The Dragon

The autumn breeze stirred me on Dale's roof. Cold didn't bother me anymore, but winter's approach meant dwindling time to find survivors. Children's laughter drifted through the window below—Betsy's kids were awake.

I dropped down to check on Dan. He sprawled on the gray sectional where I'd left him after his ordeal, blanket tucked to his chin. His signature buzz cut had transformed overnight into flowing golden locks that shimmered with ethereal light, moving in a nonexistent breeze.

"Wake up," I shook him, grinning as he batted my hand away. A swift kick solved his reluctance.

"I'm up! I'm up!"

"Good. Daylight's burning. Remember anything from last night?"

His puzzled face said no. I rolled over a mirror, letting him see his transformation. Beyond the hair, his eyes blazed golden, pupils replaced by miniature suns that bled radiance into light tan irises.

"What the hell?!"

"Notice any changes to your senses?" I asked. "You're not wearing your glasses."

His face lit up as he looked around with perfect vision. We gathered the others and moved out.

Travel slowed with our expanded group, but we made steady progress. As I surveyed our refugees, the logistics loomed—thirty children, ten elderly, and only eight combat-capable adults besides Dan, Norma, and me. Our ammunition dwindled with each encounter: two goblin hordes, terror-beast ambushes, a pair of minotaurs.

Herold, an aged man with a boar spear and Soldier Job, fought with surprising effectiveness, maiming creatures for Norma or me to finish. Dan operated on another level since completing his Totality. His presence crushed lesser creatures within ten yards, while his blade danced through anything that survived.

I could feel him now when he scouted—his power called to me across fields and fences, more real than before. But as we neared Elysium, resistance mounted. Powerful creatures patrolled in growing numbers.

"Good news and bad news," Dan reported at our makeshift camp—a burned-out estate courtesy of Norma's spider-removal method. "Elysium's grown. The road's transformed to black and gold cobbles nearly to the cross streets. The forest behind matches Fantasy's patterns as far as I could see."

This was promising. If monsters couldn't manifest in the Domain, we could secure the town. We just needed to understand why it was expanding.

"I found a clear path on the far side," Dan continued. "But that's the bad news—the dragon cleared it. It's sleeping there now. Watched it obliterate twenty goblins with a tail flick without waking."

My mind raced through options. Dan might sever its spine if he got close enough. Norma and I could contain it with fire and resilience. But reaching striking distance...

"How much ammo do we have?"

Dan glared. "Bullets won't touch that thing. Whatever suicidal plan you're cooking up—don't die."

It wasn't suicidal. It was... nuanced. If we couldn't fight through both dragon and hordes with refugees, we'd eliminate one threat. Preferably the dragon—who doesn't want that on their resume? Plus, its roar had terrorized the entire city.

I borrowed Dale's rifle and ammunition. Dan and Norma would take the refugees to shelter near the clearing, ready to sprint for the Vestige once the dragon took flight. The rifle's crack had drawn terror-beasts before—I hoped to replicate that effect.

Sneaking past troll and minotaur patrols proved easier than finding a clear shot. I huddled beneath a willow, surrounded by four hundred hostiles, aiming for the dragon's closed eye. The first shot struck true. The second clipped the socket as its eye opened.

The roar shook earth and air. Three mighty wing beats lifted its three-story bulk with impossible grace. Lesser creatures froze, bloodlust warring with terror.

I ran, drawing on every enhanced ability. The dragon pursued, breathing fire as I sprinted toward the grocery store a mile away. Each time it lined up above me, I fired at its belly. It learned to dodge, but the harassment kept it from immolating me.

I slipped through the automatic doors with six bullets left. Just had to stall while the others reached safety, then double back. Simple.

The back wall exploded in scales and rubble. The dragon had skipped finesse for brute force, ramming the building to flush out its prey.

Well... fuck.