Dragon Crystals
Fiction by Tea Kluey
Kierra stood in front of the vendor's velvet draped table eyeing a simple crystal hanging on a leather strap. Tentatively, she reached out and let her fingers brush against its geometric surface. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander to another place, another time.
She felt her mass increase slowly and when she opened her eyes there were mountains and sky stretching out in the distance before her. The sun was
bright and made something glitter out of the corner of her vision. She
turned her massive head to the right and saw a large green dragon perched
on the cliff beside her. It winked its inner lid and with a graceful
lurch it fell into the open air. Great wings unfurled and it glided
outward. Kierra looked down at her own body and was slightly amazed to
see scales of brilliant blue. Her shoulders ached and when she moved
them she heard a rush of wind. She smiled and flapped her own wings, not
caring how they got there. Claws that used to be fingers clutched
the rocky ledge and she hunched back slightly. Her muscles tensed
and then released as she leapt into the sky. There was a tiny river
snaking through the valley far below. It grew larger every second as she
plummeted towards the earth. Opening her wings, she felt them catch
the air and suspend her in one place, only for a moment, and then she was
moving forward. Exhilerated, she revelled in the experience. With subtle
turn of body and gentle arch of wing she could manuevre easily through
this medium. She went forward, not knowing where her destination was,
but enjoying the experience none the less.
Suddenly there was a large thump on her back and it felt as if the
wind had been knocked out of her. Catching her balance and looking up,
she saw the green dragon that had been beside her on the cliff only moments before.
Its mouth was open slightly, as if in a laugh.
Indeed, it was laughing!
Waiting for Kierra to respond to the game of tag that it had initiated.
Kierra stretched her wings out as far as they would go and tilted back
her neck, dropped the weight of her tail and caught an updraft that shot
her straight up into the air. When she levelled out she could see the
green dragon below her, looking behind. She moved her body downward and
when she was within a few feet, she pushed out her arms and legs and
caught the middle of the green dragon's back. Within seconds it had
recovered its flight from the hit. They raced through a mountainous
maze at a dizzying pace taking turns at bumping each other.
They flew up to the rock face of a large black mountain. There was
no vegetation at this height. Only snow and stone. The green dragon
landed on a pile of rocks that guarded the entrance to a cave. Kierra
perched herself beside it. The green dragon slipped into the darkness.
Kierra followed. She couldn't see anything and was guided only by the
sound of scraping nails. Some time had passed and she
could hear other sounds coming from the cavern ahead. She wished that
there was light so she could observe everything around her. A heat grew
within her chest and her throat started to rumble. A low growl was
being created with every breath she took. It got louder and stronger
until a blast of blue fire shot out of her mouth. It rolled across the
floor and disappeared around a corner. Another one came.
Kierra could see!
The walls of the cave were lined with shards of crystal that
seemed to absorb the dragon's breath. They glowed brilliantly.
There must have been over fifty dragons in this particular stone room.
Some were curled up in sleep, five or six deep. Others seemed to be
communicating to each other the day's events. Not a one was disturbed
by her entrance. The green dragon exhaled a short burst of green flame,
the crystals eagerly taking in the light. Kierra sat down where she was
and watched as the community of multi coloured dragons took turns
blasting coloured flames into the air. A puff of red here, a column of
violet over there. She was mesmerized by the flickering of light.
"Ma'am? Are you O.K.?" questioned the young man beside the table.
Kierra took a deep breath and surveyed her surroundings. She was
visibly disturbed to be back standing beside the ware laden table. She picked up the
crystal necklace and noticed how the sunlight seemed to dance through it
and create the illusion of multi coloured fire. She purchased it from
the vendor and put it on immediately. She could feel a gentle warmth
growing in her chest.
