Chapter One - Cave of Wonders

 

Under The Wing of a Dragon 

Chapter One - Cave of Wonders

Isaac felt his blood streaming from the side of his head as he was disoriented from falling from the edge of the cavern. What was supposed to be an adventure-seeking thrill and wisdom, now turned into a spiral into oblivion. The Cave of Wonders was every teenager's dream to explore. 

Isaac was haunted by the words of his mentor warning him not to explore the Cave of Wonders. Yet, Isaac found himself in pitch black only feeling cold metal in between his fingertips. Like moving his fingers through sand, Isaac tried to make sense of where he was at. The smell of sulfur and smoke covered the area. 

All he could hear was the clinking sound of coins hitting against themselves as he moved his hands. Isaac had never felt the sensation of holding onto coins let alone the multitude that he was sitting on. This sparked his curiosity. If he could see what he was feeling he would overcome the fear he had of the unknown. Isaac steadied himself as he tried to find the wooden stick that was extinguished from the fall. If he could just ignite that torch once more he could see the treasures that surrounded him. If he could just cast the torch's light he would realize his fortune. Seconds turned to minutes as he desperately searched for anything that could illuminate his way. 

***Thump*** ***Crash*** 

Rocks tumbled down from the area Isaac fell. Pebbles and rocks hit Isaac’s back as he yelped in pain. In the dismay of searching for the torch, he could hear coins clinking in the distance. 

Isaac realized that he was not alone. 

***Clink** ***Clank*** 

Overcome with fear thoughts rushed his mind. Could this be the dragon?! 

Clint had warned him of the dangers of exploring the Cave of Wonders and how folklore had alluded to the presence of a dragon. 

***Clink*** ***Clank*** ***Crash*** 

Isaac held onto his breath, holding his heart hushing it to calm down. The atmosphere shifted as the temperature dropped while air rushed from him. The cavern appeared to be breathing/inhaling as coins were picked up by the rushing of winds. 

***PHROWWW***

A huge fireball shot out from the distance as the whole area was illuminated by the flames. The fireball crashes the stalagmite in the corner of Isaac's eye leaving the floor glowing as coins dissolve. Petrified, Isaac watched as the shadow of a winged creature silhouetted. This was Isaac's chance to find the torch and ignite it. Frantically, Isaac searched around him snatching the wooden torch and quickly positioning it in front of him. 

"If I could just ignite this, I could have a chance at running." Isaac thought to himself. 

The winged creature inhaled once more, as Isaac was thrown to his side as the rushing winds swallowed more coins. 

***PHREWWWW*** 

Flames spewed toward the top of the cavern as the area lit up in fire. What was far and distant now became closer than Isaac was comfortable with. The winged creature was now moving toward Isaac. The shadows crept closer and closer as Isaac was captivated by the images that were cast. Isaac whispered a prayer as he accepted the reality that he had nowhere to go. 

***Flap*** ***Flap***

Wings began to move as the air started to lift Isaac pushing him away from the figure. Isaac lunged at the floor trying to hold onto anything that would keep him from being blown away into the abyss of the cavern. Standing in all of his glory stood Sol displaying the splendor of his figure. Sol's eyes glowed with the brilliance of what seemed like glowing metal in a furnace. Sol's wings stretched, almost engulfing the area as if to indicate a possible jump to flight. Isaac looked straight into the eyes of the dragon, mesmerized by the beauty of his eyes. Sol stared into Isaac's soul assessing and sizing the teenager. Isaac felt his heart slow to a steady pace as time began to stop. 

Isaac should have been terrified but his body could not muster the indication of such. What was once a heart filled with fear and terror was now replaced with wonder. Isaac’s gaze at the dragon distracted him from the wounds he suffered earlier in his adventure. His body was losing blood so fast that the loss of blood proved too much for Isaac. After gazing at Sol for what seemed like hours, Isaac passed out. 

Leaving him in a pool of his own blood and the devices of a dragon he didn’t know, Isaac was bare.