[center][b][u]Chapter 1: The Dragons Awaken.[/center][/b][/u]
[b][i]”Arise champion.”[/b][/i]

A voice spoke softly in Alto’s mind.

[b][i]”Your destiny stirs,”[/b][/i] It continued, [b][i]”And so do I.”[/b][/i]

The voice was soft, but very deep and still; somehow it seemed harsh. Inviting and dangerous, the voice beckoned to him.

[b][i]”Long have I slumbered, awaiting the moment to come.”[/b][/i] It continued.

He could hear the edges of a long sleep in its voice, as if it was getting used to walking after being asleep for a long time. But he could feel the sleepiness creeping out of it, the voice was gaining power. The voice was awakening.

[b][i]”I have been a part of you,”[/b][/i] the voice said, [b][i]”Since the moment the very idea of your existence was conceived.”[/b][/i]

What was the source of the voice? He couldn’t pinpoint it. When he tried to grab at it, it shied away from his hands, never ceasing to escape his grasp. The more he chased, the further it went away from him. Almost as if the Voice was a shadow. And he felt something else in it, something else he couldn’t pin down.

[b][i]”I am the primeval Darkness, born of the God of Shadows; his ultimate creation and his ultimate pride.”[/b][/i]

The Voice was more distinct now, the softness was slowly ebbing away, the Voice growing harsher still.

[b][i]”I am Nuul.”[/b][/i] It said suddenly, as if the speaker was right next to him. His eyes quickly darted open. He saw an alien landscape, spires spiralling endlessly into the air, pits descending infinitely into the ground and he saw him. He saw Nuul; a being swathed in misty shadows, indistinct under its shadowy mantle.

[b][i]”Your fate draws closer.”[/b][/i] He said. [b][i]”And with it, the Dark.”[/b][/i]

Alto could hear his voice clearly now, he could see Nuul speak, and he could feel a hint of a power. He could feel a hint of the Dark. He felt as if it was behind him, but when he turned it turned with him. He moved and it moved with him. Again, it felt like chasing a shadow.

[b][i]”Ah, you feel the shadow of my power,”[/b][/i] Nuul continued, [b][i]”But you cannot grasp a shadow unless you devote yourself to the greater whole.”[/b][/i]

As Nuul spoke, Alto couldn’t help but feel drawn by some invisible force. The shadows around him seemed somehow welcoming, as if open to accept any and all.

[b][i]”Your future will be harsh, the other gods will see to that.[/b][/i]

Alto could feel the truth in his words, as if he trusted Nuul enough to know that every word that he said was gospel. He found his mind telling him that what Nuul said was like the meaning of life, his mind told him that this was the most important thing he would ever hear.

[b][i]”You will need power, vast power. Power beyond your wildest dreams, even to survive until your fated time. The Dark can give all that, and much, much more.”[/b][/i]

He felt his mind swaying and body swaying to the words of Nuul. His voice had softened again, but now it was as if they had their own gravity.

[b][i]”So?”[/b][/i] the Dragon said. [b][i]”What are you waiting for?”[/b][/i]

He phrased it as a question, but it felt like a subtle insult. What was he waiting for when power was right in front of his eyes, waiting to be grasped by the one it was destined for?

[b][i]”Embrace your destiny, Alto Ganze.[/b][/i] The Dragon said finally. [b][i]”Embrace the Dark.”[/b][/i]

He could feel the power growing. It was far beyond a shadow now, it was like the darkness. It was drawing him in, he could feel what felt like gravity trying to pull him into the shadows. He was tempted, the power was meant to be his. Somehow he knew this, and he knew he would need it very soon.

But there was something holding him back from accepting immediately, something at the very core of his being… Something he had built up and cultivated over the course of his life. He felt the urge, and he let it take control.

[b]”That’s got to be the most clichéd thing I’ve ever heard.”[/b] Alto said.

The dragon was obviously taken aback.

[b][i]”…What?”[/b][/i]

[b]”I said, that was probably the most clichéd thing I’ve ever heard.”[/b] Alto replied.

Nuul thought for a moment, and Alto could see he was confused.

[b][i]”Are you… insulting me?”[/b][/i] Nuul said.

Alto thought for a little bit.

[b]”Yeah. I guess I am.”[/b] He said with a shrug.

Nuul suddenly stood up, and he looked pretty angry by Alto’s standards.

[b][i]”HOW DARE YOU?!?!”[/b][/i] Nuul said, enraged by his words. [b][i]” I AM THE PRIMEVAL SHADOW! ALL OF THE DARK IS MINE TO COMMAND! YOU DARE INSULT ME?!”[/b][/i] The shadows radiating from Nuul began to billow instead of ooze, and the gravity that previously drew Alto to Nuul’s words now reversed and he could feel himself being repelled.

Alto stood there, thinking of how to answer the Dragon.

[b]”Yeah.”[/b] He replied.

[b][i]”I WILL DESTROY YOU!”[/b][/i] Nuul threatened, enraged. [b][i]”YOU WILL DIE IN THE INFINITE DARKNESS! MY POWER WILL SHATTER YOUR SOUL!”[/b][/i]

[b]”Hey, if you shatter my soul,”[/b] Alto started, [b]”And you’re a part of my soul, wouldn’t you die as well?”[/b]

[b][i]”ARGHHHH!”[/b][/i] The Dragon screamed in frustration.

Alto was quite amused. He knew he shouldn’t be having fun with this but still, he was that kind of person. But, even though he was in a dream he was pretty sure time was passing outside and today was the first day of a new school year. He didn’t want to be late, so he decided to speed things up a little bit.

[b]”You really need to learn to take a joke, Nuul.”[/b]

[b][i]”DON’T SAY MY NAME SO CASUALLY, HUMAN!”[/b][/i] He shouted, still enraged.

[b]”Whatever. Anyhow, this is getting a bit old and I don’t want to wake up late so I think I’ll be taking that power you’re offering.”[/b]

Alto extended his hand to the obviously still enraged Dragon. Nuul glared at him, intending to bore a hole in the annoying fool’s soul with his eyes. Nuul didn’t exactly have enough power for that but it’s not like anyone actually knew about that except for him. Still, he was really contemplating not giving Alto his power. He really didn’t like him much. 
However, it’s not like he really had a choice in the matter because he was going to be there anyway and if Alto died he wouldn’t have a way to use his powers anyway.
Then he looked at Alto again. He had a really weird smile on and he was waggling his eyebrows at Nuul. His rage flared up again.

[b][i]”FINE.”[/i][/b] He said bitterly.

He really didn’t want to do this but he wasn’t going to get anything by talking to him so Nuul just gave him his power. The shadows around him coalesced into a book, the focus of Nuul’s power. The book opened, revealing a swirling portal of shadow.

[b][i]”If you want my power, then… Then… Just use the damn book!”[/b][/i] Nuul was tired of talking to him, and he really didn’t want to keep this going any longer than he had to.
Alto looked at the book with the swirling shadow vortex. It was a very large book, just smaller than his body. He didn’t really know what the Dragon meant by use the book but he’d assumed that he’d annoyed the Dragon enough to make him want to stop talking in his shadowy darkness mastermind voice.

[b]”Okay.”[/b] Alto replied to him. [b]”See you around Nuul!”[/b] After saying that, he promptly jumped into the open book disappearing from Nuul’s shadow realm thing.
Nuul looked as Alto leapt into the portal.

[b][i]”Ugh, just my luck. He used it properly.”[/b][/i] Nuul said, still angry. [b][i]”Why did I HAVE to be stuck with such an annoying vessel?![/b][/i]” He asked himself bitterly.

Meanwhile, Alto woke up. His eyes opened, and he found himself in his bedroom. When he sat up, something slipped off of his bed. He looked at it and found a book. It was just like the book in the dream, except much smaller. The book in the dream had been about 5 feet by maybe 3 or 4 feet when it was closed, but this one was just 1 and a half feet by 1 foot. It was still as big as his torso so it was still pretty large.

He picked it up and tried to leaf through it, only to find that it wouldn’t budge.

[i]Hmm.[/i] He thought.

As he pondered how to open it, he looked up at his clock.

[i]Aw shoot![/i] He thought. [i]I’m almost late![/i]

Quickly getting up from his bed, he rushed to get ready for a new school year.