Their eyes widened and they shrank back under the unwavering stare of the dragon’s blue blazing eyes.
“Wait. It can talk?” someone asked behind Jared.
Jared looked at the ground with an implacable expression. He never thought he would come face to face with an ancient creature. Why he was being targeted by it, he couldn’t even guess. But he would not let it conquer him! As it had said, he was Jared Airbrock, the Divine Humane. He raised his head, mutinous eyes staring into those of the monstrous beast.
“You know my name. Tell me, dragon, why are you here?” Jared asked, holding his injured chest.
The dragon lifted his head to the sky, above the smoke he created.
“That, I can’t say, Airbrock. Now leave before-”
“Before what?” Jared interrupted.
The dragon rolled its eyes down to him, then extended his neck towards the armoured man, until he was face to face with Jared. How insignificantly tiny the defiant Jared seemed in front of the dragon’s humongous face!
“Don’t test your doom.” the dragon said in an orotund tone.
Jared could see his bloodied and battered body reflected in the dragon’s pupils. My doom? he thought.
“Be gone!” The dragon said. Opening its mouth wide, a single, strong breath from its massive maw lifted them from the mountain, sending them flying amongst uprooted trees, blown away by the same dragon wind.
“Ahhhhh!!” Jared and his men shouted as they flew away from the mountain. Realizing what was happening, Jared immediately twisted his body, gestured his hands backwards, and produced an air current from his hands that pushed himself forward, towards the dragon.
“I won’t go down without a fight!” Jared shouted.
“I know,” the dragon said. It bent its head back like a viper about to strike and loosed a giant fireball at Jared.
Jared pushed the air around him, dodging the fireball which then exploded in midair. In a single swipe of his arms he repelled the remnants.
“If our potency can’t defeat you our strength can!” Jared exclaimed as he clenched his fist, pushing the air around him towards his right arm. With a great force, his arm went straight into the dragon’s forehead with an impact that pulled the remaining half-destroyed trees around them from their root.
On the edge of the crevice, the teenaged boy was still gripping hard on the rock, sweating profusely, he looked up, vision obscured by fog and smoke that seemed to glow in flashing oranges, reds, greys, and blues.
“What was that?!” He looked down at the girl, still dangling, unconscious, from his hand, “What have I gotten myself into?!”
-
“Potency. So that's what you people called it now,” the dragon said.
Jared stood on the dragon’s forehead, horror struck. That was my strongest move, how is it still standing? Jared thought.
“Airbrock. So-called Divine Humane. You are on the wrong side of the story.”
Jared hit the dragon’s forehead again the same move, over and over and over and over again. He stopped, inhaling and exhaling heavily. Unfortunately, it made no impact on the dragon. He truly might as well be an ant.
The dragon shook its head. “You are nothing but a fraction,” the dragon said.
Jared jumped away from the dragon as quickly as possible. “A fraction??....” Jared clenched both of his fists tightly, the air around him surrounded both hands, enhancing his fists. The blood from his wound mixed with the whirl of air around him and his fist. “If I go down, you’re going down with me!” he sputtered.
“Hmmm. You may wish it to be so.” the dragon taunted.
Jared shouted, causing a miniature hurricane on the mountain as he floated in the sky.
Hmm. He is actually breaking his limits. the dragon thought.
“You! Dragon, I am going to destroy you for what you have done to my people, especially Sniffia!” Jared yelled, charging towards the dragon with his arms over his head, set to strike the dragon’s forehead.
The dragon suddenly vanished in front of him.
Jared blinked as he fell to the ground. Where did he go? he thought.
The dragon appeared behind him.
Jared landed hard, arms first, on the ground. The earth shook violently at his landing.
The teenage boy lost his grip on the trembling rock. He was falling, falling, his grip on the girl now a death grip as they descended through the thick fog.
They splashed into a lagoon.
Immediately, Sniffia sunk as the teenage boy lifted his head out from the lagoon. Looking up to the mountain, rain, lightening and thunder filled the skies above him.
“Comfirm!!!” He commented at the incredible sight above, then he shook his head looked around, “Where is she?!” He dipped his head under the water, narrowing his eyes to try to see through the darkness. He squeezed his body tightly, the green glow returned to his skin. He could see her blood floating upward in the pale green light. He widened his eyes and swam downward, reaching for Sniffia. He grabbed her hand and swam towards the ocean shore. Placing her gently on the sand, he brushed her blonde hair from her face with his fingers. There was the wound on her head from where he’d seen the rock hit, he also spotted a scratch on her belly.
He shook his head. “Not good.” He dropped his small orange bag on the sand, looking at the mountain. “I can’t believe my eyes. A dragon?!”
On the half destroyed mountain, Jared was kneeling down with both arms on the ground as steam rose from inside the crater he’d created by the impact of his blow, the blow meant for the dragon’s skull, breathing heavily under the drizzling rain.
That was… I reduced the impact of my hit before I reached the ground… Sniffia, I hope you are alright! He thought. He tilted his head, looking up at the dragon. He stood up, suddenly, he staggered, holding his chest, blood flowed from his eyes, nose and mouth.
“Why now, why are you attacking us?” Jared squeaked, what strength he’d been able to muster now flowing freely from him.
“You know why.” the dragon answered.
Jared's eyes widened. “You mean the boy?” he said. “But he’s inhumane!”
“Hmmm. Remember white is not always light and black is not always dark.” the dragon quoted the old wisdom.
Jared took a step, then fainted.
“Hmmmm…” the dragon wondered. He spread his wings and flew to where Sniffia and the boy were.
“Peirce Wande,” the dragon roared as he stepped onto the water.
The glowing boy looked at him and swallowed. “Yeeeesss?” he whispered.
The dragon walked on the water towards him like it was a thin ice. “How are you doing?” the dragon asked.
“I’m… I’m doing okay... I guess.” He looked at Sniffia, the dragon noticed his sadness.
“The flower you took from them can save her,” the dragon said.
Pierce’s eyes widened, blinked, then looked from the girl to the dragon, but, to his surprise, the dragon was nowhere to be found! He looked around in wonder while scratching his head, then stared at the small orange bag beside his feet.
The glow of the sun peaked out from above the horizon as it began its climb over the craggy heights of the smoldering mountain. On the shore of the lagoon, behind a huge rock, Sniffia unconsciously pulled a thick piece of cloth tighter around her body. Her head, bandaged with a yellow cloth, rested on the soft, decaying trunk of a long ago fallen tree.Peirce squatted, naked from the waist up, preparing the purplish-red flowers inside his little steel pot. The floral stew gave off a scent of medicine and flowers as he stirred it with a stick over the fire. He grabbed his now empty orange bag and gently fanned the flames with it, causing sparks to shoot up from the dry sticks.“I should have asked the dragon to take us home,” he mumbled. Peirce looked to the sky, smiling. “That would be fun.” He raised the stick up in the air. “Then people will know me as Peirce… The Mudlark! No… that is…” He scratched his head.
The doors of the Humane castle opened wide, two men carried the wounded Jared on a wooden stretcher while a lady and a young man, both Jared’s underlings, led the way as they trampled through the splendor hallway. Whispers from members and friends of the royal family filled the air as they walked.“Isn’t that Lord Jared, the Divine Humane?”“How could this happen?”“Was there a battle? Are we now at war?”“Could this be the doing of the Nymphs?”“Mummy what’s going on?”“Keep calm, nothing… “As they reached the massive door of the throne room, the voices became indistinct sounds, their horrified faces disappearing into the background. The Royal Guards, resplendent in their full armor and purple capes, immediately opened the door to let them in. As they passed through, a man dressed in robe
Sniffia slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the bright sun above. She noticed she was on Peirce’s back, strolling through the woods far from the other side of the mountain. Judging by the position of the sun, it was mid-day.Feeling her finally stirring, Peirce looked behind and smiled. “Hey! You’re awake. Good afternoon.”Sniffia blinked. She tried to move her body but it was too weak. She let out a low groan.Peirce started to explain, “The flowers were too strong, but don’t worry before the day ends you will be totally fi….” He suddenly stopped. Something snapped from the trees behind them. He scanned the area. Sniffia tried to move her head as well, but found she didn’t even have the strength for that.“Don’t worry, we’re close to my village. We’ll be okay.” Peirce whispered. He took a silent step; the birds around the trees suddenly flew away. It wasn’t they that had startled the birds.
The sun set gracefully on the Kingdom of Humane. A bell chimed in the distance, birds sang wondrously as Humane all around the Kingdom continued about their daily tasks.At the castle, Wren stepped out of her room. Walking to the courtyard, she brushed her palms together, grinning. She was ready to start her training for the day. Her father appeared behind her from the other side of the hallway.“Wren,” Randall called.She tilted her head back. “Yes, Father?” she answered. “What is it?”Her Father joined her in walking. “To the courtyard?” Randall asked. The red-caped royal guards bowed as they passed by. The king waved at them with a regal smile.“Yeah, to train,” she replied.Randall laughed while rubbing his chin. When they’d almost reached the courtyard, he stopped,Wren looked at him and stopped, also. “Father what’s wrong?” she asked, staring straight into her
Everyone in the courtyard stared at their king enveloped in blinding white flames.Wren clenched her fists as her plaited hair swayed. “I’m not going down easily!” She waved her hands towards the sky.Randall narrowed his eyes. “Hmm… What is she up to?” he wondered.The clouds above them suddenly twirled together, forming a huge black hole at the center. Randall looked at the sky in amazement at what his daughter was doing. A huge mass of snow and ice slid swiftly from the hole. Wren twisted her left hand; the snow and ice rotated into a tornado. Wren’s handler hid herself behind a pillar while the royal guards were struggling to stand still as their yellow capes threatened to tear off their shoulders in the powerful wind.Thank goodness the courtyard structure can withstand the force. Should I do it now? she wondered, observing the growing damage her storm was causing to the courtyard's floor.Wren
“Peirce. Peirce. Peirce!” Someone called his name while he was asleep on his bed, smiling as he drooled. Suddenly, he was tapped by the person calling him.“Uhmmmm?” he mumbled. He sat up, still smiling, and slowly opened his eyes while scratching his neck. He saw Sniffia anxiously looking at him from the edge of his bed, then he looked at his locked door. He yawned, and noticed his orange bag on Sniffia thighs. Suddenly, everything became clear with a blink.He scrambled backwards in the bed, breathing heavily in panic. “Please don’t kill me! Remember, I saved your life back at the mountain! Please! I’m begging you!!” he wailed as he jumped from the bed to the floor. “Ouch! My leg!” He rushed to the door and unlocked it. Sniffia gazed at him, wondering what was wrong with him again.Pierce’s grandma opened the door. “What is going on here, Peirce?” she calmly asked.Peirce look
Peirce and Sniffia walked silently towards the village square for the naming. Above, the sky, freckled with stars as the wind gently blew under the cloudless night with the moonlit spilling on them and the empty huts on both sides of the walk way, moving closer, Inhumanes chattering can be heard at the village square and they could see the Inhumanes various glowing light shining through the night, concentrating on the village square tall trees.Already Peirce's Grandma was there as one of the elders of the village.Peirce stared at Sniffia for a while then Sniffia looked at him, he immediately rolled his eyes away and swallowed.“Hey bubbles, speak am listening,” Sniffia countered,"Bubbles?!" Peirce reflected, adjusted his small orange bag on his back then cleared his throat,“hmm,” he scratched his head, “why change of mind, as in three days ago you were sent to kill me and today, you are a… ” he
Few dexterous and embarrassing moments later.“Seriously, this color? I have a feeling you knew what you did,” Sniffia complained, her body was glowing pink,“Hmmm, maybe or maybe not,” Peirce said, as he leads, glowing green.Reaching the village square, it warmly filled with all sort of welcoming glowing colors, shining brightly, reflecting the whole area as Peirce and Sniffia walked in then he looked at Sniffia as she was amazed by the sight in front of her, “to my opinion, you look kind of… great,” he said with a thumps up, Sniffia clenched her teeth, staring at Peirce with her venomous little eyes, he swallowed, “why did I get a feeling you're thinking about killing me right now,” he said leaning back, Sniffia leaned closer,“You felt it right.” She concurred, as she sniffed, creeping her hands towards Peirce with an evil smirked.“You... I... Am-This is the best I could do,” Peirce stammered, suddenly No