The Dragon Was Named Red

Chapter 1: The Dragon and the Child

The world was no stranger to misfortune. Dark creatures of the night, powerful storms daring to destroy its majesty, and filled to the brim with magic and life. Such a place needed guardians to protect it, and what better beings than the most powerful magical creatures of them all. The Dragons. For centuries, these terrifying magical beasts protected these vast magical lands from all who would do it harm, and made sure to punish all who would disturb the peace, whether it be the world’s, or the dragon’s own.

A single dragon reigned over the dark forest for many years, more than any others before it. A gigantic red beast with wings so powerful and vast, a single flap could part the clouds as it flew. It stood as the sole guardian within this region of the world. It was a being of solitude, valuing the peace it brought him. While dragons of other colours and scales were known to create nests for their kind to blossom, the red beast stood alone, being the only one left with their colour and hue.

Rain fell heavily upon the land. The smells of the forest were disturbed this day. As the dragon scouted the area from the sky, he could sense the dark creatures lurking below. With their scent fouling the air, the dragon descended towards them. They scattered out of fear for their lives, all aware of the dragon’s power and might. With aid from the rainfall, their stench started to disappear. But another took its place. Blood. The scent of blood was strong. It seemed to be a recent hunt from those vile creatures. Animals. From bird to beast, nothing was sacred to them. However, one pool of blood caught the dragon off-guard. The smell. It was human. The dragon would encounter humans who would come into the forest. They were mages who would come to this place to study its magic and herbs for research. The dragon allowed this. But this was not the same. Those magi and their blood smelled of magic, even after death. But this pool did not. It was a normal human. An overconfident hunter perhaps? A lost villager? A foolish one, thought the dragon. But the dragon knew. Where there is one human, there are bound to be more. There was a village, though some distance from the forest itself, was still the closest to its borders. It would make sense to inspect towards it. The dragon followed the scent of human towards the village. Upon their travels, the dragon noticed something. A divergence. It was not the same scent as the blood from before, but something else. Something new. The dragon hoped this scent was not a troublemaker within these woods. They did not like dealing with unnecessary pests. But they still had a duty to perform, and followed the diverging smell.

Moments passed, and it was found. The origin. Where it led was unusual. It seemed to look like a large burrow underneath a small tree, as if it was a natural shelter for beasts of all sizes. However, it was odd. Not the smell itself, it was that of a normal human, and while the burrow itself was intriguing, the dragon was hesitant to enter. Upon closer inspection, the scent seemed to enter the burrow…but then stop, as if it never existed. Was it magic? The dragon reached out its claw, hoping to sense what was there. But nothing. All it could sense was the forest, nothing more. The dragon got closer to the burrow. The lower pitched hum of its growling breath followed it as its head entered. Suddenly, it noticed something. It noticed something small moving. Its back towards the red beast. Then, it made a noise. A small sound, a whimper…crying? The human. No. A human child. The dragon slowly retracted its large head from the burrow. Why in the world would a small human be here? Did another human leave them here? For what purpose? Were they with the other human that left the pool of blood? So many questions, all leading to the same conclusion: They cannot be here. I will return them to the humans.

The dragon was no fool. This was a frightening place for humans, of any age. The dragon imagined the child to be especially frightened, after hearing the growl of a beast behind them. It thought for a moment, and made a decision. The dragon took a deep breath in, and out. Repeating the process over and over, as it did, flames appeared around them. Flames of various colours and hues filled the air, as their magic danced around the dragon’s form. It was then, the flames dissipated. What appeared afterward was not the dragon, but a human. A bearded man standing eight feet tall, with unusually long red hair, covering most of his back, and a large red fringe falling over his eyes. The dragon wanted to establish trust with the child, so needed to take on a form that they would believe in. Slowly, the dragon re-entered the burrow. The bearded man kneeled behind the crying child, hoping not to startle them, and slowly again, reached out, placing his hand on their shoulder. Sniffling, the child took notice of the hand, and noticed it was a human hand. They turned towards the direction of the dragon disguised as the man, sniffling still. They did not scream, nor did they back away. They sat there, staring towards the giant bearded figure before them. Without thinking, the small human spoke.

“Red.”

The dragon was surprised, raising both eyebrows in response. He paused…and then he chuckled towards the child.

“Hmhm, am I now?”, the dragon spoke.

The child did not smile nor cry, but instead, grabbed the dragon’s human hand, and placed it on their own head.

“Just like me!”

The dragon felt the child’s hair. It was long and scruffy. The child surprised them again. To say that they were the same as the human, it was amusing. As they sat together, the rain seemed to ease. Easier for the child to go home, the dragon mused to himself.

Grumble

“I’m hungry.”

“I can tell little one.”

GRUMBLE!!

“…it would seem I am as well. Wait here.”

As the dragon got up, the child hugged him close, as if to prevent him from leaving.

“Don’ go Red! You get hurt! Please don’ go.”

The dragon stopped, and looked at the child holding him back from leaving. He understood. The little one did not know his name. But strangely, it felt…calming. It was so simple, but so familiar. To be called something other than Beast, Dragon, Monster. He smiled gently, patting the child’s head.

“You need not worry little one, I will be back very soon. Stay here and stay safe. Understood?”

The child sniffled, slowly letting go, before going back into the burrow to stay safe. When the child was not looking, the dragon transformed back into his true shape, flying away to find a suitable meal for them both.

The rain had stopped. The child whimpered slightly, scared of being alone, not knowing what was happening to Red. Before they knew it, a large thud could be heard from outside, the child was nearly jumped off the ground from the impact it created. Red had returned, quickly shifting back into his human form. The child made a slow exit out the burrow, and saw before them a massive pig-like beast! Their eyes went wide, they were completely amazed by the size of the behemoth. In a flash of light, the pig beast was caught a flame, roasting heavily on the fire below it. Red walked beside to the child and spoke.

“It should be ready soon.”

“Okee.”

The sun started to shine through the clouds, and small colours of light started to dance around the child’s feet. Surprised, they turned around to see where it was coming from. The tree that lay atop the burrow, its pink leaves shined like stained glass, the raindrops upon them shimmered as the light reflected on them, the rainbow-like colours dancing throughout the forest floor.

“Pink!”

Confused, Red turned around. He felt the light shine on his face. With the sun on the tree, he could feel the magic from the tree. He now understood.

“Dìonadair.”

The child stared in confusion.

“It means protector, little one. Whenever the sun shines through the thick trees above it, the magic returns to its roots, protecting all underneath its branches. I imagine in the far future, when the forest leaves this world, these will be the last trees to hold the memories of this place.”

“...pink.”

“Hmhmhm, and yes, it is pink. Come. The meal is ready now.”

The meat was crisp and hot to the touch, but Red did not seem to mind, as he tore off a giant piece of leg from the beast. Just as he was about to start eating, he noticed the child, staring at the meat. Thinking for a moment, he knew the beast would be too large for the little one to grab a piece as the dragon did. So instead, he tore off a small piece of the leg, and give it to the little one, hoping it would be edible for them.

“It’s hot. Remember to blow on it to keep it cool.”

“Okie.”

The unlikely pair sat and ate together. They seemed to enjoy each other’s company, sharing a quiet peaceful moment in a normally hostile environment. However, it was the dragon’s curiosity that got the better of them, breaking the silence.

“Little one. You have come a long way away from your village alone. Why are you here?”

“I’m no alone! I have Dada!”

“Dada.”

“Yeee. He wen away from home, so I follow him! I found him! He say he’d take me back home, and we make Mama happy we both back! Something happen, then he said we’d play hide and seek, and said to sit in hole, while he’d find a better place to play. He say he be back. I…I’m scared.”

The child started to well up with tears once again. The dragon could easily put the pieces together. They did not know what to say. They knew the child was going to get hurt if the truth was told. Running away, something finding it…their heart being broken from the grief. The dragon knew the possibilities. But he also knew that they had stayed too long.

“Come child. Eat the rest of your food. I am taking you home.”

“Dada isn’t back yet!”

“I know, but your mama will be scared if you are not home. We must make sure she is not scared anymore. Okay?”

The child looked back at the burrow, worried, but soon grabbed Red’s hand tightly.

“…I wanna go home.”

“Then let us go there.”

With that, Red grabbed the little one by the hips, and gently placed them on their shoulders, the pair heading towards the edge of the dark forest.

Chapter 2: Malice meets Rage

The trees danced with the wind that sounded like songs, small magical creatures ran across the forest floor, mushrooms glowed with every step taken passing them. Red knew the forest well, so noticed very little, but the little one, their eyes shined at the wondrous sights before them. The ponds glowed a blueish hue as frogs splashed from lily-pad to lily-pad creating ripples.

“So prettyyyy.”

“Hmhmhm, yes, yes, it is. But little one, this place is not for you. Your place is with the humans like you.”

“And like you!”

“No, not like me. You are…special, you all are. You create, you make things. The forest is for things that simply are what they are, nothing more. Things do not change.”

The child reached their head over Red and faced them as if upside down.

“Why not?”

“Because the world is a living creature too. It grows, it expands, it destroys, and it gives life. There is a reason this forest is called dark, because it is constant.”

“Con…siant?”

“It means it does not change. Most things here…are ageless, even when they do age. We will come back to this world in some form or another, staying still.”

“…I don’ get it.”

“Hmhmhm, that’s fine. I will get you home, so do no-“

Red stopped. All of his senses alerted him in that moment. Rustling in the distance, the foul scent of death…a malicious intent. He slowly put down the human.

“Little one.”

“What is it Red?”

“Your Dada. He had you play hide and seek under the tree, yes? I need you to go there. Now.”

“But…you say it is bad here.”

“Yes. But now, it is about to get worse. Please. Go now. I will follow you soon.”

“But!”

Red kneeled down, placing his hand on the child’s shoulder, smiling gently.

“…go.”

The child was scared, but felt they could trust the giant red-haired human. They fled, as fast as they could.

As the little one went out of view, Red’s gentle smile turned into a spiteful scowl.

“Reveal yourselves…now.”

Cackling laughter. Malicious cackling laughter. The scent of blood and decay getting closer and closer towards Red. The sound of scraping claws on the ground below. Red knew all too well who they were. What they were. Infamous to all who know the forest. Gnolls. Scavengers. Always hungry, always vicious, willing to consume anything and everything. Not just for survival, but for fun. The act of killing amused them. Because of that reason alone, the dragon despised them, and they did likewise towards the dragon. Red counted ten of them in total, but they were oblivious. In Red’s current form, the gnolls had no idea whom they were dealing with. The creatures started to speak.

“Heheheheh, humaaaaaniiii. Biiiiiig humani. Smelling two. Where the other go?”

The sounds of their voices were chilling to the ear, as if they gargled and screeching on every word spoken. Red showed no fear.

“I am here. You will face me.”

“Humani, weak. Gnoll, powerful! But no fun if we fight, no no. Let’s play game. You win, you live…we eat when we win. Play…hiiiiiide aaaaand sssssseeeeeek.”

The dragon scowled even harder. Holding back his fury. Was this the same twisted game they played with the other human before? Filth. The only word Red could think of as they continued to mock him.

“Yeeeeeeeessss, hide, big one. We find you, you lose. We eat. We WIN!”

“No. I will not. All of you…leave this place…or die.”

The gnolls stopped…then they laughed. A dark, amused laugh. Their hyena faces distorting with delight.

“HAHAHAHAHA!!! You are nothing humani! We play game! Or! We KILL you now!”

“…I’m waiting.”

The laughter stopped, turning into growls, the licking of maws, and evil cackles. With one unified roar, claws and fangs ready, they charged at the giant human.

A single moment. It was as if Red had become one with the wind, a crimson blur dodging all the incoming attacks towards him. He grabbed the jaw of the nearest gnoll, and twirled them around, hitting all of them, hurling them backwards. Red held his ground, but the gnolls continued their attack. Red’s movements rivaled that of a martial arts master. Despite having the appearance of a wide old man standing at eight feet tall, he seemed to have the tireless energy of a monkey, dashed back and forth, swinging his arms and legs, fighting back with precise movements and pinpoint accuracy. The gnolls tried to use the forest around them as weapons, such as stones and branches, anything they could find. With a snap of his fingers, sparks flew from his fingertips, and Red made short work of these “weapons”. Small rocks became boulders, the branches wrapped around them like vines, the forest floor became quicksand where they stood. As this continued, it seemed Red started to enjoy himself…but not for long. One gnoll, smarter than the others, had enough. They were not going to win like this, but gnolls were never known to play fair.

“Humani!!”

Red turned his face towards the voice, only for his face to be met with a mud pile the gnoll had thrown, throwing him off-guard. The other gnolls laughed mockingly, and started to follow suit. Red tried to get his own back, wiping away the mud and its stench, but the gnolls continued to block all of his senses with the barrage. One by one, the scavengers piled on top of the large human, hoping to subdue him, but Red’s strength had not failed him, as he continued to fight back. The gnolls were persistent as they continued their attempts, striking Red’s most vital areas every time. However, the dragon was more powerful, doing his best to hold his own, becoming more and more difficult as his major senses continued being obscured by mud and debris. All of a sudden, one of the gnolls seemed to stop their attack, as they caught the smell of something.

“Humani! Another humani! They smell small…freeeeesh.”

“Humani? sniff sniff Hmmmm, same as before! Humani hunter baby!”

“Find it now! We play! We feeeeeed! WE WIIIIIN!!”

Time stopped within that moment.

An immense pressure filled the air all at once. Nothing could breathe, nothing could move. If something was able to move, it fled. Animals, birds, everything left. The gnolls were too frightened to move, or rather, they were made unable to move. All of them seemed to be frozen in place. You would think time had stopped for them entirely, if not for the expressions of fear and regret on their faces. They all faced the same direction. The dragon. The pressure. They felt it before. The rage of the dragon. They knew what was going to happen.

Red was wrapped around a spiraling red wind, filled to the brim with magic, his hands started to grow scales and talons, his mouth started to extend forward with sharp fangs growing out his maw. Red overheard what the gnolls had said. He would have let them go for the human hunter, giving them a warning regarding his demise. But to do the same with his child? Play their sick games all the while torturing them before a slow, painful death?

They are the ones who deserve a painful death.

Coloured flames danced around Red, as they shot him towards the sky, before bursting away to reveal the gigantic beast, extending its wings as it scowled at the monsters below. Its throat glowed bright yellow and white. In one bombastic roar, the dragon unleashed its fiery fury upon the gnolls. Its fire was so powerful, for even with their target being directly in sight, and its accuracy being equally direct, the surrounding area was also caught within the flame’s devastation. Nothing was spared. Part of the forest had now been reduced to nothing but ash.

The dragon returned to the ground. This once vibrant part of the forest was now a grey field of soot and ash. Every other smell the dragon tried to catch was blocked by burning. Everything in the area was gone. This was not what the dragon wanted. They cared for the forest. They did not wish for this to happen. But it knew why. Dragons were notorious for causing destruction should their nest ever be disturbed. Not because they were territorial, but because they cared for their own kind. They cared deeply for one another, with threats of violence against them being treated as an act of war. Red knew this. Solitude for them was a choice. They cared for the forest and the forest alone, stopping those gnolls would have been a simple task if they simply transformed…but he grew attached. The forest had not become his concern in that moment. It was the little one. Red’s rage took control, which saddened him deeply. The dangers of the forest would return if they stayed. The child cannot stay here. So, through the grey ash, the dragon knew where to go. Even though things had burned away, the rest of the forest remained, and Red felt the magic beneath their claws. Sensing its flow, he would find a certain tree.

Dìonadair.

It was a safe distance away from the dragon’s flame. Taking a deep breath, the dragon transformed once again. Slowly, he entered the burrow. He could hear it. The sound of a familiar whimper. Red’s mind started to clear of worry, as they gently tapped the shoulder of the little one. The child turned, tears in their eyes, their eyes meeting Red’s face.

“RED!”

The child embraced him, hugging him tightly.

“You found me! You’re okay.”

“Hmhm, yes, yes I did.”

The child was happy their friend was back, and they stared at Red’s face. Mud was covering the fringe over Red’s eyes. As a kind gesture, the child wanted to wipe it away for them. In doing so...they saw them. Red’s eyes. The eyes of the dragon.

“...white.”

“Hmhmhm, are they now?”

The child’s eyes went wide over what they were seeing. It was as if Red’s eyes were shining like the full moon on a clear starry night.

“So prettyyyyy.”

Red’s eyes went wide. He did not know what to say. In the past, there were mages who made many comments regarding his position, but one stuck out to him the most: How is a blind dragon supposed to look after the forest? After so many years, seeing Red’s prowess and might as dragon guardian, that question did not come up again. But it still stuck with him. How his handicap was called into question, and how it was a problem for those who did not know him. But the little one’s innocence. It was as if they could see right through him. They have seen the beauty and magic of the forest firsthand, and still they thought this blind dragon’s eyes were something special...A single tear fell. The child was shocked.

“No Red! Don’ cry!”

The dragon did not even notice, placing his hand on his cheek, seeing the tear that came forth. The child quickly embraced Red, much to his surprise.

“No more tears. We’ll be home soon.”

Red stopped…then smiled. He gently hugged the child back, reassuring them.

“Yes, you would be home soon.”

Chapter 3: Home is where the heart is

It would take until tomorrow before Red and the little one reached the edge of the forest. The sun shined through the branches of the dark forest, and evil had no qualms with the dragon this day. Red could smell it. The fields of golden wheat flowed in the gentle breeze. Red even had to admit, it felt very calming. The pair walked towards the edge of the forest, and the child saw what the dragon was sensing. In the far distance, there stood several tall windmills. The dragon could smell it. The village of humans. It was not as industrial as other settlements they encountered in the past, but it still had the smells of iron and coals flowing through it. Not too pleasant smelling for creatures of magic. There were some humans wandering throughout the large fields of the village. Some appeared to be farmers, simply doing their jobs and working. However, there were others that seemed out of place. They were a large group of common townsfolk, looking through many trees and buildings, as if they were searching for something. As they continued, they starting searching the wheat field nearest to the forest’s edge. One of the villagers was a woman. A young woman in a green dress and a stained white apron. Her scent smelled of flour and bread as the dragon caught the scent in the breeze. Her hair covered by a bandana, but still, it flowed easily in the gentle wind. Rich red hair.

“Mama! That’s Mama!”

The dragon was stunned. They did not expect the mother to come this close to the forest’s edge. They were still too far for the mother to hear or see them, but the dragon could feel it. Her determination. She was searching desperately for her child.

“Come on Red! Let’s go!”

“…child…I am staying.”

“Red? Home is right there!”

“Your home, little one. Mine is here, in the forest.”

“But…we’re the same.”

“Hmhmhm, no. We look the same, but we are not. I need to stay here.”

“Reeeed.”

The child started to feel very sad. The dragon smiled, and pointed towards the child’s chest.

“What is in here, little one?”

“sniffle My heart.”

“Hmhmhm, yes.”

The dragon points towards his own chest.

“And here is mine. Our hearts are the same, little one. You and I may not be the same, but through our meeting here, we connected. Through kindness and courage, all of us have the power to gain more connections. You are kind and courageous little one, it makes me proud knowing you have that to protect your loved ones. So please, do not cry for this goodbye, we are all connected through our hearts. Understand?”

The child stopped crying and wiped their eyes.

“…I’ll miss you Red.”

The unlikely pair embraced one last time.

“…I will too little one. Now go. Your mama is waiting.”

With one final look, the child let go of Red, and ran towards the village, towards their home, and towards their mother.

The mother’s eyes were heavy. It had appeared she had not stopped crying or had slept in days. She continued her frantic search, other nearby villagers showing their worry for her. Then…she heard a voice, getting closer and closer.

“…mama! Mama! Mamaaaaa!!”

Her eyes went wide, the other villagers stunned.

“…baby? BABYYYYYY!!!”

The two ran towards each other, and hugged each other with so much love, both them and the others could not help but cry with joy. The mother had found her lost child. Red could hear their tearful embrace from the edge of the forest. He let out a sigh. One of both relief and content. The time he had with the child was short, but it is one time he would not soon forget.

As the two family members embraced, a huge gust of wind filled the air. The villagers could see a gigantic red dragon burst from the edge of the forest, and fly back over the skies above it. All were shocked at the spectacle before them, all but one. The child went wide-eyed, and smiled their biggest smile yet.

“GOODBYE REEEEEED!! I WUV YUUUUUUU!! GOODBYYYYYEE!!”

The mother was stunned at the child waving and yelling farewell to the dragon. Looking towards it, she smiled. She felt she had been blessed by the guardian of the forest.

Red flew high into the clouds, parting them with each flap of his wings. In the distance, his ears caught a familiar voice. All he could do was smile, as he charged forward towards the sun, blazing ahead towards tomorrow, determined to create a bright future for all within his care.