De l'Aube au Crépuscule In English Written

Chapter 6 : Sarinah

Sarinah

I literally see my catastrophic life flashing before my eyes as the beast that will devour me like a good piece of Leviathan roasted over a wood fire inexorably approaches me. With every heavy step it takes, the ground trembles, and I feel the shock all the way up my spine. Its face, sprinkled with scales of strangely hypnotic hues oscillating between pink and purple, appears in all its terrifying splendor. These are colors that could almost be considered beautiful on a master's canvas, but here, they are disturbing, unhealthy, especially when they cover such a dreadful being. The yellow eyes of the creature, piercing like those of a bird of prey, are fixed on me with an intensity that freezes me in place. I have nowhere to run, and even if I could, I doubt my legs, which are now trembling like jelly, would carry me very far. Two pointed horns, reminiscent of demons from ancient legends, proudly rise from its massive head, like symbols of a cruel and relentless power. They seem ready to impale anything that would dare to challenge the beast, and my heart tightens at the thought that they could turn against me at any moment. This monster is, without a doubt, the very embodiment of my worst nightmares.

He is not like my Lindworm, Smauk, whom I miss so much. Smauk... Just mentioning his name brings a wave of painful nostalgia. I wonder how he is, that loyal companion who, unlike the beast threatening me, has never inspired the slightest fear in me. Is he still alive, or has he succumbed to Goliath's blows? This thought crosses my mind with the sharpness of a blade. I will have to ask him the next time I see him, if that next time ever comes. Provided, of course, that I don't end up in the stomach of this monstrous dragon...

— I'm not edible, I inform the beast in a trembling voice, more to reassure myself than in the hope of any effect on the creature. As if it were going to respond or turn back...

Instead, Zuldris spreads his shimmering wings, which catch the torchlight in an almost supernatural way, as if they were made of thousands of tiny reflective scales. He soars into the air with disconcerting ease, defying gravity with an almost insulting grace, and flies toward me, breathing fire. The roar of the flames bursting from his jaws is deafening, and I can't suppress a scream as I curl up as best I can in a vain hope for protection. But it's ridiculous. How could such a pathetic posture save me from the enormous mass of muscles and flames rushing toward me?

Zuldris flies around me, encircling me in a whirlwind of crackling flames that surround me, creating a hellish cage of fire. Yet, against all odds, these flames do not reach me. I feel their heat, burning and suffocating, but they do not touch me. Surely the Mage has fortified a protective bubble around my net, an invisible yet powerful shield that keeps me alive, for now at least. This thought reassures me slightly, but a part of me wonders how long this protection will hold. I'll think of thanking this Mage if I manage to stay alive until the moment he deigns to pull me out of this desperate situation.

— I'm truly inedible, look... I exclaim, a hint of panic in my voice, hoping the beast understands the situation.

In a desperate and somewhat theatrical gesture, I bite my own arm, not without some apprehension, and pretend to spit it out in disgust. It's a pathetic attempt to show this creature that I'm not a worthy prey.

— You see, I'm not good to eat... Ugh. Oh dear, I'm going to vomit, I overact, hoping this grotesque parody of a sick person might divert the beast's attention.

But Zuldris doesn't stop for that. His gaze remains fixed on me, merciless, with not a trace of compassion or hesitation. The fear grows within me, slowly devouring me from the inside like poison. In a desperate attempt to distract the beast, I take off my shoes, my poor shoes already worn from so many journeys, and throw them at him with all the strength I have left. The projectile flies through the air, but before it even touches Zuldris, it is reduced to ashes, consumed by a fireball spat by the dragon with deadly precision. It's almost as if the creature is mocking my efforts.