Arcen's Storm

Arcen

I could hear the dragons attacking, their roaring echoed even deep within the forest, flashes of fire still visible through the trees.

Was I a coward for running? Maybe. Definitely. But even if I stayed the only good thing I could do was act as a shield. Getting in the way was about my only quality.

I continued running deeper into the forest, trying my best to ignore the smell of burnt flesh and cries for help.

This will be the best place for me. I will be out of the way. No trouble anymore. No more insults about me not being better than my older sister. She's fourteen! Five years older than me! How is it my fault that she's faster or stronger?

I wasn't a disappointment to my family, I was nothing at all.

Suddenly, the trees in front of me lit up, a Monstrous Nightmare crawled out of the foliage. The sixty-foot dragon had already set itself alight, saliva dripped from its toothy maw, hissing as it hit the ground.

" Arcen! "

Someone screamed my name, but their voice was wrong. Distorted. Like they were standing in a cave, shouting with everything they've got.

An arrow slammed into the tree beside the Nightmare, it's growl deepened. Another arrow soared from the darkness behind us, nicking the Nightmares side.

It fired wildly into the forest, then flared its neverending wings and grabbed me in its talons, and flew away, back towards my village.

The dragon didn't get very far before an arrow lodged itself in its wing. Another arrow soared from the burning chaos of the village, this one didn't hit the dragon at all but me.

The arrowhead went through my right cheek and hit teeth.

Both dragon and human shouted in pain, the Monstrous Nightmare took another arrow before falling back to earth.

The dragon released me when it hit solid ground, a Viking I'd never seen before, slammed an ax down on the Nightmare.

It shrieked and struggled to stand as blood gushed from the wound on it's back.

I limped away from the scene, gritted my teeth, and pulled out the arrow.

And screamed again.

I was soaked in blood. Was it mine? Was it the dragons? Did it matter?

It was everywhere...

Everywhere...

A Deadly Nadder fell in front of me, fear and sadness flashed in its eyes as a Viking approached it.

The Viking was tall and stout, his face contorted in rage.

We were supposed to be defending Berk from these beasts. This was a slaughter.

The Viking raised the ax above his head, the edge glinting in the firelight.

A young Skrill blasted the Viking focused on the Nadder. I crawled toward the downed dragon, reaching out slowly and placing a hand on it.

The Skrill landed between us, growling at me. I scrambled back from the sparking dragon, " I'm not going to hurt him. "

The voice was shaky, quiet. It couldn't be mine.

A ginger-haired Viking with a beard shouted a battle cry and charged the Skrill.

It picked me up in its mouth and gently placed me on its back, then I was in the air again, arrows whizzing past us.

The world began to fade to black, shrieks of dragons, and the smell of burning flesh followed me under...

I jumped up from my makeshift bed, covered in sweat. A large figure stirred beside me.

A glowing turquoise and dark blue dragon laid beside the bed. The metallic spikes on its back crackled with electricity as it stretched.

I touched my right cheek, unconsciously.

The Titan Skrill puffed, blowing my blonde hair back, " What's wrong?"

" It's okay, Cortona. It was just a nightmare. "

" Was it about when you were with the humans?"

I nodded, " I haven't been around them in ten years and won't ever go back. "

The Titan Skrill purred, " I have no doubts, Arcen. "

I said it more to reassure myself than my dragon. The nightmares had become more frequent and more intense. Every one a reminder of what I could have become.

Why after a decade are they starting up again?

Sunlight had begun to filter through the cave opening. Illuminating how dusty the cavern really was.

" It's time for our morning flight. "

I grabbed a black cloak hanging on the wall and threw it around myself, pulling the hood over my head.

" Why do you insist on wearing that? "

" It's an insecurity thing, Cortona. You have nothing to worry about, " I turned and smiled at the Titan Skrill, "your scales are perfect. "

She pushed me with her nose, "Flattery won't save you from getting out of this cave."

I grabbed my scythe, carved into the wooden handle were various insignia's I had seen on ships. Some of them were of dragons, one was a fist, a sword, a horned helmet, etc.

" Let's go then. "

[Slanted text is the dragon language. Longer chapters will be broken up into two parts.]