The Dragon Children: Chapter 4: Malika

Deep in the Rathlian Lands, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed teenaged girl was playing with her Blue Dragon. She seemed out of place in the Rathlian Lands, for she and her dragon were happy.

A gargoyle approached the girl. "Malika, you and your dragon, Zaki, have been summoned by Stefan." Malika nodded and followed the gargoyle with Zaki close behind.

Unlike the rest of the Black Dragon Clan, Malika served Stefan willingly. The rest were corrupted by their dragons.

Malika and Zaki bowed before Stefan. "You summoned us, my lord?" Malika asked.

"Yes. Come and look in the scrying pool." Stefan said.

Malika looked into the murky water which Stefan used to spy on his enemies. "Who are these people?" she asked.

"They are a resistance movement that dares to challenge me." Stefan answered.

Malika saw a boy with dirty-brown hair. She recognized him instantly. "Lord Stefan, Set is with them." she said.

"Yes, my child. I want you to retrieve him for me." Stefan said.

"It shall be done. He shall pay for his defiance. Come, Zaki."
Zaki nodded and they flew off.

***

When they arrived, Malika saw that Set and Ba-Pef were not alone. She saw a pond nearby.

"Water of the pond, obey us. Arise." Zaki called. The water rose out of the pond.

Malika completed the spell. "Water, become ice."

Saiyune immediately saw what was happenning. She chanted a wind spell and dispersed the water.

Malika and Zaki descended.

"I would assume you are here for Set." Saiyune said.

"Stefan is not happy with your defiance. IF you come with us, I am certain he will be merciful." Malika said to Set.

"I am through with Stefan. He forced me to serve him. He won't let you serve him willingly for long, Malika." Set said.

At that moment, Sophia approached them. "Do you really think Stefan is benevolent?" she asked Malika. "Perhaps I should show you how misguided you are."

"What are you implying? My village banished me when Zaki came to it and chose me. My village had forbidden bonding with dragons ever since it was attacked by the Black Dragon Clan. Haven't you all been banished?" Malika asked.

"No." said Set. "I was kidnapped by Stefan and forced to serve him." The others also shook their heads.

"Stefan is evil. And if you serve him, you are evil." Minerva said.

"But he has been nothing but kind to me." Malika objected.

"Perhaps I should show you why Stefan is my enemy." Sophia said. She gently placed a hand on Malika's temple.

Malika found herself in a room with staircases going several directions. Sophia was walking upside down on a staircase above Malika.

"Each of these stairs leads to a memory." Sophia explained. "Let's take that one." She pointed to a staircase that spiraled right.

Malika followed her. When they arrived at the door, it was locked.

Sophia said "Now why is this one locked?" She placed a hand on the lock.

Malika was astonished. She was now standing in her village. People were walking and talking with their dragons. Then she saw herself as a child. She was walking with her parents arm in arm, her mouth in a perpetual giggle.

Then a swarm of Black Dragons descended. A man who was their leader leapt off his Black Dragon and killed her parents. The man was Stefan.

"No! This is a lie!" Malika wept.

"It is not. I am incapable of lying." Sophia said. "These memories were hidden from you. Look in that door."

Another door opened. She saw herself banished because of her bond with Zaki. She saw Stefan take her in. She saw herself drink an elixir.

"When you drank that elixir, it locked the door to your childhood. I have broken its spell. You now know the truth once more."

The room disappeared. Malika was now returned to the forest.

"You have a decision." said Minerva. "Will you continue to serve your parents' murderer? Or will you serve righteousness?"

Malika realized she could no longer serve Stefan. She said to Sophia, "No more. I shall serve you. What is your name?"

"I am Lady Sophia, and this is my dragon, Minerva. Welcome. And what are your names?" Sophia asked.

"I am Malika. And this is Zaki." Malika introduced herself.

As the other children introduced themselves to Malika, a dark-skinned woman with white hair and aquamarine eyes approached Sophia. This was Elena, the Rain Sage. She was a lifelong ally of Sophia.

"You have allowed two servants of Stefan into your resistance." she said and pointed at Saiyune. "That one has a darkness inside her. Do you not remember the words of your mother? That one would betray you?"

"It is a risk I must take." Sophia said.

"Then you are a fool." Elena shook her head.

"Who is more foolish, Elena? The fool, or the one who follows the fool?" Sophia challenged.

Dragon Children Chapter 2: Saiyune

At that moment, a teenage girl named Saiyune was flying alongside her White dragon, Nefron.
Saiyune had never had an easy life. Her parents were both members of the Black Dragon Clan. From the moment she was born, Saiyune was unwillingly taught in the Black Arts. They did not ever gie her the most important thing a child needed: love. When Saiyune turned seven, it came time for her to be bonded to a dragon. Her parents were certain that all the darkness they had surrounded her with would make her a candidate for a Black Dragon. When she entered the cave, a Dragon-keeper blindfolded her and led her toward the dragons. That was when she met Nefron. Nefron gave her the love her parents would not. When they learned of this bond, Saiyune's parents were livid, and increased her training. Their disappointment led to even more abuse. Nefron became her only friend. They put up with it for nine years, then Saiyune and Nefron decided to leave. Her parents didn't even care.
"Where are we going?" Saiyune asked Nefron.
I sense a powerful Silver Dragon. Nefron answered.
"Do you think the dragon knows about Stefan?" Saiyune asked.
It's plausible. Only the most pure-hearted children are chosen by Silver Dragons. Stefan despises the pure-hearted because they are harder to corrupt.
"Then let's meet this dragon and its owner." Saiyune said.
Nefron nodded. Follow my lead.
Together, they descended. When they landed, Nefron approached Minerva.
My name is Nefron. My mistress is at a crucial moment in her life. I want to point her in the right direction. said Nefron.
Is that her over there? asked Minerva.
Yes, her name is Saiyune. Nefron answered.
Then we will do what we can. said Minerva.

The Dragon Children Chapter 1: Set

This is my new serial, The Dragon Children.
Krangor is a beautiful planet, filled with flower and fauna of any kind imaginable. Two moons shine on it for twelve hours of each twenty-four hour day. Thus, it is very difficult for one to find a day of complete darkness.
However, darkness has managed to cover one area of Krangor. In fact, the darkness covers this area so well, it seeps into the heart, twisting it and corrupting it until that heart is completely devoid of light and hope. This is the Rathlian Lands, the home of the Black Dragon Clan.
Normally, when a child is chosen by a dragon, the bond is harmless to the child. But when a child is bonded to a Black Dragon, that child's heart becomes poisoned by evil. It is usually not long before such a child unwillingly falls into evil's waiting embrace.
There is one child, however, who refused to allow that to happen. This boy was Set, and his dragon was named Ba-Pef. From the day he was bonded to Ba-Pef, Set spent most of his life fighting with the dragon for the right to an unblemished soul.
Set did not look like an evil child. He had gentle, aquamarine eyes. His hair was a dirty brown. He had a pleasant complexion. When he was in control of himself, he was a quiet child. He rarely said anything, for each day was one spent in mental war. So he kept a wall around himself, lest others become his victims.
Before the bonding, Set had led a happy life. He had loving parents who treated him like any child should be treated. He was healthy, loved, and well-cared for. Then, one day changed all that. Stefan, the leader of the Black Dragon Clan, raided his village. His dragon Kor called on all the creatures of every nightmare ever dreamed. They attacked every house and villager. For some reason, Set was the only one spared. Stefan took him to the Rathlian Lands and bonded him to Ba-Pef.
Many years later, when the boy turned fourteen, Stefan was leading his clan to raid another village. Set mounted Ba-Pef and tried desperately to keep up with the rest of the clan. But as he lagged behind, he heard a gentle voice pierce his heart.
Child, do you truly wish to live this way? Being constantly dragged between salvation and damnation?
Ba-Pef heard this voice, too. He could not let Set follow the voice. So, he let out a destructive blast at a forest below, where the voice had originated.
"Ba-Pef, what are you doing?" Set asked.
"I cannot let you follow that voice!" Ba-Pef bellowed.
Set realized he may have to take matters into his own hands. That gentle voice was too alluring to ignore.
Set, I can offer you salvation.
The voice knew his name! He could no longer ignore it now. He immediately leaped off Ba-Pef. Ba-Pef did not even bother to stop him. He decided that if Set died, he would no longer have this nuisance who clearly did not have his heart in being evil.
But Set did not die. Instead, he was intercepted by a Silver Dragon.
Hello, child. said the dragon.
"Who are you?" asked Set.
My name is Minerva. said the Dragon. My mistress, Lady Sophia, has heard the cries of your heart. It is she who is calling you. She can help you, but only if you are willing to let her. The choice is yours.
"And what about Ba-Pef?" Set asked.
I am certain he can be helped too. Minerva replied.
"Then take me to Lady Sophia." Set said.
Minerva nodded and descended into the fire.
Below in the forest were twin girls. One had green-yellow hair and gray eyes. Her name was Karin. She was a Green Dragon child, and her dragon was named Nolk. Her sister had blonde hair and gray eyes and was named Joanne. Joanne was a Silver Dragon Child, and her dragon was named Kilin.
Karin thought quickly. "Dirt of the forest, hear my plea! Smother the flames!" she commanded. Within moments, the dirt obeyed her and smothered the fire.
Minerva touched down.
"Are you the one responsible for this destruction?" Karin asked angrily.
Set hung his head. "Yes, I have difficulty controlling Ba-Pef."
Karin leaped onto him and shrieked angrily. She took out two tonfas and began hitting him with them.
"Karin! Stop this immediately!" a voice ordered.
A woman stepped toward them. She ahd blue-and-white hair and gentle, green eyes.
Karin got off Set. She bowed her head and knelt before the woman. She held out her tonfas to the woman, as if awaiting punishment.
"I am sorry, Mother Sophia." she said meekly.
Sophia placed a hand on her tonfas.
"Put those away." Sophia said.
Karin nodded obediently and did as Sophia had commanded. She got up and stood next to Sophia.
"I apologize for my daughter." Sophia said. She bent down to the boy and offered a hand.
"No, I should be the one apologizing." said Set.
"I sensed correctly then." Sophia said. "You are not like the others in Stefan's clan. You still have compassion. Do you wish for help?"
"Yes!" Set nodded. "I never wanted to be evil."
"Few do." said Sophia.
Ba-Pef realized Set was going to betray Stefan. Sophia was the only person who posed a threat to his reign of chaos. Ba-Pef sent a telepathic signal to Stefan, alerting him to the impending treason.

Popcorn Addict: Star Trek

I thought this time I'd do a special post because I just saw the Star Trek prequel a few weeks ago. So this will be my opinion of it.
First of all, I want to make something known: I am a true-blue Trekkie. I have watched every version of Star Trek. The only version of Star Trek I didn't like was Enterprise. Which is a real shame because I really liked Scott Bakula, the star of the show. He was great in Quantum Leap.

But going in, I had some misgivings. This was mostly because the people involved weren't Roddenberry or anyone else that had been involved with the previous installments. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Bad Robot. They made Lost and Cloverfield, both of which I thought were excellent (I still watch Lost religiously). So I guess I thought maybe I'll just wait and see what I think.

Here's the pluses. First of all, Zachary Quinto made an excellent Spock. He impressed me as Sylar on Heroes, and I had a feeling he'd still impress me here. They also picked a good Kirk and McCoy was also played authentically too. Heck, they even did the famous "I'm a doctor, not a..." routine. The story was pretty good and the fight scenes were excellent. The relationship between Uhura and Spock didn't bother me at all. If you read the books, there actually is an understated romance between them. And it was very nice to see Leonard Nimoy as Spock again. Seeing him in any movie, even without the pointy ears, is always enjoyable.

However, I did have a minor minus. My main problem is Nokia getting some product placement. Do they really expect us to think Nokia will be around for that long? I'm not sure I can buy that. But then, Ford survived WWII, so who knows?

Now is this the best Star Trek ever? Not really. I don't think it'll ever beat Star Trek II. (Rest in Peace, Ricardo Montalban. You will be missed) The story is great and the special effects are awesome. If you're a Trekkie, you will definitely enjoy it. I think it was definitely worth the price of admission.

Popcorn Addict: The top 10 Best Comic Book Movies

It seems like something recent, but comic books have been turning into movies since the 1930's. It started with the serials that showed before the main feature. As the technology behind the movies improved, Hollywood found it easier to make movies out of comic books.
Comic book movies have a dilemma because they have two audiences to please. Not only do they have to please those who know little about the source material, but they also have to please those who've read the comic book.
So which movies do the best? Well, here's my list. Keep in mind, this obviously only applies to the ones I've seen. So, since I haven't watched Watchmen yet, I can't comment on it.
10) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The first Ninja Turtles movie was the closest Hollywood ever came to the comic. It was nothing like the cartoon--edgy, dark and not dumbed-down. The Turtles even cursed! (Raphael said "Damn!" a total of three times) The fights were well-choreographed and Jim Henson did great work on the Turtles.
9) Hellboy: DC and Marvel aren't the only big names in the comic biz. One company that's managed to do quite well is Dark Horse, the company that publishes Hellboy. Hellboy is a different kind of superhero in that he actually looks like someone the heroes usually fight. In fact, the villains often attempt to coerce him to their side, but he always refuses. This movie captures the dark fantasy and humor of the comic well and looks excellent.
8) The Crow: The Crow is a great gothic story of a spirit of vengeance that possesses those who have died at the hands of injustice. The first Crow movie tells this story expertly and is worth watching.
7) Iron Man: This movie was better than I expected. Robert Downey Jr was an excellent choice for the part of Tony Stark. I wasn't expecting a prodigal son-type story, but it actually worked. The special effects were top-notch and the fights toward the end were excellent.
6) X-men: Next to the Justic League, the X-men will always be my favorite superhero team. I've always loved the familial relationship between the members. The movie did a great job of telling the story. Ian McKellan was excellent as Magneto and I doubt anyone could've played Professor X better than Patrick Stewart.
5) Batman: Tim Burton makes some of the best movies around, and this is no different. Michael Keaton proves he's one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood and Jack Nicholson is excellent as the Joker.
4) Superman II: A lot of people think the first Superman movie was the best, but I beg to differ. That movie did little that hadn't been done in the comics numerous times. Superman II, on the other hand, gave us the more spiritual side of the character. If you were to ask Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster where they got the idea for Superman, they'd tell you it was actually from Jesus. And in this story, we get a Superman who is willing to give up everything for love, just as Jesus did (Okay, so Superman doesn't get crucified, but if you think about it, there is a spiritual side to Superman)
3) Spider-man: Spider-man is a great study in everything that makes him cool. What I especially like is its emphasis on his responsibility. Willem Dafoe was the best choice for the Gren Goblin. He was just as menacing in the movie as he is in the comic.
2) Batman Begins: After the debacle of Batman and Robin, people must've thought there'd never be a good Batman movie again. Batman Begins proved that notion wrong. Christan Bale was terrific as Batman. Cillian Murphy have us a bone-chilling Scarecrow. Liam Nesson was very convincing as Ra's Al Ghul, providing an excellent foil for Batman. Only one question remained, could it be done twice?
1) The Dark Knight: This movie answered the question with a resounding yes! Jack Nicholson was a great Joker in the original movie and a tough act to follow. Ledger gave us his best performance as a Joker who revelled in the chaos he created. Aaron Eckhart was over the top as Two-Face, and did an excellent job of playing someone with inner demons. If you want an excellent Batman movie, this is the one.
Note: honorable mention goes to:
Sin City
The Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Spider-man II
X-men: United We Stand

The Best Batman Villains

Batman's always been my favorite superhero. I've always enjoyed the fact that Batman can handle any villain without the need of powers. It almost makes it seem like he could actually exist in our world.

They say a hero is defined by his villains. If that's true, it's no wonder Batman's so obsessed with order. His enemies are so uniquely evil, they're practically the stuff of our nightmares.

What follows are my favorite Batman villains. In fact, since I'm such a Bat-nerd, I'll even give you their first appearances. Oh, and for you Catwoman fans, I'm excluding her from the countdown because she spends so much time on the right side of the law, she's more of an outlaw than a villain.

10) Harley Quinn (Batman: the Animated Series ep 22: "Joker's Favor") Harley Quinn is a unique character because unlike the others on this list, she was originally created solely for the excellent Batman: the Animated Series. She got so popular DC actually worked her into the actual universe. Harley is certifyably insane. Anyone who's fallen so hopelessly in love with The Joker has to have a screw or two loose.

9) Poison Ivy (Batman #181): Posion Ivy is more than just sex appeal. She's an environmental terrorist who can control plants. I've always thought environmentalists were crazy, but I never thought I'd actually like one.

8) Mr. Freeze (Batman #121): When Mr. Freeze first appeared he was just another villain who used cold, a la Captain Cold (was DC thining "We have two cold villains. Surely, we must be cool now!) Then came Batman: the Animated Series and that changed. Now he became a tragic character you could almost pity. When he lost nora, Freeze didn't just lose his love, he lost his sanity and humanity. He became as cold as the ice he creates. He had no emotions now, making him even more frightening. Now if only he'd turn Joel Schumacher into a human icicle.

7) The Riddler (Detective Comics #140): The Riddler is one of the craftiest villains around. I love when he shows up because he gives you the ability to play detective with Batman. If it weren't for his obesession with clues, he'd probably be a more baffling foe. But then, he wouldn't be The Riddler. And you gotta love the thinking behind his alter ego's name: Edward Nigma. That's right--E. Nigma!

6) Bane (Batman: the Vengeance of Bane) Oh boy! Bane broke Batman's back and started one of the best Batman crossovers, "Knightfall." But Bane is more than just a steroid junkie. He actually had enough intelligence to know that if he kept Batman distracted by breaking all of Arkham's inmates out, he'd weaken Batman both physically and mentally. He's tried again and again to break Batman, but if you ask me, he should forget him and go after Joel Schumacher instead. (Okay, that's the last jab I take at the guy--for this column anyway.)

5) Two-Face (Detective Comics #66) Okay, I know, I should've put Two-Face at #2. But to put him at #5 still works--it's the halfway point!

Anyway, what I like about Two-Face is he represents the evil nature within all of us. He could've been a great district attorney, but evil had other plans.

4) Deadshot (Batman #59) Hey Christopher Nolan, I have a great idea: put Deadshot in your next Batman movie. Deadshot is Batman's polar opposite. They're both rich people and have similar origins. But Deadshot is evil and will actually kill people and even use guns! Now that we've seen two animated versions of Deadshot, let's see a live-action version. Trust me, Nolan, it'll work.

3) Scarecrow (World's Finest Comics #3) Scarecrow is your worst nightmare. He can bring your worst fears to life or create completely new ones. I thought Cillian Murphy did a great job playing Scarecrow. It was very close to both the comic book and Bruce Timm and Paul Dini's version.

2) Ra's Al Ghul (Batman #232): Ra's Al Ghul is what Batman would be if he had a bigger ego. IF you listen to Ra's Al Ghul's rhetoric, the only way to fix the world is to put him in charge. I don't need Talia to tell me how screwed up that'd be. Ra's Al Ghul even crated a disease and spread it through Gotham in the "Contagion" crossover.

1) The Joker (Batman #1): Was there any doubt that the Joker would be at the top? When most people think of Batman, the Joker is the first villain they think of. The Joker delights in the chaos he reeks. The guy even poisoned the Gotham River just so the fish would have his face. Then he tried to patent them!

The Joker has even made the fight personal. He broke Batgirl's legs in The Killing Joke. He killed the second Robin, Jason Todd, in A Death in the Family. (Yeah I know DC brought him back. Don't they realize majority rules?) And let's not forget his most evil act of all, when he took over Tim Drake's mind in Batman Beyond: the Return of the Joker. The Joker is pure evil. That's why he's such a great villain.

Rant Mode: Cartoon Network Goes Live-Action

Cartoon Network has made lots of bonehead decisions. They played Outlaw Star during their Toonami block. (great show, but it wasn't really for kids.) They make schedule changes, often without telling the viewers first, especially during Adult Swim. They recently cancelled Toonami after 11 years! And now, they have added live-action programming.
Why is this so bad? If you must ask, you must work for Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network was originally founded as a 24-hour cartoon channel. That means NO live-action. Now Cartoon Network loses its identity.
I guess the blame really falls on MTV. When they added reality shows and cartoons back in the 90's,they showed cable networks you don't have to play to the niche. VH-1 has also followed suit. Sci-fi plays three shows that aren't sci-fi: ECW, Scare Tactics, and The Chase. The only video game-related programs on G4, a so-called video game network, is X-play. Toon Disney has added live-action programming as well, but at least now they call themselves "Disney XD" (a reference to the recent HD change?). But come on, does every network have to do this? Does every network have to lose their identity for the sake of ratings? NO! This is a terribly boneheaded decision. Cartoon Network, wise up!