Young Writers Society

There once was a dragon named Joaquim, also known as “Key”. He was quite a hospitable dragon, unless you happened to be human. All dragons viewed humans to be valuable as only one thing: food. The dragon ate humans based on his moral code; unfortunately for Joaquim, this meant he ate a lot of bandits for breakfast. Though bandits didn’t taste any different, they gave him indigestion. Probably because of their nasty habits. Joaquim and the other dragons of the realm had lived like this for centuries, since most dragons live practically forever. Joaquim never felt any remorse over his deeds, after all, it was natural to him. That’s how he was raised. Other animals tasted better than humans, but humans were the enforced staple of all dragon’s diets. The leader dragon, Kyron, had said so, and no one dared to disobey him. Also, if a dragon seemed to have sympathy on the humans, he or she was looked down on by the rest of the dragon community. Joaquim -which is what all the elder dragons called him, his friends called him “Key”- lived his life as a normal dragon would, terrorizing small villages and snapping up whatever peasants were too slow to escape.

Key however did have some “human” sense, and didn’t always attack innocent villagers. When possible, he would take out bands of thieves and robbers. The other dragons didn’t give a care about him doing this, one human to them was just as much alike as another. This way, Key wasn’t called out for targeting certain humans more than others.

Key didn’t have any close friends. What dragons call “friends”, are more of acquaintances. Key had often thought about what it’d be like to have a close friend, but it was usually after a lonely day and right before he fell asleep, and when he woke up in the morning he had forgotten all about it. Still, sometimes when he did remember, he would wish he had someone who’d be his friend.

One morning at dawn, another dragon could be seen circling high in the sky above Key’s cave. It circled lower and lower, until it finally made a landing outside the mouth of the cave. It scraped its claws on the stone and made a horrible rasping sound, enough to wake Key.

“Who’s there? And stop that horrendous noise!” A deep snarl came from inside the cave as Key awoke. The thin wisps of smoke that trailed from his nostrils grew thicker as he became fully awake. His dark, deep red scales didn’t look so shiny as a haze of smoke surrounded Key.

Dragons don’t like being woken up by anyone or anything other than themselves.

“It’s Athon, and if you’re going to hunt with us, then come out of that hole.”

“Hole indeed.” Key grumbled these words to himself as he used his forearms and claws to roll the stone to the side.

“There you are, lazy.” Athon said, tapping his claws on the ground in front of him. “I could have flown from here to my cave and back by the time you-”

Key growled threateningly. “Say one more word and I’ll feed you rocks for breakfast.”

Athon backed away for a couple of paces. “Alright, alright, Touchy, but you’d better hurry if you want to eat your breakfast.” With that, Athon took off into the air.

Key shook his huge head and leapt from the cliffside as well, letting the wind catch his wings. He soared higher until he was level with Athon, and then followed the other dragon to the designated hunting place.

Fire. That was one of Key’s talents, he could breathe fire. It came in handy when he needed to vaporize a tent or poorly built hut. That was what he was doing now, spewing fire from his jaws at the little cluster of tents and huts constructed by a band of thieves. It would be horrific for someone who was not a dragon to see, but dragons are known for their cold hearts.

It was all over in a moment. The flames had incinerated the tents almost instantly, leaving only black ash behind. Anyone inside was killed instantly, but not reduced to ash only. Key preferred it that way, there was something about a scream of terror from a human that made him reel back and feel something similar to hurt in his chest. He didn’t like it. It was one of his secret “weaknesses” or so Kyron called it. He again belched fire from his throat onto the small encampment, destroying the last of it.

Or so he thought.

While Key was distracted with burning down the huts, a small, dark creature drug itself from the ruins of one hut. It managed to crawl to the edge of the woods, then fell in a heap, no longer able to move.

Athon turned his head to Key’s share of the spoil after consuming his own. He growled and sized up the other dragon, wondering if he could take him or not. Key snarled, smoke billowing from his muzzle.

“Don’t try it.” Key was easily the larger dragon, and getting into a fight with him would be foolish on Athon’s part. Athon however, decided otherwise. He quickly snapped at some of Key’s pillage, counting on being quicker than the huskier dragon.

Key was quicker than he looked. He snapped at Athon, barely missing him. Athon jumped back and circled around Key. Key simply turned back to his meal. Athon snorted smoke and charged Key again, only to receive a blow in the face from Key’s tail.

Key watched the smaller dragon circling him. Athon had grown warier after the second hit, and Key knew that he would get smarter with every move. He did not doubt that he could defeat Athon though, no matter how smart he happened to be. As he was thinking this he let Athon charge him and knock him off his feet. The two dragons rolled in the dirt, making a larger mess than they had already made. Athon pinned Key to the ground, his great paws on Key’s shoulders.

“Surrender?” Athon looked down at Key, his eyes mocking him.

“You got cocky. If it wasn’t for that, the threat might have at least sounded frightening.” Key suddenly shot his long neck upwards and got his jaws around Athon’s upper neck. He didn’t bite hard enough to kill, but enough to hurt. The smaller dragon tried to shake him off, but Key calmly increased the pressure.

“Yield?” Key questioned, his speech muffled.

Athon howled. “I yield!” He finally snarled. Key let Athon go and pulled himself up. He suddenly rammed his head into Athon’s shoulder, sending him tumbling in the dust.

“Don’t fight with a dragon larger than you, especially if it’s me.” Key snarled gruffly.

Athon merely snarled right back and took to the air.

The little figure in the grass had seen the whole fight. He was trembling now, terrified of the large dragon that still stood among the rubble of the thieves’ village. He put his hands over his ash covered face and began to cry softly.

Key heard the noise when he had finished eating. He raised his head and looked around. He couldn’t see anything at first, then caught sight of a little black blotch, half hidden in the grass by a cluster of trees. He walked over.

The little person heard him coming. He curled up into a little ball, still crying weakly. There wasn’t anything he could do to escape or to fight, the only thing he could do was try to face death bravely. The little lad didn’t feel like facing anything bravely right now, let alone a dragon.

Key lowered his head to get a closer look at the blotch. It wasn’t an animal, it smelled human. It was human. A small one, but still a human. Key sighed, and wondered if he should just leave this one alone. He glanced upwards to make sure Athon wasn’t still hovering around and spying on him.

“Please…” A little voice squeaked from the grass. “D…don’t eat me…” The small human looked up at Key in sheer terror, his whole body shaking. His light hair was darkened and charred by fire and soot, and his face was black with ash as well.

Key growled. “I think I might have to.” He didn’t really want to, not now that this little thing had spoken to him.

The lad choked back a few tears and tried to huddle even closer to the ground. He closed his blue eyes and clenched his little fists, his body still shaking uncontrollably.

Key couldn’t take that. He huffed and snatched the little human up in his right paw and took off into the air. He could hear the human shriek in fright then calm down once it realized it wasn’t going to be eaten at the moment. The little thing wriggled around in his grip and whimpered, but was otherwise silent.

Key tried not to look near the inquisitive and terrified little eyes that watched his every move from the back of the cave. There, the human child was locked in a cell, one made with crudely forged bars and stacked stone. Key couldn’t stand the look it was giving him. It was like the look of a helpless little coney when cornered, eyes wide and full of terror. That was only half of what bothered Key so much, the other half was that this little creature was intelligent. It would almost be like hurting another dragon, Key thought, if he were to harm this boy. He growled and peeked at the child through the corner of his eye when he thought it wasn’t looking.

He felt pity when he saw the little thing curled into a ball, obviously scared to death. One thing that surprised Key was how brave he was. Most humans wouldn’t have stopped screaming by now, unless Key had persuaded them to do so with a little bit of fire. Key stared at the lump in the corner of the cell, just watching. He fell asleep that way, tired from his meal of earlier. He knew he wouldn’t be hungry for a while now, he could go without food for a long time. His gigantic face was turned towards the cell as his breathing slowed and evened out. Both were now asleep, the human having cried itself softly to sleep, and the dragon lulled to sleep by the sounds of nighttime outside.

Key awoke the next morning on the figurative wrong side of the bed. He hadn’t slept well and was terribly cross at even the smallest things. He momentarily forgot about the little human as he stood up to his full height in the cave and cursed as he hit his head on the ceiling. He continued stomping about and snarling -he was not a morning dragon- until he heard a little squeaky voice from the cell. He turned his head and saw the human peeking out from behind the bars.

“M…mister dragon…sir?” He squeaked, then ducked his head behind a rock.

Key snorted for a second and pretended to ignore him. However, his curiosity and interest in this child overcame him. He thumped over to the cell and lowered his head. “Yes?” He said, in his gruff, loud, mighty voice.

“I…I’m terribly thirsty…” The lad’s voice cracked as he licked his chapped lips and looked up at the monstrous reptile. “You…you don’t happen to have any water?”

Key was a little taken aback at the lad asking him for water. He glanced around the cave and noticed he didn’t have any. He thought hard to himself. “I don’t have any…”

The lad coughed, his voice hoarse. He hopelessly retreated to his corner of the cell.

Key watched him for a good five minutes before turning and opening his cave. He knew where there was a stream, where water was available. He had no idea of how he’d get it back up to his cave on the cliff, but finding the water was a start. He glided down to the little mountain stream and took a deep drink himself. He raised his head, water dripping from his mouth. He looked back up at his cave and wondered if he should even try to bring water back for the lad. Was he going soft? What would the leader say if he found out?

“Well, I can’t eat him if he gets all shriveled up. He wouldn’t taste good.” Key reasoned with himself, and decided this was a good enough excuse. He scooped some water up in his jaws and carefully took off, trying not to spill. He reached the cave and went back inside to the cell. He opened the doors and stuck his head in. This quite startled the human boy who shrieked and backed up, only to have one and a half gallons of water dumped over his head. After he got over the initial shock, the lad cupped his hands to catch the water dripping down his face and drank it greedily. Even though the water was discolored from the dirt and soot on his face and in his hair, he still drank in every spare drop he could, even off of the stone floor.

Key watched this and huffed. He found some pleasure in watching the little creature slurp up all the water he could and look satisfied. Whether this feeling was because he was glad the boy was no longer thirsty, or because he would soon become supper, Key couldn’t tell. For his own sake, he was hoping the second.

“Th…thank you, Dragon Sir.” The lad sniffled as he shook the water out of his eyes. He shivered in the cold darkness of the cell, but was thankful for the water.

Key merely growled in reply. Not at the boy, but at himself.

By that night, Key still hadn’t eaten. He was hungry, but of all things didn’t want to eat the boy. He felt sorry for the pitiful thing, and he wouldn’t make much of a meal anyhow. He spent a half hour pacing his cave before he finally left to hunt. He came back around two hours later with a full stomach and a boar in his jaws. He felt the piercing eyes of the lad watch him as he carried his kill inside the cave and rolled the stone door closed.

Key dropped the boar on the ground in front of him and proceeded to tear its side open and eat, every so often glancing at the boy. The boy seemed to have newfound courage in the face that he wasn’t being eaten yet and had perked up.

“Is that a boar?” The lad asked, peeking through the bars.

Key didn’t answer.

“Mr. Dragon?”

Key snarled and tore an unnecessarily large piece of meat from the boar’s side.

“It was.”

The boy looked at the dragon as he ate, somewhat in awe of the massive beast. Key could feel it and it bothered him.

“Are you going…to eat me?” The boy asked again.

Key was losing his temper. Again, he wasn’t mad at the human, but at himself. The guilt was gnawing at him. “Possibly.”

“If…if you do, don’t do anything horrible first, please.” Key’s answer seemed to make the boy’s spirit drop. “Not with fire or anything horrid like that, it’d hurt too much. I guess I’m tryin’ to ask you to get it over with quick if you do decide…”

That was it. Key growled and turned his head to face the boy. His eyes were blazing and he dropped the small hunk of flesh from his mouth.

“Fire? Laddie, you’ve never seen true dragonfire.” Smoke began to billow from Key’s nostrils. “Fire that could melt rock itself, the fire kindled by rage…” Key’s voice was cold and menacing as the smoke clouded his face from view. All but his eyes. His eyes still shone like yellow gems in the dim light.

The boy backed up in fear behind the rock, but couldn’t draw himself away from the sight of the dragon. He couldn’t go anywhere that’d save him. Key could and might eat him whenever he wanted to. He crouched behind a rock as Key’s speech grew almost to a roar and smoke and thin wisps of flame spewed from his mouth and nose.

Key drew himself up to full height, his head reaching the ceiling. “You’re afraid of fire, Boy? You’ll soon learn what real fire is.” With that Key drew in a deep breath and suddenly fire gushed from his throat and onto the ground in front of him. The rock floor shimmered in the bright orange light and slowly began to soften. Before key ran out of breath the floor had a large, charred mark on its surface and was nearly reduced to molten rock by the heat.

The dragon had spilt out his anger on the rock in one roaring flame. Now, Key stood there, reduced to staring at the floor. He panted heavily.

“I…I didn’t mean to make you mad.” The lad squeaked from behind the rock. Key could see the boy trembling.

Key uttered a sound that was partly a groan, partly a hopeless sigh. “I can’t eat him…what am I going to do with him? I can’t take him back.” He heaved with one last sigh and sat down. With one claw his flicked a charred piece of meat that had been cooked through by his fire within the boy’s reach. He watched as the boy looked carefully at it, then quickly snatched it up.

“Go.” Key said, his paws rolling the stone aside. “You’re free.”

“So you really aren’t going to eat me?” The boy looked up at Key, his eyes glad and full of thankfulness.

“For the last time, no I’m not. Now leave before I change my mind.” Key snorted impatiently at the child.

“Oh, bless you Master Dragon!” The boy stepped forward and wrapped his arms around one of Key’s legs, hugging him tight.

Key groaned but didn’t exactly know what to say to this. “It’s Key.” He finally sputtered, then growled so not to sound foolish.

“What’s Key?” The boy looked up at him inquisitively.

“My name.” Key answered huskily, his huge head lowered and tilted to the side so he could see the child.

“That…that’s a nice name.” The boy could see Key was getting impatient again and remembered the fireball of last night. “My name is Caron. Thank you for not eating me.”

“You’re welcome, but that won’t be the case for long if you don’t scoot.” Key huffed.

The remark scared the boy more than Key had intended and the lad backed up. “Al…alright.” He turned and looked down the cliffside.

“You’re going to need help, aren’t you.” Key’s question was rhetorical, and more of a statement.

“Oh, no Mr. Key. There’s steps leading along the edge here.” The boy pointed at a spiral of steps leading down the side of the mountain.

Key had never paid attention to these and now felt rather silly for not doing so. “Well…get on then.” He huffed and thin wafts of smoke because to rise from his nose.

“Goodbye Key, Sir.” Caron gave him a bit of a timid smile and began to make his way down the mountainside.

Key watched the little boy until he was out of sight. “At least that’s done with.” Key said out loud. He grunted to himself, then suddenly chuckled.

“ ‘Master Key’…indeed. Poor little lad was so scared. Only one that ever called me ‘Sir’ before, though.” Key chuckled again and headed back inside his cave after watching the sky for a bit longer.

Then there was a scream.

Key whirled around and galloped to the cliff’s edge. A little way down, there was another, slightly smaller reddish-brown dragon clinging to the side of the mountain. It kept shoving its head into a cleft of rock, snarling and snapping. The scream came again.

The smaller dragon growled and peeked his eye into the hole where the figure of a small boy was hiding.

“Come on you of there, you tasty little thing…”

“No!” Caron shrieked and picked up a rock, throwing it at the dragon’s eye.

The dragon howled in anger and shook his head, then took a deep breath. He would blast the boy out of the hole once and for all.

“ATHON!”

Suddenly a larger, huskier, and much angrier dragon slammed his body into that of the smaller dragon. Athon turned his head in surprise and snapped his jaws at Key. Key retaliated with a blast of fire to his face. Athon shrieked and shot fire from his own jaws at Key’s head. It was Key’s turn to howl as he snarled and snapped his jaws onto Athon’s wing. He shook his head violently, breaking Athon’s grip on the rocks.

Both dragons fell, locked in a death grip together. They landed on a ledge below and still fought like two mad dogs. Very soon they were both covered in various smaller wounds, but Key again had the upper hand.

The blow that ended the fight came from Key. He dove for Athon’s shoulder, then ducked his head and clamped his teeth onto his right foreleg. Athon howled and struggled to free himself, but Key’s grip was steel strong and he easily broke the bone.

Key let Athon go when the other dragon cried out his submission.

“Fool! Look what you’ve done to me!” Athon stood on three legs as he limped backwards, his whole body trembling in rage in pain.

“Stay away from my cave, my territory, and my hunting ground. You are no longer welcome here!” Key snapped, panting heavily.

“You…you sneaky traitor…you didn’t kill the boy you found that day we went hunting.” Athon chuckled, then yelped at his leg again. “You’ve gone soft.”

“If I have it should be none of your concern.” Key’s eyes lit up and smoke poured from his mouth.

“Oh, it is. Kyron will hear about this, and he will not be happy.”

“Now who’s the snake, the dirty little worm who sneaks around in the dark to serve his master?!” A spurt of fire shot from Key’s jaws.

“You! You, you traitor!” Athon cried as he glanced behind him and then propelled himself off the edge of the ledge with his three legs. He caught himself on the wind and circled higher, his mocking laugh filling Key’s ears.

Key watched him fly away. He shook his head and rapidly beat his wings, sending himself almost straight upwards.

“Key!” There was a voice above him and he saw the little boy kneeling on the ledge.

Key didn’t say a word, but snatched up Caron in his front paw as he circled upwards.

Caron clutched onto Key’s talons as the dragon gently carried him higher. Key landed on the ledge outside his cave and set Caron down.

“Thank you…you saved my life.” Caron looked up at Key with his big blue eyes.

“Yes, and destroyed mine while I did.” Key snarled and his tail switched like an angry cat’s. “We have to leave. I’m taking you with me, you won’t last a second out there alone. I’ll take you to wherever you’ll be safe.”

“I…I don’t have anywhere to go, though. I don’t have any family.” Caron stated with a matter-of-factness that could almost come across as insensitive. “I was a slave in that camp you burned.”

Key grunted at the words. “Then you’re coming with me. I won’t just leave you.”

“How? Not to sound rude, Sir, but am I to ride in your claws the whole time?”

Key pondered that for a moment. Finally, he answered, “You could try to ride on my back. Below my shoulders and behind my wings. You might fall, though.” With that Key laid down on the ground so Caron might be able to scramble up.

Caron managed with some difficulty to use Key’s rough scales to climb onto his back. Key hardly felt his weight as he stood up and stretched his wings.

“Will you be able to hang on?” Key asked after rising from the round.

“Yes, I think so. I can hang on to your scales.” Caron answered.

Key took off with a beat of his wings, always glancing back every so often to make sure Caron hadn’t fallen off. The little boy was clinging to his back, slightly scared but excited.

“So, Mr. Key, how far are we going to have to go?” Caron asked. The moon was the light that lit up the sky now. Key hadn’t rested since he had left the cave.

“I don’t know. Until we’re safe.” Key answered.

“Do you think that other dragon is coming back?”

“Possible, but unlikely. He will alert Kyron and the elders, and one or two of them will come after me.”

“Would they hurt you?”

“I don’t know.”

Key felt Caron settle down on his back. It was hard to believe he and the boy had come so far. He still wouldn’t say he cared too much for the lad, only as another intelligent life. It was good however, to have someone to talk to during a long flight like this. He felt oddly protective over the child, he didn’t like the thought of anyone bringing him harm. Deep in thought, he didn’t notice a shadow quickly pass over the moon.

“Key…” Caron’s voice came from his back. “I thought I saw something big out there…”

Key growled and became more alert. He couldn’t hear anything, he couldn’t smell anything, and the air was calm. He strained to catch the sound of wingbeats, or anything that may be following him. Kyron was a fast dragon, and some of the elders were even faster than he was. They just might be able to catch Key.

A soft gust of wind brushed the left side of Key’s face. The dragon tensed, waiting. Nothing again. Still nothing.

There.

The gust of air brushed him again.

“Caron, hang on.” Key tucked his wings and dove for the rocky ground beneath him. It was but a wasteland, covered in nothing but rocks and sand.

Key heard an angry curse from behind him as he shot downwards. He had no idea how many were following him, but if Caron was to survive this fight he’d have to get to the ground. Caron was clinging to his scales, his head ducked down to shield his face from the wind.

Dust scattered as Key’s huge wings beat the air as he landed. He let Caron slide off his side and tried to catch his breath.

“Get behind those rocks. Don’t come out till I tell you to.” Key was breathing heavily as he watched five black shapes circle above him. One by one they landed and encircled him.

“Joaquim, you have some explaining to do.” The voice came from the last and largest dragon, Kyron. He landed in front of Key and looked down at him. Key bowed slightly then raised his head.

“Did I do anything wrong?” Key asked, daring to question of not killing every human possible was wrong.

“Did you kill the human boy?” Kyron answered the question with a question.

“No, no I didn’t.” Key growled. “Again, is that ‘wrong’ ”?

“It is wrong to let live what deserves to die.” Kyron paced slowly around Key.

“So an innocent child deserves to die?” Key’s voice rose a little higher in volume.

“Not an innocent dragonling, a human child.” Kyron snarled. His eyes left Key and wandered around the circle, resting on a pile of rocks. The same pile of rocks Caron cowered behind.

“You’re afraid of a human child?” Key growled and tilted his head upwards to be even with Kyron’s.

“Oh, not afraid. No, Joaquim, not afraid. Humans are weaklings, pitiful creatures that deserve extinction. The strong will live, and that is what humans are not.” Kyron snarled, smoke billowing from his nostrils now.

“Not all dragons think that way, Kyron.”

“Do you see any who oppose me? Any dragon who speaks otherwise?” Kyron turned to the circle of dragons around him and Key. “Speak up if any of you think differently. If you dare.” Kyron snarled menacingly and the other elder dragons remained silent.

“Then,” Kyron said, “then you are the only one, Key.”

“Then I am the only one.” Key stood his ground. He knew that at any second, Kyron would attack. He would try to get his jaws around Key’s neck and snap it, ending the life of the “human friend”. Then, they would surely find Caron and tear him to pieces.

“I challenge you, Leader Kyron, to a battle. A battle where the winner is the one left alive.” Key suddenly blurted out these words, surprising himself more than the elder dragons.

“Joaquim, you know that you now can’t turn back from this.” One of the elders who sat in the circle said. “You have sealed yours and Kyron’s fates. To fight and win, or die.”

“Do not try to discourage him,” Kyron snarled, “he has sealed his doom.”

Key readied himself and let his anger towards Kyron build up inside of him. Smoke surrounded his head as he worked up a stronger blast of fire than he had let loose in the cave. Kyron could tell however and worked up his own fireball.

They both roared and shot fire towards each other at the same time. Flames spewed in every direction, causing the elders to look away from the bright light and burning heat. Once the flames dissipated the two dragons flew at each other, resorting to physical combat. Kyron was the larger dragon and had the advantage of weight. Compared to him, Key was faster and more agile. Even so, Key was no thin twig. Every inch of him was thick muscle, with sinews like steel cords. His teeth were like daggers and his claws like scythes, but unfortunately all these things were the same for Kyron as well.

Key landed the first serious blow to Kyron with a slash to the shoulder that left deep tissue exposed. Kyron retreated momentarily, but Hey didn’t let him back away. Kyron was waiting for this. He snarled and slammed his good shoulder into Key, knocking him down. He didn’t relent and leapt on top of him, trying to grab his neck. Key roared and fought, but shrieked when Kyron locked his jaws around his lower neck. Kyron mostly had shoulder, but Key’s neck was now wounded badly. Kyron leapt back and shook his head, trying to shake Key like a dog shakes a rat. Key’s great dragon voice cried out as Kyron sunk his teeth deeper and shook, as if he was trying to tear out Key’s throat.

Finally he stopped. Key lay there limp. Blood covered his neck and shoulder. He was still breathing, trying to catch his breath.

Kyron stood over him with his massive head bent over Key’s body. “You…you thought you might have a chance? Look at you. At my mercy. I hope you remember in your afterlife who killed you. Remember who so easily snapped your neck in two.”

“Stop!” There was a little voice from the edge of the clearing. Key raised his head and saw Caron run out from behind his rock and stand in the circle.

“Well, the mouse has walked into the den of cats. Greetings, little mouse.” Kyron’s eyes lit up and his mouth opened slightly.

“Leave Key alone!” Caron cried. “He only did what was right! Do you have no heart?”

“I have a heart…A heart for fresh meat.” Kyron chuckled softly as smoke once again poured from between his fangs. “Come closer, little one.”

Caron scrambled backwards, but not soon enough. Kyron slashed out with his claws and caught the little boy on his side, swatting him almost all the way across the clearing.

Kyron’s greed and hate for human blood was his downfall. Key had risen to his feet while Caron stood yelling at Kyron. He drew himself up and roared with the rage of the fiercest dragon to ever live and pounced, snapping his jaws onto Kyron’s neck. The larger dragon howled and tried to shake himself free, but Key gritted his jaws with all his might. Kyron screamed, twisting and throwing himself to the ground in a futile attempt to break Key’s iron grip. Key summoned the last ounce of energy in him and bit down as hard as he could.

Kyron gave one great jerk and then fell limp.

Key dropped him and immediately stumbled over to where Caron lay, the ground bloody beneath him.

“Caron…boy, get up. You…you saved us.” Key panted.

Caron’s blue eyes were now a dull grey. “No…I saved you.” The little boy closed his eyes and rested his head on the ground, very weak from the loss of blood.

“No, come Caron. You can’t leave like this, you’ve been so strong.” Key kneeled down next to the boy and rested his head on the ground as well. “Your parents would be very proud of you. I’m sure they’re looking down from the stars seeing what…what a hero you are.”

Caron’s little pale lips slowly curved into a smile as he lay there next to Key. That is how he fell asleep, beside his newfound friend.

Thus ends the story of Joaquim the dragon, and Caron the boy. It’s not as sad as it seems, for Key was spared that night and became the leader of the dragons, as was custom. He stopped the slaughter of humans and even made peace with some. Key became known as the kindest leader of the dragons and would often tell the story of how he met a little bandit boy who saved his life.