The Dragon of Sierra: A BTS Alternate Universe

Chapter Twelve

The dragon's jaws snapped into thin air. Suga had frozen time and moved Jin out of the way, though he didn't escape entirely unharmed. There was a hole in Jin's shoulder and side where the monsters teeth had caught him.

The dragon looked surprised that Jin had disappeared, giving RM time to shout "RUN!"

The beast jumped back into action and smashed through the porch door and windows, wriggling its way into the house. The ceiling beams cracked. The creatures spiked tail whipped around the room as it struggled to get inside. The furniture was thrashed apart. RM was by the cave that led to the exit, ushering everyone out. He followed Jin into the cave, but stopped to look back for Gran.

She was trying to reason with it, trying to avoid its tail still whipping about the room. RM looked back towards the others. They had all reached the end of the spiraling cave and were running out through the door to catch up with V and Jungkook. Rm looked back inside. Gran was narrowly missed by a ceiling beam that had fallen like a guillotine to smash through the floor. RM looked down and took a breath. Then he ran into the room.

He ran around floor beams sticking out of the ground here and there and jumped over an overturned couch. He picked Gran up and ran with her to the exit. He ducked to dodge the mace-like tail just as he reached the cave. It came back double quick and hit him in the back, throwing him into the tunnel. Gran fell out of his arms, but managed to land on her feet. RM was on the floor of the cave safely out of range of the creature. It felt like his back was on fire. He could feel the blood beginning to soak his shirt. He shakily pulled himself to all fours. Gran looked at him like she wanted to help, but she decided against it and disappeared out the door.

RM got to his feet and leaned against the cave wall for a second. Suddenly everything went dark. The dragon had stopped thrashing about. It was looking into the cave with one beady red eye. RM ran towards the door as the dragon stepped back, taking a deep breath. He burst out the door and ran to the side just before a column of flame shot out of the exit.

He looked into the forest. To the left, the others were waiting for him a little ways off. To his right Gran was just disappearing towards the city. The sky was dark, it began to rain. He got up and ran towards the others. Together they ran towards the river where they had made the fire. Looking back, RM could see the thing still thrashing about in the house, trying to get out.

RM paused. He stared at the building for a second, eyes furrowed. Somehow he knew what to do. He reached his hand up, his hair stood on end, everything seemed to crackle with electricity. He thought about their situation, how hopeless it all seemed. He thought about Gran's betrayal. He brought his hand down. A bolt of lightning followed. With a deafening crack and a blinding light the house was blown to smithereens. RM was thrown further into the forest. He landed on his back, sending a searing pain through his body. V was suddenly there standing above him,

"What are you doing?" V said, smiling. He laughed and offered his hand to help him up. RM smiled at the inside joke and took the hand. They stood there a moment, RM leaning on V for support, looking at the remains of the house. The trees holding it up were still in tact, but the support beams were beginning to break. The house was on fire. The ceiling and most of the walls had caved in. The dragon must have been under the pile of rubble.

"You don't think I killed it, do you?" RM asked V, still staring at the ruins. "I didn't want that to happen, I just wanted to hold him off."

"I don't know, it looks like the rubble might be breathing. Or that could be the heat of the fire playing tricks on my eyes. Either way, let's go catch up with the others."

V wrapped RM's arm around his shoulders to support him as they walked to catch up with the others. They walked for about half a mile through the forest, V occasionally flapping his wings to go a little faster, until only the smoke of the burning house could be seen from a distance. Ahead of them they could see the vast grasslands. The river was dotted with rippling patterns as they rain came down. They were all swimming across to the other side. Jungkook was out first, beckoning for the others to follow.

V and Rm reached the tree line when there was a huge crashing sound. They looked back at the fire to see the bits of flaming rubble fly through the air amidst the smoke.

V looked at RM. "Gas explosion?" he asked, but his voice was full of doubt.

"No, I bet that was the dragon. Let's go"

V picked up RM by his arms and took off across the river. Dropping him off besides Jungkook. V flew out and plucked Jin from the water because he was the furthest back. He went back and helped everyone but J-Hope because he was already across by the time V got to him. Once they were all together Suga spoke up.

"I say we keep heading this way. That grass is tall enough, the dragon might not see us. We'll keep going and see what's further North. See if we can lose him there."

"Look, guys." RM said, "That dragon is trying to protect this future civilization. I don't want to die, but if we want the people of this colony to live, what other choice do we have?"

The others looked down, Most of them had been trying not to think about this.

"There's also the chance that the dragon won't get these powers back if he eats us." Jin said. They were silent, but one could almost hear their thoughts racing.

"This dragon sounds pretty intelligent, what if it's not trying to eat us?" J-Hope said

"Yeah, but I think it's blinded by rage. Gran tried to stop it and it nearly killed her." RM said

"Well, what if that's the power I have?" J-Hope said standing up. "Gran said the powers work differently on the dragon, well what if my ability to give emotions was his empathy? Like, what if without this power he has no sense of moral?"

"That's a bit of a stretch," Suga said, "but I suppose it is possible-"

V yelled and pointed towards the forest. Following his gaze they could see the dragon on the other side of the river weaving through the trees towards them like a snake.