What was left in the Valley

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. Once they never used to come to the mainland at all. They lived on the Lourlan islands feasting on what they could find on the rocky cliffs and diving to the depths of the ocean for more. At that distance they would have looked like small birds dancing on the horizon.

Now, of course, we run from the sight of them; no one wants to be prey.

It wasn't until my grandmother's time that a sighting was first recorded. Tika says that she stood in awe with the rest of the Valley as a Dragon landed in front of them, their talons melting through the snow to find solid ground. Now we all know the sounds of the dragon: the heaving wings, the rumble of fire brewing in their bellies and the heat that comes with the barrelling flames.

The Valley is swallowed by their shadows as they fly through the sky. Our only defences are prayer and sacrifice, hoping that they take our livestock before they come for us. But that was before the drought when they lived in the mountains and rarely came down to the Valley. Now that the water's gone we hear their growling calls each morning.

Even now I can hear them talking to each other somewhere nearby in the skies as I sneak inside the mountain towards Keepers cave staying low and close to the wall. We moved the most precious possessions of the Valley into Keepers cave after the attack twelve winters ago. Fire has a habit of burning everything. The cave isn't guarded and anyone who wants to store goods inside is welcome. The only rule is that you don't take anything that doesn't belong to you.

And yet here I am, following a thief.

I walk in the dark following the smudge of light ahead. When I find them in Keeper’s cave they're rummaging through the shelves that don’t belong to them. They have their hood drawn low over their face but I can recognise my brother anywhere. But what were they doing? I creep further inside, accidentally knocking over a pile of bowls stacked at the entrance.

'Shit.' My brother whirls at the noise. He slumps when he sees it's me.

‘Ada,’ he says.

‘Micah,’ I say, mimicking his know-it-all tone.

‘You shouldn’t be here,’ he says turning back to the shelves.

‘I could say the same thing,’ I pick up one of the bowls and toss it to him. He spins and catches it in a blink. He tosses it to himself with a grin.

‘You’re getting better,' he quips. 'I’ll give you that.’

‘Thank you, my liege,’ I say with an exaggerated bow, which is when I see the dagger in his belt. It’s barely larger than his hand and the metal shines in a luminous black, dark as night. 'Dragon Stone,' I breathe. 'But how - '

'Ada, enough!' He booms.

'Woah,' I say throwing my hands up in surrender. 'Well that was a reasonable reaction.'

'Just go.'

'Um, no. What the hell are you doing with dragon stone?'

'None of your business.'

'Well, why don't I just go and tell everyone and make it my business.' I start to walk out of Keeper's - making a show of my large steps so that he knows I'm serious.

'Wait - fine. I'll tell you.' He buries his head in his hands, defeated. 'I'm going...' He can't bring himself to finish.

'... tooooo try and kill a dragon?' I offer. 'Because I hope not, that would be the dumbest - '

'I'm going to leave the Valley.'

'What?' I can feel the blood draining from my face.

'The dragon stone is for protection, I'm going to go beyond the Valley to the other side of the Mountains.'

'Micah, there's only death beyond the Valley.' He shakes his head and stands up tall to his full height.

'No, Ada, there's freedom. I've met someone who comes from the other side of the Mountain. They told me about all of these things that I can't even describe myself. There is so much more than what we know and I'm going to experience it.'

'So, you're leaving me?' I can't stop the tears welling in my eyes, he comes over and wipes them away like he always does.

'I'll be back and with stories to tell,' he grins and wraps his arm around me. 'Come on, walk with me.'

He guides me like I'm in a trance. Micah is leaving the Valley and even though he says he'll be coming back. No one ever does.

There's only death beyond the Valley.

'I could tell mother,' I whimper. 'Then you'd have to stay.'

'But you won't,' he says and he's right. I couldn't dob him in. Just like I know that I won't go with him.

This is our goodbye.

We arrive at the mouth of the cave, and I squint at the sunshine that stings my eyes.

'You'll be alright,' he says as he hugs me goodbye. Over his shoulder I see the Valley and realise with sudden horror that it's not the sun that's lighting the distance.

It's fire.

Micah lets me go and I try to stop him.

'Wait - ' I plead, trying to grab for his arm but he steps out of the cave and into flames. The heat is so intense and I raise my arms to shield myself from it as I dive back into the cave.

The burst of flames is short and sharp but it's enough to do the job.

'Micah?' I whisper, even as the lingering smoke still bites at my eyes. The fire consumed him where he stood, leaving only a pile of ash behind. I know that he's gone but I find myself drawing closer, hopelessly searching for him. My eyes are burning at the smoke now and the smell is making me gag but I press forward.

'Micah?'

Two talons drop to the ground as if in reply, sending the last of the smoke to the heavens as the dragon lowers itself down from the mountainside and peers into the cave to find me.

The dagger is on the ground amidst the ash of Micah. The leather of the handle has gone but the dragon stone is still formed and glowing bright red from the heat. Before I have time to think or the dragon has time to turn me to cinders I grab the dagger. I scream as it sears my flesh but I don't drop it. I run. Not away from the dragon but towards, skirting around the flames that burst into the cave and dragging the dagger along the side of it’s neck as I pass. The dagger slices through its armoured skin like butter and the dragon’s shriek bursts into my ears.

I keep running out into the open air before diving into a small alcove by the entrance. The dragon flails, blood spurting in every direction. Its scream draws a second dragon down to meet it. I wait in hiding with my hands pressed against my chest. I can feel the dagger burning into my skin as I hold it like I hold my breath.

I can only see the tip of its spiked tail. It twitches as it searches for me the spikes digging into the grass. I want to peer around and see what it’s looking for but I don’t dare. My movements would sound like beats on a drum to the dragon so I hold perfectly still and hope it can’t hear the racing beat of my heart.

The screams of the first dragon stop and I hear it thump to the ground. The late arrival roars before sending flames into the air. Four others shriek in reply and I follow the flames with my eyes to see fire meeting fire in the sky.

Seconds feel like hours as I hide.

Slowly the screams of the dragons stop and there's a gust of wind that nearly blows me over as it takes flight. I wait until I can no longer hear the beating of their wings before I fall out of the alcove onto the grass, gasping for breath.

I find the dragon by the mouth of the cave, it's black blood pooling around it.

I killed it.

Then I look out to the Valley to see the ash of my home amidst smoke and fire and realise the second horrible truth.

I'm the only one left.