she is called Xiao Hong.

Oh, is your sister a monkey? asked the surprised baby dragon.

No she’s not. She is a girl. And girls are nasty like bees.

So she’s a bee? asked the baby dragon, though she did not really know what a bee was, neither did she know what a monkey looked like.

No she’s not. She is just like me. Except that, she does not look like me. She has longer hair and a terrible voice when she screams.

The baby dragon thought that was amusing. Then what is your name? What others think you are?

I’m Xiao Shan. Because my mother thinks I’m as strong as a mountain! answered Xiao Shan proudly.

So you are a mountain?

No, I’m not Xiao Shan chuckled. I’m a boy.

Xiao Shan turned and looked at the confused