Hellfire - A Dragon's Lifestory (Prologue)

Chap. 17 - "We Meet Again"

I didn't tell mom what happened. I don't know how she'd react if I told her. This is the first time I've ever kept a secret to my mom before. I don't know how I should feel about this. Mom had to make do with the small amount of mushrooms that we found. She said it's enough just for me.

I enjoyed dinner that night and slept uneasily. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened this afternoon. How I almost fell off the river... and, how... a small black dragon saved our lives.

The next day, we told the rest of our friends what happened. Some didn't believe, and others were shocked beyond belief. There are seven of us, and only Zach, Esnov, and me... us three were the only ones who experienced it firsthand. The other four didn't join us because they had other stuff to do.

Aunas: "Hah?! You fought a dragon? I'm not buyin it."

Zachary: "I never said I fought it! But, it did ran away when I ran towards it."

Aunas: "Heh. It probably saw an even tastier food than you. You stink after all."

Zachary: "Say that again?!!"

The two boys continue arguing. Meanwhile, the other five talk softly.

Selle: "Were you really saved by a dragon?"

Alice: "Yes. I'm sure of it. We almost fell off the river, until that dragon caught us and carried us back to land."

Selle: "My! How heroic!"

Esnov: "Well... it did pounce on her when she tried going near it."

Selle: "Really, now? Alice dear, are you hurt?"

Alice: "No, it's okay, I'm fine. It flew away after it caught a lot of fish."

Hal: "Guess it was just hungry."

Kamil: "Then, why didn't it eat Alice though?"

Aunas, Selle, Hal, and Kamil are four of my friends who didn't join us in looking for mushrooms. Aunas always sounds like he's trying to start a fight and the way he talks sometimes offend others, but I'm sure he can't help it if he was raised that way. Zach lives with Hal's parents because his father is busy, being an adventurer and all, and his mother passed away years ago. Hal is completely unmotivated to do anything. He lounges around most of the day doing nothing. That's why he didn't want to join us yesterday.

Selle and Kamil are... a bit special. They're both adapted and they live right next to each other. Selle sounds and acts like a princess. Her refined words and actions make it hard to believe that she's living here inside a small village like ours. Kamil is just the same. He's very good-looking. He's a kind-hearted, good-natured, and honest boy who smiles all the time and often helps people. Yesterday, he was too busy helping too many people that he couldn't help us, his friends, out. [A.N: In Japan, the term to describe Kamil would be "ikemen", meaning "hot guy" or "handsome" =3]

Alice: "I'm... thinking of going back there."

Everyone went silent. And then, Zach cut in.

Zachary: "You're going to meet that dragon again, right? I'm going with you!"

Esnov: "W-w-wait a minute! You're going back?! W-why?! It's too dangerous!"

Hal: "Why would you go back to a monster that nearly ate you?"

Alice: "I'm sure it was just scared. I approached it without warning after all... I was going to say thank you. That's why I'm going back. So I can properly thank it again."