Valley Rising

There weren't always dragons in the valley. But now, yes now, they are everywhere. Dragons were a hunted creature for a long time, and almost went into extinction, but fled to the mountains, the higher grounds. There, humans let them alone, it was to treacherous a journey for them to be bothered. And the dragons left everyone alone as well.

They invaded our land, the forests, rivers, streams, meadows, big and small, far and wide. Just showed up and drove us out of our land.

I remember our land like it was yesterday.

Cobble stone towers strewn in your gaze for miles in the distance.

Small moss covered bridges that beckoned you to linger for a while longer on their crest.

Whispers at the edge of the meadows you could hear better when your eyes were closed.

Fields of wildflower flowing in the breeze.

And of course the occasional troll, or sometimes two.

I dreamt of the days by the sea, with the waves crashing up on the shore. The stone beneath my feet as I walked along the path. The gentle breeze through the trees and the sounds of the forest that it carried to whoever so might be listening.

I hadn't seen these things in such a long time, and had only heard of the creatures that took over. Ruining everything like they did. Never had I seen one with my own eyes, let alone be close enough like I was now.

That is when it happened, I saw one walking.

It was coming up the path as I sat perched a top the rock look out. Wondering aimlessly it looked around, but didn't care to check what was above it.

It was a strange looking creature, nothing like I had seen before. For hearing all the rumors all these years I expected more. In what way I wasn't sure, but not this. I knew what they could do when there was a group of them, but singularly they didn't look too scary.

Scrawny and short, standing on its two legs. Holding what looked like a piece of iron rod and some round thing. I wondered if it was lost. What business could it have up in these parts of the mountains?

It didn't seem to be on the defensive, seemed pretty docile actually to me. For it looked like it was just taking a stroll through the thick moss covered forest, but what did I know?

It stopped and sat on a rock, moved something to its lips, wiped its head with a cloth looking thing. It sat there for quite awhile, not moving, just seemed to be looking around. Again, what should I do?

After what seemed like a lifetime it started moving around again.

I could see it was getting closer to my cave, and I had my treasure in there. And no one touches a dragons treasure.

Before it got to close, I had to think fast. Although my cave is well hidden to those who don't know what to look for. I knew nothing of this two legged creature except just of the legends. But I couldn't take the risk of it finding my cave. I had to act fast.

I jumped down from the rock lookout, spread my wings and landed with a boom in front of it. As I stood up and shook the dust off myself spreading my wings once again, looking down at the two leg. He raised his iron rod and round thing, looking like it was getting ready to attack.

"Wait!" It called out.

And that's when the bright light came.