The Last Dragon

Chapter Two

        Mistress Hadid and Tessa were there to see me off. I ignored the rising panic threatening to overtake me. I forced myself into that carriage after bidding Tessa a somewhat teary eyed farewell. She pulled me into a tight embrace that felt somewhat forced. But what did I expect? She no longer saw me as a friend but as a burden that was now being cast off. She didn’t even stay to see the carriage depart. Her back was turned long before we started moving.

        I was left alone with my thoughts. Well, that, and some books I’d managed to smuggled from Mistress Hadid’s private collection. There were books she wouldn’t miss, ones she never even read. A part of me felt remorse for having stole from her but, alas, it was done. I settled into the carriage, preparing for the arduous journey that lay before me.

        I wasn’t sure exactly where the Temple of Astor lay but I knew it was far. We were a good distance from any mountain range. I drifted in and out of sleep, the gentle rocking of the carriage proving to be quite lulling. I don’t know how long I slept. When I awoke, the carriage no longer move. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I peeked out the carriage window. I saw nothing but trees.

        “Driver? Where are we?” I called.

        When no one answered, I cautiously opened the door. Something was wrong. Why would the drive stop the carriage in such an isolated part of the countryside? Leaves and twigs crunched beneath my feet as I slid from the carriage. The driver was gone. He had abandoned me. Panic seized my breast. What would become of me now?

        “Hello.” A soft, feminie voice spoke from behind me. I whirled. Three women, each cloaked in white, stood behind me. They each offered a smile of kindness. “We are the Guardians. Welcome to Astor. We have been expecting you, Alyssa.”

        I blinked again. “How long did I sleep?”

        The eldest of the three stepped forth. Her eyes were the color of emeralds, her hair silver. “We instructed Mistress Hadid to give you a sleeping potion. You have slumbered for three days.”

        “And ...and my driver?”

        “Men are not allowed in Astor. He was instructed to leave the carriage at the border.” She pointed towards the wooded area that lay behind me. “There is a village just beyond those trees. He is no doubt on his back to your former mistress’s house.

        How could I trust these women that had seemingly appeared from nowhere? They were strangers to me. I    shifted beneath the heat of their stares. I wasn’t used to being watching in such a way. The eldest extended her hand in welcome.

        “Come.”

        I hesitated. “How do I know you are who you say we are?”

        If they were offended, they did not show it. They exchanged amused glances. “You doubt our intentions, little one?” She pulled an amulet from beneath the collar of her billowing white dress. “This is the crest of Astor.”

        I peered at the amulet. A dragon sat amidst the gold, emeralds shimmering where its eyes should be. I knew very little of the Temple of Astor but I did know they worshipped Ryūjin, the God of Dragons. I inhaled sharply. They must be who they claim to be. Very few in our nation worshipped Ryūjin. The dragons were long gone from this earth so many thought him to be a useless deity to worship. I worshipped no god. I didn’t believe any of them existed. What god or goddess who strip a girl of her parents, leaving her orphaned and alone?

        With a simple nod of my head, I began the trek back to the Temple of Astor. No one spoke though I had a million and one questions. What purpose did these women have for a girl of my age? Was I to be a maid and nothing more or would they attempt to convert me to their religion?

        The forest gave way to a mountainous landscape. I have never seen mountains before. I did not have time to appreciate them. The Guardians were eager to return. I stumbled more than once. Eventually, I settled on simply removing my shoes altogether. I noticed the Guardians wore no shoes and, yet, the tiny bits of stone did not seem to bother them as they did me. Perhaps they were accustomed to them. 

        I needed a rest. I paused, leaning against a stone pillar. By the time I registered the sound of crumbling stone, it was too late. The pillar gave way and I found myself tumbling into an empty, dark void. My back hit stone. I was left breathless, staring up at the gaping hole I’d just fell through. I didn’t move. I was scared to. What if something was broken? Moving would only make it worse.

        “Do not fret, child!” One of the women called from above. “We shall fetch someone to assist you!”

        I started to call back, to beg them not to leave them. No words came out. I lay there for what felt like an eternity. When I felt my breath slowly returning, I began to try and move. Pain coursed through every inch of my being but nothing felt broken. I forced myself up, grimacing against the waves of pain.

        I sat there and waited. No one came. The world above me turned to darkness. I was alone, cold, and in the dark. Thankfully, the dark did not frighten me. It was the fear of the unknown that caused shivers down my spine. I was in a strange place, unsure of what creatures lurked in the shadows.

        I decided I could no longer wait. Forcing myself to stand, I crept my way through my darkness using my hands to guide me. I felt along the cavern walls, the rough jagged rocks digging into my palms. The only sound that followed was the gentle pant of my breathing. I swallowed and continued. An opening appeared before me. I entered.

        Suddenly, there came a light. I squinted, not sure if the carrier of that light was friend or foe. “Hello?” I called out. “Is anyone there?”

        No response. I had no choice but to make my way towards the light. It led me into another cavern. I’d found the light source. It…it was a egg-shaped rock. Light pulsed from it, bathing the small room in a gentle glow. For reasons I could not explain, I felt the urge to touch it. It drew me in, like a moth to a flame. It was impossible to ignore the call.

        My palm pressed into the rock. It was surprisingly warm.  A soft gasp echoed from behind me. I tilted my head. The three guardians stood there, each staring at me in growing alarm. “Oh, child. What have you done?”

        The warmth beneath my palm began to grow. I attempted to pull myself from it. It would not release me. Flames erupted from the rock, enveloping me. Only….they didn’t burn. The fire caressed my flesh but left no mark. A crack appeared in the rock, followed by another. At this point, it dawned on me. The rock was not a rock after all. It was an egg. My touch had released whatever lay hidden in that egg.

        The flames turned violent, the embers directing themselves to the center of my chest. The flames pierced my chest. I screamed.