The Shining Light: Chapter 1 - A Chance to Live

The sunlight dwindles in the evening, casting out its' last glows like sparks in the growing darkness that follows. Watching the men from the village light the torches ablaze in comparison seemed almost like a cruel sort of joke. The mother dragon had put up quite a fight in the day, but even that was winding down. With her eggs all taken, she had done little except ask for her children to be spared. With only a dim flicker of hope remaining in her dark blue eyes, even that was to be squashed, with a quick flick of the wrist. Her head was lobbed clean off and the men who held her sprayed with her blood, even as they dragged both it and her body away.

The mens' lack of mercy was to be the memory of the executions for a young woman watching, her first view of the public spectacle. Her soft green eyes were drawn to a crunching sound, only to see a man raise a hammer in time to watch it take away another unhatched dragon's life. As an egg rolled to her feet, whether by fate or chance only, there was no hesitation as she swept it out of the reach of the next fall of the hammer. A collective gasp came from the person nearest her as they backed away and soon more withdrew as well. This caused even the executioner's attention to be drawn to the woman child. "You there, girl! Just what do you think you're doing?"

"This is wrong..." She spoke quietly, sounding hesitant.

"Oh?" He asked.

"They are not even hatched! How can you kill them when they have done nothing to you!" She let out her words in a burst.

"Ha!" He scoffed. " There! See? Your innocence shows!" He laughed. "Do you honestly believe if these were grown they would show you the same mercy?"

She fell quiet, a sign of hesitation. "I don't know..."

"Just give me the egg, child, and I'll overlook this." He held out his hand.

Hearing the crunching sound continue behind him, she took several steps back. Clutching it to her chest, she looked to him in apprehension, but spoke clearly. "I will not give it to you."

A piercing screech went through the air towards those below, causing many to cover their ears or let out a cry. She shuddered with the rest, but did not drop the egg, even as she shut her eyes tightly. "Dragons!" The man let out a yell. "Take up arms men!" There was the great sound of a commotion, the thudding of boots and the drawing of swords.

She peeked her eyes open, looking around, only, it seemed, a moment later. The village was now empty and she started on in surprise, for a massive head poked out amongst the buildings, hovering delicately over the still untouched eggs with a low growl. The eyes were a hardened yellow and their gaze fell upon the bodies of the young. The wings touched down, surrounding the remaining eggs with a literal wall of scaled flesh. A strong wind behind her forced her to fall to her knees, clutching the egg to her belly, as a second body touched ground behind her. "Hmph, one left." The voice spoke behind her with a slight scoff.

She trembled, not daring even to move. The first dragon spoke up, having a surprisingly stern tone towards the other. "Just hurry up and help me gather the eggs."

 

"The eggs?" The other seemed taken a back. "Aren't they at your feet?"

"Yes, but there is another in her arms." The dragon nodded her head at the girl, who took that moment to look down at it. "Yes, you! I know you can hear me, human! Bring it to him!"

"But..why?" She asked, glancing at the dragon then. They turned out to be quite slender, of a rich ebony hue with slight purple tint to the scales.

"Because if you don't, I will cut you down myself!" They threatened.

"Onya!" A third voice spoke up. "What is taking so long?" A pure black dragon stepped over to them. He was sharp in voice, though he carried authority about him, as well as a larger size.

"Sorry, father...I will carry them now." She scooped up the other four eggs into her claws and took off into the night.

"What of this girl?" The voice behind her questioned.

"What of her?" The leader asked.

"She has the last egg." The male pointed out.

Given a quick once - over with his gaze, the leader spoke once more. His voice lost all kindness as he turned to face the woman. "You will ride on his back. You will clutch the egg for your life and if you give him the least bit of trouble, he is to dump you off before you will have time to scream. Understand?" She could only nod. "Good." She was scooped up roughly onto the back, just behind male's shoulders and barely given time to find a grip before they took off into the air.