FSE

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Chapter 7

‘I’m not actually going to throw you silly’ Serafin said.

My heart was pounding, ‘I don’t think I have ever been so terrified before, Don’t ever do that again please’

Serafin just looked at me intently.

‘What do you know of magic?’

‘What?’ I was confused, ‘magic isn’t real.’

‘Given the circumstances, I don’t think you should be so quick to judge what is and isn’t real.’

‘Touché’ I said.

Serafin frowned, ‘do you know what that means.’

‘I didn’t say anything.’

Serafin sighed deeply, ‘back to the topic at hand.’

‘Ha’ I said, ‘hand’ Serafin looked unamused

She placed me on the ground and sat opposite me, ‘let us have a very serious conversation.’

‘Ok.’

‘So magic. -‘

I interrupted Serafin, ‘why are you doing this I literally met you two days ago, and you almost ate me.’

‘Because given my current circumstance, I'm going to need your help.’

‘You just said a lot without telling me anything.’

She shrugged, ‘it’s a complicated story.’

I shrugged, ‘I have a lot of time on my hands.’

Serafin for the third time let out a deep sigh and slowly Started to explain, the dragons were going to invade kill and burn everything and everyone then move on to the next planet leaving the world behind nothing but cinders and ashes.

‘So basically, the worlds fucked.’

‘yup,’ Serafin stood up and started to pace around the glade muttering to herself.

‘Need some help’ I asked.

‘No, I'm just thinking’ she stopped pacing and looked at me, ‘to you know to stop the world ending we need to destroy or disable the portal.’

‘What portal?’

‘you know the one that’s going to let the dragons thought who are then going to kill everything and everyone.’

‘So how do we stop that?’

‘We Start by’ she said holding her arm out the tree behind me came to life and wrapped its limbs around me, ‘teaching you how to defend yourself.’

‘How did you’ I said, struggling to extricate myself.

Serafin smiled and said, ‘I simply willed it to happen’ she gestured at the tree, ‘and it happened’ as if it was the simplest thing.

Serafin waved her hand and the tree returned to normal, I looked at the tree.

‘Gonna be honest, very much want to do that.’

‘I thought you might.’

‘so how do we start?’

Serafin pursed ‘we can start now I’m ready.’

‘ready for what?’

‘Well, we are going to need to speed things up, so I'm going to for lack of a better word give you parts of my persona.’

‘What?’ I was very confused.

‘Basically, again we don’t have time so it's better I just give you my knowledge or parts of it I just need you to lie then we can begin your- ‘

‘What no, no, no wait hold on’ I stopped for a second.

‘Farren, I need you to trust me’ Serafin sounded almost like she was pleading, ‘I can't do this without help, I am sick if the violence and death I can't go through it again please’ she reached out towards me.

‘No,’ I fell back Serafin tried to grab me I squirmed, but she just tightened her grip.

now I was starting to panic.

‘Farren stop I'm only trying. -‘

I screamed as one of Serafin's claws cut my forearm.

it was Serafin's turn to recoil withdrawing her hand, ‘Farren’ she exhaled.

I was clutching my arm there was blood not much, but it was there.

‘No Farren please don’t’ she reached out slowly her eyes I saw it, she was truly sorry, but my brain overrode that.

I turned and ran, clutching my arm.

‘Farren’ Serafin called out as I ran.

Mum wasn't home when I got there, I checked the clock on the wall it was only two in the afternoon I looked at my arm it was only a sallow gash and it looked a lot worse than it was, it still bleeding and it was to uniform It didn't look like a cut from a stray tree branch, so I went into the bathroom into the medicine cabinet and took out a bandage and wrapped it around the gash.

I didn't really know what I was doing but I did my best and with the bandage secure, I hid it with my sleeve and then to go and make something to eat wail I waited for mum to get home.

It had been a day since had had an argument with Serafin, I woke up it was bright outside I was so very tired I rubbed my eyes and slowly got out of bed, as I got dressed in my school uniform wondering what day it was when it hit me I was suddenly very much awake I was going to make a choice today.

‘Good morning’ mum said in a sing-song voice as she walked in, I ran over and gave her a hug.

‘You ok their bud.’

‘Yep,’ I whispered, mum smelt nice she smelt like comfort and home ‘so you miss your alarm?’

I gave a fake deep sigh and mum laughed, ‘c’mon you least go have missed the bus, but I can dive you she turned around ‘on one condition.’

‘Yes’, I say.

‘Tell me what's been bothering you’.

‘What do mean?’ I say in an airy voice.

‘Come on I will make you breakfast whilst you tell me what's going on,’ mum Started to walk down the corridor.

‘You don’t mind missing your first lesson, do you?’

‘Not at all I said.’

So is sat at the kitchen table wail mum made me breakfast, ‘so what's up?’ she asked cracking two eggs into a pan ‘you have been very quiet lately and you haven’t gone walking since Sunday.’

I sighed for real this time, would she believe me if I told her about Serafin I thought no what if she tells I took a very deep breath, ‘have you ever had an argument and you just feel’ I stopped searching for the right words.

‘Right for the wrong reason’s mum said, ‘As in you think you did the right thing, but went the wrong way about it?’

‘Yes’ I jumped up, ‘that’s exactly it’ I embraced mum again.

‘Wow their cowboy, don’t hug yourself out’.

‘Ok, mum.’ I say in a very exaggerated tone.

‘Right’ mu said, ‘I am going to put these eggs in a container with some toast while you get your bag packed.’

‘Thanks, mum’ I yelled as I rounded the corner, ‘I love you very, very much.’

And five minutes later I was in the car getting driven to school.

‘So, what are you doing today’ I say, repeating the ritual me and mum have had for as long as I can remember.

‘Oh, you know stuff.’

‘You can’t tell me can you’

‘Nope I'm not allowed to say, but I can tell you that I'm am now running late.’

‘It's ok I can walk from here.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, mum, you need to get to work and thanks for the advice’

I jumped out of the car and began to walk my breath crystalizing in front of me even though the sun was shining, ‘fuck it's cold’ I said to know no-one in particular.

I started walking to school along the footpath about halfway between town and school, houses on one side and a forest on the other there were birds singing and jumping from branch to branch of the tall slender trees.

I was about five minutes away from school and I was enjoying the fresh air I sighed as I heard the bell in the distance, I picked up the pace I didn’t want to miss period three, I arrived just in time to make it to my second class of the day English we have had a fill-in for the past three days she was nice enough but a little strange, I could have sworn that she growled like properly growled at a student that was misbehaving during lunch.

Which got my brain ticking, could it be another dragon here of all palaces they were hunted down all of them and now not one but two dragons? An interesting kundrem I thought.

‘Right then’ I said, to my self

I got my science books out and left to go to my English class, after rushing back to my locker to get the right books I did Animal farm for an hour and a half and then lunch and maths and then finally I was free, was free school had driven it from my mind but now it sat there like a wait in the pit of my stomach, I spent most of the bus trip debating with myself, how do I do this do I just say sorry or do I make some speech about how sorry I am.

Near the end of trip I just resolved to look you the window until we got to my stop it was a nice afternoon the sun was just starting to wane and the view blurred by as we drove along the narrow winding path watching the trees blur by and before I knew it we were at my stop I got off the bus thanking Tim I shouldered my backpack.

A thousand thoughts filled my head, what if she’s not there? what if she doesn’t want to see me? I could just go I thought, I could just go now and no one would even know I stopped conflicted, mum would have picked up Maranda my now I could go home now put this behind me, adrenalin caused through me I took a deep breath and took the preverbal plunge.

Instead of going towards my house I took the path around my house down towards the forest I jumped the fence and took a deep breath, absorbing the scents ferns, eucalypts and possibly my favourite the almost permanent smell of petrichor, I walked and followed the main path for a time until I came to the waterfall I jumped over the fencing surrounding the bridge.

I climbed down the bridge gently it and followed the river downstream, jumping from rock to rock and sometimes braving the slopes of the valley created by the water over thousands of years, after almost twenty minutes and numerous close calls with the water arrived truth be told I didn’t need to take the river it was a delaying tactic, I would have just followed the main path for another five minutes and I would have basically been at the top of the hill but I needed time.

So I made my way across the river being careful not to fall in, I didn’t know how deep it was but I made it over without falling, I stood in the middle of the clearing the river to one side and the hill on the other I called out Serafin’s name and waited I sat down after a short amount of time, I feel a strange sensation I turn around but a can’t see anything, then a disturbance in the water a massive hand reaches up a hand coved in red scales, I look up as Serafin pulled herself out of the river water running off her scales ash cased waves as she sat down on the bank of the river, I run over to her as she sits herself in the river bank I stop abruptly.

‘Hey, are you ok Serafin’ I ask concerned.

Serafin brushed her black hair out of her face.

‘Farren,’ she said like she couldn’t believe I was there.

I couldn’t tell but it looked like her eyes were brimming with tears, I walked up to her and put my hand on her knee and looked up at her she was a massive being almost thirty meters tall, only around fifteen when sitting but still my hand compared to her knee I was tiny and yet I felt safe around her I couldn’t explain it I looked up into Serafin 's face her eyes where definitely brimming with tears.

‘I’m sorry Serafin I didn’t mean- ‘

‘Farren’ she said, interrupting me.

‘Hay it's ok’ I said, in a soothing tone ‘it's ok’

Serafin leaned over and scooped me up, ‘No, it's not I'm sorry I almost ate you.’

It's ok I'm already over that I say, ‘and besides that was only a joke I hope,’ I say trying to comfort her.

the tears were running down her face now she held me close to her chest.

‘I’m so, so sorry my god what was I thinking I was trying to protect you, but instead all I did was try to force you into something you didn’t want to and for that, I am truly sorry.’

I could feel her heart beating and I gently reached out and touched where I could feel the heartbeat strongest and gave her what could pass for a hug back, my world tilted and I almost fell over as Serafin moved into a lying position I lay down to in her cupped hands she nursed me.

her breath washing over me I was starting to fall asleep, I reached out and gently stroked Serafin's Muzzle.

And fell asleep.

‘I promise I will never hurt you again,’ those were the last words I heard.

I slept well and when I woke up I did so slowly, gently rising out of my sleep.

‘Farren, Farren.’

‘Yes, yes, I answered slowly sitting up.’

I rubbed my eyes, ‘What is it, Serafin?’

She nudged me with her snout and exhaled, blowing my hair out of my face.

‘It’s time to wake up’ she said gently.

I sat up slowly and yawned, ‘morning Serafin.’ I stood up stretching.

Serafin sat up and stretched her arms high above her head and yarned she looked down at me.

‘so,’ she asked ‘what do you want to do today?’

‘hold on don’t I have school today?’

‘nope,’ Serafin smiled, ‘there is some emergency asbestos remove’ her tail was twitching like she was excited.’

‘Ok,’ I say slightly concerned ‘and mum?’

‘It will be Fine’ Serafin said airily she lay down on her stomach arms crossed, ‘so?’

‘How about we start with some explanations.’

Serafin grumbled something under her breath she sighed heavily, ‘guess where doing exposition then.’

She rolled over and patted her stomach, ‘come on then.’

I frowned ‘sorry what?’

‘Right sorry’ Serafin said, ‘a bit insensitive.’

‘No, it's Fine I say in a relaxed tone.’

‘I'm just so used to-‘ Serafin stopped mid-sentence.

‘What?’ I asked.

Serafin let out a sad sigh, ‘that’s a long story, Are you sure you want to hear about this?’

‘Yes’

‘Ok’ she said simply and with that, she picked me up and put me on her belly, I felt her stomach expanding and contracting.

‘Ok’ she said as if considering her next words, ‘where to begin’ she closed her eyes her brow furrowed just trying to remember being over three-hundred years old can make it hard to remember, Serafin opened her eyes ‘ok let's start from the very, very, very beginning.’

‘Your species?’ I asked Serafin, she nodded.

‘So way back when dragons were just your average stone-age civilization fairly primitive beating each other to death with rocks etcetera, but there was a chance discovery.’

‘Your version of fire?’ I asked.

Serafin rubbed her face, ‘Farren if you keep interrupting this is actually going to take all day.’

‘Sorry’ I said meekly.

‘It's Fine’ Serafin said, ‘anyway back to the story, the discovery of magic, at first it was found in only a few dragons, but it began to spread our world became to the embodiment of where there's a will there is a way.’

‘Yes,’ I said, ‘you did that thing with the tree.’

Serafin nodded, ‘yes it was something that we still don’t quite understand to this day there was have been a spark or something’ Serafin shrugged her shoulders, ‘we just don’t know.’

I found ‘we?’

‘Yes, Serafin said, well I'm not the only dragon out there as far as I know there are five on this earth including me that are not indigenous, they have their own brand of magic enchanting objects.’

‘Ok, I will save my astonishment for later back to the story at hand’

Serafin nodded, ‘yes good idea.’

‘Suddenly our world became what we wanted it to be’ Serafin sighed sadly, ‘it was beautiful she looked up at the sky wistfully then looked back down at me.’

‘Then it all what to shit’ I said.

Serafin nodded then she was there as their world burned the rivers boiled away mountains crumbled the mass wholesale slaughter, she watched as dragons once a peaceful race tore each other apart the blood flowed in rivers and the sky filled with screams of agony and defiant roars she forget as well, after the uprising there control over their magic had faulted, battles became close quarters she remembered, one of the deranged came at her she ducked the first swipe and charged into him lifted him up and slammed him down he was winded struggling to rise she smashed his head in.

Serafin returned to the present, she shook her head.

‘Yes,’ she said a little shaken, ‘it all went to shit.’

I was concerned, ‘are you ok Serafin?’ I asked.

‘Yes,’ she said hesitantly, she breathed in deep.

‘As you so eloquently put it all wasn't to shit there was a civil war our world consumed in blood and fire’ she ran through the hellscape that had become her home planet, she pasted corpses that where old and fresh she saw things that would haunt her until her dying day, ‘but it’s not just my world there are others countless others, I have seen so many civilizations fall to dragons dominus that’s what they call themselves led my Aborwrath with every world that falls she her armies grow.’

I went cold ‘this isn't the first time this has happened?’

Serafin shook her head sadly, ‘and it may not be the last.’

The cold feeling in my chest was replaced by determination, I shook my head ‘no, this stops hear.’

‘This will be the fourth world to fall that I have fought on, including’ Serafin stopped she closed her eyes.

‘It’s ok Serafin’ I say in a soothing tone.

‘No, she almost yelled it's not she slammed her fist into the ground I just don’t know what to do.’

‘we will stop them this time’ I say, determination in my voice.

‘I have tried many things’ Serafin sighed ‘but never ever’ she leaned forward, ‘have I ever made a friend or met a human I enjoyed being around’ that’s a lie.

‘Oh’, I say.

‘Maybe your secret to beating Aborwrath,’ Serafin said.

I smiled, ‘Maybe I am.’

Is he? Serafin thought, or am I just making the same mistakes again? she looked up at the skies as if it would hold the answers, she inhaled felling Farren rise and fall on her stomach.