AeonHeart

By Liem Tran

The dragons ruled the world of Wyrmziden uncontested for ages… until the new species of Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and eagle-winged Avians arrived. Birthed from a pale, mountainous gold-hued tree within a vast forest, they out-numbered the previous rulers.

This poetic fantasy novella follows a sad and broken young man, who is born of a prophecy after the Great Dragon War. He learns that nothing is as it seems; the prophecy does not lead on as spoken. Daemon must travel to meet with the one who bears the soul of the Dragon King, Arvon, while trying to protect the only real love in his life, Clairien.
He aims to convince the Dragon King that another war is not necessary for the dragons to live in peace. If his petition fails, then the Second Great Dragon War may begin with Daemon as the first casualty.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781667872148

Book preview

Prologue

The world of Wyrmziden had peace for eons. The vast, pristine oceans separated four continents: Esthrin, Alezion, Zieklendale, and Ogenkar. Far-spanning lush forests, clear, sparkling rivers, and towering mountains spiraled the skies on each mass of land teeming with life of beasts and fauna. Powerful, intelligent dragons of all shapes, sizes, and colors freely roamed the lands and settled on mountains or even in underwater caves should it please them. They ruled the lands uncontested for ages.

At the same time, there lived humanoid elemental beings known as Kamijin, who held the power to control and balance the elements of nature. They lived in harmony with the dragons. For the most part, they left each other alone. The dragons would not complain when it constantly rained and thundered for days, or even when there were droughts, as they knew nature needed its balance.

Then one day, within a vast forest, later named Eithen, began a slow birth to a mountainous, pale gold-hued tree. Many years later, once mature enough, the tree towered over the forest. Pods of variant sizes and colors, attached to roots, grew around the trunk. Knowledge and nourishment were given to the life forms brewing within the pods for several years. Once the conscience tree deemed them youthful enough, the pods broke apart and different forms of intelligent life came forth. They would know their mother as the Stem of Gaia.

The Elves stayed in Eithen to be guardians, as they had a special conscience connection to each other and their mother. The tree gave them the power of unity while allowing them access to healing and nondestructive magic. The other life forms found homes elsewhere. The Dwarfs and caramel-skin-colored Humans with bird-like wings, known as Avians, left for the mountains. The Humans without wings found homes across the continent of Esthrin. Within a thousand years, all these life forms expanded in large numbers. Traveling outside their birth continent, creating settlements in all four continents. The Elves; however, stayed within Eithen, barring access to anyone attempting to return.

The dragons paid careful watch, amused at the admiration the newcomers bestowed upon the winged serpents, but the dragons found themselves eventually outnumbered by the many hordes. At first, they were curious at the new life forms, but as time went on, the greed and, at times, barbaric Humans displeased them. Even the vanity of the gifted long-living Elves angered them, while the rest took too many of their mountain homes. Thus, as a way to hopefully avert the coming doom of the powerful dragons, Arvon, the colossal black-winged leader of their species, led the war of purification, as they thought the new creations were a flaw and needed to be wiped from the face of Gaia.

Then there was war in Wyrmziden during the summer month of Cancer. Battles wrought with the dragon’s fire and the many weapons of the other species clashed across all continents. While the Kamijins were bound by the law of the world to not directly intervene, they had the ability to give access to any conscious life forms a link to their powers. They gave special Humans, Dwarves, and Avians deemed worthy such a link. These heroes were known as Kienjins, and it assisted in their overthrow of the dragon’s mighty magic and fire-breathing maws. The Elves had no choice but to join in the chaos as the dragons sought to burn the Stem of Gaia but prevailed not. The magical Elves, led by Elf King Dellavor, drove the great winged serpents out of Eithen and into the raging war-torn fields of Esthrin.

The high-flying Avians with their mighty spears waged many battles in the war-torn skies with the powerful dragons. For every thirty Avians they killed, one would follow through to deliver the final thrust of a metal shaft spear to end one of them. The Humans, assisted by Kamijins, used their powers of flame and ice to battle with the great serpents on land. They took their bravery and passion for glory to strike with spells from their hands or thrusts of their elemental infused swords to victory. The sturdy Dwarves, with the aid of the Kamijin of thunder, waged battles with their large hammers brimming with electricity. The bolts of thunder from their weapons sent fear into their mighty enemies.

After days of fighting, all sides suffered immeasurable casualties from the prolonged battles and bodies soon engulfed the battlefields. Many miles away from Eithen, Arvon met his downfall by the hands of Dellavor in a duel that nearly drained the mighty tree of all its life essence as the Elf King took it through his conscience link with the Stem of Gaia. A split moment before Dellavor plunged the long enchanted blade of his sword into the glowing crimson eyes of the great black-winged Dragon King, Arvon sent visions with a prophecy into the Elf King’s consciousness. He silently wept as he lay on the fire-charred grassy plains in front of the mighty Dragon King’s carcass, for he should not have won that duel.

Chapter 1

Dellavor

One hundred and fifteen years later, after the Great Dragon War. Beneath the stars, during winter, lay the town of Dellavor. Named after the hero who slew an evil dragon and built a city upon its ashes.

This hero birthed of Elven blood lay upon a carved oak bed of gold tint within a king’s palace. Shadows flickered amongst the bluish limestone walls as the flames of lit candles danced amongst themselves.

Within the last hour of his life, the Elder Elf King looked at his half-Human, half-Elf son, and with great effort, imparted him with these last words.

Remember, Daemon, seek the one with the soul of Arvon. The one whose name is Daemancer. The old hero’s voice became hoarser as he knew time was of the essence. There is great knowledge to unfold when thy roads cross, he gasped and coughed. For the future of all is dependent upon thy quest to prepare for this eons uncertain future.

Daemon’s face was solemn as he clasped his father’s right hand. His voice filled with the bitter sadness of a son’s wish for a better connection with his father uneasily came forth.

I wilt do as ye wish even though thou always speak with prophetic distance. I hath learned to accept thy ways.

He knew that his father taught him well. Every time he asked the wise Elf certain questions, his father would respond distantly, All things happen for certain reasons and ye wilt come to understand. So Daemon would eventually stop asking questions and do as he was told. He never understood with such impact of that statement until now, as it became clearer that understanding it involves the continuing of his path. Yet, it would not end even after his father’s death. Seeking for his approval was no longer important, and now he understood why even though he knew this day would come, for an Elf’s love for a Human would break his Elven bond to eternal life and quicken his ageing.

However, he did not feel shame by the fact that he felt not much more for his father in his final hour; he never