Radiance

Chapitre Vingt-Quatre

I shot awake in a panic, my eyes wide and searching but unable to focus on anything. My breath was ragged, panicked, and I could scarcely move. I took a moment to breathe, though, and found myself in a peculiar circumstance.

I was in the center of a circle of stones, gray and glistening like water. But they were a strange shape, with patterns that almost reminded me of...

Scales. They were scales. I searched to find an opening, but whatever the scales belonged to was tightly wrapped around me. I couldn't gauge its size well from the center, but it seemed to be much longer than it was tall: a lithe, catlike reptile of some sort.

Taking a deep breath, I concluded that, if it wanted me dead, I would be dead by now. But instead, it had chosen to save me from whatever creature I had seen last night. And so, with no lack of courage, I tapped the inner side of the beast.

The scales shifted slightly at my touch, and I felt a low rumble, like a deep purr, resonate through the ground. Slowly, the coils began to unwind, revealing more of the creature's form. It was massive, with sleek, shimmering scales that caught the dim light in a way that made them appear almost liquid. As the coils continued to unwrap, I caught a glimpse of a large, reptilian eye, watching me with an intelligence that was both unnerving and comforting.

I sat up slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements. The creature's head came into view, and I realized with a start that it was a dragon. Its eyes, a deep, piercing blue, locked onto mine. There was no malice in its gaze, only curiosity and a hint of amusement.

"Thank you," I whispered, unsure if it could understand me. The dragon's eye blinked slowly, and I took that as a sign of acknowledgment. Now that it was no longer coiled around me, I could see that it was about 25 feet long, with most of that length coming from its tail. Its wings were tucked close to its silver body, which reminded me a lot of a smooth river stone.

Now free from its protective embrace, I stood and stretched, wincing at the soreness in my muscles. The dragon watched me closely, its massive head following my movements. I couldn't help but marvel at its beauty and power. It was a creature out of legends, and yet here it was, very real and very present.

"Why did you save me?" I asked, more to myself than to the dragon. It continued to watch me silently, offering no answers. I sighed and began to gather my thoughts. I needed to figure out my next steps, and quickly.

As if it knew what I was thinking, the dragon carefully shifted, making an opening for me to leave the protective embrace of its circle. I looked out at the great expanse of Rethalon. It would take me forever to make it across. Taking another look at the dragon, I decided a bow would be the best course of action.

"Thank you." I repeated, bowing at the waist. "I'm not sure why you rescued me, but I very much appreciate it." It seemed to acknowledge me, and so I turned to continue on my way.

I walked for what felt like forever, but I was getting nowhere. It wasn't like there was a map of Rethalon, and I was, at best, guessing my direction. I needed help. I was almost to the lake I had seen the day I arrived, and I was sorely hoping for some clear, crisp water to drink from.

I quickly learned that the great majority of creatures were actually quite peaceful. There were small critters who had strange quirks that had landed them a place in Rethalon. And then there were large, looming creatures, with swinging tails and strong limbs like trees. I even saw a dinosaur, and was surprised to realize that the Diplodocus at the sanctuary had probably been destined to end up in Rethalon, but somehow escaped. But none of them sought to bother me. Not like the horrifying creature of the night before.

I shivered just thinking about it.

As I trudged through the landscape of Rethalon, the sun began to rise, casting a pale light over the land. The morning air was cool and crisp, a welcome respite from the horrors of the night. I was still sore and exhausted, but the thought of finding the lake kept me moving. Water was essential, and I needed to find it soon.