Chapter 13: Sanctuary

Alright then break time is over. Back to Seth.

I watch her light bob through the darkness, through the empty Toronto streets. Her graceful movements weave easily between the cars and rubble which I keep tripping over.
"Wait up." I call out, but she keeps on at her quick pace. We soon make our way off of the streets into a grassy area. I can hear the wind blowing softly through the trees, rustling the leaves, breaking through the constant destruction that has befallen the city.
I watch the girls glow float through a pitch black playground. The silhouette of High Park's wooden playground reminds me of the days Joshua and I used to play here. It was our castle, and we would protect it with our magical swords and bows. Protecting the damsels up in the tower.
Something pings in the back of my mind. Like my vision, my thoughts escape me. There was someone else, but I can't remember their name, or their face.
I notice the girl peeking around one of the tower entrances, waiting for me to follow. I hurriedly run after her, tripping over the gate surrounding the park. I can hear he trying to stifle a fit of giggles and I can feel my cheeks heating up.
More carefully now I make my way through the play structures obstacles to the tower's doorway. Stepping through I notice the girls light below me.
"How did you get down there?" I ask. I don't remember there being a lower floor in the tower.
"I took the stairs." She says, and I watch her glowing white hand point around the bend.
Carefully I find the first step and start my decent. Several times I trip over my feet, almost toppling into the girl.
"What is your name?" I ask.
"Don't you remember?" She asks.
"No, you didn't tell me the last time we met."
"Oh, I see." She says, her voice flat and disappointed. "My name is Maya."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Seth." I say. "Hey Maya, where are we going?"
"You'll see." She replies laughingly.
We reach the bottom of the steps and I am caught off guard. I can hear the sound of birds chirping and a stream trickling even though we are underground. The ground below me is covered in grass and flowers, their fragrant smells calling me to lie down amongst them.
"This way." Maya replies taking my hand.
 I am lead across a bridge that goes over top of the stream into another grassy area. A little ways off I notice a orb of violet light softly pulsing.
"Who dares to enter this dragon sanctuary?" A wizened voice echos around me.
"M-my n-name is Seth." I stutter, awed by the power of the voice.
"Come closer Seth." The voice booms in my head.
"Where are you?" I ask. "I can't see."
"Can you not sense my aura?" The voice asks.
"Aura?" I ask remembering what Maya had said to me the first time we met. It is only then that I realize that she is no longer there. I am alone with the glowing orb the only light.
"The energy of all things boy, can you not sense it?" It asks again, drawing my attention back. "How far has humanity fallen that it can no longer see the aura of the earth?"
"The earth? Are you Gaia?" I ask.
"No I am not the earth mother, however I am connected to it, just as all things are. If you don't even know that then you are not welcome here."
The world bursts into flames around me, it's heat pushing me away. As I look to the orb so that I may escape I am shocked to see the giant form of a real dragon. It's reptilian body glows with a violet hue, it's giant wings covering it's body in deep shadows, blending it into the background. It's scaled head the source of the flames.
"But how?" I wonder out loud. "I thought dragons were just fiction."
The flames stop suddenly, allowing the dragons raging voice to be heard once more.
"You dare insult me so? Then you shall not leave this place."
I back farther away from the magnificent beast, only to find my way blocked by a leafy wall of vines. Once again the dragon rears it's head and lets out a stream of flaming death and I only just have time to move out of the way. I stumble around the enclosed area, looking for a way to escape, but I have been completely blocked off.
"If you wish to leave you will have to defeat me." The dragon says before spouting more flames from it's mouth.
I am certain that I am going to die, destined to become charred like the earth around me. I drop to the ground and I close my eyes though it does little to hide the daunting form of my assailant. I wrap the grass beneath me through my fingertips, and it takes me a moment to realize what I am actually doing. The grass should be smouldering from the flames, yet it is still cool and dew covered.
I look up just in time to see the wave of flames wash over me, it's heat coursing over my body, yet not burning.
When the flames pass I look and I can see the small patch of ground around me glowing iridescent against the darkness of my mind.
"How is this possible?" The dragon asks itself, "No human can stand dragon fire."
As I rise to my feet the grass glows brighter allowing me to see more. A bird chirping a short distance off grabs my attention, as I look over I can see it resting on a branch. The image lasts only a moment and then it fades into darkness.
"What magic have you used to protect yourself human child?" The dragon asks.
"I don't know magic." I reply, though I felt like saying something witty.
"Then truly you are not human." It says a curious twinge to its voice.
"No, I am a Dragon." I laugh.