It all starts as Reflamen and I fly through the air in the clear air off earth, the landscape below flying by in a blur. I was down low over the dragon’s neck as the air brushed past me, using imagination to part the stronger portion of the wind. I was twenty then, four years since my run in with the Imagineres. Thor had been healed of his mental sickness and now lived in solitude high on Mount Everest, near the peek in a cave he created.

I remember this day clearly; because it was the last time I was truly happy. It all seems so great riding on a dragons back. All your worries are washed away as you let the wind take you to its own universe where everything is peaceful and nothing seems wrong.

Reflamen took a sharp bank to the left, and dived downwards. A dozen or so birds took into the air as the dragon raced past them. A few lost their feathers because of the speed Reflamen was racing at. I gripped his neck tighter with my knees as he twisted in the air, flying upside down in the air for a few seconds, covering quite a substantial amount of ground in that time.

I spotted the city of Brunstown in the distance. It was approaching us at a steady rate. The city’s sky was covered in a vast assortment of dragons of different kinds, creating a rainbow in the sky. Back then people were friendly towards dragons, a lot friendlier then they had been before. A lot more people were becoming dragon riders, especially from earth. It annoyed the car companies because people now had a faster and better way to travel. An amazing life.

Reflamen landed on the platform of a new building that had been created in Brunstown, by me of course. It was a large wooden building that nearly reached the clouds. All along the building’s wall were platforms were dragons could land and take off. Platforms were also being made at homes across the world for dragons to land and take off on; honestly they were becoming quite popular. Everyone wanted one for both the power off becoming a rider and the great connection between the rider and dragon.

When I got of Reflamen’s back I waved to a few of the people around us. They waved back. I was quite popular back then, more like a celebrity. Everyone was thankful of my ‘gift’ to mankind, and back in the other world I was seen as an impossible worrier, with the greatest skill and expertise. Honestly it was all because of Imagination. I relied too much on it.

‘I’m going to fly with a few of my friends,’ said Reflamen padding over to the edge of the launch pad once I had gotten off, ‘You’ll be alright?’

I nodded to him with a smile. The dragon took off into the swarm of dragons and before long he had disappeared. I turned around from the swarm and focused on the purple portal that was now the centre of Brunstown, the only connection I had created between this world and the other one. The view around me changed as the portal appeared before my eyes. People were walking through it and back out as if it was an everyday thing, and it really was. Beside the portal were four guards. Two were dressed in golden armour, the golden warriors that Reflamen had created, and the other two were soldiers with sub-machine guns strapped to there waist. It was a strange sight in Brunstown, a strange sight in Australia for that matter, but they were necessary. Occasionally someone from the other got through, someone that wasn’t too friendly. The sub-machine guns usually rake them down before they can do any great harm. Luckily it had only happened twice that year.

I smiled to guards as I walked through the portal. A shiver washed over me and I was standing in a great courtyard in the great Kingdom City. A city I had created in a world I had created. Most people instantly recognised me and waved with smiles. At least I wasn’t swarmed like some of the famous singers and actors were.

I walked through the city with a slight skip to my step.  Sure I couldn’t feel Reflamen from where I was but at least I knew he was safe. After a while I reached the grand castle of this city. It was as tall as any skyscraper and nearly the size of a small town in width. Another one of my creations.

The guards at the gate instantly let me through when they saw me. I was a popular figure at the castle, more so than most other places anyway. It didn’t take long to find the throne room; I knew the castle inside and out.

I walked through the giant double doors to view the king, Rogan. He was one of my teachers and a good friend. He smiled tiredly at me as I walked through. Sitting to the side of him on the council table was Leivite, one of the most powerful mages in the world. Sitting to his other side was another powerful wizard by the name of Seltic. They both looked deeply troubled, which wasn’t a good sign.

“What’s up,” was the first things that popped out of my mouth that afternoon.

Seltic looked up at me, “There has been a murder.”

I frowned as he said that, sure it wasn’t a good thing that there had been a murder but why would they call me for something like this.

Leivite saw the frown, “I know you are confused but I think you will be better suited to see what happened for yourself.”

I didn’t complain to that. Together the four of us made our way through the town, accompanied by a squadron of guards. Why Rogan needed guards I wouldn’t no. He was a capable mage, and an exceptional swordsman. As I said before he was one of my first teachers and definitely the best.

People moved out of our way as we walked, and they all bowed their heads to the king, and a few of them waved. Rogan was a popular king and a just one as well. The perfect ruler in my opinion, but of course I created him that way. He smiled and waved at his subjects in return, and answered a few questions thrown his way.

Eventually we came to a place that was deserted. Everyone consciously was veering away from this street and instead took the long way around. Even the guards around us seemed nervous. Rogan whipped his palms on his robe and the mages began to shiver slightly. I myself began to shiver as a strange feeling crossed over me. It was the feeling that you get when your walking in the dark, and you know there’s nothing there but you feel as if there might. But this time there was something.

The house was covered in an array of shadow. The guards came to a stop outside the front door as they shivered in their armour. The black smoke drifted off the house as if it were on fire, yet that was impossible for if anything the house was cold.

Wordlessly I began to walk forward towards the house. There hadn’t been any damage done to the structure, nor did it seem to be decaying in anyway. The only thing I could see wrong was the tendrils of shadow that sunk over every crack and wall. The darkness seemed to suck the light out of the house giving the presence that only it was experiencing night.

As soon as I touched the first steps of the house the shadow tendrils latched themselves to my leg, causing my heart to jump and fear to shoot through me. Other then that it did nothing. Gulping down my fear I continued my way to the front door and opened it.

Walking through the house was like walking through a thick smoke. It was cold, and clammy. Air seemed to be scarce and you could hardly see a few feet in front of you. A sudden footstep came from behind me causing me to spin around, a fire spell in my hand. Leivite held up his hands innocently and took a step back. Taking a deep breath I lowered my hand and the fire disappeared.

“This place has a strange feeling in it don’t you think,” said the mage.

I nodded my head slowly and tried to imaginere a light that would cast away the darkness. As soon as I tried my mind fogged and I couldn’t seem to focus enough to create the light. Frowning I tried again, yet I just couldn’t focus enough on the image I wanted to create. This caused a new jolt of fear to come through me.

“What created this?” I asked, feeling myself shiver.

Leivite looked at me, “We believe it may have been a level seven mage, or higher.”

The level system was something I had created. A level one mage was a mage that had just earned his title. A level three mage was a reasonably strong mage. A level seven mage was a master magician that new all the secrets off his chosen piece of magic. A level ten mage was someone that was so extraordinarily powerful he could control his or her chosen magic to every whim. They could essentially become their chosen power.

I shook my head, knowing that a level seven shadow mage wouldn’t have been capable of producing such fear in people, “No, I think this would have to be a level ten. Nothing else could do something like this.”

“It get’s worse,” said Seltic, who came out from behind us, “We have survivors, and they don’t look good.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before,” I said to him.

“We can’t move them from the house,” replied the mage, “Follow me.”

They walked up the staircase of the house. This was where the bedrooms were kept. Seltic lead us to one at the far end and put his hand on the door. Rogan followed us up himself, his hand scratching the hilt of his sword.

“Be careful,” he said, “The people inside are… not in the right state of mind.”

He opened the door. The only sound it made was silence and a soft swish of shadow as the door disturbed some of the mist. We all walked inside to find three people. Their heads were on there knees and they were shivering and whimpering. Their skin was a stark white that nearly glowed in the eerie room.

One of them looked up at us, then screamed, clawing his way to the other side of the room.

“Please, please… please don’t hurt me,” mumbled the man.

I made my way carefully over to him and spoke soothingly, “Hey, we won’t hurt you.”

The man started crying and hugged the wall closer, “Please don’t, please no.”

I took a step back in surprise and looked at the two wizards and the king. Seltic just shook his head. He was a healing mage, and he knew when it was helpless. Shivering I decided I had had enough.

“Let’s get out of here,” I said.

They all agreed hurriedly and we made our way back outside. Once I was out of the shadowy mist my mind cleared and I let loose a gigantic sigh of relief. I had never been so relieved to breathe fresh air. I put out my hand an imaginered the small ball of light I had attempted before. It worked this time.

Closing my fist I turned around to the house. I put out my hand and all the shadow seemed to be sucked from the home and into the air. It gathered into a ball above the house that grew smaller and smaller until it was gone. Leivtie and Seltic smiled when they saw this, giving there own sighs of relief.

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Hey guys! First Chapter of Imagination Bk3! Please tell me what you think, it'll be a bit different from the previous two books, for the first part anyway. So yeah, vote and comment if you enjoyed and the next chapter will be out soon. See Ya!

Pennator^^