Updated Story

Here is the latest version of the book, The Dragonmaster of Ardd. I have the first part of the book shown below. Stay tuned for more!

Dragonmaster of Ardd - The Black Sword

Prologue

It wasn't just military discipline; it was a way of life, a state of mind, the might of magic. In all the land of Ardd, the Royal Bn’Dant was the only army that trained their soldiers in the art of battle and sorcery. A philosophy of mystic thoughts and ideals combined with the strength and disciplined training of battle and warfare.

Very little was known about the old mage Galdor. He had been a council to the royal family for three generations, but no one knew his origins. It was said he came from across the great mountains, a traveler without a past, into the court of the king, Minn Ra’Saad, the first ruler of Ardd.

His knowledge of magic and foretelling of the future kept peace and harmony throughout the land. It wasn’t until many years later that he began teaching the ways of the mystic arts to the royal army. Once he trusted their loyalty and integrity, he appointed a leader to the army and past on his experience and training through the preceding generations.

Master Galdor taught not only his philosophies, but also those of the ancient code of the Dragons. No one else dared to question his motives, as he was well known between Dragonkind and many times spent time with them in deep conversation. Galdor’s link with the Dragons was never fully understood. Many rumors about the old mage varied from conspiracy to gossip that he was a Dragon himself, but appeared only in human form.

Galdor never mixed his knowledge with gossip, and merely shrugged at odd questions and musings about his past. A peaceful and contented man, Galdor the Elder was difficult to infuriate, and never raised his voice in anger.

For decades Galdor the Elder continued to train the armies under the rule of Artrus Ra’Saad, alongside his son, Prince Turk Ra’Saad. It was said that Galdor’s apprenticeships were legendary, and many came from all over Ardd to participate in his instruction. The legends spoke true, for Ardd’s population grew within a short period of time. Most of those who lived in Ardd were from immigrants and the families that were raised there. Some left the armies or discontinued the teachings of Galdor, but remained in Ardd to pursue other careers, while many of the following generations lost interest in magic and warfare. However, a small number of immigrant soldiers still remained in the army to this day. Many young men of immigrant families, who grew up in Ardd, dreamed of the day when they too could join the military, just as their fathers and uncles had for decades.

Brul was very young himself when he entered the military, lying about his age to insure that his enlistment was accepted. It wasn't too difficult to convince the recruiter of his false age, since Brul's large, muscular frame and strong, mature attitude made him an instant apprentice.Almost at once Master Galdor took notice of the young warrior. His enthusiasm and ability to acquire the ways of the Mystic Arts moved the wise one to take Brul under his full attention. Galdor knew Brul was not as old as he claimed, but he never revealed that information to anyone.

In the following years they trained one-on-one, sparring, using the Bn’dant stance and practicing numerous spells and chants. In time they became very close. Brul learned to manipulate great energies, which surrounded them naturally to complete magical feats and protective shields.

Brul considered Galdor a father, like the one he lost in the Great Mystic Wars when just a boy. The old sorcerer thought of Brul as the son he could never have.

The Welsh Flag

Y Ddraig Goch (Welsh for the red dragon) appears on the national Flag of Wales and is the most famous dragon in Britain.

In the Mabinogion story Lludd and Llefelys, the red dragon fights with an invading white dragon. His pained shrieks cause women to miscarry and animals and plants to become barren. Lludd, king of Britain, goes to his wise brother Llefelys in France. Llefelys tells him to dig a pit in the centre of Britain, fill it with mead, and cover it with cloth. Lludd does this, and the dragons drink the mead and fall asleep. Lludd imprisons them, still wrapped in their cloth, in Dinas Emrys in Snowdonia.

The tale is taken up by Nennius in the Historia Britonum. The dragons remain at Dinas Emrys for centuries until King Vortigern tries to build a castle there. Every night the castle walls and foundations are demolished by unseen forces. Vortigern consults his advisers, who tell him to find a boy with no natural father, and sacrifice him. Vortigern finds such a boy (who is later, in some tellings, to become Merlin) who is supposed to be the son of a demon. On hearing that he is to be put to death to solve the demolishing of the walls, the boy dismisses the knowledge of the advisors. The boy tells the king of the two dragons. Vortigern excavates the hill, freeing the dragons. They continue their fight and the red dragon finally defeats the white dragon. The boy tells Vortigern that the white dragon symbolises the Saxons and that the red dragon symbolises the people of Vortigern. If Vortigern is accepted to have lived in the fifth century, then these people are the British whom the Saxons pushed back to the edges of Britain and who are today called the Welsh.