The Broken Heart Of A Dragon

“The electric blue hue of its wings were the only blue thing to be found in the ashen sky. Fields began to glow with red and blue flames… The first to burn was the crops as the Dragon circled and surrounded the village in flame to keep anyone from entering or leaving. The village bells rang to alert the villagers of the incoming Dragon and announce evacuation. But it was in vein. No one could get out of their homes fast enough. The Dragon turned it’s piercing golden eyes to the village center and let out a terrifying scream…”

Out in the mountains, the stars twinkled in the water's reflection where a little boy, no older than two years old or perhaps three, played at the water's edge. Will-o’-wisps danced around the child as luminescent ghostly orbs in the air. Gold eyes opened and stared at the toddler from beneath the water's surface. The child had short fuzzy black hair, no longer than a short-haired cat. He had green eyes and wore a strange sort of long sleeve shirt that buttoned at the bottom. Poking out from the bottom of this strange shirt was some kind of thick cloth that the Dragon, Erin realized as he rose out of the water, reeked. The child, however, watched Erin rise from the water in awe before staring back at the surface of the pond- Apparently distracted by the bubbles created from the water sliding down the Dragon's scales. Erin lowered his head and brought his snout close to the child and snorted in agitation. No child was welcome this deep into the Spirit Forest and especially not this close to Erin.

There was once a time, Erin was a guardian to the human village below named Isliel. Isliel was a quaintly built town with little turrets, gables, and high stone towers. It was filled with pleasant little peasant cottages that held windows looking out into the forest. Erin often provided water for their crops, lighting their fires at night for the villagers warmth through the winter, and bringing cattle from what would have been a day's ride or more from the village, so they may have food. Erin protected the village from threats like mountain lions, cougars, bears, and even other humans. That was until midsummer... One midsummer night a man cloaked in black rode into the village with strange clothes and strange tools, carved to look like the sticks of the forest.

He fooled the villagers, claiming to be a man of nature calling on the energies to make changes in realities. Erin knew this human could call on energies, but they were no energy of nature… He watched as the man flattered the villagers with foolery, changing dirt to gold, weeds to rose, and water into fine wines. The symbol on his cloak, however; The Dragon head engulfed in thorned vines, told Erin that this "man of nature" Was actually a stray mage from his group whom called themselves Dragon Slayers. The dead Dragons along the coast and cries of pain from the defenseless seeking refuge in his forest warned him of that symbol. So he tried to warn his people, the generations of villagers he had known so well. The humans heeded Erin for about a day but sooner than later fell to greed for the magic tricks the Mage presented. They fell for more trickery than just that of which is made to trick the eyes, such as those shiny and aged gifts. They fell for trickery to the ears too and the mind. Falling to manipulation.

Erin did not know how greedy the humans had become until one day, while he was out hunting- only a week or so since the mage had arrived... he returned to find what was left of their corpses. The villagers had poached his family, seemingly for the value of their claws, teeth, and scales. Erin stared and felt sick, his massive belly churning and filling with a hot sticky fire, he’d never felt before. It oozed from his lips like molten lava and he felt his mind slip into a deep pain and incredibly fierce anger. He saw darkness and heard only his thoughts of pain and despair until he awoke in a field of ash, lava, and bone where he once knew the village, Isliel and its people to be.

The boy crying snapped Erin out of his thoughts. The little boy flopped onto his back and began wiggling as if he were uncomfortable while his crying intensified. The Will-O-Whisps began to float around the boy expressing concern for him while Erin shook his head at them, his voice moving through the forest like a soft roll of thunder.

“Why is this human child crying? Why does he smell? Where are his parents?” Erin asked, knowing the Will-O-Whisps would be able to tell by sensing the child's memories or by asking the boy telepathically. What he didn't expect was the cold silence he received from them before one turned and cooed;

“The child does not wish to share any more information than to let you know that he is upset because his garments have… waste. He will require a bath.” The Will-O-Whisp nodded towards the lake the Dragon stood in. Erin raised an eyebrow and looked at the child, he lifted his massive hand out of the pond and curled his claw into the little boy's shirt, and slowly drug him across the land into the water. The boy ceased his crying and began to giggle as the Dragon pulled him into the watery surface. The Dragon took the boy into his other hand and swayed him slowly in the water to wash out the waste that had filled the child's lower garments. Giggling, the boy cooed and outstretched his arms to Erins snout. Erin lowered his head to the little boy, his golden eyes shone like massive galaxies as he stared into the small green eyes of the boy. For a moment, Erin felt a flicker of connection to the little boy. The boy reminded him of his own son… but that was before- he bit back tears and turned his eyes away from the boy. Drawing his gaze back to the Will-O-Whisps, he lifted the child out of the water and set him on the grass by the lake.

“Take it back to where it came.” Erin growled softly, painfully, as he turned away in the water and began to sink back under. The Will-O-Whisps swirled around the boy and waited but the boy would not follow them. He instead, lurched forward in his wet clothes and pushed himself to his feet before stumbling towards the waters edge and sitting again, pointing at the water where Erin had just sunk in.

“Dwagon?” The little boy cooed curiously, but when Erin did not rise out of the water, the boy felt worried that maybe the Dragon drowned. So, the boy stood again and stumbled into the water wading into its depths. The Will-O-Whisps panicked and began circling the boy again but could not touch the water themselves. So they avoided his sloppy splashes as he pushed through the water, all while trying to guide him back to the shore. The boy ignored them though as he continued to wade and began to cry;

“Dwagon!! Dwaaaagon! Dwagonn? Dwagummm!!!” The boy called out, frantically searching the water as tears streamed down his face. Erin's gold eyes opened beneath the water and seeing the child moving through the pond for him almost annoyed him further. Rising from the depths, his snout picked up the boy in the middle of his crying. His warm scales slowly warming the boys wet clothes. The boy sniffled and hugged Erin’s snout tightly.

“Dwagon, no swim. No scawe me…” The boy sniffled, hugging Erin’s snout even tighter. Erin felt his heart tug towards the boy and Erin closed his eyes. The child was afraid for Erin’s safety. He went into the lake and continued to risk his own safety by going even deeper into the lakes water to save Erin. Erin felt so conflicted, he wanted to hurt every human he came across for what they did to his family, but he couldn't bring himself to be mad at this child. This little Turnip… perhaps that's what Erin would call the boy… Turnip. Opening his eyes, Erin’s voice thundered softly again. “Let’s go find your family, Turnip.”

“Teurnip!” Turnip cooed, giggling. Erin nodded and responded; “Yes, you are Turnip.”

Turnip’s stomach rumbled and Erin took that as a sign of agreement, as he walked out onto the shore, ready to walk into the forest. But as he began his walk through the trees, the Will-O-Whisps close in toe, it became apparent that the growl from Turnip was not agreement. Because it was quickly followed with screams that made Erin's toes curl while his eyes widened.

“What, what? What do you want? Why are you crying?” Erin asked, starting to feel himself get distressed. Why were human children so difficult? Erin thought to himself. Turnip didn't answer any of the questions, he just continued to scream as his stomach growled louder.

“The child needs nourishment.” A Will-O-Whisp said softly, floating closer to Turnip and swirling in the childs view, flashing a bit as she did, hoping to remind Turnip of stars and distract him from his hunger. It worked for a moment, Turnip seemed dazed, but then his stomach growled again and Turnip resumed his screaming demands for food.

“Hungry?” Erin's voice rumbled curiously, before he continued in an almost resigned tone, as if he was giving up on disliking the boy just because he was human. It wasn't his fault or responsibility, what had happened to Erin’s Family. This child was innocent and couldn't be to blame. “Let's get you food then. I have some food left in my cave.”

With that much said, the Dragon began his trip towards the cave while Turnip began to hiccup and hold his breath, like Turnip was trying to quiet his own cries, understanding that Erin was trying to bring him to food. The Will-O-Whisp that was flashing and swirling ceased her efforts and fell back with the other Will-O-Whisps as they all followed Erin.

Erin reached his cave sooner than later and made his way to his last catch which was a smaller deer. Letting Turnip slide off of his snout, Erin turned to the deer’s body and blew a soft orange flame over the body, to remove its fur, before blowing a stronger blue flame over it to cook the meat. The Will-O-Whisps all gathered at the entrance of the cave and watched the forest outside of the caves entrance. Erin, however, was staring into the flames as his mind wondered away…

“Why on earth are you removing their fur first and then cooking them?” Astella asked, laughing softly. Erin turned and smiled cheekily at his wife, “I guess I am spending too much time with the humans, I got carried away with habit. They prefer it this way. You should try it! Rexar would enjoy it too, I think.”

Rexar, their son, played with a smaller Dragon plushie that a village girl had made for him out of the cotton from the fields. She filled the inside with a stick skeleton so it would hold form better and it would make fun scratchy noises when it was moved around. Rexar stopped dancing around with the plush Dragon and turned to his parents. “Dinna?”

Astella nodded to her husband and smiled back at Rexar; “Yes, dinner! This dinner is a meal the villagers taught your Father, want to try some?”

Erin jumped and looked back at Turnip when he heard a terrible snap. His heart dropped when he saw that one stick in his sons plush snapped and stuck through the cloth skin. Turnip was playing with his sons toy and he broke it… Erin growled and took the toy away roaring at Turnip; “Do not touch what isn't yours!”

Turnip looked shocked and his face began to crinkle up as tears welled in his eyes;

“I sawwy!” Turnip cried. “I didnt mean ta! I didnt try ta!”

Turnip seemed unconsolable as he continued to cry. Erin dropped his ears and watched as guilt seeped in. He would have never done that to his own son and Rexar would have loved to share his plush toy… But it was his sons only toy and now his son was gone. But Turnip couldn't have done that intentionally. Erin put the plush off to the side and brought over the deer to Turnip. “Here, I am sorry, I am not mad… Try this. It’s food.”

Turnip could smell the meat and that made his stomach growl louder, he swiped his tears away with his hand and looked at the cooked deer before crying again. Erin looked terribly confused and shook his head. “Stop! Stop crying, look! Look, its food!” Erin said quickly and pushed the meat closer. The Will-O-Whisps also watched in confusion while one flew closer to Turnip.

Erin shook his head again and swayed his tail in agitation that Turnip still would not stop crying. “Its food!” He roared, confused and upset before the Will-O-Whisp used its magic to tear off a small piece of the meat and lay it in front of Turnip. Turnip sniffled and picked up the small piece and began to chew on it. Erin’s anger and annoyance vanished and was replaced with a dazed and bamboozled expression. The Will-O-Whisp swirled and joined its group again, whispering to Erin as it passed; “The child cannot eat whole animals like you and cannot tear into animals like your child could. The child is human, the child needs human size bites.”

Erin nodded as if making a mental note. Turnip began to cry again, wanting more and Erin began to peel off small shreds from the deer with his claw. A small pile of meat growing in front of Turnip. Half an hour must have passed, Erin ate nothing but instead watched as Turnip ate his fill and when he was done, Erin moved what was left of the deer off to the side and curled his body around Turnip. Erin didn't even get completely comfortable himself before Turnip seemed to drift off to sleep leaning against his warm blue scales. Erin watched the trees that stood outside the cave and smiled, snuggling further into Turnip.

In the morning, Erin woke to Turnip already tearing off bits of the deer with his little hands and eating the small pieces himself. Perhaps Turnip learned from watching Erin. Fast learner... Erin thought to himself and laughing softly, Erin lifted Turnip up with his snout and swayed slowly to rock Turnip back and forth. Turnip giggled and Erin gave a gentle smile. Then his voice echoed softly through the cave, “Turnip, where is your Dad?”

Turnip giggled and pointed to Erin. Erin set Turnip down and shook his head; “No, where is your father?” But Turnip just smiled and pointed at Erin again, cooing; “Dadda!”

Erin sighed and resigned to change his question. “Fine, where is your mother then?” Turnip thought a moment and then crawled to the end of the cave and pointed back towards the Spirit Forest. Erin looked and shook his head. That couldn't be where Turnip’s mom was, the Spirit Forest had no humans. Not until Turnip… Even the Everlast Forest surrounding the village Isliel was one humans wouldn't travel far into. Erin looked to the other side of the Everlast Forest where he knew another human village to be. Maybe Turnip got lost and confused and that was really where he was from. Laying down so Turnip could climb his wing, Erin whispered; “Climb up onto my back and let me take you back to your family.”

Turnip jumped up and down happily and climbed onto Erin’s back. His little feet slipping on the scales and getting caught by the Will-O-Whips as they helped him up. Once he was up and protected by Erin's shoulder blades, Turnip hugged onto Erin's neck tightly. Erin stepped out of the cave and spread his wings, it felt weird having someone on his back. He had never been ridden before, but he was happy that Turnip had the sense to hold on tight.

Spreading his electric blue wings, Erin gently flapped once and then twice to stretch his wings before he slammed his wings down, lifting his body into the air. He and Turnip rose steadily above the winds lower currents and began to glide over the evergreen trees of the Everlast Forest. Turnip gasped and giggled as Erin jolted here and there in the wind. It was not too long at all before they arrived at the outskirts of the Village and landed. Dropping his wing, Erin urged Turnip to slide down his wing. Turnip didn't seem to need much convincing. He honestly didn't seem to have needed to be asked at all. Since the moment Erin's wing dropped, there was a very quick "Wheeeeeeeee" noise that was uncomfortably pitched as Turnip did not slide, but instead fell on his face and proceeded to tumble down Erin's wing. Erin sighed after affirming Turnip was okay and turned back to the village, quickly scanning for the closest human.

There were so many humans; A baker, leaving his shop with a basket of bread, a librarian carrying transcripts and old scribes to a library, an old woman feeding squirrels... Erin didn't know who to ask or where to start until another child approached both himself and Turnip. The child picked its nose and crossed its arms before loudly inquiring; "Are you even a REAL Dragon? You don't look so real to me!"

The child hiccupped and stumbled before looking back up drearily and groaning; "The sun hurts..." That's when Erin realized this was not a child, it seemed to be a very thin and small adult who must have had too much of their fermented berry juice. Scooping Turnip closer with one hand, to protect him, Erin asked in a commanding tone, as if demanding an answer-

"Have you any missing children in your village? I seemed to have found one that is lost." Erin waited for an answer but the man just fell over and laid there in silence. Growling, Erin was ready to give that man a rude awakening before a light hit his eye. The light was from a reflection of a symbol on a horse sitting in front of a building marked as the Wanderers Pub. That symbol... that Dragon head engulfed in thorned vines had Erin snatching up Turnip and flying away from the village before anyone else could spot them. They would not infect Turnip, they would not turn his Turnip against him! Erin thought angrily and defensively before his mind paused. His Turnip?

Erin refused much further thought on the matter. He would take Turnip to the Spirit Forest and if they still could not find Turnip's family, than Erin would raise this child himself. Hopefully, Turnip would grow to lead and change his kind for the better... but for now, Erin would take Turnip to where Turnip thought his family was to begin with. The Spirit Forest. Poor child... Erin thought, His family must have been eaten by the wolves or murdered by their own kind.

If they were not alive, Erin could take Turnip to speak to one of the seven Spirit Pillars in the Spirit Forest, perhaps the gods may answer Turnip and show him his parents again. At this point, Erin did not expect to find Turnip's family, but he did want to give it at least one more shot before supposedly taking this child as his own. He felt Turnip curl around his claw in his hand as he carried Turnip over the trees and landed in the Spirit Forest. The Will-O-Whisps returned and swirled around Turnip as if they were checking on him. Erin smiled knowing that even the Will-O-Whisps saw this child as one of their own.

When Turnip was released, Turnip began to do a little happy dance, greeting the Will-O-Whisps and pointing deeper into the Spirit Forest, "Momma is this way!" The boy cheered, running and stumbling between the tree's. Erin tried not to sound doubtful as he said; "Really? Is she now?" And followed Turnip.

Turnip ran for what felt like hours. The Spirit Forest hadn't always been this deep, had it? Even Erin was getting tired, but it seemed the deeper they went, the faster Turnip got until Turnip stopped at a massive stone Pillar. The Pillar of Arise. Erin stopped and stared, The Pillar of Arise was the seventh Spirit Pillar and it only showed itself to the purest of souls for it guarded and protected the most vulnerable. Those who died from injustice and betrayal. Erin looked around muttering to Turnip; "Do you know where she would be?"

But Turnip's footsteps were silenced and when Erin turned back, the pillar was gone and so was Turnip.

In Turnip's place were two stone graves that Erin recognized as the tribute he offered to mark the grave of his wife, Astella and their son, Rexar. Candles appeared and lit with blue flames on the stones nearby and Erin shook his head in disbelief. This wasn't their grave... It couldn't be. Where was Turnip? Was this some sick, human joke? Was he betrayed, yet again? Erin felt massive tears build in his eyes as he felt his chest knot and twist in pain.

Erin struggled to breathe and couldn't focus. His vision was blurry from the tears and he started to lose balance, his head racing with a million voices asking how this could be possible! This couldnt be possible, this was not where he burried them, but this was their graves... The voices became louder, suffocating in his mind as he wondered if it should be possible. His heart pounded louder and louder until he could feel its beat in his brain and his breathing stopped altogether as he felt as if time itself frozen. A voice, a soft and childish voice, one that once brought him all the joy in the world, one he once knew so well, now sounded behind him when he thought it was lost forever.

"Momma sent me to get you!" A soft coo came from beside a grave and there, his son Rexar stood. Erin's body began to shake and tremble barley able to hold himself up as he wiped away tears the size of rivers. Rexar's scales were gleaming in the blue light of the candles. "But you couldn't get here if you couldn't forgive humans. So I became Turnip to lead you back home! To us." Rexar exclaimed.

Erin stared in disbelief as his wife, Astella wrapped a wing around him and smiled. "It was not their fault. They were under a spell." Astella whispered, hoping to calm Erin, "My love, what they did was wrong, but so too was your response. It's all behind us now, so all you can do is forgive. Forgive the spirits of the dead, and forgive-" "Yourself!" Rexar finished, cutting Astella off and Astella laughed softly, nodding. "Yes, Forgive yourself."

Erin apologized through eyes full of tears and promised that he would never lose control the way he did again. That he would never let his pain or anger blind him so completely. Erin looked at Astella and the Rexar in the eye; "How could I ever ask of your forgiveness?"

Astella was quiet and soon gave him a loving smile and a knowing look as she said, "Walk amongst the humans, my love. Show them a better path and change their ways as one of them. Lead them and guide them."

Erin shook his head and pleaded, "How? How could I do that? I am a Dragon. They will not listen to me."

Rexar chirped in a cheerful tone, "Momma can do what she did for me! She could make you human!" Erin looked up at Astella with hopeful eyes. "Please, could you turn me human? Could you help me make this change?"

"You know I would help you change the world!" Astella stood proud and spread her wings, a shower of sparks shooting in every direction, leaving Erin to be in a cloak of scales that looked like his own. Brilliant starlight white hair and bright blue eyes. When he stood and looked back at the graves, Astella and Rexar were gone.

"Wait!" Erin cried, leaping at the graves, hugging each one and crying harder. "Please don't leave me, please don't go. I am not ready..."

"You are." Astella's voice echoed around him, "We'll never leave you!" Rexar added. "Please remember, you have magic even though you look human. Use it wisely... use it respectfully."

"If I have magic as a human, than what am I? A mage?" Erin asked, sniffling and Astella laughed, "No, you are something a little more pure. You will be a Wizard."

The End