Prologue

Ages ago, when the world was young, the many Clans of the world scattered to populate it, and each turned to its own devices and own advancements. As culture and technology advanced, one particular species, that of the Dragon Clan, steadily grew in power, rising above all of the other clans that populated the world at that time. Human and Wing, Forest and Fusion, Maniro and Builder, Mole and more... all the Clans bowed in turn to the might of the Dragons. When the Dragon Clan was at the peak of its power, effectively controlling the world, a new kind of person appeared before them, unlike any seen before... a Goddess.

Her name was Myria, and she could grant wishes to any and all who asked it of her. However, the Dragons grew suspicious of each other. They questioned each others' motives and goals, and with each wish that was granted for one Dragon, the jealousy and hatred of him grew in the hearts of others. In time, the Dragon Clan was divided into two opposing factions, the Light Dragons and the Dark Dragons, and they finally declared war upon each other, with the Goddess Myria and all her miraculous power as the prize.

And then was the heart of Myria made glad, for in truth this was the goal for which the Goddess had been striving for the entire time. For though Myria was fair to behold and her power seemingly a holy miracle, her heart was twisted and evil. Gleefully she encouraged each of the Dragon factions seperately, goading them on to greater and greater atrocities. The other Clans were caught up in the wars as well, some siding with the Light Dragons and some with the Dark. This gladdened the black heart of Myria further, and she appeared before them to encourage them in bloodshed and slaughter as well.

The entire world was soon caught up in the carnage. From one pole to the other, one horizon to the next, all was war and death wherever one looked. The bloody battles dragged on with no signs of ending, and with each man that fell, was Myria's glee increased. Finally, a decade after the war had begun, when the entire world stood at the brink of total destruction... a hero appeared. A Light Dragon youth whose name was Ryu. A legend in the Dragon Clan told that whenever the world was in danger of obliteration, a hero named Ryu would rise to save it. Several times already had a Ryu done so. And now, it seemed, the time had come for the cycle to be renewed.

Ryu the Light Dragon joined with heroes from the other Clans, seven in all following him. They were united with one common goal; to stop the war, no matter what the cost. Together, they discovered the true nature of Myria, and confronted her, revealing her foul motives to all. And with the aid with the good and just God of the Dragons, did they defeat the Goddess Myria and all those who served her, imprisoning her beneath the earth using seven magical keys.

These artifacts came to be known as the Goddess Keys, and once Myria had been sealed away, they were scattered to the four winds to ensure that none would ever be able to gather them all and free the evil Goddess once more. This took many years, but before he died, Ryu had seen to it that all of the Keys were safely hidden and guarded from the world. And in her prison did accursed Myria rage with hatred for the Light Dragons and especially for the one named Ryu.

With Myria gone, the world slowly returned to peace. Grievances were forgotten and hatreds were quelled as the Clans returned to their homes, and the effects of the war buried... BUT for the division between the Light Dragons and the Dark Dragons, which was so great that it could never be fully healed again. The Book of Ladon