I find myself walking through the throngs of trees,
Watching their limbs sway to the pulsing beat of the wind.
I stop suddenly, when it hits me.
One of The Council is near.
I can feel the power coursing through my veins.
I begin to push through the forest, searching.
I come across a young man chanting the words to an ancient verse.

He is no taller than an ordinary forest shrub.
His complexion pale, he is clothed in a thick, white cloak.
In his right hand he holds a staff of ancient redwood
With a head shaped in the form of a gold dragon.
I feel a rush of excitement when I see the symbol
Carved into the breast of the Dragon
I have found him, the first of the Great Council.

The symbol carved into his staff appears to be from the Pennant of Wisdom.
This young man is not a young man at all,
He is the first destination in my quest to find DragonRealm.
One of The Nameless he is,
One of the thirteen members of the Great Council of Druids.
As I approach him and lay my hand on his shoulder,
Visions explode in my head.

My journey to uncover the secrets of DragonRealm has begun…
And this ancient verse I hear quoted is the key to open the first of many doors,
Guarded by the omnipotent Dragon Lords,
Which will lead me to the entrance of DragonRealm.

Originally written – 2 Feb 2002

Gold, shimmering and bright
Cold to the touch yet
Ever-so warm in the heart
Ability to change and be

Magical essence of light
Mystical sound of Druid song
Overwhelming power enclosed
Entwined of unearthly glory

Struck in the cast of Gabriel
Guilded by the hand of Gia
Perfect in radiant splendor
Fair in power and trust

Awe inspiring at sight
Overwhelmingly pleasant to hear
Grateful to know truth
Yet death to mortal touch

This inscription, carved in the back of the Pennant of Quicksilver, given him by the young-blood Alexia – now Elder Druid – was created at the hands of Gia – Mother of Earth – and molded by Gabriel – Archangel to Heaven – holds the power and truth to life but it is only attainable to him who wakes Quicksilver – Lord of Knowledge – and Master of the land – and gains his trust to do well through the ages.

Originally written – 15 November 2001

Dedien – Lord of Treasures

“I am the Lord of Treasures.  Guardian of all that glimmers on this watery rock.  Controller of every jewel hidden in this glorious and vast expanse.”

The Guardian

These pathetic fools have grown too far from themselves
I’ve lain here and watched them for so long
Every year they conquer more land and more treasure
They take gold, silver, and jewels which are mine
These greedy conquerors take all they can find
And then continue searching for treasures which do not exist
They have begun to search for the forbidden treasures of my lair
I have had to kill and torture to keep them from finding
The magical treasures I have kept since the dawn of man
I have given human kind all the treasures on Earth but
Still they crave for more.  This grave fault in human nature
Will surely lead to their tragic demise.  But I fear that
All my killing has not stopped the humans quest for
My treasures.  They have sent one named Beowulf
To come and fight me, sent him to steal my soul
And take my gold.  Some have called him their Glorious Lord,
Or the Guardian of Mankind, but either way, he will
Not leave my lair alive if he chooses to enter it.
So I will lay here and wait for his arrival, await
The decision fate has made for myself, and him.

The Battle

He is here, standing at the entrance to my lair, how
Unfortunate this day will soon become for Beowulf
I will go and make him wish he had never known this day
With my fiery breath I will make him cower and with my
Poison tongue I will make him fear me.  This will be an
Easy kill for me and a painful death for him.
This man is far more powerful that the others I have battled
Before.  I can feel the power emanating from him
His strength truly does surpass many, for he has withstood
My attack so far.  His shield and sword have held
But as always, they will fail him shortly.  His skin will
Soon be seared by my scorching breath.  I can already see
His shield beginning to melt, oh, and what is this.
His soldiers abandon him; they are running to the woods
I have struck fear into the hearts of these cowards.
I just wish that someday I will have to battle a foe who
Is as noble and strong as I am, who can use his mind
And see that I cannot be defeated by human strength
But only by the power of the heart and strength of faith
I am a magical dragon, immortal to human weapons
Finally, his shield is gone; this has been far too easy
Now he will surely die in the midst of a fire wave
Unlike any he has ever laid eyes on before.
I can smell his burning flesh as he dies here
But wait, who is this, another comes; another come to
Help him.  Why would this man come and risk certain
Death to help a man who is already dying, death is
Inevitable for him.  But this new person has willingness
A willingness to help his lord, this is truly a virtue
I will just have to kill both of them then.  No,
This cannot be happening to me, I knew I sensed it
When he appeared, sensed that this could be my destroyer
He has the heart of a child, loyal to the end, virtue surpassed
Only by wit.  I cannot withstand him; I cannot hold him back
My flames and poison do not scare him, and he runs to me
With sword and shield in hand.  I suppose I was meant
To die here, but I never thought that I would be killed
By such a young warrior such as this one is
But now with his sword deep into my chest, I will
Leave this world.  Leave the treasures I protect
To be taken and misused for the sake of greed
This truly is a sad day for mankind, they have lost
The meaning of virtue, unless this young warrior
Can teach it to them again.

Now with the dragon that had been terrifying the land gone, Wiglaf runs to Beowulf, his great lord.  Knowing that his time is short on this earth, Beowulf gives his golden necklace to Wiglaf and tells him to rule wisely.  With the loss of this great hero, many mourn and a tower is built to memorialize him.  Across the great sea, all who pass by the ancient lair of the Lord of Treasures, will no longer think of the great dragon; but only of their great and noble protector.

Originally written – 4 November 2001

From my lair I gazed upon the ill-fated village
Cottages ablaze and bodies lying in the streets
Torn and scattered about were their limbs
Truly a gruesome sight for one to behold

I reveled over my latest act of destruction
Pleased with my new found abilities
From gate to gate in the village below
There was no sign of life, I had succeeded

As I thought of what to do next
I saw a light in the distance
What was this?  Could it be a camp?
With my curiosity getting the best of me

I walked from my lair and caught the wind
As I got closer and closer to the light
I finally saw what it really was
My suspicions were correct, a camp

From my perch on a cloud I saw the Druids
I was in a playful mood so I made up my mind
I soared out of the sky with great speed
Flames leaping from my mouth, hot and powerful

I caught them off guard and in my first pass
Three Druids lay screaming on the ground
Tents were set ablaze and elflings scattered
Running for the safety of the woods

With no hesitation I dropped from the sky again
This time catching a Druid in my paw
I saw in his eyes a look of pure fear
So with that, I bit down and extinguished his life

So, I thought, the stories are lies
I see no mystic Druids with fierce powers
All I see is a group of pathetic cowards
Where is the spirit of the woods in them?

Then, from the trees came a solitary figure
Robed in a majestic silk cape
And with a staff of oak in her right hand
She came to the clearing with no visible fear

I was surprised at this so I set myself down
She walked with no hesitation straight to me
This had never happened before so I waited
I now saw her clear, no taller than a shrub

She gazed at me with tremendous power
In her eyes I could see a flagrant soul
As big and powerful as I was, I could not move
I felt a power of binding over-come me

With a wave of her staff, vines leaped from the woods
And entwined my enormous body
I could not free myself, with this I knew
The power was real, and for the first time ever

I knew fear.

She began to talk in a quiet voice
“I am Alexia Irisfire Bloodsbane,
Elder Druid and ruler of the woods;
Why have you come here to torment us?”

I could not talk but knew she could tell
I felt her power searching my mind, looking
For thoughts and fear in my own head
Then, instantly, she stopped as she found

“You are just a child?  Go from here!
Do not return to this place, I have been lenient
On your youthful soul, get up and leave
If you return, I will surely destroy you.”

With that, the vines disappeared and I was free
I stretched my wings and took to the air
I flew to my lair and rested once again
I thought of Alexia and what she had said

I now knew that the legends were true
The power of the Druids were not fantasy
And I had witnessed them first hand
But I was puzzled, why had she not called my name?

I knew she had found it while searching my mind
She knew that with the calling of my name
I would die; the curse had not been removed
I went to sleep with so many questions unanswered

Originally written – 14 June 2001

I remember that night with vivid clarity
That night was long and cold and dark
I was seven, and I felt that I should go
So, with that, I left my lair and entered the night

I walked to the edge of my towering cliff
And gazed upon the great village below
In the farthest stretches, I saw the shepherds
Tending their herds of goats, cows, and sheep

With an evil hunger arising from my gut
I dropped from my vantage point and caught the wind
Upon the golden wings of my omnipotent self
I soared as swift as an eagle hunting its prey

As fast as a falcon searching for its lost nestling
I appeared to the villagers, deitous and overwhelming
As though I were an Avenging Angel, righteous and holy
Though, in fact, I was there to take their pride

With lightning quickness I clasped my hand
With a burst of might, I stole the night
I took up the girl I had seen from the lair
The one I had not mentioned to myself

With her in my giant paw, I rose steadily
I flew to the safety of my ominous lair
As I returned inside, I set her down on the stone
With a stunned face, she listened as I spoke

Although I was unfathomable and unsounded
She seemed to understand my words
She came to me and said in her native language
Words which had been unspoken previously

“You are not evil, I see you as a giant,
I stand next to you in love and admire you
Your sheer size is something to respect
I see your golden carapace and I gaze”

“I understand your fears, and your vast knowledge
With great respect I speak your name
We have not harmed you in any way
Why do you steal our flocks and kill our people”

As I listened to this sweet voice
I realized my evil ways were just that
I knew I must change and respect the people
With that, I gained the knowledge of love

I picked up the girl in my gargantuan paw
And once again I left my lair and dropped
Dropped from my cliff and soared again
On my great golden wings I soared

I flew over the village and with great agility
Landed in the clearing, center village
I released her from my overwhelming grip
And readied myself for that next moment

In a voice that I knew they could understand
The voice I had learned over my time listening
Listening for seven millennia, I learned their language
So I spoke, and with great wonder, they listened

My voice was harsh and raspy
I had not used it in many millennia
But with all my strength, physical and emotional
I began my great speech

“I have come to make peace,
I have realized the evil in my ways
And have learned that it must change
So now I state my eternal pact”

“I say that I make peace,
No longer will I torment your souls
For seven millennia I have tortured
Have killed, destroyed, and burned”

“From this point on, I make peace
I will respect those who respect me
And I protect those who honor me
We will be united, this is my pact”

With that, they stared, and they thought
They knew this was a great night
As I turned to go, they stopped me
And gave me this pennant which is mine

This pennant is mine and mine alone
For as it was given to me, I left
I rose again and flew to my lair
But did not enter when I arrived

Instead I turned, and facing the village
Roared my thunderous voice
With a great burst of my breath
Flame extended vast from my mouth

“Remember my voice
Remember my pact, for after this night,
You will no longer hear me, for I sleep”
And that said, I entered my lair to rest

Now, three millennia after, I awake
I step to my cliff and look down
I see the village no more though
All I see is great structures, glittering and bright

The times have changed
But in spite of this, I drop once again
And soar on great golden wings
Into the wind, to protect once again

On that dark night so long ago
I made a pact with a village
And now, over ten millennia after I was conceived
My blood runs cold, and I sleep for eternity

I was the great dragon that ruled this place
The might power of the Earth
I was once evil and contemptuous
But now my name will resound through the great streets of heaven

Know me, I am Quicksilver

Originally written – 3 May 2001