SHACKLED: The Curse of Haddon

The grounds shook once again whilst the council officials huddled together frozen in fear.

Aeliana, the virgin maiden struggled with the chains that bounds her hands and feet on the stone altar in the swampy cave. Her voice no longer audible from crying all day long.

She pleaded one more time with the council.

"Please, release me from these bonds, I am the only fruit of my mother. Have mercy on my Widowed mother and let me go. I am innocent"

"Your mother is a whore. She birthed you in whoredom and polluted our land. She brought this upon you." Antonio Cicero, the Chief Council glanced at her with disdain.

"We are only doing what we should have done from the beginning. You heard the High Priestess. Only your blood will purge the land and appease Haddon," Gallus, the Council Scribe, spat out. "It is only right to sacrifice one for many."

Rocky debris started falling as heavy footsteps draws closer. Haddon, the ancient mythical dragon of Luca has been invoked by the High Priestess, Liviana. The elders withdrew to the mouth of the cave in fear, leaving Priestess Liviana with her spells. No one has ever seen Haddon, but stories from their ancestors told of the fury and death that this creature can unleash.

Still struggling with her chains, Aeliana cried hoarsely. She looked at the Elders of the Council with finality.

"I curse you all with the same fate as mine. May the city of Luca never know peace, but blood. The sun will be your enemy and the moon will judge your evil. Your daughters will know death as mine, and your sons shall be entrapped by the very sin you accused my mother of. You believed the words of a vengeful witch when it was clearly told that Haddon is given animal sacrifices, and not human. For this, may Haddon only ever accept human blood till all generation of Luca passes."

Haddon emerged from within the cave roaring and breathing fire. His scales shinny and sharp as a whetted sword. The eyes were fiery red, the sight terrifying. Looking down from its huge height, it's vision focused on the writhing figure on the stone altar. It roared once again as it approached the raised stone. Aeliana was paralyzed with fear as it brought its nose closer and smelt her. The next second it swooped down and took the human maiden whole in its mouth. Blood splattered on the stone altar, bits of flesh falling of the side of the dragon's mouth. It turned its fiery eyes on Liviana, roaring with fury and began to move in her direction. Liviana stood her ground. She only raised the staff of Odion in its face, all the while muttering incantations. With the staff of Odion in her hands, she knew she would be safe from Haddon. The huge beast suddenly stopped in its steps as if something was blocking its path. It began to huff and puff. Huge fire burst from its nostrils and mouth, but it only fell like drops of ice on Liviana. She laughed maniacally, loving the feel of control over the dragon.

The elders fled, terrified for their lives, leaving behind the crazy High Priestess who still laughed like a lunatic.

And thus began the Curse of Haddon in the city of Luca.