The Fate of the Elements

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. They used to stick to the mountain circle, mostly staying on their ruling peak. While other elementals were free to roam the land, the mountains locked the dragons upon their peaks. They were deemed too powerful to roam free. That was, until eight years ago, when the eight mountains turned on each other and the dragon wars started. The Valley was always an area of peace before the wars. It was a place of balance that never favored any of the eight peaks.

No one knew who started the war. The dragon rulers all blame the others. They all had their enemies across the valley and they all jumped at the opportunity to attack.

The elements turned on each other, fire against ice, stone against sky, Poison against purity, and shock against still. The land was split in half as two warring parties began to form along the mountains. The valley was in the middle.

I was seven when they first arrived. I don’t remember much. There was flame and frost, screams and cries, chaos everywhere you looked. Very few people survived the first attack.

I can still remember the first dragons to arrive as if I were there. The sky darkened as wings covered the sky. Attacks rained down one after another, some people were frozen or burnt to a crisp, others were swallowed by the earth and sky. The world became in disarray.

As the fight unfolds screams begin, and I start to run. I don't know where, but I know I can’t be here. Some people try to stop me and ask where my parents are. I don't stop. I won’t stop.

I can’t stop.

My legs move without me until a wall of fire starts to blaze in front of me. I try to run through an alleyway but the buildings start to crumble and deteriorate.

The valley was no longer the safe haven it once was. I finally make it to where my legs were taking me. To a pool of acid and bones, of someone who was no longer there. I crumble to the ground, hot tears well in my eyes. My fists clench. I try to give her a proper send off but the words won’t come out. All I can do is scream. I let out a guttural cry to let the rest of my breath escape.

I sit there, helpless, I couldn’t protect her, I couldn’t save her, after everything that had happened it was all taken away like that. Now she’s gone, and there's nothing I can do.

I can’t stay here longer or I’ll end up like her. I can’t die, not when she’s already had to lose her life. I slowly stand as my skin cracks. My eyes are dry and my throat is tight. I wipe my tears and force my legs to move. I slowly walk around the pool of acid around her and begin to leave.

Fire burns and there are pillars of ice everywhere, holes and acid pepper the ground. The wind whips my face as I grimly walk through the city streets. People are screaming and running about as the battle rages on above.

As I stumble through the familiar streets that have become so estranged lightning bolts rain down. Artificial mountains and valleys form and I struggle to make my way past the rough terrain. Bodies of people and dragons are both slewn about, and I take an empty breath from hot air.

Eventually, I make it to the edge of the village where I see that the rest of the valley is a warzone as well. Nowhere in the eight peaks is safe. My stomach turns as I face the mad scene and try to confront the fact that what comes next is the unknown.

My home is gone, she is gone, my old life is gone, the only thing that still remains is strange in nature. In the wilds beyond the mountains where the elements run wild and no one dares to venture.

While I steady myself for the future my legs give out and I crumble to the ground. I try and fail to stand, still trying to make it to the mountains, but I just end up lying there unable to move. The sounds of screams dull. My movements become sluggish and the world starts to turn. I feel the lick of flames on my skin mixed with the burn of ice beneath me, but the feeling is empty now. My eyelids begin to grow heavy and I finally give into the exhaustion.

The world goes dark.