The Cave of VaChina and The One-Eyed Dragon Series (Part I)

     Once upon a time, there was a cave nestled at the bottom of the valley of VaChina, enclosed by two voluptuous hills, full of mystical wonders. Inside the cave, lived a miserly old witch that the villagers had unceremoniously named Ursula. In the cave, Ursula hid her wealth of jewels and riches from the distant village dwellers. When it rained one of the seven days out of a month known for showers, there would be a flood through the cave, often picking up rubies and depositing them on the shores of other lands. The witch was very cranky during these monsoons, casting evil curses on anyone daring to come close enough to tempt her anger.
     In the village lived a handsome, dark stranger named Claudius who worked in the mines, bringing great wealth to his people. All the ladies adored him, but there was a sense of danger engulfing his character. Inside his cottage, he kept many dark secrets, letting very little of his true power be known. His strong personality and mysterious behavior left every woman he came in contact with longing to know more. But he was never interested in the glances from the females; he was more concerned in the science and philosophical aspects of life. Little did his people know, he owned a wandering one-eyed dragon, which he had named Zeus. Zeus was his pet by many terms of the definition, but you could not tame something as wild as a fire-breathing beast. Often, he would stroke it, longing for a woman who could appreciate the pet's beauty and mystic powers.
     It was no wonder, then, that the young Claudius happened to stumble upon the cave of VaChina during one of the seasonal rainy days. Having been searching for the origin of the famed blood red rubies, he followed the advice of the village Elder. He traveled the swollen hills of VaChina, crossing into the fertile valley, til he came upon the witch, Urusla, along the river outlining the cave's entrance, catching her off guard. Her blue eyes, reflecting the river's rage from several day's worth of rain, captivated him. As she turned to flee, he called to her, "Ma'am! Where are you going? Don't be startled."
     She turned, glancing at his dirty hands and rugged jaw. "You ought not be here. This is my territory. Go home! Danger awaits you if you remain."
"I seek the cave of VaChina, where I have heard many treasures are hidden. Might you direct me to the cave before you run off," he replied, ignoring her warning.
"No! Go away! The cave which you seek is my own. If you do not leave at once, I shall be forced to cast a heinous curse upon you and your family." Ursula, unusually perturbed by this young man, turned once more to hide away.
"Alright. Then, I shall return tomorrow. Hopefully, your demeanor will be much improved with a change in weather." With that, he strode off back home. But he only made it as far as the hills before he had to make camp with nightfall.