I Should Have Been An Apothecary

“There weren’t always dragons in the Valley.” Kalan said.

“Those are fucking wyverns.” snapped Saya, watching them weave around each other in the sky while others rested in stone nests.

The pair of young Fae mercenaries sat perched in a tree overlooking the small valley, a hollow really. It was filled with wyverns and stone with a small stream through it that was barely a trickle running through the rocks. They had been employed to retrieve an unspecified item and bring it back to the Daemon country for the Queen. Saya and Kalan had retrieved the item and were on their way back to exchange it for the rest of their pay; however a run-in with local law enforcement forced the pair to travel through the valley lest they be freed of one of their hands.

Saya counted at least eight wyverns; four large, three medium and a single small one flying around in circles lower than the rest. Three wyverns, two medium and one large, flew above the others high in the sky dancing around each other in loops and turns. They each had scales of different shades of earth ranging from gray to red, all with huge leathery wings spread out from them with hooks on the knuckle sharp enough to easily rend them in two.

The Valley was wide and deep but not very long, filled with rocks that cropped up in every direction casting elongated shadows below. Few plants grew in the barren valley outside of the tree line on either end and by the small stream. Those that did were scraggly and full of thorns or burnt by the wyvern’s fire. The treeline housed the only greenery in the valley hiding in the shade of the trees, plants determined to survive in any condition finding reprieve from the sunlight by clinging to the base of tree trunks.

“Must you be so vulgar?” Kalan pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

“Yes.” Saya growled back, eyes still on the sky watching the wyverns dance around each other in complex patterns among the clouds. “The fucking law is on our tail because of you, and now I have to travel through a valley of wyverns.”

“How do we get through the valley?” Kalan asked Saya who rolled her eyes.

“I know how I’m getting through, don’t know about you.” Saya glared at Kalan. “We wouldn’t be traveling through this Valley of Wyverns if it weren’t for your inability to just blend in. What the fuck kind of mercenary are you, insulting working girls? You kill for hire, how are you better?”

“How dare you!” Kalan hissed as loud as he could without alerting the wyverns of their location.

“Easily.” Saya snapped as she dug through her satchel. “I have two shield charms, they should negate the damage I take for long enough for me to cover ground. I also have a single speed charm, I’m going to make a run for it with my shields and meet you at the other end. There are eggs in those nests, the wyverns won’t follow us out of the valley if we can just make it to the other end. If you’re smart you’ll move while the wyverns are on me. You got me into this mess, so I won’t be getting you out of it. I could be in a carriage right now.”

“With whores!” Kalan’s voice dripped venom.

“Who smelled considerably better than you.” Saya rolled her eyes again and prepared herself. She tucked the charms into her pocket to deploy as soon as she started taking too much damage she would then heal herself while running, and repeat. This has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. Saya thought to herself with a scowl, scrubbing her hand roughly down her face.

Saya carefully climbed out of the tree, eyes following the wyverns as she did. One foot slowly followed the other as she slipped down the tree and landed on the ground softly, Kalan sat on his perch gaping at Saya.

“You’re really not going to help me?” Kalan hissed down at her.

“See you on the other side.” Saya said and surveyed her path. The Valley was relatively small and the wyverns took up much of the space with the smallest easily the size of her hut in the Daemon woods, she stared out into the valley thinking. She moved quickly and quietly, sneaking from tree to tree, pausing for a moment at each tree to watch the wyverns. She made it carefully from one tree to the next, eyes on the sky as she jumped over roots and tumbleweeds. When she reached the end of the treeline Saya paused to gather herself.

She stared up at the flying reptiles, taking deep breaths as she watched for any patterns in their flying. Finding their movements too complex for her eyes to follow at such a distance Saya slapped on her speed charm and bolted, giving herself no time to rethink her decision. She ran through the valley as fast as her legs would carry her aided by a temporary speed boost, sticking to the shadows as she ran.

Rrroooaaarrr!

An ear piercing roar shook the earth, alerting the wyverns nearby to her presence and they took flight from their rocky nests to dive after Saya. Fire rained down on her but Saya kept running, grateful that she’d charmed her clothes to be fire resistant but her hair was not. The smell of burnt hair filled the air as she continued to run. Roars and shrieks reverberated through the valley but Saya ignored the wyverns as they breathed fire down upon her, absorbing as much damage as she could. Her nostrils were assailed with the scent of her own cooking flesh as she ran, pain seared through her and the burns made it agonizing to move. The injured skin was pulled painfully as she moved yet she pushed on and continued to heal herself. As Saya started to stumble she snatched the shield charm from her pocket and activated it.

“Fuck!” Saya cried to herself with a hand to her head as she regained her balance; the majority of her hair had been burnt off.

For a moment she was surrounded, two wyverns beat at her shield relentlessly attempting to get to her before she could finish healing herself and continue running. Another wyvern landed in front of her and swung its massive head at her just as her shield wore off. Saya quickly veered toward the rocky hills diving behind a rock that was easily smashed by the pursuing reptiles. The two largest wyverns were coming down on Saya in a flurry of fire and teeth, hooked wings smashed the rocks around her as they tried to get to her. The largest wyvern, a deep red monster with teeth as long as Saya’s forearm, grabbed her by the shoulder and threw her.

Saya slammed into a pile of rocks, several piercing her eliciting a pained groan. With great effort Saya crawled to her feet pulling a shard of rock from her side, healing herself as quickly as she could. Dried blood caked on her clothing and armor, pulling at her skin as she moved. As fast as she could in her injured state Saya darted in the other direction, sliding under one wyvern that tripped itself attempting to follow her under its wing. She vaulted over another's tail causing one of the others to burn it and chaos ensued.

Suddenly the wyverns were fighting each other and attacking Saya. The juvenile wyverns were now joining the fray and she was only half way through the valley. She rolled out of the way as the large gray wyvern grabbed a sandy colored juvenile by the neck and threw it into the side of the valley causing rocks to rain down.

The shower of rocks clattered to the ground loudly, joining the cacophony of roars, shrieks, and foot falls. The rocks all around Saya were sizzling from the heat of the fire, branding her as she stumbled, falling into rocks and clawing her way back to her feet. Bits of burnt flesh were left behind each time, leaving a burning path where Saya had touched.

Another shriek came from the nest; Kalan was spotted by the youngest wyvern and the adults quickly redirected to him while the juvenile scrambled to its feet and gnashed its teeth at Saya. Its scale shone in the light as it approached her, black glowing under the glaring sun. The juvenile whipped its tail around, throwing Saya across the Valley.

The breath left Saya’s chest as she slammed into a stone face on the edge of the valley. She couldn’t breathe but had no time to regain her barings after roughly sliding to the ground. She wobbled to her feet, glancing over to see Kalan evading wyverns before stabbing the smallest with his polearm. Head still spinning, Saya did her best to continue to run in a straight line but found herself changing direction as the dizziness blurred her vision.

Stumbling as her world stopped spinning, Saya continued to run, slipping her hand in her pocket to make sure the shield charm was there only to find it missing.

“Fuck.” Saya snarled under her breath and looked around to see if she could find it, quickly realizing she could not, she continued on her way. Glancing behind her; Kalan was lumbering through the valley avoiding wyverns attempting to reach her. She continued running, she was almost there.

Kalan struggled across the valley from Saya, using his polearm to keep the wyverns at bay as he tried to circle around them. He jerked forward and stabbed the smallest adult, a cool gray colored wyvern, causing it to shriek and snarl, biting at Kalan. He darted out of the way only to be grabbed by the leg, slammed into the side of the valley and thrown. He landed heavily, pain radiating through his whole body, arm bent in the wrong direction. A paper laid under Kalan’s face, Saya’s shield charm. He tucked it into his pocket and after taking a long moment Kalan sprang to his feet with a second wind. Grabbing his weapon, he forged ahead through the valley towards Saya.

The gray wyvern landed heavily in front of him with a thundering scream but before it could breathe fire Kalan did so first. He dropped his polearm and drew in as much of the hot acrid air as he could, exhaling it out hard and igniting his breath with his hand. Kalan blew fire at the juvenile until he had no breath. The wyvern guarded itself from the fire hiding its head behind a wing and Kalan took the opportunity to continue towards Saya, grabbing his weapon off of the ground.

The largest red wyvern landed in front of Saya again with a roar, spewing fire at her. She dove out of the way but the fire licked her calves and feet. She sprang to her feet, stumbling as she dodged flying rocks and wyvern claws. She was almost out of the valley, if she could get to the treeline she knew she would make it.

Saya’s world suddenly changed direction as a tail slammed into her side, sending her into the side of the valley again. She slammed into a pile of rocks, head knocking into one and another embedding into the flesh of her thigh.

Saya screamed out in pain.

“Saya!” Kalan yelled, stabbing his polearm into the side of the gray wyvern as it began to bear down on Saya, teeth ready to consume her. He activated the shield charm as he fought the wyvern, jumping in and out of range to stab with his weapon.

Saya rolled out of the way as best she could from the red wyvern, hot rocks burning and digging into her as she slid through shards of earth. Her eyes darted around, taking in the situation. Three large wyverns were coming down on them, one appeared to have been injured and the youngest was on the other side of the valley avoiding the confrontation.

Saya shoved her hands deep into the earth and pulled with as much energy as she could, pouring it into the earth until black started to bleed into the edges of her vision. With a roar Saya pulled the earth up, erecting a wall between her and the wyverns as high as she could. Kalan was also on the other side of the wall, but Saya was confident he was fine. As soon as the wall of earth was up between her and the wyverns she bolted, briefly falling before picking herself back up.

Commotion could be heard behind Saya, she could hear Kalan’s shouts but did not turn to look as she made her way towards the tree line. The earthen wall came shattering down behind her as one of the wyverns slammed through it, sending a spray of rocks at Saya’s back. Pain lanced through her as her back and head were pelted with rocks, blood dripped down her neck.

A wyvern landed heavily in front of Saya, blood glistened its scales, wounds inflicted by Kalan. A second landed behind Saya while the third attacked Kalan.

Kalan stumbled around the wyvern with the use of only one arm, stabbing frantically with his polearm. He slashed the wings, face and neck clumsily, arm hanging limply at his side.

With no weapon and no shield charm Saya was trapped.

The wyverns closed in on her, heads low to the ground as they growled and bared their teeth. The pair circled Saya, occasionally sending their snapping jaws at her.

Saya sucked in air until her lungs felt as though they would burst, preparing to expel out all of the air in her body with a concussive blast aimed at the closest wyvern.

Aaaahhhhh!! Saya screamed with everything she could muster.

The wyvern shrieked, clawing at its ears and shaking its head as Saya continued to scream and turn to face the other, it began to swing its head down at Saya. She screamed directly into its face, sending the wyvern stumbling back clawing at its ears like its companion.

Kalan, nearly in range of her scream, scrambled to get out of the crossfire and around the wyverns.

When Saya finally stopped her chest and throat burned as though she’d swallowed coals. She heaved and coughed, struggling to inhale normally after straining herself. Almost hyperventilating as she looked for an exit with blurry eyes, Saya dashed between two wyverns when one fell into another scratching at the holes on the sides of its head. She made for the treeline as fast as her legs would carry her, they buckled under the strain to continue running, tripping her as she scrambled back to her feet.

She was almost there.

Saya made it to the treeline and kept running, floundering over roots and underbrush as she moved. She slammed into the ground after tripping on a root. Clawing her way to her feet, digging her nails into a tree for purchase, she dragged herself to her feet to keep going.

One moment Saya was breaking through the trees and the next she was falling, tumbling down a steep hillside. The world spun and blurred together as she rolled down the hill, bouncing off of rocks and trees.

“Saya!” Kalan called from above, he had been right behind her but stopped right at the edge of the hillside. He cringed as he watched her be juggled from rocks to tree until she landed in a heap at the bottom. Kalan carefully descenced the hillside, sliding and jumping from rocks landing deftly on his feet despite his fatigue. His legs protested with each jump, straining under him.

When Kalan finally made it to Saya at the bottom of the hill shadows were cast down upon them and the sound of beating wings overwhelmed Kalan. Fearing the wyverns were still after them, he looked up to see a group of Daemon soldiers descending led by the Crown Prince Elias, whose large red wings eclipsed the sun. He sagged with relief.

“What happened to her?” Elias demanded as soon as he was in earshot, landing lightly on his feet just ahead of his soldiers. “Why weren’t you two on the main road?”

“She did this to herself, she ran blindly off the hillside like an idiot.” Kalan huffed, nudging the unmoving Saya with his foot.

Elias moved in quickly, bending to pick up Saya while moving Kalan back with one of his wings.

“Looks like they don’t need our help.” Abeba said from behind Elias, peering over his shoulder to Saya. “Wake up, I know you can hear us.”

“I was hoping if I ignored you, you’d go away.” Saya scowled and coughed, eyes still closed, her voice hoarse.

“I’m wounded.” Elias said, looking down at the woman in his arms with a smile.

“You should be. You’re late.” Saya responded as she mentally took stock of her body, identifying wounds along her battered self. Several ribs, one collarbone, her forearm, lower leg and one foot were all broken with many more scrapes and bruises littering her body.

“Can you walk?” Elias asked. “Or heal yourself?”

“No, I’m out of energy.” Saya responded, staring up at him. Elias’ dreadlocks fell over his shoulder into Saya’s face causing her to sputter.

“My hair is longer than yours now.” Elias was still smiling.

Saya only groaned, screwing her eyes shut at the mention of her now nonexistent hair and motioned toward Kalan. “This is all his fault.”

“My fault?” Kalan said indignantly. “This is not my fault, you launched yourself off the hillside.”

“I wouldn’t be on this hillside if it weren’t for you. It was your fault we got caught up with the law. It was your fault we couldn’t just ride with Mariam.” Saya listed off angrily.

“Mariam the whore!” Kalan spat.

“The simplest mission got turned into a mess, I did not get paid enough to fight wyverns.” Saya grumbled, carefully moving the uninjured arm to wrap around Elias’ shoulders. “Not that I’m complaining, but why are you here?”

“You were delayed and Mother was getting impatient.” Elias explained as his men moved in around him. “How are you getting to the capital?” Elias addressed Kalan now.

“I’ll walk, you go ahead and get her fixed up.” Kalan motioned with his hand, sighing. He walked with a limp arm still hanging useless at his side.

“You’re injured, my men can fly you in.” Elias told him, motioning towards his soldiers with his elbow.

Kalan nodded begrudgingly, ignoring Saya’s snicker as two of the soldiers picked him up and flew off with him carefully.

“Ready?” Elias asked Saya, looking down at her, his head blocked out the sun casting a shadow over his face.

“As ever.” Saya winced with every movement, her body throbbed everywhere and pain was constant.

Elias took off carefully, taking great effort not to jostle Saya as he moved through the air towards his kingdom. “Were you able to get the package?”

“I was.” Saya nodded, “My bag is fireproof. No damage to it or its contents.”

“Good, Mother will be pleased.” Elias said, eyes ahead of him as the group of Daemons carefully flew out of the wyverns' sight.

“What did we get anyway?” Saya asked.

“I have no idea.” Elias admitted. “What was the trouble with the law?”

“We were all set to ride with a group of working girls through the mountains in their carriage but Kalan had to run his mouth and these girls did not like to be insulted... So they said he stole from them and I got lumped in by association... The penalty was to have your hand cut off and I’m a good healer, but not that good... Kalan said he knew an alternate route through a small valley. Apparently there didn’t used to be wyverns in the valley.” Saya explained, speaking and breathing slowly so as not to disturb her broken ribs.

“Well, good thing I showed up.” Elias smiled, carefully pushing his wings through the air leading his soldiers back home.

“For the record, I didn’t need saving.” Saya said before adding, “Though I’d rather fly than walk.”

“Might be that I just wanted to see you.” Elias said, watching the sky as he maneuvered them through the air only to see smoke rising from the distance; it was heavy and black billowing from the Daemon Castle casting a looming shadow upon them.