Death of a Dragon

“There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. We all know the stories, myths really of the age before they arrived a simple time; one of peace, quiet yet prosperity. The stories say that one day our valley will return to that time, but I don’t believe it. Nobody really does it's just one of those stories that are told to entertain troublesome children, and give those who are either stupid or desperate enough some scrap of hope. The truth is that even if we could go back to those times, who would want to, dragons brought us a gift greater than anything we ever had, they gave us magic. Magic allowed us to create wonders we had never even dreamed of before and surpass even our wildest expectations. I believe in magic, I believe in dragons, and I believe in myself and my ability to bring our great nation of Valdera to the future. Our future doesn’t lie in the Valley, it lies beyond in a world we haven’t seen since the first age. I intend to cross the Black Mountains and discover what treasures lie beyond for the betterment of all of humanity, if you want to be a part of this vote for Trajan Beckett ”.

Trajan Beckett was a presidential candidate and one of the favorites to win the election. He was tall, handsome, and had a trustworthy face, but there was something in the way he talked and acted that made you either love or hate him. He was every bit the politician. He was very popular with the younger generation but less so with the older. His image was of an adventurer, someone who would be able to bring us out of the valley, and while there were many who supported him, myself included, there were also those who were against him and thought that leaving the Valley was impossible. It was a feat that had been tried on numerous occasions in the past, but the Black mountains were simply impossible to pass. Any who tried returned delusional and psychotic or never returned at all. If you tried to go over them the constant raging storm brought down any airship.

“Thump! thump! thump!” Someone was coming, I could hear them walking down the stairs to my room, they were just outside. I quickly shut off my phone and stuffed it under my pillow, lied down and shut my eyes praying that I would survive this deadly yet all too familiar encounter. A sliver of light appeared in the doorway quickly growing and filling the entire room. It was my mother, I slowly raised my head acting as if I had just been woken up “hey mom what's up”, but when I saw her face I instantly knew that somehow she was on to me. “You're not on the internet are you Thomas” by her tone of voice I knew that she knew that I had been but she was crafty and wanted me to admit to it. “What what no I was sleeping” I replied I may have been caught but I would never admit it, if I was going to lose then I would at least put up a fight. Her eyes narrowed, glaring at me while I tried my best to look innocent. We both knew the game and the eventual result; it was just a matter of how long she would play.

Tonight It seemed she was impatient, not a good sign, she sighed and reached under my pillow and pulled out my phone “what were you even watching at this ungodly hour” seemingly uncaring about the fact that I was on my phone when I was supposed to be sleeping. “Nothing bad, just the election speeches” I replied, also foregoing the game. “Well shut it off and go to sleep you are going to need to be rested and at your very tomorrow” Ah yes tomorrow the day that I had been preparing for my whole life, the day that would determine my career. Once a year on the 18th of August all of the children 15 years old in Valdera would be tested, and this test was the most important part of one's life it tested everything about you. Your athleticism, intelligence, skills, talents, and attributes, but most importantly it tests you for magic.

“How do you expect me to sleep when my entire life hangs in the balance?” her face softened and she paused her murderous intent seeming to subside slightly “I know I know, on my testing day I didn’t sleep at all and vomited before the test.” “not helping” I replied dryly, she rolled her eyes and continued “the test is what you have been preparing for and even though it seems terrifying now you are more then ready for anything it will throw at you” “what about the Magic though mom, if I’m chosen I have to leave home” I said “don’t worry about that only 1 in 6000 people have magic, and most of the time they know beforehand. You just go tomorrow and do your best you'll see it's not that bad, now try to sleep and no more phone” “okay mom” I said, as she quickly got up and left my room

I laid awake thinking of tomorrow and of all the possible mistakes I could make wondering how I could not fail and be a disappointment. Finally I fell asleep, but I did not sleep peacefully. I dreamt I was running through a forest at night, and the canopy was so thick I could barely see the stars. Then the trees were gone and I was in the open running across a mountain top with the stars shining down on me. All at once the mountain erupted in flame. It was a volcano, lava and ash poured out of it, but the flames seemed to have a mind of their own. Instead of falling to earth they were dancing across the sky.

Out of the volcano flew a massive beautiful bird with dark brown feathers and a two meter wingspan, suddenly the dancing flames attacked the bird lighting it ablaze, but this didn’t stop the bird it seemed only to make it stronger. Now this bird was even larger with brilliant red feathers that seemed a part of the flames. As the flames finally seemed to die the bird's feathers began to fall until it had none left, yet underneath its feathers it had scales. It grew even larger still with its wingspan at least eight meters across. This was no longer a bird, it was a dragon. Majestic yet terrifying, beautiful and horrible, larger and more powerful than any that had come before or would come after. Finally the beast turned to me and blew pure and destructive fire alive with the mind of the dragon. The flames started chasing me, hunting me down and enclosing me from all sides. They had me encircled moving closer and closer until they were mere inches from me and stopped. The dragon walked through the flames unaffected, just staring at me watching my every move until it was directly in front of me until at last it finished its kill and blew fire. The overwhelming heat burned away my flesh until I was nothing but a pile of ash and bones, then I woke up.