Hansel & Gretel [NaNoWriMo 2016]

CHAPTER ONE: Hansel

The white ashes were almost akin to rain to Hansel and Gretel who nonchalantly shielded themselves with their cloaks as though villages burned every day. There was no room for emotion or tears once they stepped into the burning village. The dragon was sitting just before them, blowing fire at the houses and picking up all who was unfortunate enough to run too close to it. Hansel and Gretel had no time to adjust or think.

There was only action.

"Hansel!" Gretel shouted at her twin brother as her emerald eyes narrowed on the woman within the dragon's clutches.

Gretel needed not to explain. Hansel already knew what she was telling him to do.

"Got it!" Hansel flashed a grim smile at her as he jolted, pulling his sword out of its sheath as he neared the dragon.

He worried not about the dragon's fire as he jabbed the sword straight into the dragon left hand, drawing the first blood in this battle between the twins and the dragon. Knowing what was to come next, Hansel pulled out the sword with a twist of his hands and bounced on his heels to the left, waiting for the result.

The dragon roared in agony and rage, dropping the bloody woman straight into Hansel's arms. He sprinted away from the enraged beast, getting the poor damsel far away so he could back up his sister in battle.

The woman shook in his arms as he sat her down on the dirt. "Oh, thank—"

Hansel was halfway to Gretel by the time the woman spoke, darting around the scrambling, thoughtless villagers who were running in every direction possible. Hansel swore underneath his breath as he witnessed Gretel narrowly miss the swipe of the dragon's razor, blood-dripping claws. It reminded him of the freedom he and Gretel once had when they faced down the dragon with no one to see the battle.

It was so much easier when they were alone.

But, as Hansel surveyed the mindless villagers, unfortunately, they weren't alone.

Which made this fight so much harder than it had to be.

Hansel dove in between Gretel and dragon, handling the sword like a fire-proof shield while he debated on what they should do next. Gretel clutched his left arm before he could speak, however, as she normally did.

"We can't," she whispered, keeping her eyes on the dragon. "Not here."

Hansel agreed with his sister, but couldn't help the growth of an idea.

"They're running around like headless chickens. It would be too easy," he tried to reason.

Gretel huffed. "We'll do this the normal way. I don't want to be taken to the capital in chains."

"But—"

Hansel cut himself off as he jerked to the left to avoid the stream of flames that the dragon had tried to burn them with. Gretel echoed his movements, but took it a step further. She jolted forward as fast as she was able, leapt, and mimicked what Hansel had done. Instead of cutting, though, she took her staff made of wood and jabbed it deep into the wound Hansel had inflicted. Gretel smirked as the dragon howled, but that smirk was lost in the moment the dragon slapped her away, Gretel's body flying until smacking against a tree.

"Gretel!" Hansel cried out, standing still for a split second before racing to her.

The dragon snarled in Gretel's direction, but instead of attempting to eat her, the dragon yanked the staff out of its wound and flapped its wings. Hansel didn't stop, however. He may consider himself to be a hero and certainly wanted to put an end to the dragon's life, but his sister was more important.