The Soul of a Dragon

There weren't always dragons in the valley. Our small little village, perfectly secluded in what we always called "Deep Home", was too small and insignificant to attract the attention of anyone important or anything big enough to be a threat, including. Our village was just far enough away from everything. That meant we didn't have to worry about the strict policies of kings, or submit to the will of villainous lords, or even have to concern ourselves with defending from roaming raiding parties from long lost armies who's leaders had perished.

But our peace was ruined when they arrived. Who are 'they'? 30 dragons, all with red and orange scales, and each with a person in shining red armor on their backs. Most of the dragons remained in the air, circling above the small town. However, three of them landed just in the outskirts of town. I tried to keep my eyes open, but the wind created from the dragons' flapping wings made it nearly impossible. It was as if a massive storm had dropped from the sky and right into our homes. When they finally landed, the armored men on their backs slid off of the saddles and began to approach us. My father told me to keep my mother and sister back as he and the village chief approached the visitors. I thought I wouldn't be able to hear the conversation, but the visitor in the middle had a booming voice that made it impossible to not hear him.

"I am Captain Orkanoa of the Red Dragon Division! I'm sorry to disturb you all, but this town has just become the home base for my troops and their dragons! All we ask is for you all to stay out of our way, and we'll do our best to avoid causing any unnecessary interruptions to your village! Good day!" And just like that, he turned on his heels and began walking back to his crimson-scaled dragon, followed by the other two armored people. Our chief didn't get the chance to utter a single word.

I hid behind some barrels near our little pub in town and watched the other dragons begin to descend, but much farther away from our homes. The three who had landed near our town began to walk forward, their dragons following close behind. I was amazed to see creatures of such size and power show such obedience. How did they do it? How did these red armored soldiers tame such powerful beasts?

I noticed that two of the largest dragons had what appeared to be large crates on their backs, and the crates seemed to fall off of the dragons as they stood on their hind legs. The tallest ones, even when crouching, were big enough to swallow my entire family hut whole. Meanwhile, the smaller orange dragons would've been able to fit inside our huts if the entrance had been big enough. I watched as the visitors began to set up small triangle houses made of cloth. They also began to unpack smaller bags, and even begin assembling a fire pit with some nearby stones. As for the minor details, I was too far away to see. I decided to return home, as my father would likely want me there in order to finish helping him skin the rabbits he had hunted before being interrupted.

"Father, would I be able to go speak to the visitors?" My father stopped slicing the Rabbit's fur. He slowly looks up at me with the same tired eyes he always has whenever I ask something he perceives to be stupid. "Why would you want to do that?" "Well, it's the first time outsiders have ever come here. They appear to be nice enough-" "Nice? Did you just call them nice?" I closed my mouth. My father had never once struck me, but he always made it a point to discipline me with his words so that I could 'learn from my mistakes'. "A bunch of strangers riding dragons come from the sky, move into our homes, tell us to stay out of their way, and you want to go out there and try to socialize with them?" I stared down at the ground. My mother pretended not to listen as she fed my sister. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you, Azerith." I looked back up at my father. "I allowed you to be curious and carefree for too long. You're not a boy anymore, Azerith. You're 16: already an adult."

I looked confused. "Wait, then why am I asking you if I should speak to the visitors? If I'm an adult already, then why don't I-" My father expertly and swiftly flipped the knife in his hand so it was pointing straight at the ground, freeing up his index finger to angrily point at me without threatening me with a blade. "Don't. Ever. Interrupt. Me. Boy." I fall silent. "...now, you may be old enough to be a man, but you haven't married, you haven't found a trade, and you are still living under the same roof as your mother and me. In all definitions of a man, you are anything but. Therefore, I will not have you endangering our homes by going out and causing trouble with a bunch of strangers."

So for three days, I just watched as the visitors would fly their dragons away, 20 at a time, leaving a rotating guard at their camp. It was like when we thought there were wolves roaming about, so the men of the village would take turns keeping an eye out at night. I watched and watched, but I wasn't learning anything. Eventually, I felt like I had no choice. I was going to do what mother had always called my favorite pastime: disobeying my father.

I waited until the dead of night, and on a night where I watched all but six of the dragons fly away. I snuck out through my window and swiftly made my way to the tall grass. My father was the village's best hunter, and preferred having a cabin closer to the edge of town. I stooped down and very silently waded through the tall grass, putting some distance between myself and the town before turning towards the dragons. They all appeared to be sleeping. Despite the camp being only a five minute walk from the village, it took nearly two hours for me to make the journey. I was moving as if I was stalking some game, just like my father had taught me. The slightest unnatural move could send a rabbit or deer scurrying away and out of crossbow range. I reach the camp's perimeter. The guard walking around the camp with his spear hasn't spotted me. With a smile, I slowly part the grass right in front of me.

The dragon's eye is wide open. I lose my smile. I hadn't snuck up on the camp. This dragon had been aware of my presence for quite some time, and was just watching me with its single eye. My heart stops. Just like when I had accidentally shot a bear with a small hunting bow, I thought death was near as I stared at the side of the dragon's head.

I don't move. The dragon doesn't move. I finally blink. The dragon blinks back. I wonder why it hasn't tried to eat me yet, or try to alert one of the men. I look into its eye. It's just staring back at me. I take a shaky breath before slowly stepping out of the grass. The dragon doesn't flinch or show any fear. I take a slow step forward. Nothing. I take another step forward. The dragon blinks again, causing me to quickly step backwards. After realizing it was nothing, I resume my slow approach. After what seemed like an eternity, I was next to the dragon's head. I hadn't been able to tell in the darkness, but now I could see that this was the very same dragon that the booming voiced man had rode upon. I just stare into its eye. The dragon seems very relaxed, despite me being so close to it. I take another shaky breath as I slowly reach my hand out. The dragon doesn't flinch. I continue reaching forward until my fingertips touch its surprisingly smooth scales. The dragon doesn't make a single noise. I try my luck even more as I press my hand against the dragon, just on the cheek. I slowly smile as I begin to run my hand along the dragon's cheek. The dragon closes its eye and emits a very quiet sound of what I hoped to be happiness.

"Fascinating." I leaped backwards, falling onto my butt, and snapped my head to the voice. The dragon also opens its eye to look, but in a very calm manner. I recognized the voice, albeit a lot quieter than when I had originally heard it. The dragon's rider took his helmet off. I had never seen skin as dark as his, but his smile was unmistakably genuine. I was too scared to notice though. As he began to approach me, I started to back away, trying to avoid getting caught. To my surprise, he stops. I stop as well. He is still smiling. "You don't need to worry. You aren't in any kind of trouble." I don't move. The man approaches the dragon and pets the cheek just as I had. The dragon emits the same noise, now confirmed to be happiness. "You know, not just anyone can get close to dragons. The fact that you were able to get so close without Sorania here defending herself is proof that you're special."

I slowly rise back up to my feet. "...special...?" "Mhm." Orkanoa, still petting his crimson colored dragon, looks to me. "Dragons can sense the true intentions of people. Unfortunately, most people act of their own accord and in their own self interests. As such..." Orkanoa looks back at Sorania, which I now know to be the dragon's name. "...dragons only let a very select few anywhere near them. Even our Kings dare not approach without us nearby to protect them."

I slowly walk back up to the dragon. I put my hand back on Sorania's scales and ran my hand along them once more. Orkanoa, still petting Sorania, looks down at me again. I feel tiny compared to the giant man. "She's just resting. She's normally a lot more playful." I looked up at him. "Dragons need to rest?" "Of course! Every creature of our world needs to rest, especially when they're flying around all day!"

I stop petting Sorania. "...may I ask a question, sir?" "Of course, but only if you answer mine first." I tense up at his forwardness. "...oh... ok...?" "What's your name, young man?" I became nervous yet again, thinking he would report this interaction back to the village chief. Or worse, my father. Still, lying has never gotten me anywhere. "...Azerith..." "Nice to meet you. My name is Timothy Orkanoa, but I just like to go by Orkanoa. Now, what is your question?" "...well sir, why are you here?"

Orkanoa loses his smile as he looks back at his dragon. She seems to sense Orkanoa's change of mood, and opens her eye to look at him. He continues petting Sorania to comfort her. "...we're here because we're at war, and this valley is a very strategic point in the defense of our kingdom. From here, our dragons can reach three out of the eight front lines that have gradually formed in mere minutes." My interest had peaked now, as I had only ever heard tales of people killing people in these bloody 'wars'. "Who are you at war with? Raiders? An evil King?"

I watch with confusion as he slowly shakes his head, his eyes losing the joy I had just witnessed, and have become filled with what appeared to be a mix of fear and hesitation. Still, he continued. "These enemies belong to no land, belong to no known ruler, and are not of our world. Creatures with skin as black as charcoal, eyes as pale white as the moon, a gaping mouth filled with the same light as their eyes, and completely silent even while moving. I don't know where they came from, or what they truly are. All I know is that they are monsters who won't rest until every single one of us is turned."

I let my hand drop from the dragon. "Turned?" Orkanoa also dropped his hand as he turns to face me. "These creatures number in the millions, and they outnumber us on every front. There might be two, or three, or even four of them pinning you to the ground, but it only takes one to turn you. They press their face close to yours, forcing you to stare into their eyes. Then your skin begins to burn up, leaving charcoal coated skin. Your eyes begin to grow until your irises are completely consumed in light, leaving glowing white voids in your eye sockets. Your mouth twists and expands into a gaping void just like the eyes. After only a minute of pain and torture, you have become just like them: Soulless."