Chapter 1: The day that everything changed
It was a spring day like any other, clear blue sky stretching beyond the horizon. Villagers filled the road, buying food and materials for their week in the local market. A girl strode through the village, still dressed in the clothes she had worn for her morning fieldwork, greeting the people she had known since the day she was born. Her short blonde hair annoyingly stroking her nose as the wind blew past her; a deep basket, filled to the brim with fresh produce and two loaves of bread balanced on top, gripped tightly by two hands covered in callouses. Although it was a day that she had experienced since she could walk, every year, every spring, she never got tired of it. This was her home and the serenity that accompanied these days was as much a family member to her as any of the other villagers.
The typical spring day the girl expected took an unexpected turn as an ominous shadow blitzed across the sky, that had turned from a clear blue to a mixture of oranges and reds. The typical spring weather was interrupted by a sudden burst of heat as clouds of ash and smoke rose from the surrounding buildings. The friendly conversations and happy laughter were replaced by screams and cries of terror. The villagers that once acted like family crawled and clawed over each other in an attempt to escape the flames even a second faster. Another victim of the indiscriminate charge was the girl. The deep basket lay on its side, the food that had previously filled it strewn across the road, crushed under the feet of desperate villagers. As the dust cleared, the smoke still rising into the sky. The farm girl who had up until this point knew the exact trajectory of her life, lay dazed and in disarray. Through what felt like sheer willpower and unimaginable pain she was able to raise herself into a sitting position; gravel pressing into her hands, a warm liquid meandering down her cheek through the thin layer of dust and ash that had carpeted her body. The adrenaline coursing through her veins only slightly hindered the pain and ringing in her head, and the dryness of her throat was not lessened in the slightest by her body's pitiful attempt at producing any saliva. As she regained her senses she could see a shadowy figure appear through dust and smoke. Eyes glowing as if hell itself shown through, its spread wings only further increasing its already tower size, horns piercing the sky as they twirled high, its body covered in scales that reflected the destruction it had wrecked on her life and home. As the adrenaline wore off and hopelessness started to wrap its cold claws around her heart the faint sound of hoofbeats grew louder and louder until the accompanying horse and rider appeared through the flames and rubble like a guardian angel.
The company that followed split up, some who appeared as young as the girl, heading into the sea of trees with carts in tow secrets hidden by cloth. The others formed lines on either side of the road, each similarly adorned in armour and scars. Each soldier, or knight she realises she should probably call them, lifting whatever weapon they had on hand either spear or sword, and starts banging it against any metal plate on either their bodies or their horses trying to create as much noise as possible. The overwhelming noise created by their band is followed by cheers slowly rising in volume.
"Bait! Bait! BAIT! BAIT! BAIT!"
A figure that could be considered the embodiment of the definition of knight, tall, encased in a suit of armour that could only be described as glowing with an air of divinity, rode up the middle of the road egging on his compatriots for more.
"Who was the show for?" she wondered.
Just as the thought flitted across her mind a roar erupted in the distance as the dragon that had wreaked chaos on her life had set its sights on a new target. As it came barreling towards the group, tail writhing back and forth, wings nailed to its back, the one who had been putting on a show sped away matching the speed of the dragon. After the pair disappeared into the woods followed by the cloud of dust that they had kicked up and the sound of gravel hitting the remnants of the village that once stood there. Once the shock of this series of events had worn off did the farm girl realise what had just transpired, and what could only be described as a wave of relief wash over her. The calm that had settled over the now the destroyed village, along with the dust and ash, revealed the devastation that had taken place. Her home? Gone. Her family? Gone. Her life? Gone. The hopelessness that had almost gripped her heart before now returned in full effect. She had no tears to cry and no energy to scream.
*
Bait sped through the trees, his eyes lubricated by the sweat dripping down his face. His horse breathing heavily after galloping full tilt for so long. Unwilling to let the horse go any slower, feeling the heat from the dragon's flames as they lick the back of his armour. Trees cracking as the dragon smashed through the forest, solidifying its position as the apex predator, followed shortly afterwards by the rest of Bait's compatriots. Bait sensing his horse was reaching its limit jumped from his saddle. After landing with a quick roll, Bait took off in a full sprint, shedding his armour in along the way in fear of getting caught. His horse feeling a lot lighter took off in the opposite direction, as it was trained to do. The others splitting off from behind the dragon, disappearing between the trees.
As his legs were starting to give out, throat bleeding, sweat dripping, hair singed as the dragon closed in on him, flames burning through his clothes. Adrenaline having done all that it could, Bait collapsed. The dragon stood over him. Drool dripping on his back as the dragon prepares to savour the feast that had eluded him until now, that had taunted its position at the top of the food chain. As its jaws closed around a Bait that could not even muster the strength to pull its mouth away from the dirt. A soft whistle reaches his ears. The dragon roared in pain as an arrow lodged itself in its underbelly. Its head flicking back and forth as it looked for the one that would dare to attack it. As it continued to search the trees and ground for its dessert. Two bolts planted themselves firmly in the dragon's legs leading to its collapse. Just before the several tonne lizard could crush Bait, under its freefalling mass, he was dragged clear by a couple of his companions. Now realising that its life was at stake for the first time the dragon stretched its wings in the hope of fleeing with its life, although with its pride damaged. The unexpected gust of wind knocking some of the soldiers from their positions hidden among the branches, others were simply knocked back. Their attack changed from guerrilla tactics to a full-frontal assault slashing and stabbing frantically at any part of the dragon's body that their weapons could reach. Spears swinging rapidly back and forth. There was no room for artistry only efficiency as their fight continued. Blacktips entering and exiting the body of the dragon. Any onlooker would be astounded that the knights managed to avoid each other while fighting in such close proximity.
Wings flapping erratically. Roaring as desperation and pain set in. But none of the knights feared it, only the addition of another target. Just as quickly as its body started to lift off the ground, did it come crashing down again along with its wings. A deafening roar drowned out the sounds of weapons and commands. Stretching far beyond the forest and reminding the farm girl of the danger that she had survived today. As the dust settled, the dragon felt fear for the first time in its life. Its wings removed from its body and before it stood the culprits; two young knights clad in iron pauldrons, leather armour, and shin guards, swords as long as they are tall with blades as black as the night. With one final blast of heat out of its nostrils. The dragon accepted its fate. The knights gathered themselves and prepared for the final push to end the arduous fight. The two young knights swung their swords overhead, in one quick motion they decapitated the dragon
"Good work everybody!" bellowed a man clad in full plate armour, missing only a helmet, a beard that seemed to have stolen all the other hair from his head.
"Yes, Captain!" replied the knights, all except Bait who could only manage a low grunt.
"Chop and load the fucker" ordered the Captain "Take out the horns and hide them with the food when we get back to the caravan"
"Yes, Captain!" shouted the knights as they began dismantling the dragon, picking up the scales that had fallen off during the fight.
*
The Knights emerged from the forest intact, apart from a few cuts, bruises, missing limbs, and exhaustion. The fatigue from the battle was more obvious in the movements of the horses than the Knights as if their appearance held more value than their victory over the dragon. As the group moved through the villagers that were left. Many of who had lost everything. Dismay, grief, and fear etched into their faces as if they'd never experience happiness again. Mothers holding corpses of their children, brothers holding what's left of their siblings, children clutching the only trinkets of their families that survived the flames.
"Another batch of scorched silver has been brought into the world," thought the young Knights.
"Alright listen up newly lost souls!" shouted the Captain, the only one with the energy to sit upright on his horse, " We are the Silver torches, a company of dragon slayers!" the few that could look at up, looked at them with a combination of admiration and fear. Humans that could slay that monster that destroyed their lives were not to be trifled with. "Gather everything you can carry, you will be joining our caravan back to our village until you either get back on your feet or you die."
The girl gathered all the strength she had left within her body stood up and struggled to the nearest knight she could find, each step felt like it could be her last. Gravel rolling under her boots as she pushed her feet through the dirt.
"I want t-t-to fight" croaked the girl to one of the three knights currently supporting Bait.
"I'm probably not the right one to ask" he replied "You might have better luck asking the Captain, what's your name?"
"Ma-" she started before collapsing, the weight of the events that took place today finally becoming too much for her body and mind to bear.
The plight of dragons left a scar not only on the hearts of the people but on the land itself. A village completely destroyed, the only version of its history to be found in the memories of the survivors of this catastrophe. As the caravan restarted their journey with the addition of their new members.