Chapter Three

Mint was walking me down a path in the forest I hadn't been down before. The bushes and undergrowth tugged at my feet, my cloak, and everything the branches and thorns could find purchase on as we walked on. It was mildly annoying, but I was too distracted by the notion of having something to ease the pain to really notice.

I didn't know if this flower would do much, but at this point, some kind of relief is better than none. 

Mint suddenly stopped, and I almost ran into her. She turned to me and then pointed to a clearing just ahead. 

"Is that where this came from," I ask, holding up the large flower she handed me a while ago. 

She nodded. I gave the clearing a closer look as I stepped just beyond the tree line. It was gorgeous here—a vast meadow lay ahead, leading up to the bottom of a steep cliff. My eyes follow the rock line upward. It seems to go on forever, with the exception of a few outcroppings here and there. We must have been at the edge of the Craggy Mountains. It was an extensive mountain range that acted as a natural barrier on the west side of the continent. It protected human civilization from the Wastelands beyond. I knew they were close, but I've never thought about just how close they were. Staring up at the cliff face, it was almost daunting to believe that something so large could exist naturally. 

The rest of the meadow was filled with flowers of various kinds. It would take a while to find the one I was looking for, and the sun was dipping below the horizon. So much for getting back before dark, I suppose.

I look back at Mint and find her staring at me intently. "Where exactly did you find the flower?" I hoped she could show me—anything to save a bit of time at this point. I've never had issues with the Forsaken Forest, but I didn't want to push my luck. 

Mint pointed toward the cliff, off to the right side of the clearing. I thanked her and began walking in that direction. I felt a tug at my cloak, though, that stopped me. Looking back, Mintwas firmly grasped the edge of my cloak, desperately trying to keep me from going further. 

The way she was acting was concerning. "What's wrong?" She put her hands up, bending her fingers like claws, and made a scary face. Then, she pointed toward the cliff again, her face etched with worry. 

If a nymph was worried, then perhaps I should tread carefully. I looked in the direction Mint pointed, this time slowly scanning the rocks. Then I saw it. There was a cave set deep into the mountainside. Its opening was enormous! What kind of creature would want to live in a cave that big? More importantly, what kind of creature would make a nymph, or any fae, so scared?

"I'll be cautious," I tell Mint, hoping to ease some of her concerns. With that, she let go of me, though she still didn't look happy. 

I carefully walk into the clearing. Eyeing the cave opening, it looked mundane despite its large size. If Mint hadn't said anything, I wouldn't have put much thought into it. As I drew closer, I saw the flowers I was looking for. There are so many of them! Just how did such a rare flower find such a large foothold in this desolate area?

Then I see it. The flowers surround the cave, but not just that. At the mouth of the cave was a large scar carved in the ground. It looked like scorch marks, but it didn't look like a fire caused it. As my curiosity urged me closer, the sun was finally sinking below the mountains, and darkness fell across the forest. I'd never been in the forest after dark before, but it was eerie.

Suddenly, the hair on my arms rose, and goosebumps spread across my flesh. The forest and all of the life that calls it home fell deadly silent. Not even the wind dared rustle the leaves of the trees. 

What the he--

I was shaken off balance. The ground started vibrating, violently shaking everything. I fell flat on my ass. Was that an earthquake? I frantically looked around, trying to find something to gain purchase on, something to stabilize myself, when I heard it—a deep, low growl. At the same time, the earth continued to shake. Is that noise the source of the tremors?

What kind of creature had a growl deep enough to rock an entire forest? I looked at the cave opening, trying to see what lay beyond the darkness. My eyes strained from the effort. Then I saw it—two glowing red eyes. They were floating in the void, certainly higher than I was tall. 

My blood ran cold, icy fear flooding my veins. What the hell was I looking at? All I could see were its eyes, but I was scared out of my wits. My heart was racing, and I could feel my body wanting to run, wanting to get as far away from this place as possible. 

Then, my mind outweighed the primal reaction. Would it be so bad to die here? I could think of no more beautiful a place to rest than here, surrounded by flowers, near the only living beings I've been able to find comfort in. Would that really be so bad...? 

As I weighed the notion, the creature let out another deep growl. The noise was enough to snap me out of it. I looked back to the glowing eyes. They shone like embers in a fire. I could feel them boring holes into me, sizing me up. Whatever it was, it was probably contemplating if I would have been a delicious meal or not. Then it snorted. 

Wait, what? Did it really just snort at me? I tilted my head, confusion washing away any feelings of fear or doubts about life. While I continued to make eye contact with the strange, unknown beast, a fine mist started creeping out from the cave.

The mist moved quickly, almost as if it was being blown out by a giant bellow. That didn't seem right. I stood slowly. As I did, the light of the moon caught on the mist as it flowed over the ground. It looked purple.

Purple mist? Just what the hell was going on here? I looked back up at the creature. I could see more of it now as the moonlight shone down. Along with the glowing eyes, I saw a scaley snout, long fangs that protruded from its jaw, and razor-sharp horns at the crest of its head. 

As I started to understand what I was seeing, I was suddenly overcome by a wave of dizziness. My vision blurred, and I could feel the ground rushing up to greet me as I fell. The last thought I had as my consciousness slipped was a simple one. 

No wonder Mint was scared. It was a fucking dragon.