Dragon Song (Part 1)

In the land of Kelinor, powerful music is born of the hearts and minds of dragons and their keepers, and for more than four hundred years a harmonious peace reigned through a blending of human and dragon culture, in what the Kelini called "The Attunement", the process or "tuning" of a dragon and their lifelong keeper. Those would-be dragon keepers are the chosen, born with their half of a great song that will shape the world around them. The other half of the song is hidden in unborn dragons, locked in eggs scattered along the mountainsides of the Militherin range, unable to hatch until lyrics find melody, when the dragon keeper child comes of age to seek out their dragon. Yet a dark chord had been struck, and a sinister song rippled across Kelinor, breaking the Attunement of dragon and keeper.

However, it was a long time before anyone knew that their harmony had been broken, which was due in great part to the Tuning process. Like with all crafts of evil, subtly is long disguised and planned, and so an understanding of Kelini history and culture is required. Yet, Kelinor was only one half of the world; the Militherin range, running from north to south for over a thousand leagues, divided the world, with only three ways around them. One could travel either north to the Ice Wastes, where the cold drakes of the north lived, who had not agreed to tune with humans, or to the south, the Desert of Gaeribor. There in the dunes nearly as tall as the mountains, the remnants of ancient sand dragons still lived, and they were dangerous beyond measure. Lastly, one could fly over the mountains, but that had only been attempted once.

A keeper volunteered his dragon under the king's service to fly over the mountains. Being tied in heart and mind, the dragon flew over the mountains. At the same time, his keeper waited and listened. Still, his dragon was not gone long before the man threw himself on the ground, clutching at his eyes and ears while convulsing on the ground, screaming in terrible agony for several minutes before he fell into a coma. The man was carried down the mountain, and though his body recovered, his mind was forever scarred. From that point on, he struggled to form coherent sentences, and though he looked and sounded able-bodied, none of what he said could be understood by those around him. As for his dragon? It never returned.

It was then over two hundred years ago since that time, and riders flew up to the mountain on clear days to try and spy through the keen eyesight of their dragon-connected abilities what may be seen of the "Dark Land" as they called it. However, they were careful never to cross the center of the mountain range, and they never spoke of what they saw except to those keepers who had already done the same. Yet beyond this unknown of what lay beyond Kelinor, the land was prosperous, and the long-lived king had been served by man, citizens, and keepers alike, and he was well loved. Yet, despite the efforts of any ruler, time eventually wears on the minds of people, and uncertainty breeds fear, and fear leads to a response.

The fear came first among the keepers, in the way of new and upcoming keepers. Children were born with their half of the song, and it became transparent to those around them as they grew. As babies, none could tell the difference, but eventually, each child would begin to exhibit key characteristics associated with their kinship to dragons. The easiest to spot was their strength. It was said that an adult dragon keeper had the strength of ten oxen, even without ever having tuned to their dragon. The more subtle was the slow stirring of heart and mind to seek out their dragon, which led them to a singular focus, driving them mad until they left for the mountains to seek kindred hearts.

Scattered the full length of the Militherin range, dragon eggs lay unassuming in the rocks and the trees, buried for centuries, weathered by time, and looking largely like stones themselves, until the song in the heart and mind of the keeper drew them close. Touching the egg was said to be a magical moment, both special for the pair, but magical to behold, but no one experiences that moment save the pair. This was because it was not abnormal for a keeper to spend months or even years wandering the mountains, living off the land, until they found their dragon, as was the case of one keeper who lived in the south and their dragon was in the northern range. It was for this reason that none were aware of exactly when the breaking of the Attunement occurred.

However, a day came some twenty years ago, when nearly a year had passed and no word of dragon keepers finding their dragons was announced. It was a time of celebration in most of the kingdom, and the people rejoiced, for the dragons were kind to the people, and under the instruction of their keepers, brought help where little else could. Yet, by the time three years had passed, many in the kingdom were worried that maybe the dragon eggs had all been found, since there were no new dragons laying eggs in the mountains. Since it was a mystery how the eggs had come to be on the mountains, it was possible that they would run out, a relic of a bygone age. Yet others argued that keepers were still being born, so the dragons must be out there.

And it was true. Keepers were continuing to be born, but they were without dragons, and one could only live in the mountains for so long before they grew weary of the search. Therefore, when rumors reached the mountain range of a haven for dragonless keepers in the south, where they could find some type of purpose and relief from the continual song in their minds, many left their search and headed south. There, they found a leader who could help them, who knew them, who was one of them. His name was Gaeris, and though no one knew where he came from, the fact that those who came to him could have the music in their head dulled gave many hope. Yet, not all desired their song to go away, but believed that their dragon was still out there. They pressed on in the wilderness, hoping that their diligence would be repaid.

It was through this diligence that the truth of the discord was about to come to light, but the measure of the music of Kelinor would be forever changed, even if it could be brought back into harmony. Still, harmony would only come in the form of a young woman, by the name of Mirassah. She was the only keeper to find her song in twenty years, but she was yet to find it when her story begins, and even her connection to the discord would remain unknown to her for a long time.

Who is Mirassah, and why is she important? Where did the dark chord come from that unbalanced the harmony of Kelinor? Look for more in "Dragon Song (Part 2)" being posted soon. Subscribe below for notifications.