Touched By A Dragon

Chapter 9: A Nameless Place

Head spinning, vison blurred Mike raised his aching head and looked around. The flame was still under him. His loyal dragon had wrapped Mike up in his wings to protect him. But that meant he took most of the fall. Around him was all black as the dead of night. Above and below him was the same. Then, deep in the darkness, he heard a familiar voice. 
“Mike, so glad you could make it,” It said in a creepy tone. 
“Who…Are…You…” Mike gasped barely able to breathe. 
“You don’t know me?” It replied, shocked.
“Mike, I was there when you first walked, when you joined knight school, when YOU got Lilliana kidnapped when you walked to that shed when you first rode Flame and now. But lately I have been strong in you, only your dragon kept me at bay with its magic, and now, with his magic weak and him badly injured I’m stronger than ever!”
“Nope, still nothing.” Said Mike, teeth clenched in pain. 
“Oh, come on Mike! Don’t make me say something cliché like… I am the one who raises the whip to your already racing heart, the one who doubts your every thought.”
“No. It. Can't. Be. Not again.” Mike wheezed. 
“Oh yes, Mike. You got me last time; can you defeat me again, without your friends or your precious pet?” He teased.
Out of the shadows walked a figure, skin pale as snow, hair black as a raven’s wing, eyes glowing red and hands tucked behind his back. This figure was Mikes deepest fears all rolled into one. It was himself, the dark part, all the parts that he wanted to forget. This was Mikes nightmare, his twin brother had run away shortly after Mike had left to look for Lillianna, before that they had been inseparable, they did everything together, but when Mike left home he hadn’t said anything to him, he just left. Mike didn’t tell his parents or anyone apart from Astrid who had seen him leave and helped him. When his brother had disappeared Mikes parents and his sister had spent two weeks looking for him but no one found him. Later, when the news reached Mike, he realised that his brother was probably looking for him.  This haunted mike for ages and he had always blamed himself for his disappearance. Mike crumpled into a heap, all of his energy gone, all of his fears and doubts returned. Mike felt like a little child again, all alone and in the dark, hiding from the monsters under his bed, waiting for Astrid to wake up and check on him. But he knew that there was no one coming, he had to him by himself. Trying to pull himself together, he slowed him breathing and shakily stood up. He looked at his brother in the eye. His brother continued speaking.
“Look, brother, just because you banish me, all your fears, to the darkest place in your mind, that does not mean that it won’t come back, because guess what? FEAR STRIVES IN DARKNESS! LET THE GAMES BEGIN'"