Fire & Stone_The War for Life

by Luis Robles

  He threatened Bliss. As the words were aired, as they settled in, the dragon growled. Soft at first, growing louder. Forcing himself up, while he was swayed, he saw the hole in the creature’s back. Without any hesitation, the dragon shoved his fist forward, deep inside the hole once more. Despair cried out loudly, and the dragon punched his other hand deep into his skin beside the other, and with as much force as he could, pulled. He could hear his heart pounding against his ear, rage causing his blood to feel on fire. With a moment of resistance, he forced his hands apart, ripping apart the beast’s form. A loud cry was heard, louder than any the dragon had ever heard. The sound was piercing, and he cried out in pain, stumbling back and covering his bloody hands. For a moment, the ground shook, then subsided. As did the beast. Right before the dragon’s eyes, the form started to slowly dissipate, like sand to the wind. All that were left were the razors of his tail.

  Giving a shaken breath, the dragon fell to his knees, a hand on the ground to keep himself up. While the fight was over, he was severely wounded and bleeding. Looking up, he saw the blurred image of Bliss. She approached him slowly.

  “Don’t worry, Dragon, you will heal; your body is stronger than you know,” Bliss said as she stood next to the dragon.

  “Oh yeah? When? Within a few years?” the dragon said, in pain but holding up his humor.

  Her head gently shook and the dragon glared, going to speak, but was silenced by her smooth voice. “Breath deep, Dragon, your body will heal itself. Your body is strong, do not forget this. It’s capable of many things. In time, you will discover all the great you can do.” She winked and he groaned gently, earning a gentle giggle from the woman.

  Smiling, the dragon pulled away and tilted his back towards the sky. It was clear; the clouds had parted. The sun was starting to peer through and he grinned, taking in a deep, cool breath. As he did so, he could feel the chill run down his throat and down to the very tips of his fingers, a feeling that caused him to shudder and look down. Though it took a moment, his wounds started to heal with no trace of injury. All but one—his left hand.

  Bliss noticed the wound and approached it for a closer inspection. Running her index finger over the scar, she could sense Despair and quickly pulled her hand back.

  “This is what we were afraid of,” Bliss said concerned, staring at the scar.

  “It’s just a scar. Scars happen in battle; if anything, I think it looks cool,” the dragon said without an ounce of worry.

  “There is much we don’t know, Dragon. Your body should have healed. This is worrisome,” Bliss said, still concerned.

  “Ah, don’t worry. We will be fine.”

  “I hope so, Dragon. I really do.”

  “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. I feel like I’m ready for the next one.”

  “You need rest, Dragon. Do not allow your victory and adrenaline to fool you. While you are strong, you still require rest.”

  Taking her words to hear, the dragon sighed and agreed. They would leave, rest, then travel by morning light. The pair made their way back through the city, which was far more empty than before. Due to the fight, many people had rushed into their homes to hide. The return was quiet, but the dragon couldn’t help but smile. As they walked, the town felt different. The thick air he felt before was gone. Now, it was light and warm. He could feel the sun against his skin now.

  “This is how things should be,” the dragon commented as he walked through the streets of Thall.

  As they reached the gates, a voice called out before they left, small but familiar. Turning, the dragon stared down at the young warrior from before, the child of Ginda.

  “Dragon!” He panted, nearly falling over. It seemed the small warrior had been chasing them for quite a time. “Don’t leave! We need you…t-the people. They need someone strong...They need someone to lead them!” The boy frowned and the dragon smiled.

  Stepping towards him, he reached out, his hand coming to lightly rest on the boy’s head. He spoke loudly, with a confidence that made even Bliss grin. “Which you will do quite well, child of Ginda. Make your people proud. Lead with pride, with valor. Bring these people back to the pride they had lost. Teach them to smile, to love, by showing them with your own kindness. This is your home, young one, take it back. Never lose that bravery, boy.”

  The words sunk in, and the young bear’s eyes widened. Staring in awe, he slowly nodded before fixing his stance, standing proudly, giving a curt nod. “T-thank you, Dragon. I will make you proud. But before you go, can I ask you something?”

  “Anything.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I’m just a Watcher.”

  With that, the dragon turned away and walked out from the city carrying a wide, proud grin. He could get used to this.

  4

  The Forest

  The war hadn't yet reached the forest North of Thall. This place was a hidden gem, nestled between two mountains. Thin trees grew tall and plentiful around a winding river that sat comfortably between the peaks. The late spring weather made a light breeze pass faster here, catching onto the leaves and branches and tossing a story in shadows onto the forest floor.

  The water ran over the rocks, gurgling and bubbling at brooks at shallower points. The sun patches between the shadows of leaves were warm.

  “I didn’t know a place like this still existed. Wow, this reminds me of how the world used to be,” the dragon expressed as they neared the edge of the forest.

  “Many places like this still exist, dotted across the world. We are still on time to save them,” Bliss commented.

  As he looked around, he heard the splash of fish from the river beside them, just as the water got deeper. It flowed south towards Thall. They stepped over rocks going north, contrary to its current.

  Bliss slid down from his shoulder and hopped amongst the stones.

  “You did really well back in Thall,” she told him.

  “You think so? I don’t know. Those creatures are strong, stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. But thanks...”

  “You did better than any of us would have done, that’s for sure,” she said.

  “You know, I just don't want anyone else to have to go through the kind of experience I've gone through...”

  They continued walking for a minute, and Dragon turned to look behind where they had come. They had gone far enough into the forest that they could no longer see Thall behind them. Perhaps they would be a safe distance in the thick of these trees to avoid whatever rumors from the town that could endanger them. Even if people were already looking for them, surely it would be harder to track them down in the middle of a forest like this. Bliss seemed more relaxed already, and this put him at ease as well.

  “How am I even going to end this war? I don't know anything about what's going on. I don't even know what's needed to end any war. Will killing the other four creatures from the Gates truly put a stop to it?” he asked her. “My dragon kin haven’t involved themselves in surface matters until it was too late. Perhaps that needs to change. We couldn't have been the only species to be singled out for extermination like this. I wonder how many other creatures had to be the last of their kind. I wonder who else has suffered.”

  “Countless of creatures have suffered. The only family I had was also taken away from me by the Gates when they first came to earth. One of the first Watchers died protecting me, and hundreds more of people from the calamity that fell from the sky,” Bliss said with an obvious hurt in her voice.

  “Yeah, I should stop with the stupid questions… Let’s go find some food,” the dragon said looking towards the river.

  “Do you like fish, Dragon? I’ll take you to some of them. Just follow me,” Bliss said as she started walking.

  He was silent for many moments but then looked over to her as they walked rhythmically through the forest. She took long sprint-like leaps through the air, hardly touching the ground. It contrasted his heavy unstoppable steps forward. “How do you know wher
e we are going? Can you smell it?” he asked.

  She chuckled, “I can feel it through the magic that flows within me.”

  He smiled in that ridiculous lizard way again, and she grinned back.

  There was a growl through the forest, and Dragon turned to look about frantically, his stomach tensing.

  Bliss' eyes widened for a moment before she laughed, “That was your stomach? Don’t worry, we are almost there!”

  They arrived to a place where the river was wide, and the trees were clear and far away from the river, a perfect camping area.

  “We’ll rest here, Dragon,” Bliss said as she cleared the small area from debris and fashioned a chair from the nearby roots and vines using her magic.

  The dragon stared at her momentarily before walking into the river.

  “What? You have never seen someone use magic?” Bliss asked with a smile.

  “The truth is that I’ve had, but I’ve never seen someone use it so effortlessly. No chants or spells,” the dragon replied.

  “I use enchantments at other times too, but that’s only when I need the magic to be really strong. Shouldn’t you be catching fishes?” Bliss said as she sat down and crossed her legs.

  “Right! Fish... That's what I’ll do!” he said, eyes sparking with new energy. He turned his attention to the water and stepped towards it, crouching down. “How many would you like?” he asked her.

  “Wait, you don't have a rod or—”

  Dragon looked down into the clear liquid below. There was the sound of slapping, and then stillness, and then he turned with a fresh trout caught in his claws, just like that.

  “Oh,” Bliss let out, “I guess you wouldn't have needed one, anyway.” She laughed.

  With her magic, Bliss prepared a bed of vines to catch the flood of fish that was being tossed over. The trout landed in the trap and was kept clean off the ground.

  After she had this set up, he was content to just toss them towards it without any hesitation.

  He kept his eyes trailed on the water, and at the first glint of light, he snapped his claws in and out again, swinging his catch back towards the pile before he started again. There would be any number of seconds or minutes between catches, but it never took very long for another to be added.

  “You really are some fisherman!” Bliss commented with a nervous laugh after barely fifteen minutes at it. It was incredible to see the dragon’s dedication and utter focus watching the water the way that he did.

  After seeing the 20th fish in the net she pursed her lips, “...but don't you think you've had enough? That's at least ten for each of us, and I appreciate all your work, but I think I could only maybe have one. It's been a while since I've had physical food...” she explained.

  “Physical food?” he wondered.

  “Oh, you know, it's just usually I don't eat. I sustain myself mostly through magic.”

  He blinked, trying to understand. “Does that work?” he asked.

  “Well, I'm still here,” she smiled. “Us, Originators, would train ourselves to use the magic within us and the world around us. We take it in, and then emit it out. It's like meditation,” she explained, “and I believe that is a lot of fish.”

  “Not really,” he said, tilting his head. “I'd call this a medium or small number.”

  She dreaded to think what his idea of a large meal was.

  “You know, you shouldn't keep taking more than you need from the river though. The animals here all take care of each other’s numbers. You might upset the balance if you don't stop.”

  “Aren't I a part of that system as well?” he asked innocently.

  “But you aren't from the forest. It's not prepared for people to come through it so often. Everything is delicate right now. Everything seems to be hanging on threads.”

  The sound of a tree snapping came from the thickest part of the forest. Bliss looked towards the dragon who stood up from his crouch and looked around. “That wasn't my stomach again, right?”

  “No, that was something else,” she told him.

  The dragon turned his head as he heard the coming fish from upstream. A school of fish was trying to get down as soon as possible. There were so many fishes that the water was breaking the bank. The backs of the fishes were poking through the water, just to try and get past their neighbors. It was as though they were in a race.

  “What's going on?” he asked, adjusting his footing and staring at the fish before looking further upriver.

  “Something has to be coming,” Bliss realized. She looked at their catch and had the net of vines tie around it, pulling it up by a branch of a nearby tree, out of harm’s way.

  The dragon continued staring at the river, and soon the main hoard of fish was gone from the area. He kept staring north, and soon a beast of a fish, half the width of the river and nearly as long as the dragon himself wiggled through the river, a dark shadowy mass. It chased the smaller fishes, its mouth gaping and toothless.

  His eyes brightened as he stared at the creature. “I gotta catch it!” he exclaimed.

  “Why? What about the—” Bliss began.

  “Just look at it!” he argued.

  She closed her eyes for a moment and chuckled, “Fine, but you really do have enough already, you know.”

  He lunged into the water fully, tail flailing wildly as he struggled with the creature. He wrapped his claws around it. The water was up to his waste, and he was nearly dragged down by the weight of it alone as he struggled. It was nearly the size of the dragon himself. Bliss stared at the catch, a long black catfish with bulging milky eyes and thick lips opening and closing as it struggled for air.

  “What the abyss are we planning on doing with that thing?” she asked, stunned.

  “He's going to taste amazing,” he told her proudly.

  “Dragon, can you really eat that much?” she asked again.

  “Only one way to find out!” he told her, grinning.

  The dragon laughed, and Bliss smiled. As much as she was concerned for the forest, she thought it was a nice moment for him to get his mind off of all that had happened. It seemed to be doing well to distract him, if only for now.

  There wasn't much time to celebrate. The water of the river turned to a rusty brown. Fishes, ducks, and other woodland animals floated down the waterway without any signs of life. There was movement, and a crash of breaking woods and leaves scattering came from where the river ended. Each leaf turned yellow and brown, crisping up through the seasons before their eyes.

  “What’s happening?” the dragon asked, shifting his position and facing towards the end of the river.

  “Another one of them is here, Dragon. I can feel it!” Bliss immediately replied, getting up from her seat, and her too stared towards the river’s end.

  The dragon’s wrist burned by the sheer proximity of the fourth beast from the Gates. A distinct figure stood there before them, just as the river turned. It wore no disguise. The creature had protruding ribs and ridges across its body, spikes pushed from its skin. It had a strong stench like a rotten fish, thin and tall in complex but menacing.

  “We heard about Despair.” It spoke in a horrible raspy tone, as though it had been wheezing and was short of breath. It sounded slimy and crooked. “You need to let it go. You are in over your head. Defeating Despair was a stroke of luck at the most.”

  The dragon noticed again that there was a void in his beady eyes, just like the other oblivion creature. He also noted that those eyes were not directed at him but to Bliss.

  “Let it go?” she spat, “You must be Insanity,” she hissed.

  It sneered, unamused. “Wrong, but I'm flattered...You can call me whatever you like; it’s all the same, a meaningless sound. Personally, I've taken to the title of 'the Meager'... But my name means nothing. Not to you, Bliss. You need to stop going forward. If you don't stop by choice, you will by force. I know you cannot hurt us, not anymore.”

  “Hey, buddy over here! Let’s see about how she c
an’t hurt you anymore,” the dragon said as he ran towards the beast at full speed, splashing the water outside the river banks.

  Meager and the dragon met half-way and clashed with a loud thud, spooking the nearby animals and making the birds fly away from the trees. They engaged, trying to tackle each other down, exchanging blows left and right.

  Meager managed to sink his claws deep into the dragon’s shoulders, weakening him and putting him on his knees. “As I’ve said before, it was luck at most, and she cannot hurt us!” Meager barked.

  The dragon was weak and confused. Meager took a hold of him, with his nails extending deeper into the dragon’s body during the moment of confusion. The slender frame of the grey beast slammed into him with surprising force. Spines and spikes which covered his prickly body tore into him and held him in place against him. The dragon roared with clear pain in his voice.

  The sun began to pour in through the branches, which were now bare to the world. The bark flaked. Dead leaves crunched under their moving feet, into the fresh springtime soil.

  “Dragon, wake up! It’s a spell of confusion!” Bliss yelled. After seeing no results, she put her hands together and chanted, “Awaken!” Then, a fast colored gust of wind flew over to the dragon.

  A growl started in the dragon's throat, which grew into a full roar. His consciousness came back to him, managing to get up and let out a painful reply, “You know...sometimes luck is all we need.” Then, the dragon managed to separate himself from Meager, throwing him far away from the river.

  The dragon took a deep breath and began to heal his body once again. Energy and strength came back to him, and this time he knew what he had to do.

  “No. No, no, you won’t do this to me. You can’t! You are just a dragon. A dragon like you is no match to the great Gates of Oblivion!” Meager barked as he ran to the dragon once again at full speed. In just a few moments he was within range of the dragon; but instead of facing him directly, he leapt in to the air.