By M. M. Wyler

The sun shone kindly upon me as I sharpened my sword, taking satisfaction in the shink, shink, shink. A butterfly perched nearby on a blade of emerald grass.

My lazy smile widened. “Hello! It feels so good to be free, doesn’t it?”

A low buzz started in my mind. I disregarded it, cleaning the sword and glancing often at the butterfly as she drifted to and fro. It seemed like a miracle that those years ago, little nine-year-old me had escaped slavery when I could barely hold a weapon.

The last seven years had sharpened me like I now honed my blade.

The buzzing increased to a low, rumbling growl, and my lips tilted into an annoyed grunt.

What do you want now, Blaze?

He didn’t respond. The growl only grew louder.

I rolled my eyes at the dragon, even though he couldn’t see me. Blaze had been acting… unsatisfactory, lately. He always reported that he’d been busy hunting for my first master, like I’d ordered, but with no success. He’d already killed the other two I had been sold to and brought me their plunders. Blaze had this one purpose in life.

Why did he find this mission so difficult?

My fingers tightened on the hilt. A girl’s patience only lasted so long.

I turned back to my work with an annoyed huff, then froze.

A black shadow cut off the sunlight. From the corner of my eye, the butterfly’s bright flash of light yellow zoomed away.

Sajah.

I jumped up, tightening the grip on my blade.

Blaze? I—

Sajah!

The dragon landed in front of me. His yellow eyes shone with ferocity as his crimson scales glimmered with sunlight, his wings spread.

“Blaze!” I hissed, eyes widening. “What are you doing? I thought I told you to never ignore me!”

I spoke the words both out loud and in my mind. Blaze shook his long, pointed head, smoke hissing from his snout. You have finished commanding me, Sajah. I admire your ambitions, but these days of your… limitations… are over.

My eyes hardened. Stop kidding around.

Look to the East.

The cold defiance in his voice set a sick feeling in my stomach, and I slowly turned my head. The upper portion of the capital city erupted in flame.

“B-Blaze… what?”

The dragon knelt down and nudged me. I admire this constant passion against your oppressors, Sajah. I am ending my own oppression. My new-found kinsmen and I have no need for the human spectators any longer. It is time to rise from hiding.

My mouth popped open as three more shadowy dragons emerged from the darkening clouds. The townspeople’s confused cries filled the skies. Even amidst my horror, I knew what would come next.

“Blaze. Wait. No!”

The dragon launched off my grassy knoll and hovered for a moment. You may step aside, or you may assist us.

A stream of fire spewed from his mouth as he launched into the air and streaked over the massive city. He targeted the lower section near me.

I couldn’t move.

The surroundings blurred, and my mind shifted back to the fearful trembling of my days of slavery. No one had cared to help me then. I wallowed in almost complete despair, at the mercy of those who cared little and demanded much.

Blaze became my safety. My way of making sure no one ever tried to own or take away this freedom again.

My feet began to slowly step forward. I couldn’t watch them die like this, could I? The dragons had already begun their annihilation, and what could I do?

No.

I’d grown sick of letting oppressors win. I broke into a sprint, sweat beading on my forehead as the flames licked ever nearer.

I called to Blaze, voice pained. “Blaze! Blaze?”

His mental signature originated somewhere in the fray.

Flames growled around me as I shinnied up a tree, leapt over the capital wall, and landed with a thud in the roaring alley end.

My throat stung as I forced myself to move faster.

Faster.

Through the fiery streets.

Past the terrified citizens.

I found him hunched over the main square fountain, drowning it in flames until it crumpled into ash.

Sajah. I see you refuse to accept the inevitable.

“I refuse to let you murder all these innocent people!” My sword slid from its sheath.

A few children darted from their hiding places to safety.

“How could you do this?” A tear carved through the soot gathering on my face.

Blaze stared at me. I want to be free of the humans forever.

Free. The same reason I had stolen and hatched Blaze’s egg. I wanted to be free forever.

“But th-this isn’t the way—” I broke off, coughing, and stumbled forward as a flame licked at my ankle. “Destruction is not the way!”

The dragon snorted. Then stop me. Fight.

I tried.

I really did.

The fire closed in.

My sweat mingled with blood and tears.

Blaze depleted my strength one dodge at a time, acting like my few successful stabs meant nothing.

B-Blaze… please…

By now, my scorched left leg could barely hold me up.

My right arm sagged with the weight of my sword.

The once-bustling square was enveloped in silence.

You should understand revenge better than anyone. Blaze swiped at me with his claw. I barely managed to throw up my sword and catch his scales, pressing to keep him back.

He was driven by revenge.

Like me.

For a moment, us two monsters interlocked, sword and claw.

The sword snapped.

I let out a small sob, staring in horror at the thing I had created and the pure, unbridled apocalypse it had caused.

Unfortunate that your weakness kept you from acceptance. Blaze placed a claw on my chest. The age of men has ended.

He pressed the claw in.

The age of dragons has begun.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. M. Wyler is an aspiring young author who can’t get enough time with people—both in fiction and real life. She loves all art forms, and it’s common to find her huddled up with a book, painting or sketching the next big idea, or singing like there’s no tomorrow. Fantasy stories have always been her passion and she seeks to show the incredible truth and power found in myth.

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