The intense heat flew towards me. I pushed with my mind as well as my hands. It was similar to all the times I moved my own fire with my mind, except it was far harder. My head throbbed, and blood flowed out of my nose. My eyes pierced the dragon’s fire until I saw it in my mind. It dwelled in him like mine did in me. I could touch it, but I couldn't extinguish it. I changed it, pushing the fire aside.
The deadly blaze never touched me.
It turned upwards and struck the ceiling. The dragon stopped his fire breathing, his face contorted with confusion. I didn't care how it happened. I hadn’t even known I could control fire that wasn't my own. At least I was still alive…for now.
The dragon said, “How did you do—” A huge block of ice fell from the heated ceiling and landed hard on his head, interrupting my would-be eater.
The dragon’s body crashed heavily to the ground, causing tremors. I fell to one knee, gasping for air. I rubbed my temples and wiped the blood from under my nose. Then I stared at the dragon, waiting for him to rise. If he did, I was finished. There was no way I could have done what I did again. I stared at my hands, amazed I had done it in the first place.
The dragon's body twitched. My body jerked in response. The dragon didn't rise. The only thing that continued to move was his giant rib cage as he breathed. He was unconscious.
I glanced up to the heavens, seeing only cave ceiling and the icicles that hung from it. “Thank the gods.”
I thought about killing the dragon. Surely, he could die like any other animal. But when I saw the tough scales along his huge throat, I knew I couldn't do it before he woke. I also didn't want to take the chance that he would wake when I touched him.
I gathered my belongings in my arms and circled wide around the slumbering dragon, praying he wouldn’t wake up and kill me. When I was past him, I rushed down the cave. There had to be somewhere where there wouldn't be enough room for the dragon to follow. I thought about going back outside to hide, but the cold would finish me off as surely as the dragon would. From the looks of things, he had no problem with the weather.
I scurried along by the light of the dancing torches, looking for some kind of safe haven. I kept glancing behind me, expecting the dragon to wake up at any moment and chase me. I listened for the tremors that signaled his earlier advance. The only noise in the quiet caves was my breathing.
I passed several other tunnels, but my pursuer could easily fit. Finally, the long tunnel ended in a human-sized room, too small for the dragon even to get his head inside.
The moment I entered the room, something tugged at me, yet I saw nothing. There were two doors in the room, one on the right and one on the left, and a fireplace in the opposite wall, though there was no fire burning. I picked the door on the right, hoping I would at least find a place to put my belongings if not to hide and rest. I didn't want to get lost exploring the place before I was ready.
I grabbed the handle and pushed at the creaky, wooden door. It didn’t budge. I pushed again but the door stood fast. That strange tugging feeling I’d had when entering this room felt even stronger against this door.
“Why is this damned door being stubborn?” I turned to go through the left door instead. Behind me, the right door opened. I spun, dropped my things, and drew my dagger. I didn’t know if I could handle any more surprises.
An old man stood in the doorway, holding a gnarled wooden staff. “Do you need some help, young man?” He stepped toward me with a warm, genuine smile on his aged face, ignoring the fact that I was holding a weapon.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to trust him. But it was either trust him or face the dragon, and he was less likely to help me while I waved a weapon in his face. Considering the choices, I put the dagger away. I kept it close on my waist where I could draw it easily. “Please, you must help me. There's this dragon and—”
“Calm down,” he said, putting a hand up. “Calm down, young man. You're not in any trouble, but by the time we begin, you will be.” He chuckled, his face gleaming like the fist-sized pearl on top of his staff.
I raised an eyebrow. What was he talking about? “What do you mean?”
“Don’t worry, I'm not going to harm you. Hold on. I'll be right back and explain everything.” He disappeared into the doorway and came out with two stools. “Please have a seat. I've been expecting you, Hellsfire.”
I was stunned. Even though I’d come to the mountain for answers, I hadn’t expected to find someone who knew me by name. “How do you know my name? And what do you mean, expecting?” I backed away from him and put my hand on the hilt of my dagger. He stared back at me and said something in a language I’d never heard. His blue eyes flashed, and calmness overcame me. I let go of the dagger, sat down, and listened to him.