More Valuable Than Gold

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley… Eva Anders thought to herself while climbing into the bunker underneath her family’s ranch house, in search of anything to arm herself against an attack. Though, how handguns and rifles would stand any realistic chance against a fire-breathing dragon, she had no idea. Her greatest opportunity of surviving was through her unique gifts and undeniable spirit, for she obtained a very rare power of connecting with creatures, reading their minds, and swaying their wild hearts.

As she scrambled to collect amo from the worn wooden crates, Eva’s friend, Blue Feather, appeared beside her– quite literally out of nowhere, as he possesses the power to apparate, among many other magical abilities– and helped cast a spell on the guns, making them three times more powerful. He is a witch from the Nisenan tribe of the greater Sacramento area. Eva had known Blue Feather for as long as she could remember. His tribe, plus her family of ranchers, had lived in peace as neighbors for decades. It wasn’t until California struck gold in 1848 when trouble started sparking like fire, and flying their way.

Cowboys, Native Americans, horses and cattle lived harmoniously in the Valley where Eva was born. By the time she could put her own boots on, she was riding and raised like a cowboy through and through. She rode fearlessly upon her horse, Ember, who had a crackling spirit only Eva could tame. It was a gift no one else in her family had ever before been given, the ability to speak with animals. A gift so rare, only the Nisenan tribe had known of it.

Although hidden in plain sight, various other creatures roamed the land alongside them. Magical creatures including pixies, werewolves, phoenixes, griffins, and the rare unicorn had roamed the land for centuries. The native peoples of California were familiar with the wild spirits of these magical beings. It was Blue Feather who told Eva about them when they were young, showed them to her, and taught her to give them the space and respect they deserved. Though nothing could prepare them for the flaming ruthlessness of dragons that would tear through the land one day soon. The local tribes had heard legends of their cryptic and monstrous ways, but no one had once laid eyes on them. Not until after James Marshall spotted gold that significant and very lucky day. Or was it so lucky?

The quaint communities who lived in the Valley attempted to keep the discovery quiet, but it was only a matter of time, and gossip, before news broke out like wildfire, and outsiders started pouring in. Their land was encroached on, and Eva Anders’ family and the Nisenan tribe became wary of the effect gold would have on people. Crazed, is the word to describe the look that swept over their eyes, and the obsession that would overwhelm their soul whenever a bright, priceless nugget was found. Eva had never seen gold before this rush began, but she wasn’t impressed. No matter how much it’s worth, nothing was more valuable than the beauty of the land, the Valley her family’s ranch resided on, and her privilege to live so freely upon it as a young woman. Nothing was worth more than that.

Only a few short months passed when Eva and Blue Feather started to feel it. The change in the wind, the energy shift, the suspense hovering in the air that something dangerous and untamable was coming their way. No one new to the land seemed to notice, as they weren’t familiar with it, weren’t grounded to it as Eva and her friends were. The sky became darker as the weeks went by, ominous peals of thunder crashed, the rain and lightning unremorseful. A sinister magic brewed in the sky. It was electrifying and dangerous– and then on March 25th, 1848, Eva’s eighteenth birthday, they heard it: a thunderous screech across the sky so piercing it made one’s ears throb in pain, blood pounding with anxiety. It was terrifying, and no one could see where it came from. More than one shriek at a time arose, coming from above and all around them. They realized it was a sound they didn’t recognize, from a creature they had never seen before.

The sky was a deep, dark blue and gray hue, and the thunder became frenzied, erupting throughout the sky like an angry god that haunting day. Lightning followed in a surging uproar of blinding white and yellow light cracking across the sky, as if Zeus himself were trying to split the sky in two. People panning for gold stopped in their tracks and started screaming, running for cover, and looking up to see what mysterious creature could possibly be above them. Eva was riding Ember alongside Blue Feather when she heard the screeches, and felt the buzz of electricity in the air.

“What the hell was that?!” Eva exclaimed in surprise while turning to Blue Feather. “I have no idea.” He replied. Her first instinct told her to race to her family and warn them, but she knew they’d go into their bunker if anything happened, and she was too far out into the fields watching over the cattle. Blue feather gave her an empathetic look, and waved his hand, gesturing to Eva, “Come, follow me”! Rain, wind, lightning and thunder pushed against them as they rode strong toward a natural trench across the field. Upon their arrival, they dismounted and gently coaxed their horses to lay down above the trench as they jumped in and peaked over the edge to see what was happening around them, and above them.

Lightning streaked across the field, and rain poured down, soaking them to the bone. A break in the storm took place, and an eerie quiet ensued. “Look!” whispered Eva, pointing to the western sky. Gleaming, enormous black wings emerged from the clouds, like a colossal bat, with a neck so long and dagger thick spikes trailing from the top of its head to the tip of its snakelike piercing tail. More followed behind, dipping below the storm in a pack, like a murder of giant crows. The leader of the horrifying group opened its grisly mouth lined with lethal razor sharp teeth, and erupted with a shattering roar followed by a blast of fire to the trees below, burning them to the ground in a matter of seconds.

Eva shook and gasped, frozen in place by the sight of it all. “It can’t be possible. Dragons!” Blue Feather stated in disbelief.

“Dragons?! Do they even exist?” Eva retorted.

“Only in legends. My tribe would tell stories of dragons living here thousands of years ago, mercilessly stealing what was most valuable, preying on creatures, destroying the land, sucking the magic out of everything in sight, only to hoard it for themselves, so no other being could have it” Blue Feather explained.

“But why now, why would they come here?!” Eva questioned.

“I’m not sure, there is nothing of deep value here.” Blue Feather stated.

“Nothing of value to us, that is– but the gold!” guessed Eva. Blue Feather and Eva looked at each other, wide eyed in fear and bewilderment. They became witnesses to a tragic sight. Tears started falling down Eva’s cheeks before the first home burned to the ground from the dragons’ ruthless, inferno jaws. Eva’s mind flashed with images of her family, her home, their land– what she held closest to her heart. The dragons sought to annihilate everything in their path, and Eva could not let that happen.

“We have to do something!” Eva cried out.

“What could we possibly do?” Blue Feather countered confoundedly.

“You’ve never doubted our abilities before Blue Feather!” Eva returned.

“That was before ancient murderous creatures decided to grace us with their presence, Eva!” hurled back Blue Feather.

“Well, I’m not going down without a fight!” baited Eva.

“Why do you always have to be the reckless one?!” retorted Blue Feather.

“Because, life is more thrilling that way! And I’m not leaving our families behind and in danger,” answered Eva pointedly as she jumped up out of the trench and mounted Ember. “Well, obviously not! I’d never suggest such a thing.” Blue Feather bellowed up to her. “Come on, we’re going to my parent’s bunker and getting help!” Declared Eva. As Blue Feather mounted his horse, he said sarcastically under his breath, “Yes, alright, and why don’t I just cast a shield spell over your ranch while we’re at it?” Hearing him, Eva snapped in reply, “Yes, that’s a brilliant idea!” And then they were off, riding rapidly toward Eva’s ranch in hopes that they weren’t too late.

Rain pounded down on the young riders while lightning struck all around, putting them at grave risk of being hit by a bolt, or a fire-breathing dragon, as they counted over thirty of them flying at low elevation. One dragon screamed while spraying a hellish stream of fire towards Eva and Blue Feather. Eva yelped, and hollered at Ember to ride faster. A second blaze aimed right at them, and feeling the heat on their backs, Blue Feather spun his arm swiftly around pointing his hand at the dragon, casting a spell and shooting a magical force field of water at the oncoming flames extinguishing them before they could lick their clothes. The dragon itself was sprayed and fell back into the air in surprise. Blue Feather yipped with encouragement, and Eva shouted, “Yeehaw!” in excitement as they moved closer to her house. As much as they understood how vulnerable a situation they were in, they were also daredevils who lived for a good adrenaline rush.

At their arrival, they turned around to see if they were being chased, but luckily they made it unscathed and unseen. Jumping off their horses Eva raced to her front porch, while Blue Feather quickly made his way to the outside of the house and began reciting a shield spell for protection around the ranch, hoping the dragons wouldn’t break through and burn it to the ground. It was a priceless gift to have a witch such as Blue Feather for a friend. Meanwhile, Eva dashed through the front door and ran down the hallway to the back of the house where the basement door was.

“Mama! Papa? Anna!? Are you here?!” Eva called out. She heard footsteps coming down the staircase and saw her papa round the corner at the landing, holding two rifles. “Eva! There you are, we were so worried about you. Where’s Blue Feather?” her Papa asked concernedly, pulling her in for a relieved tight hug. “I’m alright Papa– Blue Feather is casting a protection spell– where are Mama and Anna?” Eva asked as the house shook from a raging thunderclap. “Thank goodness for Blue Feather! Mama and your sister are already down below in the bunker,” Papa explained. They opened the door to the basement and hurried down the stairs to the next landing where a table and some chairs stood, along with many shelves for storage. They walked to a corner where an iron trapdoor had been set into the floor. Papa hauled it open, gesturing to Eva to go first. She climbed onto the ladder and descended into the bunker, her Papa following suit.

Once inside, Eva’s Mama and little sister Anna, jumped up to hug her, “My baby, I’m so glad to see you!” Mama said. Eva scrambled around to collect amo from the worn wooden crates lining the iron bunker her grandfather had built all those years ago. As she loaded up the rifles her father handed to her, Blue Feather appeared out of nowhere. They weren’t surprised though, since they were all used to him suddenly apparating just to scare them. But no one was joking today. “Here, now let me” Blue Feather offered, as he gestured for Eva to hand him the guns. He then waved his hand over them where green sparks flickered from his fingers. “There, now they're three times stronger. Not sure if it will do anything against these monsters, but it just might help” He said.

“Thank you,” Eva replied, giving him a slight and nervous smile.

“True, who knows what these bastard dragons can take.” Papa remarked.

Anna and Eva looked at their father in disbelief, “You knew they were dragons Papa?” asked Anna.

“Yes, I had heard the legends, and so had your grandfather, and his father before him,” explained Papa as he gathered up the rest of the guns and weapons from the crates, and handed them out to each member of his family.

“I think this is the prophecy coming true,” Blue Feather pronounced.

“Prophecy, what prophecy?” asked Eva, as the bunker continued to shake from the storm and from the mammoth dragons landing on the earth.

“The Nisenan tribe has known of it for centuries, but I never believed it would come true, let alone happen when I was alive. It states that an old, dangerous magic would return to the land, and an older, more ancient power would be able to defeat it… and I think it might be you, Eva,” Blue Feather replied hesitantly. Eva’s family looked at Blue Feather gobsmacked.

“What? Me?! Why me? And why am I only hearing about dragons and this prophecy now?” Eva noted in a cheeky tone.

“I never thought it would be relevant! But I think it has to do with your powers,” said Blue Feather.

“Well, why not your powers?!” Eva returned.

“Because mine aren’t as ancient as yours. Being a witch and casting spells is normal compared to what you can do,” explained Blue Feather.

“Again, why is this news to me only now!?” Eva frustratedly exclaimed.

“I just never suspected it would be you, and there was no proof that it could be until, well, now…” said Blue Feather, anxiously.

“Well boy howdy, thanks Blue Feather, what a birthday gift!” Eva said sarcastically.

“Some birthday huh?” Blue Feather commented in a humorous and gentle tone.

“Yeah, what a way to become a woman, God damn it!” Eva cursed in reply.

“Normally, I’d be beside myself with that tongue of yours young lady, but this is shocking news to me, too!” exclaimed Mama.

“So, wait, why do you suspect it’s me again?!” Eva asked Blue Feather.

“Ten years ago when I was twelve years old, my grandmother Willow told me just before she died that creatures of immense destructive power would return to our valley and seek to destroy it, and that only a being with immense and ancient power would be able to communicate with them… would be able to control them,” explained Blue Feather, as they all turned to look at Eva.

“And you think I am the one? Really?!” cried Eva.

“Think about it Darlin’, no one on this land has experienced abilities such as yours, or had ever seen them before you were born. Personally, I always wondered how and why you got them. I’ve always seen you use them for good. You’ve had a real influence on the creatures and beings around you. Perhaps this is your destiny.” Papa shared with Eva, holding her shoulder tenderly, while looking into her bright green eyes.

“Even if she is the one,” cried Mama, “you’re just willing to throw our daughter into a literal inferno in the hopes that she can get these dragons to listen to her?!”

“It’s okay Mama, Papa’s right. I’m all grown now, and if it’s my fate, then I accept it. I can try and help.” proclaimed Eva.

“Even so, we’re not just going to let her waltz into this lightning dragon blitz and attempt to face, and stop these creatures alone!” objected Mama.

“No, of course not,” Papa answered, “We’ll come up with a plan.”

“We believe they’re after the gold, including all the land it sits upon. So, all we need to do is find a way to distract them, long enough for Eva to reach into that terrifying dragon leader’s mind, and stop them from destroying everything!” Blue Feather declared.

“Oh, is that all? Easy then! Just like baking a cake. Very comforting,” Eva retorted.

“Your sarcasm isn’t helping anything right now, Eva,” scolded Mama.

“Well, if I don’t find some kind of relief and humor in this crazy adventure, I’m gonna start crying. Now, let’s get this plan in motion shall we?!” Eva expressed with determination as she cocked her rifle up to her right shoulder.

“Yeehaw!” Replied Blue feather, giving her a wink and a smile as they gathered their weapons and headed toward the trap door. Just as more thunder boomed, and a dragon screeched by with an ear-splitting cry, Eva muttered bravely, “We’ve got a few dragons to sway.” And she climbed up the ladder toward her destiny.