Casey McCloud Escapes from Hell

Episode V: Quest of the Dragon

"So, tell me about your plant," Casey asked Tre. "Where did you get it?"

The boy didn't respond. He only stared fixedly ahead.

"Does it have a name?"

Still nothing. Casey fidgeted uncomfortably on the Hellhound's back. The group had been traveling slowly since the boy had joined their party three days ago. There was also far less talking. Even Winston was quieter than usual. It was all odd and uncomfortable.

In addition to this, everybody was extremely tired. Especially Casey. Since the horrific dream she'd had a week earlier, she hadn't felt very inclined to sleep. When she did, it was in ten-minute increments. The memory of that reverie had haunted Casey for so long; she had simply resigned to dying of sleep deprivation. She'd then come back with more energy, if it really came to that. Due to this, Winston had decided to only sleep when Casey slept. Jewel the Hellhound soon followed suit. Only Tre slept. But, being a nightmare, he was required to leave and terrorize people every night. So it wasn't really his fault.

Still, the adventure had grown strained. Casey wondered exactly what had caused the sudden lack of venturesome outlook. When a dark looming shadow covered the ground around them and Casey looked up and remembered.

Oh, she thought. It was danger.

Flying over their heads was a large and beautiful dragon. Each of the creature's wings was the size of a school bus. They flapped methodically, and to a nice rhythm. Its scales were red and gold and it seemed to reflect light, even in the darkness. The dragon had a long neck and four legs, along with a low-hanging belly and long, skinny tail that rocked back and forth. It was also singing a song:

"In the night shall I endure?

For I can't see at all,

And I am very lost,

Everything has fallen apart.

Fear will not make me crawl,

For I am very strong,

And the night will carry me,

Carry me back home."

The song of the beast filled Casey with a feeling that can only be described as a mix of hope and longing. Surprisingly, the appearance of the dragon did not scare her. Perhaps she was simply getting used to the presence of strange talking creatures.

"Is that really who I think it is?" Winston said in awe."It's been so long!"

"Who do you think it is?" Casey asked.

"He is called Gersato the Grand," Tre piped in. "He is Hell's kindest dragon."

"What does he do?" Casey asked.

Tre shrugged. "Eats people, mostly. But if he decides you are worthy, he will grant you a favor."

 The dragon turned its large head and saw the small group. Something that may have resembled a smile spread across his teeth.

"Travelers!" Gersato called down. "Come with me to my mountain home. I wish to see if you are worthy!"

"Do we go?" Casey whispered.

"We really don't have much choice, sweetie," said Winston. "He'll fry us to bits if we don't."

Jewel the Hellhound suddenly sped up from her usual trot to a full-on run. All of the riders held on tightly, and the beast chased the dragon off to his mountain.

The dragon's mountain was extremely large, larger than most mountains in Hell. Darker, too. The dragon must have had a different entrance than the one that the group found, because he flew around to the back and disappeared.