• Chapter 2: The Figure, an Ogre?
    Humming an unknown tune, Sariah skipped happily to the stables. Suddenly, she stopped humming, and her eyes widened. “Ce-Ce-Cedric… what happened to- Ora-Orathion!” she screams. Nathaniel heard her screaming from the pasture, where he was gathering the baskets and Cedric’s saddle, and bolted towards the stables. Orathion, in human form, ran past him. “S’cuse me kid, she called my name.” Nathaniel slowed to a stop as he thought, “Who was he?” Nathaniel shook his head, answering himself, he added, “No one important… maybe.” He picked up speed and ran into the stables. “Sariah, what’s wro-” His eyes widened. “Nathaniel, run away! You can get away from-” She was cut short when a bulky figure in black hit her on the neck, knocking her out. “Damn it! Get away from her you b*****d! Let me go! Give me a chance to fight you. Let. Me. Go!” Orathion struggled under the bulky mans massive grip on his collar. “Shuddap dragon, you ain’t so mighty now that you human. Hehehe.” The figure roared with laughter until he spotted Nathaniel. “C’mere ‘lil boy, I’mma be you bestest buddy, we gonna be good friends. Nathaniel flinched, but didn’t move from the doorway. He seemed to be a deer in headlights. “Damn it, you stupid kid! Run away! I don’t care what happens to you, but Sariah does!” Orathion’s voice cracked the silence between the four of them. Nathaniel, still in shock, looks up at Orathion. “This is just a dream, isn’t it? The next thing I know I’ll wake up to Sariah’s laughter in my-” The figure picked up Nathaniel, and hurled him against a wall in the stables. “Sleep boy, I’mma comes for you tomorrow.” “How had he done that? One hand holds Sariah, one hands holds the guy. How did he pick me up and throw me?” Nathaniel thought while he sat, helplessly watching Sariah and Orathion being taken from him. “No.” He stumbled, but rose shakily to his feet. Nathaniel, bloodstained and bruised, wants his friends back. The figure turned, “You say something boy? You want go now? I grant freedom and you no want? Puny human make me laugh.” Orathion struggled still, mumbling curses, anything to get the thing to release its grip. “Hey ogre, you gonna let go of me, or not?” Orathion roared, flames escaping through his teeth, and smoke exploding from his nose. “What? You fire-breath dragon know what I am? You sly, sly dragon. I make you pay with your life!” Just as Orathion goes to blow fire into the ogre’s face, he noticed something. It appeared that Sariah’s breathing had changed; it was a strong steady pulse, almost like a lullaby. Her eyes opened, and they glowed with the intensity of a small sun. “My friends are not for your taking!” She wailed, trance-like. The three turned their heads towards her. Her head was still lowered, but her braid began to unravel, turning into a swarm of red. The ogre threw Sariah to the ground, but the hair extended, grew, and wrapped its way around the ogre. He screamed, and dropped Orathion, who inhaled deeply, and blew a plume of flame into the ogre’s face. The hair receded, and it came to a rest at her back, the glowing eyes closed, and she fell to the ground in a slump. The ogre backed up, and started running away. “I remember this, I come back and kill you!” Orathion exhaled fire, “You really want to try that, ‘bud’?” The ogre flinched, but kept running, until eventually, he was out of sight. “Oh, Orathion, Nathaniel, I’m so sorry about this. He came for me, and it caused you trouble.” Orathion turned toward her in surprise that she’s awake, but she was still slumped on the floor. “Aw man, I made you cry again, didn’t I? You know you saved us with your power, that’s the second time for me now. I’d be dead without you! It’s not your fault that you’re so powerful.” Orathion scratched his chin, as if contemplating about the entire situation. Nathaniel stood there, shaken, afraid of what he had been just thrown into. He noticed that blood covered his face, and was also dripping from his mouth. “Sariah, I’m just glad you’re-” he began, but stopped abruptly, for he began to lose consciousness. She turned sharply towards him, for she had gotten up, she yelled, “Catch him!” Nathaniel smiled for a second before falling into a long, dark abyss.