THE CHRONICLES OF PIRAH: Return of the Old One

By EARL FAIRFEILD

This story that is a series of volumes begins with a man being brought to a lake shore in Scotland by what would be described as Sasquatch or Big Foot to be reintroduced to his actual self - a life like no other, a life that would span the ages of earth, and all of the life forms that dwelled upon her. This

• Language: English
• Publisher: Writers Branding LLC
• Release date: Aug 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9781639451241

EARL FAIRFEILD

A little about myself. I was born in the Midwest of the US in 1960 just about the time the Vietnam war began to pick up momentum. My father was in the navy, and we found ourselves stationed in San Diego, my hometown to this day. Throughout my childhood and teenage life, I was always enthralled by stories of sword and sorcery as well as Greek, Arabian, and Norse mythology. I loved stealing away to my neighborhood theater to watch “The Sinbad” movies with effects by Ray Harryhausen. I loved to read and escape the world around me by virtue of the words on the pages of the books that brought me such joy. As I grew older my love for stories seemed to manifest in other different chapters in my life. It seemed that my overly active imagination would never cease to formulate fantastic tales complete with heroes and heroines, beasts and brigands, castles and dragons from every point of the globe that we call earth. I have composed other books and have yet to see fit to share them as yet, but this story came to me in a particularly painful time in my life. I hated the world I lived in and could not bare that feeling, and so I began to write this story. A story that would make one ask, “What if?” I present to you, the readers, my work and hope you enjoy it.

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 1

Pirah’s Awakening

The story opens with a man who, for all intent and purpose, has no idea he is a great and powerful immortal, a mystic of unfathomable power. He is about to have this knowledge made reality to him by creatures that are up until now—myth and legend.

"There I stood looking through eyes that must have exploded from their sockets pushed out by what could only be called absolute terror mixed with over powering disbelief. The monster that had risen from the lake bared some resemblance to childhood tales told in the evenings before bed. However, there was nothing that could prepare me for what I was seeing here, now or ever. The beast must have been twenty stories in length, though only ten rose up from the water. Its neck alone must have been 150 meters in length and broad enough to swallow a train, engine, track, and caboose.

It was covered entirely in scales of varied sizes with colors that would change as the beast moved. The scales ranged from the size of a human hand to a large row boat mostly green in color shifting to yellow then blue, orange, red, violet, silver, and so on as though the beast was consciously varying the spectrum of colors to its scales.

A massive hand rested on my shoulder that belonged to yet another creature of myth and legend. I looked into the coffee brown eyes of my unlikely companion to which he said, You need not fear him as you need not fear me.

I felt the words more than heard them. My heart slowed to a less frantic rate and I began to feel reason come back to me, but more so, I began to recall things. Things that could not have occurred in my lifetime.

I could not put these recollections together as a cohesive thought. I felt uneasy in my stomach and my head was beginning to pound. Just then, I felt another voice and looked up. The massive creature that could only be called a dragon had lowered its enormous head to within just a few meters from me. The giant snout pointing at the ground and the beast’s respiration stirring the rocks and turf below it, I could feel the ground shake as it made comfortable its body.

Still awestruck by the enormity of this creature, my mind asked, How did this go undetected in this day and age? I then became aware that I was the subject that the dragon’s intent was focused upon. Green orbs the size of a full-sized SUV placed in what looked like two sharply elongated ovals set by a master jeweler were fixed on me with a look that was both compassionate and elated. My head stopped pounding, yet my stomach would not relent and be at ease. The beast’s lower jaw moved ever so slightly, and once again, I felt more than heard its voice.

It has been long, my brother. Much too long since last we’ve seen each other, it said. You have ascended several times and have not had contact with we of old. I fear you have forgotten who you are…what you truly are. This was almost the final straw. Here I stand with two legendary beasts that have been denied existence by science and religion, both the subject of fantasy and horror tales and not only do they exist but they both possess among other attributes the power of speech. Empathic and telepathic. I had to come to grips with having been spoken to by a dragon and had been led here by the missing link.

The dragon continued, Though you have lived this mortal life these forty-nine winters, you will be interested to know that you have lived many, many more…perhaps longer than myself. I felt myself slipping off and losing my balance. The behemoth behind me caught me as I had fallen head long into a dream or what felt like a dream Remember, my brother…Remember our time on this world. I heard the dragon’s voice fade as everything turned grey and then to black.

The darkness began to shift as though a sheet was being pulled from my face. I covered my eyes from the light with my hands only to find that it was early evening, not morning. I fumbled about looking for my touch lamp but only found unfamiliar beside furnishings, blunt objects, and warn materials, leather and furs.

I stopped my searching and stumbling long enough to examine these unfamiliar and archaic surroundings and also coming to the realization that this was no dream. The dragon was not here nor the Goliath that was my companion. There, along the walls every few feet, were large candles set on heavy iron holders. Not far from the bed was a small iron vessel with hot red coals glowing. I took up one of the candles and lit the wick in the coals. I then lit the other candles as to illuminate the rest of the chamber that I had awoken in. As the room became more definable, I drew in a long breath. There were swords and shields, pieces of body armour, painted pictures on cured leather, skulls of beasts, and many other trappings of a time only read about—but it strangely felt familiar and my stomach began to misbehave again. Looking around the room, I discovered a table that could as well have been an alchemist’s potion bench covered with an endless assortment of powders and herbs, extremities of reptiles, birds, and unidentifiable creatures.

At that moment, there was a hard knock at the door. My lord, the Lady of the Realm wishes your presence at the high court. What answer shall I give to my lady?

For fuck sake! Who am I and who is the Lady of the Realm? were the words that almost left my mouth.

Then the dragon’s voice came again, Answer him, brother, and walk through the door. I felt my hands grab a garment from a chest.

I heard my mouth speak these words, Send word to Her Majesty that I shall come at once.

Very good, my lord, came back the reply.

I walked toward the door and it opened by itself. Even though it startled me at first, I actually expected it. What happened next completely blew my mind.

Outside the door were four armed men that came to attention. As I walked among them, they took up position on both sides of me and kept pace as I walked. We proceeded down the hallway to a large archway, and once passing through, it turned sharply to the left to a much larger hallway. Another twenty paces to the end of the hall where it led into an enormous throne room that seemed to have jumped from a storybook. That’s when I began to remember, to realize what the dragon meant.

The first thing I noticed was a semicircle of men-at-arms, not unlike the ones who escorted me. I estimated at least seventy in the circle, each with a four-meter long pike planted at the floor and held ready pointing inward at what was within the crescent of warriors.

At that moment, there was a booming voice coming from my immediate right. All hail, Lord Pirah! High advisor to the court, chief counsel to Her Majesty, Queen Anntiah, master of the mystical arts, and ambassador to the magical beasts of the realm!

I walked forward barely noticing that there were people to either side of me bowing as I passed. My attention was almost entirely on the massive, scale-covered, tapered snout, gigantic green-eyed color fluctuating and very familiar dragon that had been chained to the floor of the throne room. The beast was surrounded by the warriors, only to the extent of the wall of the great room that housed the court and the throne of the queen. The chains that bound the dragon did not seem nearly stout enough to contain such a massive and powerful creature. Yet there was an unnatural glow about them.

Suddenly, I’m struck with another realization. I know this dragon. I know why the chains can hold it. I know where and who I am. So does the dragon and, oh, yes, let’s not forget who summoned me and why. My lord Pirah, do you have familiarity with this beast? If so, what know you of his kin and kind? the queen asked.

Your Majesty, I am familiar with this dragon, his kin, and those of his kind. I felt like I was two separate people at this moment. Yet both are the same man. My voice echoed clearly in the great throne room as they who are the court became silent when the queen addressed me.

He is Serous Drakkus Thrysyum, Majesty. Second hatchling to Lord Serous Drakkus.

The queen visibly reacted with her left eyebrow arching, then spoke. Truly? She then looked at the captive beast. The resemblance has not gone unnoticed. However, one cannot take all things for granted as of late. Release him and give him all the respect and privilege off his station, Good Pirah, if you would?

Without so much as a thought, I fixed my gaze on the chains that bound the great beast and I felt a warm sensation fill my eyes and with great satisfaction watched the chains loose themselves from the dragon then with serpentine movement retract into the floor. The noble dragon then raised its massive head that sat upon an extremely long neck to its full height, extending its wings to full span in such fashion that not even a single candle flickered. He then brought his noble head down to almost the floor, snout almost touching in a most gracious bow not but a few meters from the throne of Queen Anntiah.

The familiar feeling rather than hearing of the dragon’s voice came about as he spoke. May I speak, Your Majesty?

Please, the Queen said. Please do.

My Queen, please accept my most profound apologies for blundering into your realm without herald or for warning of my coming. Your soldiers acted wisely and with great skill in my apprehending. I am all too aware of spells being used to confound and befuddle the unaware.

Queen Anntiah lifted herself from ne could say. The dragon. her throne and walked with long and regal strides to within arm’s reach of the prince of Dragons and extended her arm, touching the leathern end of his snout. The queen spoke softly, yet the Great Hall made her voice heard.

Good Prince Serous, if there are any apologies to be made, then they should come from me. Please allow me to make up this day to you with the hospitality of my great hall and its vast coffers of drink and sweet meats. She continued, Also, I am fully aware of your great powers and it was your great wisdom and benevolence that spared me the need for many funerals. For that, I am truly grateful, Your Highness. She then ended with a deep bow of her head.

Serous then replied, There has been no harm done this day. Only prudent action. Let us put this behind us. Now then, the reason for my appearance, Your Majesty.

Yes, the Queen said.

The voices began to trail away as did the same dark vale begin to fall before my eyes. Then just as before, it began to peel away and I was back at the lakeshore being held steady by two massive hands. Before me was the dragon as he was when I left, I suppose one could say. The dragon spoke. Do you remember that day, brother?

I stood on my own and regarded the behemoth behind me with a touch to his forearm and a grateful smile. I do, Lord Drakkus. Truly was the very day that I was summoned to the throne room of Queen Anntiah the Just to speak on behalf of Drakkus Thrysyum, second hatchling and prince to the House of Drakkus.

The Dragon replied, So you awaken at last, my lord Pirah! Feel your power and take your place among immortals, magical beasts, and the great mystics! I felt a great purging in my body as though my very personality, memories, and experiences were being flushed from me. The forty-nine-year-old man from Southern California with no great accomplishments to speak of, no tales to tell—none worth talking about, much less writing about. I felt them, saw them, and heard them leave me only to be filled once more by what was my true life’s tale. Thousands of years of exploits, quests for knowledge, battles fought for the weak and helpless, years of study and conjuring, and casting and defeating spells of many purposes.

So many memories long before the mortals and their ideas came and began the change. I turned and faced the shaggy behemoth behind me. Yeti? Sasquatch? Abominable snowman? Big Foot? So many names you have been given, so many stories told all throughout the history of mortal kind. Such a merry chase you have led them on. My dear Alitius, tell me…tell me you are not the last of your kind?

The great man/beast stood with an even greater grin that turned into a gigantic toothy smile followed by a very elated and warm response. I am not, Lord Pirah. Those of my brood live on and have been fruitful as have the many other broods of my clan. Also those of the eastern clans of the cold north of Asia, Europa, and the lands what was once part of the beginning of mortal kind but was separated by the great upheaval. The words spoken by Alitius brought back the very memories of those times. The earth , mortal kind’s mother, was making yet another great change to make ready for new life on her being.

I remember those times, my friend.

So tell me my elusive mystery creature. Are these ‘sightings,’ as they are called, accidental, or are they sport for the Terran Biped community at the expense of overzealous mortals? Alitius let out a deep chuckle that progressed to a mirthful laugh.

I suppose one could say a little of both, my lord Pirah. The humor was not lost with Serous Drakkus as a snort that blew from his nostrils sent dirt and cobble flinging about followed by restrained chuckles of his own.

Let us not forget you, lord of the great house of Drakkus. Seen only in poorly photographed films and, yay, letting the mortals see only a fraction of your snout and horned plum. If they only knew what ‘Nessy’ really consisted of. We three stood with warm feelings of reunification and memories of many lifetimes spent on this world. Many questions asked. Some whose answers brought sad tidings while others made for booming salvos of gut-twisting laughter. Still, there were questions that needed to be answered—and yet have not been.

Very well, my friends. There is a reason for lifting the dark veil I cast upon myself that put me in a self-imposed exile of mind and being. Serous paused for a moment, putting together his thoughts while Alitius found a large stone to sit upon legs folded and hands poised like a great hairy statue of the Buddha. I realized that many years, nay, many centuries had passed since I had chosen to live as a mortal. Living as one man on one continent then as another somewhere else—changing my appearance, race, social class with each ascension until in my loneliness and despair over watching mortals consume all that was the world I knew; I cast a spell on myself