Fantasy
Lesson of the Iguana
Half asleep high on the glittering granite outcrop, the Giant Iguana surveyed its’ territory. An obsessiveness stirred in her. In her two hundred years of life this place had been whittled down from tens of thousands of acres to this 80-acre picnic reserve and forest over which she presided with intent. It was just after first light, and as the sun’s rays rested on this spot for around an hour for most of the warm seasons she could beat the picnickers by a few hours. It was the sunny days in winter that had provided the past encounters she’d had with the occupants of Boclyde and Industria, because in Winter she sometimes needed to sun herself late into the morning. Her favourite spot overlooked the river of moss green water that cut a wide swathe between Boclyde and Industria.
By Daniella Libero4 years ago in Fiction
Mother Inferno
There once lived a dragon that guarded the mountains in the faraway countryside of Ireland. Those who claim to have seen the dragon have said its scales were ruby-red and shimmered in direct sunlight. The eyes of the beast were emerald-green and glowed in the darkness. The beauty of the majestic creature was so intriguing that it could hypnotize you into its fiery abyss. Legend says that it wanders in and out of the reliefs of the mountains, guarding an abandoned gold mine that lies deep below the surface. Many men have tried to find such gold but have been destroyed by the dragons’ hellfire breath. Those who lived to tell the tale swear it’s a female dragon since her beauty can distract you from your death. With such a reputation, the town folk nick-named her Mother Inferno.
By Jackie Villa4 years ago in Fiction
A Heart of Ice
Vamira soared through the air, her scales shining pearly white in the light of the full moon. Her massive wings beat the frigid air, keeping her aloft in the clear, night sky. The massive peaks of the Crown of the World rose around her. The southernmost part of the range was still so far to the north that snow covered the ground year-round. Few dragons remained this far south. Most had retreated to the farthest reaches of the mountains to make their lairs.
By S. F. Lydon4 years ago in Fiction
Of Golden Leaves and Dragon's Blood
They found Aidon alone at the edge of the forest five hours after he had gone missing. The search party returned to our village with him in their arms as a crowd formed around them, concerned neighbors and friends who had heard the news of his disappearance. He had a habit of sneaking out of our house while I was tending to patients despite all my efforts to keep him contained, but never before had he gone this far into the woods, not without myself or one of the neighbors noticing. This time had been different. This time my son had been enticed by the twisting autumn branches, the proud oak and maple trunks weaving together outside the cluster of houses, entranced enough to wander away for five hours while everyone searched frantically for him.
By Sarah Stankus4 years ago in Fiction
Found
It was late in the afternoon but the sun had not yet managed to penetrate through the dense low hanging clouds. Tall oaks bereft of leaves bordered the edge of the woods, their long branches reaching out towards the nearby human settlements as if the forest were trying to reclaim its rightful land. Deeper in the woods in a small clearing, leaves blanketed the forest floor, their colors muted by weeks of decay, the perfect bedding for a weary dragon. Nevi hummed in satisfaction as she lowered her enormous frame to the ground, and curled her 8-foot-long tail around her, looking remarkably like a sleeping cat, though one would have to be very foolish to make that comparison within earshot of her. Dragons are very proud creatures after all. She enjoyed the dreary weather as it made the humans far less likely to wander this deep into the woods. Humans were bothersome and foolish. Nevi settled further into the ground taking in the soothing sounds of the woods; wind rustling through the leaves, a soft whimpering, the trickle of a nearby creek. A whimpering. That wasn’t right. She quickly scanned through her memory of woodland creatures but none of them sounded like that except for… humans. She growled in frustration, weighing her options. Fly off or scare the humans away. A few humans were no match for her but if they were armed, they could be a nuisance. On the other hand, she was very reluctant to give up this clearing, she was tired and wasn’t likely to find another place as nice as this to bed. Nevi broke off her growl and focused, listening harder to all the sounds around her, humans could try and be stealthy but their loud clumsy heartbeats always gave them away. In the direction of the whimpering, she heard a lone rapid heartbeat, the unmistakable tempo of a young human. A very young human. It was a cold day and would be an even colder night. This human would not last long without care. What was a child doing alone this deep in the forest? Nevi had no love for humans but when you are as intelligent as a dragon and have lived for as long as a dragon you are not often surprised and so eventually her curiosity won out. She rose slowly making her way towards the child, pausing and listening with each footstep. The whimpering had stopped but the rapid heartbeat was an easy guide. After 10minutes or so of carefully weaving through the trees she spotted a pile of cloth curled at the base of a large oak, the gentle rise and fall suggesting an uneasy slumber. She stayed hidden in the shadows of the trees watching and waiting. There were no signs of a camp or of any other humans but surely, someone must be returning for the child. As she waited the shadows on the trees grew longer and the temperature steadily dropped but still no humans came. Nevi tried to tell herself she didn’t care, humans were of no concern to her, but there was an unmistakable knot in her stomach that tightened with every passing minute. Dragons could be comfortable sleeping in a snowdrift but this child wouldn’t last much longer out here. With a frustrated sigh she slowly approached the child, her large head blocking out what remaining light there was. The child shivered, pulling their thin cloak closer to them but they did not wake. Nevi lowered her head, nudging the child gently with her nose, still they did not wake. She began to grow alarmed. Had she waited too long? She nudged again, less gently this time and the cloak fell from the child’s face. She hissed, pulling back in surprise, it was a young human boy, even younger than she had expected, barely two years of age. As she took this in, the young boy slowly awoke, his face full of confusion and his eyes hazy. She braced herself for the piercing wails she associated with human children but the boy remained silent and still except for the occasional shiver. Nevi sighed again, wondering what to do. The boy tensed in surprise as her warm breath rippled his thick auburn locks then he shut his eyes and smiled. Not many people smiled when they were face to face with a dragon of Nevi’s size. The boy must have been very cold. Nevi glanced around finding a pile of twigs and blew out a restrained flame, just enough to light the damp kindling. She looked back, fully expecting the boy to be cowering in fear but he was still again and appeared to be listening carefully. After a moment he rose and walked slowly towards the sounds of the crackling fire, reaching his hands out towards its warmth. Satisfied, Nevi launched herself into the air flying in low loops, searching for nearby human encampments. In the dark lighting her keen eyes spotted several campfires throughout the woods but none were close enough. The boy was very lost. Too lost. He couldn’t have wandered this far on his own. Human cruelty never ceased to disgust her. After a few more loops she headed back toward her makeshift camp, the child was warm now but the woods held many more dangers than the cold. She landed in her clearing then made her way through the woods on foot to the small campfire. The boy stiffened as she approached and turned his head to listen, but not his eyes. It was dark but most humans would still try in vain to see. This child was looking only with his ears. Suddenly understanding, Nevi settled her head into the ground and made a low humming noise. The boy listened closely then rose, hesitantly approaching her. As he got closer, he reached out his hand gasping in shock as he touched her warm scales. She hummed deeper so he could feel the vibration in his hand and he laughed in surprise, a strange pleasant sound, so unlike the harsh humorless laughs she had heard from humans before. This sound was full of joy. He slowly moved up closer to her face, using his hands as a guide pausing only when he reached her mouth. Nevi chuckled, a low hearty sound and the boy stood very still. Then he resumed his exploration coming face to face with her, his hands resting on her snout. He smiled a toothy grin at her, hugging her nose.
By Claire Jones4 years ago in Fiction
The Dragon Who Found His Way
Chp1: Deep within a mysterious forest, a group of explorers hired by an anonymous benefactor set off on a perilous adventure through its unexplored depths. Confused at the purpose of such a dangerous voyage, the explorers debated the identity of their anonymous benefactor for some time.
By Anthony Morgante4 years ago in Fiction
Eighths
A man wearing a red trench coat and glasses wanders through the barren landscape left behind from an intense fire. He calmly walks through the destruction with his hands in his pockets, not showing any noticeable signs of concern. He objectively observes, occasionally picking up a charred branch or a handful of dirt. "Now what could have done this?" he asked himself. "Something powerful enough to burn down all these trees."
By Justin Luke Roa4 years ago in Fiction
Saffi's Delve
“Why has Vaikal been placed under guard?” demanded Saffi as she stormed through the council chamber toward the arc of giant pedestals where the council members sat. Dragons weren’t easy to startle, but at least one of them nearly fell off his perch. Saffi was the only human living in the realm of the dragons, and she’d had to develop a strong voice just to be heard among them. And a strong resistance to the cold of the mountains. Dragons didn’t have much use for enclosed spaces, and the wool of her tunic didn’t offer much warmth under the open dome of the council chamber.
By Daniel Johnson4 years ago in Fiction
