Beneath the Fire

I scanned the tree line again, looking for anything. I step away from the forest feeling something there, stalking me, stalking us. Something came racing out of the tree line, going towards Ana. Something shot out at Ana. Without thinking, I rushed towards her and pushed her out of the way. I felt a sharp pain, and everything around me started to fade to black. That last thing I heard was screaming.

“Come now, Ryen, wake up, you have scout training to do today,” I heard my grandmother’s voice and felt her hand run through my hair.

“But I don’t want to today, I want to spend the day with you!” I shouted at my grandmother.

I heard her laughter and opened my eyes. I saw a smile with warmth in her eyes.

“But then I thought you wanted to be the best to protect me and your younger sister,” she said. I shot out of bed and into her arms, yelling that I will be the best. She held me tightly, her arms, laughing at me. I laughed with her and got up I raced to get dressed, but something felt off.

I looked back and saw my grandmother looking at me with knowing eyes. I turned around and felt something staring at me, stalking me. I turned around again and saw my grandmother’s face burned and my house in ruins.

“Grandmother, what’s going on?” I said.

She said nothing, I felt nothing, then pain face my face and felt something dripping from my face. It felt warm, and when I touched it to look at it, I saw red. Confusion hit me, and I felt more pain in my head. I looked towards my grandmother and wanted to yell, but nothing came out.

“Ryen, wake up, we need your help!” I heard a female voice scream in panic.

I groaned in response and opened my eyes. I looked up and saw a deep sea of green looking back at me. I roll my head back and let out another groan.

“What the hell hit me?’ I grabbed my head I felt where the blood was coming from. The bright red and warmth of my own blood in my hands made me think of the time I got hit by a boar while hunting a long time ago.

“Ah, never mind, I guess it was the thing that was stalking us for a while now,” said Fredrick.

I felt more warmth coming from my head, but it felt different I heard a soft tone of voice and saw that Ana was healing me. I went to stop her, but she gave me a hard look. I rolled my eyes. It’s just a small head wound; I don’t need a prayer of healing. After she finished, I got up and grabbed my bow and notched an arrow, ready to shoot at anything that came my way.

I scan the area, waiting for anything to come out. I feel the tension around us, something lurking in the burnt-out forest. Suddenly, I am pushed off my feet and slammed into a nearby tree. I hear yelling and gusts as we are pushed away by a strong gust of wind. I open my eyes and blink away the dust and ash from my eyes and see a large shadow. Looking up, I see the silver eyes of the black dragon staring down at me. I felt a paralyzing fear run through me as I looked at the creature’s eyes, as if I were the prey and it was the hunter. Run! I need to run away!

“Damn you, you black rat with wings!” yelled Eric. I ripped my eyes away from the dragon and saw him rush forward while yelling his prayers for a true strike on the monster in front of us.

Eric swung his great sword at the dragon and hit it with a bright blue hue, cutting the dragon in the rear leg. He shouted for us to come and attack while the creature was on the ground before it took flight. I saw Ana rushing to Fredrick, who was bleeding from the arm, but still saw him raise up and draw a rune on his sword and thrust in towards the beast, hitting it with a deep purple attack of some kind. It struck the dragon in the chest, slightly pushing it back. It roared in anger and beat its wings once more to send us off our feet, but this time we were ready. I ran from the tree I was slammed into; I pushed my fear away. Snap out of it! I went off in search of people to help kill this thing, to save people, not just my home, but from this beast’s destruction! Run, move, aim, and shoot, I can do this!

“Let it fly, I’ll bring this ugly thing down with what I got!” I yelled towards my teammates. The dragon beat its wings and started a flying charge at Eric. Oh, damn it, it’s actually flying at him! What do I do? It’s bigger than any bird I shot down while they were flying. I felt my heart race in my chest with fear, but I knew I could do this. I know how to hit a flying creature to bring it down, but I’ve never done it with something so large before. I smiled to myself, trying to show that I was brave, but I wasn’t. I was scared, I was just some kid with no experience, yet I was here trying my best.

The dragon roared again and went for Eric, rushing forward with its large head, trying to take a bite out of him. He rolled out of the way, bringing his blade to slash down at it. I heard him sighting another prey aiming for the dragon’s eyes. I ran away from the dragon, drawing my bow and taking aim.

“Remember, take a deep breath and steady yourself, find the rhythm of the breath, and once you have it, fire,” said my mother.

I look at her, confused, and she laughs.

“Here, let me show you, Ryen,” said my mother.

I remember when my mother would run and shoot or shooting while riding horses back and showing me how to shoot. I remember what she taught me. I found my breath and slowed down. I let my guide arm relax and took aim. Everything seemed to slow down as I took my next breath. I felt my rhythm and let it guide me. I felt the thickness of the arrow shaft, the light touches of the owl feathers at the tips of my fingers. I saw where I wanted to strike the creature.

With an exhale, I release the tension of my fingers on my right hand and let the bow string span into its original place, and let my arrow fly. My first hit the leather skin, tearing into the wing joint connecting to the upper shoulder area. It pierced the dragon’s obsidian color scales and whipped its head towards me. I felt that paralyzing fear hit me again. But I didn’t stop running.

“Run to me, I think it might breathe fire on us!” yelled Ana. She was holding out her shield, glowing a light green and blue coming from her and it, forming a circle around herself and Fredrick.

Eric and I ran as fast as we could towards her when the dragon suck in its chest, glowing a bright orange and red, and let loose the fire from within. I push Eric into what I can only assume is a holy shield and yell out in pain as my back gets caught in the flame. I throw off my cape and hiss in pain.

“I think we piss off a very large dragon,” I said, flinching in pain.

“Aye, I think you’re right, but at least it looks to be an injury, and you look like you might be dead there, girlie, I mean Ryen,” said Eric with a grin on his face.

I rolled my eyes and ripped off my burnt sleeve to better protect my left arm. It’s now or never. After it was released, it breathed fire towards Fredrick, and Eric ran towards it. Eric was praying with each slash and stab, and Fredrick was writing runes on his sword to slash at it. Scale and bright red blood ripped and oozed from it, and the dragon roared out in pain and anger. Ana, holy power of healing, heal us with relief from the open wounds on our bodies as we push forward in our attack on the monster.

It roared out again, and the red vein became visible on its neck, drawing fire from within itself. We were far from Ana to be shielded again by the fire. I didn’t run towards her; I ran away from her, aiming for the dragon once again. I pray; I pray to the Queen of the forest to help guide my aim. I know this is my first time pleading and asking for help, but I could really use it. I know my family prays to you, and I know you by your name. Please, great Queen of the forest, lend me your sight, lend me your grace, lend me your power.

I drew my bow for what seemed like the last time, and I focused with all my heart and took aim. I found my footing, then I felt it. I felt something warm and gently guide me. I felt my aim slightly to the left and up. I saw my tattoos glow a bright green. I release the breath I was holding and let my arrow run true. My arrow, a dark oak wood, turns slightly green and hits my mark, the center of the neck. My arrow pierces the scales, finding its mark. The dragon’s eyes go wild, and it shakes its head and neck, roaring in pain. Then its neck started to rip open, and fire and blood started to pour out of it. It roars again, bowling out smoke, its own fire cooking it from the inside out.

The fire ripped apart its neck in one final roar of pain and dropped to the floor. Blood flows freely from its neck. I look over to the others, and they look at me in shock and awe. My tattoos glow slightly, as if they are pulsing with each breath I take.

“We did it, we killed the black dragon, I um wow that was crazy right, I mean I didn’t know that would kill it, I just,” I stop myself and take a calming breath.

“I pray to a being that I know watches over, and I’m glad they were watching,” I say.

Ana came running towards me, wrapping her arms around me, crying. Fredrick slapped my burnt back, and I groan in pain, and Eric gives a laugh.

“Well, looks like the ranger here is a giant beast killer now,” Eric said with a smile.

I smiled at him and felt the burning pain in my back and shoulders.

“Let’s take its head and head back to the city, please. I think I need a week-long nap and maybe a doctor to help with my back,” I said to them.

They laugh in agreement, and we slash at the dragon’s neck to take it back as a prize and head back to the city. Then I would head home after some rest to rebuild my home.

The End