Airen: Prologue

This prologue has been extended and revised and listed as simply: Airen

"There weren't always Dragons in the Valley," Grandma Trisendre said.

"What are Dragons?" My sister asked.

"Airen," I replied and Grandma nodded.

"Dragon is an old word, from before, when my grandmother was your age Marisendra. Before they spoke to us and told us their name. When there were no walls. When humans were everywhere."

“How were they safe without their wall?” Calindre asked. Her golden eyes wide and dark red hair in ringlets.

Loud hammering came from outside. Grandma sighed and looked out the kitchen window. I knew Papa was out there making the wall bigger and stronger, he had told me himself just that morning.

“Walls keep us safe… most of the time,” Grandma said carefully, returning her attention to the dough she was kneading. “But only a fool believes they will always keep us safe. We need the Airen for that.”

Grandma’s words that Summer quickly became a reality for our village. I still remember exactly what I thought and felt that first time I saw them. The ravenous had come for us, our small village in Delpen Valley. They poured over our walls, so sturdy, so tall, and in that moment, so useless. I remember the screams and the feel of my little sister's hand in mine as we ran behind Momma and Papa. We stayed close, Papa glancing our way to make sure we followed.

I looked at the adults around us and the emotion on their faces. I was too young then to understand what I was seeing. Shattered faith. Deep inside every citizen of Daiven, whether they were aware of it or not, had been the belief that our walls kept us safe. That if we built them high enough and strong enough, one day we wouldn't need the Airen's protection any longer. Wouldn't have to sacrifice any more daughters to the tithe.

The ravenous, twisted, dark creatures moved up and over our walls like a black tide. The light granite and shiny steel bracings of our strong wall vanished and with it, our faith in its protection. We gathered in the circle as we were all taught to do. Momma and Papa standing between us and the monsters. Calindre was crying as I looked around. Kids of all ages gathered on the inside of the circle and adults on the outside.

Our closest neighbor Allina, who was older than I by a year, stood holding her baby brother, her Papa and Uncle in front of her holding hammers. They were blacksmiths. Her little brother held a wooden anvil the size of my fist, a toy. I watched as he put it into his small mouth. Such a normal thing to see a teething baby do.

Moments ago there had been screaming and the snarling of the ravenous, yet suddenly it was quiet and still. I looked around and realized I was the only one doing so, the only one not frozen by fear and anticipation. I turned towards my parents' backs and Calindre squeezed my hand. I squeezed her small hand back and glanced at her. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was open, as if she was trying to scream but no sound would come out. I craned my neck to see around our Momma and my eyes landed on the mass of ravenous headed our way. I quickly stepped in front of my little sister. I told myself to be brave as my legs shook and tears escaped my eyes. And just as the first razor teeth glinted in the darkness outside the torchlight perimeter of the circle, the Airen arrived.

Three great beasts, with wingspans the length of 25 men. Air buffeted us and Mamma and Papa turned to cover our heads. Taloned feet attached to four strong legs, gouged the earth as they moved. Long necks, curving horns and fanged mouths, tore through the darkness that was the living mass of ravenous. Each was strikingly different in the colors of their scales, the horns on their heads, shape of their wings and details of each armored tail. Yet, also, essentially the same. They were the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen. Graceful, deadly, mesmerizing. I felt a pull in my stomach, a warmth in my chest and an intense longing to touch one as a single thought surfaced. Death by Airen didn't seem so bad.

Now, 12 years later, as I am led to the Tow gates, I face that very death.