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Chapter 2

The other, other prologue somewhere in Archasia near the arctic land bridge.

Overall Alex wouldn't say that he enjoyed fishing yes, he loves being in the open ocean the cold almost arctic breeze blowing his sandy hair into a frenzy and his blue shirt and tan shorts would always be covered in salt then they got home, but he loved his dad but the part when him and his dad sat down and actually finished he found boring and uneventful, apart from the occasional joke from his dad but today was different, there was just something different about the ocean it seemed somehow less alive and darker his dad was in the cabin.

Alex shouted over the engine, 'DAD IS IT JUST ME OR DOES IF FEEL WEIRD TODAY?'

His shouted back, 'WHAT.'

Alex opened his mouth to reply thought better of it shut his mouth and walked over the wooden deck to the cabin of the boat, it was shabby, dilapidated and best described as the old, the wooden hull was stained green and encrusted with barnacles but she had character, this boat was older than Alex.

Alex knocked on the door, his dad opened the door which was pointless it made the already cramped space more unbearable it was just over a meter on each side, with almost all the room being taken up by the steering wheel his father was somewhere in his fifties and was balding when he was fishing he always wore a large sun hat to protect his face and head he turned not realizing Alex was right behind him.

And yelled, "WE ARE HEAR" right in Alex's face.

Alex leapt back in surprise.

'sorry' his dad said, apologetically.

Alex waved his hand airily, 'it's Fine shall I fetch the kit'

'Yes, thanks' dad replied.

"the kit" was the term, Alex and his dad used for fishing poles and bait, witch today was worms, Alex walked over to the little hatch at the back of the boat opened it and grabbed out the bait and fishing poles he looked up and fell back in horror, he involuntarily yelled his dad looked up concern whiten on his face.

Alex just pointed, 'there was something big.'

his dad stood up came over to Alex and rested a hand on his shoulder 'are you ok' he asked Alex regained his composer 'yes, I'm Fine'

The lights turned off, suddenly it was dark the perfect sunny day gone in the blink of an eye thunder clashed the sky lit up as lightning struck Alex looked around the wind was blowing up into a gale.

It lurked below the tiny watercraft with the two humans in it, it wondered if that were sacred yet it new the smaller one was the human had seen it, it came close to the boat and gently knocked it and watched the pathetic little craft list violently, but it was bored with the little humans it was time to feed.

So, it gently lowered itself to the ocean floor and shot up and it broke the surfs of the storm-tossed ocean.

the wave created by the thing swamped the tiny boat, it raised its head the sky and roared its tentacles ensnaring the boat.

Alex was hanging on to the side of the boat for dear life the rain hitting his face like a thousand little slaps then he herd the bone-chilling raw of a beast not of this earth he gathered the strength to look up but he couldn't see the thing, he was looking at was so utterly wrong but its saw him tentacles Started to envelop the boat but something snatched Alex and he was dragged underwater screaming.

When Alex came to he was lying on the beach face down, he lay there for a second wondering how he got there he looked around it was twilight and it came back to him it was like getting punched in the gut, he got up on all fours and then fell over again.

'it's ok you'll feel better soon' he didn't know who had spoken but the voice was kind, so Alex looked to his side and tried to scramble away but just fell over again.

he closed his eyes.

'Don't eat me' he said terrified.

Runetide looked down at the human child with was now clearly not taking her saving him very well which was understandable Runetide was unmissabley as a dragon but smaller than most, at only twenty-five meters tall and she preferred the ocean to the open sky and so was covered in smooth dolphin-like skin witch was a light blue with a grey patch that ran from her lower jaw to her navel, her hands and feet were webbed and she had gills, her muzzle was also shorter them most dragons and more rounded and the upper part of her muzzle was longer than the bottom which was very unusual, her teeth also were different like serrated triangles her horns were also smaller than other dragons.

she cooed gently and reached out slowly and picked him up, she guessed the human child was maybe ten or so and he was still longer than her hand she gently stroked him and he slowly relaxed.

she spoke softly, 'hey you just need to relax' she Started stroking him very gently lacing her words with a stage calming effect.

Alex was very afraid he rolled over in the palm of the strange dragon holding him if the dragon was going to harm him it would have done so already, Alex had seen dragons around, he had even talked to a few but this one was different it looked different.

'so, who are you?' he asked.

The dragon holding Alex seemed to be considering its words, 'well' it's said sounding hopeful 'I think we should start with names' Alex sat up looking up at the dragon.

he was currently sitting in the palm of a dragon and it was looking at him it seemed intrigued it raised Alex to eye level, which even when it was sitting was a good fifteen meters off the ground and Alex said the first thing that came to mind when he was being held by a mysterious dragon that had just saved his life.

'How are you today?' he asked.

Runetide looked at the human on her palm and burst out laughing and dropped him.

And that's how their friendship started well; it was a little more complicated.

Runetide caught Alex with her other hand before he hit the ground you 'you right there?' Runetide asked Alex.

Alex nodded Runetide put Alex down gently, 'I imagine you have some questions.'

Alex nodded again 'y-yes I do.'

Runetide sat down cross-legged hands-on knees, 'shoot' she said her tail was moving ever so slightly.

Alex didn't quite know what to say, so he just sat there in silence.

Runetide after a short while said, 'your portably in shock trying to process what's going on, what was that mass of tentacles, how about we sleep on it?'

Runetide lay down and closed her eyes.

'Where's my dad' Alex said Runetide opened her eyes those green orbs and he saw genuine sadness.

'No' Alex said tears brimming in his eyes 'no, no, no.'

Runetide sat up 'Alex you need-.'

'No' Alex screamed 'no don't you understand he's dead' tears were pouring down his face.

'Hey there you need to calm down' Runetide said raising her hands slightly, 'he's just in the hospital.'

'Oh,' Alex said.

Runetide smiled 'he will be fine I hope.'

'Why am I here not with my dad?'

'You will know soon' Runetide said in an overly mysterious voice 'when you are ready.'

Then she just sat there as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Despite himself, Alex couldn't help smiling he picked up a fist full of sand and threw it at Runetide it didn't even reach her not even close he sat there on the beach for a while longer pondering what did Runetide mean? And who or what hospitalized my dad and tried to kill me?

'Runetide' Alex shouted, 'I'm ready'.

Runetilde looked up 'well that was quick.'

Alex shook his head smiling, 'so are you going to tell me now, or are you still miss enigmatic?'

'You'll have to settle for a mix' Runetide said.

'Alright then' Alex said, 'so why am I here?'

'Step in the water' Runetide said, slipping into the water, it was one fluid motion you could tell she belonged there.

Alex's clothes were still damp, not that it mattered he stepped into the water and shivered, and it had nothing to do with the water temperature. Alex kept going until the water reached all the way to his shoulders he looked up at where Runetide had been.

'very good' Runetide said, her head popping up right next to Alex.

'Ah' Alex yelled, 'don't do that.'

'one, I'm going to keep doing that two, would you mind if speed things up a bit.'

'Not at all' Alex said, he felt smooth something touch his leg.

'Relax' Runetide said, 'it just my hand.'

She scooped Alex up in one hand and started wading out into the open sea until she was standing with her shoulders just above the waterline, she was holding Alex in one hand.

Alex was looking down into the abyssal depths.

'Hello' Runetide said.

Alex directed his attention back to Runetide.

'So' she said, 'I'm looking into getting an apprentice and you' she said pointedly, 'are the one I have chosen.'

Alex was confused, 'why me? aren't there plenty of dragons out there?'

Runetide shook her head, 'well yes but well they're not like me, I'm different I'm not from this world and given recent events well, I may need some help in the future.'

Alex didn't push it, but he still wanted to know what Runetide meant, 'what do you mean apprentice?'

'I mean' Runetide said, 'like friends but I teach you how to control magic and wright and read runes and then you help me do my job.'

'Now I'm even more confused.'

Runetide sighed, 'basically I need you to trust me, I give you magic you help me do my job of catching bad dragons.'

'all right' Alex said.

'Right then' Runetide said, lowering Alex into the water 'just lay on you back.'

Alex did as he was instructed, 'what are you going to do?'

'I'm going to give you a part of my essence part of my soul called a persona you will possess specific parts of my knowledge just the basics no memories.'

'Taking soulmates to a whole new level.'

'you could think of it like that' Runetide said slowly, 'though is more akin to mind texting.'

'I did learn about something like this at school, it's like a thing that dragons can do to stay in touch but they have to use physical object why don't you?'

'Because I'm special, I'm not a native dragon my magic works with willpower, not objects.'

'Huh' Alex said, he had been taught from a young age that dragon's while massive and sometimes scary were just like humans intellectually and this one had just saved his life, this he thought was a bit like exchanging numbers and getting a job.

There was a glowing from below Alex and then he felt a jolt like he had been electrified, Alex sat up, well he tried but he was still in the water, Runetide lifted him out of the water.

'How do you feel?' she asked, she seemed a little concerned.

'I feel' Alex said 'invigorated' he looked down at his hand and he concentrated, his hand started to glow Runetide looked impressed.

How did it feel? I heard her say without moving her mouth.

'What' Alex said, out loud Runetide tapped her temple with her free hand.

Just think about what you want to say, it's there how in your head just think about what you want to do.

I thought how do I speak without speaking and this time someone answered me, it was like Runetide's voice but not it told me what to do.

So, I thought, is this working.

Runetide's eyes widened.

Wow, Runetide said in Alex's head, that was quick.

'Right' I said out loud this time, 'what's the voice in my head.'

'It's part me' Runetide said, 'something that helpful AI from that game I can't quite place.'

'That does not narrow it down' Alex said.

'It's irrelevant.'

Well, at least we agree on something.

Runetide sighed 'ok let's take you home' she scooped Alex up and took him back to shore, 'should I call the police, or will you walk home or I can walk you home' Runetide sounded concerned.

Alex imagined his mums face, 'I will be Fine to walk home.' He said with a hint of a smile.

'So how are you going. -'

'Don't worry' Alex said, 'I will come up with a convincing story as to why I'm not in the hospital, you concentrate on Finding the creature and then you do' Alex said, 'call me.'

Runetide smiled, 'will do.'

She started to walk into the sea again.

'wait,' Alex said, 'How am I going to fight it?'

'come here every second weekend, I will train you in the art of fighting things much taller than yourself.'

'Ok,' Alex said 'will do.'

'In the meantime, Alex' Runetide said, 'tutor yourself using mini-me.'

'Is that what is going to call it' Alex asked, unamused.

'Yep.'

'It sounds dumb.'

Runetide turned, 'if you want is to answer you to call it to questions you have to call it mini-me' she said smiling.

Alex sighed and started walking home mini-me.

Yes, it answered impassively.

what are runes?

Now that's something I can answer you might want to sit down for this.

I can't I reply.

Well, then mini-me said, pay attention.

To tell you what runes you are first needed to know how magic works.

Ok.

Its simple relay it's just will power but of cores, there are limitations one you need to be specific you can't just want the brick wall to not be there where's it going to go? how's it going to get there? and the second limitation it's draining mentally to do these things, for instance, you want to make a brick explode Shure that's not gonna be too taxing but the more complex or the larger to object is the more draining it's going to be.

Is it relative Alex asked?

As in because dragons are bigger it will take less effort for them because it's a smaller object for them?

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

Then yes.

And is there like a style thing, do people tend to find and sick with like do you know what I mean?

Yes and yes you have an affinity for using what's around you.

Cool, but what about runes.

Yes, back to the runes to put it simply its stored willpower.

What do you mean?

Runes are a written form of will power, you use them as quick access to certain things the downside is they need to be charged by using your will and are much less efficient than just doing it yourself, however, they don't require concentration just a tap with the intent to activate it, or think about activating it but that one takes time to learn.

Wow, Alex thought, thanks mini-me that was a lot of exposition you just sprouted forth thanks.

No problem it replied.

Alex walked past a port and saw three other dragons male all taller and much broader than Runetide lifting and moving crates, he waved to one a dragon with blue scales and golden eyes he waved back.

'How's work.' he asked

'Some as always' Morgwath replied, 'move this thing from here to there.'

'Have fun' Alex said, 'will see you tomorrow.'

'Will do.'

Alex started to walk again, 'and don't forget your homework' he threw over his shoulder.