I feel it before I see it.

It's so strong, so intense. Sweat leaps from my pores as it grows. The blistering heat is from behind me, but after traveling in power waves, it feels like the fire is circling me in some archaic dance. I shut my eyes tight and throw my arms over my head. The Draugr begins screaming again, but before long it's cut short and replaced by a charred smell. I gag. It reminds me of fish roasted for too long. Yuck!

"Get up, kid! You're beyond dead if you keep yer thick head in the dirt!"

I feel hands reach down. They're rough, yanking me to my feet before I can even open my eyes. My head spins. In front of me is an angry looking boy who can't be much older than me. His hair is short, almost nonexistent, a look of serious dread clinging to his features. More than anything, he seems familiar.

"Do I know you?"

"Does anyone care right now? They're Draugr's out, yer crazy if you care about things like that!"

He grabs my hand and pushes me along, urging me to run further into the forest. Vivvy is right behind me. I open my mouth when I see her hands. They're burned a bright red. Bubbling blisters are already starting to appear, her eyes welling with tears. The boy grasps her by the shoulder, saying something in a soft tone and coaxing her towards me.

It's then that I notice the flashing golden emblem on the center of his chest. It's dragon wings, framed by a black outfit. I gasp.

He's a member of the Black Dragons.

"Keep moving!"

I can do nothing but nod. My legs pound the ground as his dragon, ashes clinging to their teeth, zooms overhead. I can feel more heat. Even from down here. My heart is going to explode. I can already picture the blood spattering from my chest, overshadowing the gashes from the wound.

"Micha!"

Vivvy grabs my hand with a surge of adrenaline. All I can hear is screaming. Screaming of the Draugr, both dying moans and the thrill they get from slicing flesh. People screaming. Either more death cries, or angered batter coming from the mouths of Black Dragons. The air stinks of blood.

"Whoa!"

My sister suddenly yanks me from my feet, pulling the both of us into a bush. Thorns rip at my flesh. I keep my mouth shut. I guess hiding, even with my face in the dirt and underbrush, is better than running who knows where. We keep sinking deeper and deeper until we're in the middle of the brush. My finger brushes something warm. Jolting, I look up. It's a squirrel. Surprisingly, the brown bundle doesn't move. It just...sits there.

I guess animals are just as scared of monsters as we are.

We look on, peering through the thin leaves. Draugr pass us. I hold my breath with every step that they take, but by either luck or the nature of chaos, none notice us. Humans run by, too. They're nothing more than screaming flashes. I grit my teeth. I wish I could do something. I look over at Vivvy, Jasmine, the squirrel.

We're all cowards.

I want to do something. To blast out of the brush, weapon in hand and dragon by my side and get rid of these monsters. But I'd be more useful encased in ice. I wish I could help. The two of us sit there, in silence, until the sounds fade. Even afterward, when things return to normal, we still refuse to move. They're only dead bodies and flames. Draugr, human, rider. It doesn't really matter. They're all cold by now. And yet, we're still too scared to move. We just stay put.

We sit until the silence consumes us.