Milyza and the Dragon's Magic Mirror

Dead Fish

A little further down the mountain, Peggy reached the river. She always acted peculiarly when approaching the river. On the one hand, she wanted to be respectful as for her the river was like a great spirit, and on the other hand, she had promised her mom Nancy to be careful. She would often recline by the water's edge, her thoughts as serene as the still air. For her, it was a sanctuary, a place where the fish with their large, knowing eyes, as clear as crystal orbs, would emerge to greet her. They swam in unison, their movements choreographed by unseen currents. The bond between Peggy and the creatures of the water was deep and unspoken. Her heart longed for harmony between humans and nature, and she embodied hope and dreams. The crystal waters were a testament to love, sacrifice, and the eternal dance between mortal and magical.

Peggy sat slowly on the slightly wet grass in her thin nightshirt - a gown of purest white with crimson blooms dancing at its hem, encircled by blooms of every hue and an ancient oak tree. The ancient tree whispered secrets to the wind, and flowers bloomed perpetually, their petals painted with hues unseen. She then slid forward on her knees and finally lay down on her belly right on the riverbank. Stones, worn smooth by time, marked the boundary between land and the gentle embrace of the stream. This was her favorite position to look into the water with her crystal blue eyes and observe her beloved fishes. The water shimmered under the dappled sunlight. This river was no ordinary stream.

At first, all seemed fine, as she could see a few fishes swimming quickly downstream. She felt relieved and turned on her back, resting her head in the soft green grass, closing her sleepy eyes, and letting her long blond hair hang into the river. Her hair, a cascade of golden sunlight, flowed into the tranquil waters of the stream. She imagined that the fish would dance amidst the strands of her hair, now a part of the water itself, while the old oak tree would sigh in contentment, for the harmony between all things was preserved in this timeless dance.

After a short moment in time that seemed eternal to Peggy, she opened her eyes and lifted her head up to put her loose thin red headband back into position. When she turned her head back around to get back on her belly, she was immediately alarmed and opened her crystal blue eyes wide. There was dark red water coming down the mountain, and she saw dead fish on the surface of the river floating upside down and staring empty with their dead eyes wide open. Tears started welling in Peggy's azure eyes. She was in shock and started to scream at a very high pitch when Milyza reached her, took her into her arms, and brought her back to the house.

Her parents arrived at the house shortly afterwards, and her mother, Nancy, seemed taken by surprise when her father decided to follow some neighbors who were walking up the mountain looking for any explanation for what could have caused all this. But after a short look into his eyes, she agreed. They had inherited the farm from Clancy's parents, had been living on it most of their adult life, and would do everything they could to preserve it for their children. Some of the neighbors were carrying pitchforks and shovels to protect them from whatever they may encounter. Milyza hesitated for a moment because she was afraid as well. But then she decided to follow her father because she wanted to see with her own eyes what had happened. On the way up the mountain, she saw that wild animals had trampled across the fields and had crushed down large parts of their harvest. Once Milyza caught up with the rest of the group, they had already passed the fields and continued walking up the rocky part of the blue mountain. The destruction they saw there made them feel very sad and brought tears to their eyes.