A Valley of Dragons

There weren't always dragons in the valley. At least not since Queen Sajurna’s Dark Scales left and abandoned their orders to clear the red mountains of the terrifying beasts. Deep in the center of the ranges, two recently acquainted travelers walk alongside a pathway etched into the mountainside.

A fine young woman with brown hair and fair skin, Tina Faelorn stands confidently on a ridge alongside the edge of one of the forested mountains. She wears a faded green tunic and which hangs down over to her knees. Underneath, her forearms are hidden by a tan loose fitted shirt and dark brown pants tucked into her boots of the same color.

"We ought to be extra careful here. Be sure to keep an eye out, for dragons that is," she says with a soft voice. Behind her, Areles Yanto, a dark skinned man heaving from exhaustion removes the large green bag of gear off from his back and takes a seat on a rock beside him. He untucks his brown leather tunic and unties it at the front, removing it off of his exhausted body. His white shirt is grey from sweat and grime, and his brown pants are stained with dirt from months of use in the fields. The boots on his feet are the same as those Tina wears, but anything durable and sealed is best for the rough terrain of the mountains.

After taking a few deep breaths, Areles wipes the sweat off his brow and scoffs, “Oh, I don’t want to hear this! It's been a whole day, and I've only heard about dragons and the heat! I've listened to you talk about those damned things more than how we can effectively bring all of Lord Kyntar’s wares through this pass. Bringing you instead of Cerina was a mistake.”

Tina sighs and leans against a nearby tree, staring at the tired man before her. Around them, birds sing from within the dense layers of leaves and branches stretched over the dirt path the two travelers rest on. Behind Tina, a few feet of dirt and rocks serve as the buffer between her and a long drop into the wooded valley below. The sun shines bright above them, bleeding through the clouds and onto the blanket of trees underneath, creating a view that even the most experienced of travelers would stop and stare. As a matter of fact, the red mountains were known for their gorgeous display at any of the nearby peaks. They were named by the first king hundreds of years ago, when he witnessed the glow of the evening sun paint the ridge before him.

With a sincere look on her face, Tina apologizes to her fellow traveler, “I’m sorry Areles. It’s just been so long since anybody has been allowed here. You can't stop a curious mind from wandering into the fray every once in a while.”

“I understand what you mean Tina, but we have a job to do. Now that the trade routes have opened up, Lord Kyntar has asked for the finest herbs and spices from our side of the ranges. Rumor has it that it is for his council meeting, where the finest cooks will conjure up and craft beautiful dishes last tasted by those generations before us.” Areles takes a deep breath, “besides, all this talk about dragons could just be rumors spread by the elders. They’ve returned, but nobody in the city has seen one for two years. Rogue merchants claim they see them in the sky but if you ask them where, they suddenly forget everything as if their memories were stolen.”

Tina rolls her eyes and spits into a mossy patch beside her. “Rumors always have some truth to them. I was just warning you, and I didn’t get any acknowledgement.”

Areles stands back up after his brief rest and lifts the large bag over his back. He splits the front of his tunic and shirt further, exposing some of his upper chest to a gentle breeze as it passes by. “They won't be helping us though, dragons or not, we need to get through the red mountains in the next two days. The white pepper in my bag lasts just enough to pass through and complete the trade before it starts to smell. Lord Kyntar promised enough coin to feed me and my family for at least a month, and with some haggling I’m sure I could squeeze out some more out of him for you as well. I apologize for my words Tina, for they weren’t kind. Come, let us get this over with.”

Tina stands up off the tree and pats down her pants, flinging pieces of loose bark and moss onto the ground. She follows behind Areles as they continue their trek alongside the edge of the mountain. A cool breeze rustles the leaves above, emitting a soft howl as it passes through the rocky surfaces around them. They crouch underneath many low hanging branches and avoid spiderwebs which have grown in the absence of humanity for so long. The travelers skip over rocks and sharp roots protruding from the ground like stalagmites in a cave. After a few minutes of walking, the sound of rushing water comes from far ahead in the distance. As the sound gets louder, the two pick up the pace in an eager attempt to reach its source.

Each step the pair takes grows heavier, but they wearily trudge on until eventually finding themselves on the left hand side of a tall waterfall. The river pours out over the mountain side roughly ten feet above the two travelers, who look up at the sparkling liquid spraying over the rocks. The fragmented remains of a wooden bridge hang off of the edge of the path where a short barrier of dirt and pebbles marks the end of the trail. Eight or so feet in front of them lies the opposite side of the path. Areles takes off his bag, and undoes the leather straps keeping its contents secure. He briefly shuffles a few of the items around before pulling out a bundle of rope and passing it to Tina. He then searches for another few seconds until he takes out multiple pieces of wood which can be assembled to create a crossbow.

“Could you untie that rope while I build this?”, he asks. Tina nods and the two get to work with their own tasks. Areles methodically assembles the crossbow, carefully attaching the pieces like a large puzzle. He binds the lathe perpendicular to the tiller with a tough string that is black in color. As he repeatedly wraps the string around the crossbow, he looks to Tina and asks with a bit of hesitation in his voice, “Your father...he saw one, right? A dragon.”

Tina acknowledges Areles, laughing under her breath as his curiosity gets the better of his ego. “Now you care," she whispers. "He did. During the attack in Pruvek twelve or so years ago, my father was one of the men called to arms to defend the city. The guards needed all the help they could get, and any able bodied men who could fight, did. He said that prince Jonah directed the men to the city square in an effort to redirect the dragons’ attacks. Many of them died that day, but after what felt like days weeks of battle, the dragon suddenly collapsed. The men found out later that a young boy who the people called ‘Littletree’ struck the beast in its heart after surviving being swallowed whole.”

“A young boy?”, asks Areles as he uses his mouth to snap the string off of the crossbow. He begins weaving the string into the small holes where it is used to hold and shoot bolts. He slowly guides the string through and across the curved shape of the lathe to the other side.

Tina nods her head, “Apparently he was an orphaned child, but a hero of our city nonetheless. He was found burnt to a crisp with a small knife in his hand in the dragon's throat. It must've been a horrific sight. Soon after the dragon was killed, my father was one of the few people allowed to inspect and dissect the creature. A handful of mages from the capital arrived as well, but before they could use their magic and taint the cadaver, my father cut out a large chunk of the dragons’ skin and flesh. He kept it sealed in a box until eventually leaving the city to return to me and my mother.”

“And nobody batted an eye? Not the guards, the mages, or even the prince himself?”

“My father held a very respectable position amongst the lord and ladies of Pruvek. My father was seen as a good man by the common folk, and he was always loyal to the royal family until that day. Something in him changed, alchemy was nothing more than a children’s game in comparison to the discoveries he could make with such a rare and delicate item. Mercenaries and hunters came looking for him, but after enough of them died by his hands in the remote village where we all lived, they stopped.”

Areles finishes up the string knots and finally attaches the lever to the crossbow before asking, “Did he find anything out? A weakness, a flaw, or some new potion from its flesh?”

Tina's voice fades, “Nothing. Its blackened skin was as tough as the steel that pierced our enemies in battle. Each scale was a shield, capable of stopping the tusks of a raging elephant. He could easily tell that in battle, but his suspicious were confirmed by inspecting just a single chunk of the fell beast. On the day of the attack, the dragon’s eyes were like those of a reptile. My father recalled how they were sensitive enough to spot even the slightest of movement. Its legs were the size of tree trunks, and its wings could toss men a hundred feet with just one flap. I can't imagine how the Dark Scales would have beat them. Dragons may not have been seen here for two years, but best believe that they are just hiding.”

"Well it sounds like we would both become a wonderful supper if one of those scaly friends came to us," he says with an uptick in his voice.

"Do you not fear dragons?", she asks.

Areles pauses, "The stories I've heard in my life are indeed frightening, but times have changed. The Dark Scales killed seven in just one year when they were first sent throughout the realm. They were daunting for us commoners with their unnatural strength and speed, but such a powerful force attacking the dragons head on brought us peace. Two years have passed. We can finally expedite trade, and I can finally make a living off of trading again."

Areles hands his green bag to Tina. "Maybe the dragons are back, but like you said they are probably just hiding," he says with a sincere smile on his face.

Tina shakes her head in disagreement, but lets a smile crack to mask her disbelief in his logic. "To each their own then I guess," she turns to him, "Will you be going first?"

Areles nods and takes a small iron bolt with a hook on its end and attaches the rope that Tina had unraveled. The bolt's serrated tip peaks out from the front as he secures it into place, waiting for a click. Once the weapon is loaded, he locks it ahead of his shoulder with three fingers over the lever. With one clean shot, the bolt launches from the notches in the tiller and injects itself deep into a tree stump on the other side. Areles raises his hands and silently celebrates before taking the rest of the rope and tying it around a thin tree.

Tina takes the crossbow from his hands and quickly dismantles it before tossing the pieces and loose string into the bag. "Is that all?", she asks.

Areles loosens his arms with a few overhead stretches and nods, "You should have everything. Keep an eye on the rope will ya?"

Tina walks over to where Areles tied his knot, and patiently waits for him to start crossing. Although the path isn't far in terms of distance, the raging waterfall makes it a perilous crossing. Headfirst and hanging underneath the tight rope, Areles carefully drags himself across the gap. The powerful mist and stray beads of water hit him from the waterfall like small clear pebbles. He keeps his eyes shut to block the water out, and after a few minutes of carefully climbing underneath the rope, he reaches the opposite side. Letting go of the rope and coming to his feet, Areles stands heaving with each breath whilst attempting to dry himself in the sun.

Areles shouts over the rushing waters, "Okay! Are you ready?"

Silence. Tina stands frozen on the other side, staring at the top of the waterfall. Areles looks up in confusion, before falling back in terror. A dragon, blue and purple in color, lies between the two at the peak of the waterfall. The massive beast hangs over the falls, digging its claws into the nearby rocks like a knife in butter. It gently swings its neck down and around before gaping its mouth for a drink. The smell of rotting meat emits from it's massive jaws, which are decorated with dozens of sharpened yellow teeth.

Shocked and frightened, Areles quickly hides behind a rock to his left. Frozen in place, Tina stares at the dragon with an unwavering gaze. Noticing that it's eyes are focused towards the sky, Tina takes a deep breath and quickly shuffles to the makeshift bridge with the bag on her back. She quietly hangs off of the rope and slides across the gap. With the dragon overhead, the water doesn't spray down at the rope, and Tina quickly makes it to the other side. Once she reaches the opposite path, she lays completely still on the dirt ground facing the massive beast.

Tina digs her palms into the dirt and slowly presses herself up, but as she gets up, a metal pot falls out of the bag and onto the ground behind her. She shuts her eyes and holds her breath whilst standing completely still. The dragon slams its jaws shut and looks down to the paths. Spotting her immediately, the dragon lowers its right wing over the mountainside and behind where Areles is hiding, blocking the rest of the path.

"Going somewhere, are we?", says a growling voice from above. Tina slowly looks up to face the dragon.

"I must say that I am rather impressed with your success in crossing the gap without making but a sound," hisses the beast. It sharply exhales through its nose with each sentence, and glares intensely at the travelers with its dark red eyes. "What a pity that the metal in your bag gave you away. Regardless, you did well, but where did your friend go?"

The dragon raises its head high to oversee the paths better, and it snorts loudly upon spotting Areles. "Hiding? Wise, but cowardly," it says mockingly.

Paralyzed with fear, Areles doesn't move, and instead looks up at the beast. Tina clears her throat and stutters nervously, "Y-you can talk?"

The dragon twitches and squints its reptilian eyes as if Tina's words had insulted him. "I have lived alongside your people for hundreds of years. It was only natural that I learned your tongue. My kin are too aggressive, too...impatient to understand their prey."

Areles stands up from hiding behind the rock and slowly walks up beside Tina. "We don't have anything...please, just let us go!", he shouts. His voice quivers as he faces the beast before him.

The dragon hisses at the young man, "Ah, the coward speaks!", it pauses briefly before continuing, "I don't have plans to kill you yet man thing. You aren't the first travelers I've seen here today. I, Hyperion, am here to propose a challenge."

Lifting its head into the air the dragon lets out a piercing roar for six long seconds. Upon exhausting its breath, Hyperion snarls and turns to the two travelers. The blackened spines lining his back and neck glow from the ferocity of his roar.

"You, young man are too quick with the tongue; however, let us see how quick you are on your toes. I wouldn't announce my presence so carelessly if I didn't know the outcome of doing so, but your luck will soon be tested," hisses the dragon as it slowly crawls down from the waterfall's peak.

"A challenge?" asks Areles. Hyperion jams his claws into the ground beside Areles and lets out a puff of air from his nostrils at the front of his elongated skull.

"Indeed. Here in the mountains, not the timid faun, nor the belligerent werewolves can quell my need for a good hunt. I've found that I desire the chase far more than calming my everlasting hunger for flesh with the animals. I will fly west of here until the sun begins to set below the horizon. Once the land is nearly plunged into darkness, I will return," Hyperion draws close to the travelers and licks his teeth with his long red tongue. His warm and putrid breath envelops the two, who wince upon receiving his stench.

"What is the challenge? What happens when you return?", asks Tina.

"Your task is simple my dear. Survive as long as possible encased in the prison of the red mountains. My kin will eagerly slaughter any and all who approach the edges. As for me, I hunt. Whoever survives last will be granted safe passage out of the mountains."

Tina asks nervously, "How can we know that you aren't...lying?"

Hyperion looks closely at Tina, leaning in with the right side of its head. It's glowing red eye is mere feet from Tina before it asks, "You don't, but is that something you're willing to test?"

Tina doesn't respond. She instead lets out a shaky breath as the dragon stares into her eyes, shaking the earth with its deep bellowing. "No, no we aren't willing to test your integrity or patience Hy-Hyperion!", says Areles.

"How interesting. The coward understands the threat, but acts upon it with selflessness. You are an interesting specimen. Man thing."

The magnificent beast spreads its enormous wings, stretching them up over trees and casting a dark shadow underneath.

"Ah, and one more thing," Hyperion mutters, "Some of my kin will not be waiting for my arrival and may grow rather impatient. I cannot stop them if I am not here, so I suggest you stay vigilant my prey."

Areles and Tina slowly step back and brace themselves as Hyperion looks up to the sky and flaps his wings, launching himself up off of the jagged rocks underneath. Water from the falls sprays in all directions, and the mountainside crumbles as the weight of the dragon is taken off of its rough surfaces. The travelers watch as Hyperion slowly rises higher into the sky, revealing the true size of its figure in the emptiness above. Its scales glimmer in the sunlight, and with each flap of its wings it seems to push the small clouds outwards. Its long tail flicks from side to side, helping it to balance as it gains altitude. The horrifically majestic beast flies to the west, and Tina walks over to the edge of the path watching it disappear in the distance.

Areles mutters, "What...what the hell. Tina, what just happened?"

Tina doesn't respond to his question.

"That dragon was talking! It said it was going to hunt us down!" Areles chokes on his words and runs over to the rock where he previously was hiding. He violently pukes onto the plants beside it, coughing up his wretch as his eyes swell with tears.

As if Hyperion were a sorcerer, the clouds looming above begin to swirl as more and more slowly accumulate above. Areles spits out the last of the vomit accumulated in his mouth and turns to Tina, who stands frozen at the edge of the path.

Behind her, Areles stumbles over to his bag and takes out a folded parchment in one of the side pockets. He unfolds the paper, revealing a crudely drawn map of the red mountains and a few of the surrounding areas. At the bottom left is the town of Solice, where the two originally came from. At the top of the map in the center lies Narim, where Lord Kyntar awaited his shipment. A majority of the parchment is dominated by the red mountains. From above, the mountains were seen to be encased in a large range forming a jagged diamond. Each of the individual ranges within were offshoots from the edges, and cut through the land like a maze. A winding pathway drawn in with black ink made its way through the mountains and was the one the travelers had abided by.

Areles studies the map intensely, constantly blinking his eyes, as if hoping that a timely opportunity for escape or survival would present itself. He points to the winding pathway from roughly where they are at the falls to Narim. "There must be a way to get there without going around the ranges? Caves, hidden passes, or even low hills? We could maybe go back? Maybe the dragons around the perimeter was just a lie? Ugh, dammit!"

Tina sighs and covers her face as she sits on the ground. Areles looks past her and to the swirling clouds above, which seemingly grow darker by the second. Areles looks at the center of the swirl, and his eyes widen. He shakes Tina's shoulders violently. "Dear God...Tina, look up at the sky!"

Slowly looking up from her hands, Tina lets out a jagged breath. The travelers watch in horror as dozens of dragons break through the clouds, diving towards the ground. As they near the forests and fields of stone below, they flap their wings and roar, flying up to the highest peaks nearby. Others fly out to the perimeter of the mountains to guard them from escapees.

Hyperion's game, and the challenge upon his prey had begun in frightening yet magnificent fashion.