The Dawn of Magic

There weren’t always dragons in the valley, until they began coming from the deserts in the north. They came in massive numbers, it’s unclear if they were invading or fleeing. They corrupted the hearts of men as they flooded over the land. Taking as they pleased bewitching the people to fight their battles. The dragons were at war with themselves. Some fought to gain an advantage over others for territory. Others for the pleasure of fighting and being In control. My father was one of these bewitched fighters. He rose from his bed one night and walked away wearing only his pants and carrying a kitchen knife. Father Trenton came and told us the news

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” Father Trenton leaned forward watching the three of us. He was a small man, old and frail looking. His hair had receded completely leaving the top of his head bald and shiny. He sat perched on my fathers chair like he owned it like he owned all of us.

“Your father is dead, you are orphans now.” As if saying it again would force us to respond. We didn’t say anything, just sat there not moving, not responding as if our acknowledgment made it true. He sighed.

“There is a nice family that will take Marci, they will teach her the work of the house. Greg you will go to the moorsons they have an opening in the kitchen, and you Peter the brightons will take you on a trial basis. They have the largest cattle farms in…”

I rudely interrupted him, my tone harsh and accusing.

“We aren’t staying together?” He looked down.

“No, I’m sorry no one would take all of you. Because of certain factors.” He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes looking to us and away. I knew what he meant but I wanted him to say it.

“What factors?” I demanded, My anger fought against my control, he sighed and looked away as he said.

“People think you carry bad luck. Your family has had a string of misfortunes over the years and strange things happen here, no one wanted the risk of bringing that bad luck on their families. I was only able to find a few places that will take you on as extra help.” I glared at him. Marci and Greg reacted differently Marci sniffled and buried her face into my arm as she cried silently. Greg looked away but I could feel every muscle was clenched in anger. I stared into Father Trenton’s eyes, and said.

“When?” I could feel the relief coming from him. He was pleased we were cooperating so freely. Or so I wanted him to believe we were. Father Trenton is as responsible for my fathers death as the dragons. He could have come sooner to fortifie the home. To warn the people in the outskirts of the towns and help keep the villages safe. Instead he chose to help the rich and powerful first and as a result. Hundreds were dead. Father Trenton responded,

“You leave In the morning, brother Yurk will get you and take you where you need to go. I'm sorry we don’t have any more room in the abbey. It's full of refugees from Yhansbur.” I said curtly,

“We need time to prepare. Thank you for your time.” I looked down at Marci. She was so young, barely ten. She was still crying but she watched the father. Her eyes stared blank and empty. Father Trenton hesitated clearly he had more to say,

“I knew your father, he was a good man, Im sor…” I stood up abruptly and all but shouted.

“Leave,” and I forced myself to say through clenched teeth. “Please.” he did without another word. The second he was gone Greg jumped to his feet and shouted,

“I'm not working in some nasty kitchen!” I surveyed my twelve year old brother, he thinks he is a man. But what did I know about being a man? I'm sixteen, I don't know how to raise my siblings, no one taught me this. I don’t have instincts for this. I should let Father Trenton decide where we go. It would be easier, For me anyway. I sighed,

“What would you do instead? How will you survive if you don’t work in the kitchen?” Merci had finally stopped crying. She was the one that answered me.

“We could stay here and work together.” she looked up at me with her wide eyes begging me to agree with her. I put my arm around her and said gently.

“The house isn’t ours, papa borrowed money for us to stay here now that he's gone people are going to take it back.” greg spat out,

“Then we live in the forest. We can’t be separated and forced to work for people. With no pay!” he turned and threw a small clay cup that had been resting on the table, And screamed,

“I won't go with them tomorrow.” I smiled and looked at Merci and asked.

“What about you are you going with Father Yurt tomorrow?” she looked thoughtful, before she answered.

“I want to stay with you and greg.“ she whispered sadly. “We are family,” I looked at Greg as I said,

“Then we better start packing.” Greg looked surprised.

“Where are we going?” I smiled a dark smile, and said.

“We go looking for vengeance.”

We left our home with barely a glance behind us. It stopped being our home a long time ago. We left early in the morning and walked all day. I carried Merci when she was tired, but we never stopped, determination giving us strength. We were close to the town of Yhansbur. I didn't know where exactly the battle took place but it had to be close. When our father disappeared people told me that a giant red dragon landed in the middle of the streets and fought. With man and beast destroying everything in its path. The battle decimated the town, as we walked people began passing us on the road. Many were openly weeping. The men and women looked like they had been in the fight. They were bloody and bandaged. They called to us,

Go back there is nothing here. Flee before the red demon returns! We ignored them and continued on. Marci reached out and grabbed my hand. I could feel her fear. I gave her a reassuring squeeze, but I am afraid too. I looked back at Greg, too proud to take my other hand. I could see he wanted to, his eyes were wide as he watched the people. None of us considered going back. We had a father to find. A man sat on the side of the road just staring at the people who walked past. They all had the same haunted look in their eyes. I don’t know why but I stopped when the man spoke.

“Came out of the sky in the middle of the day. The dark beast roared and I could feel the magic pulling me. Like I didn't know myself, I just followed the magic. People came from other towns, they had weapons. I had a weapon. When the dragons began fighting each other. We started fighting. My brother from Kendferg was there. I knew him but I didn't know myself.” tears welled up in the man's eyes.

“I have no brother now.” We kept walking past the man but I heard him start his story again as we walked away. It became more common to see refugees stopped staring into space. Not sure who they were or where they were going. Greg walked closer to us as we approached the village. We could see the destroyed buildings of homes and businesses. People combing through the wreckage searching for anything that may have survived. Merci whimpered with fear and clung to me. Pain and desolation echoed through the whole village. I picked her up and let her bury her head into my shoulder. We walked on in silence. It's been over a week since the attack started, and still the people were indisaray and despair. There was a man, the biggest man I had ever seen. His shoulders were like massive boulders. He sat covered in dirt and mud, clutching a rag doll to his chest openly sobbing his sorrow. We walked on. Greg finally swallowed his pride and reached out and grabbed my shirt as we walked. We all needed the support and comfort from each other. We knew what we searched for. We knew what we would find. A woman was loading a hand cart, a man missing his arm sat on the ground recovering from his injury. They weren’t speaking to each other. She just worked in silence. I stood nearby till I caught their attention, and asked the one thing I didn't want to know.

“Where are the dead?” she went pail as she looked us over and began shaking and pointed not looking where she pointed. Her hands trembled. The man looked like he was going to pass out with the question. We walked on, in the direction she pointed out. We walked through the burdened wreckage of what might have been a home; it was gone, barely a charred frame remained. We reached the outskirts of the town and peaked over the top of a hill and looked down at the fields of what used to be wheat. Now? Now, it was a field of despair. There were bodies lined up to be buried. Men were digging holes while others put the men in. I swallowed the sudden rise of panic down. Why had the dragons come to our valley? Why? What would draw them here? And cause this destruction? Why do the dragons use people like this? how can we fight a magical creature when people don’t have magic of their own. I put Merci down and said to her,

“We have to look for papa now. I want you to stay here and look at the village and the sky. Promise me you wont turn around and look at the field. alright?” she nodded her eyes bright with tears. I didn’t even ask Greg to stay with her; it would have done no good. We went to search for the last remnants of our family.

The moon was high in the sky as we finished digging our fathers grave. Sweat poured from my head and down my back. I barely noticed my mind was still in the field turning men over looking at each one hoping it would be papa’s, terrified it would be. We found him in the end. Greg stopped digging and spoke up.

“I think that's enough,” I looked at the hole. It was more than enough. We put our father to rest. Merci Had been gathering flowers while we worked and sprinkled them on him. The kitchen knife had still been clutched in his hand when we found him. It rested on my belt now. We sat in the dirt exhausted and ice in our hearts. Unable to express our sorrows. Unable to say even goodbye, I could not acknowledge what had happened. Greg got up and started pacing. Stomping and kicking at any stick or rock in his path. I let him expel his rage unchecked, I’m too numb with pain to react. Merci sat next to me drawing circles in the dirt. A tear fell in the dirt unnoticed as she drew. I looked up at the sky and screamed. I poured my anguish into the scream wishing, demanding revenge on the monster that took my father from me! Merci and Greg screamed too. I could feel their pain echoing through the trees and the sky like mine. I screamed till I had no voice left. How can we find a dragon? What could we do even if we did?

We sat together in the darkness for hours, the moon high above our heads. Exhaustion clung to me, calling me to sleep. Greg and Marci lay on both sides of me, sleep claimed them hours ago. I fear sleep, afraid of the nightmares that would come. Afraid of what the darkness held. The weight of responsibility rested heavily on my shoulders. I'm sure it will destroy me. The forest was so dark, I’ve never felt such darkness. The trees groaned as the wind blew gently. It felt like the trees were speaking to me. Warning me of a terrible danger. A blue light flickered on the edge of my vision. Flying silently through the trees. I didn’t fear the light; it felt peaceful, graceful. I stood silently, careful not to wake my siblings. I could barely hear my own whisper.

“Who’s there?” The light reacted, coming closer I waited breathless mesmerized. The light stopped a few feet away hovering at eye level. It was close enough that I could see it wasn’t just a light. It was a boy but he was so small he could fit on the palm of my hand. Blue light radiated out from him, he had no wings, nothing that showed why he was able to fly. But he stood in the air like he was walking on the ground with ease. He had well made but simple clothes and a kind pale face. Like he knew why we were here and what we wanted. I heard shifting behind me. I didn't look as Merci and Greg stood next to me watching the little visitor. The visitor spoke, his voice was soft and warm like crawling into a warm bed on a cold night.

“I felt your pain, why did you come here?” I swallowed a hard lump in my throat and told him everything. Merci and Greg chimed in to tell some parts when words failed me. Finally at the end I asked.

“Can you help us?” We waited breathlessly. I felt the need inside me, to find the monster that caused my family so much pain. The visitor's light flickered like he was thinking. He began pacing in midair, not losing or gaining the slightest bit of height. He turned and asked,

“What are you willing to do to find this dragon?”

I looked at Merci and Greg, their eyes beamed with excitement. I looked the visitor right in his eyes and said,

“Anything and everything.” The visitor instructed us to sit in a circle and put the knife in front of us. We did so, and watched breathlessly for what the visitor would do next.

“All of you reach out and hold the blade, Merci to my right held the handle, Greg to my left the point, I held the center. It was an old knife, dull and jagged. Not good for anything. The visitor landed next to the blade. He seemed smaller next to our hands but his light grew brighter and brighter illuminating the small space. He spoke in a quiet but strong voice.

“Peter, Greg, and Merci we make a deal this night under the light of the full moon, you will go to the dragon and use this knife to slay him. The pixies stand with you against this killer of men.” A sudden pain lanced though my hand, I couldn’t move my hand was glued to the blade. Merci and Greg gasped the same time I did, But there wasn’t so much as a twitch from any of us. The visitor slapped his hand on the small part of the blade that was open. Energy pulsed through my hand and up my arm, pulsing to the rhythm of my heart. We were all connected by the beat of our hearts. The pixie screamed at the top of its lungs. The sound bounced around us like the scream of the hunted and afraid. The beat reached unbearable levels pounding in my chest and head, my hand felt like it was on fire. Suddenly it stopped and there was peace. The pixie said in a soft tiered voice,

“This knife will kill anything it cuts except, we who make this othe. Do you three swear to kill the dragon with this knife?” The three of us answered, mesmerized, compelled to do so.

“Yes,” the pixie smiled.

“Do you three swear to bring the knife back here to me? To the pixies?”

“Yes,” our answer was strong and determined.

“Pact made, you slay the dragon with the blade the pixies made. You will find the red dragon on Hydun Mountain.” With that the pixie disappeared in front of us. Just poof was gone and the blue light with it. Merci let go first. She lay back looking at the stars. A few tears ran down the sides of her face, she whispered.

“It's just a dragon, it won’t bring papa back.” I realized that Merci was lying right next to fathers grave. Greg answered her.

“The monster will be dead, that's all that matters.” Greg lay down on the other side of father, his back turned to us. I picked the blade up. It felt different, heavier and it was sharp. I ran my hand along its blade. The metal was smooth, I have never held a finer blade. I said into the darkness.

“We kill the monster,so that it kills no one else's Papa.” I lay down on top of my fathers grave. Sleeping next to him for the last time.

It took us three days to get to the mountain, and another to climb it. It would have gone faster if Merci wasn’t with us. I carried her where I could and both Greg and I helped her at every opportunity. The mountain was the point in the beginning of a mountain range that circled the valley like a crescent moon. I looked down into the valley the first time I looked back since we started our journey. I could make out a few villages spread out. I didn’t think any were ours. In fact no village would ever be. I turned in disgust at myself for looking. We kept climbing. Suddenly we were at the top of the mountain, clouds surrounded us like a dense fog, obscuring our surroundings. The air was heavy with moisture, cooling the air. I shivered with the sudden cold. we walked into a flat area, the ground clear and smooth like something lived here. Like a dragon lived here. I could just make out the hint of sulfur on the wind. I looked closer at the large area and realized what I mistook as white rocks were bones of all types of creatures. I recognized most. We walked slowly forward searching silently, Greg and Merci held hands. I had the blade in mine. Then I saw it, the massive creature was laying on its stomach and its head was in the shadows. Its massive bulk lying stretched out, its tail was long and gracefully laid out woven through the rocks, dipped over the side of the cliff. Its red scales shimmering brilliantly even in the gloom; Its wings folded neatly. I could feel waves of energy coming from the monster. It was as big as a house bigger than our former home. Merci and Greg stepped closer to me. I walked forward till I could see the head. Why hadn’t it moved yet? I looked closely at the dragon's face, it was sleeping. This was the moment we could kill it right now it would be so easy so simple, but something told me not to, not yet. The beast will die, but not yet. I remembered how the pixies magic felt. I could think of little else while we walked, but this? This was more, more than I ever could have imagined. This kind of magic the world would be subject to my every whim. I wanted the magic. Instincts drove me forward. How can I become magical? No humans had magic, Not one. I looked at Greg. There was a light in his eyes. Surprise filled me; he wanted the magic too. I lead them to the head of the dragon. I could feel the blade hot in my hand. I was sure the blade caused the dragon to sleep, and kept it there. If we were quiet then I knew the dragon would never wake. We sat in a circle with the dragon's head. It has a huge head, its mussel thick and large. It could easily swallow us whole in a single bite. Merci stared wide-eyed at the beast. I didn’t feel fear from her, only curiosity. Greg looked to me for direction, I placed the blade in the center like with the pixie, with a nod to Greg I reached up and grabbed one of the massive horns on the dragon's head. It didn't feel like a normal horn, it vibrated with energy. Greg did the same. I took Merci's hand Greg did too. The second the circle closed I felt great waves of energy. That flowed through us; we all gasped as one. We were connected together. Our thoughts were together, I could hear Merci and Greg's minds.

Peter?

Yes.

merci?

Yeah,

what’s going on? I could feel the question coming from greg.

I think the pixie connected us. The well of magical power told me it was so. I could feel the agreement coming from my siblings. Merci asked,

What are we doing?

We are taking what we need, I thought with joy and mallase greg approved vimatly. Fear came from Merci. I soothed her.

Pull the magic into yourself, pull it into your hearts. I instructed the others. I could feel the waves of power, the waves of magic drowning me. I couldn't breathe with its force. Panic came from Greg but none of us could breathe. Merci’s wasn’t pulling I screamed at her in my mind

Merci help! She hesitated, the crushing waves of power washed over us. Threatening to erase our very existence, but Like a glowing light illuminating our minds Merci opened herself to the magic. It came easily now smoothly without pain. A great uforia raised through us as the magic poured into us. I could feel the sleeping consciousness stir. It was massive and ancient. We drain the dragon of its power. Absorbed it into ourselves. When I felt the dragon had no more magic to give. I took the blade, the dragon breathed out heavily and before it could do more I plunged the blade into the dragon's mussel. It shouldn't have killed the dragon, it was barely a scratch. I could feel the life force leave the dragon the second it scratched the dragon's flesh. The dragon was dead. We let go as a bolt of power surged through us. Braking our connection to the beast.

I sat up and looked at my brothers confused by what had happened. What was that power? I looked up at my brother peter. He stood over the dragon’s body with a look of such hatred and triumph it terrified me. I asked in a shaky voice.

“Is it over?” No one answered, Greg was staring at his hands. They were glowing softly. He lifted his hands and pointed at a rock a good distance from us and a ball of light and power flew from his hands and caused the rock to explode. It split into a shower of rocks raining down. Most landed into the mist. Peter gasped.

“How did you do that?” Greg looked over and smiled as he said.

“I just wanted to and I did.” Peter beamed with an idea, He started to run but instead of running along the ground he stepped up into the air and was running through the air stepping through the clouds, laughing with the joy of it. I watched my brother dance through the sky with as much effort as I did when I played in the fields around our home. I stood up and shouted.

“I want to fly!” Peter stopped running and landed softly a few feet away and called back.

“Then fly.” I stared with wide eyes. I felt the magic in me, but it didn’t stir or react as I tried to run through the air. I only ran on the ground, I turned and tried again. Again I only ran along the ground. Greg called out,

“Try and shoot fire with your hands.” I tried but nothing happened. I could feel the magic stirring inside me, but I didn’t really want to break rocks. Peter and Greg came over and put reassuring hands on me. Peter crouched next to me and said,

“It’s alright Merci. You’ll figure it out.” I smiled at my big brother. He ruffled my hair and turned and said to Greg.

“We should head back. The valley is full of dragons, with our new powers and the blade we will be unstoppable.'' Greg smiled, lust for power gleamed in their eyes. They began walking away talking animatedly for the first time since Papa left. I started to follow but I felt the magic twitch inside me drawing my attention to beside the dragon. I walked over to the dragon and rested my hand on its side and whispered.

“I’m so sorry,” There were sticks and moss covering a small area. I followed the magic push and dug through the moss. A deep red stone was buried in the moss. It's an egg. I lifted the egg and it was smooth to the touch. It shimmered like the dragon's scales but it was a deeper color like blood. I could feel the life stirring inside. I turned about to call out my discovery. When a vision of my brother's angry hate filled faces swam across my eyes. The magic told me this was important and I can't leave it. I can't show my brothers either. I looked around and I didn't have a bag or anything. Peter and Greg had packs but they were full of food and blankets. I wished for a bag I could carry the egg in. I wished I could make one. I felt my hands grow hot and glowed with a bright light like Gregs. I put them on the moss and wished for a bag. The moss and my hands glowed white and then the light was gone. In its place lay a beautiful bag I could put over my shoulder. Golden swirls decorated the bag, it felt so soft to the touch like moss, but it was made to look like leather. It was perfect to hold the dragon egg. I put the egg inside. It disappeared into the bag. I stared. Where did the egg go? I reached inside and I could feel it but when I looked I only saw darkness. It was a magical bag, it was my special moss bag. I leaped to my feet, the bag hung across my opposite shoulder and I chased after my brothers shouting.

“I did Magic, I can do magic too.” my secret dragon egg tucked safely away.