I've found this relatively recently, I'd all but forgotten it entirely. I suggest you read it at least once, it's quite neat if I dare say so myself. 10th grade Young Author's, it is.
The Timeless and the Golden
Deep in the forests of Silverweyr Forest, lived the queen of the dragons. Her powers were unmatchable by any single warrior or sorcerer of the human, elf, or dwarf races. She and her green dragon-kin were safe in their beautiful fortress within their forest, and they stood guard over it like shepherds for sheep.
Dwarves had little reason to go near the place of the green dragons, since they simply love to mine the earth and find beautiful jewels and rare gems. The humans and elves on the other hand, they wanted the forest. The humans wanted it for the vast amounts of wood, food, and strategic position as on a great island in the lake within their continent of Narandur. The elves wanted to protect it, but not alongside dragons, they didn't like dragons because of a particular black dragon, G'rashimm, who had tried to burn a whole forest to the ground. He and his black dragon-kin were banished to the black mountains far to the south.
Everywhere the green dragons had gone, they had been feared and forced to leave, and this was their home now. None would give it up, most especially not Queen G'limmer of the dragons. She and her people fought for many hundreds of years, however, eventually, they found themselves completely outmatched in numbers. Then, from the seas around them, arose the blue dragons, and from the earth beneath them, the brown dragons, and from far to the north, the white dragons.
Queen G'limmer could finally rest and regain her strength, safe in her castle. For now, she had King G'rackenim of the white dragons, Prince G'ambilimen of the blue dragons, and Princess G'nurumdur of the brown dragons to help fight off the humans and elves. The combined effort of the four weyrs of dragons was too much for the humans or the elves, and they fled on any craft capable of sailing. However, one human remained, he had been injured by his own people when he'd stood up for the dragons and they felt sympathy for him, so, in exchange for his life being spared, he crafted four shining orbs, which he set into beautiful crowns, these orbs allowed the dragons to communicate with each other.
Far to the south, the black weyr was amassing its army, training, and enslaving humans, elves, and dwarves to work forges and mines for them. The people worked all day and some of the night, they were quick to rebel, and quick to fall. However, one was the sorcerer the dragons to the north had saved; he crafted a new orb, and contacted to warn the dragons. He said, "Quick! The black dragons amass their forces and make mighty enhancements to their great claws and scales! They-", he was cut short along with his life.
The dragons had not heard the last part, where their foes would be bringing a fallen knight to fight alongside them, and that he had an army of men by his side, also being readied. The dragons also did not know just how big the black army was, or if there were any other allies to it. First, the dragons felt that the proud humans should fall first, and then the elves, then the northern dragons. After that, their final brethren would be easy to defeat. Little did they know of the four crowns of magic, enabling conversations to go on among the dragons of blue, white, brown, and green.
Ysera, a simple green dragon, had been sent to scout out the black dragons' army and to ensure the sorcerer was alive, what Ysera found was astonishing. The black army was larger than all the four weyrs combined! However impossible the odds seemed, he had only glimpsed the army of men that would soon march out to face their brethren.
With such news, Ysera raced home to tell his queen, who was completely shocked to hear this. Never before had such an army of dragons come forth, yet, an army the size of humans Ysera had seen, plenty of times. A green dragon was dispatched to the dwarven capital, and when they heard the news, they quickly informed the humans and the elves. Soon enough, a ceasefire was called to finish the business with the black dragons. A massive army of 5,000 Dwarves, 10,000 Men, 7,500 elves, and 4,000 dragons was mustered and sent to strike the black army of 7,000 black dragons and 20,000 men.
Oddly enough, the black army, now named the Shadow Guards, expected this and ambushed the enemies. Less than 20 Dwarves, 40 Men, 20 Elves, and 80 dragons survived the trap. When they fled, the dwarves, men, and elves rode on top of the dragons. What is strangest is HOW they got out, seeing as how a great and powerful force field was erected just after the tip of the last non-black dragon's tail escaped. Who did it? Why, the sorcerer's spirit, of course! As the dragons flew away, his voice reached them, wailing, "When the ancient dragons of gold are found, new aid shall see you to victory. Speak with the Timeless to see the riddle of the golden dragons, and the realm they guard. You have less than a week to travel there. Now, fly!"
All the people searched their world for the golden dragons, yet none could find them. Timeless people were only found far away, on another island on the other side of their world. A group of 4 dragons, an elf known as Aranya, a dwarf known as Thender, and a human known as Artham traveled there, seeking the Timeless. When they reached their realm, they saw it was beautiful and full of mighty magic. When they came across the passage through time, it wasn't very impressive. It was deep in a cave, very well covered, but not too much for Thender's sense of treasure. The entrance was just big enough for the dragons to fit through and walk behind Thender, for only his eyes could see down here. He led them through a maze into a forest. Here, Aranya guided them safely through. Finally, they came across a knight, who only accepted challenges from men of courage and wisdom. Artham stepped forth, for he was a paladin, which is a warrior and a magician.
The battle lasted for 3 hours, when the green dragon, Ch'rander, flamed the ceiling in warning to hurry up, kind of funny if you ask me. The knight was taken off-guard by this and the paladin took this chance to disarm and hold his blade before his foe's throat, calling it end-match. Grudgingly, the knight allowed the company to pass through.
The Timeless didn't seem to look like much; they were all garbed in shiny, great robes that covered them wholly. One in a purple robe confronted them saying in a squeaky voice, "Why have you come to the Cavern of Time?"
Therum said in a deep voice, "If you are masters of time, as we've heard, you should know that pretty thoroughly by now."
The Timeless chuckled, and said, "We do not wield time, we simply do not age, also, and we maintain the flow of time, ensuring it is not tampered with. Now, what are you here for?"
Aranya said in a gentle voice, "We have come to ask to know where the golden weyr of dragons is. Now, where are they?"
The Timeless said, "Only those who can answer our riddle may know where the gold dragons' world is."
Artham said in an aggravated voice, "Yes, we know that. So, what's the riddle already?"
The Timeless said, "’What grows the more you take out of it?’ Once you answer me this, you may pass to the first of three gates."
The brown dragon, Ar'galleni, replied, "That's easy enough, a hole."
The Timeless said, "Precisely! Hehe, you must have heard that one before."
Ar'galleni replied, "Hear of it? Haha! I'm the one who made up that riddle."
The Timeless said, "Well, either way, you are free to pass. Head that way." He pointed to a gate on the opposite side of the cavern.
The white dragon, Dr'anec, replied, "Well, come on, not gonna save our people loitering."
The dwarf mounted atop Ar'galleni, the elf mounted atop Ch'rander, and the human mounted atop Dr'anec. The blue dragon flew through the sky with his friends by his side as he carried the luggage. When they reached the opposite side of the cavern, another purple garbed Timeless was waiting. He greeted them saying, "So, I see my younger brother's riddle was too easy. Well, here is my riddle, seeing as how you're so busy. ‘When you stop and look, you can always see me. If you try to touch you cannot feel me. I cannot move, but as you near me, I will move away from you. What am I?’"
All pondered this riddle for quite some time, then, Ar'galleni figured it out. "Of course! You are the horizon! The horizon cannot be touched, nor does it move, however, you can never reach it!" He exclaimed, full of pride.
The Timeless said, "Very good, dragon. You're smarter than you look, which is a good thing I assure you. Now, move on, two more gates wait up ahead. My older brothers' riddles are even harder than mine was."
So, the heroes moved along the passage to the next gate. Here, another Timeless one sat, and said in a weak voice, "Ahh, so, there are people left around the infinite universes capable of solving their riddles. Good. Well, here you have it, my riddle is, err, right, you have a choice between 'Look at me. I can bring a smile to your face, A tear to your eye, Or even a thought to your mind. But, I can't be seen. What am I?' or 'What flies when it's born, lies when it's alive, and runs when it's dead?' Hehe, nobody but my older brother has ever solved either riddle. Hehehe."
These both stumped all, even the very clever Ar'galleni. The dwarf suddenly remembered something, he said, "I'll solve your second riddle, and its answer is 'a snowflake'. Hehe, it helps to live where it snows so often."
The Timeless suddenly laughed so hard his shroud nearly fell off, and said, "Very good, sir dwarf! Very good, indeed! Ah, in case you were wondering, the first one's answer was 'your memory'. Well, come by again, if you can solve my younger brothers' riddles again, they change every time somebody gets them right, so if you seek a great mental challenge, none is better than this. Well, my oldest brother is probably asleep or eating up there, go and wake him up, will you? It's not every day somebody can pass any of our riddles, let alone 3 of them."
The blue dragon, Saphina, said, "Will do, hope these guys get at least a little smarter, maybe one would be able to solve your riddles."
The Timeless said, "Oh, how I wish, how I wish."
Then, the company of 7 moved out once more, and when they arrived up top, they saw what must have been the only fat Timeless, he was also surrounded by food and was, indeed, asleep. Aranya crept up to him, and yelled, "HEY! WAKE UP YOU SILLY TIMELESS!" quite loud.
The Timeless jumped high enough for them to have mistaken him for a frog, he roared, "WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR?!"
The others all yelled back, "WE NEED TO GET PAST YOUR GATE! TELL US YOUR RIDDLE!"
The Timeless said, "Oh, well, you didn't have to scare me so badly, a little nudge or something would've woke me up."
Artham said, "Well, what's done is done. What's your riddle?"
The Timeless replied, "What a rude person, well, here's your riddle. 'I am strongest as you see me round, but I am often viewed in other forms. I lift and drop the sea with my tremendous strength, and yet I do not touch the sea. Who am I?' Hehe, let's see here, 20 minutes should be long enough for you to solve it, if not, then get out of here.
Aranya, Artham, and Thender were all thoroughly puzzled and yet, the dragons had already guessed 4 different things. They guessed theirs, a magic orb, a changing orb, a great boulder, and magic. None were right. Aranya guessed a spell that fired a round magic blast which moved the sea away and Thender guessed the tide, again, incorrect. Artham was now the only one able to make a guess; he said, diffidently, "The moon?"
The Timeless screamed, "Grrraaaaaaahhh! How did you know that?! Nobody's ever gotten that right! Nobody! It's not fair! It's never fair! I wait millennia and then suddenly I'm rudely awoken and then, against all odds, the pea-sized brain of that human guesses it! It's not faaaaaiir!! Humph, well, you're STILL not getting past. So, there."
Suddenly, a voice, not unlike a mother's, boomed from high above, down below, on their left and on their right, and everywhere else, though it was mostly stone around them, "Gilbert! No temper-tantrums! Or I'll have you reassigned to a world about to perish, and you know what would happen if your world perishes..."
Gilbert said, grumpily, "Fine, fine, they may pass, but it's still not fair."
The company passed through to a beautiful, shining, golden room full of treasures, great and thick books, and fine blades of Thorium and Mythril. Aranya, Artham, and Thender were all quite greedy immediately, but the dragons wouldn't allow them to get anywhere near these things. They suspected a trap.
As the company passed forward, they saw a great chamber and a beautifully crafted throne with a door on his left and on his right. They pressed forward before the figure, another Timeless, who said, "I am King Arthur, Lord of Time and Guardian of its flow. You seek the golden dragons, which were yet are no more for they left with you, to come and save this world. The sorcerer, Argen, my youngest brother and still a man, who was guardian of your world ‘til he fell, sent you here to beg for them, knowing you brought them forth. You have passed through my passages, solved my children’s' riddles, and even resisted temptations beyond your own fathoming, well done. You could not have done it alone. Through the door on my left is the passage back in time, the one on my right is the passage forward in time. So, go backwards and tell me all this. I will know what to do, hehe, trust me. Now go, as time is of the essence."
The company thanked him, each in turn as they passed through. At this time, Queen G'limmer was recalling something about the gold dragons she should have told them. But, she figured it was too late, and watched as what may very well be her last sunset, passed.
The passage they took was as though through the night sky, it was in a tunnel with black walls and white stars all around; there was the moon, and their home. Except, it wasn't their home, yet, anyway. The world held a vast number of golden dragons, fish men, rock men, little elves, mini-dwarves (though Aranya didn't think anything was smaller than a dwarf) and many men. The other dragon weyrs and Elvin cities and dwarven mines were not yet around. However, when it was made what was happening so far into the future, these people couldn't help coming too. And there was Argen, who had already told his brother what was happening. So, with that out of the way, he brought all those who wished to journey forwards, and King Arthur let them pass through the door on their right, telling them to say, "Hello" to him in the future.
They went forwards in time, and landed back where they were supposed to be, right with the people who had come. They greeted the king and moved onward to the other island, which was nearly conquered by the black dragons. Boy were they shocked to see an army riding with the sun AND the moon to the backs. The black dragons fled back to their caves, but were fought down to less than 10 dragons, who had hidden elsewhere. The gold dragons were praised, along with the other people, the Kokiri, or Elf-like kids, the Gnomes, or Dwarf-like minis, the Zoras and Murlocs, or fish men, and the 7 who went to get them. Now, the world lived in peace.
Queen G'limmer's family had perished, but she survived, though just barely. Her black brother was standing right over her, savoring the moment of her last breath, when he was slain by 10,000 golden dragons breathing flames. For millennia, peace reigned as ruler of the planet, and people often went to try their luck at the riddles, greatly pleasing the Timeless and their riddles.
As time passed, the 7 realized they did not age. King Arthur explained, "You passed all the trials of the Timeless, and now you too are Timeless! Well, I could have told you earlier, but I didn't want to surprise you, well, at least not without shocking you first!" He then laughed with those whom he called his friends, and they lived in harmony for so long, all forgot the ways of war.