Dragonheart: Truth and Freedom

(In this story, a decade has passed since Marc and his friends have been stripped of all the power first given to them by Marc’s father Satan, leaving them mortal, but Marc, through his absorption ability, has also drained me of both my empathic mimicry, and of all the powers I had gained through it, leaving me mortal as well)






I lay on my cot in the cell; the warm afternoon sun through the single open window alongside the cool summer breeze taunting me with hints of a freedom I feared would never come.

Marc and his friends had escaped from the prison in my hometown of Stony, and in the dead of night, had secretly come to my home and murdered my parents and brother while they slept, before quietly coming to my room and drugging me with strange herbs, before binding me in ropes and placing a sack over my head, then carrying me downstairs, out of my house, and throwing me into the bed of a truck.

The herbal drug was potent enough that I hadn’t woken until almost a full day after being thrown into a stone cell in what I surmised was a castle, but where I was now, I did not know.

Marc and his friends had long-since grown weary of confronting me, so they relied on stealth to capture me, and bring me across God-knows how long a distance, before arriving at a medieval stone castle and taking me to one of the dungeons, before chaining and leaving me to die.

By now, it had been nearly two whole months since my incarceration.

I had only occasionally received meat, bread, and water through the small slot in the door, and having not eaten or drank anything for close to two and a half days, so I consumed it at first like my life depended on it, which as I felt the pain of hunger gnaw at my gut, knew that it just might have.

Other than the meagre food and water I received, I was left alone, because as I knew, and have stated, that Marc felt it better to just let me slowly die.

As I laid on the cot, I tried to block out the memory of hearing my father and mother screaming for help as my enemy murdered them, and the sound of my brother fighting valiantly, only for the sound of a knife to be drawn and Brandon’s scream as he was stabbed to death.

Getting up, I stretched, yawning, then sat up, and stood, stretched my aching limbs, and breathing the fresh, cool air that came in from the window.

I was conflicted by my emotions; on the one hand, I was happy to be left alone and not tortured or mocked, but on the other hand, the constant reminder that the only family I had ever known were all now dead, rode me like a relentless disease that slowly ate away at my sanity and my heart.

I tried to think of all the past happiness in my former life as a free man, and of the life with my family, all to ease my pain.

But the memory of their murder stuck in my mind like a bloody dagger.

As I sat there, seething with bitter hatred for my enemy and his kin, I came to a revelation:

However good man can be at times, there is also evil within; evil that can be so bitter, so cruel, and so pure that you realize the truth: when it comes for you, the best you can do is either stand your ground, or wish for a quick end to the misery, if that evil ensnares you, as my enemies had done to me.

But…

As I had resolved to do, I, Charlie, would not succumb to the ravages of life as a prisoner.

In the life of a good man, their family, their capacity for love, and above all, their faith, could guide them through even the blackest of evils.

The majority of people imprisoned can only hope for a quick death, lest they be driven mad by the life they lead, and of the freedom they so desire.

It was my faith, as I have said, that helped guide me through the long and bleak days in this filthy cell.

As time wore on, I began to think of not just my family, but of true freedom, however elusive that freedom seemed.

Reaching under my t-shirt, I closed a hand around the cold metal of my medallion; the same one Lucian wore in ‘Underworld’ to remind him of his love, Sonja.

Just as it was to Lucian, this very medallion was a constant yet comforting reminder to me, but of my father, and my family.

And, as an even deeper comfort, I thought of my favourite song, ‘The memory will never die’, by the band Default:

I whisper in your ear, the words you want to hear.
You feel the wind and it reminds you.
It happens every time, you stop and close your eyes. You can't deny what lives inside you.
Well I know it's hard to see, what is meant to be, when yesterday is so far behind you.

Deep inside your soul, know I'm always there.

You made me believe the day you surrender to me,
the memory will never die.
The love that you gave,
I'll never throw it away.
The memory will never die.

I could feel the sadness well up like a weight in my chest, as tears fell from my eyes.

I knew that the love of my family, alongside my will to live, was all that I had left now.
My hand closed around the medallion, as I prayed for what seemed like the hundredth time, begging Jesus to heal me of my pain and to set me free of this dismal place.

Little did I know that something was about to happen that would change my life, forever!

As my fist, still closed around my medallion, rested on my chest, I could feel my heart beating strongly.

Th-thump, th-thump, th-thump, th-thump!

I closed my eyes, willing with all my heart that the freedom I sought was not far away.

After what felt like a lifetime of silence, I was roused from a sound sleep by distant clanging sounds outside my cell, as my heart sank.

”Now they’ve finally come.” was all I could think. “They will torture me until I beg to die.”

I closed my eyes, wishing more than ever that I could be free, like a dragon soaring the skies.

But what I expected was not to be. I did indeed hear the all-too-familiar voices of my enemies, but then, their shocked cries suddenly reached my ears, followed by a sound that was absolutely unmistakable:

The roar of a dragon.

I knew for a fact that I had heard that sound, and that I was wide awake and aware. So it was no dream or delusion.

After recovering from my momentary shock, I glanced quickly around my cell, spotting a metal bucket under my cot.

Grabbing it, I began banging it against the wall, hoping the sound would be heard.

After a full minute of banging, I threw the bucket down, leapt at the bars, and screamed for help as if my life depended on it.

For all I knew, it just might, but…

An arm grabbed my own, as a knife suddenly came to my throat.

“One more sound, and it’ll be your last, Charlie!"

Marc.

My brain raced with possibilities as to how he’d survived, but I couldn’t pin one down.

I had no weapons, and saw none in my vicinity.

But I would not surrender to death. Not now. Not ever.

I closed my eyes, willing the dragon to hear…

”If you have fought to end this evil, then please, hear me! I beg you, take me from this place, end this misery, and set me free. I ask nothing more of you! Please…!!”

I managed to look down enough to see a small pebble by my right foot, and kicked it.

The sound of it hitting the bars was enough to distract my enemy from me, and I used the hesitation those few seconds brought Marc to stamp on and break the big toe of his left foot, as he screamed in pain.

I then quickly kneeled, flipping him over me and slamming him into the wall, before I grabbed his knife, spun to jab it into the cell door lock, then with a deft twist, heard the door release.

Music to my ears.

Like greased lightning, I literally spun out of the cell, and luckily, Marc had been knocked out.

I quickly found the cell key in his pocket, and took it, before slamming the door shut, and locking it, then running down the hall, and up the stairs.

Finding myself in a small courtyard surrounded by high stone walls, I saw no way out, but luckily, the walls weren’t too high, and a running jump let me scale one easily.

The sight that greeted me was definite proof that I was far from home.

On three sides of the compound, seeming to stretch for miles, was a vast forest, and before me was an open expanse of hills that stretched all the way to the horizon.

Yes, this place was definitely not home, but where exactly I now was, I could not tell. Thinking quickly, I glanced around, seeing a small pool of water a few feet away, then threw the key, seeing it land in the pool, and sink.

After a few seconds of judging the wall’s height, I shifted slightly, until I suddenly heard the distant sounds of my enemy’s screams for help, then another sound in the distance that made my blood run cold.

Men on horseback. Somehow, I had the feeling that those were soldiers who had been alerted to Marc’s cries.

I jumped.

Falling seemed to happen in slow motion, but I finally landed, luckily upon soft, mossy earth.

Quickly getting up, I ran to the pool, quickly shoving heaps of dirt into it, until it was filled in, so no one would ever find the key, thus leaving Marc trapped in the cell.

I then reached down to draw Marc’s knife. A huge, lethal-looking combat knife, with a titanium blade over a foot long.

I grinned.

After quickly testing it, I ran stealthily forward, keeping in the evening shadows.

As the first horse with its rider came into view, I took a deep breath, then ran.

Sliding low to the ground, I swung my knife as I passed beneath the horse, slicing its left hind leg.

As the animal shrieked in agony, collapsing, I spun and grabbed the knight’s spear, wrenching it from his grip while at the same time stabbing straight into the eye hole of his visor, resulting in a torrent of blood.

Rising, I spun to hurl the spear toward another one, impaling him through the leg and pinning him to his mount; both horse and rider screaming in agony as they collapsed with a loud thud to the earth! The knight broke his back upon landing, so I didn't need to kill him.

Running toward the last two knights, I readied my knife, and as they both prepared their spears to kill me, I leapt into the air, deftly grabbing the spear from one knight’s hand, then twisting in midair as I landed kneeling between the two steeds, driving both spear and knife into their flanks, sending both animals flailing and crashing to the ground!!

Both knights swiftly got up, drawing their weapons, as they advanced.

“You will die, Charlie!!” one of them shouted.

Suddenly, before either knight could take a step further, there came a loud, thunderous roaring as a blast of fire abruptly lit the sky; a huge dragon suddenly swooping down out of the darkness, and unleashing a blast that lit both knights up like Roman candles!!

However, one of them, despite being afire, managed to throw his spear, and I screamed as I felt it impale me right in the heart!!

I gasped; blood spraying from my mouth, before I collapsed!!

I coughed; pain unlike any I’d ever felt searing my body, and with my fading vision, saw the dragon land, and hurry toward me, as I lifted my right arm with the last of my strength, reaching out to him.

The dragon, as he emerged into the torchlight, was revealed to be a near spitting image of Drago, from ‘Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer’s Curse’, only this dragon was undoubtedly quite old; his tan scales had long since grayed, with some having flaked or broken off, and his horns were chipped.

The dragon moved slowly, but the resolve in his aged eyes proved he would not give up on me.

With what strength the dragon had, it pulled the spear from my wound, tossing it aside, before it reached up, and flipped open its breast scales; the slow, yet steady beat of his heart echoing faintly across the landscape, resounding off the castle walls.

Thump, th-thump! Thump, th-thump! Thump, th-thump!

Carefully reaching up, the dragon reached in, and gathered what seemed to be a handful of pure golden light from his very heart, before slowly placing it into my wound; the power flashing like a burning ember as smoke rose from it, and the slow, deep breath as I felt renewed life enter my body.

My eyes fluttered open, as I gasped, and breathed deeply.

Slowly sitting back up, I looked up, as my eyes met the dragon’s, and aside from trust, I also saw something I never expected.

Loss, and sorrow.

As the dragon continued staring into my eyes, I suddenly came to understand something; something that shocked me.

Although this dragon had the power to give part of its heart to save a mortal, myself in this case, the dragon’s death would not result in my own death, unlike in ‘Dragonheart’.

Instead, I, now having life from half its heart, would continue living even if the dragon died.

Ultimately, even if this dragon could give life by the heart, as it had done for me, we were not bonded.

The dragon could only give life, not share it. As I came to this revelation, I felt tears well up in my eyes, as I gazed up at my dragon friend.

Reaching out, I touched his snout. “You saved my life, but you will one day die.”

I rested my head on his snout, as my tears fell on his aged, flaking scales.

“I will have only known you for the briefest of moments in this life. But you have shown me kindness that I know nothing can repay!”

Then I heard a strange sound, almost like a rolling purr, deep within the dragon’s breast.

Suddenly, deep within my heart, came a voice; a very soft, slightly deep baritone that was surprisingly gentle.

”Even though my body shall die, Charlie, my spirit will live on in the stars, and if ever you feel sorrow, look to them, for I will live on within them for eternity! As Jesus gave you life through me, so He shall let me live on in the stars! And I, Thorin, shall never forget you!”

As I lifted my head from the dragon’s snout, our eyes met, and for the briefest moment, I saw something I never expected in his fading eyes.

Love. Genuine, honest love. And gratitude.

I smiled, honoured to now know his secret. Dragons could indeed speak, but not how we can. You may only hear them speak to you if you listen, truly listen. For it is the heart that holds all truths; one being how some may choose to speak to us.

Suddenly noticing a shadow being cast upon the courtyard below, we both glanced up at the night sky to see the 17 stars of the constellation Draco gleaming like diamonds in the night sky, outshining all the others, as the star Eltanin, in the dragon’s eye, shone like a beacon!!

The old dragon smiled warmly at me again, as tears came to my eyes, and as I stepped forward to hug him; the dragon purring as one hand came to hold me in a tender embrace; the dragon leaning down to lovingly nuzzle me.

After a long, heartwarming moment, we met each other's gazes once more. "You're the best friend I've ever had!" I said softly, unable to hold back my tears. "I'll never forget you." my friend purred softly, before leaning down and gently, ever so gently, licking away my tears with his soft, warm tongue.

The dragon then released me, and with a warm smile and soft purr, empathically reminded me that he would carry our friendship in his heart forever, and that by this, I should not feel sad for his departure.

I nodded, wiping my eyes and stepping back. "Farewell, my dear friend!" I said quietly, before turning slowly and departing.

Hearing shuffling behind me, I turned to see the dragon’s tail swish as it vanished into the darkness, and my friend was gone.


And I knew that with Marc gone, all the evil and corrupted people were gone as well, leaving the good people to live in peace, forever!!

Then, in just a few hours, the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen did indeed signify the beginning of eternal peace!

As I watched it, I thought about the dragon’s words.

”As Jesus gave you life through me, so He shall let me live on in the stars! And I, Thorin, shall never forget you!”

With this realization, I smiled, feeling the weight of my sorrow lift away.

Looking back one last time at the courtyard, I silently bade my friend a warm farewell, and set off across the countryside, away from the castle, leaving it behind forever.

As I walked alone in the hills, heading east toward the rising sun, I understood that even if those I loved were gone, my new friend included, the love I had for each of them would let me live life with joy, as I had always wanted since the day of my incarceration, all those years past.


But now, with the burden of the greatest challenge I had ever faced, or would ever face, lifted from my shoulders, I looked forward to, and would cherish, a life of true freedom.

As I headed toward the mountains, to find a new home, I looked down at my medallion, smiling as the silver gleamed, and the fiery green gem shimmered in the sunrise’s light.

A new life that I somehow knew would be better than anything I’d ever imagined now awaited me in those mountains, and I knew that I would enjoy it forever!!

And the memory of not only my family, but also my dearest friend, was all I needed to go on.

...

"I never believed it could happen; that that which I wanted most would one day return to me. As I now examine my body, I am struck with wonder at how my scales, wings, and limbs have healed. That which I feared I would lose forever, the very life that had coursed through my veins, was now returning to my aged body. In a matter of weeks, I had once again become the healthy, strong dragon I once was when I was young. I at first could not believe such a radical, yet wonderful, transformation, but all I needed to do was look to the stars on a clear night, and there, in the north, shone the stars of my kin, the stars of the constellation Draco.

It was then that I understood: the power of the stars had given me back what I'd wanted for as long as I remained so weak and frail from age. But now, time was on my side once more, and as I took to the sky, I roared with the sheer joy and freedom of life itself.

The love I had felt for my only friend had carried me through the darkest days, keeping me from loneliness and misery. As my human friend Charlie once told me: "Even if those you love will one day pass, the love they cherish for you will endure forever."

As I dwell upon such tender words, my heart swells with joy, for I know, and have always known, that my human friend will remember me.

My mate, Sharra, would have no doubt come to love my human friend as much as I do. And as I gaze upon the lands below; the warm summer winds beneath my wings, I believe that wherever Charlie is, I have faith that I will one day find him, and as I dream of that day, I come to realize that it is love, not time, that can heal all wounds, and will endure even after death.

The greatest joy I hold, is knowing that the love between my human friend and I was indeed powerful enough to bring me back, and my new life is a treasure I will always cherish.

To my dear friend: Charlie, if you are out there, know that I have returned, and would treasure a meeting with you once again. I know my mate would have loved you, as do I.

Love is our greatest bond now, Charlie, and when the time comes for you to depart this world, know that I will be waiting for you at the gates of Avalon, and then you and I will soar the skies once more, with nothing to hold us back!!

May the sky be clear for you, my friend, and let the wind lift your wings with the joy of life.

May the dragons soar the skies once again, in time..."


The End!