The Elements of Zion: the Vine, the Branch, and the Thorn

Don't Move

As we reached the peak of the mountains, a blinding flash of light illuminated the darkening sky. The distant rumble of thunder grew louder and closer, sounding like an angry giant stomping through the clouds. The once majestic mountains were now shrouded in ominous storm clouds, their peaks disappearing into the swirling mist. A chill ran down my spine as the temperature dropped and static electricity crackled in the air. Fat raindrops began to pelt us, stinging against our skin, and powerful winds whipped through the canyons, howling like a warning from nature itself.

From my position, I watched in stunned silence as Trose twisted and twirled, performing death-defying spins and sudden drops in a desperate attempt to shake off the dragons. Yet, they mirrored his every move with terrifying precision, like monstrous shadows, their scales glinting in the sporadic lightning flashes that dissected the sky. Despite his valiant efforts, the dragons remained ruthlessly on his tail, their pursuit relentless and their intent deadly.

Suddenly, Trose swerved mid-air and looked down at me, his blue eyes meeting mine in a gaze so intense it pierced through the storm.

"Issac, swear by yer life ye'll make it through. Swear tae me ye'll return tae Heaven's Landing."

"No way!" I roared back, my voice cracking with raw terror. "You can't just ditch me like this! We're in this together, remember?" My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drum solo of dread. The weight of what was coming crashed down on me – the sickening realization that I was about to be left to face this nightmare...alone.

"Issac!" he snapped, his gaze unwavering,

I was assigned by The Vine, not only to protect ye, but to ensure yer survival. And that...," he glanced back at the dragons, their smoking breath visible in the bitter cold, "that means I have tae fight alone right now."

The finality in his voice left no room for argument, but a desperate plea rose in my throat nonetheless. 

"I can fight WITH YOU, I can help!"

"Nay," Trose said firmly.

"Ye must deliver this news to Dove and the council, laddie. Ye must warn them about The Thorn King's return, or we'll all be in grave danger."

"I WON'T leave you..." I began to protest, but my words were abruptly cut short. Without warning, one of the dragons roared and unleashed a torrent of flames. The other beast echoed its companion, and the twin jets of flame raced towards us, igniting the air around with a terrifying brilliance. Trose barely had time to react; he ducked and swooped, but the dragons' fire was too swift, too deadly. With a pained cry, Trose was forced to release me.

I plummeted downward, the wind screaming in my ears, the harsh cold slicing through me. As I fell, I caught a last glimpse of Trose, charging headfirst into the inferno, his figure silhouetted against the dragons' fire. And then, the world became a blur of gray clouds and mountain peaks. I awoke to the world rumbling beneath me, my body sprawled on the jagged rocks of the mountain peak. A disorienting fog hung over my mind, blurring my surroundings into a confusing mesh of silhouettes and shadows. Every muscle in my body ached, throbbing in unison with the thunderous echoes that still resonated from the depths of the storm. I tried to move, to push myself off the cold, unforgiving stone, but my effort was rewarded with a surge of pain that made my head spin.

Suddenly, a noise shattered the silence, a sound so chilling it froze the sap in my veins. I forced my eyes open just in time to see one of the dragons landing heavily onto one of the larger boulders nearby, its massive body shaking the earth under my feet. Its piercing eyes gleamed in the twilight, searching, hunting, and it took every ounce of strength I had left to suppress a whimper.