The Third Red 1: The Enemy Within

Eric Yagaro, now nearly four and ten years of age… awoke in the cavern that had been his home for as long as he could remember. He opened his eyes, laying on a bed of animal skins in the back. He felt drowsy for a while, but soon his senses sharpened, the dullness of sleep wearing off. Eric sat up and looked around, close to him were his few possessions; hand carved wooden cups, a dagger made of a dragon’s tooth, a spear with a sharp point, and several hollowed-out stones filled with paint. Years of his artwork covered the cavern walls.

Eric looked at the biggest painting he’d made, a map of the Sorcerer Kingdom from where he hailed. The painting depicted the cities and ancient borders that divided them by the types of sorcerers that originally lived there. The Battle Lands to the South, the Mystery Lands in the west, and the Life Lands in the North and East. Finally, in the very center of the kingdom was the capital city of Sortar where he’d been born. If only he were there now, he might have friends. But here on the island of Dragoran, only two humans lived, his mother Margery and himself.

Eric sighed, wishing he was in the Sorcerer Kingdom now. He had his mother and grandmother, the dragon Rubara, but he still lonely without anyone his own age. He had things to do with his time, read, paint, fly on Rubara, or train in combat, but he wished he had someone else to do it with. He didn’t dislike his mother or grandmother, but he wanted more.

That day will come soon, he reminded himself.

After nearly fourteen years on this island, his time here was drawing to a close.

“Just three more days,” he thought aloud, grinning in anticipation.

He looked away from the map of the Sorcerer Kingdom, and around the rest of the cave. His grandmother Rubara, being such a large dragon, took up most of the space inside. She blocked any view of his mother sleeping on the other side of the cave. Through the opening leading outside, Eric could see the morning light slowly creeping in.

He got up and put on a pair of doeskin shoes. Eric then grabbed his spear and dagger, wanting to be prepared for what he was about to do. The spear had been his gift to himself for his Aging Day last year. He’d put a great deal of work into it like he did the rest of his art, wrapping a small vine around the sharp rock at the top to hold it in place. He’d covered the shaft in Rubara’s scales for appeal, creating a weapon that was both functional and beautiful. Though he doubted he would ever really need it, unless he ran into danger when Rubara was not around. Though this could be one of those times.

He tiptoed out of the cave, keeping a close eye on Rubara as he did so. Emerging from the cave, he heard the jungle starting to awake as well. Birds tweeted in the treetops, singing their sweet songs. Ahead of him ran a river, but directly in front of him lay the skeleton of another dragon. Rubara had slain that beast nearly a decade ago when Eric was small. It came onto her territory, hoping to claim it as its own. Rubara unleashed her wrath when she discovered the intruder threatening Eric and Margery.

Now all that remained of that dragon was a pile of bones with dozens of blue scales lying around it. Margery had collected many of the scales and stored them in a chest. One day soon they might use those, she’d told him. Dragon scales were incredibly valuable and could be used on armor to increase its strength. They were also incredibly beautiful. Some of the teeth from the dragon’s mouth were missing as well. One used for Eric’s dagger, and Margery took a few more as souvenirs.

Eric walked up to the river and looked down to see his reflection. He looked like an ordinary human boy on the outside. His brown hair went halfway down his neck. His eyes blue as the water, his physique a light but muscular build. The only bit of clothing he had on besides the shoes was a simple loincloth. Inside however, sorcery flowed through his veins. He reached out with his free hand and spoke in the language that bestowed sorcerers with their powers. Soron.

“Aga levras.” Water rise.

Water flew up from the river as Eric held out his hand. He possessed the power of Nature Sorcery, one of the seven inherited powers that could be passed down through bloodlines. Nature Sorcery allowed him to control elements and make them do his bidding. In addition to water, he could also control fire, plants, stone, wind, and lightning. Of course, he could have simply bent down and scooped the water up with his hands. But thanks to his other inherited power (sorcerers could only inherit two at a time), Beast Sorcery, he despised getting wet. Eric brought the levitating ball of liquid in front of his mouth and began to suck on it, drinking it all up.

“Ah.” He sighed in contentment.

Eric looked over his shoulder, Rubara was still asleep, and no sign of his mother either. He doubted they would remain asleep for much longer. Eric chuckled. Now was his chance.

He ran. Straight into the jungle!

His mother had always told him to stay close to the cavern. But he wanted more than anything to leave this place. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, grinning at the feeling of freedom. Eric breathed in and out to make sure he didn’t run out of stamina. As he breathed through his nose, he picked up the scent of several animals. His Beast Sorcery enhanced his sense of smell. But also gave him an urge to go after them, a predator side.

Rawt! Let’s go hunt something! A squawking voice said in Eric’s head.

It was Clauwing, the beast spirit that resided in Eric’s head. This was part of being a beast sorcerer, enhanced senses, some unusual personality traits, and an alter ego. Clauwing occasionally take control of parts of Eric’s body. Eric stopped as the beast’s will went down to his legs, holding him in place.

“No Clauwing, we don’t need any meat. There’s plenty back at home.” Eric tried to reason.

Rawt! I want to hunt! You’ve never let me go out hunting on my own!

Eric scoffed. “You wouldn’t be on your own! You’re always with me! Now let go! I’m trying to get up the hill!”

When are we going to go hunting? I’ve been waiting for that!

“And I’ve been waiting to go back to the Sorcerer Kingdom!” Eric snapped. “Maybe when we get back.”

Clauwing relented and Eric continued running through the jungle toward his destination, a mountain half a mile from the cavern. There was no dragon there, so he should be safe. But there might be one flying overhead. Still the trees were dense, which would make it hard for dragons to see him and even harder for them to land. Rubara wouldn’t have been able to pursue him through the jungle even if she’d been awake.

“Eric!”

The voice echoed through the silent jungle. It was distant, but Eric heard it even from where he was.

“Oh Panarus!” Eric swore, uttering the name of the dark netherworld where demons came from.

Though he’d not been educated in an official school for sorcerers, his mother did her best to keep him informed of the history, geography, and cultures of their homeland. Eric knew a lot about the land from where he was born, and wished to be now. He continued through the jungle, running as fast as he could until his body begged him to stop.

A massive shadow passed over him. He looked up and saw a large silhouette through the trees. He knew it had to be Rubara! He hid under the nearest tree, waiting for a moment as she passed overhead. He smirked. She’d missed him. He turned toward another high hill that had a better view of the ocean in the distance. Whenever he looked at the sea, he knew that straight ahead was the way home. He’d heard it from Rubara.

He was eight and his grandmother took him for a ride on her back. She flew partway out across the sea.

“We came here along this way Eric,” his grandmother told him.

“Really?” the young Eric asked.

“Yes, across this sea is the Sorcerer Kingdom where you were born.”

Eric looked out across the vast ocean. Out there somewhere was where he was from.

He continued his trek toward the hills. Eric had to be careful, dragons tended to make their homes on top of mountains as well as in caverns. He’d encountered one that was asleep at one point in one of his past escapes about a year ago. It was a long hike to reach the bottom of the mountain where a large boulder stood. He climbed on top of the boulder, set his spear down on it and raised both hands.

“Stens levras!” Stone rise.

The boulder carried Eric and his spear up the side of the mountain. Once he reached the top, he picked up his weapon and quickly scanning the summit for a dragon nest. He knew from past experience there wasn’t but it didn’t hurt to be careful. Things could change any day now. The mountain was clear, Eric looked up at the sky above, no signs of dragons up there either. It was still early in the morning, maybe an hour had passed since he’d left the cavern. He turned his attention to what he’d come out here for, the Soron Sea. Seemingly endless blue ocean that stretched for hundreds of miles. A few dragons flew out over the water, skimming with open mouths for fish to eat. But Eric could see something else out there as well, Burned Ship Bay. A graveyard of ships that belonged to the Sorcerer Kingdom. There must have been at least a hundred of them. And they’d all brought dragon hunters here.

Eric frowned as he looked at the charred ships. Even though they technically belonged to his people, having a dragon for a grandmother didn’t make him see their efforts as noble like others might. Killing a dragon was seen as a great accomplishment for it proved your strength… but Eric found himself repulsed by the idea. Of course, he used dragon scales like those on his spear. But those were shed by Rubara, not taken from a dragon he’d slain like those greedy hunters that killed for profit. They were monsters.

“What is the difference between a predator and a monster?” Margery asked a nine-year-old Eric.

Eric looked at her for a moment. He tried to answer but-

“I don’t know.”

“A monster is someone or something that kills solely for the pleasure of killing, when they don’t have to. A predator like me, must kill in order to survive. We must feed on our prey,” Rubara said. “Those hunters have alternatives but they choose to kill anyway and they enjoy it.”

“There are many things that can make a monster Eric,” Margery said. “Anger, greed, hatred. All of these things can turn us into monsters.”

“Like the demons of Panarus?” Eric asked.

“Yes,” Margery said, putting a hand on her stomach, a habit he noticed she did whenever they spoke of monsters, demons, or returning home. “Those demons were once humans themselves. But they held something bad within their hearts that took over. Our enemies, the Demorians wish to see us bow down to them.”

“But what makes a human different from an animal?” Eric asked.

Margery hesitated. “Well… that’s not an easy question to answer. We are nature sorcerers, and you have beast sorcery as well. We as humans might be able to think deeper about things rather than merely operate on instinct. But I want you to promise me this, Eric. You will only kill in order to survive, either to feed or defend yourself and others.”

“Yes mama!” the boy vowed. “I’ll never kill for pleasure!”

She smiled and nodded. “Good. But you will have to kill someday. You are the heir to the Yagaro family, the people of the Sorcerer Kingdom will call upon you to protect them. That will be your duty, as it was your father’s before you, and his fathers before him. We are a family of Protectors.”

Eric did his best to try and take in her words.

“It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak,” Margery continued. “Using your power for gain is alright, but only as long as it does not come at the price of innocent blood being spilled or you take it without permission.”

Eric’s mind returned to the here and now.

“I wish I could carve a canoe and use my power to make the water carry me back,” he said to himself. “Then I wouldn’t be alone anymore.”

Eric probably could have done that, if not for the dragons flying out there. From what Margery and Rubara had told him, some sorcerers could use illusions to hide themselves and their ships from the dragons who would attack them on sight. Eric didn’t have illusion powers, Margery did though. Of course, she would never use them to help him get off the island.

Eric stayed on the hill for a while… until his beast enhanced ears picked up the sound of large wings flapping nearby. They were getting closer and closer!

“Panarus! Stens gola kodu!” Stone guard me.

The rock of the mountain itself sprung to life and wrapped around Eric, creating a protective shell that could guard him from all but the strongest physical attacks, as well as hide him from view. He’d seen his mother perform this several times when they’d played hide and seek with sorcery. Through the rocky shell, Eric could still make out the sound of the flapping wings as the dragon flew closer and closer. He shivered and breathed heavily.

Go away, go away. He thought.

The wing flaps stopped directly above him! Eric froze, then he felt something heavy hit the ground. Oh no.

“Come out of there little one!” a familiar voice called in a serious tone.

It was Rubara! Eric sighed in relief. Though this meant he would get in trouble, of course, that was pretty much inevitable.

“Bould retraka!” Rock retreat.

Upon Eric’s incantation, the stone around him sunk back into the earth. Eric found himself face to face with his dragon grandmother. She was a magnificent creature, as beautiful as she was deadly. Her body was covered in hard red scales, stronger than armor. Her wings were strong enough to create a whirlwind. Her mouth was filled with razor-sharp teeth, heavy crushing feet with sharp claws supported her immense body. But most dangerous of all was the fire in her mouth. All these things made her the most dangerous predator in all Sorceria and she was Eric’s grandmother. No one could touch him with her around!

Except his mother.

Rubara frowned at him. “You know your mother doesn’t like you sneaking off like this! Come on, get on!”

Eric sighed again, this time in disappointment, of course he’d known this was inevitable. He walked up and climbed into the saddle on his grandmothers back. She flapped her wings and took off. With her speed she’d be back at the cavern immediately. Eric cast a glance back behind him at the sea. He wished that Rubara would turn in that direction and ferry him across the Soron Sea back to the Sorcerer Kingdom where he could find friends.

Soon Rubara landed in front of the mouth of the cavern. Margery was there with her hands on her hips. Eric gulped as he got out of the saddle and climbed down.

“Eric Yagaro!” Margery shouted. “You can’t just go sneaking off into the jungle!”

“Mother…” Eric started.

“No! I don’t want to hear it!” Margery put her hands up. “It’s dangerous in there!”

“Mom! I hate being stuck here!” Eric shouted.

Margery froze.

“We’ve been here all my life! I hate it! I don’t have anyone else! I want people my own age!” Eric said.

Margery looked at her son sadly.

“Eric… I know you are lonely here. But its only for a few more days. Please… don’t sneak off anymore. We’ll be out of here before you know it!”

Eric felt some tears run down his cheeks. He wiped them away with a sigh.

“I wish we were going now.”

“It will be happening soon. But we must prepare. Come. Time for your bath.”

Eric sighed yet again. He hated water, almost as much as being stuck here. But he would do as his mother said. He used to refuse to bathe and when he did, Margery wouldn’t let him ride Rubara. Every day, his grandmother would take him for a short flight across the Soron Sea. As much as Eric hated water, he hated the thought of not getting to fly with Rubara even more. That was the best thing about having a dragon for a grandmother, being able to ride her. He took a breath to calm his nerve and turned back to the river before stripping himself of his doeskin shoes. He then walked toward the water. Then it felt as though his feet were nailed to the ground.

No water! No water! said Clauwing in Eric’s head.

“I know how you feel,” Eric replied. “But we need to do as Mother says.”

“Your inner beast speaking to you again?” Margery asked, hearing him.

“Aye,” Eric replied. “Let go! Gustas!”

Two wind currents blew from his palms, launching him into the river. He went under and was immediately swept in the current. He spun around for a moment uncontrollably, then swam hard, pulling himself to the surface. Learning to swim had taken him a long time, but he’d managed. His head emerged, his teeth chattering. The water was cold.

“Aga.. rond…espu!” Eric spoke in the Soron words for water turn around through his chatters.

The water suddenly reversed its natural flow. It took Eric a short way upstream, where he returned to the bank in front of the cavern. Margery handed him a soap plant. Eric ran it across his body before diving back in (this time into a shallow section) to give his body a final cleansing. Margery then threw herself into the river with a laugh as he climbed back ashore. Her head soon resurfaced as she looked at him.

“Don’t want to stay in a while longer?” Margery called with a smile, knowing the answer.

Unlike her son, Margery loved the water.

“Nay. I’m going to make breakfast!” Eric said.

He returned to the cave where his mother kept a pile of ice. Margery had used her own nature sorcery to freeze water. Inside the family kept the meat from Rubara’s hunting frozen and fresh. A magic shield around the ice warded off the constant heat so that it would never melt. Eric shivered once again as he passed through the shield and reached into the ice pile, retrieving a bit of boar meat while wincing at the contact.

“Berah rondu aga.” Ice turn to water.

The meat he retrieved instantly thawed. Water dripped onto the cave floor. Now the boar could be cooked.

We are predators! We should be hunting prey not taking it out of ice!

Eric ignored Clauwing as the beast spoke in his head yet again. He was happy with letting Rubara hunt for their meals. Taking the meat out of the cave, he made a fire in a clearing nearby as the dragon watched over him. He put some gathered spices and salt on the meat then put it over the fire. Slowly but surely, the boar meat cooked on a wooden spit.

Eat it now, while its still bloody! His inner beast said eagerly.

Eric shook his head. “Don’t distract me unless you want to wait even longer!”

While they shared some traits like a love for meat and flying, as well as a dislike for water, Eric and his inner beast had some differences as well. Clauwing preferred meat raw while Eric liked it more cooked. It took time, but soon his patience was rewarded when he placed the meat on a wooden plate and cut it open to reveal a medium well slab. He enjoyed it thoroughly, the seasoning melted in his mouth as he sat on a tree stump. He chewed on the warm flesh contentedly, though his predatory side complained.

Not enough blood! So dry! Rawt!

Doing his best to ignore the beasts annoying complaints and squawks, Eric ate all of his meat as well as a small batch of island fruits and a carrot from his mother’s garden.

“Ah, that hit the spot!” Eric patted his full stomach. “Can we go for a ride now, Granny Ruby?” he asked.

“Oh no!” Margery said from her spot across from him on another stump. “You’re not getting a ride today!”

“What?” Eric exclaimed.

“That’s your punishment for sneaking off!” Margery told him.

Eric wanted to protest but merely sighed again, he had to take it.

“Fine.”

“Good. Now it’s time for your training.”

Eric narrowed his eyes and got up. Combat training, in his opinion, was an unnecessary activity. As far as he was concerned, he wouldn’t need it as long as Rubara was around. The red dragon walked into the cave to rest and watch them as they began their sorcery practice. Eric took his casting stance, one foot in front of the other, his palms held at chest height. He coiled his fingers, pushing sorcery out of each tip. It looked as though he had glowing claws. He then thrusted with his fingers, causing them to shoot in the direction of the jungle. They hit their mark, a tree on the other side of the river, striking dead center. They hissed as they struck before vanishing. Those strikes would not have done much damage to a human, only akin to a bee sting. For this reason, they were called sorcery stingers.

Next came the sorcery beam, the signature attack of core sorcery. Shooting a beam of light at one’s opponent. Eric shot the beams not at the trees, but off to the side. Had he shot at the trees he certainly would have damaged them. Up in the sky wasn’t a good option either. It could have drawn the attention of other dragons. They would recognize human sorcery and come to investigate. Shooting it downriver, it didn’t hit anything, instead flying harmlessly past the trees before dissipating. Like the sorcery stingers, this level of the sorcery beam would not be fatal but would cause a bad burn if it made contact with a human or other living being.

After the beam Eric used the sorcery ball. He moved his fingers as though grasping something round, shaping his sorcery into a ball that hissed and pulsated in his grasp. He then threw it. The spell exploded into a small shower of sparks upon hitting the ground. The last core spell was the sorcery shield. For this, Eric put his hand out flat to form a wall in front of himself. This would protect him from enemy spells should he face another sorcerer.

Margery nodded as she watched him perform the low-level spells.

“Very good, my son. Now, more power.”

Eric charged the spells before releasing them, gathering more sorcery into his hands. This was the second stage of core sorcery attacks that would do real damage. The stingers grew larger in his fingers, appearing as talons, then turned to darts when Eric fired them. The ball exploded in a larger shower of sparks, the beams and shield became brighter and stronger. They would have caused severe or even fatal damage if used on a living being.

Margery smiled.

“And the next stage!”

This was the advanced stage of core sorcery. Eric had only received training in this stage for the last few months. This time, instead of talons, Eric turned his sorcery into a bright red blade as he pressed his thumb to his hand, making it appear like a knife. The sorcery blade was a sorcerer’s close-range weapon. It could cut through most materials. The drawback, though, was that it required a constant flow of sorcery, draining a magic core in a matter of minutes. Physical blades were more convenient in that regard. Sorcerers usually kept a dagger on them, though ones that chose the more martial path like Soron Knights or War Casters would have a bigger weapon.

Eric swung his sorcery blade, it whooshed as he did so. He put it away after a few strikes, now time for the final stage. Using sorcery with both hands. He gathered magical energy in either hand and molded it together to form a stronger attack. He grunted as he felt the last of his first core dissipate. Then he fired a wide and powerful beam out across the jungle that would have broken sorsteel. He felt a sharp pain crawl up his arms, a side effect of using up his first core. It lasted only briefly, Eric took a few breaths and focused on his chest where his remaining sorcery cores were located, he had five altogether. He drew energy from his second core, which like his mother’s (and according to her, his father’s) was blue.

Eric did the next set of core spells. The sorcery ball, now blue in his grasp instead of red. It grew to the size of his head and hit with the force of a cannon ball when it struck its targets. Then he put up another shield of sorcery. This defense would deflect even those mighty attacks.

Eric panted heavily. With just those two spells, he’d used up most of his second core. Depleting them had great effects on the body. The first two weren’t much to worry about. But anymore and it could be a problem. Two cores would replenish in a day, if he used up the third, the depletion would take three days to replenish and affect his mobility, slowing him down. Using up four would leave him unable to move for a week. If he used up the last core, he would die. Eric shuddered at the thought.

Margery walked up to her son.

“Better replenish it,” she said.

Eric nodded through his heavy breaths. Sorcerers could borrow sorcery from each other to replenish their cores and avoid the effects, if they were able to get some sorcery in time. Margery gathered her sorcery into a large, vibrating orb that hummed loudly in her right hand. Eric extended his own hand above the orb. He drew it in. Margery grunted and Eric glowed as he drew most of her first core into his body, replenishing the sorcery he’d used up only moments ago.

Margery now let out a few deep breaths of her own, “Now… show me… your nature sorcery skills.”

Eric nodded, still breathing heavily as well. At least he wouldn’t come close to using up three of his cores. He got back into his casting stance.

“Fyra!”

Fire flew from his palm, toward the trees on the other side. If they’d hit, the flames might have started a wildfire!

But it never came close, only flying over the river. Eric had to make sure not to use this element carelessly lest he destroy the jungle. The flames shot from his hand and vanished, leaving a small increase in the temperature of the already warm tropical air. Eric was starting to sweat, and actually felt tempted to go into the water to cool off.

“Fyra matan!” Fire Maintain.

He shot with both hands this time. Instead of dissipating after it left his hand, the fire continued to stream. It didn’t go farther, but it kept coming as he channeled his sorcery. Eric kept it going for a moment then ceased.

“Fyra gola kodu!” Fire guard me.

This time the fire circled Eric, guarding him like a burning shield.

Margery nodded. “Good, now lightning!”

“Litar. Litar matan. Litar gola kudu!” Eric repeated each of the different elemental incantations, this time for Litar (or lightning). A standard spark of lightning, maintaining it, and a sparking shield of electricity. He then did the same with each element.

“Aga levras!” Eric summoned water from the river. This time though, he summoned more than just a mouthful. He spun it around his body and swung before shouting “Fris!”

As he spoke the Soron word for freeze, the water solidified. Had it been done on a living target this would have encased them in ice.

“Flor graka!” Grass and plants grew and moved to do his bidding.

“Gustas!” A small tornado swept up the earth.

“Stens Morsu!” A cluster of rocks merged to form one large boulder.

“Now, just give me an advanced nature attack!” Margery said.

Eric nodded and summoned a larger amount of sorcery, all he had left in the core his mother had replenished.

“Litar!”

The incantation was the same, but with the amount of sorcery he used, he created a powerful lightning bolt that shot out with an intense crackle. Rubara yelped.

“Oh! That always scares me, little one!”

Eric turned and faced her apologetically. “Sorry Granny Ruby. I forgot you don’t like lightning.”

Margery, however, was pleased. “Well, I believe you will receive a silver nature badge when we get to Sortar.”

Eric shrugged. Being recognized as a warrior or caster didn’t really matter to him. He had Rubara, and that was all he would need. Nothing could stop his Grandma Dragon. He was sure of that.

“We’ll work on weaponry in the morrow,” Margery told him.

Eric nodded and headed back into the cave. He busied himself reading the Book of Blood, holy text of the Battle Patrons, for most of the day. But as sunset was approaching, and their usual dinner time was coming, Eric received an unpleasant surprise.

“What do you mean I have to go to bed without supper?” Eric asked, awestruck. “Is this another punishment?”

Margery shook her head. “No, it’s not to punish you, Eric. You’ve come a long way in nature and core sorcery, as well as swordsmanship. But there is still one thing we need to work on that we’ve barely scratched the surface of.”

Eric knew what she meant. “Beast Sorcery.”

“Yes. You have the spirit of a mighty animal in your body that gives you greater senses, but you must learn to control it. If you are hungry enough it will take over. So tonight, you are going to bed without dinner. Then you can learn to control it.”

Eric wasn’t happy. But he did as he was told. He just had to endure staying on this island a couple more days. No dinner for one night shouldn’t be too hard. So he went to bed that night on an empty stomach.