The Mist

(Sensitive content: A dead body is shown.)

Name pronunciations: Inira (IN-EAR-AH). Akil (AH-KEEL).

Inira stepped over a thick root that bulged out of the ground. A dragon walked by her side. He had a snake-like figure coated in deep, sea-blue scales. Two ivory-colored horns protruded from either side of his head. The sun beat down on the two adventurers. The dragon moaned a deep, guttural sound.

“This day is quite the scorcher…,” the dragon stated, swinging his tail irritably.

“I know, Akil...,” Inira replied, putting her hand on the dragon’s flank. “Though we must continue, we mustn’t stop until we’ve reached the Mist; it will bring us all the answers we seek.” Akil grumbled but didn’t argue otherwise. Inira smiled at the dragon. She admired Akil’s quick-to-anger personality.

“I need to wet my scales. They’re drying and flaking,” Akil informed, searching for a water source. Inira ran her hands across the deep plates on the dragon. Specks of scales peeled off.

“Yes, you are correct,” Inira frowned playfully at Akil, who returned it with a toothy grin.

***

Inira and Akil pushed through large bushes, hunting for a body of water. Akil panted heavily, the sun’s heat overcoming his saturated body. Inira worried that they wouldn’t find any water. She pushed through one last immense bush when she heard a vast splash. Inira exhaled in relief, knowing that Akil had found a pond of some sort. When she had reached the sound, Akil was swiftly kicking through the water like a knife. He used his webbed toes and fins to push through. He broke through the water’s surface, shooting a veil of mist from his maw.

“Better?” Inira asked, laughing.

“Exceedingly…,” Akil responded, sinking back into the pond. Inira took shelter under a large tree that provided shade. Akil’s head burst through the water, bringing a shower upon the earth.

“You look abnormally broiled. Would you like to join me?” Akil asked, his wide blue eyes staring into Inira’s.

“No thanks. I’m not in the mood,” Inira replied. Akil smirked, plunging back into the water. Inira sat silently until the dragon’s tail broke through the water and slapped the pond. A massive wave splashed onto shore, soaking Inira. She was silent for a moment until she broke out laughing. Akil crawled out of the water, creating a deep rumble, representing a guffaw.

“I cannot let my friend flake,” Akil stated. “Excepting you humans don’t, which I find exceptionally strange….”

“Thank goodness, too,” Inira replied, pushing a lock of soaked hair from her face. Akil nudged her with his nose.

“I am glad you are my friend,” Akil informed, purring deeply.

“Same here,“ Inira said, touching his snout. Akil turned so that his side was facing her. He crouched down and gazed at the girl.

“Hop on,” Akil said.

“You know you can’t fly,” Inira responded.

“But I can glide. We will need to climb a tree first.” Inira nodded, climbing onto Akil’s back.

“Yow will want to hold on, Inira,” Akil advised. Inira wrapped her arms around the dragon’s squamous neck.

“I’m ready,” Inira informed. Akil nodded and leaped for the nearest tree. He struggled to stay on the tree, for he had no claws. Inira squeezed her eyes shut and hung on for dear life. Akil grunted as he reached from branch to branch. Inira felt a thousand leaves fall onto her face. Akil grunted as he pushed through the last layer of leaves and limbs. He pulled the rest of his body out and rested on a thick branch.

“We have reached the top, Inira!” Akil said, staring at the forest ahead. Inira opened her eyes and saw the beautiful scenery. She exhaled in amazement.

“Shall we depart?” Akil queried. Inira nodded.

“We must.” Akil bobbed his head, spread his moderate-sized wings, and jumped off the branch. The wind caught into the membrane of Akil’s wings, allowing him to hover forward.

“Where the sun sets is the way toward the Mist,” Inira informed, pointing ahead of them.

“We will be there with no time to waste,” Akil said, letting out a ferocious roar. Inira felt the wind brush against her face, drying out her damp state.

“What do you know about the Mist?” Akil asked. Inira thought for a moment.

“Well, the Mist is said to be guarded by someone. Someone whom I am unaware of,” Inira said.

“I hope this ‘guardian’ doesn’t try to kill us….” The two flew on, gazing at the floor beneath them. Inira scrutinized a pond. Its edges were covered in trees Inira had never seen before. They were charred, yet they looked as sturdy as a healthy tree. Inira gasped in horror as she saw something disgusting. A man’s body lay limp on the ground. Inira felt like vomiting.

“Akil, we need to get away from that pond, fast!” She informed.

“I agree!” Akil turned to the left, avoiding the body of water. Inira was glad to get the man out of her sight.

“Did you see the trees? They were black, yet they still had their leaves and were as sturdy as a regular tree,” Inira said.

“The only thing I know that lives in a pond with charred appearing timber is the legend of the Black Dragon. It was said to rule a certain pond where everything encasing it is burned. And that the burned dragon was cursed to never leave the body of water until it was released from the magic of all the magic of dragons.”

“Dragon folklore is so strange,” Inira stated. Akil chortled.

“I think the exact same of your kind.” Inira smiled and gazed onward.

***

The sun still beat upon them. Sweat accumulated on Inira’s forehead.

“The sun is ruthless today!” Akil grumbled.

“This is most definitely the hottest day of the year…,” Inira replied. Her spirits immediately lifted when she saw a strange veil of smoke as vast as a never-ending mountain.

“There it is!” Inira exclaimed, pointing ahead of them.

“I see it too!” replied Akil. “We are not far now!”

***

Akil landed in front of the immense smoke. Inira slid off the dragon’s back. Gazing up at the veil, she felt so small.

“Well, I guess we head in,” Inira stated.

“Together,” Akil said, reaching out his wing. Inira gripped the end of it.

“Together,” she replied. They both stepped into the Mist, which completely engulfed them.