Days of Dawn

Chapter 3: Enlightenment

The midday sun shone high overhead by the time the Genis party was halfway home. They had passed Thornvale hours ago, so Belis was long gone. Talk was light between the escort and servants who postulated what the year might be like.

Valien and Ezra were discussing the possibility of a wedding at the Temple of Arcana. She was on about the details, as usual, but seemed to enjoy the concept. That is, until her face went blank ahead.

"Ezra?" noticed Valien.

She came into the moment, then sped her steed to ride ahead near Lord Genis. "Father, do you see that?"

"Hm? See what?" he glanced back.

Ezra strained herself as she returned, "A vision. It looks like some kind of storm cloud. There's screaming and people are running around. I think it's an attack."

"An attack?" he perked up, "Are you sure?"

She paused for a few seconds. "I think so. It's definitely a vision."

"Where?" he loudened, "When's it going to happen?"

A roar like thunder swept the plains from the south. The party stopped. Valien went tense while the soldiers looked around. Orion was in the middle of a sandwich when he snapped toward the roar. Everyone with swords drew them.

Sailing through the distant sky was an ocean-blue reptile of incredible size. Huge wings, tucked legs, and a head crowned with horns. While nobody here had seen such a thing, it was easy to discern the creature, and another blast of a roar let them know it was coming for them.

"Dragon!" screamed one of the outermost guards.

"Thank you for the update!" snapped Valien, "Archers ready! Aim for its throat!"

All four archers in the group drew their heaviest arrows back in preparation, and the dragon descended out of the upper atmosphere as it neared them. The monster's maw barked out a bulb of something white and frothy. The wind of its speed shaped it into a massive teardrop, but it still hurdled like a spear through the sky.

"Cloud?" Ezra noticed. "It's steam! Don't let it touch you!"

The teardrop crashed where several elves just dove from. Its boiling membrane burst and the superheated gas exploded outward, scorching whatever it touched. A few elves who failed to run free were consumed by the eruption.

Valien and the others were momentarily taken aback - just long enough for the dragon to fly directly over and sweep them in its wake. It rose into the sky while Valien shouted, "Archers ready! Take it on its return!"

"What are arrows going to do against that?" pointed Orion.

Valien spread his arms back, "Do you have a better idea?"

Orion was about to suggest, but his answer quickly became "Duck!"

He ran at Valien just before another water bomb came at them. This one smashed a wagon, killing everyone on it. Orion got to his feet and looked across the sudden battlefield. Elves frantically scurried about, trying to anticipate where the next blast would be. Screams rang from everywhere.

Something landed behind Orion with enough force to nearly knock him to the ground. He steadied himself just when a booming growl silenced the screams. Elves ducked to cower behind their wagons while the surviving horses bolted.

Orion turned back to see the dragon not a hundred feet from them. Up close it was a monumental creature. Layer over layer of feathery scales lined its long neck, slender body, legs, and tail. Its chest was expanded while its arm-like forelegs stood wide in a menacing stance.