A New Start

Before dawn he awoke, and the first thing Ronan did was walk around the sacred well three times with his father. He took the hazel wand his mother had cut for him and hugged his mother and his dog.

As the sun showed the first colors of the day, the two adventurers headed east again. The Wondersmith smiled at his son and asked him to make the journey shorter.

His eager son sang a long poem of love, adventure and treachery.

Soon they felt a wet wind and saw, in the distance, the raging sea of the Black Water. They also saw a strange assemblage of creatures from the Underworld gathered to meet them.

The Gleaming One stood at the center and spoke as they arrived. “Welcome, illustrious Wondersmith and noble son. My king awaits your arrival with great anticipation. He has ordered special transport across the Black Waters.”

He gestured with his hand, tracing a circle in the moist air. As he did this, two black dragons, screeching and snorting fire, appeared.

The Gleaming One asked the father and son to climb onto the massive backs of the dragons. The Wondersmith jumped onto the larger dragon. His son was scared but summoned his courage and climbed onto the smaller agitated one. Because they had no reins, he had to wrap his arms around the dragon's thick neck.

They climbed swiftly into the clouds, the ferocious dragons convulsing and bellowing. The son’s dragon was hard to control and suddenly dove down, leaving him floating, fighting to regain his seat. His father yelled, gesturing to take out the hazel wand and press it into the back of the unruly dragon’s head. Ronan grabbed the wand and touched the back of the ear of the young dragon, who settled down into a smooth ride. Soon the barren Underworld terrain appeared beneath them.

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