New Flight

Untitled Part 1

The sounds of thunder and rain shook the thin and creaking walls of a small and extremely pitiful excuse for a house. Inside, two souls resided; a young girl who was no older than four lay restless in bed. She trembled, afraid of the raging storm outside. The young girl's mother, Lunette, sat beside her whispering notes of comfort to the young girl.

"They say that every flash of lightning and every rumble of thunder happens because somewhere in the world a dragon is born." Lunette said softly, smoothing down the deep ruby locks of her daughters hair.

The girl looked up at her mother with soft amber eyes the size of the moon. "Really?" She whispered, her fears melting into excitement and curiosity.

"Really" Lunette answered with a small laugh. She scrunched up her nose and hugged the girl tight "a long long time ago, people and dragons used to be one and the same. People called them flyers, they called themselves bonds."

"What happened to them mama? Where did they all go?" The girl asked.

"No one knows, my child." Lunette said with a small sigh, but the little girl didn't seem to notice. She was caught up in the fantasy that she was creating in her mind.

"I wanna be a flyer someday!" She said, squirming to sit up. She looked into her mothers eyes with excitement."What ever you do, you will make me very proud" Lunette smiled pulling the girl back down to the blankets. She stood and kissed the top of her head. "I love you Aveena, very much."]

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I was pulled out from my memory when I heard my mothers voice calling for me from down the stairwell.

"Coming!" I called back, racing down the hall. The memory was now nearly fifteen years old, yet one I still vividly remember.

I was all grown up now, I still had my long deep red hair that nearly reached the small of my back and had grown into my mother's round light-honey eyes, not-to-mention I still had a rather unsightly large peppering of freckles on my nose and partially on my cheeks.

I came to a skidding fault in the kitchen, nearly toppling over a huge stack of painstakingly polished copper pots and pans.

"Oh for goodness sakes Aveena, must you insist on running about like that?" My mother said with exasperation.

"It would have taken me twice as long to get here if I had not" I said with a shrug, swiping a piece of carrot that she had been cutting up on her prized mahogany cutting board. She swatted my hand as I reached for another "I need you to go out for me" she said, scooting the carrots away from me "I need half a dozen truffles."

I gave an dramatic groan "but mother, it's almost noon! It will take me until sunset to find just one!" you see, truffles are rare and expensive mushrooms. One is considered lucky just to find two in a single day.

"Well, I suggest you get started then" she said nudging me off.

Complying with her request, I gathered my simple emerald cloak, my old and beat up (but still sharp) dagger for digging, and a burlap bag to put the truffles that I found in. Slipping out of the house, I shut the door carefully behind me and made my way to the expansive forest. I called over our old and ever-so faithful Bassett hound, Marcus. He gave a great sigh and made sure to take his time standing up.

"I know, I know I don't want to go either" I said ruffling his ears.

Together, Marcus and I scoured the ground for hours. I walked until my feet hurt and even then I did not stop. I let my mind wander to ease the dullness of the task.

Eventually, I lost track of how long I had been walking and was reminded that the real world actually existed by a low growl coming from Marcus. i stopped moving instantly and listened for what could have set him off. i faintly heard what sounded like proud shouting voices.

Before me was an old and crumbling ruin. It's roof had collapsed down so it looked more cave-like and ivy and grass had begun to claim it. It was unfirmiliarI had never seen this place in all my time of wandering these forests how long had I been walking? Half a dozen men sauntered from the building, one held a brilliant shining object and was holding it high as if it were a glorious trophy. I knew exactly who they were, they were hunters. What kind? Well, dragon hunters. The object I. Their hand was a single scale that would fetch hundreds of pounds of gold. They were hated by few and adored by most, seen as heroes protecting the common good.

I ducked behind a pillar as they approached, and at the last second pulled old Marcus back from sight as well. I watched them go trough narrowed eyes. Once they were out of sight I slipped into the place they left. My heart heavy with the dread of what lie in the darkness.

I walked down a pitch black passage way and was stopped dead in my path at the sound of a low inhuman moan. The melodic sound made me clutch at my chest in utter sorrow, it was as if whatever be hurt in the adjacent room shared its pain and sadness with my heart.

I stepped forward slowly this time and walked into visible light. I could make out an absolutely enormous figure lying in what seemed to be a pool of liquid gold. My breath caught in my throat and I placed a hand over my mouth to quiet my breathing what I had feared turned out to be true. A dragon.

The creature before me opened an eye with what looked to be a great deal of effort. "Come to me little one" she breathed, her voice low, soothing and weak.

I cloud barely find my feet at I stumbled foreword and sank to my knees, not caring if my dress be stained with the ethereal golden blood. Hot tears where running down my cheeks "Did those men do this to you?" I asked in a hoarse whisper. Already knowing the answer. The sadness I felt was unexplainable, why should someone care that a creature connected with death and hate be mourned so greatly.

"It is human nature to kill" she breathed, her great eyes closing briefly.

"Let me help you" I said, my voice catching.

"My son" she began as though she did not hear me. "They did not find-" her voice hollowed. She pushed a small round object big enough to fit comfortably in the palm of both my hands toward me with her snout. It was an object I had mistaken for a rock or fallen debris. When I reached a hand out and place my palm on the smooth surface I felt it was warm. "Don't let your human nature blind you" she whispered. I watched the life leave her eyes and her last breath be drawn.

"Wait" I said in a choked sob. "Don't go...not yet" but suddenly her body began to change. At first it began to glow, a soft orange light spreading over her like embers until flames erupted. I gasped and snatched the egg up quickly, and I backed up to avoid the blazing heat.

I didn't know what to do so I ran, I ran from the ruin an from the fears I felt.