Dragons in the Valley

There weren't always dragons in the valley. It was once a lush jungle that covered everything to the West of Rune City and the first humans to settle in the area relied heavily on its resources. The river that ran through it supplied the city with abundant clean water and the fertile land was found to be excellent for growing crops and raising livestock. So heavily was the valley relied on that the newly developed Rune City was built on its very edge and expanded around it as it grew.

Inside, the jungle was dense and teaming with life. Deeper parts of the forest, however, were less explored as poisonous plants, insects, and ravenous creatures lurked within, making it a risky place for ordinary travelers. Locals called it a wild place that only the strongest warriors from the city dared to enter. The valley as it was then has been forgotten through the centuries. Everyone living today knows only what it has become.

Almost 1000 years ago, a planet without magic was suddenly filled with mana. It quietly swept through the world, permeating the air as it crept across the land and drifted down to the ocean floor, an invisible layer no one knew was there. Little changed at first as far as anyone could tell. Until people noticed talents manifesting within themselves and others around them did anyone seem to realize something unusual was taking place. Some would wake to find that they'd gained heightened senses, increased strength, or unlimited speed over night. There were those who grew 3 feet into the air and others with rough skin of blue, orange, or green. Most significantly were the individuals who developed into beast hybrids, sometimes having no idea what their other half had become. Unease grew when new plants and animals began to appear. Some benign, others deadly. Unlike the other vegetation in the area, it was impossible to know which without risk.

Over the course of many months, the changes took more startling forms. Crops began to crumble into the ground leaving cities and towns without food, the once docile livestock became aggressive and feral, and the weather seemed to transform on a whim from day to day. An icy blizzard one day and a warm rain that melted the snow the next. The lives of people everywhere were in chaos with no way of knowing what would come next or if they would ever be able to go back to the way it was before. When the dead began to rise from their places of rest, they knew there was no going back. Something had changed their comfortable reality into a waking nightmare.

While the world was in turmoil and trying desperately to survive, fierce and powerful creatures emerged from deep beneath the ground in search of more energy. They swept past the human cities and into the heart of the valley beside Rune City and concealed themselves beneath the trees. Experienced warriors and hunting parties began returning from the jungle fewer in number. The small number of survivors were terrorized with visions and hallucinations, repeating stories of a creeping darkness waiting to lure you in just to swallow you whole, never to be seen again. As time went on, the ravings of the first few survivors turned from implausible to horrifying as the things coming out of the valley were no longer animals of the jungle, but beasts. They were dragons who had taken the valley as their home, driving out anything too weak to survive. Eventually, the dragons came for the city as well.

The people futilely tried to fight back. They had never seen a dragon before and those who fought, died in a single breath of fire or gnash of razor sharp teeth. Rune City fell shortly after and has remained an abandoned monument of a world before magic. A world before the dragons came.

And you know what? Vera was not happy about finding herself in said abandoned city. In fact, she didn't think she'd been more unhappy about anything in her entire life. Of all the things that could have happened to her, why did she have to end up here? She looked around at the stone and ruble around her and sighed.

Not only was it well known how dangerous it was to find themselves in Rune City, no one in their right mind would be out here without any provisions what so ever expecting to survive the night. But here she was, alone and without any provisions to survive the night. She didn't want to think about that yet. No, the most glaringly obvious reason the situation was distressing was because it was 100, no 1000 percent impossible.

What made this particular situation impossible was that the city she was looking out at right now, does not exist. Rune City is a fictional place. She knew it was a fictional place because Dragons in the Valley is a book, one that she read obsessively and knew like the back of her hand. Still, it was a piece of fiction. How could she be IN a book?

First thoughts were the obvious. One, this was a dream. 8 full minutes of arm pinching, face slapping, and subsequent bruising, seemed to rule out that option pretty quickly however. Two, she died and this is where the fates have decided she belongs now. Had she died? She didn't remember dying, but maybe no one remembers dying. She'd need to come back to that one.

There was no doubt about it now, though. She had memorized the map of Rune City. She knew that if she walked a bit further West, she would be in view of a vast valley overrun by jungle. It was impossible, as she kept telling herself, but she knew she was here and... Well, that's about all she knew.

All logic aside, if she was in a book, did that mean she was somewhere within the storyline? There was no way for her to tell in this place, it was deserted. She checked her pocket for her phone but no luck. The only thing she found was a key she didn't recognize and a piece of paper with text in a language she couldn't read. Absolutely useless.

She couldn't just sit still, so she continued searching around. Maybe there was something that could help her understand this mess. Heading West, the buildings were ghosts of what they once were. She could make out vague remnants of homes and shops as she walked the streets but any indication of life had decayed long ago. There were no signs welcoming visitors to view new wares. No clothes hung out to dry in the warm afternoon sun. It was a wasteland of stone steps and columns. She walked for what felt like hours taking in her surroundings and trying to figure out what her next step should be. She was conflicted between being scared out of her mind and incredibly excited about being able to wander around in a place she'd only imagined before. It was a bit intimidating as well.

She made her way into a few structures still standing. It was quiet as she walked. Every step and shifting of rocks sounded sharply in the silence. The stone walls were falling apart and she wondered vaguely how safe it was to be inside. For a dead city, there was still a lot to see. Ancient furniture lying broken and discarded, humble spaces where people used to live and families gathered. The longer she looked, the more real it became. Once her eyes acclimated to the surroundings, she could make out macabre shapes in the debris. Hundreds and thousands of bones mixed into the crumbling walls and buildings. So many that she could hear them cracking under the weight of each step she took. She climbed into what looked to be a bedroom. A large bed in the center with the mattress worn away, a small dresser and sitting next to the bed was what looked like a basinet with something inside. She had to look away.

Vera knew the story and how it all ended up like this. She knew that what happened to the people here was awful. Standing in this place and thinking about a small family spending their last terrifying moments here made the story she knew in her head seem insufficient. She wondered vaguely if this is what it was like to visit abandoned places with historical significance back home. She left the decaying home and continued wondering the streets trying to think about what could have brought her here and why.

The last thing she remembered was sitting in her apartment folding laundry. There was a movie playing in the background and she had just gotten off the phone with her boyfriend. Wait, ex-boyfriend. She brushed away the thought. She had to focus on the present. Whenever that even was at the moment.

Finally at the edge of the city, Vera climbed up the steps to a watch tower where the valley opened up in front of her. It was breathtaking. Whatever she had been expecting was nothing compared to what lay before her. It was like looking down on a model of the world and seeing all the pieces that make it up. The forest was dense but she could still make out a few landmarks from where she was standing. There were mountains in the distance with peaks reaching high into the sky and shrouded in mist. A river coming down the center and poking out of the brush every now and then. The valley went on for miles and miles in every direction. From here, she could see the distinct edge the city was built along, two worlds perfectly juxtaposed. There were steps and a walkway just below her that she could just make out. A sudden wave of vertigo hit her as she looked down making her unsteady on her feet. She sat on the crumbling set of stairs and put her head between her legs.

Vera had never seen anything like it. She was in Rune City looking out at the valley, and it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen. It was like a paradise she knew she would never want to leave. And yet... She didn't know how she'd gotten here or why. It was too much to take in.

She screamed. She screamed loud and into the valley down below. She put all her fear, frustration, confusion and sorrow into it and yelled until her throat was raw and angry tears filled her eyes. When she stopped to take everything in, it was still too much. She didn't know where to go or what to do next. All she knew was that the longer she stayed here, the more dangerous it would be. So she just yelled until the heaviness in her heart eased a bit. It was stupid, but you know what? So was this situation, she justified to herself. She just needed to let it out, then she'd be able to get her wits about her. She'd be able to figure out what to do next.

She was about to continue testing out theory number one and see if pinching herself awake would work this time when she heard something. To her horror, it sounded like it was coming from the valley below. She strained her ears, trying to make out what it was. There it was again, louder this time. It sounded like someone was calling for help. She quickly got up, feeling a little unsteady on her feet. After making sure that she wasn't going to fall over, she started down the hill towards the sound of the voice. As scared as she was to find out what was happening, a part of her couldn't help but feel a thrill of relief run through her. She wasn't alone. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing yet, but she wasn't alone and that's all she cared about right now. Her heart was racing and she ran on.