Info and What's this? The prologue!

Well I figured that I would give you some stats on Cursed and the Damned. Before I changed the page size, this book clocked in at 205 pages. (81/2 x 11 with a 12 font.) When it was converted to a 6x9 format it grew to 328 pages, so it's a decent sized book. 20 chapters in all. When I started this I had an idea how many chapters I wanted it to have. Also Cursed and the Damned has an alternate ending...the ending I originally thought up, however when I was writing chapter 20 something happened. That something was that the story wrote its own ending which is far different than what was originally intended. I did write both endings, but kept the one the story wrote for it seemed to be a better fit for a sequel.

Following the same 81/2x 11 format, the sequel has about 34 pages written and is 8 chapters long so far. For this one I'm just letting the chapters fall into place as they happen. Again it seems like the story is writing itself which is great and I am looking forward to continue the writing process and get my mother off of my back :D

For now, I leave you with a treat....the prologue to Cursed and the Damned. Enjoy!

Prologue

       

I

n ancient legend, there once was a time where dragons and humans lived together in harmony; however where there is harmony there is despair. There once lived an ancient red dragon called Adapu. Adapu lived for millennia and was well known by both dragon and humankind. Throughout his lifetime, Adapu gained great treasures and a great name for himself. He became the most feared dragon known to man and dragon. That fear and name became the cursor to the end.

Humans themselves told horror stories to their children about the great beast and when those children grew up the horror stories were even more devastating. Most told their young that if Adapu was ever defeated that there was a great reward waiting for them. Yet most of those offspring never dared go near the great red dragon.

Then again as times change so do outlooks. A young man by the name of Aarmon, believed the stories to be true. Aarmon and a handful of followers traveled and gathered more able bodies for his cause; to abolish the fear that dragons in general had put in their hearts, to destroy Adapu. Over time, Aarmon convinced a decent sized army to travel with him and capture dragons for servants and then they would take control and destroy Adapu. Most of the noble houses gathered together to try to stop Aarmon’s mad tirade but were unsuccessful in stopping him and his army. Aarmon marched on towards the land of Jinrika, the holy land of the dragons. On his way, the humans were successful in tricking the unsuspecting dragons and capturing them turning them to a life of servitude and abuse. Those dragons that they could not capture, they killed, although a few of them escaped. When Adapu learned of this news he was outraged. His people were being killed out of hatred and greed. He waited for the humans to reach his home and then attacked. However his efforts were futile. Aarmon and his followers were able to slaughter Adapu.

The great red dragon fell and with his dying breath swore that he would have the last laugh, that he would have revenge for his people. “My blood will be your downfall. Whatever my blood touches will bare my curse. Perhaps then you shall learn from this event and then we can all live together once more.” Then the great dragon lost his battle to fight on. The crown that adorned his head for millennia fell from his head and seen by all those in the room, a drop of blood from a wound on Adapu’s face graced the red gem in the center of the crown.

        After the cheers, Aarmon ordered that all of Adapu’s treasure, including the crown, be bundled up and that they leave this place. He told his followers not to worry for there was no way the dragon could keep his word, for he was not magical.

        When they returned to the mainland, the people had crowned Aarmon king. Aarmon was able to abolish all those who opposed him with his new fleet of dragons and for that his people praised him. As gratitude the townspeople entrusted the town jeweler in the task of creating a crown for their new king. The jeweler took the stone from the great red dragon’s crown and cut it in two. From those two pieces of stone, he fashioned a crown that had the biggest piece as the main jewel and the smaller piece was to be fashioned into a ring.

The townspeople presented King Aarmon with the beautiful crown, while the jeweler continued to make the ring. The people had never seen Aarmon so pleased with the crown since he was also thrilled to learn that this gem came from the crown of Adapu. Everything was fine until later that night. While King Aarmon gave orders to his servants, something terrifying happened.

Before their very eyes, King Aarmon began a horrible transformation, into something that he loathed and hated. Aarmon felt his head grow hot and he tried to remove the crown, but to his consternation he couldn’t. The crown grew with his ever-growing skull. Spouting wings and scales, Aarmon blossomed in size, filling his throne room. Within a minute, where King Aarmon sat, there now stood a dragon of immense proportions. The only thing that remained visible from the garments and adornments that Aarmon wore was a brightly glowing red stone, the stone that had once belonged to Adapu.

Aarmon’s people grew frantic at the new shape that their king had unexpectedly taken. They panicked and soon fear broke loose again. Fleeing in fear of his life, Aarmon took off and spent the rest of his days in exile, for no one heard of a dragon with a red stone in its forehead for a great many years. Aarmon’s followers lived in fear of Adapu’s words for the rest of their lives. They took back the great treasure of Adapu to the great red dragon’s final resting place. The ring that the jeweler made however was taken elsewhere and hidden in a cave that was marked forbidden on the outskirts of Aarmon’s kingdom.

Over the centuries there have been reports of people however that have found a mysterious red gem, but yet they were never seen again. Other reports were heard that the ring had been recovered and that some of those who had been lost had now been found. But then again the person who had the ring wasn’t heard from again either. The forbidden cave was checked after these accusations were made and sure enough it too had disappeared. As it always does, time passed and those who had found the red gem told their tales. They told that the ones, who had set them free of the curse, knew of their affliction, but alas he who sets one free was doomed to have the curse fall upon them. Those who were lucky enough to be changed back into a normal human, fled in fear of what their comrade’s became, for fear that they would be eaten.  Thus the history was written in spell books thereafter. The description of the Stone of Adapu and the Ring of Adapu were included in that history.

Time again passed, and a young mage named Iarde came into possession of the Ring of Adapu. Throughout the vast majority of his life, he worked on a way to reverse the effects of the curse, for his father had fallen victim. His efforts were useless, for before he could finish, his father had flown away to die in a secluded area. The now adult mage was heartbroken, but he did cast a spell on the ring. “To free the cursed spirit held by the Stone of Adapu, wear the Ring of Adapu and say:  ‘Hantai noroi’. Until then you will be spared. But be forewarned, wearing the ring while saying those words will be your damnation.”

Thus the histories were once again changed. The Stone of Adapu to this day remains lost. The Ring of Adapu however rests with the descendants of Iarde. And thus history will continue to be written…