Gays and Dragons

Chapter 19 - The Dragon

"Shh… Be quiet, Car. Wake Chrys up." She whispered and I can barely see anything because the moon is covered with clouds. And, my heart started to beat fast.

I tried to find Chrys and when I felt his body, I shook him to wake him up. I have no idea if what is happening.

"Hhmmmmhmm. I don't wanna have s*x right now, Babe. Just please yourself, I'll---" I cut him off by covering his mouth.

He blabs in his sleep, and I guess he's dreaming a dirty dream.

Then, he suddenly sat up since he was startled. I quickly retrieved my hand and eww, damn it. I wiped it to him.

"Maddie, what's happening?" He whispered, and where did Mel go?

I searched for her and someone touched me. I yelped and it's Chrys who scooted near me. What a damn coward!

"Car, Chrys! Let's go hide under that tree." Mel whispered, and then, we gathered our things slowly and went under the shade of the tree that she pointed to.

"What's happening, Mel?" I asked her and she shushed me.

Damn, I have goosebumps all over my body as I heard something so loud like a really big bird that is flapping its wings.

"Car, Mel, what was that?" Chrys asked scarily and scooted closer to us.

"Dragon. I guess it's looking for something to eat." She stated and I swallowed hard.

Okay, that's not a myth at all to me now.

I looked up to the sky and the moon is finally clear from clouds now. It is about to be in its last quarter phase. That full moon will be in a few days.

"And... we are the food, right?" Chrys asked and I tried to observe the surroundings closely.

"I guess it's gone," Mel uttered and that's a relief.

We all let out the breath that we've been holding for a while.

"I thought dragons are not that huge, no, it's enormous," Chrys said and suddenly, there is some noise that we can hear from the bushes near us.

I pointed my sword at it and it's about to come out. Chrys also pulled out his sword, and Mel made her bow and arrow ready.

Then, it slowly showed itself and we are ready to defend ourselves whatever it is.

"Ah, come on, Lera! Do you have to scare us like that? It's not funny." Chrys exclaimed as we put away our weapons.

It's just his horse. She stared at us while chewing some grass in her mouth.

Chrys is about to went near her when I suddenly heard something. And, the last thing I saw is Mel pulling Chrys by his cloak back to us forcefully.

We looked up in the sky and it's the dragon. It got Lera on his hold and it's so damn big.

"No!!!! Lera!" Chrys cried as he realized that his horse is gone. The dragon got it.

"Shh... It might hear you, Chrys." I shushed him and he's sobbing now with his knees on the ground. That dragon almost got him too.

"She's… gone." He murmured and I felt sorry for him. They have spent some time together. He always checks on her and takes good care of his horse.

"It's supposed to be you, Chrys," Mel let out and he stopped crying.

He looked at her and it's a good thing that she pulled him back.

"What? It's supposed to get me instead?" He asked and she nodded. He looked at the ground while letting out a deep breath.

"You saved my life. Thank you, Mel." He thanked the princess and stood up.

Then, he put back his sword to its case and looked at us.

"What do we do now?" He asked as he finally recovered from the shock and Mel looked at me.

"We'll stay out from the open so that that monster can't get a sight of us," I stated and went near to the tree trunk.

I sat leaning to it and sighed deeply. How are we gonna kill a creature of such a huge size? It even spits fire and its scale might be as hard as iron. I just hope that that prophecy is true. But they say that the future can still change, it depends on what choice you choose to do in the present time.

Mel sat beside me and held my hand tightly. And, I looked at her and I can barely see her because the shade of the tree is blocking the moon's light.

"Where might that dragon lives?" I asked out of nowhere and Chrys sat on my other side, then, leaned to the tree trunk.

"No one knows, Car. People are too scared to find its resting place." She answered.

That creature must be inhabiting somewhere near here.

"What's your plan, Maddie?" He asked me in a serious tone of voice.

"Chrys, let me ask you. In movies that there are dragons, where do they usually stay?" I asked him. They can't build a nest on a tree branch because they could easily be found, and they might be too big and heavy.

"Hmmm. Caves or volcanoes." He answered and just as I'm thinking.

"Yeah. They live in caves and volcanoes. Mel, do you know where can we find caves in your kingdom?" I said and asked the princess. There must be some around here.

"Well, there are only two caves I know. One in the south and the other is here in the north. But those caves are used as storages for farm crops or others. And, we don't have a volcano here. That's what I know." She explained and I nodded my head.

"There might be some hidden caves anywhere behind some waterfalls or cliffs that no one discovered yet. We must find and kill that dragon before it becomes wild and stronger by the full moon," I let out and Chrys gasped.

"Are you f*****g out of your mind, Maddie? How are we gonna kill a creature that is as big as the biggest dinosaur that spits fire and can fly?" He asked in disbelief.

We have no other choice. If we wait until it destroys something before we attack it, we might fall to a lesser chance to kill it. We won't know if where it attacks.

"That's why we need to plan. We just can't get out of there and risk the lives of people." I uttered and sighed.

This really sounds so impossible, but if we have weapons, this will be much easier.

"Let's just take a rest for now. We have to store energy for our journey tomorrow." I added and Mel laid her head on my shoulder.

I didn't complain when Chrys laid his head too. He lost a great friend tonight, and now, he needs comfort.

---

"Chrys, take my horse and I'll ride with Car since Reo is a male. He is stronger," Mel said and handed her horse's rope to Chrys.

"Okay, thanks, Mel! Hey Maddie, no canoodling on the back of the Reo, okay?" He stated and joked. I guess he's feeling better now.

"Don't worry, if we're doing something nasty, Chrys... You'll be the first to know it." I replied as I stepped on the footrest and jumped to Reo's back.

I offered Mel a hand and she happily accepted it, then, jumped too. It's just like the first time we rode Reo back at Tehori. And, she hugged me from the back so she won't fall. Yes, I love this feeling.

"Hey, hey, hey! You're starting it." He let out and I looked back at him since he's following behind us.

"Why don't you lead the way, Chrys? So, you won't witness some view that is only for the adults." I told him and they just chuckled.

"That would be fine for me, Maddie. I'm already eighteen, so, I'm allowed to see it." He said and I just shook my head out of frustration, then, I gave him a middle finger. He never really runs out of words to say to annoy me.

We trailed the forest that is found on the map, and luckily, we found some fruits and spring. And, I can see at the end of this forest is a river. I guess we're getting near. I just hope that we get there before the sun will set in the west.

We stopped by the river bank and fished some carps using our bows and arrows. The first one who caught a fish is, of course, the princess.

Then, we had a deal that the last that can catch a fish will be the one to cook them. And now, I'm doing my best not to waste my arrows and not to be the one to cook lunch.

"Damn these hands and eye. Why can't they coordinate properly with each other?" I cursed out and Chrys is boasting to me about how big is his fish. I just stuck my tongue at him and he laughed like a mad man.

"Look who's going to roast these healthy fishes." He taunted and I sent death glares at him.

I just always got my hands shaky if we talk about competitions. My focus could totally escape from my mind, and I hate it so much.

---

We continued walking until we reached a forest. And, I guess this is the last thing that we will go across.

"Get down from your horses, and drop your weapons to the ground away from you!" Somebody yelled in a deep low voice.

Then, we looked for the source of the voice but we can't find any. He must be from up the trees hiding behind the leaves.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" I yelled and we kept our senses alert. I know that they are bad people.

"I will not repeat it. Get down and throw away your weapons. We are pointing arrows at you and we won't hesitate to shoot." He stated and we didn't complain since our lives are at risk.

"Show yourselves and face us, Cowards!" I yelled and waited for something to happen.

We put down our weapons and we kept looking around to find out if who are these people that are threatening us.

"What do you want from us?" I continued and still, no one showed up.

"Stay away from your horses!" Someone yelled and I finally got the sight of him.

He's right up the tree and hiding behind a big branch, but I can see his brown clothes.

Chrys and Mel complied with his orders but I did not do what he asked for. I don't easily follow orders from someone that is not on the right track. I guess I'm always like this since forever.

"How many are you out there?" I asked and Chrys got his eyes wide.

"It's not time to be stubborn, Maddie. Do what he says. Didn't you hear that they're pointing arrows at us right now?" He whispered and I just scoffed. They're just cowards.

"What are you waiting, Lady? Do you want to die?" The man said and I looked at Mel.

"Car, please." She said, and with that, I stepped backward.

They're right, what if they could kill us in an instant with their arrows?

"Get their horses, weapons, and supplies, Jero and Larry." Someone said, and there, came out two men that covered their faces with only their eyes we can see.

They also have bows and arrows on their backs. I guess this is a holdup. Could these people not think of other things to do to make their lives better?

I'm holding my temper by forming my hands into a ball and gritting my teeth. And, Mel noticed it and she went near beside me.

"Calm down, Car. We can't make a move recklessly. They might be in a big number." She whispered and I closed my eyes trying to control my anger.

They don't know how important our horses to us and our weapons. I should think of a plan to get it back.

---

They went away with our horses and our supplies. And us? We are left with nothing. What the actual f**k!

"Now, what do we do?" I asked out of nowhere and looked at my companions.

We took off our hoods and we looked at each other. We are so damn broke. We just lost our horses, food, weapons, and our map. It's just so great. A perfect adventure. We just don't deal with dragons but also assholes.

"Can we cry now?" Chrys let out and I looked at him with an unimpressed look on my face.

"We should get going. So that we'll arrive at the palace before the sun sets." Mel said and we got no choice.

But my feet really want to follow those assholes and take back our belongings. Reo's a great horse and Mel's horse is her horse since she was little. And our weapons... it was used to kill dragons for centuries. f**k it! f**k this!

"We should take back our things," I uttered and they both looked at me.

"Have you lost your mind, Maddie? How can we take it back, they're so many and they are armed?" He asked and he's always like that. Opposing to my plans.

"Do you know how important those things that they took from us?" I asked him and he just went quiet while Mel is just waiting for me to say something.

"They took everything we needed for this war, Chrys. They have our horses, our food, the weapons that the witches issued us and they entrusted it to us to make them our other halves. And more importantly, they took our... map." I ranted and it's all true. I'm mad now and I should get those.

"Yeah, right. But we have no match against them, Maddie." He said sadly and he may be right.

That's why there's a thing we called a plan. We can find other ways if one way is not effective.

"Are we trained for almost a week just to do nothing about what had just happened to us? We are trained to be good at using weapons and defend ourselves, isn't it?" I asked and he's just nodding his head.

"If you don't want to go. Stay here both of you and I'll just meet you at the palace." I added and turned my back to ran after the bandits.

I heard them calling my name but I didn't look back.

There are horse's footprints on the ground and I am gonna follow them. And, they're headed somewhere east.