Short Fiction Blog

The villagers cowered while Borate screamed, uncertain what would happen next. Shana noticed the terror-stricken expressions on their faces and touched Borate, silencing him.

Borate looked around, making sure no other threats were present, and then dropped the dragon’s heart in the dirt.

The villagers heaved a collective sigh of relief when Borate lay down at Shana’s feet. They timidly walked out, gathering around the two.

Alomar ran to Borate and threw his arms around his neck. “Thank you for saving us, Borate,” he stated. Then, lowering his head, he added, “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”

Borate nuzzled Alomar under the chin, “You are welcome.”

Shana’s parents stepped cautiously toward Borate. Alomar moved aside so they could speak.

“Thank you for protecting us, and taking care of Shana,” Shana’s mother said. “I do not know why you are here, but I am glad.”

“I am here because of Shana,” Borate told her. “We are meant to be together. She called to me, even though she did not realize it.”

“Then you are staying?” Shana’s father inquired.

Borate shook his head, “I am staying.”

Shana’s smile radiated warmth throughout the village at this news, putting her fear of Borate leaving to rest. Raising her hands, she went to work putting the village back together.

The End

Borate felt a gust of warm air pass. He looked up to see why he wasn’t engulfed in flames. Shana was standing next to him, arms outstretched. The fire the dragon had blown moments earlier was pushed aside, surrounded by a bubble of some sort.

Shana closed her hands and the fire was extinguished. She then turned to Borate and hugged him.

“Oh, Borate, you’re bleeding!” she exclaimed.

The dragon took advantage of her lack of attention and whipped his tail around, knocking both Borate and Shana for a tumble. Borate made sure he landed on bottom when they came to a stop, cushioning Shana the best he could.

“You must leave, little one,” Borate urged. “Before you get hurt.”

“No!” Shana stated. “I’m not leaving you again. We will do this together.”

She then stood and faced the dragon who was building up for another breath of fire. Borate stood at her side, preparing to pounce.

“No, let him blow,” Shana ordered.

The dragon let loose a tremendous blast of fire. Borate stepped in front of Shana out of instinct, but soon saw there was no reason for concern.

Shana stepped around him, put her hands out, captured the fire in another bubble, and blew it back at the dragon. The dragon was so stunned by what he was witnessing that he didn’t have time to duck.

Scales burning, the dragon charged Shana. Borate met him head on, and they rolled in the dirt. Injured, the dragon was no match for Borate. With one mighty thrust, Borate plunged his claws into the dragons belly, killing it.

He then pulled the dragon’s heart out, held it up and screamed.

Borate let out a scream when the dragon stuck its claws into his back and bit his neck. Using his own claws, he pulled the dragons mouth free and flung him away. Not wanting to give him time to recover, Borate charged the dragon, talons extended. He sunk shark claws into the dragon’s soft underbelly and ripped a piece of flesh from his back with his beak. The dragon screeched in pain, whipping his tail around and knocking Borate away.

Borate saw the dragon’s intention just in time, and dived toward the earth, avoiding all but a slight singe to his left wing. He knew he only had a few moments before the dragon worked up more steam, so charged at full speed.

The dragon rolled in the sky after Borate rammed into him, before it landed in a heap on the ground. Borate then picked the dragon up and threw him against the side of the stonemasons, leaving a long gash along the left side of the dragons head.

The dragon was dazed, but by no means done for. He slashed Borate with his powerful tail, and then used his head as a battering ram while Borate was struggling to recover.

Borates head struck the side of the village well, blood spreading quickly from the wound inflicted. Shaking his head to clear it, Borate heard Shana scream right before the dragon blew a plume of fire.

Shana’s parents watched Borate land, and gently help Shana to the ground. They heaved a huge sigh of relief when the beast convinced Shana to come to them.

“Shana!” her mother exclaimed, hugging her close. “I thought I had lost you too.”

“Did that beast hurt you,” her father demanded.

“No, he is a friend, Father,” Shana assured him. “He is here to help us all.”

She then looked down at Alomar, lying immobile, ashen. “Now it’s time for me to help Alomar.”

The small crowd gathered round, watching in awe while Shana healed Alomar. They had witnessed her power before, but never with one so far gone, so close to death. When Alomar opened his eyes, a cheer erupted.

Their celebration was short lived, however, when the dragon screeched and breathed fire into the wildflower patch.

Alomar grabbed Shana’s hand. “I thought you were gone,” he whispered. “Borate is terrorizing the village, and I thought he had got you.”

“No, dear brother, Borate is helping the village,” Shana explained. “He did come to get me, to take me to safety when he spied the dragon,” she added. “But I could not leave you all behind to this fate, so convinced him to return and help.”

She looked into the sky, at Borate and the dragon locked in a fierce embrace, and sighed, “I fear I may have sealed his fate to save ours.”

“Hurry, Borate!” Shana implored. “He’s going to kill them all!”

“Hang on tight, Little One,” Borate ordered, preparing to dive.

Shana wrapped her arms around Borates neck, closed her eyes, and held on. She had been confused when Borate asked her to leave with him this morning, but knew it must be important for him to risk venturing so close to the village. The wildflower patch she was playing in was directly behind the stables where anyone could have seen him. Sensing his urgency, she succumbed to his request.

She remembered the fear she felt when she heard the first awful screech from the monster now terrorizing the village. When she looked over her shoulder and saw the dragon’s fire engulf the baker’s shop, she begged Borate to go back.

He refused at first, saying he had come to save her when he saw the beast in the distance. When confronted with Shana’s stubborn instance she would go back with or without him, and knowing she could easily do so by subduing him, he gave in.

A shrill cry of agony brought Shana back to the present. She opened her eyes to see blood dripping from Borate’s claws. Looking down, she saw a huge gash across the dragon’s back.

“I have to put you down, Little One,” Borate said. “You can’t hold on during the coming battle.”

“But I can help you!” Shana pleaded.

“You can help me by staying safe,” Borate replied.

“Go to your family,” he ordered after sitting down in the wildflower patch. “It looks like your brother could use your help.”

Around them, madness reigned. The villagers were running, looking for places to hide, with little luck. The flying beast destroyed structures with ease, causing death and limiting options.

Alomar’s parents watched in despair while their friends and family were slain. They called to any who could hear to come hide behind the stonemason’s with them, hoping the solid structure would protect them from the beast.

The beast had been flying overhead, breathing fire, its screech enveloping the countryside. When sudden silence overtook the village, Alomar’s mother peeked around the wall, into the eyes of hell.

The beast’s head stretched between the remains of the stables and the stonemason’s house, nose twitching as he sniffed out his prey. Alomar’s mother reared back in fear, the beasts red eyes reflecting her frightened image.

The beast rushed around the corner of the building, forked tail swishing behind, knocking carts and barrels asunder in his wake. The villagers huddled together, awaiting their fate, nowhere else to go.

Raising its head, the beast prepared to devour the villagers in fire, when out of the sky came a mighty roar. Whipping its head around, the beast searched, while the villagers cringed at the sound of another monster.

Before Alomar could say anything else, a burst of fire ignited the stables. Alomar and his father ran inside to free the horses, instructing his mother to hide behind the stonemason’s house.

The horses were frantic, making the task of releasing them dangerous and time consuming. Alomar’s father opened one stall and a nervous stallion knocked him to the ground. Before the horse could trample his father, Alomar jumped between them.

“No!” his father shouted, watching the frightened horse stomp Alomar.

Grabbing a pitchfork, Alomar’s father managed to urge the stallion out of the barn. He then turned to Alomar, trying to judge the degree of injury.

“Wake up, son,” Alomar’s father beseeched. “Open your eyes!”

Getting no reply, he picked Alomar up in his arms and carried him outside, lying him down behind the stonemason’s house with his mother.

“Oh no! What happened?” Alomar’s mother asked, tears streaking her face.

“He saved my life,” her husband brokenly replied.

“What have I done,” Alomar’s mother wailed. “I blamed him for all this. He is only a child himself. I’m the one who should have been watching Shana. Now I’ve lost both my children.”

After a frantic search, Alomar found his parents in tears, standing by the stables. Their excited cries where meshing, making it impossible for Alomar to understand what they wanted of him.

“Calm down, Mother,” Alomar demanded, taking her in his arms. “Speak slowly so I can understand.”

After she took some deep breaths, his mother explained, “We don’t know where Shana is!”

Alomar felt the world tilt. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t considered Shana from the beginning. Borate was sure to have killed her. He knew her power, and would squelch it immediately, so his rampage would be unimpeded.

Unable to look his parents squarely in the eye, Alomar told them of Borate. Incredulous expressions covered their faces the more he talked. Alomar watched his mother crumple in his father’s arms when he got to the part where he told Borate of Shana’s powers.

“Look what you’ve done, Alomar,” his father screamed, waving his hands to encompass the destruction around them.

“I know, but I thought he was okay. Shana convinced me he meant no harm.”

“Don’t blame this on your sister!” His mother screeched, slapping him. “She is too young to know better.”

Alomar blamed himself for not listening to his instincts already. He did not need his parent’s wrath to assure him he had made a grave mistake. His only consolation was the fact Shana had trusted Borate also.

I’m sorry, little sister, he silently apologized.

A villager knocked Alomar to the ground when he stepped out his front door. After regaining his feet, Alomar grabbed the next man to run by and demanded an explanation.

“The beast is terrorizing the village!” the man screamed, the stench of fear permeating the air around him. “We must leave now!”

“No, no, you don’t understand,” Alomar beseeched, trying to explain about Borate. “The beast is friendly. He probably needs food.”

Jerking his arm away, the man looked at Alomar in disgust, before stating, “Oh he got food alright. He’s ate Blacksmith John and the Healer already,” before running into the night.

Stunned, Alomar staggered into the center of the village in search of Borate, admonishing himself for ever believing Borate’s lies.

Alomar mulled over all Borate had told him, wondering what was in store for them. He knew word of Shana’s power was spreading, because the sick and deprived came from across the mountains to feel her healing touch.

The villagers themselves never shared word of her gift, but strangers witnessing the healings told friends and family, not knowing the consequences their action could bring. Alomar wasn’t sure of the consequences either, but knew it better to keep quiet than spread word of all Shana could do, especially after talking with Borate.

Alomar also thought it wise they tell their parents about Borate, but Shana insisted this was a bad idea. She said they would never understand he was friendly and meant them no harm. Shana feared their parents would rouse the villagers to take up arms against Borate, forcing him to protect himself and then people would get hurt.

Alomar thought once his parents met Borate they would understand and like him, so was trying to convince Shana everything would work out. He worried someone would accidently come upon Borate and things would be worse than if he was brought out in the open.

When he heard a scream outside and rushed to help, Alomar thought his fears had been realized.