FIREBORN

FIREBORN

by jason ripley

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. Before the seas dried up, they soared beneath the surface. The water belonged to the fire-breathers and the land belonged to man.

I miss the old days. I was just a child when everything changed, 10-years-old if memory serves. In a matter of hours the world went from vibrantly alive to decaying and dead. The skies were once full of bird songs. The brightest greens used to carpet the valleys. Brilliant snow-capped mountains were visions like paintings in the distance. The past was the future we all hoped could still exist.

The sun burned bright that day. The extra heat was a warning of what waited for us as the moon began to rise. I didn’t mind though. I just wanted to play. To run free through trees with my best friend chasing after me. A game of forest tag like none we had ever played before.

Gael was in hot pursuit as the leaves brushed across our arms and legs, leaving remnants of dew as reminders of our adventure. Her ocean blue hair matched her eyes, which squinted as her focus tightened so she wouldn’t lose me. I was agile, ducking and dodging branch after branch without losing speed. If she could ever tag me, the tables would be turned, but Gael wouldn’t be so lucky that day.

I could hear her footsteps behind me, slowly getting louder.

“You won’t catch me!” I yelled, looking back to see she was just a few paces away.

“Oh yes I will!” She yelled back.

My pace quickened. I was starting to get tired, but was determined to win the game. A clearing came into a view ahead - if I could just make it there first, the chase would be over.

With every bone in my body, I wish I had made it to that clearing. Then maybe things would be different.

That’s not how this story goes, though.

Everything, in an instant, went black. I stopped and looked for my friend.

“Gael? GAEL!”

There was nothing. Just black. The sky was gone. The trees were gone. There was nothing except the low whistling of the wind.

“Gael…” I said softly, scared and on the brink of tears. My hands shook and my heart thudded through my chest with panic.

A hand grabbed mine. Fingers intertwined.

“What happened?” Gael asked.

“You’re alive!” I cried and embraced her, hugging her harder than I had ever embraced someone in my short life.

“Of course I’m alive, dummy! Now answer my question. What happened? Where’d the sky go?”

“I… don’t know…”

From somewhere around us, a clicking sound started.

“What’s that?” I asked

“It sounds like… someone trying to start a fire? We’re not alone! Hello! HELLO! Who’s there?” Gael asked into the dark.

“Stop! You don’t know if that’s a person. Or if… whatever it is… is even safe!” I chided Gael.

The clicking grew louder, and transformed into a low, guttural growl.

I leaned into Gael and whispered, “we should leave.”

“And go where?”

We both looked around, but couldn’t see anything. Our eyes should have adjusted by now, but there was only darkness.

“I’m scared.”

“Me too.”

She squeezed my hand. The cold sweat of her palm was oddly calming. The intensifying growling was not.

Louder.

Louder.

Louder.

LOUDER!

Orange flames shot through the air! A funnel straight upwards of the most brilliant and horrifying fire I’d ever seen. I froze, petrified. The sky was filled with fire!

Our surroundings came into view. The trees were gone, and the ground was scorched to ash.

The first thing I saw was the dragon’s large jaws. It had a wolf-like face that was covered in scales. Eyes deep red, and pulsing with every new breath of flame. Its neck was long, snaking down to its body. Massive wings stretched out in a show of intimidation that would make even the bravest warriors cower. A sharp, long tail whipped the ground, sending ripples through the fallen ash.

I wanted to run. I wanted to grab Gael’s hand and take off. The direction didn’t matter as long as our path was away from the dragon.

“ENOUGH!” A voice boomed over the crackling and hissing of flame. The dragon closed its mouth, brought its wings to rest against its chest, and turned its gaze to the two of us.

Standing just under the creature was a man. His hair was long and as orange as the fire that still hung in the air. His eyes matched. They burned through me as he turned his attention to myself and Gael. He wore a long, black cloak made of dragon scales.

“Hello, children. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Run!” I finally found the strength in my legs to move and took off. My hands lost Gael’s. She was still frozen. The man was staring at her. Was using some kind of magic to keep her stuck.

“Let her go!” I demanded. He laughed at me.

“How rude of me. Apologies. You have no idea who I am. Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Vladek, the Fireborn.” He bowed, “and this frozen beauty is Gael, the Waterborn. And you… are a rather curious little creature.”

“Let her go!” I demanded again, refusing to leave without Gael by my side.

“Oh, my boy, I wish I could, but then none of this would be possible. Water puts out fire you know, and well, let’s just say that would be very bad for me.”

Anger overtook my fear and I charged Vladek. The dragon got between us, pulling up on its back legs, landing and pegging me on the ground under its steel like claws.

“Valiant effort. You’ve got fight in you, I like that. I’ll let you live.” Vladek laughed. He stepped around me, keeping his hypnotic gaze on Gael.

“Come Infurnace. Leave the boy. Grab the girl. Let’s be done with this.”

Infurnace released me. I layed on the ground and watched in horror as the dragon picked up Gael like she was a ragdoll.

Vladek faced me and smiled, “Welcome to the new world. Until we meet again.” He snapped his fingers and I was back in the forest, still on my back. The leaves on the trees were dead and brown. Night had fallen. I was disoriented and could barely stand. Instead of trying, I gave into exhaustion and fell asleep.

My name is Asher, and this is story of how I brought water back to the world and drove the dragons out of the valleys and back into the seas.