Oluf and the Witch (The Dragon Slayer)

The road was wet and the incessant rain trickled down Kevin Greenberg's clothes. He was dragging his boots down the endless crooked road to Borderline City. He and Spook would stop for a drink once in a while,because the long walk made them thirsty. Kevin's eyes gazed at the wet asphalt with weeds slipping through the cracks;the forest struggling to take back this abandoned highway. Wagons and old rusty vehicles driven by bitter-faced people, passed by Kevin wrinkling their noses at the hitchhiker accompanied by the Direwolf. Ravens and hummingbirds keep them company along the way, they were not afraid of the rain.The road cut through rivers and valleys of unique beauty with trees laying near the road, almost interrupting the path of those who dared to walk in there. Muddy Peaks was an abandoned island, not a penny of the taxes was being used to keep these roads alive, in perfect condition. Why would Fabion O'Riley do that?Why would he keep roads if no one had cars anymore. Kevin used a tree branch he found along the way as a staff to relieve the weight on his legs. It had been more than three hours since Marcus Abbe had left them behind,taking his insults and distorted way of seeing the facts of Kevin's life with Payslee with him, sometimes loneliness could be a blessing in disguise. Kevin brushed away the strands of bristly hair out of his eyes and saw a city limit sign.


“Look there Spook. A sign,”he hit the floor with the staff and moved towards it.The sign was not so far away, half a mile had past and he could read what was written in it.





Borderline City ...


City Lim...


POP. 15...





He felt desolate, that sign was from before the war, it was an old green city limit sign,rusted by time,covered with vines ,the bullet holes had turned the sign into a sieve.Part of it had been incinerated. A large skull was laying beside it near the road, the dragon that had burned the plaque was killed before he could destroy the city and his corpse remained there, with only its head left. It’s body must have been dragged into the woods,wolves,Knarfs,and perhaps even gray elves, probably made a feast with it.


"Fabion O'Ridley was not taking good care of this island,” Kevin threw his staff at the plate in anger then he scratched Spook ears and got back on the road.


"We are close, buddy,"Anger brought back strength to his legs, he had to find out the whereabouts of Azeviche jet and Robert Luckyfeets, and there was no better place to find out than Borderline City. The rain subsided and the night hit the road like a stone,a gentle breeze was carrying the smell of beer, sweat, piss and sewage filling Kevin's nostrils with youthful memories.


“This place remains the same dump that it has always been. Why am I not surprised? he asked himself and Spook answered with a growl anyway.


Hidden in a dark alley one of Fabion O'Ridley's informants was watching the movement in Jia's shop. He was amazed to see the man of disproportionate size accompanied by a Direwolf the size of a Poney. He hid in the shadows to watch the red-haired giant penetrating the city, walking the streets looking at the shops,as frightened people drifted away from them. A drunk dared to stop and talk at the wolf.


"Your not my son ... Nooo. My son is taller," he laughed taking the bottle of Brandy to his lips.


From the Cracked Skull bar Kevin could hear a woman singing accompanied by a piano and a banjo and the sound of punches hitting faces. Two sconces lit the church at the end of the street and a red lantern lit the street where the ladies of the evening went about their business, laughing all night long. Coming from one of the stores a thin, trumpet like voice caught his attention.


“Past,present, future. Ha, ha ,ha,” The bird laugh. It was Coconuts sitting on top of an old armor that stands at the door.”


“Who in this city can know more about everyone's life than the witch Jia?” Kevin had no interest in remembering the past, far from it. The future had the shadow of Draconites hovering over the heads of everyone in this city; there was no need to have a crystal ball to know that. The truth was, Jia was perhaps the most discreet way of obtaining information about the children and kevin was not willing to take any chances,he had already noticed the man hiding in the alley, he could feel his eyes almost burning on his back.


“I think you better get in, before you draw more attention to yourself Kevin Greenberg,”Jia came from the back of the store to meet them, she seemed to float in the air, her steps could barely be heard. Kevin was staggered to see that the woman he met as a teenager had not aged at all.


“ Jia you look the same,how come—”Jia gestured for silence with her finger in her mouth. Spook growled at Coconuts, who was already cleverly sitting on the tallest bookcase.


“As you may have noticed we are being watched. Fabion O'Ridley have his goons watching my shop day and night,”she stared at kevin, huge as an ox standing before her in his soaked clothes, he was a young boy the last time she saw him.She took him by the arm,leading Kevin to the back of the store where they could talk in private.


“Better leave your wolf here with Coconuts. Follow me,” she said. Kevin scratched Spook in his ears and he laid on the floor. Coconuts hid at the top of the tallest shelf and stayed there, blinking his little eyes startled at the huge animal.


Jia got Kevin into the small room. He remembered the armchairs, the ornamented rug, and the huge mirror that were still there after all these years, looking untouched by the passage of years. The Dragon placed against one of the walls,shrouded in white smoke and smell of clove and cinnamon incense, and the dim lighting giving a special touch to the place.


“Take off these wet clothes and put on this robe,” she said pointing to a blue robe that was on the arm of the chair. The hot tea kettle and the two cups were proof that Jia hoped someone would come to her on this humid night.From behind a folding screen Kevin removed his wet clothes and gave them to Jia who put them inside of a small basket.


“Have a sit Kevin Greenberg. I was expecting your visit for days,” she said to the shy red-haired giant. “Come sit and have tea with me, there is no reason to be shy. I've seen men wearing robes before,” she smiled at him.

“Before you say anything, it is obvious that if you were sent to Muddy Peaks, a Draconite attack is imminent,”She said while pouring tea. “I can’t deny this fact. President Bale sent me back to Muddy Peaks and I thought it best to come. This place exerts a strange force on me, my return to this place was inevitable,”Kevin took the cup of hot tea and slowly brought it to his lips as he looked at Jia head to toe.


“I know it is rude of me to ask your age, but I cannot help but notice that your appearance has not changed since the last time I was here,” Kevin looked at Jia through the fluttering steam of tea. “It happens that the passage of time does not affect me in the same way that affect all of you.This is a long story that I am not so proud of, we better avoid it for today, because as we speak as the Draconites prepare to attack us,”Jia left the kettle on the table and drank her hot tea, looking back at Kevin.


“When I returned to this island my feeling was that people were unprepared for a new attack,”He said arching his eyebrows.


“We may never be prepared to fight them. What led us to victory in the past,was the desire to survive and help others,Kevin Greenberg. The personal strength of some people and you were one of them,”Jia said pointing her finger at him.


“I will never understand why you stayed here after the war. He put the cup on the table, “ With your gift you could live anywhere,” tired he leaned back in the armchair, entwined fingers sitting on his lap waiting for an answer.When a battle is over, people may have a feeling that the war is over. Tell me kevin. Do you really think this war is over?” she asked Kevin looking in his eyes.


“This place is still destroyed. They killed people, thousands died, cities, factories and everything else. They had powerful dragons and were defeated in the battle of Devil's Finger. But it was a mistake to think that war was over,”she said sitting on the edge of the armchair.


“It was not over.” Jia looked at him.“Why did they leave the battlefield? We just won that battle and now they will come back for us. My battlefield is here Kevin Greenberg. I'm still on watch.” kevin looked at her and nodded.She was right.


“There is a silent war going on. President Bale sent me here to investigate it. But this is a waste of time. We know very well who the conspirators are in this city,” Kevin inhaled deeply, he looked deep into Jia's eyes,hoping she would say their names out loud,but she waited for Kevin to do it.


“Fabion O'Riley and Half Joness, need I say more?” he asked.


“Yes, there is one of them that everyone always seems to forget. And he is the most dangerous of all.”She pointed her hand at the large rectangular mirror. Their image reflected in the Mirror began to spin fast, the vivid colors were twitched until they all blended together and suddenly a flash took Kevin by surprise,he was left blind for a fell seconds he scratched his eyes trying to see the image that was taking shape in the mirror, It was a very familiar face,One that Kevin hoped he wouldn't have to see anymore. Dressed in his combat armor there he was before them...

“Mac Kimley. I struggle to forget his face,” kevin Frowned.How could Kevin forget about Mac Kimley and Paislee if they were the constant theme of his worst nightmares?


“You must never forget. I know this man is the cause of so much unhappiness in your life,your wife Paislee is also a source of torment in your life.They were always very ambitious,” Jia said smiling at him.


“Almost everyone that lives on this island seeks for my services. I'm proud of this. They call me a witch, just because they are rude and cruel, you of all people know how cruel the people of this city can be, Don't you, Kevin?”Kevin was impatient he wanted to find out the whereabouts of the two children as soon as possible, there was no time for small talk.


“They are rude people that try to hide their own imperfections by being hostile to their neighbors. We really can't waste time on this. I have to find two little kids,” kevin told her.


“It is of utmost importance that I find a Girl named Azeviche Jet and her friend Robert LuckyFeets,” Jia looked at kevin and as her mouth curved in a smile he knew that this was the right place to ask about the kids. She knows everything about everyone in this city,nothing escapes the eyes and ears of the fortune teller.


“Funny how people avoid consulting a psychoanalyst,” Jia laughed. “It's crazy people’s doctor they say. But they don’t exitate to come and tell every detail of their lives to the witch,” There was no more reason to wrap Kevin with her tactics, he really had an altruistic purpose in this desperate quest for Azeviche and Robert. Jia stretched out her hand towards the mirror, and the image of Mac Kimley dissolved in a whirlpool of colors , spinning madly and then slowly stopping, and forming another figure. The figure of a little girl, with black hair running down her shoulders, her eyes as green as two grapes, shining towards them.


“Azeviche,” Kevin said. “This is the girl that I’m looking for.What can you tell me about her?” Kevin asked the right person. Feeling confident that Kevin's intentions were noble, she placed the tea cup on the small center table. The lemongrass tea was a toll used to relax the customers and to make conversation,to make them talk. But this wouldn't be necessary with Kevin Greenberg.


“I notice you've seen her face before,” She leaned back in her armchair, crossed her legs, and put her long finger to her chin, as she tried to support her head. Jia had rarely been taken by surprise like this.she sat there waiting for kevin's answer that came quickly like a lightning bolt.


“ My friend Edward Coltrane he showed me a footage of children fighting a terrible dragon. The creature attacked and destroyed the building where they were spending the night on the main island,” His facial expression shows that he felt compassion for what happened to the children.And the more Kevin talks, the more Jia analyzes the giant's behavior, making her feel confident about telling him more details about young Azeviche and her friend.


"I know Azeviche," she said smiling. "The girl and her mother Ronna were here at my request. We discussed how important this girl may be in the future of this island; and who knows in the future of the Northern Islands as well," it was Kevin Greenberg who was taken by surprise this time.His wife Payslee often tells him about the Sorceress of Borderline city, but he never paid much attention. He thought Jia was just an ordinary fortune teller, someone who listened to gossip deceiving women with amulets and potions that had no effect at all, to earn some silver coins. “ Ronna is her...mother?” he asked looking at the walls of the small room, feeling suspicious.


“Ronna and Marcus Abbe adopted Azeviche, she is living with them,” The woman interlaced her fingers and resting them on top of her belly she looked at Kevin with squinted eyes. “I thought you'd be curious to know why she's important in this whole story.”


“Of course she is important. She have skills, she killed a Dragon using a stone. I never saw anything like that…” He was abruptly interrupted by Jia. “NEVER? Are you sure that you don't know anyone capable of performing such an act of bravery to save friends?...Hm?” she pointed her lips toward kevin.They looked at each other for a few seconds, and the silence installed a tension in the air. Kevin felt the red walls of the room closing in on him.Kevin lied sitting there, his mouth ajar, his eyes looked once again at the image of Azeviche in the mirror, as he tried to find the words somewhere inside himself.


“You're suggesting that this little girl and I have some connection? But this is impossible. My father is an old man and my mother is no longer with us. They're just the only relatives I have,”His eyes could not move away from the image of the girl in the mirror.


“ look at this girl,” Jia pointed a bony finger at Azeviche. “ Look at this black hair, look at these green eyes, this porcelain skin, it's not possible that it doesn't remind you of anyone,”she curled her hand in a fist,”


“Payslee,” he gasped because of his dry throat. “She reminds me of... Payslee,” the simple memory of it causes tears to strow down his face. “My wife took her own life, she was ambitious and got involved with Mac Kimley. I think you know him,” she took the teapot and poured more lemongrass in the cup and offered to Kevin,that immediately accepted as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “I can’t believe that you look at this girl and can't see at least a bit of yourself in her, Kevin,”she said.


You're the second person to tell me this. This is impossible, as I said,my wife,... she took her own life and we had no children,” he kept his head down. The pain that ate him inside was still very intense, very alive as if the years had not passed, that moment was engraved in his soul.It still bled every time Payslee's name was mentioned.


“Tell me where you buried your wife?” Kevin was beginning to regret looking for the sorceress. She seemed to have the pleasure of torturing him with old memories. The worst memories he had. “I came looking for the kids and you keep questioning me about facts of my life that I want to forget. I’m…”Kevin started to get up, but Jia yelled at him.


“Answer me...NOW!” the red giant was not so easy to intimidate but the whole room lit up in a flash with the scream given by the woman.


“No...nowhere. My wife's body was never found. She fell into an abyss,” he said stuttering.


"Ah,... but then you've never saw a body?"Jia smiled. An angry Kevin Greenberg sat more at the end of the armchair, his patience had run out.


“No one that jumps into an abyss survives. Anyone would crash on the rocks or even in the rivers that wind the mountains. She is gone,” Greenberg began to get angry with Jia. Sitting in front of him, smiling at him. Mocking him. She was struggling not to laugh.His face flushed with blood, it had become as red as his hair.


“Please...do not try to kill me Kevin,” She frowned. “I'll tell you exactly what you saw Kevin Greenberg.”She stuck her hand in the long sleeve of her robe, from there she pulled out a small vial with a shiny powder that looked like Golden glitter.She used her long fingernail to open the vial, put some of the golden dust in the palm of her hand and blew the dust against the mirror.Suddenly the Mirror began to make strange sounds. terrible moanings and wailings could be heard, like cries of tortured people, crying out for mercy.


“Let me out of here!!!” somebody was screaming. “It’s cold...is very cooold, help!” this other voice caused chills to run down Kevin's spine. The image disappeared from the face of the mirror, it turned completely black.


“Don't worry about the voices. They're there because that's the way it's supposed to be,”Without further explanation, Jia closed her eyes and pointed her hand to the mirror. A forest began to appear in the mirror. It was a beautiful summer day, flowers of all colors spread through the woods, a gentle breeze shook the leaves of the trees, spreading dew's scent through the air and making cotton white clouds move slowly in the skies of Muddy Peaks.


“I know where this is going.I can't look at this.”the redhead covered his eyes using his big arm.Jia gazed that large man,frail like a child, with his body shaking,chills running through his neck,kevin felt that he was naked in front of the most terrifying scene of his life.


In the image of the mirror a woman ran desperately, being followed by several monarch butterflies, her feet moving rapidly through the stones and roots of trees that made that escape more difficult.She'd run and sometimes look back, begging the man to get away from her. The dark hair and the beautiful green silk dress floated in the air as she ran, exalting the forms of the divine body of that attractive woman;she was a beauty difficult to forget.


“ Payslee, noooo,”Kevin felt tortured remembering all that,and Jia was already feeling disgusted to see a man that size acting like this. She wasn't really a person with a lot of patience for sensitive people.


“Oh please stop! This scene went on several years ago.Get over it," Jia could no longer contain her impatience. “I need you to keep your eyes open for what you're about to see. what I'm going to show here will change your life,”she said getting rid of the teacup.


“Open your eyes and look.Or aren't you the one they call Oluf the dragon slayer?” he opened his eyes immediately, it's been years since anyone called him Oluf. Except when it was ironically mentioned in the newspapers, to make fun of or to lessen him. Truth must be said Oluf was one of the responsible for the victory against the Draconites, in the Battle of Devil's finger. In many ways his presence in the battle made a difference.Whoever was there knows this, but it was in the interest of certain people that his name was forsaken,forgotten and even erased by time. His books were to be seen as a joke,urban legends to entertain children and nothing more. Even his father Jonas Greenberg believed that his son had escaped from the training camps; to shame his family, he took refuge in the mountains and had fled combat during the war. It was not true at all.This was not how it had happened,kevin struggled to tell it in his books in the form of prose, in the form of verse he hoped the young people would hear his voice, his cry for justice.His books were an attempt to keep these memories alive. The redheaded warrior thinks only president Bale believed him.But his books touched the hearts of the orphans, and especially a little girl named Azeviche.


Jia got up, held Kevin by his arm so tight that it started throbbing. From his Armchair, the giant looked up at that impressive woman, the tears were still running down his face.


“From now on, you will no longer use the name Kevin. We have no use for a Kevin. Your name from now on will be Oluf, just as it was in the war. Oluf, you will look into that mirror and realize that the war was never over. We haven't won yet,”She made the statement emphatically and then he looked in the mirror,where a young Kevin was running ,trying to reach Payslee. He knew she was running towards the precipice,she was too fast for him, he couldn't reach her. Butterflies sometimes raised the woman in the air helping her escape.


“Look,” kevin said. “The butterflies will lift her up in the air, and she will throw herself on the precipice. That's how it all ended,”he felt his arm going numb Jia was still holding it with all her might.Maybe he needed something grounding him to the reality that those events had already passed. “You need to look at this scene more closely. Where did those butterflies come from anyway?” Jia asked. “Payslee always liked books about magic.Did you know that? She used to buy magic components and try to make potions,”Kevin was petrified, maybe he didn't know his wife as well as he thought. “These butterflies are not acting of their own free will, they have been enchanted with a certain purpose,” she explained. "Here... here, notice how they lift her up in the air.” Kevin stood up, his mouth was ajar, he was dazzled with the images. In fact, he remembered the butterflies,but his wife always lived surrounded by small animals, he never paid much attention to it. “Floating in the air like this. Carried by butterflies,” she cackled. “I learned this when I was a kid,” she said with a big laugh with Kevin staring at her. “I don’t remember my wife dealing with magic of any kind,” he insisted on not facing reality.


“Oluf, Oluf. There are many things women don't tell their husbands. They tell the fortune teller,rest assured of that,” In the mirror Payslee was hovering over the precipice and a young Kevin was jumping trying to grab her,trying to avoid the inevitable. In an instant the butterflies stopped moving their wings and fell dead into the bottom of the abyss. Payslee, with a terrified expression on her face, fell too, rushing towards the bottom of the black abyss.


“The butterflies fell first and surely they must have held Payslee's fall before her body hit the stones, before it crashed into the bottom of the abyss,”Jia dropped Kevin's numb arm and pointed a finger at his face.


“Say it to my face,” Kevin spoke out loud. “You think she betrayed me in the most vile way, to run away with Mac Kimley? She took off carrying my daughter with her?” Jia said nothing, once again casting the golden dust into the mirror and Azeviche appeared in it. “Look at these eyes. They are the color of Payslee's eyes.Green like big marbles,” she said walking in the small room. “This silk black hair and porcelain skin, it all looks like Payslee.Yet the resemblance to her, ends there. You must see the fire in these green eyes Oluf. This fire is the same fire that burns inside you,” Kevin leaned on the dragon statue, the smoke of the clove and cinnamon incense wrapped his body making the floor spin on his feets,the cruel truth crawled down his throat hitting him in the stomach like a stone.


“The truth may be painful, but think about it. You have a daughter out there. The question is: What are you going to do about it?” Oluf heard the witch talking , he made an effort to shake all this new information out of his head as if it were possible. With a hand clasped to his forehead and other holding the dragon statue, he kept his balance,then dragging his feet he went back to the armchair. He felt his head spinning there was no time to be this weak, he had a mission, he needed to find…


“I need to find my daughter!” Jia was pleased to hear the giant saying those words. That's exactly what they needed, finally she'd have the help she needed.


“You said she was adopted by Ronna Abbe. She may only be living on Marcus Abbe's ranch, the Silver Sword Ranch. Marcus Abbe hates me, I just met him on the road and he accused me of Payslee's death. I imagine he will put up a fight when I say he adopted my daughter,”he felt his throat dry, but he was starting to organize his ideas. “I'm sorry, now I need this tea more than ever,” he said pouring the tea in the cup and drinking it profusely.


“Azeviche is not in the ranch, the witch tried to say it in a way that didn't look like a provocation or a manipulation. “Where she could be then? I will have to go to the ranch and—” he was unable to finish


“—Think Oluf. Where do all the kids go when summer comes to Muddy Peaks?” Can you remember?”


His eyes widened like two orbs staring in the past again.“Azimute Quasifinger. The training camps.” Even though he moistened his throat sipping the lemongrass tea, the words got out of his mouth in a whisper that could barely be heard. Oluf would not dare to speak it out loud,not the name of that forsaken place. All the memories of his past came back to haunt him.


“Exactly,” The witch said. “She's in the training camps and if I'm right. She's in terrible danger.” she explained. “I already believed she would be in danger. That Mac Kimley would put Governor Fabion O'Ridley and Half Joness behind her to try to capture her and take her to the Southern Lands or even kill her,” Oluf frowned, he was worried.these words made him restless in his armchair.


“They want to kill her?” Oluf asked.


“Yeah, she's got skills.she's a dragon slayer just like you.And that's not all. There seems to be a special connection between her and the boy Robert LuckyFeets,something I can't explain yet, but the Draconites already knew and are determined to put an end to it,” she said by shoving both hands in the sleeves of her robe. “Anything the Draconites fear should be taken into consideration and used as a weapon to defeat them,”she took a deep breath.


“Oluf, I’m afraid to say we are close to a new war.”


“I know that. Or president Bale wouldn't have sent me back to Muddy Peaks.I can feel it in my bones since I put my feet back on this island,” he scratched his chin and they were silent for a few seconds. “It will take me considerable time to cross the island in search of my daughter at the training camp,” Jia leaned back in her chair when she heard that. Her lips parted in a smile showing all her pearly white teeth.


“ No it won’t,” she said giggling like a little girl. “I need you to get there as soon as possible. I told my daughter to look after Azeviche and LuckyFeets, but see…”she frowned. “I can't fully trust my own daughter.she is no regular girl, this is all that I can say.”

The Oluf Chronicles(Azeviche (The Dragon Slayer) Chapter 1

       Chapter 1

Jet Black

   

  Behind the mountains, a black smoke announces that the express train is near. Each visit of the express is eagerly awaited in town. Orders, workers, and even the most important news come through it. From the platform, we can hear that somebody is ringing the bell at " Muddy Peaks Station".

"The train is near. Everybody behind the yellow line please,” Jonas Greenberg, the Inspector of the station screamed. He is the oldest employee of the railroad and should no longer be working. But it is him that maintains order in this place. "Newcomers arrive from time to time to work at the station, but they do not have the same discipline". Jonas always said.
Standing on the platform, looking to the mountains and listening to the roar of the train was Marcus Abbe.
"What a day. What a Great day," Marcus said.

He and his wife Ronna had received a mail from the government informing that their application for adoption had finally been accepted. Jonas looked at Marcus with a longing smile. He knew him since he was a little boy.
" Well well. Don't tell me, Mr. Abbe. Is that what I'm thinking? Is this the great day? ” He asked.
“ Yes, Mr. Jonas. It seems that our dream is about to be fulfilled. I'm so anxious that I can barely contain myself.”
"Ha!!! Yes,... yes. Mr. Abbe,” Greenberg scoffed. This village needs fresh blood running through its veins. After all, we are all getting a little tiny bit...old aren't we?” Said Jonas pointing his long fingers toward Marcus.
Marcus ran his fingers through his grey hair, he was embarrassed, “You got me there. We are close to retirement,” he laughed.
The roar of the engine and the noise on the rails got louder and louder. As the train got into the station, the conductor hit the breaks,a moan and shrill scream could be heard, it took a while to stop the gigantic machine. The entire place got flooded with steam, clouding the vision. Shadowy figures were moving out of the freight cars. Anxious people searching for their relatives, disembarking, looking everywhere amazed with their final location.
"Is this the place? What a dump!" a boy asked his mother in a loud voice. “Shut your mouth. Show some respect to the locals. You will live here now boy," Said the woman in uniform dragging the boy by his hand.“ Sorry,” The boy shrugged.
Marcus looked at the nasty boy amazed and relieved that he was not the one he was expecting.

“Mr. Jonas, sir. Today we will have a young boy living in our house. Ronna is preparing a wonderful dinner; of course, this is a special occasion for us,”He smiled. Jonah rolled his eyes at him.
“God give me patience,”new people coming to town every day was nothing new to Jonah.

"Of course... of course, Mr. Abbe and I, more than anyone else know about your wife's anxiety for this occasion," Jonas replied to Marcus, playing with his long white whiskers. The train finally came to a halt at the platform and the brakes stopped the huge mass of metal on the tracks.

"Mr. Abbe where's your nameplate?" Jonas asked touching Marcus on his shoulder.

"How can you find the boy without the number plate?" Jonas was agitating his hand in the air.

“Well. In fact, I don’t have one yet." Marcus replied.

“Marcus... Good lord marcus,” he smiled. “Always the same, since you were a little boy, aren't you? Always forgetting about things,”Jonas stared at him.

“Yeah...well. I'm sorry Jonas. Could you help me?” Marcus blushed and his lips curved in an awkward smile.
“By all means, Yes. I have the list here in my clipboard and ... "Voilá" The number plate for you,” he said giving him a small placard.”Do you still think I should retire Marcus?” He laughed looking at him with narrow eyes.
“In fact, this place needs somebody to keep things working. I keep the mansion running," he cackled moving back to his work.

" Yeah... I guess.! Said Marcus.

The train was moving again on the tracks leaving the station. Most of the people on the platform had already left. Some of them very happy carrying packages and smiling, others hugging their relatives with tears strolling through their eyes. And curmudgeon people, not really glad to be in there at all, were mingled in the crowd. The Steam started to subside and the train left Muddy Peaks behind. Marcus, was looking around for his boy. “Where could he be? Everybody had already left the train,” He felt desperate. A woman carrying a suitcase tapped Marcus in the back.

“In there sir,” She said. “Standing down the platform. There is somebody waiting.” she points to a figure waiting in the distance.

“Thank you very much, lady,”Marcus thanked her. “There..there he is. My boy." he ran to the person standing there.

"Uh...Sir, no I mean..."the lady tried to talk to him, but it was too late, Marcus was running, he could not wait to give a warm welcome to the new member of the Abbe family.
“Finally,” he said. running, snorting and punching trying to catch his breath.
But there, looking at Marcus with large bright green eyes, there was a smile bigger than the used suitcase sitting on the floor. With long black hair running down the shoulders. Jet black as a night without stars, wearing a white outfit and wear-out brown boots.
“A girl?” Marcus looked at her with startled eyes. “But...but what's going on here, where is the boy? Marcus asked her.
“What is the meaning of... OF THIS?” He said pointing his hand at the girl.
“My name is Azeviche Jet and if you are Mr. Marcus Abbe. I am your daughter, sir,” She stared back at him, smiling and pointing a finger to a small placard written: “ Abbe”.
Marcus looked at Azeviche, head to toe. He had sweat dripping down his forehead. It was unbelievable that after all this time, trying to adopt a child, the government made this terrible mistake and they sent the wrong person.
“They never said anything about a boy. if I'm correct,” Marcus talked to himself, ignoring the girl. His hand lied under his chin as if he had a huge weight on his head to be supported.
He spun on his heels thinking ,still in shock. “The government rarely makes mistakes,”Marcus thought. Not since the war. Since it all began and thousands of people died defending a country that no longer exists, orphan children got relocated in new foster homes to new parents, to work in the mines, extracting metal for weapons and vehicles,to work the fields, so that the very existence of the colonies was not compromised. Whoever comes to Muddy Peaks are not only residents of an inhospitable place, they are responsible for the maintenance, they were there to hold ground and prevent a new “Draconite” invasion. The terrible civilization that reduced the earth's population by half. They came from the lands of south to destroy humanity.
Marcus stood there thinking. Azeviche was disgusted with his rude attitude. Her face got flushed with anger. She turned to him and screamed at the top of her lungs looking for his attention.

“Hey !!! This is no way to treat a lady. Do not think you ́re going to leave me here in the open with my heavy suitcase,” she said in a very serious tone.

She reached for a document with the official seal in hot wax and the coat of arms of the “State of the Northern Islands” that was inside the pocket of her white wrinkled dress.

“The government seal,” Marcus said. This was no mistake at all.

“My name ends with “E”, but don't take me for an Anne of Green Gables,sir. I may be an Orphan but I know my rights. I know we are not sent to this end of the world,” she stuttered.

“This... this God-forsaken place, for a walk." she was very annoyed and was yelling at him.

Astonished with the frightful scream of the little Banshee, Marcus finally seemed to shake himself out of the trance. The apparently fragile and short little girl of twelve years old, was very resolute in her attitude, she stared at Marcus ,with Eyes gleaming as if about to burst into tears. She shook the paper in the air in her clenched fist. Her head spinning in a whirlwind, in a storm of thoughts and emotions.

She went through a long,twenty five day trip to get to this place. At the farthest point in the country, at the frontier of what was left of the civilization of yore, with the unknown world of the destroyers of mankind. she's had enough for today.


"Here! Here!!!...You,... you!” she was still shaking the paper in the air. “Take it and read it out loud. You won't leave here until you do it, sir,” she demanded.


Poor man. Marcos never expected to come across such a determined soul in his life. The apparent fragile little girl was a determined soul, decided to fight for her rights. Azeviche reminded him of his colleagues of the army. An epoch of battles of the Hundred Days War. “Sagacious eye, strong in spirit,” he looked at her. “ No,there was no mistake here,” Now looking into Azeviche ́s eyes he realized; that poor creature had already been through all kinds of difficult situations. He could tell, he glow in the eyes, he used to see that in the mirror years ago. She is not the first Orphan to arrive in Muddy Peaks. No, far from it.


They come here by the hundreds,the number of children increased in the last year. The borders needs reinforcement, they must be always vigiland. The orphans are survivors of the catastrophe known as The hundred day war. Marcus think about the terrible situations that this child had to cope with to get to Muddy Peaks. He took the sealed document from her hands, broke the wax seal trying not to ruin the paper. All that excitement and anxiety made his hand shake. Marcus was sweating copiously, he was embarrassed by his attitude towards the girl. In a raspy voice he began to read the text out loud:


The State of Northern Islands,from this moment on bestow Mr. Marcus Abbe and his wife Mrs. Ronna Abbe, legal guardianship of the minor Azeviche Jet (12 years old at the moment). We appreciate your desire to serve the state.


Work, Family and country first.


Northern Islands, year 35.AD





Thirty-five years after the first Draconite attack, the first dragon attack; the worst weapon that humanity ever faced. The devastation and the effect on the lives of all people continues. Dismantled families lived under the rule of one state.The nations as we knew it were gone a long time ago. For it had to be done like this in order to survive all this tragedy.


A cyclone of memories and emotions passed through Marcus’s head in a flashback of epic proportions, causing him to finally realize. “Things are the way they are meant to be. We just need to accept with good heart what faith gives to us,” He gently folded the document and put it in the inside pocket of his jacket.


“This is it.” he said with an unexpected gesture. He put his hand on her head in a clumsy sign of affection. Marcus would have to learn very fast how to deal with children. His throat was dry, his hands shaking.


“Yes,” he gasped. “Azeviche Jet... Young lady. Looks like I am in fact your father !!!”


An explosion of held feelings travels through both of their bodies. Azeviche bit her lower lip and tears were streaming down her rosy cheeks. She put her hands together, fingers interlaced finger as if in a last desperate prayer. Her mouth was ajar, her lips trembling. she only had time to say:


“God...I'm so tired. I feel so tie...” she was unable to finish it. She fainted.Marcus quickly held her avoiding her body to hit the ground.





Here you are, little village of Muddy Peaks,

Stuck amidst the rocks of the mountains

That point its fingers to the sky.





Your red vegetation of permanent autumn,

Near the frontier of humanity and total bleakness,

Your rigid branches like spikes.





Let me pass my thick fingers, benumbed

By the fight. Through the hair of your desolation.

They will make me feel alive.





In your freezing dark rivers. My body wants to dive,

I will run, I will fight and I will cry.

If you work the dusty red soil,

The sustenance will arrive.


( Oluf the Dragon slayer )





The cold blistering wind of the afternoon was already falling over Muddy Peaks. Azeviche was still lying on the ground unconscious and Marcus was crying out for help, without knowing what to do. He gently tapped her face trying to bring her back to consciousness. Jonas Greenberg and his staff quickly run to assist them in any way that they could possibly do.


“What happened to her Mr. Marcus?” asked Jonas. There was no reason for a very young girl to pass out like this. Jonas had more than thirty years of service, he would never let anyone unassisted and this was not going to be the first time. “Jonas she was under a lot of stress and collapsed into my arms,”Marcus was almost crying, his voice trembling and Azeviche was sleeping like a baby in his arms.


“Come, oh my... come Mr. Marcus, let's take her inside, so we can take care of her. I'm pretty sure she's just exhausted from her long trip. “It is indeed an exhausting journey, sir,” Jonas said trying to calm Marcus.


Marcus took her in his arms and Jonas opened a green door to a private service room.


"Please,take her inside,mr. Marcus. I have just what we need for situations like this,” Marcus took her to the little room. It was the place where they kept brooms, detergents, cleaning products of all sorts used in the maintenance of the station. Marcus gently laid Azeviche on a rustic table in the center of the room. Extremely careful, like someone who deals with an expensive crystal vase. She lied there quietly, like someone taking a wonderful nap. Finally the weight of responsibility began to weigh on his shoulders. Marcus was responsible for a child and this changed everything. His life won't be the same from now on and he can feel it in his bones. Suddenly a chill went down his spine, his mouth was dry, he felt a void dragging him down.


“What if she never wake up anymore. I can't cope with that. Jonah. please do something,”Marcus said. Jonas could barely containing the laugh, clasping his hand to his mouth. Jonas reach for a large bottle. “ Ah! Bleach. Hre is what we need,”He opened the bottle and the smell was very strong. “What is her name again?” Jonas asked in a quiet soft voice, trying to calm Marcus.


“Ahn...Jetviche, I mean Azejet… Oh come on now, let's bring her back, please,”Marcus was worried sick.


Jonas ‘s skillful long fingers opened the blue lid of the bottle and pour some of the liquid into its little cap. “What a terrible smell. What is it?” Asked Marcus holding Azeviche ́s head.


“Oh, try to calm down Marcus. Are where is the veteran who fought in the Hundred Days ' War? Get a grip of yourself,” Jonas lost his patience. “Just watch and see how it's done”. Jonas approached the lid with the fetid product from her little nostrils. “This amount should just—” Jonas barely finished. Again in a hysterical scream as if all hell was about to break loose, Jet gave a shout that woke Muddy Peaks.


“They'll kill us all. Fight.”


Jonas and Marcus froze and they were simply bestified by what just happened. Sitting there at that table Azeviche sat on the table staring at the wall eyes like huge orbs her mind far away in another place. A place where something terrible, really horrid was taking place. After that loud scream she static, the right hand amid the air in a frozen gesture. Now here is something that the experienced Mr. Jonas had never dealt with.


"Oh Mr. Abbe,Marcus This child have been through a lot I can tell that sir,” He touched Marcus in his shoulder.


“Look at her. She is staring to nowhere, poor child,” Jonas clasped a hand to his mouth. He shook his head feeling sorry for the girl.


“How come they send a traumatized child to a place like this,” Jonas felt pity.


“ Have you ever seen anything like this?” asked Marcus holding her hand. A continental island, Muddy Peaks is where the army was able to stop the attack of The Draconites. This place is now where people hold the ground,where they keep a watch on the border in order to keep the terrible alien race from taking over the rest of the world. This is not a place for the weak of the faint of heart.


“This may look like a boring place now,the capital keeps sending hundreds of children to live here,” Jonas said looking at Marcus. “ By the hundreds they are getting in here Marcus,”


“ We know this is still a battle ground Jonas,” Marcus replied looking to the poor little girl.


“ I know that.My eyes will never deceive me, sir. But something is going on,” Jonas shook his hands.”Marcus talk to her, maybe your voice... Your voice may wake her up sir,” Jonas was also taken by surprise with all this situation. he did what he could, he was not a doctor he was just an experienced railroad employee.


Marcus Abbe approached the table. He too was petrified with fear. Afraid to hurt or to make all this situation any worse than it already was. Gently touching her in the face he talked to her, whispering in her ear. “Azeviche, please, snap out of it child. will you?” his body and his voice shaking like bamboo in the wind, he felt desperate, he wanted to get her out of that trance,so he tried to raise his voice. “Talk to me!!!” he cried, holding Azeviche by her shoulders.


“Nothing. said Marcus,” Sadness took his eyes. “Is she in some kind of coma? We tried almost everything,” said Jonas. “This call for extreme measures,”


“What do you mean?” asked Marcus, he felt lost. “Well..if you allow me sir,” Jonas pushed Marcus aside to get more space and raised his hand in the air. Marcus understood and nodded.


Jonas slapped Azeviche in her face. “Azeviche AWAKE UP !!!”


The extreme measure,finally seemed to work. Like someone who was immersed in the waters of a dark River she woke. Her nostrils dragging air into her lungs and her mouth ajar in a silent cry for help. She felt like she had swam miles under the water and now was finally at the surface.


“Somebody... He... help I…” She did not finish it.


"She's back Marcus, Back!!!” Jonas was celebrating. “It worked... it work, Thank God.” Marcus was relieved to see the situation resolved.


“You gave us quite a fright Girl,” Said Jonas smiling at her, his hands touching her shoulders. “Azeviche, talk to me. Are you OK?” Azeviche seemed to be unaffected by all this traumatic beginning in Muddy Peaks. Unaffected and unaware that she had passed out like that.


“Oh, I ́m sorry. I guess I fell asleep. It was quite a journey you know. I am indeed tired,” She blinked scratched her eyes. “Are we going home now? She asked looking are Marcus.


“Yes, don't ́t worry about anything,” Marcus wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I have a nice room with a warm bed for you back at home.” he smiled at her amazed that she was OK. “Oh and a nice dinner will be waiting for us. Let's go home,” he touched her hair.


“Ha!!! To Home you go, indeed,”Jonas rushed them out of the room wiping his sweaty forehead and checking his pocket watch. He had a station to run.


Azeviche shook her head,trying to figure out what just happened. Her entire body ached and she wonders if maybe she had a flu or something like that. After all Muddy Peaks is a cold place and the winter was close. She wondered if they would have chocolate cake in this nice meal that Marcus was talking about. The only thing that she could think about was that she was still feeling very tired from the long travel and a really good night of sleep would not hurt at all.


Azeviche took a good look around at the platform, looking for her suitcase. Everything that she got was in that old suitcase. Taking a long yawn and spreading her arms in the air, she made a long face.


“Now, where is my suitcase?” Everything I have is in that. Where is it?” she said with her hands on her waist,looking more preoccupied than ever.


Miles a sixteen year old linesman, came in a hurry bringing the suitcase to her. “Here it is Miss. still untouched, rest assured of that,” he said.


“Ah! finally a gentleman in this town. Thank you kindly mr? Mr…” she asked.


“Mi... Miles. The boy stuttered. Barely containing the laughter because of the most peculiar way that she talks.


“Well, let me take that for you. It is about time we head home, Ronna is waiting for us,” Said Marcus taking the suitcase. “Goodbye and thank you for everything Mr. Jonas,” Marcus nodded. “Oh, just another day in paradise Marcus... See you,” Jonas fixed his silver whiskers waving goodbye.


Marcus embraced his daughter as they passed through the tall gates of the station.They both faded away in the cold mist that started to come from the mountains, announcing the arrival of the night. While a purple sun kissed the horizon, a black veil full of blue stars fell over their heads. They both climbed on a humble buckwagon and a brown old horse, slowly took them home.


The small wagon with Marcus and Jet slowly traveled the dirt roads, passing between the pine trees, their branches now quite burnt out by the cold that was arriving. Snowflakes slowly fell upon the branches of the trees, painting a beautiful portrait of the rustic place. When the night falls in Muddy Peaks, people always seek shelter on their homes, tucking themselves in the heat of the tavern to drink some Brandy, trying to warm their throats. Work is even more intense in this season of the year, for pretty soon the snow must take the roads,the woods and the whole city will be immersed in the white cold winter. The sagacious eyes of Azeviche looked the landscape,while the humble cart lead them towards the top of a hill. Marcus stopped the carriage and the two of them sit the admiring the landscape for a moment. From up there they could see the mountains and a river cutting through the whole valley like a blue serpent. Reflecting the moon that was shining up above. The carcasses of ancient vehicles used in the hundred days war looked like ancient sculptures all along the way. The nature engulfing it absorbing and transforming it back to what it was not so long ago. Just metal.


Plants turn distorted tanks into large vases, twisted branches coming out of broken windows, intertwining in a continuous embrace of rust and green. Azeviche noticed a bright yellow light in the window of a house, the smoke coming out the chimney indicates without a doubt that they would finally be able to shelter from the blistering wind.


Marcus nodded pointing at the house. “ The Silver Sword Ranch. Your new house,” he said.


Her eyes sparkled with happiness. Finally Azeviche’s heart seemed to calm down and the agony that took her throughout the journey seemed to dissolve, the destiny opened a new door, an opportunity for a new noble life.


They finally passed through gates and from the top of the crooked trail that lead to the big house, they could see two women standing in there and waving at them.


“ look.Ronna and Agnes,” Marcus told her. Anxious and half tormented by the enormous delay the two women came running to them. They were worried sick.


“Here we are,” Marcus said. Ronna could see in his face that he was tired. “Ronna, I hope you have a warm meal for us, honey.” he touched his tummy . “Off course we have, but won ́t you introduce us to this fine young lady?” Said Ronna in a beautiful smile. Always a very nice and beautiful woman, Ronna extended her hand to Azeviche. “Here,Let me help you out of this wagon.” She smiled.


“Good evening.My name is Azeviche Jet. I ́m your new daughter.” she stated with a salute and smiling. “Oh my” You are pretty straight forward isn't you?” Ronna asked her.


“Oh! You bet on that,” replied Marcus. “Azeviche Jet,” Ronna instantly felt a strong connection with the black-haired and spirited child. “Twice the name for the same black stone. Pretty interesting,” she touched Azeviche in her shoulders. “Oh, maybe it is because you have— But interrupting Ronna, Azeviche completed. “And yes, it is on account of my long, dark hair like the night,that they gave me such an interesting name. But they certainly do not compare in beauty to yours, red as fire,” She said to Ronna. “ I believe that with the blizzard that is about to come,a warm fire is what I would like most now.” Ronna and Agnes laughed, she took Azeviche by her hands and shaking her arms she says: “Well I think you are the most adorable child. Welcome to our home. Your home now,” The fire and the meal awaits you both,”


“Well awaits us all, I shaw say. I'm starving too! You are late Marcus, off course you stopped to chat with that old fart Jonas,” Agnes scolded him. “The king of the station he thinks he is,” Agnes smiled. “Well, maybe he is,” Marcus talked back to Agnes. Ronna disapproved her comment. “Mum!!! Old fart? We have a child in the house now,” Ronna said gently pushing everybody inside the house. “Off you go.The dinner is at the table,” Azeviche looked to Marcus that was holding her old suitcase.


“They both said fart,” she noticed. she chuckled and they all laughed, closing the door behind them. That was a warm reception even better than Jet could have ever expected. Finally a roof protected her head, fire slowly danced as a ballerina in the fireplace. Its yellow light spreading all over the cozy living room. And she felt protected as she never was in her entire life.

Officer Hai Yun

You have come across this text and do not know what this is all about. But you are curious enough to know what it is? Read the rest here:
The Oluf Chronicles

or read here:

The Oluf Chronicles ( Azeviche Dragon Huntress)







Chapter 10
Blood Pool

“We will be separated into groups? This is outrageous.” The first day had not quite begun and Azeviche was not satisfied. There was something odd about that place,she could smell it in the air. Everything was new, Norma Steinfeld ran the camp with an iron fist;this was a military camp not an orphanage.She made it very clear by telling the alumni that the boys wouldn't sleep in the same building as the girls. “Not on my watch,” It was the first thing she said on opening day, when all the students lined up, facing the pole with the flag of the northern islands, ready to sing the national anthem.The patio was full of children,newly admitted to Muddy Peaks.They were all in uniform for one reason and one reason only.They were there to be trained. To become soldiers. to be prepared to ... war.


Jet could have sworn she heard more than a dozen people gasping, when they heard the word war. This was not a place where they would be treated like little children, It was very clear from day one. Robert was not so concerned about Norma's harsh words. His concern was with the training and with punishment. In his wild imagination, he had already drank piss about thirty times.He could see himself standing with a glass full of a yellow liquid in his hand, using a nose plug, trying to figure out which technique would make it more bearable. Azeviche could not soothe him.


"You just have to behave, and you won't have to drink anything but five o'clock tea,"she stated emphatically. Robert couldn't take his eyes off of Hai Yun;that was standing close to them. He was delighted with that girl . She was perhaps the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, a vision of paradise that almost made him forget the hard life he was going to have during all summer.


Azeviche told him that she was the daughter of the famous witch of Borderline city. A foot taller than him an athletic body that got Robert's hormones and his juvenile fantasies awakened for the first time. He stared at the shiny hair running down her back in a ponytail.Robert was moving his lips, but he wasn't singing the national anthem at all.


The anthem was finally over and he kept moving his lips like a fool. Hai Yun looked back and caught him staring at her.


“This fool must be Robert LuckyFeets,” Hai curled her lips in a disgusted expression and shrugged. A plump teacher wearing a khaki uniform,stood up at the stage to go to the microphone. He tapped the microphone with his fat fingers making the microphone screech like a frightened cat. Everybody covered their ears in pain.


“Aham… Sorry about that,” he said curling his whiskers.


“Take one step behind, Sergeant Johnson please,” Norma said rolling her eyes to him. He clung to his clipboard, straightened his thin black tie and tried again, smiling at the students.


“Welcome… Seems to be working properly now,” he looked back at Norma that rolled her eyes again and curled her lips.


“Welcome to Azimude Quasifinger’s training camp,” he said, drumming his large paunch with sausage fingers. “To the veterans, welcome back. We will be delighted once again to torture you all, but this time with more advanced training.”


“Did he said torture?” Robert poked Azeviche on her shoulder,asking loudly.


She was in formation standing in front of him. “Shut up. You want us to drink pee in the first day, don’t you?” she elbowed him. The veterans were looking at them, with their fingers on their lips asking for silence.


“Shhhh. Quiet...quiet now, please,” Sargent Thomas Johnson said at the microphone.


“To the freshmen a very warm welcome. My task here is to make it very clear that bad behavior will not be tolerated at all.” A woman in uniform approached Johnson holding a tray with something covered with a white cloth in it.


“Misconduct will be punished at first, with a thousand pushups,”He clicked his tongue and cleared his throat.With his hand covering his mouth, he seemed to be waiting for something. There was a brief applause, the new students didn't quite understand the purpose of the applause.


“Thank you...Thank you,” he asked for silence again with his hand.


“This is a warning to the freshmen. Veterans know very well what happens to students who persist in misbehaving. They know the punishment if they break the rules,” pointed his finger at them. “Continued misconduct will not be tolerated,no. Not at all. It will receive the ultimate punishment,” he said smiling sarcastically.


“Yes!!!”some of the senior students shouting clapping their hands and whistling. Sergeant Thomas Johnson approached the tray and held the end of the white cloth looking at them with the corner of his eyes, he pulled cloth displaying the secret content beneath it.


There was a general commotion. Some students turned their faces in disgust. "Nooo!!!"A girl with a fair hair shouted,veterans the veterans were ecstatic. Clapping hands and whistling acclaiming Thomas and his golden cup.


“Behold it! Hot horse piss,”Johnson cackled. Norma Steinfeld clasped her hand to her mouth trying not to laugh to hard.








“The punishment for bad students will be a glass of fresh horse piss. Your parents may have already warned you,because this punishment is an old tradition in our training camp. Many of you may have thought that the golden cup was an urban legend and yet: Here it is,” Johnson held the glass in the air with his fat fingers. Students standing near the stage were afraid that he would drop it on them.“The best thing to do is to follow the rules,” The smile on his plump face made him look like a toad with a mustache.


“This is outrageous,” Azeviche could not believe her eyes.


“ I told you it was no urban legend,”Robert replied,he could see Hai Yun looking back at him giving him a sarcastic smile.


“The orphanages were not friendly Viche, but I think this place won't be a bed of roses either,” Robert's throat was dry but he wasn't thinking of moistening it anytime soon. “You heard the man. Better behave according to the rules, or you will have to use the sugar cubes you brought with you,” Jet whispered.


“Quiet!...Quiet,”Sergeant Johnson had not finished talking, he was getting annoyed with the commotion. Even though the plump sergeant looked more like a toad with whiskers,he was respected and admired by the veterans. They seemed to have fun with this whole horse piss thing.


“As its usual in the opening day, we will give the shame medal to the last year golden cup champion,” The sergeant gave the order and two senior students playing drums increased the suspense. Everybody looked around waiting for Johnson to say the name, when the drums finally came to a haul. There was silence, one could hear a pin getting dropped, Johnson looked at his clipboard and cleared his throat again.


“Ahan,...The student who most often drank from the content of the golden cup last year was..., Howard Dantes,”Johnson announced in a solemn tone.


There was silence again, they were waiting for Howard Dantes to step forward.


“Little Howard,” somebody said. “Little Howard made it. Go for it Dantes,” Another one said enfactly.


Everybody looked at the end of the queue. He was there,a skinny boy, with fair long hair falling on his shoulders and freckles on his cheeks. He was curling his lips into a mischievous smile. With one of his eyebrows rising, he stared defiantly at the stage.


“Mr. Howard Dantes, please come to the stage,” Norma Steinfeld was holding the medal.


“Go to the stage Dantes,” said a big boy pushing him.


“Dantes!!!” somebody shouted out loud.


It was enough to start a ripple effect. Another student shouted “Monte Cristo.” Soon there was a choir shouting Dantes, Dantes And Monte Cristo,Monte Cristo,as little Dantes walked down the corridor up the wooden steps that led to the stage.


“All this fuss because of this imp?” Robert asked Azeviche.


“Don't let Halv Har know about this new king of the elven nation,” Azeviche laughed.The boy positioned himself on the stage next to Norma, looking at the medal.


“For trying to escape the training camp five times in a row last year,Mr Howard Dantes will receive the medal of shame,”Johnson said. “Major Norma Steinfeld will do the honors.” Dante had the medal placed on his chest and proudly raised his clenched fist in the air. The defiant gesture made the students scream his name again. Dantes, Dantes, Dantes, they shouted.


“All right...All right, enough,” Sergeant Johnson asked for silence,holding Dantes by the shoulder; he was already leaving the stage.


“No,no,no. Mr Dante,please remain on stage. Johnson checked his clipboard, curling his whiskers. “It says here,you tried to escape five times and four times there was a golden cup punishment,” He smiled at them and asked the officer with the tray carrying the glass to approach. Norma approached the microphone with a serious look in her eyes.


“It seems that Mr Dante have one last glass to drink, before we finish the ceremony, major Norma. Is that correct?” she asked Johnson.


“ Yes, precisely. Officer please give the cup to Mr. Dante,” Johnson asked the woman with the tray. Howard Dante took the glass without complaint or any sign of hesitation. He raised the glass in the air making a toast to his friends.


Slowly he brought the glass close to his lips and drank the yellow liquid. It went down his throat in big gulps that could be heard in the silent patio. Everyone was aghast. He drank quickly as if he had spent days in the desert without water.


“I can’t believe my eyes,” Azeviche said. “I’ll never drink pineapple juice again,” Robert felt disgusted. Dantes approached the microphone with the empty glass and handed it to Sergeant Johnson.


“Very well. To the last drop, Mr Dante,” Johnson said checking the empty glass. “Let this serve as an example to your colleagues.”


The boy stepped down the stage,heading to the end of the line,where he was. Azeviche stared at him as he passed.The little boy's defiant attitude had captured her attention. “I shall scape six more times this year,” Dante whispered.


“Boys and girls will now report to your proper buildings. Girls report to the officers in the yellow buildings. Boys, please report to your officers in the green buildings.The opening ceremony is over,” Norma,Johnson and the other officers had already left the stage the students with their backpacks were heading for their rooms.Azeviche taught that the ceremony had proved the training camps to be somewhat a cruel place. Robert and Jet, were still in shock with the ceremony, but little Dantes had made a big impression on them. They decided to try to talk to him before going to their quarters. Howard Dantes was looking at the floor, some of his colleagues were trying to cheer him up.Azeviche approached him touching him on the shoulder.


“I didn't think the golden cup was for real. You were very brave in there,”Azeviche told him.


“Oh, bravery had nothing to do with it. I just can't stand this place and will keep trying to escape,” Dantes replied.That defiant look had faded from his eyes, he was a wreck and Azeviche felt pity for him.


“We noticed some animosity in the air. Is that why you don't like this place?” She asked.


“Ani...what? No. I don't like in here because this is a place full of bullies.They mock me because I am the youngest student here. I am shorter than all of them,” Dante explained.


“Why they called you Monte Cristo?” Robert asked him. Azeviche put her hands on her hips and curled her lips at Robert.


“How can you ask that? It is because of an old book.” Azeviche told Robert.


“What book?” Robert asked.


“The Count of Monte Cristo,” Dantes explained. “It’s a book about a guy named Dantes too. He gets unjustly imprisoned and escapes from prison to become the count of Monte Cristo.”


“That is why they keep calling me that.”


“Well, we don’t really care about that. Your attitude made a good impression on us. I am Azeviche Jet and this is my friend Robert LuckyFeets,” she said shaking his hand.She felt someone grabbing her arm so tightly it began to tingle.It was Hai Yun.


“Girl this place is not an amusement park. You better stay by my side if you want me to protect you,” Hai Yun said looking into her eyes. Azeviche didn't liked being pulled this way and that tone of voice did not pleased her ears.


“I never needed anyone to protect me. It won’t be different now,” Azeviche frowned at Hai Yun and she slowly let go of her arm. Azeviche and Hai Yun were like oil and water, they would not mingle,the oriental girl was smart and experienced enough to know this,but Jia had ways to know if she would keep her word or not. She would have to keep an eye on Azeviche.


“It's not that simple every room has a sorority. I promised my mom I would keep an eye on you, I can't keep my word if you stay in a different room,” Yun said pointing a finger at Azeviche.


“Sorority? You mean a stupid club. I don’t want to join your stupid club,” Jet had little patience for this kind of things.


“You have no option, this is how things work here. Work by the book or get tossed.”she put a sticker with the letter D on Azeviche’s vest.


“Hey! What do you think you're doing?”


“I ́m bidding you to my room,” Yun said. “ Now you don’t have a choice, you will have to report to my room.


Azeviche looked at the red D-sticker on her chest, then she stared at Hai Yun with squinted eyes. She understood why Dante didn't liked this place.


“Every room has a different sorority, with different rites of passage. Our ceremony will take place tomorrow in the forest.So when you stop wasting your time with Dantes the midget and mister big ears here, report to the second floor,bedroom twenty tree. You will see the yellow dragon at the door,"Hai Yun said pulling one of Robert's ears.


“Hey! Knock it out,” his ear got red like a pomegranate.


“You see. I will not break the promise I made to Jia,” Hai Yun smiled.


“You touch his ear again, I’ll break you hand,” Azeviche dropped her backpack and shook her fist at the Chinese girl.


Hai Yun spun on her heels, cackling heading to the quarters where her veteran friends were waiting for her.


“You gonna have problems with this one,” Dantes said. “ She is no cupcake.”


“ Can I join you at your quarters?” Robert asked Dantes. “ Yes, by all means,LuckyFeets is that a kick name?


Azeviche took her rucksack and said goodbye to Robert he was in good hands for now.


“Poor Robert will have a sore ear for at least a week,” she thought as she climbed the marble steps that led to the second floor. She sincerely hoped a good toothpaste would get the bad taste out of Dante's mouth. Jet walked down the long corridor carrying her rucksack, looking for a door with a Dragon in it.She was amazed with the chao, but the architecture of the building filled her eyes. No doubt it was a beautiful place, with green columns supporting white walls and twelve large windows stretching down the long corridor displayed a landscape that looked like a painting. With mountains and trees and the red sky on top of it all. The smell of the trees reminded her of home. Girls running like mad,were fighting for a room where they could settle down. The place was wrapped in chaos, with girls getting chased down the corridors, being pushed out of the rooms. A plump girl didn't want to go into one of the bedrooms and was pulled by her arms by veterans. Azeviche noticed that the officers were doing nothing to stop all this madness. “This is all part of the novice initiation. She heard somebody saying. “This place is designed to harden people,another one insisted,” she took a deep breath and kept looking for the room when a girl with a cigarette in her mouth came and grabbed her by the arm.


“Hey girls, lets drag this one to our room, she looks like a tough one.” She said puffing smoke at Azeviche.Two girls appeared at the door and one of them went white as a sheet of paper when she noticed the sticker on her chest.


“ Stay away from this one. She got a “D” sticker,” the skinny girl with big feet said.


“ I couldn't care less,” the cigarette girl was dragging Jet to one of the rooms.


“ Let her go. She belongs to the Dragon room,” The skinny girl said pointing to the sticker.


“ Hai Yun is going to break your arm if she finds out you got one of her girls,”


“Oh, I don’t want trouble with Hai Yun,” They left Azeviche alone and ran down the hall with the cigarette girl,trying to capture other candidates. Paper flew through the air, girls ran down the hall screaming. Others tried to persuade the veterans to let them in, as the sun was almost setting and places in one of the quarters were becoming rarer. She moved patiently down the hall,indifferent to all that commotion. What was that compared to an orphanage being attacked by a dragon? A piece of cake. She looked around and there was no dragon, the doors only had numbers in it. there it was, a red door with a yellow dragon adorning it at the end of the corridor. This was the only door painted in red. The other doors were all grey and it was also the only closed door in the hallway. She put her ear against the door trying to hear shouting, people running, a pillow fight or something like that. The room was silent. She knocked at the door and waited for someone to open it.


“Here she is.” A tall girl with curly hair opened the door. Azeviche looked into the room and there were two more girls there, with stickers on their vests standing side by side. Hai Yun was sitting on top of one of the bunk beds.


“Ah! I told you she would come,” said Hai Yun jumping out of bed. “Sooner or later they always come,” Viche felt the cold touch of her hand against her arm,she was ushered into the room. The place was immaculate, clean as none of the rooms she passed along the corridor. Azeviche and there was no smell of cigarettes on this one; “What a relief,” Maybe the girls from this golden dragon room, were smart enough to know that cigarettes are bad for their health. Evidently the leader was Jia's daughter. “I knew it,” Viche taught.


“I didn't like the sparkle in her eyes from the first time I saw her,”she wished she could say everything that was going through her mind. There was something about Hai Yun that didn't inspire confidence in her. But now there was no escape.And now there wasn't much she could do. The music was playing and the best thing to do was dance. It was Hai Yun's party here in this room; she was in charge. She was the one picking the songs. So Jet would dance waltz until she could figure out how to change the music.


Hands behind her body, chest puffed out, Hai Yun walked in the room staring head to toe at the novices. She looked disgusted.


"This will change," She poked the chubby girl's belly with her finger. “I will not accept piggys in my room. Do you understand me,Piggy?”she said shaking a packet of snacks to her face. “This must change too,” She pulled the girl's fire-red braids.


“Yes sir,” The girl replied, with her eyes looking at the ceiling.


“Short black hair,”Hai Yun looked at the second girl. “Seems to be fit,” She tapped her belly. The uniform is ... rumpled, Peeled pink nail polish,” she scoffed. No one here is allowed to use nail polish. Did you hear me Pinky? Hai Yun said almost touching Pinky’s face.


“Yes sir,” She also said staring at the ceiling. The seniors were shaking Piggy and Pinky’s rucksacks in the air, throwing the contents on the floor and looking at what they had brought.


“ Now it’s your turn. Let me look at you,” Hai Yun said.


“The dragon slayer, she cackled. You don't look like much to me,” she said taking Jet by the shoulders and spinning her, so that she could contemplate the girl.


“This is going to be a long,long summer,” Azeviche rolled her eyes and curled her lips.


Azeviche tried to protest when the veterans snatched the rucksack from her hands, throwing all her carefully folded clothes on the floor. Clothes and gears were thrown to the floor forming three small piles of uniforms. One for Piggy, one for Pinky and another one for Azeviche.


"As you may have noticed. I am the boss here,” She said walking in the room with her chin pointing to the girls. “...And soon you will also notice that I am not only the boss of this quarter. I command the second floor,” She said proudly.


“Who commands the second floor girls?” She asked her two veterans.


“You do boss,sir.” Answered Curly.


“Yeah you are the boss here,” said Guenever.They were squatting on the floor going through the piles, one with pink panties on her head like it was a cap and the other was chewing a strawberry lollipop she had found in Piggy's rucksack. One of them shook Azeviche rucksack still looking for unauthorized gear or clothes when a heavy book fell to the floor in a thud noise.


“Whats we got here?” smiled the curly haired girl.


“Hey boss look.We found contraband!!!” Curly shook the book in the air.


“You brought contraband to my quarters? Give it here let me see that,” she demanded.


“Hey this belong to me. Give it back,” Azeviche went crazy with anger. All the blood rushed to her head causing her to turn red as an imp.


“Give back!!!” She yelled at Hai Yun. The chinese girl stared at the cover of the book,with pelled golden text in it. She held Azeviche by her neck. Jet tried to punche Hai Yun, but her fist could only find the air.


“The Chronicles Of Oluf,” Hai Yun read. “This is contraband. Our room could be punished for keeping unauthorized objects. It is time for you girls to mature. This is a book for little children and romantics,” she said approaching the window.


“Curly, Guenevere.What we do with contraband?” She asked looking at Azeviche, that was that was angry. Pinky and Piggy were crying and hugging her trying to comfort her.They held her and Azeviche unsuccessfully tried to break free to save her book.


She pushed Pinky and Piggy hard, they both fell to the ground. The chinese girl looked at Azeviche with squinted eyes, her lips curved into a smile of pure evil, she was satisfied with the pain that she was causing.


Azeviche raced around the room as fast as he could. she jumped onto the beds, thrusting herself into the air. She threw herself on top of the three girls trying to save her dear book. Hai Yun, Curly and Guenevere were thrown to the ground, but it was too late.— The Chronicles of Oluf were flying out the window. She ran to the window looking down, maybe she could go downstairs and rescue it. The book had fallen into a fire that was burning two floors below. There was nothing to do, the book was lost. Her eyes filled with tears. They cascaded down her face. The heat and the smell of the cinders clogging her runny nose. she watched the book burn. It’s thick cover and stained pages twisting, then turning red, then orange and finally in a white glow burned to ashes.Other objects were thrown through the windows. She was aghast. Several bonfires were burning two floors below. Objects of all kinds being flying through the windows to be incinerated. “What kind of place is this?” she yelled.





“Welcome to the training camp girls,” Hai Yun cackled. Curly,Guenevere,Piggy and Pinky were still sprawled across the floor.