Fiction writing: The Dragon Within

  

While I take a break from Shop Talk part 2, I thought I would post a snippet from an unfinished novel I wrote a couple of years ago. I've actually writeen several unpublished fantasy novels but because it's next to impossible for a new writer to break into that field, they sit on a shelf. Enjoy.

The main character Jamie Arjen, is a mage in training gifted with the art of traveling a form of lucidity  where one can enter the dreams of others. His mentor Herve, is the discredited leader of a mage fraternity. This takes place in mythical America mid 19th century where magic is a dying art and dragons exist.     

                                                 Taming the Beast

 

         Jamie recognized peculiar state of being in the midst of a dream and it was not his own. The warm air had a thick oily feel to it that put him on guard. A pale blue mage light floated a few inches above his head as he walked along a dark tunnel carved from solid stone, in the distance he heard a deep bellowing like an out of tune tuba. As he emerged from the tunnel a cold, wet wind caught him sideways, cutting through his clothes and chilling him. He shrank down into his light coat, wishing something heavier and was instantly in a wool overcoat that came to his knees. He pulled the collar up around his ears to muffle the sound of the rushing wind and distant roar.

          That sound came from beyond a forest of trees to his left. He walked a short distance, careful to watch his step in the dim light. He halted as this reminded him of an earlier nightmare with a dragon he now recalled with startling clarity. This is not a good idea he thought and began to back away.

         He turned to retreat when an overpowering sensation to see what was on the other side of those trees took hold. He resisted but finally gave in to the urge and continued on.

         He passed through the woods to a clearing beyond the slope of a low hill. The wind was howling yet the trees remained still. His mage light winked out and he spun about wildly in the darkness until his eyes adjusted. He felt a tug between his shoulder blades and turned in the direction of the pull. He had no idea what he was doing or why but continued on compulsively, walking back and forth across the grassy plain.  

         He noticed a dark shape blocked out some of the stars in the moonless sky overhead and another roar came like a close clap of thunder. He jumped at the sound and tried for the safety of the woods but found his footstep sluggish as if  slogging through mud. This was becoming a nightmare as hopeless panic rose in him. He focused his mind on the idea he could control the dream to no avail.

         The roar above him drew closer forcing him to move again. This time his legs obeyed and he raced back up the hill, hoping to outrun whatever was gaining on him. He felt a downward gust of air just as he scurried behind a large tree. He turned back in a mixture of fear and curiosity and caught sight of a man's silhouette  on the far crest of the plain throwing out a bright coil of energy like a lasso.

         Herve Gurdjian.

         Herve squarely faced the dark mass above him. Jamie tried to see what he was looking at but found it as painful as looking directly at the sun. It was the opposite of sunlight, a blackness so terrible he felt it draining his life force. He wretched his gaze away and stayed behind the tree, daring an occasional peek.

         Herve seemed unaffected by all the energy whirling around, absorbed in his work. The dark mass lunged at him but the older man stood firm, illuminated by the rope of energy he wielded, the light dimmed with each surge of the dark power. Jamie hugged the tree closer as he watched, terrified of letting go and get swallowed by the black night surrounding him. A shattering scream roused him from his stupor and the trees shuddered violently.

         “Come to me, I command you,”  Herve shouted over the din. He exerted his intent on an unseen beast ensnared on the end of the glowing rope. Jamie felt an excruciating psychic pressure from several meters away. He gasped for breath and mentally erected a shield against the onslaught in order to breath again.

         He watched in fascinated terror as the elder mage cajoled and pulled on the beast as if breaking wild horse. It groaned and strained against his pull until it gave in from sheer exhaustion. The trees stopped shaking and the loud noise abruptly ceased, leaving a vacuum of silence in it’s wake. The oppressive power that pushed on Jamie’s shield evaporated as well.

         “Serve me well and I will free you in due time,” Herve’s voice caressed the tamed beast to his will as the rope that held him stayed. Jamie dared to glimpse at his opponent.

         It was a dragon.

         He couldn’t see it completely in the thick gloom but it’s shape was visible amid the tangle of the glowing bonds around him. A massive head rested on the ground, the heavily armored body lay stretched out, it’s flank heaving in deep gulps. One wing was folded, the other looked broken, as it stuck out from the body at a twisted angle.

         Jamie didn’t wait to see more, he turned and hurled through the trees, tripping several times as he raced to the tunnel back to the safety of the waking world.

         He awoke in his bed, his heart pounding from a hard run. Beautiful, golden sunlight streamed in through the window. He threw off the covers and stumbled to the floor to bathe in it’s warmth until soothed.