The Hero

He frantically beat at his robes as he attempted to gasp for air. After an eternity the fire was doused, his robes reduced to smoking rags. Lander painfully leaned his back on a raised rock and through the tears and smoke Lander surveyed the carnage. The camp was a sea of flames with bodies of horses and humans strewn around as if discarded dolls. The barricades were reduced to flaming rubble, as the tents were pyramids of fire. Nothing was seen moving, although screams and moans could be heard over the crackling of flames. Tears streaked down Lander’s face as smoke and the distinct scent of charred flesh assailed his nose. "What do I do? What do I do," he moaned, his voice catching as the smoke and smells caused him to cough and retch.

‘Survive!’, Lander heard his Master’s voice echoed in his aching head. Memories rushed back to him. Over and over his Master made his charges repeat the word as if a mantra. "You are too valuable to the kingdom to throw your lives away in some needless act of heroics." He would say. "Let the Kith-Rews throw themselves into danger. Save yourself and your powers." His memories filled his thoughts and for several minutes he desperately embraced them, as a child in his mother’s arms after a nightmare. His breathing calmed, and the pain receded to a corner of his mind. In command of his facilities once again, he returned his focus to the present, reluctantly leaving the comfort of the past and attempted to stand. Immediately, the pain flooded back, dimmed his vision and threatened to overtake his consciousness. "No!", he gasped defiantly to his failing body and forcefully got to his feet. His vision cleared as the pounding in his head slowly receded. As it did, in the center of the camp, right where he was standing with his comrades a moment ago, the dragon landed. A wall of choking smoke and ash swirled away from the monster as it hovered, beating its great wings and gently lowered itself to the ground. At its great-clawed feet, Lander could see the burning mounds of robed bodies. He froze. All thoughts vanished as the mammoth creature folded its wings onto its back and the glowing red eyes scanned the wreckage slowly. Its long neck snaked about and seeing no active resistance, casually, it began to silence wounded men with a quick snap of its teeth. Lander’s body began to shake as the terror overwhelmed him. All his training, all the knowledge of any of the few spells effective against so powerful a creature, fled his mind leaving only the terror of certain death.

He shut his eyes waiting for the end, as the jaws drew closer. He felt the air stir around him which brought the unholy stench of death. He shut his eyes tighter and braced for the mouth to engulf him. "Lander! Run!" whispered a voice calling as if from a great distance. A searing white light burned through his eyelids forcing the opening of his eyes. A deafening peal of thunder exploded around him tossing him back into the wall. A great roar of surprise and pain shook the mountainside as smoke rose from the side of the great serpent. The beast whipped its head to face a figure standing on a rock outcropping across the pass. The robed figure pointed a gnarled wooden staff at the dragon. A ray of pure white light streaked through the smoke and haze and slammed into the side of the dragon.