Ninth
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"Help!"
The lady screamed endlessly, not until her voice broke. She still can't believe that the tale about the vicious dragon was true. She ran towards a cave, the moonlight illuminates the way. She didn't know that the path will only lead her to a painful end. For the last time, a shrill voice echoed.
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"I thought we're going to Salamandra?" I asked Luna, her crescent forehead gleams under the sunset. Besides the cold whisper of winds, I hear the flapping of her wings.
"Yes. I know. But we had a problem on the Salamander's door that's why we are thrown in this place." Luna answered.
My head still aches and I still thought that everything around me is spinning. Then I remember Raver. Where is he?
"Nathan! Come here!"
I heard his voice. I went to him through the forest and after a short walk, I found Raver in front of a cave with Skel, the turtle that guards him.
"Look, I found a bracelet." Raver said. "It belongs to someone, I guess." He added.
"There must be something that happened here." Luna said, casting us a detective look.
Then we heard a whisper coming somewhere near us.
"Let's go and find her again. Faster."
"Do you think she's still alive?"
"Don't ask things like that! You're sister is alive."
Then, an old farmer with his son appeared from the forest of trees. They both carry spears and bows. They were surprised to see us here so they all head out their weapons and point them to us. His son shot an arrow.
"Stop!"
Skel shouted and ran in front. He quickly conjured a shield and deflected the arrows. Raver sighed and we thanked Skel for that.
"Who are you and what kind of magic is that?" The farmer asked.
"We are from the Enchanted, and we accidentally came here. We mean no harm, really." I told them.
It took so long before they trusted us, sigh.
"I heard you were finding your daughter?" I said.
"No. She's my sister." The farmer's son said. We all stared at him for a while.
"Yes. It's been a year since she disappeared. And people believe that the Dragon already ate her which is not true." The farmer said.
"I am Bern. This is my son, Rancho." He added.
They invited us to their house not far away from the cave. His wife prepared us a meal.
"I found a bracelet in front of that cave." Raver said. Bern's eyes became worried.
"That's hers." Bern told us.
"Can you please tell me about the dragon? Is that true?" I asked.
Bern made a sip on his coffee and breathed.
"Fifty years ago, a dragon came here in our kingdom and started a reign of total chaos. It was ruthlessly vicious. Our king sent many envoys but they were all eaten. Finally, the two made a deal. The dragon was convinced not to attack anymore for fifty years for a price." Bern told us.
"What's the price then? Maybe we could give it to the dragon." Luna asked.
"Well, that's the problem. Only the king knows the price." Bern answered.
"Why don't you ask him?" There was a long pause.
"That king was gone."
There was a thunderous roar outside that made us stand from where we are sitting. Our eyes widened and Bern hurried outside with his spear. We followed him and stunned to see the dragon flying away. It was very huge and I can its dark red scales. Its sharp claws were holding something.
"Plants?" Raver exclaimed while his eyeglasses focused.
"What plants?" We asked.
"The dragon carries plants. For what?" he answered.
"There's something wrong." Luna finished.
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Bern said that we should ask for the new king a blessing and permission to enter the cave. Tonight, we should go to the castle and talk to him.
"Good evening, your highness." We said in unison as we bowed.
"What is your reason for coming here in my kingdom?" The king asked.
"We heard that a ferocious dragon lives here. We want to help." I answered.
"I've sent most of my knights on that cave and none of them ever came back." The king said.
"News told me that moving rocks guard the passageway, so strong that they almost kill anyone who dares to enter." He warned.
"If you truly believe that you can beat that dragon, then go." He finished.
"But what is the price they're talking about?" I asked.
The king appears to be unable to answer. We waited but;
"You must go now before it's too late." He signalled his guard to push us outside. I want to ask but Luna stopped me. She knew it would only cause more trouble.
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The night fell on darkness as the sun sink from the horizon, the moon appeared. We decided to enter the cave though Bern insisted to join, we disagreed. The cave was treacherous and it would be dangerous for them. Raver slowly walked, he confessed that he's afraid of dark.
"Forget about your fear, Raver." I told him.
"That's right. Fear doesn't shut you down. It wakes you up" Skel agreed.
"Whoa. Too deep, Skel." I told him.
But Raver panicked as soon as we entered the cave. After we walk a few meters, lights suddenly erupted from the walls, illuminating the entire cave. I believe Raver will be calm now.
"What happened?" He asked. Before I can answer, loud, heavy footsteps echoed. I held out the necklace I'm wearing and it transformed into a long, thick metal rod. A silver feather was tied on its end. Raver took out his pen and clicked some of its buttons. Soon, he was holding a dark blue bow.
We heard growls but we expect to see the moving rocks, and then it came.
"What?!" Raver said in surprise.
"I don't remember them saying it was a golem." I said.
"Leave it to me." Luna told us.
She zoomed and tried to take the piece of paper stuck on the golem's face. She showed us her blinding speed and I thought it would be easy.
"Of course! We should remove that paper from him!" Raver said.
But then, the golem hits Luna. She fell hardly on the ground and I tried to come to her.
"No! Fight the golem. Leave her to me." Skel said.
He ran towards Luna and created a barrier around them. Raver started shooting ice arrows, freezing the monster.
"That's right, Raver." I told him. I charged the golem and slashed my rod. It created a whirlwind but what can wind do to a massive rock? Raver continued his ice arrows and I focused on getting the paper. I floated through the air as light as feather and swooped against the golem. I tried to pull the paper but it feels like it was stuck permanently.
"Watch out!" Raver screamed.
I saw an arm coming towards me. Maybe I'm a real quick that I dodged the hit. I sighed. I went to the golem again to get the paper. I flew away to dodge and saw Luna swoop past it and pecked the golems face. She had reaped the paper into two, the other one still stuck on its face.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed.
"Too gentle, too slow, Nathan." She told me.
"Okay, fine." I said, rolling my eyes.
"We should go on. No time." Skel interrupted.
The golem fell on the ground, lifeless.
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"I never imagined the dragon can shrink." I said in surprise.
'What are you saying? Oh." Raver noticed a little dragon lying on a nest.
"Don't you use your eyes? That's the real dragon behind!" Luna said.
It is not the dragon I saw at first but the lady that suddenly appeared out of the darkness. She's beautiful.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"We are here to slay the dragon." I said.
"Wait. Are you Bern's daughter? Raver asked.
"You're alive!" I don't expect that Bern's daughter would be this beautiful.
"Did you create the golem? Then, you must be a sorcerer." Skel said. The lady nodded.
"What happened?" Luna asked.
The lady walked towards us and said,
"One year ago, I wandered through the forest and came in front of this cave. I heard a roar so I panicked. I didn't dare to look back and hurried inside. Then, I saw this dragon, almost dying." She said softly.
"She said she's about to give birth, and she believed she will die soon. I am worried about the babies so I decided to stay here until they can live by themselves." She added.
"What about the story 50 years ago?" Raver asked.
"The beast that attacked the kingdom was not the dragon behind us. It was different. This dragon, unlike from the tale, helped us to defeat the real one that caused the menace. She killed her babies' father, in order to save the kingdom. She suffered, tried to cure herself." The lady revealed.
I am too stunned to speak.
"It really took so long before she could lay her eggs, and before those eggs hatched. I wonder why." She added.
"But what about the price?" Raver asked again.
The lady tried to speak but was interrupted by the dragon itself.
"It is greater than God,
More evil than the devil,
The poor have it,
The rich need it,
And if you eat it, you'll die."
Raver nodded.
It was the dragon's end.
The lady ran towards her.
She cried as the dragon's eyes closed,
permanently.
"Hey! What's your name? Phone number?" I asked the lady.
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I hope it wasn't that confusing. Hahaha Well thank you for reading :) I want to submit this in a contest. Don't forget to vote or comment!
- junellogist ♥