Just Zag

And yet no matter how accomplished you became with your sword, no matter how effortlessly you let the magic flow through you or how quickly you could cast powerful spells, they said it was not enough. That you had to keep training. They warned you that if you did not become strong enough, you would die. You might die anyways. But you have to try in order to save everyone.

Eventually the day came. You were given a parade as you marched out of the town. People cheered you on, you were to be their savior. You would to defeat the great evil that plagued the land, and save humanity.

And so onward you marched. Through the days and nights, past farms and fields and rolling hills. Nothing to keep you company but your sword and spells. The same as always but with new scenery.

Eventually, you arrived at the foot of The Dragon Queen’s mountain. Right where it was said to be. You could see the entrance of Her dwelling most of the way up the mountain. It shone in the morning sun, vibrant with the reflections of the sun off of large crystal formations.

And so up you went. You noticed there were no beasts, that the area here was quiet. No evidence of anything larger than the roaming rabbits you saw earlier. As you continued upward, you noticed that there were no traps, no tricks. Your magic and your awareness indicated nothing on your climb.

As you reach the opening to Her lair: the inside is not as dark as you had imagined. In fact it is magnificently well lit. The sun is reflecting repeatedly off of crystals in all areas of the cave, illuminating the inside not only with the rays of the natural sun but with bursts of colorful caustics in scattered shades of blue and hues of pink.

You notice the hoard: mountains of gold coins, huge gilded items, jewels, and more. You notice shelves and shelves of books and piles of tapestries.

Then you see the discarded sets of armor. A very large variety, some of which look identical to yours. All the way down to the underclothes that you currently have on.

A chill rises up your spine as you see this. Were there other Heroes before you? That can’t be possible.

Then you hear it. You hear Her. She leaps down from a shadowed area; her landing nearly throws you off your feet. The ground shakes beneath her steps.

She doesn’t seem surprised at all. Do many people venture here? Did she see you coming? It doesn’t matter. This is it. You begin to glow as your magic courses through you, and it feels much MUCH stronger now, like a nearly uncontrollable torrent of power pulsing in your veins. You are the chosen one, you are The Hero!

The Evil Queen of the Dragons just tilts her head. Does she look... Sad almost? So, she underestimates you. You don’t hesitate, charging in and firing off spell after spell, but they seem to have zero affect on her glittering scales. She takes a slow lumbering swing at you with a huge claw, and you somehow manage to barely dodge out of the way.

She charges up some sort of breath attack, and you can feel a strange resonance within you. She lets lose a scorching spray of fire that just misses you, and seem to have almost all gone harmlessly out the front of her cave.

You begin a more direct charge, sword out, spells forming in again in your hands -

and then suddenly it all stops. Everything. Your strength gives out, your spells fizzle away, and the heart of warmth that the magic always gave you is snuffed out. What? How? How could this happen?

You struggle to find incantations that work, but it seems your magic has abandoned you. How can she do this?

Focus, you still have your sword. You stand again, your legs wobbling, and force yourself forward. You begin your attack again, and the Queen of Dragons does nothing more than put forward a claw and tap you on your helmet, sending you crashing to the ground.

As you lay sprawled on your back, the wind knocked out of you, you see it: She casts a spell using YOUR magic! How? HOW?

Her spell pins you to the ground. You’re unable to move, stuck staring up at the ceiling, as she shifts to loom over you. “Do you know where your magic comes from?” Her deep voice vibrates your body to the core. She Spreads open her wings and you feel it. The magical warmth you know so well blasts its way across the room, her scales shine brightly with that familiar glow, and the last of your hope shatters as she says “It comes from me.”

Was everything a lie? You are The Hero, how could this happen? How could you have been using evil magic this whole time? Why were you forced into this role if it was all meaningless? You will never find out. Your death is imminent, you are completely at her mercy and utterly powerless.

She leans down towards you, her maw slightly agape, massive teeth the size of your body glinting in the lights, and you just close your eyes and accept your fate.

And she whispers to you “it’s ok. You do not have to be The Hero anymore.” You feel the heat of her breath fade as the warmth of the power surges back through you. You open your eyes and not far off, she is laying there, relaxed on her belly, just watching what you will do next.

You try to stand up, but instead end up falling to your knees before her. You don’t even bother to pick up the sword or even look at it. Instead, you hear yourself speak, your voice shaky “W-what?” A breath catches in your throat. You should be dead.

“You do not have to be the hero anymore. You can become someone new. You don’t have to be defined by them anymore; You don’t have to be bound by their rules.”

She owns you, by all means. You are powerless before her, you’ve spent your life learning about her, learning to let Her magic flow through you. But she doesn’t see The Hero. She seems to see. You.

You feel tears start to drop from your cheeks. It is strange, you cant even recall the last time you cried; The last time you were allowed to cry. “I am. Allowed to – to live? I do not have to be the hero? I do not have to die?” you look down at your calloused hands, as tears start to dampen them.

The Queen of Dragons lifts you into the air and brings you close to her, she holds you against her chest, and you can feel the magic resonate strongest here. The warmth and rhythm of it soothe you.

And you begin to sob.

Your life always shadowed by what you had to be, even if that wasn’t who you felt you really were. Your fate to either defeat this behemoth or die. Either result would have been a relief, and you had not bothered considering what would happen afterwards. But this?

The burden that you’ve been holding starts breaking away. The weight of everything lessens as this beautiful Queen lets you fall apart and cry, and does nothing but gently comfort you.

After what must have been hours, what felt like years, your tears finally dry up, and your sniffling slows. And you realize how lost you are right now. She seems to anticipate this too.

In her deep rumbling voice she tells you “I can teach you how to use that magic to become who you always wanted to be. Who you always were inside. I am terribly sorry for the years that you have lost at the hands of whatever society you come from, but there is still so much time left. Your life is truly beginning, and you will feel more joy than you ever thought possible. There are others like you too, I can show you to them. You will not be alone anymore, and I will always be around guide you if you need me.” “T-thank you” you manage to whisper. Your voice is weak, and your body is exhausted. You can see through the cave entrance it must be nearly dusk at this point.

“You can stay here with me as long as you like, little one. No harm will come to you, no one will expect anything of you. Here, you are finally safe. Here, you are finally free.”