Flight

Part 2

Far beyond the realm of Icarus, dwelled the nemesis of this era’s civilization - the dragons.  This was a time when dragons had first set their appearance in this world; they were wingless and the remnants of great reptiles that had once ruled over all.  Dragons possessed the intelligence of the common animal and were nothing but a set of claws and teeth that snatched up any poor soul who accidentally crossed their path.  They had a huge appetite and would slaughter countless towns in order to quench it.  Humankind therefore, with their knowledge of weapons and strategy, had in return produced warriors to fight these monsters, namely ‘knights’.

The knights became good at their skills; dragon slaying had turned from defending to a sport.  It was not uncommon for these warriors to win the hearts of their beloved with the pelt of a slain dragon.  Dragon kind, who had once looked the titans in the same eyes, became nothing but game.  They fled to the end of the world, and cast off their appearance with the mortals.  Even in their own realm, they were dwindling.  Nothing here could sustain their ravenous appetites; cannibalism is becoming a common occurrence.  Once a dragon consumes one of his kind, the gods will incarnate him into the thing he is most fearful of.

So what will become of them when they encounter a change?

There was one particular hatchling, with little scales that emanated an unusual aura of warmth, with something that no regular one of her kind should ever have grown - wings.  They were small and folded so no notice was taken of as a child, but as this female hatchling grew; she began to take heed of her talent and taught herself the ways of the sky.  

However, the other dragons wingless and stupid, with their subtle minds, took notice as well.  Oh, and how their hearts were fueled with envy.  This hatchling had not only wings, but an intelligent mind.  That was something the enemy had, which had driven their race to extinction.  All of dragon kind took their long hidden revenge on the hatchling, tearing at her wings and chest, laughing at her unnatural appearance and shunning her.  Afterwards, the hatchling was left beaten and crying in the shadows. 

She became an outcast; she could only watch from afar as the elders of her kind were driven to insanity and still the relentless bullying continued… it became so intense that she began to hate herself as well.  “A sin! The enemy has taken our form! It is a curse, let us cut those hideous wings!” she repeated these words they spewed at her, and began to tear at her own flesh.  She would screech upon seeing her own blood in her teeth, was she becoming just like her elders?  But pain was her only escape... and she was used to the taunting and abuse of the others. She got accustomed with her worthless life and started to think she could stay like this forever.