Heir of the Dragon

Darkness

My heart was pounding in my head. 

What had done this to a creature as beautiful as this one? How could---?

My stomach leapt into my throat. Vierra. 

Where was she?!

"Vierra!"  Only a hoarse whisper made it past my lips.

As if in response, there was suddenly faint crashing a long distance away.It grew nearer and nearer until Vierra bolted out of the darkness. Her paws dug into the wet earth as she struggled to a sudden stop in front of me. I didn't have to think about moving. My feet acted on their own. Before my heart could fully process the relief I felt, I was running my fingers through the fur on her neck. To my renewed dismay, I found she too was riddled in bleeding tooth marks, and there was a gash across her side that oozed dark liquid. I could feel how hard her heart was beating even through my hands. She wouldn't take her frantic eyes off the darkness behind her, ears pressed back against her head and legs quivering. Ayron sat on his knees by Phelan's lifeless form. 

"Ellany listen to me," His rushed words seemed to rip holes in the tense silence "You need to know that you are one of the most rare and powerful people to ever walk this earth. You have abilities that will make your wildest dreams look like child’s play. But Elle, there are people--- powerful enemies that will stop at nothing to end your existence."  

He rose from Phelan's side and moved to stand in front of me. Putting his hand gently under my chin, his eyes blazed into mine a hint of desperate fear lingering in their depths.

"Ellany, You are the Heir of the Dragon."

I was too overwhelmed to speak; too frightened to protest when he rushed me to Vierra’s side and lifted me onto her back; too stunned to beg him not to stay.

"Run. Get away from here. For the good of everything untouched by darkness, girl, Stay. Alive." 

I could still hear his words in my head as I pressed my hands into Vierra's withers. I was shaking as I gently communicated my will.

Run Vierra! 

She was already racing to the edge of the clearing and the darkness washed over us. I turned in panicky desperation to see Ayron standing there, tense, with the fire blazing behind him, watching us disappear. His face was the mask of a martyr, waiting for the end, his hands in fists. 

Why had I let him stay? What had I done?

Vierra stop! Turn around, we have to-- 

I immediately felt her complete refusal. If I pressed harder I could force her--

Ayron's stifled cry of pain broke through the silence. I whipped around at the last moment, and watched in utter horror as he fell to his knees, a black arrow through his chest. 

Gods, no. It can’t be too late.

The trees fell towards his figure, a veil of forest closing in around him. Vierra was running harder than I’d ever felt her run.

I bit hard into my lip, tasting blood. 

I couldn’t make her listen. All I could feel was her stone cold resolve to press onward;to save me. The wind was icy in my eyes as burning tears streamed down my cheeks. The tears were empty. My insides were numb. I could hardly find the strength to hang on as the trees whipped past us.  

I tried desperately to beat the deadness that was spreading through me. I couldnt give up. I couldn't let go. I set my teeth firmly and forced myself to focus. I pushed the emotion to a corner of my heart and lock it away. I could break into a million pieces when another being’s life wasn’t hanging in the balance alongside my own. I had to protect us; if for no other reason than to ensure my teacher had not died in vain. I gripped Vierra's long fur and bent low as we flew through the night.