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The Dragons of Arveross Valley

The Story of Nakayla, First Dragon Rider of Satriea

By Natalie DemossPublished 2 years ago 23 min read
2

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. A century ago, they had lived in the mountains, guarding their nests full of treasure. At least that's what the history texts said. Not many people who had ventured into the peaks survived the trip. It wasn't certain whether they had perished at the hands, or rather, the talons of dragons or if the harsh conditions of the towering tors had been the cause. Any treasure the dragons may have accrued was likely long gone, buried beneath the rubble of what used to be colossal peaks.

Satriea used to host a flourishing population of advanced species. The Emberi, the most prevalent, were a space-faring people. Their forebears had been searching for a new home when a wormhole pulled their ships into a different universe. Many generations passed as they explored this new frontier, meeting other sentient species. The Emberi allied with another wayfaring species known as the Sisalek. The two peoples began traveling together, becoming great friends. When they came upon the uninhabited planet of Satriea, they quickly realized it offered the environment in which both species could thrive.

The continent they named Acresh held vast deserts, ideally suited to the leathery-skinned Sisalek. Among other features, they had retractable scales they could use as armor and protection from the sand and sun. The Emberi were much more delicate in nature, with thin skin, prone to burning. They primarily settled on Saipex, Eyuth, and Eban. The fifth continent, Chiges, consisted of arctic tundra and was considered uninhabitable. Like many of the other life forms the Emberi met, their species were compatible. Over their decades of traveling together, there had been some interspecies coupling leading to a small number of hybrids. Some Sistek chose to live in the Emberi settlements while the Emberi, in turn, inhabited Acresh. Soon vast cities covered the lands that boasted such technological advances that everyone lived a life of luxury, lost to the very reason both species had evacuated their home planets. Namely, devastating environmental changes that left nearly everything in ruin.

Nakayla tapped at the device on her wrist, trying to access the latest weather report. The com could be glitchy, especially this far away from Sharita. She pulled her scarf back over her light brown hair, far enough over her eyes to block the sun. Nakayla favored a shorter hairstyle, cropped, nearly shaved, in the back, with longer hair framing her face. As usual, the single purple lock fell forward, enhancing her wide-set violet eyes.

She scanned the brush field for ground birds and other small animals. The plant life was young and low, having grown from the ashes of the latest wildfire. While most people believed that lightning strikes caused most of the fires, it wasn't beyond the realm of possibilities that the resident dragons inadvertently set them. The fires wouldn’t hurt the dragons, but they did make their prey scarce, so it wasn't in their best interest to set the world on fire.

Nakayla blinked a second, clear lens over her eyes, making it easier to see through the bright rays of light, wishing she had inherited more from her Sisalek ancestors than the multiple lenses. While they came in handy, it would have been nice to sprout scales instead of constantly wrestling with her scarf to keep it in place or slathering sunshield lotion on her skin. At least her clothing, lightweight and form-fitting but easy to move in, offered protection from the sun. Her face and arms were a few shades darker than her normally tan skin tone. Her mother often admonished her for not covering up enough, but sometimes it was just too warm to wear a long-sleeved shirt or a jacket, not to mention how messy it got cleaning the animals she caught.

A movement to her left had her slowly lifting her crossbow. A kukora broke through the scrubby bushes, intent on making a meal of the various insects crawling over the ground. It was particularly plump, making Nakayla’s mouth water. She aimed and began to apply pressure to the trigger.

“Nakayla?” Desi’s voice came through her wrist com. Nakayla rolled her eyes as the kukora darted off on its long legs. It was always amazing that the birds didn't topple over, being that they appeared to be so top-heavy.

“Desi, what’s the first rule when I’m hunting?” Her voice dripped with irritation as she responded to her younger sister.

“Never contact you while you are hunting unless it's an emergency. But it is an emergency. I’m starving. When will you be back?” Desi replied, sounding both cantankerous and bored.

“Well, you just frighted off the kukora I was about to bring down. Providing I manage to find anything else out here, I’ll have a two-hour trek to get home, at least. I have to go farther and farther from Sharita to find game.” Nakayla said. “Why don't you go help the others harvest food from the garden?”

“Ugh. I hate digging around in the dirt,” Desi whined.

Nakayla closed her eyes, trying to school her response. Desi was only fifteen and obnoxious like most kids her age, but she was particularly lazy. “Desi, the entire city is suffering from a lack of food. Everyone needs to do their part, including you. The garden is safe enough in the courtyard. I'm not asking you to go out into the street. All I'm asking you to do is get off your ass and do something around the house.”

“You aren’t the boss of me.” Desi huffed.

“You know Mom and Dad are out there working their fingers to the bone to earn enough to pay the exorbitant prices for the meager selection of food in Sharita. Show them some respect and help out.” Nakayla tried reasoning with her again.

“Ugh. Fine!” Her sister said before cutting off the communication.

Nakayla turned off her device so there would be no more interruptions. She hated being cut off like that in the event that something happened and one of her parents or extended family needed her. She wouldn't be able to get to them any time soon anyway. It made her nervous about being away from the city too long. Not that she was scared out in the uninhabited part of the valley, even with the dragons roaming around. She knew how to avoid them. Sharita, itself wasn't safe. The government had all but collapsed decades ago. Bands of ruffians wandered the city forcibly taking what others had worked hard to earn. She worried about her family. Dad had mentioned more than once that it wasn't her responsibility to protect everyone, but she still felt like it was something she needed to do. Her family consisted of both actual kin and close family friends who banded together in an old apartment complex. They also took in orphans and other abandoned children. Together they formed a cohesive community, all doing their part, although a handful, like Desi, seemed to think they shouldn't have to do so much.

She grabbed her staff, stood up, and began walking again. The metal rod served as both a weapon and a walking stick. There were wickedly sharp blades that Nakayla could pop out of either end if needed. Her uncle, Goran, had begun teaching her to fight with a staff nearly from the moment she could walk. He was very proud of her progress. She felt confident that she could protect herself against most of the predators in the valley, but not even the sharpest blades could penetrate dragon hide. She was likely to be flamed before getting close enough to try.

She glanced up at the craggy mountains as she walked. They used to be majestic. A series of natural disasters had left them broken. Some pointy spires still jutted into the air. Others had fallen, leaving the mountains half original their height. They had been like this long before she was born. The actions of the people of Satriea had brought severe weather down on the planet. Devastating fires followed by torrential rains caused mudslides and rockfalls. Earthquakes extended the damage.

To make matters worse, all of the destruction disturbed the dragons’ nests, bringing them down into Arveross Valley, looking for new homes. The people living in the valley, those still left after the earthquakes and floods displaced the majority, either fled or the fearsome flying lizards killed them. Now, the only inhabitants of the valley lived in Sharita. For some reason, the dragons had avoided the city.

Nakayla stopped periodically to look around for something, anything to bring home to supplement their food supply. She shook her head in disgust at what the Emberi and the Sisalek, her ancestors among them, had done to their world. History was important. They all needed to know what had brought them to where they were so that they wouldn't repeat it. But she couldn't understand why they still celebrated their forebears when so many of their descendants were starving. What was next? Were they all supposed to board ships to search for yet another planet to destroy?

Her mind wandered as she walked, although her eyes still darted around, watching for game. Nakayla thought about dragons in particular. She’d always had a certain fascination with them. They were beautiful if deadly creatures. She had seen a dragon once or twice before, but only from a distance. Nakayla was curious to know if they might have an affinity for the Sisalek, seeing as they shared similar attributes, such as the scales. Of course, dragon scales weren’t retractable like Sisalek scales. It was a sore spot for Nakayla that Desi had inherited that feature from their great-grandmother. It was a waste in such a useless being. She knew deep down that she loved her sister. In the end, she would protect her with every ounce of her being, but Desi often made it very difficult to like her.

Nakayla often wondered what it would be like to fly on a dragon’s back. The land was damaged but still beautiful in its own way. It would be interesting to see it from above. She would love to travel to the other continents and see the deserts of Acresh and the once fertile farmlands of Saipex and Eyuth. From what she understood, the latter two continents weren't so different from Eban. The entire planet suffered from climate issues. They weren't any better off, but if they were handling the changes differently, it might be safer to migrate there.

Finally, Nakayla came across a jackalope den. They were animals of medium size, most reaching her knee in height. That wasn’t including their antlers. They were sort of cute and cuddly looking as long as one didn't look too closely at their sharp teeth and red eyes. Not that they were much of a threat to people, short of defending themselves when cornered. Their diet consisted of smaller rodents like rattiyons and mousekins. Grandpa Logain once told her that the original settlers had bred the jackalopes in a laboratory based on a benign mythical creature from their ancient homeworld. It was supposed to have been a joke, but they turned out to be a tad more dangerous than anticipated. They were supposed to scrap the whole experiment. Only someone had inadvertently released them on the world. Once free, they reproduced like, well, jackalopes. Nakayla found shelter behind the ghostly remains of a bonboa tree. Eventually, two of the jackalopes appeared. The first was dispatched quickly and cleanly with a crossbow bolt. The second tried to run, or rather, hop, away. She took it down like the first.

Nakayla was satisfied that the jackalopes were substantial enough to provide enough extra meat that she could return home once she had cleaned her kill. She quickly and efficiently removed the innards and skinned the two animals. After she cut them into more manageable portions, Nakayla packed them into a cold wrap and loaded them into a lightweight folding cart from her backpack. There was no way they would fit into her bag. The cold wrap would keep them from getting too warm on the trek home. She folded the skins into her backpack and cleaned herself up. The rest of the bits she left for whatever other carnivorous creatures were around.

As she made her way back to Sharita, Nakayla skirted around a field of daffodilians. The flowers were beautiful but not something you wanted to come in contact with. The large yellow trumpet-like flowers emitted a pheromone that attracted small animals, which they consumed within their petals. They weren't large enough to be a threat to an Emberi or a Sisalek. However, they periodically shot out razor-sharp spores that would cause a rash upon contact.

She had been walking for about an hour when Nakayla suddenly stopped to inspect a colossal footprint pressed into the ground in front of her. It was a dragon footprint, and it was fresh. She looked around cautiously. There was nothing in sight, but if she was near a nest, there was a chance that the dragon would make an appearance. She pulled her staff off the magnetic panel on her knapsack and made her way slowly across the clearing, wishing there were more trees around, when Nakayla happened upon a depression in the ground filled with shards of broken dragon eggs. The mucus inside the shells was still damp, so they had hatched recently. That meant there were baby dragons around somewhere — hungry baby dragons. There was no actual proof that dragons ate people. No one had ever witnessed it happening. Then again, if dragons did eat people, there wouldn’t likely be anyone to survive the encounter.

Nakayla stopped next to a sparse shrub and blinked a third set of lenses over her eyes. This set allowed her to see further with more clarity. She scanned the skies and surrounding land. Nothing moved aside from a few small rodents scurrying around. Surely a creature with the bulk of a dragon wouldn't be able to camouflage itself so well that she would miss seeing it. If dragon babies were anything like Emberi babies, they wouldn't be able to stop moving long enough to hide in plain sight. Maybe the mama dragon had taken her young to hunt. Nakayla wasn't sure if dragons could fly so soon after hatching, but she saw no sign of them walking over the land. She glanced down at the ground before reaching down to grab the cart with the jackalope parts, prepared to abandon it in an attempt to preserve her own life.

Sunlight glinted off of something hidden in the brush. Nakayla gasped, retracting both sets of lenses to be sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her. A dragon egg, mottled brown and green, sat at her feet. It appeared that the mother dragon had rejected the egg, most likely because it hadn't hatched. Dragon eggs were an extremely rare commodity. One egg sold on the black market could bring enough credits to feed her entire household for months. Nakayla barely hesitated before shrugging off her backpack and wrapping the egg up in the jackalope hides. It was larger than any egg she had seen before and barely fit in her bag, but there was no way she was leaving it behind.

It was slow going making her way home with the cart and her overloaded knapsack. Her mother would be fretting at how long she had been gone. Nakayla let out a weary sign of relief when she finally came upon the remains of the paved road that led into Sharita. Soon towers jutting up from the ground like skeletal fingers came into view, many of the buildings too damaged by frequent earthquakes to be liveable. Her grandfather told tales of the city once being beautiful and vibrant, full of color. That had been long before she was born. Now Sharita was grey and dull, but it was home.

Nakayla carefully made her way through the streets, keeping an eye out for the gangs roaming around. She was always prepared to fight her way through them. Although she agreed with her parents regarding the jackalope carcasses not being worth potentially losing her life, there was no way she was going to let them get ahold of that dragon egg. Luckily, she made it home without incident.

“Mom?” she called out as she dragged her haul into the communal kitchen.

Her mother turned from where she was cleaning vegetables in the sink. Relief rolled off of her in waves. “Oh, Nakayla. You were gone so long I was beginning to worry. I tried to call, but you weren't answering.”

“Yeah, sorry. I turned my com off after Desi called me and scared off the kukora I was about to take down. I forgot to turn it back on.” Nakayla replied. “Can’t you do something about her? She’s not pulling her weight around here.”

Mom sighed. “I know we’ve spoiled her, but she was so sick and delicate when she was born that we were scared that she wouldn't survive her first year. Desi isn’t strong and brave like you are.”

She waited until her cousins, Daz and Mytal, took the jackalope carcasses away to cut them down into smaller portions and put them in cold storage for later use. “She’s not sick and delicate now. I'm not suggesting she go out hunting, but there are other things she could do to help provide for the household, like get a job.”

“You know work is hard to come by here. Your father and I are lucky to have jobs. Speaking of which, I need to get to work.” Mom said, setting aside the clean veggies.

Nakayla shook her head slightly. “I wish you didn't have to work overnight. It's not safe to be out there after dark.”

“I know. I have my laser blaster. I’ll be fine. You go get yourself cleaned up and get some rest.” Mom kissed her cheek. “Thank you for everything you do for us.”

“Mom, I found something when I was hunting. Once I find the right buyer, you and Dad won't have to work ever again.” Nakayla said, pulling the egg from her bag. “I just want to rub it down with some oil to shine it up.”

“Is that a dragon egg? How did you come by that?” She said in wonder.

“I came across an empty nest. This one is a dud. The mama dragon must have discarded it. Anyway, it's mine now.” Nakayla grinned. Her mother hugged her before heading out to work.

Nakayla handed the jackalope skins off to her uncle in the courtyard and ran up to her room. She tossed the backpack onto her bed before making her way into the bathing room. In her opinion, this was one of the best rooms in the house. The tub was the perfect depth to get a proper soak. She sank into hot water with a sigh that bordered on a delighted moan. Nakayla felt her muscles relax almost immediately. She allowed herself a few minutes to soak before grabbing the nearly translucent bar of purple soap to wash away the dirt, sweat, and grime. Her grandmother made several varieties of soaps, along with sunshield cream and hair dyes, that she sold to their neighbors. Nakayla’s favorite soap smelled like a combination of lavendella, jazmerin, and rosella.

Nearly an hour later, she returned to her room to find Desi standing over her bed, pulling the egg out of her knapsack. Perfect little porcelain-skinned Desi, who looked almost like a mirror image of Nakayla, except her eyes were blue and her hair fell in sleek golden waves.

Nakayla felt herself fill with a white-hot rage. This intrusion was the last straw. “What the hades do you think you are doing? Get out of my room,” she yelled.

Desi ignored her, turning the egg around in the firelight. Someone must have come in to light it while Nakayla was bathing. “This is so cool. Can I have it?”

“No, you can not have it. I’m going to sell it. Give it back!” A scuffle ensued as she tried to pry the dragon egg from her sister's greedy fingers. She was weak unless she wanted something. Then Desi had a grip like a jaguari with its prey. They hadn't fought like that since they were children. Not that they had been fair fights. Nakayla was five years older and had always been of sound body. In her anger, she pushed Desi, causing her to fall hard enough to knock the wind out of her. The egg dropped from her grip and rolled away.

“Ow. My arm. I’m telling.” Desi wheezed.

“Get over it, you big baby. You aren't hurt. You just want everyone to believe you are weak, so they won't make you do anything. That way, you get to laze around all day while everyone else works.” Nakayla said scathingly.

Desi sat up, cradling her arm to her chest. Tears welled up in her eyes. Nakayla was about to call her out on her bulldung when she realized her sister was no longer fighting back. She really was hurt.

“I’m sorry,” Desi said, causing Nakayla’s jaw to drop. She couldn't remember the last time her sister had apologized for anything. “I have no right to your egg. It is just so pretty.”

Nakayla reached out to touch her sister’s arm, cringing as she winced. “I’m sorry, Desi. I need to know if it's broken.” She gently moved and prodded her arm. “I think it's just a sprain, but Grandma can confirm that.”

“No. I don't want anyone to know about it.” Desi said, shaking her head.

“You just said you were going tell everyone I hurt you,” she replied. Sometimes her sister confused her.

Desi rubbed her arm. “I know. I just reacted. I didn't mean it. Nakayla, please. It's more than the fight. There’s something wrong with my bones. They hurt most of the time.”

“Why would you hide that?” she asked. “And why were you fighting me for the egg if you are in so much pain?”

“Because I know something is wrong. It’s not something Grandma can fix. We can't afford the medical care.” Desi insisted. “I know I should be doing more around here, but it hurts so much.” She offered no explanation for trying to take the egg. Pain or not, Desi was selfish, but that didn't matter anymore. At best, the pain was caused by something that could leave her crippled. At worst, there was cancer in her bones that would rack her body with excruciating pain before stealing her life force.

“Oh, Desi.” Nakayla hugged her for the first time in at least a year. “You can’t hide this. Even if you didn't break your arm, it will need to be in a sling or a brace until it heals. Besides, if I can get enough for that egg, we’ll be able to get you the care you need.” She cringed inwardly. The exorbitant costs of even the most basic medical treatment meant most people relied on home treatment. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would cost to treat Desi if she had a bone disease. Even if she bartered for a good price for the egg, most of it would go to the treatment. She shook it off and helped Desi up. They found their grandmother in the garden.

“Oh my, what happened to you, Desi?” she asked in concern.

“I tripped and landed on my arm,” Desi lied. “Nakayla thinks I might have sprained it.”

Grandma examined her more thoroughly than Nakayla had and determined that, while it could just be a sprain, she would treat it as if it was a hairline fracture. She was especially concerned when Desi finally admitted to the near-constant pain she was in. Grandma made a splint from two small garden stakes and wrapped her wrist tightly, then secured her arm in a sling.

The sun was well down by the time Nakayla was helping Desi back to her room and tucking her in. Grandma had given her some herbs for the pain and another to let her sleep. Once she was sure that her sister was comfortable, she went back to her own room. Nakayla was trying to decide if she was too tired to eat when she remembered the dragon egg. She had been so fixated on Desi that she hadn’t noticed where it had ended up. After searching under the bed and behind anything it could possibly have rolled behind, she came up empty. Had someone come in and taken it? That wasn't likely, but possible if one of the littles had found it. Nakayla turned to the fireplace when a log cracked and gasped. The egg was sitting in the middle of the fire, flames dancing merrily around it.

“Oh no, no, no!” she exclaimed as she lunged for the fire tongs. “Please tell me it's not damaged.” She grabbed the egg with the tongs and pulled it out to cool down on the hearth. It was way too hot to touch, but the part she could see looked unharmed. Of course, it was alright. It was a dragon egg, for diety’s sake. Fire wouldn't hurt it.

Nakayla breathed a sigh of relief, replaced by near panic, when a crack suddenly appeared in the shell. She started as the egg began rocking and jumping erratically. Bits of shell flaked off until a hole appeared. A tiny claw worked its way out of the hole, making it larger. The cracks expanded until the shell broke completely open. A baby dragon tumbled out, rolling to land, splayed at her feet.

A dragon! A baby dragon was lying on her foot — an adorable baby dragon. Wait! There was a dragon in her house! What was she going to do? Could she keep it hidden long enough to smuggle it back out into the valley plains? Would it even be able to fend for itself? Would another dragon adopt it, or were they like many other birds who would shun a chick that had been touched by an Emberi? Nakayla was usually in control of her emotions, but she could feel a panic attack coming on.

The dragon looked up at her with adoration in its amber eyes, calming her immediately. At least, she thought it was adoration. It could be hunger. Surely she was too big to be eaten by a baby dragon. Maybe it would chew her to death and make a few meals out of her corpse. The dragon made a raspy cooing noise. Was it - was it imprinting on her?

Nakayla couldn't help herself. She knelt and pulled the dragon into her arms. The creature was covered in dark green scales with a few lighter green scales scattered here and there. The scales around its mouth and eyes were a tannish color. The dragon stretched its light green wings, waving them about to dry them. Black claws snagged on Nakayla’s clothing. It nuzzled its face against hers, then sighed.

“I guess you weren't a dud after all,” she said with a laugh. “And I know the perfect name for you. Miracori.” Nakayla settled into her favorite chair by the fire and cuddled her new friend into her arms. She resolved to take her dragon back out to the plain lands to find food in the morning. Any thoughts of a meal for herself vanished as she drifted off to sleep.

Fantasy
2

About the Creator

Natalie Demoss

Single mom to an Autistic child and budding author and artist finally following my dreams. The hand drawn art on my stories is my own.

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  • N.J. Gallegos 2 years ago

    Reading this put a smile on my face ☺️❤️

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