She stood there, frozen as she watched the flames consume her collapsing home and eat away the forest.
“Kasari, Dari!” Mari cried as she saw their burning home.
Aniljem whined as he backed up, trying to hide in the forest as another deep roar rang out over the skies, but this time, it was a roar Mari recognized.
She watched in awe as their Guardian swooped low over the burning forest, before turning to dive upwards, teeth bared and claws at the ready. The sight both terrified and gave hope to Mari, surely their Guardian would save them.
But the hope was soon dashed as another Dragon rose up from the burning forest, its
massive black wings fanning the flames towards Mari’s hiding spot as it took to the sky after the Guardian. It was a dragon unlike any Mari had ever seen or heard of, its rough scales encased in metal plating, like armor, it’s eyes sharp and focused, jagged teeth visible even when its mouth was closed, but oddest of all was Mari could not understand. She could not hear it’s ‘inner voice’, all she could hear was an unbridled rage.
The two great beasts clashed in the air, but it was clear this was a losing battle. The black dragon was nearly twice the size of Nehyjal, and far more powerful. It spewed flames as it blocked her path, going for her wings.
The roar of pain from the Guardian hurt Mari’s ears to hear. The fight only took seconds, but
to Mari it felt like an eternity.
The tribes Guardian, Great Nehyjal was defeated, crushed to the ground upon the ruins of
Mari’s home as the black dragon stilled her with an unyielding bite to the neck.
The force of such a large body crashing to the ground knocked Mari off her feet, sending her flying backwards into the forest.
She was ten when her world went up in flames. That was the first, but not the last time it happened.
When Mari came to, it was to Aniljem laying protectively over her, wings spread to shield her from the encroaching flames. He whimpered as he licked her face to wake her. She squinted and coughed, the smoke choking the air from her lungs as she looked around.
Just past Aniljem’s wing, she could see the body of Nehyjal, her house lost somewhere
beneath the great dragon’s legs.
Mari felt tears sting her eyes along with the smoke, and Aniljem whined as he tried to lick them away.
They had to run.
It was a struggle, but Mari somehow found the strength to push herself to her feet. If the fire had reached their side of the forest, they couldn’t stay hidden here any longer, so they ran.
And they kept on running, past the forest, past the border of the Dragon-king's lands, until they couldn’t run anymore.
Mari didn’t know what time it was, or for how long they’d run for, only that they collapsed in a meadow of wildflowers she had never seen before.
But their beauty was lost on her as she crumpled, curling around on herself as she cried. For
what she didn’t even know anymore. For her home? Her people? Her family?
Everything she ever knew was gone, all she had left, all she had of anything, was Aniljem. But the young dragon was just as vulnerable as she was, still too young to fly, to make fire, to fight and defend himself.
They were alone in the world. They were doomed.
Humans…
Mari knew very little of them. Kasari had told her stories sometimes, of the other peoples of the world, but humans were a mystery even to her.
When Mari awoke in the meadow from her exhausted and tearful sleep, it was to the distant murmur of voices.
Parked a short distance away, was a wagon linked up to a pair of horses, and besides that, a small group of humans stood, staring wide-eyed at her. At Aniljem.
Aniljem nuzzled her back worried, just as nervous of these strangers. Trying to be brave, Mari moves herself between her dragon and the group, not that she could hide him, Aniljem was already a good head and shoulders bigger than her.
The humans looked between each other, whispering in voices Mari couldn’t understand. But
they must’ve come to a decision, as slowly the largest man began to approach.
“Hello, there little girl… are you… alright?” He asked, not that Mari understood.
Her blank face must have given it away, as the man sighed and slowly moved to kneel, smiling kindly at her.
“Are you hurt? Do you need help?”
Mari’s ear flicked at the strange words, but she at least understood the kindness of the tone.
The man looked back at the uneasy group. “I don’t think she can understand me.” “What is she? She’s not human, is she an elf?”
“With those horns? I doubt it.”
“Isn’t anyone worried about that dragon behind her?!”
“Oh relax, I don’t think it’s a threat, look at it, it’s cowering!”
The man sighed again, his group proving unhelpful, and turned back to face Mari. It was a risk, but he was willing to take it in order to help a lost child.
Stretching out his hand, he smiled as warmly and kindly as he could, gesturing her to come toward him. “Why don’t you come with us?”
Mari stared at the waving hand, unsure what to make of it. Did it mean he wanted her to go with him… them? And if so, should she? She was lost, and alone. What other choice did she have?
Her ears flicked as she reached out to the man and smiled back in what she hoped was a friendly way to the humans.
Chapter 5
Aniljem followed with every step she took, and while the others of the group still seemed uneasy, Mari was at least sure this was better than staying in the meadow.
3 years ago, …
“Come on Aniljem, I know you can do it!” Mari cried as they took flight.
The young dragon had grown much in the past five years. His wide wings had strengthened, giving him the power of flight, and he’d found his fire. Able to fly and fight, he became a strong hunter, and partner to Mari.
The humans who found her five years ago in that meadow were a group of traveling merchants. It took some time, but eventually Mari picked up the human tongue. Jacob, the
leader of the group, always laughed that she spoke with an odd accent, turning r’s into deep rumbles. Mari didn’t mind though, as she still practiced her mother tongue of the Dragon- kin.
As it turned out, having a young dragon as a mascot helped bring in business as people came from far and wide to see the beast with their own eyes. Mari wasn’t so comfortable with that, but it was the least she could do for the people kind enough to save them.
Still, she had urged Aniljem to learn to fly and make fire as soon as possible, and now, he was a powerful dragon in his own right.
Mari grinned as she hugged low to Aniljem’s neck, reveling in the rush of wind blowing her long green hair out behind her.
She had grown too. No longer a child, she proudly wore the colourful cloth and silks of the Drako Traders, bright oranges hugged her body while decorative strips of blue and red gave detail to the designs. She kept the rugged boots though, preferring them to the dainty shoes Anna, Jacob’s daughter, insisted she wore.
She was an attraction too they’d joked. Not many people knew of the Dragon-kin and the sight of Mari’s violet eyes and short spiral horns often drew just as much attention as Aniljem did. And why wouldn’t she? As far as anyone knew, she was the only Dragon-kin humans had ever seen.
She tried not to think too much about that. After all, she knew there were other tribes out there, even if she was the only survivor of that day, she couldn’t be the only one of her people left.
She couldn’t be.
Aniljem brought her out of her thoughts with a deep roar, a theatrical flair they came up with, before setting the sky alight with his orange flames.
Far below, a city full of onlookers cheered at the show. Fireworks were set off, and Aniljem effortless weaved his way between them, using the light to show off his silvery scales.
He had grown
to resemble his mother well, but the deep red markings across his back and
at the tops of his wings were all his father’s.
Mari knew nothing of the dragon who mated with their Guardian all those many years ago, that part of a dragon’s life was secretive even to the Dragon-kin. But Aniljem was proud is his colors, and that was all that really mattered.
As they came into land atop the Drako Traders building, Jacob was already waiting to begin his expert selling. Mari wasn’t much for trading herself, the ins and outs of economics were beyond her, she was more interested in action.
Never one to sit still, she made light work of moving goods around in the store. A fact she had come to learn about herself over humans, she was naturally faster, stronger, her senses greater than anyone else.
But one sense she had learnt to hone above all else, a kind of sixth sense for danger.
She was no longer a weak child, and she knew in her heart that the black dragon was still out there somewhere. She knew she’d see it again someday; she just didn’t think it’d be so soon.
“Anna tell Jacob I’m heading out!” Mari called as she rushed for the door, dressed down for a day of fun rather than showing off.
“Again?” The young blonde woman sighed. She was only a year Mari’s senior, but often
acted far older.
“What?” Mari drawled, backing out the door, “You know Aniljem needs his morning run.”
Anna could only shake her head as Mari disappeared.
“That girl,” she huffed, “she’s nothing but trouble.”
Mari wasn’t lying, Aniljem was more than willing to get up with the sun for a morning flight. It had become routine for them, to rise with the sun, to soar high above with the birds and roar with the wind.
Today, Mari decided to fly south, over the cliffs and above the waves of the Trade Seas she once crossed two years ago with her unlikely family.
For a while, as the sun shone across the blue water, all seemed peaceful, but a tingle at the base of her neck told Mari not all was as it seemed. Aniljem could sense it too; danger was coming.
They barely had time to scan the horizon before a deafening roar, one that haunted both
Dragon and Kin’s nightmares shook the cliffs.
Wide-eyed, Mari turned towards the sound as her worst fears were realized. The black dragon was back.
It’s dark figure blotted out the rising sun to the sound of powerful wings and clinking metal. Mari couldn’t tell if it was her imagination or not, but the dragon somehow looked even larger than last time.
Had it grown? She fearfully wondered.
She stared at the menacing sight, before suddenly shaking herself free of her fear-filled stupor, directing all her attention to Aniljem.
“Hurry Aniljem, we have to warn the others!”
Twisting in the air, the young dragon dove down, picking up as much speed as he could to race back home. Their only blessing in that moment was for all its size, the black dragon was slow. Too slow to keep up, and hopefully- to follow them home.
Mari sighed with relief as the city came into view and then shrieked softly as Aniljem nearly crashed with the speed of his landing. The city was full of confused onlookers, so blissfully unaware of what doom was coming for them.
“Jacob, Anna, everyone, we have to run! We have to get away, now!” Mari cried, tripping
over her own feet as she plowed through the door.
“Mari?!” Anna gasped, worriedly coming to meet her terrified sister. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”
“There’s no time!” Mari shouted, tugging on Anna to get out of the shop. “We have to get away before-” She didn’t need to finish that sentence as the roar that shook the whole building did it for her.
“Oh no, it’s here…” Mari wailed as screams soon took over the curious talk outside.
Seeing how afraid Mari was, Anna took charge. “Mari, go. Take Aniljem and get out of here,
I’ll get the others.” “No, you can’t-”
“This is no time to argue, now GO!” Anna shoved Mari out the door, turning back to fetch the others downstairs.
Not wanting to argue, Mari hurried to climb back onto Aniljem and take flight, hoping to somehow help everyone get away.
They flew low over the burning eastern end of the city, avoiding the black dragon’s gaze as they searched for survivors trapped within the flames.
“Ah, down there!” Mari cried, directing Aniljem to a group of kids trapped under the burning canopy of a stall.
Dragons were more fire resistant than any other creature, so it wasn’t hard for Aniljem to use his back legs to pull the burning structure away from the children. Once a path was open, they scrambled out.
“Hurry, head south, don’t stop until you get to the sea!” Mari ordered.
It was they only safe place she could think off, and someone had to take charge of all the chaos. So, despite her fear, she hung low, helping and directing as many people as she could.
Together, she and Aniljem cleared a path out of the city for the fleeing people, but with so many humans gathered and heading in one direction, they soon drew unwanted attention. The black dragon roared as it lay its dagger like eyes on them.
“Aniljem run!” Mari screeched at being seen.
The black dragon dove for them and Mari flattened herself as much as possible to Aniljem’s back, tightening her hold in fear as they flew low, weaving between the burning buildings for cover.
Rather than chase them, the black dragon growled as it spewed it’s fire down over the area. Had Mari been wearing her usual fancy loose clothes, she’d surely have caught on fire, but thanks to Aniljem’s quick movements and her simple, more rugged clothes, the flames only singed the ends of her hair.
Weaving wasn’t working, so Aniljem flew up, rising above the buildings to hopefully just outrun the beast with his superior speed. But rather than give chase like Mari thought it would, the dragon landed, roughly shaking its head, making the metal armour and chains it was covered in clank loudly with the movement.
Mari’s eyes widened in shock as for the first time, she saw a rider upon the black dragon
back, but something was very wrong…
The dragon let out a roar that almost sounded pain filled as it turned, swinging it large tail around to destroy what little remained of the city.
That was when dread set in Mari’s heart.
Two streets down from the black dragon’s tail, was the Drako Traders shop, where Anna was trying to help a limping Jacob get out the broken building. If the dragon turned again, it would surely see them.
“Aniljem, we have to help them!”
Chapter 6
The young dragon rumbled in agreement as they made their move. He was little more than a quarter of the size of the black dragon, but that didn’t matter, because this dragon had a weakness.
“Go for the rider!” Mari cried as they looped around.
The black dragon was distracted, shaking its head and rumbling nonsensically, so the rider was wide open.
Aniljem’s claws ripped through cloth and skin as he pulled the rider from the dragon’s shoulders. Not strong enough to carry the weight of two people, Aniljem used his momentum to pull the rider down, dropping them into a burning building.
Mari didn’t have time to decide if that was right or wrong, all she could do in that moment was look over to see if Anna and Jacob had gotten away. She couldn’t see them on the street anymore and hoped that was a good sign.
The black dragon, now free of its tormentor, rumbled lowly as it dropped to roll around in the ruined city.
Mari was torn; her instincts as a Dragon-kin told her to help it, but her fear was stronger. She turned Aniljem away as they headed for the sea, hoping to find everyone who made it out alive, hoping to find Anna and Jacob and the others.
They had survived, somehow. Jacob was left with a permanent limp in his right leg and many had scars from the fire, but they were ali
ve. Others were not so lucky.
Only a few hundred remained of the city that once housed thousands.
“What do we do now?” “Where do we go?”
“We’ve lost everything!”
The people were lost, they needed a leader. Someone to guide them, to protect them…
Mari was not that leader. In her heart, she knew she could not remain. The black dragon, it’s rider… the impending danger the adults of her tribe once spoke of…
She knew what she had to do.
Turning to Anna, she smiled weakly, “Look after everyone.”
“What?” She cried, turning to look at Mari. Anna knew her too well as she reached out to grab her arm. “You’re leaving us? Now?! You can’t!”
“I’m sorry, but I have to go, that dragon…” Mari couldn’t look her in the eyes, she knew if she did she’d end up staying.
“Forget that dragon, we’re your family, we need you!”
“You know something…” Jacob frowned from his spot-on a nearby rock. “I’m sorry…”
“No, I’m sorry.” He smiled warmly. “I’ve seen how you’ve stared longingly out your window, as if there was something out there calling you. We’ve kept you rooted for too long, you need to spread your wings, just like Aniljem.” He grinned, knowing he was making the right decision. “Go, do what you need to do, find what’s out there calling you. But remember
Mari, no matter what, we’ll always be your family.” He chuckled, “There will always be a place for you in the Drako Traders.”
“Thank you…” Mari sighed as she climbed back onto Aniljem. “I’ll come back someday; I promise.”
With a strong nod from Jacob, they took to the air and left.
Where exactly they were going, Mari wasn’t sure. She thought over what Jacob has said to
her, that something out there has been calling her, but was that true? All she really knew, was that she needed to go south.
Last of the Dragon Warriors- a Will of Fire Page 2