by Logan Jacobs
I stomped my foot to activate my griffon feather boots, and then I dashed through the town toward the castle, but I didn’t even slow down when I passed the guards standing watch on either side of the entrance. I ran straight to the audience chamber, and I instantly spotted Elissa and Mahini among the crowd of people.
Mahini’s piercing blue gaze met mine through the throng of people, and her lips parted as though to say my name, but I didn’t slow down.
They were safe, and so was the rest of the populace, so I turned my attention back to the city outside, and I was a blur of motion followed by a gust of wind as I shot through the audience chamber to the exit. I made a new save point as I left the castle, and I returned to the streets of Bullard.
I’d come back and hug them later, but there could be more people in danger, and I wanted to save as many lives as possible.
Then I scanned the aftermath of the dragon’s attack. Several buildings had collapsed beneath the beast’s weight, and the roof of the western tower was in crumbles. The fires had devastated many stores and homes, and when I heard moans of pain, I realized there were still people trapped inside some of the structures.
This was my time to shine. I’d saved the city, and I’d probably saved countless lives in the process, as well. There was some damage, but the duke and his people could always rebuild.
It was my job to save the rest of the people who needed help.
The building in front of me was covered in soot, and the stone walls had saved most of the building, but the roof had fallen under the pressure of the dragon’s claws when it landed briefly.
Would the dragon come back?
I couldn’t worry about that now, not when people needed my help. So, I kicked in the burnt remains of the door to the building where I’d heard the cries of pain, and I coughed in the ash cloud that ensued from the portal’s destruction. The structure was no longer on fire, but heat still radiated from inside.
From what I could see, there were two rooms. The front was the storefront, but another doorway led to a room behind the counter. I couldn’t tell what they sold from the piles of ashes that were once products, and I didn’t see any people, so I stepped over the smoldering floorboards and entered the next space.
The ceiling had collapsed, and the beams of the roof were folded in on themselves, which blocked my path forward.
“Is anyone in here?” I called out through the wreckage.
“Over here!” a man’s faint voice replied in a pained tone. “I’m stuck beneath the beam.”
I tried to lift the wooden log closest to me experimentally, but I could only move it a few inches at a time before my arms screamed out in agony. The screech of wood shifting against wood encouraged me to keep going, though, and a moment later I’d moved the beam enough to fit my body inside the room. Then I shoved a piece of debris under the beam to keep it from shifting back into place.
When I was sure I’d secured the exit, I climbed over the next log, scurried beneath another, and then I stood on the other side of the beam that pinned the man in the corner. I analyzed the situation, and I quickly realized the man’s leg was stuck beneath the wood, and it was obviously broken.
“I’m going to lift the beam,” I explained in a calm voice, “and I want you to pull your leg out from underneath it.”
“I’m ready,” the older man said in a firm tone, and I took a second to get a good look at him. He had curly brown hair that stuck to his sweaty forehead, and the lines around his dark eyes suggested he was in his mid-fifties. He wasn’t freaking out, which was a bonus, but I could tell he was in a huge amount of pain.
I took a deep breath, got a good grip on the beam, and then heaved upward with all the strength I had left in me. The log shifted, and a loud groan echoed around the room as the other poles moved, but the man yanked his leg out from underneath it, and I dropped the log back down.
“Now, we just have to get you out of here,” I said with an encouraging grin.
“I can’t put weight on my leg,” the man pointed out. “You’ll have to help me, if you don’t mind.”
“We’ve come this far,” I replied, and then I reached over the beam and got a firm grasp on the man beneath his arms. “Up and over, easy does it.”
With my help, the man maneuvered his broken leg over the beam, and then the rest of his body followed. Once he was on my side of the log, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, I put mine around his back, and the two of us clambered to safety.
Once we were outside the store, I set the man down on the paving stones, and I caught my breath. I sneezed a couple of times as I dusted the ashes off my armor, but I’d need to clean it again soon.
“How are you feeling?” I asked the man in a friendly tone.
“Alive, thanks to you,” he said as he flashed me a soot-stained but grateful smile. “How can I repay you?”
“There’s no need,” I assured him. “It’s all part of being the God of Time.”
“You certainly arrived just in the nick of time.” The man shook his head in awe. “There’s no telling how many have lost their lives today…”
“Speaking of which,” I said, and I gave the man a smile. “I need to go help the rest of the people. I’ll send some of the guards around to fetch the injured. You’ll get patched up in no time.”
“Of course.” The man inclined his head respectfully. “Thank you again for saving my life, you truly are a god.”
“Don’t mention it.” I grinned and waved goodbye, and then I headed down the street to see who else I could help.
I came across a building with flames still licking at the roof, and I doused the fire with my ice spell before I inspected the inside. I didn’t find anyone trapped, though, so I kept moving.
Then I turned down a street that had been heavily damaged by the dragon, and I ran across some of the guards. They stood in a line down the street as they passed buckets of water from one to the other.
So, they did have systems in place like the firefighters back home.
“There he is!” one of the guards announced when he spotted me.
“The man who fought the dragon!” another called out.
The guards in the front of the line emptied their buckets onto the fire eating a building nearby, and then they all rushed over to me.
“You were amazing out there!” one of the men said as he shook my hand.
“How did you do it?” another asked, and he clapped me on the shoulder.
“I saw you run through the city, but you were so fast I couldn’t keep track of you,” a third said as he jostled for my attention. “How do you do that?”
“Can you teach us to fight like you?”
“You were fearless!”
They continued to talk over each other and fight to touch me, but I made a point to shake all of their hands.
“Just another day in the life of a god,” I laughed.
“You’re a god!” a guard gasped, and then the crowd of men fell into a hushed silence.
“I have been summoned to save your world,” I explained as I lifted my chin with pride. “My name is Sebastian, the God of Time, but you can call me Bash, everyone else does.”
“What an honor to meet you,” a younger man said as he shook my hand for the second time. “My name is Riondale, I’m the lieutenant.”
He had short-cropped black hair, and he held his helmet under his arm. His eyes were pale blue and had an innocence in them I would not have expected from a senior officer, but he held himself tall and met my gaze like a man worthy of respect.
The men all proceeded to introduce themselves and shake my hand again, and I obliged them patiently. It wasn’t every day they met a god, after all.
“Alright, men,” I said in a clipped tone as I clapped my hands together. “There are still people out there in need of our help. Let’s get the rest of these fires put out and then comb the wreckage for survivors. Then we’ll need to round up all the injured and make sure they’re tended to.”
“They’ve already sent for the wagon for the dead,” Riondale informed me in a solemn tone.
“Uhh, good.” I swallowed down the lump in my throat at the thought of anyone in Bullard losing their lives. Even though this wasn’t Bastianville, I felt a sense of protection over all the innocent people of this world. I regained my composure after a moment and nodded curtly to the guards who surrounded me. “Let’s get to work, men.”
They saluted in response, and then they broke off into pairs to comb through the remains of the street. I turned to do the same, and I saw Kane and Burnyolf approaching me through the debris-strewn avenue.
“Young man!” Burnyolf called out as they crossed the distance to me. “We’ve been looking all over the city for you!”
It was odd to see the two together since Burnyolf had given me the impression they were at odds during our first meeting.
“I’ve been trying to tell him you are the Great One of legend, but he would not believe me,” Kane grumbled in a frustrated voice.
“You are the man with the inferno wand, are you not?” the enchanter demanded. “Why did you not tell me you were a god? I wouldn’t have charged you for my service.”
“It was worth a few coins.” I shrugged. “Kane speaks the truth, though. He may have told you of our duel?”
“I did not believe him,” Burnyolf answered with an awed shake of his head and wide eyes. “But then you defeated the dragon single-handedly, so I can only imagine your power.”
“I do what I can,” I laughed a bit self-consciously. After all the praise and adoration I’d received from the guards, the enchanter’s wide-eyed amazement was overkill.
“Thank you for encouraging me to join the fight,” Kane interjected, and the old man bowed his head. “It has been such a long time since I’ve felt the thrill of danger. I was afraid, but you showed me how to use my magic to help people for once.”
“My pleasure,” I replied.
“I concur,” Burnyolf added. “It was exhilarating to know my actions helped save lives.”
“There is still work to be done,” I said as I rested my hands on both of the men’s shoulders. “Many buildings were destroyed, and they need to be searched for survivors. The wounded also need to be tended to.”
“Consider the task completed,” Kane said with another bow of his head. “Come, Burnyolf, let us work as a team. We can combine our powers to be of the best use to the people.”
“Bullard is counting on you,” I said, and then I shook their hands.
“I will do my part,” Kane vowed in a solemn tone.
“Come visit my shop any time,” Burnyolf insisted as he returned the shake enthusiastically.
“Thank you,” I said with a grateful smile, and then I jerked my chin down the street. “I’m going to circle the edges of the city to check for anything the guards missed.”
“Make sure you check in with the duke soon,” Kane suggested over his shoulder. “He will be anxious to hear the first-hand tale of the dragon’s defeat.”
I tucked that thought away for later, and I turned to head in the opposite direction of the two older men. I continued my work of searching through the burned down buildings for survivors, but I only found a few people.
I passed by some guards as they pulled dead bodies from the structures and lined them up in the street so the wagon could collect them, and I wondered where they would all go.
Did Bullard have a cemetery?
They’d found a total of five people who had passed away, but then I turned my attention back to the empty streets to look for any injured stragglers.
A short while later, I discovered a small child hidden in an alleyway. The poor thing was shivering, and his green eyes were open wide with fear.
“Where’s your mom and dad?” I asked in a gentle voice so I didn’t scare him.
“We… Were… Running…” the kid panted out between sobs. “The d-d-dragon was after us, and I hid in here.”
“They probably are at the castle and worried sick about you,” I informed him as I rubbed his back in a reassuring manner. “You should head up there and find them.”
“You really think so?” The kid’s eyes lit up with hope, but then a glimmer of fear returned to darken them, and he rubbed the back of his dirty hand against his snotty nose. “Is the dragon gone?”
“He sure is.” I grinned, and I pulled the kid to his feet. “What’s your name?”
“Bartholomew, sir,” the kid replied with a sniff. “You can call me Bart, though.”
“Like the Simpsons?” I laughed.
“No, sir, like me.” The kid’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“Never mind.” I shook my head to dispel the image of the smart-mouthed cartoon character, and I stuck out my hand to the kid. “I’m Sebastian, but you can call me Bash.”
“Will you take me to the castle, Bash?” Bart asked in a hopeful tone.
“You want to go fast?” I asked as I wiggled my eyebrows teasingly.
“Yes, sir,” Bart replied with a serious nod, but his green eyes were wide with curiosity as I hunched over and situated him on my back.
Then I stomped my foot and zoomed through the streets to the castle.
“Woohoo!” Bart screamed into my ear, and then he broke off into peals of laughter. The dragon attack was forgotten at that moment, and nothing else existed except the wind in our faces.
I deposited the kid at the steps to the castle, and I ruffled his hair as I gave him a broad smile.
“Go find your parents, kid.” I jerked my chin toward the castle door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Thank you, sir, that was amazing!” Bart waved, and then he turned and trotted inside the castle at a quick pace.
I chuckled to myself as I turned and headed back out to the city to continue the work of cleaning up the aftermath of the dragon attack. It felt good to bring a little light into a traumatized kid’s day, but I still wanted to make sure there weren’t any people still trapped in the wreckage.
By the time I returned to the most damaged part of the town, however, the guards had finished most of the task of searching through the rubble for survivors and bodies. The wagon brought to carry the dead was loaded with the corpses of the five people who had passed away, and the flies gathered overhead, eager for their feast.
“Let’s get them buried as soon as possible,” I said as I remembered how previously the post-battle smell of death had attracted a griffon.
“We will want the families to identify them for the grave markers,” Riondale pointed out. “We will take them to the cemetery, though, and start to dig the graves.”
“Very good, thank you,” I replied.
The guards all looked at me, and I realized they wanted me to say something more. This was the culmination of the day, the worst of it was over, and they were tired. So, I took a deep breath while I gathered my thoughts, and then I cleared my throat to ensure I had their attention.
“Some people lost their lives today,” I began in a solemn voice. “Treasured lives, all of them, and their absence will be felt for years to come, but we, the survivors, have lived through a great tragedy, and it will make us stronger. We will come out on the other side with thicker skin, stronger spines, and straighter shoulders. Peace be with the dead, and hope be with the living.”
I bowed my head for a moment of silence, and the men who watched me did the same. I didn’t know how long was an appropriate amount of time, so I waited until the men began to stir with discomfort.
“It is done,” I announced once I decided to break the silence.
“Gods be praised,” a guard murmured as he nodded in agreement with my words.
“Countless more would have died today if it weren’t for your bravery,” one of the guards said with an earnest expression. “Bullard cannot thank you enough for what you have done here today.”
“You’re right,” I said as I gave the man a grateful smile. “Let us look forward to a brighter futur
e, and I hope we can prevent this tragedy from happening again.”
The other guards muttered similar phrases, and then they dispersed to perform the next task.
I sighed and watched them go, my heart heavy with the loss of so many lives, but it lifted my spirits to think about the impact I’d made on the city, and I was happy to see the guards smile as they finished their assignments.
Being a god was a full-time job. My body was sore and tired, but the day was far from over. The sun was still high in the sky, and it looked like we still had several hours of daylight left.
Plenty of time to check the city for rogue fires one more time.
I grinned to myself as I stomped my foot to activate the fleetness of my boots, and then I zipped through the empty streets of Bullard in search of any flames that remained. The guards had done a good job of putting out most of the fires, but I still stopped a few times to help with some spots they missed. I quickly doused these fires with my ice spell, and I’d circled the city three times when the sun began to set on the western horizon.
I made my way back to the castle exhausted and sweaty from the day’s work, but the thought of seeing Mahini and Elissa alive and well pushed me forward. Elissa’s floral scent was a pleasant memory in comparison to the smoky fumes I’d inhaled throughout the day, and I fantasized about holding them both in my arms while I staggered down the hallway toward the audience chamber.
The room was packed with people when I arrived, and I made my way through the crowd to the dais where the duke’s throne-like chair sat on the raised platform. Then I spotted Bart being cuddled by a man and a woman who I assumed were his parents, and the sight made me grin with pride.
“Bash!” Elissa’s excited voice rang out through the din of people. “Over here!”
I turned toward the sound, and the tiny redheaded goddess launched herself into my arms. Her petite body felt as light as a feather in comparison to the heavy lifting I’d been doing, and I picked her up and twirled her around with a laugh.