The Last of the Dragons-Set 1

162

      I silently walked up to the group, their eyes locked on me as I approached. My heart was beating at a high rate of speed, the blade secured firmly in my hand. Amy's eyes quickly darted to it, and for a moment, looked confused, before her eyes widened at the realization she had come to.

"No. I won't let you." She said as she stepped between Surrie and myself.

Tahli came to my side to confront Amy before I had a chance to speak. She stepped forward and pushed Amy aside before grabbing Surrie by her shirt and picking her up, setting her back down at my feet.

"What's going on?!" Jules protested.

"Quiet. This has to be done. If you care to protest I'd be happy to settle it one on one with you at a later time." Tahli snapped.

Jules froze at the sound of Tahli's authoritative sounding voice, before stepping back in submission.  Tahli then looked back to me and nodded. I looked down at Surrie. Her eyes went wide when she realized what was going on as she put her hand up in an effort to shield herself. I raised the blade up above my head and shut my eyes. I contemplated dropping the blade off to my side, rather than right down in front of me and into the head of the helpless child at my feet. I took in a deep breath and increased my grip on the blades handle. But before I brought the blade down, I was tackled to the ground, causing me to drop the blade as I fought to regain control of my own body. As I laid in the dirt on my stomach, I heard a rustle behind me. I rolled over to see Amy and Tahli fighting with one another, trying to grab hold of the blade. I stood up and grabbed hold of it, before kicking Amy to the ground and shoving Tahli aside.

"Listen! We can't kill each other over a disagreement!" I shouted.

"Oh but we can kill someone over a leg injury?!" Amy shouted in protest.

"No. We can't. But we can kill someone in order to prevent their suffering, as well as prevent our capture and slaughter." Tahli replied as she brushed herself off.

I walked over to Surrie and stood over her once again as Tahli and Amy both gave me death stares.

"For now, we take her with us. If it becomes obvious that it is causing us harm, or that it would be in her best interest, we do what ever we decide. We do not resort to murder." I said as I turned  to look at Tahli specifically.

She nodded her heads and half bowed, indicating that she was now in agreement with me.

"Good. Now let's get the hell out of here. If they somehow passed us by and destroyed this village, it makes sense to think that they could return to finish the job." I exclaimed to the group.

I turned again and looked up at Doron, who hadn't paid much attention to the situation. He looked down at me, and seemed to smile through his eyes before looking off into the distance, then calling out to the others. 

"Jules, you take the kid. Don't let her fall off. And, Uhm, try not to fall off yourself." I said before turning to Doron once again.

I felt a sense of distant urgency as I mounted the dragon and looked over the destroyed village, wondering how and why our people couldn't live in peace. I had just seen a group of children in the after math of a violent attack that left all except one of them dead. I felt far more helpless than I had during the kings reign. I had seen dragons fall with ease to their advanced weapons, and I had seen an army cut down in moments, leaving only a lucky few to survive. 

"Come on. Let's get out of here. It isn't safe anymore." I said softly to the dragon below me.