Dragon Ascendants

Dragon Ascendants

Paul E. Vaughn · Completed · 82.4k Words

893
Hot
893
Views
268
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

Half-elf, half-human, Tallian lives with dwarves and knows little about his birth parents. After his adopted brother runs away, hundreds of shadow bats decimate his village, and Meerkesh, Tallian’s adopted father reveals the truth about how he came to live with the dwarves in the Furin Mountains.  Betrayed by the only brother he has ever known, Tallian and the dwarves flee from Fearoc, the evil elf who controls Luminess. Against what seems to be impossible odds, dwarves, elves, dragons, and men unite against Fearoc in hopes of freeing Luminess.

Chapter 1

Chapter One

ON A GLOOMY DAY IN THE FURIN MOUNTAINS

, the sun

fades, and as its power dwindles, so does its warmth. This mountain is the largest range in Luminess, stretching from the mighty Byramar River’s starting point all the way to Mountain Pass Stream. Its peak is also the highest in Luminess, seemingly reaching halfway to the heavens.

The Furin Mountains have been home to dwarves for centuries. Though it holds no valuable minerals, this mountain holds the richest deposits of precious gems in Luminess. Dwarves have mined this mountain since they settled here and have only begun to tap into the depth of its riches. The mines run deep into the mountain with many tunnels.

As the first light of the dwindling sun touches the surface, smoke rises from the top of each little hut. The burrow’s hereditary leader lives in the center of the mining town of East Furin. Meerkesh’s family led the dwarves to this mountain centuries ago, and since they settled, his family’s eldest male accepts the role as burrow Spokesman. The dwarves’ well-being has always been his family’s primary concern. A mining burrow is simple to govern. With few rules and long workdays, there is little time for issues that would require a ruler. All who reach the age of sixteen are required to work the mine.

A family of three sits in Meerkesh’s hut, with Meerkesh sitting at the head of the table. Large for a dwarf in both height and build, he is, in fact, the tallest and largest dwarf in the Furin Mountains. His black hair with streaks of gray is semi-neatly braided halfway down his back. His beard, also in a single braid, hangs down his stomach, rubbing against his belt. Sitting to Meerkesh’s right is his eighteen-year-old son, Killmesh, Meerkesh’s only child and a spitting image of him. Killmesh’s mother does not sit at the table, as she died from sickness when he was five. The other dweller, Tallian, is not a dwarf. Just shy of eighteen-years-old, he is much taller than Meerkesh and Killmesh. Sitting, they only come to his shoulders. Much longer in frame, he is slender, though muscular from living the life of a dwarf. He was brought to Meerkesh as a baby. He knows nothing of his parents, but not for lack of asking.

They eat to prepare for a hard day’s work. “Killmesh, you remember everything I told you to do today?” Meerkesh asks.

“Yes father.”

Tallian speaks up: “I can help you, Killmesh, if you wish it.”

“I do not need your help! I am perfectly capable of handling my own job alone as intended.”

Meerkesh interjects as he can see an argument arising. “Tallian is attempting to be nice by offering to help. Show a little appreciation when someone offers you aid.”

“No one thinks I can handle things on my own! I am an adult and in line to take over for you some day. Why do you think I would not take my responsibilities seriously?”

“When you start proving that everything gets done as expected, I will let you be.”

Killmesh slams his fists on the table. He stands without finishing his food and storms toward the door. He slaps the door out of his way as he passes through it.

“Don’t let him bother you, Tallian. He is only angry because I am tough on him, whereas I am not as strict with you.”

“Why is that so Meerkesh? I feel like I am your son as well, but Killmesh only makes me feel as though I do not belong here.”

“I am tough on him because he must take my place someday. You do not have to carry the weight of this burrow and the mountain, so I spare you the strict discipline I try to instill in him.”

Meerkesh and Tallian finish their breakfast in silence. Tallian sits in confusion, while Meerkesh dons a look of disappointment. Tallian finishes first, so he clears the table of his wooden plate and cup. After he washes them and places them on the rack near the wall, he heads for the door. “I’m going to the mines.” Meerkesh nods as he finishes eating in silence.

Tallian walks up the hill passing huts. Each hut looks similar to the next. Because the dwarves work most of the time, it’s pointless to make fancy living quarters; therefore, they create simple huts with easy accessible materials.

As usual, the day begins with dwarves entering the mountain. Dwarves travel deep into the mountain looking for undiscovered jewels, while females run carts from the depths to the surface. There are many different jobs in the tunnels. Because rocks shroud the ground carts are transported on tracks elevated above the rocks. Some jobs require laying and forging the tracks. Most jobs, however, include stripping jewels and cleaning them.

Tallian enters the tunnel and passes working dwarves. Nodding as he passes, he makes his way down the tunnel. Tallian reaches his workstation but remembers he finished ahead of pace the previous day.

Tallian turns and sees Martush. He is an average sized dwarf with a ratty red beard and a bald head. His wife died giving birth to their son seven years ago. His fortunes became worse when his son did not survive the week. His grief continues. Unlike most dwarves who have their beard in a single braid, he has no braid.

Tallian walks up to him. “Can I do anything to help you?” Martush turns and stares at Tallian, expressionless. He says nothing but turns his head and looks down at the rocks lying beside him. Tallian shakes his head and picks them up.

After picking up a few rocks, Tallian realizes he needs a cart. Each tunnel only has one cart in order to prevent congestion. He runs through the tunnel looking for the cart. He finds Veraskin using it. He quickly approaches her. “Can I use this for a few minutes? I will return it soon.”

“Sure, as long as it doesn’t take too long. I must get back to work.”

“It will be returned as quickly as I can see my task finished.”

She waits while he pushes the cart down the tunnel. He stops the cart where he had been digging the tunnel. He clears his work area, and then he moves up the tunnel near Martush. Quickly picking up rocks, he clears the area. At first, Martush does not notice his presence, but then a small rock gets away from Tallian and lands on Martush’s foot. Snapping out of his normal drunken haze into an uncommon state of sobriety since the passing of his family, Martush turns and stares at him once again as if he is confused at his hurry.

When Tallian finally makes his way back to Veraskin to return the cart, he says, “I am finished with your cart, but I am afraid I have filled it. I can go dump it for you.”

She shakes her head. “You have been working since you started sneaking in here at age twelve. How about you just help me dump it? I saw you working back there, and your pace can afford to slow a bit.” She smiles as they push the cart slowly toward the exit. As they walk, Tallian is quiet as usual, but Veraskin continues. “How have you been? Aside from seeing you in the tunnels, I have not seen you much of late.”

“I have been trying to stay busy. I often walk through the woods to clear my head.”

“I have been wondering where you disappear to. Where all do you go?”

“Different places. Sometimes I just walk in any direction and see where I end up.”

“How do you not get lost? We do not finish until near dark, and if you walk as much as you say you do, how do you navigate after the sun goes down?”

“It is hard to explain, but I have always been good at knowing where I am. I feel at home in the woods. It feels like the trees are my guide. When I wish to return home, I just start walking the direction I came from, and I always find my way back.”

Once they get the cart outside of the tunnel, they push it up to a wagon. The tracks stop just before they reach a drop-off. The driver of the wagon backs it to the drop-off. Tallian pulls a lever on one side, and Veraskin pulls a lever on her side. Then they push the cart, dumping it, without removing it from the tracks.

“How are your husband and your son?” Tallian asks. “I am going to have to make a point to stop and play with Vertush the next time I see him.”

Her face lights up with a smile as she answers. “He is as playful as ever. I am sure Afkan would love the relief. Vertush constantly wants his father to play with him, but Afkan is usually exhausted from the mines.”

“Well, the next time I see him, I will play with him. He is a good kid. I enjoy myself every time I am around him.”

“I will tell him that when I see him tonight. He will be all smiles, I am sure. You being so tall makes him feel as if he is friends with a giant.” She smiles as they come to the end of their walk.

At the end of the day, Tallian exits the tunnel and walks down the hill toward his hut. He stops and turns to look at the tunnels, as he always has been amazed by the workers as they leave the mines. They remind him of a colony of ants as they flee a burning bed.

The dwarves retreat from the mountain by hundreds. Dwarves of all descriptions scurry from several mining tunnels, but all have so much in common. Dwarves are short in stature standing not much farther from the ground than a newborn pony. Their vertical challenges may be grounds for joking, but their hearts could power a giant, along with their amazing strength. A life of mining makes a body strong.

While dwarves have many traditions, they have one that sets them apart—more than their lack of height. After they turn eighteen, the males never cut their beard again. While they are allowed to style it any way they wish, cutting it is forbidden. Most dwarves wear their hair and beard in a single braid, which they tuck in their shirts while they work. Age is easily determined among the male dwarves. Only elves live more than eighty years, but occasionally, dwarf’s beard reaches the ground, symbolizing an uncommon age for dwarves.

After viewing the workers flocking from the tunnels, Tallian heads home once more. East Furin reaches all the way up to the mines, and the burrow is located midway between the tunnels and the base of the mountain. It is not a terrible walk, which Tallian actually enjoys. Soft grass covers the rock of the mountain like a pillow for his feet. This walk reminds him of the woods through which he loves wandering.

As he walks, he can only think about going to see Emerald. He has not seen him for three days, which is a long time for Tallian, who would see him every day if Meerkesh would allow it. Meerkesh does not allow Tallian to wander the woods every night. Meerkesh treats Tallian as his own son; therefore, he has no complaints about the rules he lays out for him.

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate

My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate

363.1k Views · Completed · Veejay
Sophia Drake braced herself for the worst when she was forced to move across the country in the middle of her junior year. Desperate to escape her shattered home as soon as she turns eighteen, her plans are disrupted by the enigmatic and captivating Ashford twins. Sophia can't fathom the intense attraction she feels for the twins and tries to avoid them at every turn. As she's thrust into an unfamiliar world, her past demons resurface, making her question her true identity. Will Sophia flee from her past's secrets, or will she embrace her destiny and take control of her future?
Omega Bound

Omega Bound

195.8k Views · Ongoing · Veronica White
Ayla Frost is a beautiful, rare omega. Kidnapped, tortured, and trafficked to rogue clans and corrupt alphas to do with as they pleased.  Kept alive in her cage, broken and abandoned by her wolf, she becomes mute and has given up on hope for a better life until one explosion changes everything. 

Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life. 

Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
The Ex-Wife's Redemption: A Love Reborn

The Ex-Wife's Redemption: A Love Reborn

140k Views · Completed · Emma Blackwood
When my son was hospitalized with a high fever, Henry Harding was with his ex-lover—a final betrayal that shattered what little remained of our marriage.
The pain of my unwed pregnancy is a wound I can never speak of, as the child's father vanished without a trace. Just as I was about to take my own life, Henry swooped in, offering me a home and vowing to treat my fatherless child as his own.
I've always been grateful to him for saving me that day, which is why I've endured the humiliation of this lopsided marriage for so long.
But everything changed when his former flame, Isabella Scott, returned.
Now, I'm ready to sign the divorce papers, but Henry demands ten million dollars as the price of my freedom—a sum I could never hope to scrape together.
I looked him in the eye and said coldly, "Ten million dollars to buy your heart."
Henry, the most powerful heir on Wall Street, is a former heart patient. He'll never suspect that his so-called shameful ex-wife orchestrated the heart beating in his chest.
You Rejected A Silver Wolf

You Rejected A Silver Wolf

176.1k Views · Completed · Princess Treasure Chuks
After being hated and rejected her entire life, for a mistake she made in the past, Lady Rihanna, daughter of the Beta decided to leave Black Hills.
Wandering off as a rogue, she heightened her powers and became the fearsome dread called Your Silver.
Accompanied by her silver wolf, she was ready to unleash hell on all who rejected her but then she meets her second chance mate, Alpha of Black Rose, who she couldn’t refuse.
An evil is rising that'd need the blood of the silver wolf to succeed. Would Rihanna forsake her pain and work with her mates, old and new?
Or would she charge head-on to the evil risking her own life? Enjoy this enthralling read!!
The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King

The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King

251.4k Views · Completed · Amelia Rivers
Don't stop," I begged, my hips bucking against his touch, every nerve screaming for more. "Fuck, Jace, please…"

"Eyes on me," he growled, voice thick with lust, practically vibrating through me. "I wanna watch you lose it when I make you come."

My climax slammed into me, wild and unstoppable, as he rasped, "That's it, baby."

The next morning, my heart shattered into pieces. There was Scarlett—throwing herself into Jace's arms, her body pressed intimately against his chest, her hands possessively claiming what I thought was mine just hours ago.


Raised by werewolves, human Aria Silverbrook has always lived as an outsider. When her adoptive father flees with her to escape a dangerous Alpha's advances, they find sanctuary with the powerful Moon Shadow Pack. But Aria never expected the overwhelming connection she feels to the pack's mysterious Alpha, Jace Carter—or how his young daughter Aurora instantly claims a piece of her heart.

Jace's royal Primal bloodline makes him exceptional among Alphas, his wolf Phantom towering over others. When Aria enters his territory, something stirs within him. As the Blood Moon approaches, he debates revealing the truth: she is his destined mate who will unlock his full potential.

Near her eighteenth birthday, Aria notices disturbing changes. Her wounds heal unnaturally fast after saving Aurora from a rogue wolf. A strange voice whispers warnings of transformation, while her lifelong wolf-paw birthmark takes on new significance.

Is Aria truly human? What secrets will the Blood Moon reveal? And as she falls deeper for Jace despite jealous pack members threatening their bond, can she embrace a destiny beyond anything she imagined—becoming Luna to a Wolf King?
Violent Little Thing.

Violent Little Thing.

262.8k Views · Completed · sheridan.hartin
Fuck off? I lent over to her side of the car, grabbed her hips and ripped her over to straddle my lap. This girl was something else, I knew it from the start. Now I needed her to know just who I am and what I am capable of. I held one hand firmly on her waist and the other to her throat. It wasn’t tight enough to hurt her, but it would keep her in place for now.
“Angel, you have a filthy fucking mouth”, I whispered low into her ear.
“Luciano…” Finally, an expression on her face. A real one she wasn’t hiding from me. It wasn’t fear though. It was lust. My girl likes this. I pulled her down further so she could feel just how much I was liking it too and the most enchanting gasp came from her mouth while her eyes rolled back for a moment.
————————————————
Do you enjoy a damsel in distress and a knight in shining armour? If so, then this book is not for you. This five foot nothing, FMC, Ariana Salvatore is a ruthless assassin, trained and tortured to be the most deadly weapon. She's got a heart of gold, a filthy mouth and a will to survive. She's on the run from her father's heavy hand and deadly demands. What happens when not one but three powerful mafia men pine for her? Will they be able to share? Will her past catch up to her? And what about her ex fiance? The ruthless, beast of a man her father had arranged for her to marry? This book is a whirlwind of events, violent, spicy and not for the faint hearted.
Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings

Unwanted Mate Of The Lycan Kings

96.4k Views · Completed · Jessica Hall
Caught in a deadly game, Zirah must outwit three savage Lycan Kings and their lethal pets to survive. But what happens when she finds herself in the heart of the maze, not just alive, but protected by the very beasts sent to kill her? It is supposed to be a game—a game of life and death. But what started with the maze trials ended in a prize that is more than Zirah bargained for. She never thought the prize would be for her to choose between the three Lycan Kings fighting for their father’s throne.

Upon meeting the three Lycan kings, Zirah learns that the Kings are no prince charmings. That this would be no fairy tale love story, but one where her life is constantly balanced on the sharp edge of a knife's blade. A knife that is poised to take her life or leave her horribly broken. The Kings want nothing to do with her or each other and plan to get rid of her.

What they don't expect is for Zirah to fight back, only she plays with something far more dangerous than weapons. She’ll play with their hearts.

Zirah has to pick one King, but secrets will be revealed, and the battle between the Kings will be for more than just the throne. They will battle for the queen that they tried to break. But there's just one issue: Zirah wants revenge, and what better revenge than taking away their precious throne?
Shattered Girl

Shattered Girl

390.1k Views · Completed · Brandi Rae
Jake's fingers danced across my nipples, squeezing gently and making me groan in pleasure. He lifted my shirt and stared at my hardened nipples through my bra. I tensed, and Jake sat up and moved back on the bed, giving me some space.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Was that too much?” I could see the worry in his eyes as I took a deep breath.

“I just didn’t want you to see all my scars,” I whispered, feeling ashamed of my marked body.


Emmy Nichols is used to surviving. She survived her abusive father for years until he beat her so severely, she ended up in the hospital, and her father was finally arrested. Now, Emmy is thrown into a life she never expected. Now she has a mother

who doesn't want her, a politically motivated stepfather with ties to the Irish mob, four older stepbrothers, and their best friend who swear to love and protect her. Then, one night, everything shatters, and Emmy feels her only option is to run.

When her stepbrothers and their best friend finally find her, will they pick up the pieces and convince Emmy that they will keep her safe and their love will hold them together?
Mated To The Cold Hearted Alpha

Mated To The Cold Hearted Alpha

239.2k Views · Ongoing · Alice Tumusiime
Warning 18+ ⚠️MATURE READERS ONLY⚠
"You want me to fuck you, I know it"
"As much as you don't like me, you're my mate and you can't deny it."
He stood up behind me, one hand holding my hip, and leaned down, his breath ragged against my neck, his voice was husky,
"You'll listen to your body... what it wants... and my body... what it needs. Only the pleasure that a small bite can bring."

At the age of 15, I was shocked to hear the ruthless Alpha claim that I was his mate.
To make matters worse, he killed my father, who was trying to protect me. At that time, I successfully ran away from him.
However, when I turned 18, I fell into his trap again.
I hated him and wanted revenge, but the moon goddess had a different plan for me.
I was his mate, and we were fated to be together. No matter the circumstances, my body couldn't resist him.
The Luna's Vampire Prince

The Luna's Vampire Prince

140.6k Views · Completed · Bella Moondragon
Prince Rafe leans over me, holding himself up on one elbow as he gazes at my face. I feel his eyes wandering over every surface from my brow to my eyes, down my nose, to my lips and chin, and then returning to hold my gaze for a second. The small smile at the corner of his mouth makes me think he likes what he sees.
His hand is cool when it brushes a loose curl from my cheek, but I don’t jerk away from him. I have no idea what’s going on. I don’t understand why I’m here. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. It seems like a lot of powerful people want me—dead or alive. And yet, all I can think about right now is how badly I want this vampire’s hands on my body.


I live in a desolate village on the edge of the Vampire King’s lands. This used to be wolf shifter territory, but now, we are just trying to survive.
When I mess up and find myself in a culling, I know I’m dead. No wolf shifters ever survive these events.
And after the stunt I pulled in the middle of the village, Prince Rafe probably wants me dead.
Is it a good thing or a bad thing when a vampire looks at you like you’re a snack?
Something tells me, once I reach the castle, I’ll be missing my miserable existence in the village.
But then—it turns out I have no freaking idea who I even am, and when the royals start referring to me as Princess Ainslee, I realize my life is about to take a turn—for better or worse.
Secrets of Us: A Forbidden Love Romance

Secrets of Us: A Forbidden Love Romance

330.8k Views · Ongoing · Miranda Carr
He kisses me for a long time, long enough that it’s me that pulls away and desperately grabs onto his cock. Without words between us, he grabs my legs, lifting me up against the tiled wall and spreads my legs.
He’s angry from the conversation last night. I can feel it, I can see it in his dark eyes. It’s only confirmed when he slams into me without preparing me.
I cry out and he soothes me with kisses on my neck and nibbles on my skin. Still he doesn’t slow down. He starts at a quick pace, at a strength that already has my legs trembling.
I grab onto his shoulders, cries leaving my lips every time he slams into me. It turn wet, not from the water, but from how much he makes my pussy happy.


Alina leaves everything she knows behind after she is in a terrible car accident that tears her family apart. A new home, a new school and a fractured relationship with her mother are only the beginning of the things this change will throw her way. Immediately she catches the attention of three men, and she can’t deny what she feels for them, too. Quickly, and much to her demise, she finds out that their lives are much more intertwined than she would have ever hoped for. She had hoped to discover herself in this new place, but everything only tears her apart. Who will she choose between Zaid, the bad boy, Aiden, her sweet jock, and Jake, and older man who can't seem to keep his hands off of her?
Stuck With My Three Hottie Boss

Stuck With My Three Hottie Boss

148.2k Views · Completed · Oguike Queeneth
"Your pussy is dripping for us, begging for us to use it." His deep voice sent shivers down my spine.

"Do you want that, buttercup? Do you want us to give your little cunt what it craves?"

"Y…yes, sir." I breathed


Joanna Clover's hard work through university paid off when she got a secretary job offer to her dream company, Dangote Group of Industries. The company is owned by three mafia heirs, they don't only own a joint business, they are also lovers and had been together since their college days.

They are sexually attracted to one another but they share everything together including women and they change them like clothes. They are known as the world's most dangerous playboys.

They want to share her but will she accept the fact that they fuck each other?

Will she be able to navigate business and pleasure?

She has never been touched by a man before let alone three, all at the same time. Will she oblige?