I saw the topic where Jennabelle posted her story and thought I'd post one of my own. This is actually one of the very earliest versions, since I've got to re-write a lot that was lost when my main flash drive disappeared (Lesson learned. ) The full story as it stands is some nine thousand words. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the read and I look forward to constructive criticism.

Edit: I want to make it clear ahead of time that a lot has changed already in this story from when I saved this version. Even many of the names are different now.

(I'll also freely admit that Eragon and Anne McCaffery's Pern novels have a heavy influence in my story. I'm trying to throw in my own twists and stylistic/content differences though, to ensure the story is truly mine.)

Without further ado:



    I was, as usual, traveling. The road from Keldel to Ramsford was empty in the predawn light. The road, more a game trail through the foothills of the Hadari Mountains, was little traveled anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised to not see another soul until I reached Ramsford.

    The miles fell away slowly as the hours passed. I reached the top of Thedin’s Pass around noon and stopped to break my fast. The Pass was the midpoint of my trek as well as the highest and most remote section of the trail.

    I gathered stray branches and lit my small cooking fire in a protected place on the edge of a cliff. Before long some pork as sizzling sharply in my small pan and I took a moment to relax. Taking a rag from my pack, I wiped the sweat from my face. Then, removing the band from my shoulder-length hair, I shook it out. I wet my rag after this and tried to bring some order to my hair and goatee.

    My meal was simple, but filling. After another half hour or so I packed my gear and made ready to continue. I didn’t get too far. After only a couple of hundred yards a massive shadow suddenly blotted out the clouds. Seeing it, and feeling a sudden compression of air, I threw myself off the path into a patch of small pines. Another compression came, followed by a ground-shaking thud. Sword ready, I parted two bushes with a hand and looked out into the large clearing trading caravans used as a stopping place.

    I’d expected to see a lot of strange things when I signed up for this, but the creature I was staring at now was more than I’d bargained for. Dull grey scales covered most of it, the exceptions being the two huge wings that were folding gracefully around it. A long, serpentine neck turned its massive head toward me. Its body was surprisingly smooth, for all the stories of such creatures noted the many spikes that graced their hides. The dragon’s pale red eyes whirled lazily and somehow I knew he was amused. He? Now where had that come from? It wasn’t like I could tell by looking, not without possibly causing fatal (to me) outrage.

    As I stared at the dragon a voice, deep bass, sounded in my head, “Come out, Treys. Your caution is admirable, but I mean you no harm.” As if to prove his point the dragon settled down onto his belly and stretched languidly.

    I considered his words for a moment, then sheathed my sword. Keeping my hand on the hilt, I stepped out from the trees. For a moment we just looked at each other, the wind in the long grass the only thing to disturb the scene. But my curiosity won out quickly and I spoke, “Who are you? And what’s going on here?”

    The dragon blinked and snorted, again giving me the feeling he found me funny. A small tendril of smoke curled up from his snout as he replied, “Search yourself for a moment. You already know who I am.”

    There was little reason not to do as he asked (and several good ones to comply), so I cast about in my mind for his name. For several heartbeats I found nothing unexpected, then a name popped into my head quite suddenly and I knew it was the one. Slightly wary, I nodded and said, “You’re right, Selvith.”

    Selvith rumbled deep in his throat in what I was sure was an amused chuckle. Then he stood and, turning, presented me his flank, saying, “Get on, Treys. I will explain on the way.”

    For the first time I noticed the leather saddle Selvith wore. Big straps extended around his chest and secured it to him. Other straps would secure a special harness that could be adjusted to snugly fit my waist and shoulders. Taking my hand off my sword, I scrambled up the dragon’s foreleg and settled myself in the saddle. I admired Selvith’s scaly hide, warm and somewhat leathery, as I tied the straps. As soon as I finished he walked right off the edge of the cliff. We fell about fifty yards before he swept his wings forward and propelled us back into the sky.

    As soon as we leveled off and my heart had slowed I asked the question that had been nagging me for several minutes, “Selvith, where are we going?”

    “You will see, young one.” The dragon hummed to himself a bit then, a bass vibration between my legs. As the minutes passed I spent the time wondering at my luck. How could it be that I was riding a dragon? They weren’t even supposed to exist!

    “You wanted to know what is going on?” Selvith asked after a few minutes. His head twisted and one huge eye regarded me.

    “Yeah. Dragons aren’t supposed to exist here. They weren’t coded in.”

    Selvith bobbed his head in acknowledgement and turned to look forward again, “We are a new creation, a new addition to Mengaesi. The game has become stagnant. The Admin decided to introduce some new blood, to change the balance of power in Mengaesi. Now all the others must choose sides. Will they oppose us or fight alongside us?” Selvith seemed excited about the prospect, and it certainly explained things. Life had indeed fallen into a pattern, something that made it even harder to believe this was actually super-advanced virtual reality.

    For a moment I was distracted by the thought of my real body, lying on an immersion bed. Various tubes kept me comfortable while my mind was literally a world away. But the game was programmed to keep us immersed unless we wished to disconnect. Slowly reality began fading out to be replaced with the affairs of Mengaesi.

    Back in the moment, I asked Selvith the next logical question, “Okay. But why did you seek me out?”

    I could hear the smile in Selvith’s voice, “Can you not guess? A dragon needs a rider if he is to be more than an overlarge pest.”

    For a long time we were both silent, but eventually Selvith spoke again, his voice very serious, “Treys. Will we be one? Consider carefully for the decision is permanent.”

    “Yes, Selvith, we will be one,” I replied after giving it some thought. This was bound to be a great adventure, which was why I was here, was it not? Prompted by some instinct, I uttered a strange phrase just as Selvith did, whispering, “Pac’od Sel a Tre.” (Note: This bit was removed later, so I'll take it from this version as well.)

    Suddenly my mind opened up, a barrier I’d never known was there ripping apart. My consciousness expanded into another’s as the other joined with mine. It was extremely uncomfortable, a lot like too quickly pulling on clothes that were just ironed. It took a moment, but it eventually clicked that this new presence was Selvith and I willed the barriers I’d erected on instinct to drop. In but a moment the fusion went to a whole other level. A joyous roar ripped from our throats, prompting a long plume of silver fire to erupt. It whipped back suddenly, twirling around us. We could feel changes happening, indescribably complex.

    When the flames died we examined ourselves mid-flight. The scales of the dragon body were gone, leaving new ones in their places. From the tip of our tail to the end of our snout we were pure, blinding silver. Our body had grown somewhat as well, perhaps another two human arm lengths. The spikes we had expected had grown in too, looking like gleaming teeth the length of a man’s forearm. Our human body was still there too, a young man slumped forward, eyes staring. We could see through them too, though, so it was odd seeing them turn silver to match our hide. Then the silver appeared around our human body’s eyes and started to spread, a sharp pain and odd pleasure mixed, and formed graceful patterns. The tattoo it created seemed to emanate strength and courage.

    We remained merged for a long time, three hours at least. Eventually, I was back in my own body alone, though my mind retained its link to Selvith’s. I couldn’t help but marvel at the changes in my senses. Every sense was ten times, a hundred times, more acute than before. I saw further, heard more, and smelled as never before.

    Selvith’s surprise was just as great and resulted in amazing aerial acrobatics.  I asked him why and he snorted and pointed out that he’d never done that before either, so how could I expect him to know what it was like? We played for a long time, only settling down when a graceful tower came into view. Secreted high in the mountains, the fortress was stern and regal. A solemn silence dominated as we landed in a huge courtyard. I wanted to explore a bit, but in the end we sat down to wait.

    It wasn’t long before our wait was rewarded. Five cautious pairs of figures landed one at a time in the courtyard. Soon we all stood in a circle, humans beside their dragons. Selvith turned and nudged my shoulder with his head, “You are eldest among them; we joined first. Therefore you are to speak first.”

    I stepped forward then and spoke, “I am Treys, partner to silver Selvith.”

    The beautiful young woman to my right strode forward next, saying, “Tessa, partnered with red Domath.” Her red eyes and tattoos glinted as she smiled and practically bounced in place in her excitement.

    “Karn, friend of blue Tigath,” said a younger man, almost a boy, with navy eyes. His smile was nonchalant, almost lazy, as were his gestures. Short of stature, he tilted his head back slightly to meet each rider’s eyes before nodding to the next rider.

    The black’s rider advanced, announcing himself as, “Mond, rider of black Erveth.” His pale skin and aristocratic bearing contrasted greatly with the midnight tattoos covering his face. Though his smile was warm, his face never lost a certain solemn cast.

    Yellow Menath and green Garath were soon introduced by their riders, Bella and Arda. As soon as Arda stepped back, all six dragons lifted their heads and roared. Their voices joining and multiplying, “A new power rises in Librameia! The time of Dragoners is begun!” On an impulse I drew my sword and held it high. The others did so as well and flames roiled up our blades, turning them the color of our beasts and changing their very shapes, before shooting into the sky in a spectacular display.