The Reckoning

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. In fact it hadn’t always been a valley. Once it had been a great city. The greatest of the continent- the world even. Kings would travel vast distances to look upon it. Coveting its opulence. Vowing for their own kingdoms to one day transcend its greatness. Until the notorious king of the great city got too greedy and took too much. His arrogance became greater than his city and he ultimately lost sight of his own mortality. We were only too happy to remind him. The very day one of our kin became enslaved we took to the skies. Our dragon fire devastated the eminent cities across the extensive continent. We saved the great city for last.

Fear was almost tangible as the people made for their fortress. As if that would protect them. Our fire scorched. In the end their greed didn’t save them. Rather it sealed their fate. We brought the once magnificent city to its knees, into rubble and finally reduced it to ash. As is our nature we hoarded the cities gold- it strengthens our power. Hundreds of years have passed since that day and yet I can recall it like it happened only yesterday. The humans never recovered. Now residing in modest communities hidden in the forests throughout the continent. Humorous they believe we don’t know where they are, or that we couldn’t find them with the right motivation. However they seem to have learned their lesson. Don’t provoke the dragons. The humans believe that day was divine intervention but in actuality we are a proud, loyal creatures but we are also ruthless. We believe in vengeance and punishment.

Ships from other lands haven’t breached the horizon for years. Lest they also incur the wrath of the dragons. They’ve surrendered our continent to us and peace has settled between our species once again. Of course the humans still live in fear of us and rightfully so. Since the reckoning no human has been bold enough to stray within a kilometre of our kind. Until the blue-eyed girl. The first day she came I could smell her before I could see her. As she got closer to our valley I became curious because it was very clear she intended to move in our direction. Her course was direct which could only mean the valley would be her intended target. I couldn’t work out why. Even before we’d wreaked havoc on the humans very few were bold enough to come close. We’re the world’s best predators after all.

As King of the Dragons it’s my duty to protect my kin from imposing threats. When the girl peeked around the tree that first day I didn’t react- I wouldn’t let her know I knew she was there until I decided on a course of action. My sharp reptilian eyes honed in on her inquisitively. Young but not as young as expected, not so much a girl as a young adult. Terror and awe clung to her scent as her eyes anxiously flicked over my kin and finally landing on me, she swallowed and yet even though I could smell her fear, even though her eyes were wide and even though her posture was rigid with apprehension she held her ground. Although she smelled as if her clothes had never been washed and the dirt that stained her flesh under her nails was so thick it may never wash away, I could still make out her natural scent. Soft, sweet and delicate like her, she smelled of pear and lilac.

Skin so pale and untouched by the son contrasted with her calloused hands. I’ve seen softer hands on slaves. Long black hair hung in matted dirty tendrils and her eyes were so blue they put the clear valley waters to shame. It was nightfall before she retreated into the dark forest that first day. Quiet for a human. I watched her intrigued as she mirrored with her own intrigue of us. My favourite part of the day is dusk. It’s golden light flecks over the bountiful valley. Casting a soft magic over everything it touches. The warmth from the sun still present as the grass, the trees and the mountains are gilded. Our scales seem to shimmer and shine with every movement. But my favourite sight is when the last light of day lightly kisses the girl. Light causes her to look up through her lashes her bright blue eyes like a perfect beacon. Her skin and hair gleam even coated in dirt and I wonder at her ethereal beauty.

Months have passed since she first came and she still comes almost every day as if she can’t bear to stay away. It had taken weeks for the anxiety to leave her posture and I found I was glad when it had. Everyday I looked forward to her coming for some strange reason. Today isn’t any different; I’m comfortably stretched out over my gold watching her with her sketchpad as I do everyday. Determination clings to her scent today, her heart rate is high and her eyes shine with a firm resolve. My claws worry my gold unconsciously as I wonder what could be causing her stiff shoulders. What’s caused the shift in her? Soft but deep breaths sound from her as she presumably tries to calm her racing heart.

My sister Davina rumbles a groan, flips ungracefully onto her back and stretches loudly drawing the attention to her. Everyday she does this when the sun reaches directly overhead. It’s her preferred flying time and therefore we’re all expected to join her or she gets testy. Dragons are nothing if not creatures of habit. I chuckle softly at the thought and slight puffs of smoke blow out of my snout which draws the human’s attention to me and her sapphire eyes flash to me in surprise. My heart seems to stand still as her sharp eyes assess me. Strange how sharp she is for a young human, her keen eyes notice every slight shift. After a moment she frowns and shakes her head slightly like she’s dismissing a thought, no doubt assuming she imagined my chuckle. It’s probably best that way.

Clinking gold sounds around the valley like a deafening roar as we prepare to take flight; birds are startled into the air. Flying is the greatest thrill and from time to time I feel badly that the girl has never experienced it. Soaring through the icy clouds as they melt around the heat of my body. Dropping sharply towards the ground and then pulling back at the last second. Recently I’ve had more than one fantasy about the girl, sitting astride my back as I glide around the continent. I show her every corner of the world and revel in her delight, in the wonder that lights her crystal eyes. These thoughts are wrong I know but its just thoughts and that can’t hurt anyone.

My family have never noticed the girl. As a sign of deference they turn off their heightened senses and trust me to protect them utterly. Also the girl is clever for a human, her hiding spots always straddle the river covering any noises she might make. She won’t sit down wind, always covers her body in dirt, mud and leaves to mask her scent. Even going as far as to stay away when she bleeds monthly. It took me longer than I like to admit to figure that out. Those days she stayed away I missed her. I shouldn’t but I did. This human is the only guilty pleasure I allow myself. Throwing a last longing glance at her I glide up into the heavens and join my family in flight.

Taking a deep breath I feel all my stress leave my body, the air is fresh up here. Icy, white clouds mist around me, melting from the heat of my scales. Frowning I notice Davina weaving in and out of our formation then abruptly turning to speed back towards our valley. I narrow my gaze shifting through the legion of scales and wings realising why she turned back. My nephew Ryker isn’t among us. Being a young dragon he’s curious and headstrong, always wandering off. Usually I wouldn’t turn back to help but if I’m being honest I want to see the girl again. My intrigue is fast becoming obsession and it needs to stop. Just not today. Turning I glide back to the valley leisurely until a bloodcurdling scream echoes through the valley and into the sky. The girl is in danger. Panic seizes my throat, fire creeping up my oesophagus. Pushing it down I work my wings harder and speed back to the clearing.

My keen eyes see Ryker naked in his human form protectively enveloped in the girl’s arms as she backs slowly away from Davina who’s still in her dragon form. Alarm floods through me- the humans can’t find out we’re form shifters. Davina roars at Ryker to shift and he immediately follows her command, his scales ripping forth and his size manages to knock the girl back a few metres. She lands roughly on the gold. The scent of blood is strong and I can see the girl’s arm is bleeding but she doesn’t notice as she scrambles backwards across the gold keeping her eyes locked on my sister and nephew. A trail of blood leads behind her across the glint of the coins. I drop down next to my kin and the girl blanches. Can’t say I blame her, I’m the biggest dragon ever recorded. Shallow breath and panicked noises make my heart twist as she stares at us like we’re evil monsters. Although I guess to her, we are.

The girl panics and instead of remaining calm she grabs the first thing her hand touches – her sketchpad. In what must be an attempt to distract she flings it at us then spins grabbing a bag of gold I hadn’t noticed and flees to the safety of the tree line. Is the human stealing from us? Is that why she’s been coming here? Hurt rumbles inside my chest. Ryker whines in shock as her sketchpad hits him square between the eyes. Causing Davina’s maternal instincts to jump into overdrive. Fury surfaces and she hurtles across the gold after the human sending a warning flare of fire at the girl in order to drive the girl away for good. Another terrified scream rips out of the girl as she glances over her shoulder eyes wide.

Having the element of surprise the human spins to face us throwing her blade at Davina with deadly accuracy. My heart drops as I recognise the blade as a Firesiphon- a supernatural weapon sharp enough to slice through dragon scales and kill us. It buries up to the hilt in her chest before Davina thinks to react. Davina grunts in shock before she collapses to the ground changing into her human form. The girl watches impassively, her cold blue eyes meet my reptilian ones then without wasting another second she turns to bolt into the cover of the forest. Taking up chase I catch her in a few strides knocking her to the ground and holding her there with my sharp claws. Blue eyes stare into my slits and I’m surprised to find them bereft of fear.

“I know you won’t hurt me,” the girl says her voice unwavering.

She emphasises the ‘you’ as if she knows I’ve been watching her. Maybe she does. My resolve weakens as I stare down at her naïve face and I release her. Without hesitation she runs off into the woods. Hurrying back to my sister I quickly shift into human form and kneel at Davina’s side holding her head in my lap off the gold as I gaze darkly at the Firesiphon dagger wedged into her chest. They were supposed to have all been destroyed in the reckoning. The humans can’t be allowed to posses something so dangerous to us.

“It hasn’t hit any vital organs thank the fire,” I say in relief smiling down at Davina affectionately.

Davina takes a shaky breath, her eyes flutter and a fat tear escapes down her unusually cool skin. She looks into my eyes and I can see the fear and acceptance in the depths then chokes out her last words. A warning. “The blade’s been coated in poison”

Her eyes drift over to her son, she smiles proudly and attempts to reach for him as her eyes glaze over and she stills forever. Ryker’s wailing doesn’t register as I stare down at Davina’s lifeless body in my arms. Vaguely I hear the anguished roars of my kin who must’ve landed behind me. A human has killed one of us and has seen we can shift into humans. This won’t go unpunished. Something is dropped next to me, stirring the gold around me and I glance at it dismissively. A sketchpad. Belonging to the girl.

After a second my gaze sharpens on it as I realise what I’m looking at. Snatching it off the ground I look through pages and pages of details on us. Arrogantly I’d believed the girl was drawing us in our magnificent forms all this time. She’s been learning our habits for months, writing down potential weaknesses… making notes on how she’ll kill us. The words ‘poison dagger’ have been circled over and over. I’ve allowed myself to be deceived by her innocent appearance. My roar reverberates through the continent, causing the very ground to quake in fear. I know the human will hear it. She will hear it and she’ll know I’m coming for her. There’s nowhere she’ll be able to hide. The peace between our species has been shattered forevermore. Inferno will reign from the sky and obliterate the humans. Today we grieve; tomorrow I seek vengeance against the blue-eyed demon.