The Dragons Return

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Growing up we were taught that they had all disappeared a long time ago. These creatures were considered to be pure because they did not hoard gold or treasure as most would believe, but they would only associate themselves with people that were pure in heart. They had this ability that allowed them to look at a person and see who that person truly was. You can fool others into believing you're a good person or look like trouble but dragons could never be fooled.

But since there were so few people that were genuinely pure of heart, dragons were hardly ever seen. And you could forget trying to find them. Those who tried were often never seen again. If someone came back it was because they gave up looking. So it was said, that you didn't find a dragon the dragon would find you. If one did find you then it meant that you were pure of heart and if the dragon bonded with you then you were meant for a great destiny.

Bonded dragons were even fewer because they only bonded during times when humanity was in dire need to overcome a great evil that had befallen the land. These dragons were always seen with the person who would defeat whatever was causing the struggle humanity was going through, giving them aid.

So since dragons weren't considered to be menacing beasts, no one panicked when they saw a hoard of dragons flying above the city. Everyone just stopped what they were doing and stared into the sky. Some people even were walking as they stared at the sight in the sky. Which is how I found my best friend right before he walked into the side of a building. Eric had been my best friend since we were little. Our fathers both worked in the armory together. So you can imagine how we met.

Parents are allowed to bring their kids with them to the armory once they reach the age of ten. This is so the children can start their apprenticeship with their parents. It used to be that children had to at least be five years old but that proved to be a complete disaster.

So when I become of age I went with my father to learn his trade since I was an only child. My mother had died giving birth to me so that killed any chance of having siblings. My father named me Mace after his favorite weapon in the armory. Which in a way was sort of fitting. Plus I had always had a sort of fascination with weapons, particularly swords. It didn't take long before I had mastered making the various types of weapons. Now I'm one of the best craftsmen in our town and I couldn't be happier.

I called out to Eric just as he was about to hit a wall, "Eric! In front of you!" But it had the opposite effect. Instead of stopping in his tracks and saving himself from any embarassment he instead took his eyes off the sky to look in front of him as he smacked his face hard against the wall. I could not stop laughing as I rushed over. "Are you okay dude?" I asked him as I helped him off the ground.

"Well that could have gone better," he laughed as he dusted himself off. Looking around he turned beet red and asked me "Do you think anyone saw that?"

"Nah man, everyone is still looking up like you were. Come on we have to get going or we'll be late. And you know how your dad feels about you being late." With that being said I pulled his arm as I dragged him from the town square in the direction of the armory which lies on the outskirts of the city.

After a few steps Eric fell into step beside me, no longer needing to be pulled. "Do you really think he'd get mad this time? I mean seriously? It's not like I'd have been late this time because of something stupid. I have an excellent reason for being late if it came to that this time." When I looked at him he just had this smirk on his face as he looked back up at the sky. By now all the dragons had passed and the townfolk began going about their business again so he was just looking at an open clear blue sky overhead.

Eric tended to always be late because of his flirting with girls. Surprisingly he was one of the best looking guys in town so all the girls tried to talk to him every chance they got. But those chance were only when I happened to not be around. For some reason none of the girls really liked being in my company. It could be because I really found the type of girls that flirted with Eric and acted all cutesy to be very annoying and didn't try to hide my distaste of how they acted. But him being my best friend meant that I generally had him to myself whenever I wanted unlike the others, so that could also be another reason.

Even though we have been best friends for the last seven years he's never seen me as anything more than a friend. Sometimes I wonder if he even sees me as a girl. But then there are times when he's a complete klutz and it makes me laugh so hard that I don't mind. If he did see me as just another one of the girls that crushed on him I most likely would not get to see him acting the way he does. Around everyone else he likes to portray himself as confident, cool, and not clumsy in any way. So the fact that he feels comfortable enough around me to be his real self makes me smile.

As I looked at him while we walked I smiled unconsciously. It was at this moment that he looked at me.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" He asked with a small laugh.

"Huh? What? Oh, no I was just think I was going to beat you to work." I told him as I pushed him into a barrell full of apples and took off down the street.

"Hey! That's not fair! When I catch up to you you are so going to regret that!" He yelled after me.

"Maybe! But you actually have to catch me first!" I yelled back laughing.

These are the moments that I truly enjoy. Moments that I don't have to share with anyone.

It didn't take long before I had reached our destination. Once I came to a stop in front of the armory I turned to look back down the street to see how far away he still was. But I didn't see him. And that's when it happened. I suddenly found myself being tackled to the ground.

"I told you that you'd regret pushing me!" Eric said as he tickled me on the ground.

"Okay! Okay, I'm sorry! Just stop!" I yelled/laughed as I twisted and turned underneath him trying to get myself away from him.

"Alright you two that's enough horsin' around. If I'm not mistaken you got a job to do." Came the gruff voice of my father as he pulled us both up off the ground with no trouble at all. My dad was fairly large for a guy but he had one of the kindest souls I had ever known.

"My bad Mr. Moriarty. Are there any special requests for us today?" Eric asked my dad as we walked inside.

"Actually yes, and you can take your aprons back off. This request has come from the King and the metal he's wanting is Transilium."

Hearing my dad say that the King had requested something from us caused me and Eric to freeze. The King was not someone you wanted to disappoint. There were rumors that anyone he wasn't happy about just sort of disappeared. He was a man of violence and hatred. The way he ruled the kingdom was strict and left no room for disobedience. In short he terrified me. So the fact that he request me to make something for him had me absolutely horrified. And I guess it showed on my face.

"Don't worry. I know we can make something amazing. We don't have anything to worry about Mace." Eric told me as he came up behind me and hugged me placing his head ontop of mine.

"Okay. Okay. We got this. No big deal, right? Just making another weapon for another client. Let's not think about who it's for. Okay first we need to get the metal requested. Transilium can only be found up the mountain so we better getting going if we hope to find some before it gets dark." I tapped his arm and started to walk towards the door, a bit robotically if I do say so myself.

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Mace did not do a good job of sounding like she was unbothered at all. I looked at her dad and he just nodded his head in her direction. When I looked back at her I noticed how stiff she was moving. This was not the person I had come to know and cherish. The person in front of me was scared. So I did the only thing I knew would snap her out it. I picked up our swords off the rack and tossed them in front of her feet. But since she deep in her own thoughts she didn't notice them and tripped falling flat on her face.

"Who on Earth put these here!" Mace yelled as she picked herself up of ground. When she turned to face us she looked mad.

"Well you two may need those in case you run into any trouble up there and you were just about to leave without them." He told her. Looking at her father her face softened.

"That would have been a terrible mistake." She said as she bent down picking them up. "Hey, try not to lose yours this time. I'd hate to have to make you a new one." he smirked as she tossed mine to me. I of course caught it with one hand and began fastening it to my belt.

"Let's get going Sunshine. Bye Mr. Moriarty we will try to be back before dark but if not we should be back tomorrow." I said waving to her father on our way out the door.

"You two be careful. If you're not back tomorrow I'll be sending a search party out for you. Even if it just ends up being me."

"Thanks dad, I love you." Mace hugged her father goodbye and smiled at him. "Alright I'm ready." She said as she turned to face me.

With our goodbyes said we headed out of town in silence. Which was highly unusual. Generally there was never any dead air between us. Mace is the easiest person to talk to. She never judged me for who I was and never got mad at me when I acted differently around others. She understood me better than anyone. Frankly I'm surprised she doesn't have a ton of friends that I have to fight in order to get her attention. For the last seven years it's always just been me and her.

Even though she has been completely clueless as to how I feel about her. Not once has she noticed the way I look at her or care for her. She views me as a bestfriend and I'm okay with that as long as I'm the only one that she keeps by her side.

"I want to thank you... For you know getting me out of my funk back there." Mace said as we walked into the forest just outside of town. When I looked at her I noticed that she was already looking at me.

"No worries. You know I'm not used to you acting all vulnerable. It's weird seeing you that way, even if its a rare occasion." I told her as I smirked back at her. Not even a few seconds later, she had picked up a twig and smack me on the back of the head.

"You jerk. I can't believe you just said that!" She said as she laughed at me while I rub my head.

"What? You can't tell me you wouldn't have taken the opportunity to say something like that to me if given the chance, now could you?"

"True.. But I wouldn't be about to trip over a log as I did so." She spoke as she jumped onto a fallen tree that I had the outstanding luck to not notice.

I smacked my face right into the ground. "How many times am I going to hit my face today!" I say loudly as I sit up.

"Not sure, but I'll keep count for you." She said as she leaned in front of me. As she inspected my face for any injuries I stared at her eyes. Mace didn't have your typical eye color. Were as most people had brown, blue, or green eyes she had bright gold. The kind of gold shading that seemed unreal. They were beautiful.

"I think you'll live. Doesn't look like you have a scratch on you." She reached her hand down to pull me up. "Now let's hurry up and get what we came out her for. I really don't want to have to sleep in a tree tonight." During the day it was okay to venture out of the city but at night it was dangerous. When the sun goes down these creatures that are so terrifying that I can't even describe come out. Anyone who is caught by them are never seen again. All we find when search parties go looking are bloodied and torn clothes.

"Alright. I bet I can find a transilium deposit before you." I smirk at her. With the challenge stated her eyes light up.

"Oh, you're on!"

We continued on in silence as we ventured through the forest and up the mountain. We were about halfway up when we heard the sound of wings over us. Stopping to look up we saw a dragon hovering above the trees. At this moment we didn't know what to do so we just stood there watching as it came closer and closer to the ground. When it finally landed in front of us it spoke.

"At last I have found you..."