As we’re getting ready to leave town, a young stops us. I don’t know how he knows me, but I don’t know him. He says he’s a fan of mines...

“A fan of what?” I ask confused.

“You’re exotic catches,” he snickered.

“My fishing?”

“You’re a legend in the fisherman world…”

“No way,” I can’t believe that but Titan seems to believe him.

“I know my finds can sometimes be rare, but those are completely fortunate.”

He doesn’t believe me. “No way,” he repeated me then smirked, “For those kinds of catches, you need the right time of day, the ideal weather, the right hook, and the right bait.”

“Alright, alright thanks, kid.”

I’ve got something for you. The fish meal I had prepared for myself. But I want you to have it.”

I want to say no but my stomach grumbles. I’ll accept only half.

I generously share my half with Rachel and Titan.

“Yum,” we smile gently to each other as we heartily enjoy our small breakfast. Without anyone asserting anything, I start to giggle. It reminded me of my father’s cooking.

He advises me to come back anytime. He is starting a fish-based restaurant and would love me to try out the whole menu. It’ll be free if I promise to bring some fishy presents.

I promise to do so. I can’t wait to go back and see what else he has to offer. I thank him for the meal and go on my way. 

We diligently follow the cobbled road out the peaceful village. The enchanted sword gently steering our way. I don’t need to wield it to bear its intense pressure. Like it, my impenetrable armor knows the way. They are seamlessly connected in some unique way. 

We carefully turned off the familiar road onto a broad path. We eagerly followed it beside a swift running stream. The way started to climb into the foothills of the sacred mountains. As the fierce sun began to dip into the west, the grassy path opened up into a kind of grassy meadow. It ringed round one side with fir trees and the other with towering, jagged rocks.

It undoubtedly looked like an ideal campsite and had reasonably seen use by other travelers as the visible presence of an old fire ring.

The majestic mountains marched upwards in front of us and we could identify the path that had been traveled on for some distance, nothing could come that way without being seen.

Rachel called a halt for the night and we busied ourselves setting up suitable camp.

We moved forward carefully and came to a pleasant place where we could see a gradual clearing in the woods, illuminated by a pale moon.

I dream of being burned alive by the dragon again. I wake up screaming for the first time in my life, and it burns. My voice tears through my throat and jerked me from the nightmare. It takes me a minute to shut off my screams and another one to recover my breath.

By Cristina Collazo