Arise the Dragonslayer [⚔️The Flash warrior series #1⚔️]

Chapter eight: Home sweet home (Not)

I woke up as my head bumped to the ground with a loud thud. My eyes had gone black because of overdue sleep, definitely need to wash them. Later, I went upstairs to the quarter deck to see what was going on. Sean was resting on a hammock, playing his pan that attracted birds while Claes was busy driving. Yesterday, we almost died because of a tornado, and Sean forgot that he was the pilot because he had his distractions. So Claes told him that he's the one who should drive instead.

"Morning." Sean stopped to greet me with his usual smile.

"Morning. Where are we now?" I asked. Sean pointed to the wooden railing, I went there and gasped as I saw the Northern Quarté burned to ashes. The morning smile instantly dropped. Despite that, I could still see the white snow on the trees. We parked at the burned shore near the icy river. Sean and I followed Claes as we got off the vessel. "Look at this place." Claes warily scanned the surroundings.

"Crap, I remember the Northern Quarté used to be white," commented Sean. Before we head to the village, we went around the place to see the destruction's aftermath. 

"How could a monster destroy an area this big?" Claes' eyes kept gazing at the horizon.

"Claes. It has three heads, man. Three heads! What did you expect!?" Sean exclaimed. I didn't know about this, but I sensed Sean breathing hard, he probably inhaled so many ashes at this point (I thought). We saw the damage, fallen trees, and cracked rocks with the color of death. For me, this place smelled like a dead forest. Oh hang on, it is a dead forest.

The entrance to my village used to look so simple, and now, this happened. It had collapsed into a million pieces. I didn't like the view. The walls of the village were not in great shape, literally. We climbed onto the entrance until we reached the other side. "Oh, the heavens." My eyes widened. Behind the fog of ruination, houses, cafes, bakeries, and other stores were destroyed as if they went through a world war. The clouds, instead of white and snowy, had grey ashes falling from them, it made us sick, it made me sick. Sean almost puked out his early breakfast because of the intense smell. 

"We have to find the Flash warriors." Claes scanned the area. "And the survivors." As we walked across the fractured street, a hooded figure suddenly appeared from the debris of crumbled bricks, we jumped at the sight of him as if we were seeing death, except for Claes. "Xabe?" the figure with a familiar voice said. He took off his hood, revealing his golden, orange curly hair, green eyes, and chubby face. I soon began to recognize the person before me.

 I peered. "Sam?"

He bounced over from the building and gave me a tight, irresistible hug. "It is you!"

"Ye-yeah. I- It's me. Uh, you can let go of me now." I grunted. Realizing, he quickly let me go. Strangely, my body didn't ache from the bone-crushing hug. 

"Oops, sorry. Or sorry not sorry!" Sam blurted at my face.

"What on earth are you talking about?" I shot back, weirded out from his sudden burst.

"Where were you, Xabe? All the villagers are worried sick until a monstrous, three-headed dragon came from the sky!"

"I know. But I can explain later, Sam. Right now, we need to see the others."

"It was horrible, Xabe. Most of us were got injured and some tried to help the others but they didn't . . . make it. Luckily my grandma was at the clinic, so she and others in there were safe all thanks to the-". Sam looked at the two behind me. "Why are your visitors here?"

"Hi." Sean beamed as he waved his hand in greeting. Claes did not seem to care about seeing my best friend again what with his blank expression as a greeting.