Ring of Blue Flame

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. But then again, I don't think I recall there ever being a ring of blue fire burning a doorway into said Valley in the back of the deserted Walmart Supercenter. I feel like I'd notice something like that after working here for 5 or 6 years, give or take. Actually, I feel like literally anyone would notice a portal into another dimension but hey, maybe that’s just me.

I took a small step closer to the ring of flame, the blue tint shining off the lenses of my glasses. The heat coming off in boiling waves, singing off my arm hair as I hesitantly reached towards it. The pitter-patter of my racing heart grew loud as I stared wide-eyed into this portal to a world I only thought existed in fantasy.

Only when I heard a disgusting sloshing sound hit the pavement did I realize I carried the garbage bag I held too close to the flames, its’ contents tumbling out of the cheap melted plastic and right into my brand-new white converse that took me nearly months to save up for. Coming back to reality for a minute, I looked around at the empty lot around me, only seeing my vehicle in the far back. The heat from this mystic fantasy world and the ice cold winter air whipped through my long ponytail, making me turn back to the warmth it provided.

Examining the majestic dragon gulping down water from the crystal clear depths of the river that flowed between two high rolling hills of green sprouting trees, I noticed how its’ scales shimmered a translucent blue in the midday sun but then turned a violet purple as it lifted its head to the sun and rolled its shoulders back to stretch out their ten foot wings that resembled those of a bat. Long horns blossomed from the top of their head and followed the shape of its skull. It shook out its wings and licked the water from its sharp, pointed fangs.

Taking a step back, I noticed there was literally a night and day difference between there and where I reside looking in. I looked up at the clouded full moon as little droplets hit my face, the only warning I got before the downpour started. I sighed and looked back down at the glorious beast I’ve only ever read about in fairy tales.

I took a startled step back when I looked down and met the shimmering emerald snake-like eyes glaring back at me with menace. It turned to fully face me, smoke huffing out of its nostrils as it stretched out its full 20-foot wingspan and took flight.

Staring in awe at the graceful creature that had its eyes dead set on seeing my demise and frozen in fear as it flew faster than my meager human eyes can trace.

Just before it reached the doorway of the portal I was standing in, something flew past and crashed into this deadly creature that I thought for sure was going to swallow me whole.

Before I could stop myself, I put one sloshed sneaker through the doorway and ran after the crashing and fumbling through the trees.

I followed the commotion and the trail of trees that were ripped up from the ground by the roots until I saw it. I saw the opal-colored dragon lying in a heap of blood the color of sapphires.

I stayed in the shadows of one of the only trees in the area that hadn’t fallen due to the war-like scene that had just ensued for what seemed like ages.

The quiet was deafening, my own obnoxious breathing seemed too loud for what had just taken place.

I pushed my glasses up my slender nose as I looked around for the other creature that had quite possibly saved my life. That’s when I noticed that the portal I had just stepped through had disappeared into thin air and in its’ place was a hole that was as black as the darkest night.

As I started to make my way towards the black hole, crawling over fallen tree trunks and whisking away limbs and leaves of trees, I saw something limp its way towards me from the corner of my eye.

She wasn’t nearly as big as the dragon and looked more human-like if not for the 10 feet in height and the black feathered wings that limply dragged in the tall grass behind her. Her long, black hair that shown blue in the sun flowed down past her navel and swung in heavy braids. Pointed ears poked out under her thick locks along with small horns that curved upwards into delicate points at the top of her head.

Agony coursed through her elegant features as she crumbled against a tree for support. She was nearly covered head to toe in wounds, old and new. The one that spoke to me the most was the scar that slashed from her left temple, over her left eye and down to the right side of her chin.

I was startled to see unimaginable terror as her violet eyes met mine, a quiver in her full lips when she fully fell to her knees.

When I took a step back, her eyes never moved to follow me. The strange ripping sound coming from behind me had me more concerned though that maybe she wasn’t staring at me.

I slowly turned around to see long, slender black fingers with rotted chipped nails take hold on either side of the black hole that took place of the flame portal. Slowly, the fingers managed to stretch the hole wider and wider as the ripping noise became more prominent.

In the quiet, only 4 words were spoken from the winged woman behind me, “What have you done?”