The Fall of Arnon

Chapter 33

Slicing through the wind, wings of steel rushed across the sky. A shadow across the moon, it dove. Whispering leaves caught the racing wind beneath its armored belly. A fire burned brightly within its bosom and from its mouth erupted a flaming spire catching the wilting leaves of the trees on fire, but it burned out quickly amid the water saturated forest.

"How did it find us?" Televtale cried.

"It knows. They always know," cried Father Thomas. "They can smell human flesh from one hundred miles away."

"What do we do?" Lerendo eyes darted about. The women in black had begun a chaotic dance through the houses and out into the woods.

"Don't move," Father Thomas said. His face was grey.

"What do you mean, don't move? If we don't move, we are going to be burnt to a crisp," Sir Ryan exclaimed.

"They see movement. They don't kill those they cannot see."

"Then, why did he burn Arnon? There wasn't a single moving soul that I could find."

"It was the place of his imprisonment. My guess is: he had a grudge against the city of Arnon."

"Dragons can hold grudges?" Lerendo turned toward Father Thomas.

"Yes, dragons can hold grudges. They are not like Larofos. They have a sense beyond what we can guess." Father Thomas looked to the sky. A shadow crossed the sky and a rush of wind flew through the trees.

"He has come," Televtale said grimly, and from the sky, the dragon plunged.

Its enormous body landed with the grace of a swan amid a peaceful lake. But, this was no peaceful lake. Besides the five companions, every other body had fled. Then, one rushed across the dirt road. Her silhouette passed beneath the frightful shadow of the dragon. Her feet patterned helplessly across the muddy street. The dragon turned its great head and from its bowels came a rushing fire. The scream would forever haunt the nightmares of those that heard it. Complete and utter agony filled the air. With a flick, of its head, the dragon turned and rushed into the woods.

Without a single thought to himself, Lerendo flew to the side of the person lying across the road. Her golden hair glistened in the moonlight. "Lerendo," she said, her voice pained and raspy.

"Vilasa," he choaked. "No. I'm going to fix you."

A laugh, mirthless and quiet came from her blistered face. "You can't fix me this time, Lerendo. You never could fix me. This is where life has led us both." Her bloody hand clutched his arm in one last burst of energy. "Don't forget me, Lerendo. Never forget me."

"No, Vilasa, you're going to live! You have to live."  Tears streamed down his dirt-streaked face.

"No, Lerendo. This has always been my destiny. There is nothing left for me here. Others must take up the mantle I leave behind."

"No, Vilasa. You are wrong. You cannot change the evils of this world by letting evil take hold of your soul.

"It already has. This is me, Lerendo.
I have always been here, and only now do you see." Her face curved into a frightful grin that stretched her bloodied skin across her face.
Then, Vilasa's hand went limp and her lips fell silent amid the silent night. Unseen by their human eyes, her blackened soul flew from the deathly stillness of the night, taking one last journey leaving only a shell behind.

Four eyes followed the boy as his head slumped over the dead body of his sister. The agonized screams that haunted that night were lost to the four men and one little girl. Before the last cry filled the air, Sir Ryan pulled the grieving boy from the body of the dead girl.

Into the cover of the woods, the five retreated, and as the dragon rained down his fury upon the little town of Othelio. The fire burned and decimated the wooden structures. The golden bell melted in the searing heat of the blaze. Then, with a roar of victory, the winged creature left behind his destruction still burning in the darkness.

When the few sparks remaining had burnt themselves out and the smoke rose into the dense air, the five remaining survivors stepped out into the ashes. No eye was dry as they watched the wooden structures crumble. In a quiet agreement, Televtale, Father Thomas, and Sir Ryan wrapped the body of Vilasa in blankets, and laid her in the ground.

A day passed, as they searched for any survivor, but not one could be found in the miles surrounding the little town. Sunrise and sunset seemed to melt into one as the days passed on, but soon their food supply began to lower. Lerendo and Sir Ryan were sent on a hunting party. They came back with a Larofo big enough to feed a small army of men. The docile creature had led them on a merry chase but in the end, they had conquered. It was with reserved happiness that the five comrades sat before the fire eating heartily of the God-given provision.