Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

you haven’t strayed too far from the normal path of a boy your age!”
    “Shantel!” exclaimed their mother.
    “Oh, come on, Mom. He’s almost a man now. Anyway, I have a present for you, for your birthday. There you go, baby brother.”
    She handed him a box, wrapped up in silver and blue paper, with a white bow on it. Samuel quickly unwrapped it.
    “Happy birthday, Sammy,” Shantel said.
    The box contained a stylish black medieval shirt, with laces down the front, and a pair of brown leather pants. Both items looked authentic, and rather expensive.
    “Thanks, sis,” said Samuel. “But you didn’t have to spend all that money, really.”
    “Don’t be silly! At least I know the girls will look at you without laughing in those cosplay events of yours. Go try them on!”
    A few minutes later, Samuel walked back in the kitchen, wearing the new medieval garments.
    “Very sexy,” proclaimed Shantel. “Very … Jim Morrison. Girls will love it!”
    “Shantel, please,” said Samuel’s father. “Leave him alone with the girls already.”
    “It’s fine, Dad. I love the pants and shirt. Thanks again, sis. Is it okay if I go up to my room, Mom? I need to get started on my homework if I want to go to bed before eleven.”
    “Sure thing, honey, but don’t forget to come back down later to say goodnight.”
    “Of course.”
    Samuel rapidly climbed the stairs to his room and closed the door behind him. For good measure, he locked it as well. Of course, his homework was not the reason he wanted some privacy. Ever since he had gotten home, all he could think of was the dice and the strange symbols engraved on them, invisible to the naked eye.
    He opened his backpack and sat at the little table where he had previously set up the figurines. He put the white dice on the workbench and leaned on his elbows, looking at them.
    “What are you?” he murmured.
    Samuel picked up the dice again and shook them gently. Maybe they were relics of ancient Babylon. Maybe they were long-lost items used in the divination of forgotten gods. Or maybe they were some mysterious instruments of destiny. He cast the dice on the workbench in front of him.
    The dice rolled and rolled, bouncing around on the wooden surface, and colorful sparkles flew in every direction. Finally, after what seemed like a minute, they settled next to one another. Instantly, a faint red light started to envelop them, growing ever so slightly brighter with each of Samuel’s heartbeats.
    The boy could hardly believe his eyes. The dice were now engulfed in a bright red light, growing more and more powerful and vibrant, quickly spreading across the whole workbench. Within seconds, the strange energy covered the table, emanating from the dice themselves.
    When the luminous halo was about to reach Samuel’s fingers, he abruptly stood up, knocking over his chair. Taking a step back, he followed the light with his eyes, as it poured down from the table and onto the wooden floor. Above the workstation, the light was now spreading on the walls, rapidly covering the whole corner of the room and even the ceiling.
    Suddenly, on every side of the dice, ancient sigils started to appear, carving themselves in the bone-like surface. Samuel was afraid, but could not help marveling at what was happening in front of his eyes. Tiny flames traveled along the sides of the dice, revealing more and more symbols, burning the runes deeper into the material.
    Ignoring the voice of reason, cautiously and extremely slowly, he lifted one hand to pick up a die. However, before he could do so, the runes on top of the strange objects started to glow insanely bright, temporarily blinding him.
    Stumbling back, Samuel tried to protect his face from the light. When he was able to see again, what had unfolded in his room was beyond any description. The runes on the dice kept burning even more intensely and the liquid red light was now covering the entire room, pulsating in unison with the boy’s heartbeat.
    Samuel had seen enough. Panic was now rapidly sweeping over his mind, taking control of his muscles and his reason. Desperate to get out, he launched himself at the door, but before he could reach the doorknob, the bedroom started to spin on itself, slowly at first, but rapidly gaining momentum. Within seconds, the furniture, the walls and the books turned into a whirlwind of colors and shapes, with Samuel at the center of this magical hurricane.
    He tried to shout, but other noises