The Dragonstones Trilogy
Chapter 1

Mageton was a small town in the western United States, small enough to not be noted on any map so far. Nathaniel Day looked down at Smolder, the baby dragon standing near his feet. Is this the place? Nathaniel asked him without speaking out loud. The way dragons communicated among themselves and other creatures was by projecting thoughts to one another, something Smolder had taught his human friend.

Despite his young age, Smolder was wiser than any human Nathaniel had met. Yes, Smolder simply said. In Nathaniel’s mind, Smolder’s voice sounded young. He should never have had to deal with the great burden placed upon him. Nathaniel tried not to think of how Smolder was the last of his kind, the last of the dragons.

Can you sense it? Nathaniel asked Smolder.

Yes, Smolder said again. I can also sense him. Smolder, like all dragons, was by nature patient. Even a dragon, however, could not forgive what had been done to the his kind. Smolder had an even shorter temper than most of his species, as Nathaniel had noticed throughout the years he had been with the dragons. Smolder no longer said Aevill’s name, always replacing it with “him,” and speaking it with inhuman loathing. Nathaniel was glad Smolder didn’t try to do more. As a young dragon, there wasn’t much Smolder could do about Aevill. Nathaniel missed the days when Smolder was allowed to be what he was, a young dragon. Nathaniel could still recall Smolder frolicking in tall grass, without a care in the world. Those days were long gone.

Nathaniel looked up at the sky. It was getting dark. They would have to look for it tomorrow. We’ll stop at a hotel for the night, and start looking tomorrow. Smolder agreed to the plan, his patience cooling Nathaniel’s own frustration. They should have found it by now! And yet, they hadn’t.

When they had paid for the room they would be staying in, the man running the inn glanced at Smolder. He looked up Nathaniel his voice firm as he said, “Dogs are not allowed in this hotel.” Nathaniel glanced down at Smolder. His mouth was open in a dragon’s version of a smile. Nathaniel still could not understand why humans other than him could not see magic. Smolder had tried explaining it to him, but Nathaniel found himself getting only more confused. Finally, Nathaniel gave up, and was satisfied with the answer, It is very complicated.

When they had settled into the room, Nathaniel wrote a quick entry in his journal. The year was 1891, the month, April. We still have not found it, but Aevill hasn’t, either, or Smolder would be dead. Nathaniel put the book down, and lay on his bed, thinking. He rolled over, trying to replace a comfortable position. He was tired, but thoughts about the next day kept him awake. Nathaniel thought that Smolder was asleep, until he spoke. We will replace it tomorrow. I know it. I will die soon after. Every dragon had a different gift, and Smolder could see into the near future. Sometimes the images were blurry, but Nathaniel could not recall a time Smolder’s visions had been wrong, or even inaccurate.

Nathaniel sat up abruptly, taken aback by the news. He knew he shouldn’t have been, though. Smolder had already predicted his death several times. But a dragon’s life span can stretch to hundreds of years, Nathaniel argued, hoping that if any of Smolder’s visions were wrong, this one was. He wasn’t ready for Smolder to die. And it was almost impossible, anyway! The only way a dragon could die before that was if. . .no. Nathaniel didn’t want to dwell on that.

I can see into the near future. I saw myself die.

No. You won’t die. I’ll make sure of it. Nathaniel could feel the panic in the words he sent to Smolder. Nathaniel could remember the time he had first met Smolder, and all the dragons.

He was young, and had started to see magic, an ability normal humans lacked. He had tried to tell his peers about it, but they did not believe him. He almost ended up in an asylum. Nathaniel escaped with the insight that people would never see the truth. They could never admit to themselves that there was magic in the world, all around them.

Nathaniel had wandered from place to place, until one day he stumbled upon a dragon’s nest. The mother had taken him in, and Nathaniel had become friends with her children, baby dragons recently hatched.

Smolder had been one of Nathaniel’s favorites of his new companions, and when the dragons were murdered, Smolder alone had survived. Now they were on a quest to replace what Smolder called “a thing of great importance.” Nathaniel had no idea of what they were looking for, but he had a feeling that he would know when he saw it.

Nathaniel was jolted out of his flashback when Smolder spoke again. I have thought about it, and I want to give you my magic.

Nathaniel tried to hide his shock this time. Dragons almost never gave up their magic. But you’re the last dragon. If you give me your magic, you’ll have no way to defend yourself.

I have my claws and my teeth, but as I told you, I will die soon anyway.

For a long time, Nathaniel did not speak. How will you die? He asked. He didn’t know what else to say, to ask.

That I do not know, Smolder answered. I did not see it.

So there was no way to prevent Smolder’s death. Nathaniel felt tears sting his eyes as hopelessness invaded, overpowering all other emotions. He convinced Smolder to keep his magic until there was no more time, at least. With Smolder’s death in his thoughts, Nathaniel drifted off into a tormented sleep.

They woke early the next day. Since Smolder was convinced that the object they were looking for was on higher ground, they searched in the mountains. After the whole morning was spent searching for this mystery object, Nathaniel found himself getting discouraged at the lack of success. He was growing used to the feeling.

We will replace it today. I know it, Smolder said by way of encouragement.

Smolder was right. When Nathaniel turned over what seemed to be the hundredth rock that day, he found a necklace. The stones were large, but small enough to have little weight. The stones glowed with a faint blue light, even with the sun shining full blast. He called over to Smolder, Is this it?

Yes, Smolder said after flying over, and looking at the necklace. These are the Dragon Stones.

The what?

Smolder didn’t answer Nathaniel’s question. Nathaniel tried again. What do we do now?

There is a cave full of magic not far from here. We go there, and put magic in the stones.

If these are the Dragon Stones, don’t they already have dragons’ magic in them?

You already know the answer.

Oh. Nathaniel did know, now that he thought about it. Dragons’ magic sometimes wore out, or simply ceased to be. Other times, Dragons’ magic worked better with other magic, when it needed a little help.

When they reached the cave, Nathaniel took a moment to stare. The cave was beautiful. There was so much to look at. He could look into that cave all day, and still not have seen enough. Nathaniel shook himself. He couldn’t dwell on that now, and he couldn’t spend Smolder’s last moments staring into a cave. Use your magic, Smolder told Nathaniel. He didn’t seem to hear Nathaniel’s thoughts.

Nathaniel was reluctant. My magic is not that good. You do it, he told Smolder.

You need to know how.

Nathaniel raised his hands to begin. His magic was channeled through gestures. His hands waved in rapid, wild motions, all telling the magic from the cave to go into the necklace’s Dragon Stones.

When he was finished, Nathaniel held his breath as what appeared to be gold dust floated down from the top of the cave. It turned blue, was absorbed into the even bluer Dragon Stones. The stones glowed brighter. Nathaniel looked in awe at what he had done.

He looked at Smolder for approval. You have done it perfectly. The Dragon Stones will help anyone with Dragon’s Magic now, Smolder told him. Smolder’s red scales shone in the sunlight. The scales were black around the edges. Nathaniel had never noticed that before.

Nathaniel felt something pull him deeper into the cave. His feet moved of their own accord. Smolder didn’t stop him. When he stopped, Nathaniel found himself standing at the edge of a pool. The water glowed with a green light. The bottom was covered in gemstones, larger than Nathaniel had ever seen. Nathaniel peered into the water, and watched as the liquid shimmered. When it cleared, an image seemed to be drawn on the surface.

It showed Nathaniel’s old dragon friends, and even dragons Nathaniel hadn’t known, all in a seemingly endless cave. It was tall enough that some dragons were flying. The image changed, and showed a girl with dark brown hair. Nathaniel watched in fascination as the girl changed into a small green dragon. He saw that she was wearing the same necklace Nathaniel had just barely put magic into. Smolder appeared behind Nathaniel. Sara, Smolder said.

What? Nathaniel asked.

Sara is the girl’s name. She is a future guardian of the Dragon Stones. She will also be the first human to discover what they can do.

How do you know? And why will you not tell me what the Dragon Stones do? Nathaniel asked.

I will meet her in the future, and it is not your destiny to know about the Stones. Smolder said confidently. Talk of the future immediately made Nathaniel nervous. Even though he didn’t know why, all he wanted to do now was to get out of there, to get out of this cave, and forget what he’d seen. All he wanted to do was forget about Smolder dying, the Dragon Stones, everything! He needed to get out.

Smolder seemed to sense Nathaniel’s agitation, and gently nosed the human toward the exit. The sun did nothing to improve Nathaniel’s mood, but he was able to calm himself down after a few minutes.

On the way back to the inn, Nathaniel studied Smolder’s scales more closely. They seemed to be turning darker. Maybe it was some sort of color change that happened to young dragons. Nathaniel had never heard of it, but there were many things about dragons he had yet to learn. He didn’t think anything of Smolder’s scales until they were back at the hotel.

Smolder climbed onto the bed, telling Nathaniel he was tired, and needed rest. Nathaniel sat in a chair, and started writing in his journal. There was nothing else he could do, until they left Mageton. Smolder was right yesterday. He wrote. We found a necklace, and a cave, both magic-

Smolder shrieked in Nathaniel’s mind, breaking the silence they had wallowed in and falling off of the bed, the covers tangled up in his claws. It’s happening!

What’s happening? Nathaniel asked him quickly, startled.

He’s attacking me!

Who?

Aevill. Nathaniel lifted Smolder back onto the bed. Smolder’s scales were almost completely black. Very little red remained until the blackness destroyed even that. Nathaniel cursed inwardly. He should have noticed this before now! He should have known what was going on!

I am going to give you my magic now, and the Dragon Stones. They are the only chance you have against Aevill. Smolder said.

“You know that if you give me your magic, you can never take it back,” Nathaniel told his friend out loud, trying to contain his emotions. It was comforting to hear something outside of his own head, and he needed to stay calm. He had to stay calm, for Smolder.

I no longer have any need for it, but you do. Guard the Dragon Stones with your life. You know how Dragons’ magic works.

Nathaniel nodded. Smolder started humming an ancient dragon melody, one Nathaniel had never heard before. Smolder was singing with his voice, not inside his head. It was a beautiful voice, but too few had gotten the chance to hear the dragons’ songs. Red magic came like steam out of Smolder’s body, and Nathaniel felt it enter his own. He could feel the magic bonding with him, becoming a part of him. The feeling was amazing, but also painful. Smolder was dying. The truth of that sentence hadn’t sunken in until now, not fully. When the song ended, Smolder’s scales were pitch black. His last words were, Goodbye, old friend. Do not worry. One day, Aevill will die, and it will be at the hands of a dragon.

Nathaniel felt tears running freely down his face. After what seemed like forever, he looked down at his hand. Something was in it. Nathaniel unclenched his fingers, and saw the necklace holding the Dragon Stones. He told Smolder’s body, out loud, “I swear to you, my descendants and I will guard this with our lives. The last dragon deserves at least that.”