To Melt A Frozen Heart | ONC 2024

Chapter 7 | A Nightmare In The Dark

Hoofbeats drummed in my ears. And the ground beneath me was cold. So very cold.

And that screech again.

Loud and piercing – clawing its way through my skull. Instinctively, I wrapped my hands tight around my head, curling up as small as possible.

Whatever was happening, I just hoped it would go away. A throbbing pain echoed through me. Could I have broken something? I really hoped not.

Another screech sounded from above me. Louder. And I dared to look up.

A scream tried to force its way out of my lips but, the sound never came. I just stared in terror at the huge dark shadow towering above me.

Red, glowing eyes, bored into mine as it continued to loom over me – blotting out what dim moonlight had penetrated the thick cloud cover. Now there was only darkness. Darkness – and those eyes.

They seemed to narrow, and another scream pierced the night as it opened its mouth, teeth glinting. It seemed to draw nearer, closing in on me. And I was paralysed, I couldn't move.

"Hey!"

A shout came from somewhere to my left.

I blinked, hardly daring to move my head. Whatever this thing was above me, I was sure it could devour me with one look.

I could make out the online of its head raising, turning toward the source of the noise. And slowly, it moved away, and I was left lying in the snowy grass.

Ignoring the pounding in my head, I pushed myself up to my knees, glancing around in the dim moonlight. Unsteadily, I got to my feet, the world almost seeming to tilt before me.

My horse was nowhere to be seen. But what I did see almost brought me back to my knees again. Almost.

Wrynn stood a little way off – his sword unsheathed and held high in the air. But it was what he faced that I couldn't tear my eyes away from. Before him stood... a dragon. The unmistakable shape of it etched into my mind's eye even as I tried to blink it away.

It was the stuff of legends. A dragon? They were only talked of in children's fairytales and bedtime stories. The tales of the dragon slayers of old, over the mountains. But they had only been stories, they weren't supposed to be real.

But here one was. I could see properly now, the glowing red eyes a stark contrast to the pale white and blue scales that glittered in the light, covering every inch of its enormous body, a wicked tail swishing this way and that.

Another screech and the beast lunged for Wrynn. He darted backward, out of reach. Wrynn raised his sword, swung and missed.

A hiss of anger and the monster attacked again. This time Wrynn parried the blow with his sword, knocking the creature back. But only slightly. It roared in anger.

He glanced to me then. "Aure! Run!"

I didn't move – rooted to the spot, staring at him slack jawed.

And then I was staring at the beast. Staring as it moved its giant tail. I watched as it lifted it high. And suddenly, I knew what was coming.

"Wrynn! Look out!"

He glanced back heeding my warning, scrambling back in an attempt to avoid the wrath of the dragon. But he wasn't fast enough. The tail swung, crashing into Wrynn's side. Hard.

He was knocked flying, sword falling out of his hand, sinking into the white snow. He did not get up.

I screamed. The creature loomed over him, lowering its head as if ready to pounce and deliver the killing blow. And then, I was moving, my muscles suddenly unfrozen from their paralysed state. What was I doing? I was supposed to be running away from the danger, not toward it. But Wrynn...