As usual, I spent that day fishing enough fish for both myself and the mother dragon, then returned to the cave to deliver them. Upon arrival, I followed my routine: I checked to ensure everything was in order and, after confirming it was, I left the fish in the usual spot. I removed the branch with the fish from my back, untied them, and placed them on the ground.
Before leaving, I checked the drinking trough and, to my surprise, noticed that much of the water had been consumed. This brought me relief, as it was a sign she was accepting the care.
- "That's right, girl... We're not giving up..." I murmured with a smile, observing her.
I left the cave slowly, planning to return later with another batch of fish. The following days were similar: taking care of the mother dragon in the morning and afternoon, always checking her eggs and overall condition. Thus, weeks passed.
One morning, around 10 o'clock, while I was bringing more fish for her, something unexpected happened. I had already noticed that the mother dragon was becoming more aware of her surroundings, clearly suspicious of who was feeding her. Because of this, I also moved more cautiously, always attentive to her movements.
That day, however, perhaps due to being accustomed to the routine or simply careless, I entered the cave more relaxed than I should have been. I entered the hall as usual, carrying the fish. Upon arrival, I untied them from the branch and placed them carefully in an improvised Talbûren dish I had made days earlier. I finished the task and murmured:
- "...Well, that's done..."
Suddenly, I felt a draft pass by my neck, resembling a breath. However, my lowered guard prevented me from immediately sensing the danger. Without thinking much, I simply commented:
- "...I didn't know there was such a draft in here... Anyway, I'll check the drinking trough and leave."
When I got up and turned around, I was met with a sight as incredible as it was terrifying. The mother dragon was awake. Not only that: she had risen and was just a few inches from my face. Her eyes gleamed in the partially dark environment, and she seemed furious to see me there. However, she didn't attack me. She just watched, as if trying to understand what I was doing.
- "...O-ops... S-shit... That draft... was... her? Damn... Am I going to die here?" I thought, frozen, unable to divert my eyes from hers.
After a few moments that felt eternal, however, she still hadn't done anything, just looked at me as if wanting me to leave. Then, I began to slowly back away. I kept my eyes fixed on hers while taking careful steps backward. When I realized it, I was already near the cave entrance. There, I fell to my knees, trembling with fear and laughing nervously.
- "Ha... Haha... Hahaha... W-what was that..." I murmured, still shaken.
The adrenaline rush had been the greatest I had ever experienced. After a few minutes, I caught my breath and began to reflect on why she hadn't attacked me. Perhaps she realized I was the one feeding her, and therefore, didn't consider me a threat. Or maybe, I was so insignificant in her eyes that she simply saw no need to eliminate me.
Regardless of the reason, that encounter wouldn't make me give up on my mission. I sighed deeply, stood up, dusted off my clothes, and resumed my tasks.
Days turned into months. Gradually, the mother dragon began to get used to my presence. Even when awake, she started to observe me without showing hostility, accepting my help. On the other hand, I felt I was getting closer to her in a unique way. Though friendship between humans and dragons was something I had never heard of, I began to believe that perhaps, just perhaps, it might be possible, but then, something terrible happened.
One day, the air dawned different: heavy, somber, like a storm was imminent. Dark clouds filled the sky, and the wind whistled through the rocks at the cave entrance, creating an unsettling sound. Despite this, I couldn't afford to stand still. The mother dragon still needed care, and I had work to do.
She had already fully recovered but still needed to eat. So, I got up, went down to the lake, and started fishing, waiting patiently until the fish approached. During that time, a bad feeling took hold of me, as if something terrible was about to happen.
...sounds of thunder in the distance...
- "Damn, this feeling... I've only had it once before... And the result wasn't good at all... " I murmured, observing the lake waters while fishing.
The premonition deeply bothered me because, the last time something like this happened, I lost my parents. So, determined to protect the mother dragon and her eggs, I decided to be extra vigilant that day. As soon as I caught enough fish for both of us, I returned to the cave and did the usual: placed the fish on the Talbûren dish and checked the drinking trough. Then, I returned to my shelter and lit a fire to roast the fish.
After eating, I decided to review my items, as usual. I checked everything and found it was in order, except for one thing: my bait stock was depleted. I had used all the woodworms I usually collected for fishing. It wasn't an emergency, but I knew I needed to replenish the stock before the next morning.
However, the weather was overcast, and the rain began to fall heavily, so I decided to wait until it stopped. I took the moment to rest, as going out in the storm would be too risky.
Hours passed, and when the rain finally ceased, I took the opportunity to quickly go to the nearby forest in search of more woodworms. Before leaving, I made sure the mother dragon was fine and set off. In the forest, it didn't take long to find a tree with a good amount of worms. I gathered what I needed and started to return to the cave.
The day was already ending, and the sky began to darken. I hurried my steps, eager to arrive before nightfall. Then, as I approached the cave entrance, I noticed something strange on the wet ground: footprints.
Initially, I thought they were mine, made before, when I left the cave to go searching for wood worms at the forest, but something seemed wrong. As I entered the cave, I heard a familiar and terrifying sound: human voices, coming directly from the deepest part of the cave.
The chill that ran down my spine was instant, and, on impulse, I drew my dagger and ran towards the main hall. Along the way, I heard a deafening roar that made me stop for a brief moment, only to resume running shortly after.
- "Damn, what was that? Were those human voices? But how? HOW?! If they are here... IT'S BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE... " I murmured, panting as I ran.
When I reached the door to the hall, a scorching flame burst out, illuminating the corridor and forcing me to jump to the side, barely avoiding it. The flame was followed by screams and more roars.
...sounds of roars and screams...
- "Damn, that was close... How do these bastards know about this place? " I said to myself, incredulous.
Inside the hall, chaos reigned. Men in varied clothing wielded weapons like spears, axes, and swords. They looked like thieves or explorers and were there for one reason: the mother dragon and her eggs.
She fought fiercely against what seemed to be their leader, an imposing man in sophisticated robes with an ornate spear. He was clearly a noble, and his magical ability didn't seem to be weak at all, losing only to the mother dragon fire breath.
- "HAHAHAHA… YOU FILTHY LIZARD! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN FACE ME? I'LL SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US, AND IN THE END, I'LL TAKE YOUR HEAD AS A TROPHY! HAHAHAHA" shouted the man, laughing cruelly as he attacked with precise blows.
The other men helped the leader, surrounding and attacking the mother dragon, who was already weakened. The scene ignited something inside me. It didn't matter who those people were or their motives; they were humans, and they were attacking someone who had become special to me.
- "Every living human will die..." I whispered, my heart burning with rage as I advanced stealthily.
Taking advantage of the cave's darkness, I approached one of the men from behind. In a swift and precise movement, I plunged my dagger into his lung, covering his mouth to avoid any sound while he slowly agonized to death. I chose the lung on purpose, as I wanted their deaths to be slower and more painful than what it would be if I had chose their hearts.
Without hesitation, I did the same with another, clearing the rear while the mother dragon continued her desperate battle against the thieves' leader and the other invaders.
… Sounds of swords and roars…
- "Damn, who do they think they are? They won't kill her while I live... THEY WON'T!" I thought, as I continued to eliminate the invaders mercilessly.
The scene was unforgivable. With each blow, my hatred grew. I cleared the rear as quickly as I could, but at a crucial moment, one of the men turned just as I slashed an ally's throat. His scream alerted the rest of the group, who stopped fighting and turned their eyes to me.
… Sounds of death in agony…
- "JEFF, WE NEED HEL—... JEFF? JEFF!! YOU DAMN KID, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" one of them yelled, running towards me.
But they made a mistake. They forgot about the mother dragon, who, with a single fireball, incinerated several of them. The heat was suffocating, but I just laughed. The sound of screams and the smell of burning flesh awakened something in me.
… Sounds of the fireball…
- "AAAAARRRGHHH!" desperate screams echoed through the cave.
- "HAHAHAHAHA! WHAT HAPPENED? FORGOT TO ASK HER TO STOP WHILE YOU CAME AFTER ME? THOUGHT SHE WOULD JUST WAIT? YOU BASTARDS!" I laughed, reveling in the scene.
The few who remained, now terrified, decided to focus on me. The charge began. A burly man, wielding an axe, attacked first. I easily dodged and, with a swift movement, slashed his throat. He fell to his knees, blood gushing from his throat like a fountain.
… Sounds of death in agony…
- "You really thought that axe would help? …Die in agony, you bastard!" I murmured, holding his head as he faded.
Soon, a spear came my way, cutting through the air. At the last moment, I dodged and drove my dagger under the attacker's chin, piercing his skull.
… Sounds of the dagger hitting bone…
- "Oops..." I taunted, smiling as I watched the light die in his eyes.
Meanwhile, three men advanced simultaneously. With adrenaline pumping, I used the last dead body as a shield, throwing it against them. Before they could react, I slit their throats, one after the other, in a single, precise movement.
- "You will pay! NEVER AGAIN WILL YOU HURT SOMEONE PRECIOUS TO ME, NEVER AGAIN!" I shouted, with blood pulsating in my veins like fire.
Then, a bright light caught my attention. The noble's spear, which he had been using against the mother dragon, glowed with pure magic. In a swift motion, he hurled it at me with devastating force. It was fast, lethal, as if he had, at that moment, used the rest of his magical energy, only to kill me, and I knew I couldn't escape. Just when I thought it was the end for me, I felt a massive impact. The mother dragon intervened, putting herself between me and the blade. She fell, bleeding profusely.
… Sounds of the sword piercing flesh…
- "...What?" I murmured, still stunned.
The scene unfolded before me like a nightmare. The sword was embedded in her chest, and the world seemed to freeze as I fell to my knees beside her.
- "No... No... NO!" I screamed, my throat tight with despair.
As I tried to process what had happened, a firm hand grabbed my neck from behind, lifting me off the ground. It was the noble. His laughter echoed, cutting through the heavy silence of the cave.
- "HAHAHAHA! DID YOU REALLY THINK A CHILD AND A LIZARD COULD STOP ME? LISTEN, KID: AS SOON AS I TAKE HER HEAD, I'LL SEND YOU BOTH TO THE SAME PLACE! HAHAHAHA!" he proclaimed, with a sadistic smile.
At that moment, many things went through my mind. As he squeezed my throat with increasing force, I felt the air escaping from my lungs. My vision blurred, and my body weakened. I thought about giving up, accepting my death right there. But then, something inside me reignited.
I saw my mother, her image etched deep in my memory. "Live," she whispered. I remembered the times I had been on the brink of death, only to be saved by forces I didn't understand. And then, the most painful memory came: the day I met the mother dragon. Those eggs... Those hatchlings that hadn't yet come into the world. I thought about what would become of them, the suffering they would face if they fell into the hands of monsters like that noble. I couldn't leave them to such a cruel fate. She had sacrificed everything to protect me; I had no right to give up.
A tear rolled down my face. Something awakened in me, something that couldn't be contained. My body acted on its own. With a superhuman effort that even I couldn't explain, my hand rose, slow but firm, and I struck the base of his elbow with all the strength I could muster. The sound of bone breaking echoed through the cave, and he let out a scream of pain, dropping me to the ground.
I fell with a thud, gasping for air as an overwhelming rage consumed me. I stood up slowly, my lungs still burning, but my determination was greater than the pain. I grabbed my dagger, which was nearby, and began to walk towards the noble, who writhed and screamed in pain. Tears still streamed down my face, mixing with sweat and blood.
As I advanced, he turned, terrified, looking for something to defend himself. His eyes found a fallen sword just behind him. He began to crawl towards it, his hands trembling with desperation, but before he could touch it, I moved quickly and cut the tendons in his feet with a precise movement. The ensuing scream was deafening.
Unable to move, he tried, in vain, to crawl away. His expression alternated between hatred and pure panic. I turned him to face me, locking my eyes with his. Time seemed to stop as my tear-streaked face drew closer to his.
- "Let's have a little chat," I murmured, my voice low but filled with a fury that made my entire body tremble.
He screamed for help, but in the darkness of that cave, no one would come. There, only death awaited him, and I would be its bearer, bringing it slowly and painfully.