28th July, 2016

Hey guys! This is a short story showing a different sought of dragon, more stereotypical, more primal. I usually don't do dragons like this but this time I decided to do. This is actually part of an English assignment I am doing for school, and I decided to put it on here since I haven't had the time for anything else on this book. So have a look and enjoy!

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The cave was silent. A silence that echoed amongst through the darkness, deafening and ominous. It circled the hidden spikes in the roof and engulfed the thick pillars holding the roof in place. It shrouded the long razor like claw marks along murky walls. Nothing was seen. Nothing was heard. There was only the silence and the darkness.

And there was me, sitting in amongst the silence and the darkness, where I had been forced, pushed down by the ones that live above. There is no way something like me could ever be up there again, not at my size anyway. Instead I live out my days feasting on the bat colony living on the ceiling and drinking the ice cold cave water of a small underground lake with a hidden stream of water feeding into it.

My cave is a rather large, with tunnels and crevices and ravines leading deep into the earth. Not even I know how far they really go. In my younger days, when I was still small enough to walk around, I would traverse this labyrinth, searching its dangerous depths. I quickly grew bored of that however. It is difficult walking around without light, though my fire helped occasionally. Even so, it had been a long time since I have last breathed my fire. Spending so much time in the dark, any light hurt my wary eyes.

It's rather interesting really, after spending enough time in the dark it doesn't really bother you. No, I cannot see, but I can feel, hear and taste everything. The slightest footfall of that cave spider up on the roof, or the fluttering wing beats of the bats returning from their overnight escapade. It was the only way I knew what time was night and what was day. There was a churning of undercurrent eddies through the lake creating a small swell and the other soft sound of small waves lapping at grey stone. It wasn't so silent after all.

Recently I had been hearing noises up above, in the open sky. Noises that echoed down through the labyrinth and to my fragile ears. They were strange sounds, ones that I was very unfamiliar with. Sometimes they sounded like explosions of fire, and other times the rumbling of an earthquake. They confused me, for I had not heard of such things before, and for the first time in centuries I felt the stirring of curiosity for the outside world.

As the days pass the rumblings grow ever more frequent, and the cave roof above shook in agitation. I am worried now. Throughout the years this cave has held solid, holding itself up with increasing difficulty. It is only a matter of time until it eventually falls down, and some part of me wonders if these rumblings are other sections of this labyrinth collapsing in.

However it was when a silvery, sharp glow began to fade into existence when I got truly fearful. It was light, this far down inside the cave. It was like the light of the moon had been captured and could only shine in a single direction. The glow was accompanied by footsteps, the long forgotten sound of pattering feet as they crossed over the uneven and rocky terrain. They were softer then last time I had heard them, lighter as well, not accompanied by the usual clanking of metal against metal. But there was no mistaking the footsteps. They were human.

I shuffled my large bulk, pressing myself against the edge of the cave wall, half in fear, half with the intention to hide. I may be large, but in this darkness it would be difficult to see me even with their light. I would simply look apart of the grey wall. The light grew greater, brighter and I winced, closing the third eyelid that all flying creatures had acquired.

"There are bats down here," the human words were surprisingly light, and the echo breezed through the cave, shattering the silence, causing me to wince once again.

"I told you so," this other human's voice was deeper, and seemed tired, telling of a far journey.

"Be quiet you two," said the last voice, harsh and old with background of knowledge and experience, "We are coming to the bat's area now, can you not here them?"

The world was once again plunged into silence as the strange light wheeled around, revealing everything that it laid on. The scattering and screeching of bats exploded throughout the cave as the light passed over them, searing light. A rumble escaped me as the lighter voiced human screamed and the other two shouted out in alarm. The light jolted as they scrambled safely behind a large spike on the ground and the bats cascaded from the cave and into one of the connecting tunnels.

After a couple of minutes they moved out again, their annoying light illuminating the cave again. It hovered over my scales, pausing for a moment. I tensed, ready to pounce if they had indeed found me, but the lack of terror or screams told me they hadn't.

"That's a strange looking rock," said the high voice.

"Hmm, yes," muttered the older one as the three humans drew closer.

The scent I had picked up from the intruders was far different from what I was used to. It was saturated in perfumes of some sort, with the hint of an earthly texture that likely came from their exploration. They smelled clean. Something I had not come across in my time in the sky. Their clothes were also different. Instead of the distinct metallic tinge that had grown so common, they had some sort of cloth, or cotton. There shoes also were not made from there usual metal, for they did not clang with every step. Instead they were surprisingly silent along the ground, barely a footstep being heard.

"A large vein of coal, probably," said the deep-voiced human.

I could see them now, albeit dimly. The light was still shining and hurting my eyes, but it was less then before. They were definitely humans, but they were different. There was a female among them, harder looking the most human females, with long brown hair tired back behind her head and what looked like a scar across the left of her jaw, though under this light it was hard to tell. There was a younger male, with short but bright hair and a wide eyed look of wonderment as he gazed around the cave, using the light of a strange handheld device. Lastly there was the older human, with grizzled hair and a contorting frown as he studied the patterns of my black scales. He also had a light.

"It's not coal," muttered the old man, tapping my scales with his fist.

I nearly snorted in surprise. Did they really not recognise me? Or at least, what I am. Has it really been so long that humans have forgotten about the creatures they once so feared? The very idea awoke a seething anger inside me. They had forgotten us? They were really so naïve, that they had forgotten us!? The terror of our time, masters of the sky and fire.

"What else could it be Gale?" asked the bright eyed youth.

"I have no idea," said the older human thoughtfully, standing back up, "This is very interesting indeed."

They have forgotten us. The realisation hit me hard, like a thundering rockfall. They had forgotten. Forgotten the terror we had caused. Forgotten the hoards of stolen gold, and the burning plains. They had forgotten the bloody killings and fearsome battles. They forgot the mass extinction they caused when our bodies fell like rain from then sky, leaving me the only survivor. They had forgotten it all.

"It's warm, maybe some sought of obsidian," suggested the girl.

"Maybe," agreed Gale, standing up, though the frown on his face suggested otherwise.

The naïvety of these creatures surprised me. Their lack of fear of this cave, the wonderment and excitement. It was nauseating, as if there was nothing to worry about in this cave. They were so... Confident. A rumble escaped my throat, causing them to startle in surprise, looking around the cave and whispering to themselves in hushed voices that stood out clearly amongst the usual silence.

Maybe it was time to remind them of us? Their fear of us had been lost, their forgotten history weakening them more then they know. Maybe it was time to bring back that memory? To remind them that they are not the strongest or smartest creatures on this planet. Maybe it was time to show them how small they really are once again? To reveal the power that has hidden for so long.

They had begun to slowly retreat from the cave now, their eyes and flashing list darting through the cave from one side to the other. Now they were afraid.

Slowly I began to move. Light instantly washed over me, causing me to snarl. Now they would realise the fear that they had forgotten. Now they would realise their stupidity, and naivety. Fire lit back of my throat, before rushing outwards with a roar, bathing the cave walls in orange and red. Heat crackled and water sizzled. Now run, humans, run.

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So... What did you think?