"Guo-Li! Are you sure this is a good idea?" A man asked in between labored breaths as he walked a mountain path. His only sign that he was going that right way was to follow the torchlight of the aforementioned man ahead of him. His friend, Guo-Li, who had been a little insane since the first day they met, five years ago.
Today was no different.
Guo-Li waved his torch in the air, tossing embers off the cliff-side a mere foot away from them to fall like stars into the shadowy depths, "Of course I'm not sure! Nobody can be sure when magic and beasts are involved! That's the beauty of it, Chen-fe!"
Chen-Fe made a sound of confusion, "EH!?" Then he adjusted the huge leather bag slung over his back and spoke, "There's no beauty in willingly trying to curse yourself with Weredragon magic! It's called a curse for a reason!"
"It's called a curse because it scares people. As Tamer's we're told to revere beasts and their animal-kin as partner-gods. They have power and intelligence unique to their species. Does this not apply to the dragon? Now imagine if I could attain even a fraction of that? Especially right before the entrance games into the Tamer's School! I'll be a first-placer and get a Sacred Summon Scroll!"
Chen-Fe sighed, "Like always, there's no getting in your way is there?"
Guo-Li grinned in the dark, "Of course not, friend. I am a force of nature! Bundle up or be broken."
Chen-Fe tighten his wholly-wolf cloak about himself tighter in response and sniffled, "I wonder if all Elves are like this….."
Guo-Li began to sing as he continued ascending the mountain— known more popularly as Dark-Scale Mountain.
It was a desolate and turbulent stone slab comprised of an Ore known as Solarium. It absorbed Sunlight and multiplied its heat, making the Mountain steam and catch fire on summer days. It was once the home of many dragon species. Wyverns, Drakes, and even Basilisks. But then a war broke out and humans began to use easier— and arguably stronger, tamed beasts to accomplish their needs.
With no Tamers braving the mountains to embrace them and share power, the dragons fled. The ones who remained became resentful, leaving the physical plane and entering an otherworld where they mutated into Lunar-Dragons. A species mostly comprised of magic made to curse the Tamers of the world for leaving them, by making them one in the same.
Allegedly.
Guo-Li had other theories. He also had no more time to lament on what their truth was, he was on the verge of finding it himself.
He made it to the top of Dark-Scale Mountain. The grounds radiated with power. The mouth of the cave at its apex was like a dragon in its own right, ready to swallow him whole.
His torch-light wavered in the winds. Overshadowed by the light of the refracted moonlight from within.
"I guess I won't need this anymore." He said before tossing the torch that was little more than burnt wood. "Chen-Fe, hurry up!"
"Ahhhh! My legs feel like they're about to shatter."
"Remember the mission!"
"How could I forget?" Chen-Fe asked.
"The same way you forget what you ate for breakfast every morning." Guo-Li replied.
"….That's different." Chen-Fe sighed with defeat as he came to a stop beside Guo-Li.
The pair was an odd sight in most places they went to. So far east, Elves weren't the norm. In fact, Guo-Li was the only Elf for hundreds of miles. It made him a bit shorter than the human and Orcish warriors on the streets— but he was faster. And more adept at the magical aspects of being a Tamer. Not to mention, he could speak to cats. If that didn't make him weird enough, his long dark hair, sharp ears and purple cat-eyes did the job.
Chen-Fe was just as bizzare. It's what made them friends. He was a Half-Orc. There was a reason he carried the gear up the mountain. He was a giant among men. Cross-breeding was illegal, but Chen-Fe kept his tusks shaved and skin tanned so he never looked too green. Unless you took him sailing.
And they were as far from the water as they'd ever be.
"Guo-Li, I know you want the curse of the Weredragon. But I still don't know how that's supposed to make you the best Tamer in all the worlds?" Chen-Fe asked as they stared into the lunar-lit expanse of the cave ahead.
Guo-Li shrugged, "It's simple. Humans, Orcs, Elves, Outworlders and Demi-Humans are all pretty low on the greater food-chain. That's why even weak humans with great PsyQi Reserves can't make a house-dog listen! They lack the authority. The dominance for animals and beasts to mutually respect their power. That's the language of the wild. Power. By ascending to the top, I will speak to all and be heard."
"Can't you already speak to cats?" Chen-Fe itched his thick chin.
Guo-Lin slapped his bulbous shoulder, "Idiot! It was a figure of speech…. Sort of? I think? We need more schooling."
"Yes. Perhaps now?" Chen-Fe said anxiously as winds blew through the cave and caused the mouth to roar at them, lifting their cloaks and hair with ease.
"Nice try. The moon is almost at its peak. The dragons are near. Wait for me. If I don't return by sunrise, you'll need to find a new friend." Guo-Li said, suddenly growing serious.
Chen-Fe steeled himself as Guo-Li began digging through the bags on his back, "Impossible. Nobody else can join me as a friend. We're the Omega's for a reason. There's only one of us. The outliers! You'll return, because no one else would. Just like an outlier."
Guo-Li faced his giant friend, now armed with a serpent-slayer sword, charmers flute and a waist bag of, mental clarity shrooms and salves to heal burn wounds. "Your math sounds correct. The first time ever. Another outlier."
"HAHA!" Chen-Fe laughed.
Guo-Li cringed, "Gods! You'll wake the dragons!"
Chen-Fe shrank in horror.
"Just kidding. See ya!" Guo-Li turned and ran into the cave.
Chen-Fe cursed him as he entered. To his surprise, as soon as the fractured moonlight touched him upon entry, he teleported out of existence.
***
Guo-Li felt like he blinked, and suddenly he was in a different world.
"No…. a different plane of existence. The Lunar-Realm. Home of the accursed Shifter-Gods." Guo-Li scanned his surroundings.
The sky was lit by a flaming full moon. It looked like a blue sun, casting empowering rays down at the multi-biome forest.
Massive beasts roamed, foraging and hunting and speaking in languages his elven ears couldn't perceive.
He traveled like a ghost, unseen and disconnected from them. So weak he couldn't even be comprehended.
Like an ant.
"Marvelous! We shall speak soon." Guo-Li thought before taking off.
"Dragons are simple. They are elementals given physical form. Meaning you can find your type in whichever biome represents them. The known strongest dragon is the shadow-dragon. Usually. But if the Lunar-Dragon is who will grant me this curse, I need to go to lunar biomes. Where is this moonlight strongest?" Guo-Li thought.
His ideas eventually led him to a clearing. Long grass spread for miles. No beasts or animals roamed. It was desolate.
"Perfect." Guo-Li took out his charmers flute and began to play.
The skies began to twist and the clouds dissipated, allowing the moons rays to reach the ground. As they descended, they materialized in the form of a dozen dragons. They had dark blue scales and and yellow reptilian eyes with wings that spanned for miles. They were titanous. They were standing right in front of him.
"Elf, you have officially run out of luck."
Guo-Li took the flute from his lips and grinned, "I doubt it."