Night Treasure

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. Watching the moonlight reflecting off their dark, rough skins makes them appear even more dangerous than I’ve heard. Crouching down on this small hill, I keep out of sight as more dragons crawl out from the shadows, forming a circle to greet one another. When they call out to the sky, flames release from their mouths, causing me to rethink my decision to embark on this quest.

Two days ago, before I left home, I was told to capture a dragon in this valley for transportation because the journey is long and time is short. The current ruler has raised the taxes and everyone in my village must pay or they will hang us all. Our only solution is to find the lost, hidden treasure of King Josiah. It is told that to rid his kingdom of wickedness, King Josiah buried most of his riches because he believed money is the root of all evil. For hundreds of years, with each newly crowned head, the Ashschild, also known as the king’s guard, gathers to search for the monies and gain favor with the new sovereign. However, rumors state they keep most of it for themselves. Over time, each regiment has been successful in reclaiming most of the hidden gold except one. The stories speak of the largest treasure being buried in a hard-to-reach mountain cave. Even to arrive in the area, one must overcome many obstacles. Being from the poorest village with nothing to do but watch the crops grow, I decide to volunteer for this journey. We need this money to stay alive. If I don’t succeed, we will all perish. Having the lives of so many people in my hands is a heavy responsibility, but it is a burden I will bear for the chance at a great adventure.

With a quiet movement, I unravel the metal chains our village blacksmith constructed to hold the dragon from my waist. Much to my dismay, he failed to mention how on earth I'm supposed to get them around the beast without being killed. 

The cries of the fire breathers are getting louder with flames igniting the sky. They seem restless and not fit enough for a long journey. The dark gray color of their skin makes them hard to see in the shadows of the moonlight. These dragons stay hidden during the day hours to avoid the Ashschild, who murdered most of their kind as they do everything in search of treasure. We thought the Ashschild destroyed all dragon life because there were no sightings for years. Then one night we got word from a traveler how dragons began showing up in this valley when the moon rises and the sun sets. To keep safe, the nearby villagers stay indoors during the night, allowing the fire breathers the freedom to roam.

The smell of ash is strong and close. As I turn around, a large red dragon stands tall before me with outstretched wings and smoke blowing out of its nose. Both of my hands lift to the sky in surrender. “I mean you no harm. Please don’t kill me and let me explain!” I tremble. Lowering its wings, the dragon sits back on its hind legs, keeping its yellow eyes on me. “Do you understand me?” I ask. The crimson beast shakes its head in the affirmative. I’m having a hard time believing this enormous animal is a part of the group of thin and weak dragons circling in the valley. One of its forelegs extends and touches the chains I have at my side. My nerves rattle as the sweat runs down my face. “My name is Rovtrei and I am from Makers village, the poorest in the area. I am passing through on my way to find King Josiah’s treasure to pay my village’s taxes to the king. If we do not pay by the next blue moon in two months, the Ashschild will kill every person in my village. Since time is short, the seer in my village advised me to take a dragon for transportation on my quest. The dragon who joins me will be well taken care of and free to come and go as it pleases. Plus, I will shower the dragon with more gifts once I gain the treasure, which will benefit your entire group. Legend has it that King Josiah’s last buried treasure is the largest.” A puff of smoke escapes its nose like a pair of bellows. “Look, I need to stay the night in the nearby village and get some rest before I continue my journey. Do you know if one of your fellow dragons would join me on this search?” This beast stands on its thick legs and extends its wings to fly off and land with the others in the valley.

All the dragons gather around this ruby beast who towers above the rest and grunts as if this is some sort of clandestine gathering. I’m not sure what I should do. Crouching in the shadows feels cowardly and not like an adventurer on a quest. I move closer to the animals and the red one exhales its breath of flames my way, knocking me off my feet. This must mean I have failed and no dragon will join me on my quest. How could I have let down my entire village before the journey even starts? Filled with disappointment, I stand and head to the nearest village to stay the night and contemplate my new plan to either head home or figure out a different way to reach the treasure in time. Before I take one step, the red dragon lands in front of me with chest broad, eyeing the chains in my hand. I throw the chains on the ground since all hope is lost without transportation. To my surprise, this gigantic crimson winged creature puts its foreleg claw out for me to wrap the chains around. My mouth flies open. “You will join me on this quest?” The beast nods, and I hurry to clasp the chain before it reconsiders. “Come, the village is this way.” With a tug on the chain, this beast points in a different direction and leads the way. I may not be on a chain, but it seems as if I am the one who has been captured.

We walk for only a few minutes and arrive at the nearest village. My route would have taken longer. Not one person is visible in this village and yet it is obvious it is more well off than my own. The houses are standing straight and not leaning. There are three water wells in the center and my village doesn’t even have one. The crimson dragon leads me to an isolated large barn on the far end. I struggle to open the heavy door as we enter. This barn is full of hay and no animals. I have a suspicion this dragon has been here before as it settles down in the center. I wrap the part of the chain I was holding around a wooden pole and grab a blanket laying on the side to drape over its body. The red dragon glances at me with a curious expression. “I guess you don’t get cold?” It could be my imagination, but I swear this dragon just rolled its eyes at me. Before exhaustion takes hold, I go to settle in the opposite corner, but the dragon blows out smoke and turns its head toward a ladder leading to a loft. “Well, I guess I will rest up there for the night. Sleep well, we leave in the morning.” I climb up the ladder to the loft filled with hay and promptly fall asleep without one more thought.

The rooster’s high pitch crow, indicating the sunrise on its way, does not disturb me enough for my body to rise from this hay-filled bed. However, the hot sun shining through the cracks of barn wood hours later did the trick. I jump up, hitting my head on one of the many wooden boards on the roof of this barn. The small bump on my head doesn’t stop the excitement of starting my quest today with the ruby dragon. I hurry down the ladder and gasp. My dragon is gone! Under the blanket lies a woman with bare skin, and long wavy red hair covering her face. Someone loosely wrapped the chain I put on the dragon around one of her arms, which appears to be covered in scales. I must have hit my head harder than I thought. After blinking several times, I move closer and the scales have disappeared. She moans, rolling to one side and I shout, “Don’t move! Who are you, and what have you done with my dragon?”