Saving Humanity From Dragons

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. But that's how it goes for most places. There are times when humans would see things no other human could, and think of legends that were not even made by them. Those times had only been a few thousand years ago when humans first discovered the truth about dragons, but they never forget. They just accept the truth without question or dispute.

It was different when the humans started talking about how dangerous dragons can be. Some said the dragons could kill entire villages on their own if provoked. Some said the creatures were evil and should all die.

Even some claimed that the dragons that inhabit this place are very different from anything else. The ones on the outside would say they are like an old man and his child, although some have seen them with their own eyes.

While some others claimed they didn't exist.

Those stories, however, began to die out around five hundred years ago. The stories of dragons continue to be passed down from father to son, generation to generation, and the myths remain as solid as ever.

But in recent years, many things changed. It was time for humans to stop thinking of dragons as myth and start seeing them as real people in the flesh and blood they see. For those that saw the dragons as a danger to society and civilization. And so now, it was time for these men to step up and take matters into their own hands.

And this time, they were going to make sure the dragons knew what the humans think about them.

That was why a group of men dressed in black leather armor came here today, intent on stopping the dragon that has plagued their land for centuries.

They knew what was coming, and they prepared accordingly. They brought their weapons along with them because while a bow might slow down a large beast like the one that lived here, swords will not. They were armed for war; swords, pistols, rifles, and crossbows filled the pockets of each armored man, but the most important weapon is a gun. A pistol is a short cannon.

It still wouldn’t stand much of a chance against such powerful creatures.

They also brought a small device they use to track the movements of dragons, as well as something called a tracking device (the name is more than a little misleading, considering all tracking devices come with one purpose). So they left most of their equipment behind, leaving only the guns and a set of armor.

The leader of the group stepped forward before turning to his group, “We’ve been expecting you all. Now let’s get this over with and go home. It won't stop one from getting away. Not unless you plan on killing them."

They all nodded in agreement, knowing it wouldn’t matter one bit whether they killed one or not. They were too strong to kill at the present moment. With that, the group took off at a run towards the cave mouth they know the creature is currently holed up in. When they reached the entrance, they split up. One group went inside the mountain, and another went into the forest beyond. Each man carried the appropriate amount of equipment he thought would work best. Guns included.

The first group was led by a man named Gerald Carpenter. He held himself proudly as he walked alongside his men. His armor looked like it was custom-made. It had silver lines and patterns on the front and arms, with golden accents running through the whole thing. The helmet was black, though it was made from a different material.

The remaining two groups stayed together at a safe distance from each other, waiting patiently for the right moment to enter. All the man had to do was to watch for any movement from his surroundings. He didn’t need to fire a single shot. The man held onto his firearm tightly with both hands.

The dragon was nowhere in sight as the two groups waited. The minutes stretched into hours. After what seemed like forever, they finally heard a noise. A loud rustling and snapping sound came from within the caves. Gerald held onto his gun tighter, watching as the sound got louder and louder

The dragon’s head appeared slowly above ground near the opening of the cliff wall. It emerged from its hole not long after the group had begun to move, and they took cover from behind rocks and trees. Gerald watched as the creature lifted itself out of the lake and crawled its way across the dirt and rock to the grassy area on the far side. Gerald couldn’t help but smile at the sight of it. No one moved until they saw the creature turn in their direction. That is when everything fell apart.

Carpenter was the first to spot it.

The creature slowly raised its head and glared at the intruders. The other men turned and fired in the hopes of shooting the beast down. Nothing worked. It continued to charge toward the two groups of men. Just when the beast was three feet away from them.

Looking straight ahead, not a care in the world. It roared, then launched itself in their direction. Gerald stood frozen where he was, unsure what to do. The others tried to get him to move, but his body wouldn't budge. Suddenly, the creature turned, noticing its target. Gerald felt like his heart stopped beating.

The monster quickly moved toward him. He raised his rifle and aimed straight at the creature, preparing to shoot. He fired a shot at the back of the creature’s head, hitting true. The creature roared loudly and then charged forward towards Carpenter.

He had finally caught it.

This was only a temporary measure to save the world. To save all of mankind. To keep their planet from being destroyed by a monster called, 'Dragon'.