Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town Read Online Free

magnificent wings to the
fullest extent, some hundred plus feet across. He soared high into the air then hovered,
waiting for Sofie and the kids to join him. One by one, they locked claws, and at last he
began to move between worlds, as any good dragon could.
                 A black swirling mist hid everything from view. Both teens felt terribly uneasy,
though they didn’t panic. However, both realized that it would be very easy to panic and
become trapped here in the nowhere, lost, disorientated, and confused. Everything
looked the same — unrecognizable swirling masses of blackness. Suddenly, ahead of
them, a blue light appeared, first as a small round object. Steadily it grew in size, larger
and larger, until Aldrick pulled them into its sky, soaring high above the towering
mountains, forests, and streams. Spring melt had come at last. Even from this height,
Renata spied numerous hoofers grazing on the first shoots of spring. Food! Her dad was
not kidding them. Her stomach growled once more.
                 Four golden dragon circled high above the deserted mountain tops, descending at
last to a large cavern near one nearly inaccessible peak. “Ah, just as I left it some forty
years ago,” Aldrick announced and entered to check it out. Presently, he sounded the all
clear bellow and the other three joined him. “I know it is rather small for the four of us,
but soon the kids will be staying in the tower. Think we can manage Sofie?” he asked
playfully. She gave him a swipe of her long tail.
                 Ah hour later, stomachs finally full for the first time in several years, the four
dragons dozed for several days. When they awoke, Aldrick once more grilled the twins
on how they were to conduct themselves. Satisfied that they knew how to avoid drawing
attention to themselves, all four morphed into human forms. He handed Emil the giant
emerald and Renata the small money pouch containing a number of gold coins, which he
had left here in the cavern some forty years ago. Aldrick had no interest at all in gold,
but he explained that humans highly valued it and that the twins should first purchase
some more fitting clothing in the town.
                 Cocky, Emil bragged, “Dad, stop worrying. We can handle this. No problem at all.
We’ll see you in a few days when we need to feed again. You are right; this place is food
heaven.” Sofie smiled and hugged her twins. Then, the two morphed back into their
golden forms and flew down until they were within walking distance. They landed and
morphed back into their human forms and began the long walk into the town of Brn.
                 This remote town of some ten thousand people lay cradled between three tall
peaks. One heavily traveled road led down into the dense forests and to other towns and
villages of the Wild Lands of Adapazan. The twins stared at the tall granite outer walls;
they’d seen nothing like this in their lives. Once they passed through the gates, the city
streets were swarming with humans of all sizes and sexes. Soon they realized some were
men, some women, and some children. Shops upon shops lined either side of the street.
                 Emil asked for directions to the Stodgy Inn, where the candidates would cluster
in the spring in hopes of being chosen by Archmage Oldrich for their magic
apprenticeship. Around noon the two entered the inn and acquired a room. So far so
good, Emil thought.
     
     
     

Chapter 3 Many Meetings
     
    Shouts and steel clanking upon steel roused Zoran from his sleep. He guessed the road
and headed towards the noise, swords drawn. As the trees thinned and the rutted
roadway appeared, he spied four wagons loaded with goods being attacked by twelve
men. Each wagon had a driver and a guardsman, both of which had gotten off to repel
the attacking bandits. However, three of them had quarrels sticking out of their sides or
chests and were now mostly trying to