Of Monsters and Men

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There was a crashing sound ahead of Matt and he squinted through the rain and his hair that hung in his face trying to catch a glimpse of what it was. There was a snort and a whinny and for a moment, Matt thought the man with the horse was coming back toward him. He braced himself and reached an arm back for the sword. He would more than likely lose a sword fight with a man of experience. But he would die trying. The horse crashed through the underbrush with no rider, however. Matt thought briefly of trying to snag the horse and take ride it. But he took one look at the animal and snorted.

How about no.

He was not Dom. He was not good with animals. And horses were terrifying to him.

Right-o. Onwards then.

Matt continued trying to follow the now muddy path that Arianna and the huntsman had taken. The rain and the mud slowed him down, but he kept up his pace as best he could, despite slipping in the mud and falling on his bum a few times. Ugh.

He knew he was near when he could hear Arianna asking him for help.

"I'm coming!" he shouted, hoping she could hear him over the pouring rain.
 
Arianna was shaking from both the cold and fear. Slipping in the mud she felt trapped and was slowly finding anger within her. A new emotion that was taking over her heart and it was almost painful. She could feel his anger and unwarranted hate for her. She could feel Matt and his worry. It was all so clear and yet the night was so muddled with nasty weather. Nothing was making sense to her.

Her claws dug into the earth as she padded around. Slowly started to climb a ledge getting to higher ground was best. It was always best. The rain was relentless in its chilling offering. The winds howled and blew around the limbs of every tree. Nature it seemed was having one hell of a tantrum.

"I know your close you beast!" The hunter called out to her again. Emotions seemed to steal her now as she found herself snorting at him with this new rage. Yes she was small and yes she was still young but something inside her made her want to fight him.

The fire had been lit and the dragon within had been truly awoken and a new feel feeling came over her. Flexing her wings out she spun around on the ledge she had found she called out into the night and gave her best cry ever. A flame shot out. It was something that had never happened before. Rage now loomed behind her eyes as she looked down and scanned for the hunter. Now he was her prey.
 
"I know you're close, beast!" Matt heard the huntsman, closer to him than he'd thought. He was to the left and Matt changed his path. He had withdrawn the sword from his back though he needed to use both hands to hold it up. Even so, the tip of the sword drooped toward the ground as Matt walked, snagging on the ground once or twice and causing Matt to stumble.

Hold it up, you wimp!

Ah. The man was just ahead now. He could see him.

"Oi! That's my dwagon you're messing with, guy!" He called, causing the man to turn. Matt could see the surprise on the man's face. He probably had never seen anyone like Matt before. His modern clothing and bright red hair probably made him look like an alien in this era. Matt didn't care about that right now. "You leave her alone! What's she done to you? She's just a kid!"

The man approached him, his own sword drawn now. "You look a bit inexperienced with that sword, son," the man sneered. Matt glared defiantly at the man, pressing his lips together.

"Well I was never afwaid of a challenge so what's it to you?"

"I would be afraid, if I were you," the man boasted. "I'm the best swordsman in all the land. And if you favour your limbs or your head, you'll not challenge me to a duel."

The man was bigger than Matt. Large around the torso, almost barrel like. He had thick arms and legs, the epitome of strength and brawn. Matt was a string bean. Short and indeed inexperienced with the sword. But he had strong will. A stronger will than most would give him credit for and without warning, he swung the sword at the man, taking him by surprise. The other man was quick though, and blocked Matt's swing. The clanging of their two swords sent a ringing feeling all the way up Matt's arms and he cried out in surprise. He felt better to see that his sword was thicker and heavier than the other man's sword. Unfortunately, the one who wielded it was not built for such a sword.

"I'll win. I'll do what I have to do," Matt grunted, heaving the sword up and off the other man's. The other man took a jab in this moment and very nearly pierced Matt's soft belly. Fear flashed in Matt's eyes as he saw what he was up against. He swung his sword low, toward the man's feet, aiming to cut at his shins or ankles. Matt got the first cut. The man's leg bled through his trousers and Matt let out a short whoop at his success. The cut didn't slow the other man in any way though and the blunt edge of his sword was brought down on Matt's shoulder, almost immediately knocking him down into the mud.

He was at a serious disadvantage now and before he could even recover from the first blow, the man had knocked the sword out of Matt's hands where it landed a few meters away.

shit
 
A strike to her heart woke her senses even more and that was when her connection to Matt was sound. Locked in for all time. Taking the leap she dove off the ledge and into the fight. Landing just a few feet behind the hunter her mouth opened and fire shot out at his back getting his attention.

Jumping and screaming from surprise the man saw what was to him a full size dragon. Arianna was the same size only within her was the power to change. To become something greater and in this moment of need. The need to protect Matt. It came out. Larger than life she was but only to the hunter. As if under a spell he feared her.

She was taller than him and loomed over him if only by a few feet. Glaring at him she took steps towards him. Every step made the struck the ground with such force that it trembled under her. Anger and rage blazed behind her eyes. No longer was she sweet and kind. Something else was there. Her wings unfolded and she was there before her kill.
Shrieking at him once more and snapping at him she lounged forward and snapped at him taking off his right arm that he used to block his face. Screaming in agony he fell back. Moving in father he crawled back screaming in the mud.

"Please dear God no." Blood gushed from his served limb. With a smirk she ran at him full speed.

"You Die Now." Arianna thought as the next few moments seemed to pass as half dream and half nightmare to her.

In three swift snaps his body was nothing more than a mangled mess of blood and bones. The sound was sickening. Blood pooled in the rivers of rain water the surrounded her. Splashing around in the muck she was wild. Arianna was untamed and lost in total savageness.

"You DIE NOW! Die! Die! Never hurt my Matt. Never hurt him. Never, never, never, never." She chanted in her mind. Overcome with rage she panted and seemed to almost blackout with something outside herself. It was in her to be this way but only out of absolute last need.
 
Matt stared in horror as Arianna's rage came through. He was suddenly as terrified of her as the other man was. She was protecting him. But he'd never seen such terrifying anger. Easily she ripped the man's arm off and Matt had to turn his face away, panic rising in his chest as well as a sick feeling in his stomach.

But even though he wasn't looking, he could still hear and the crunching sound of the other human's bones made him cringe and cover his ears. He knew the other man was dead, but he couldn't look. Sure, the man probably would have had no qualms in killing him. But still, it was another human, and it was all Matt could do to keep himself from going into shock at what he'd just witnessed. And he was failing terribly. He could do nothing but curl up on the ground, his face turned into the mud and his arms over his head.

He gave a little cry as another thought occurred to him. Would this have happened if he'd been here? If he'd not needed to go to the village to get the food? Would the hunter have found her? How many generations that were there now, had been wiped out in that one killing? What if he went back and found the world completely changed because one bloodline had been wiped out that hadn't been wiped out before.

He knew it was no use to dwell on whatifs, but he was in a place where whatifs could mean a whole lot to the place that he considered home. And while the future had its flaws, he did rather like it. For all he knew, the man's death could have wiped out his best friends. After all, they were close enough to Teignmouth that the generations could be related.

The thought filled Matt with such horror that he completely froze in his panic.
 
As soon as Arianna was done her maw was dripping blood like crazy. Panting she looked over at Matt. "Don't move." She told him and with that she leapt over him. With a heavy thud she landed on the other side of him and hissed at something came at them. Something had been watching both them the whole time. Hissing again she was their only line of defense. Her wings flexed as she tried to protect both of them again.

Growling and barking filled the air along with shouting and the light of torches. Men from the village had come after their friend. Dogs were barking louder and louder now. The sound of horses mashing their way through the mud and soaked forest rumbled across the forest floor. Hissing she stood her ground ready to fight them all.

The barking was louder and louder now. One dog came right at her and she snapped at it. A sharp yelp cracked the air and it was killed instantly. It fell to the earth with a hard thud. The hound close to it turned and ran. Another skidded to a halt and hit a tree trunk in the process. They saw her and fled.

"What's this?" One man cried. The horses caught the scent of blood and wanted to go no further. "What's wrong with the dogs? Where's my dog?" another man cried out.

Hissing Arianna stepped closer to them. Fear rolled over them as they realized what might before them. "It's true!" One man called to the other. "You mean?" Terror rang clear in the tone of their voices. "Yes you fool."

"Return to the village! Return to the village, call the dogs back we cant lose another one. Hurry." They all started to leave. The horses could be heard leaving. "We must never return to this place or we shall all die too, now hurry!"

One last man called to the other riders as they left. "I never liked him anyway. He beat his wife. Serves him right than!"
 
When the voices of more men could be heard, it was all Matt could do not to completely shut down. There were more and they'd see him and they'd see their dead friend and their dead dog and the dragon and everything in the future was ruined.

Arianna scared them away and he overheard one of the men saying that this man had beaten his wife. Matt felt a huge release of tension at hearing this and finally he sat up. He blinked through the rain looking for Arianna, and silently cursed himself. He'd promised himself he wouldn't lose his head again, and he'd gone and done just that.

He carefully hauled himself to his feet, and went to find his sword. He picked it up and stabbed it into the ground, feeling more than a little ashamed and embarrassed for his reaction. The other Matt wouldn't have reacted like that. Standing and watching and cowering. He bowed his head against the rain, vowing that next time would be different.
 
Arianna let out a massive roar as the men road out in terror. Their dogs barking and whimpering back towards their village. The ground trembled from the collision of hooves upon the rain soaked earth. Foaming at the mouth the horse beat the path away from the bloodshed. Hissing and with her wings ready to flap out once more Arianna was in a flurry of emotion.

The rain was chilling and could only do so much as to wash away the sin and fear within her. Blinking only once at the fading lights she watched them go. Her tail flicked and hit a tree knocking it over and it in turn hit another. Angry and confused she tried to understand her protective rage.

As the moments ticked past she calmed as did the rain. Some how everything had gotten softer and quiter. Slowly her breathing she looked around again and shook her head. Her legs started to shake and she was soon trembling. Panting again too. Whimpering once more she felt very lost and lonely. Confused to her core. What had just happened?

Shaking she looked around but was unable to focus clearly on anything. "Matt?" her maw was still covered in blood. The rain had taken a lot of the blood away but much remained. Her wings ached as did the rest of her. Folding them back and into her body she felt small once more. Tired and weak she wanted him but felt like she couldn't see him.

"Matt? Matt I'm lost. Its dark I want to go home now." Arianna whimpered and darted around in a type of fog. Looking for him in a frantic fashion, it was as if she couldn't see him or anything. With her rage gone her vision was temporarily lost. It would take time for her vision to return. Her skills were still out of control. "Matt?"
 
Matt heard Arianna, the childlike dragon that he had known before, calling his name. He looked for her and saw that she seemed to be running around as if she were blinded.

"I'm right here," he said quietly. Hoping that staying calm would help calm her down as well. "What the hell just happened? You're one badass dragon, you know that? You scared the shit out of me."

Matt hefted the sword up over his shoulder and back into it's sheath, feeling it's now familiar weight, a burden and a comfort both at the same time. He dared glance at the dead man, his blood still soaking the wet ground. He gagged a little and cursed his weak stomach. That man had had a smaller sword than his own, and he wondered if it was lighter too. Taking a deep breath he wandered closer to the man, kicking the dead body so it rolled.

Eesh

He picked up the sword that lay under the dead body and tested it's weight. It was indeed much lighter than his own. Without another thought, Matt ditched the sword that was on his back and exchanged it for this smaller sword. One that suited his strength and weight.

As the rain slowed, Matt pushed his wet hair from his forehead, only now beginning to feel the chill of the weather. He was soaked to the core and wished for warmth and dryness.
 
"I want to go home. Where's home? It's a dream. It's all a bad dream I want to go home now." Whimpering she scrambled up to her feet. Her head turned in different directions. Clawing at her face she felt the sting but could see nothing. "MATT!"

Whimpering she looked for him and her home but couldn't see. Her wings flapped out for balance. She was disoriented and tired. "I'm scared." Her heart was racing as she tried to take comfort in his voice. A part of her knew she would be ok. Everything was going to be ok right? Was it all a dream? A really… really… bad dream?
 
"I'm right here!" Matt cried. He was literally standing directly in front of her, but he staggered back to avoid her flapping wings. She was huge and could easily take him out in one blow, so he had to watch where she was stepping. "Are you okay?" he asked, hoping this blindness wasn't a permanent thing. What had caused her to not be able to see? He didn't understand. Would he need to lead her home? He wasn't sure how to lead a dragon.

"I can take you home but you have to calm down!" he cried. "You have to listen and be calm."
 
She stopped moving around but her wings were out still. "Matt?" Looking at him with her head cocked to one side she sniffled. Her snout was down low as she spoke to him softly.

"I want to go home. I don't feel good" sniffling she sighed. Her tail came around by her side as she took comfort in his voice. Now more than ever her age was screaming clear. Just because she was big not mean she knew what she was able to do or how to deal with what her kind could or couldn't do. Looking around once more she sniffed the air. "I think home is that way." She pointed with her out stretched left wing.

"Can we go home now?" Moving her head side to side she could make out gray and black blurs but no true shapes yet. It wasn't quite dawn yet but the sky had hints of daylight to it. It helped that the rain had lightened up to a soft mist. The ground did its work and took in the much needed water leaving the ground safer to walk upon and easier for one to make their way.
 
Matt pressed a hand against her lowered forehead. "I'm right here," he said. "Can you feel me? I'm gonna walk, and I'm gonna talk to you. And you have to listen to me. And I'll twy and keep my hand on you. But if you follow my voice it should be okay, Orright? Just follow me. And I'll twy and get us back to your cave. You just use your sense of smell to direct me, orright? Tell me if I'm getting warmer or colder. Er," he realized this was a modern saying. "I mean if I'm getting closer or farther away, okay?"

He may have been a failure at fighting off the huntsman earlier. And he might have been a failure in how he'd handled watching another human die. But he wanted to make sure he did one thing right, and that was to lead the dragon back to her safety. After all, her safety was more or less his safety too. And he definitely wanted to stick by her side. She could protect him from things he knew nothing about. And in turn, he would do what he could for her. That was the best he could offer, for being an otherwise physically and sometimes emotionally wimpy man. Matt wrinkled his nose at this thought. Well, he'd work on that. He was great at music. He could be great at other things. He hoped.
 
Pressing her snout into his palm she sniffed and pushed him a little. "That way." In small steps she led him towards home. It wasn't really all that far. It just seemed like it was from the way she had run. The area was more of a wide ban that she had run in. The route home however was a tight circle bringing them inwards in no time cutting directly across. In fact they were heading right past the tree where he had to leave all the items Matt had stolen.

Sniffing the air Arianna stopped and then tripped on something. "What's that?" her foot caught on the blanket. It was a little muddy but otherwise unharmed by the rain. Sure it was wet but not a disgusting mess as one might have assumed it would be.

They were very close now and it wouldn't be long until they were safe and warm inside the cave. Here stomach growled loudly. "I want to eat Matt." Arianna whined. Pouting she sniffed. Her wings tucked close to her walk for all their walking she looked so small and young. "Can we eat soon?"
 
Matt dug in his pockets pulling out a little soggy piece of bread. Well that wasn't going to be very good. He passed it to her anyway, only now realizing his own hunger. He dug in the basket finding an apple. It wasn't going to be very filling but he munched at it anyhow.

He was probably going to have to go hunting for something bigger for her to eat, like the fox she'd brought earlier. When they finally reached the cave he lead her inside and set the basket and the wet blanket in the doorway.

"I will try to hunt food for you. You rest. I'll be back."
 
As Arianna curled up around the fire she felt its warmth and soon she fell into a deep sleep. Every part of her needed rest. So much had taken over her and parts of her heart and soul had been tested and brought to life that she still didn't understand. Her wings acted like a blanket and she slept well.

With the sun hiding behind what remained of the storms few rain clouds the sky was a sad ocean of blue and gray. The earth was heavy with its rain as each tree and leaf still shed their weight of water. As Matt would make his way from the wave a woman would be standing just yards from the caves opening.

Her auburn hair was long and her smile warm. Tender still with kindness but wise with age she stood there as a vision. The wind playing with her locks as they pleased. Nodding to him she greeted him. Dressed in a green gown with a heavy dark brown cloak over that she stood rather tall. Golden charms and necklaces hung about her waits and wrists. Her lavander eyes watched him.

Her shoes could not be seen or any weapons. She didn't seem to be an evil person. Standing there she waited and was unbothered by him, his appearance or their location.

"Hello Matt." She spoke simply.
 
Matt didn't notice her at first, her clothing blending in with the colors of the forest. But a gust of wind caused her hair to dance and it was hard not to notice that red color. Matt slowed and then stopped. She was taller than he was and very beautiful with an unnatural color for her eyes. She was watching him and he watched back, warily, but with an intensity that matched hers. When she spoke, she knew his name, and this surprised him.

He blinked, wondering how she knew his name. "Hullo..." he replied.
 
"I am Oeri." She explained smiling warmly at him then gestured for him to go to her. "Do not worry. I shall not harm you nor Arianna. Far from it, I am here to guide you." The wind picked up again and the clouds ran from the sky chased away by her every word the sun rose to its full glory warming up the earth and drying up the soggy patches that remained. Everything seemed so much warmer and softer now.

"Hope has come back to this valley and it is all thanks to you. They will be most pleased" Nodding to her confirm her own statement she looked at him and smiled once more. "Please come this way. I wish to show you."

Stepping to one side she swept her arm across the valley below and once her cloak was out of the way what he saw was no longer the valley filled with green trees. It was an ocean. Waves were crashing and gulls calling, sea spray misting over the distant rocks.

Above the crashing waves cries filled the air from dragons. They took flight and owned the sky. All different colors and sizes they were roaming the cliffs. Calling and roaring flames as they wished. A fearful sight perhaps but her home. It was her clan.

"That is her home Matt you can get her there. You have been chosen you're the traveler are you not?"
 
One of Matt's eyebrows dropped heavily over his eye, a confused expression on his face. "I've been chosen? You make it sound like Lord of the Rings or summat..." He shifted from foot to foot, his nervousness building. He wasn't anything special, especially here. It must be some kind of accident and he started to protest, "I think you've made a mistake... I just got dumped here by an alien... I don't think I was intended to do any- big- quest thing-"

He stopped short however, when she swept her arm over the valley. He slowly raised a finger to point at the distant rocks in the ocean, recognizing them at once. "Hey! hey! Hey that's Teignmouth!" There weren't dragons in Teignmouth... Not now...er in his present. The present. The future. Whatever.

"If that's her home, how'd she get here?" he asked. "And how come there aren't dragon's in Teignmouth now? I mean... oh this is confusing," he mumbled rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. "I come from the future," he tried to explain. "And I don't know shit about swords or survival, or," he began to babble, "I mean, I know about surviving. But in a different way. Surviving as a band, erm, not giving up, that sort of thing... are you sure you've got the right... the right Matt?"
 
"Oh you are an odd one that one thing they did warn me of. Worry not Matt you will find your way." Dropping her arm back down the waves and sea despaired. The valley returned as did all the lush greenery. "Arianna is yours now." Orei nodded her head towards the cave.

"She trusts you. Now you must trust in yourself. That is something you have never done but must do now." Smiling at him she held out her hand. "Take this." She held a small brown pack. "Come, it will not bite."

Chucking she watched him. "Trust me it holds everything you need." It was very small and looked unassuming as ever. Looking up into the sky her expression changed. "I must go. If you need me summon me with your heart." Upon closing her eyes there was a massive gust of wind. It blew leaves and dust all around his feet as soft and seemed to touch is face in the passing spinning gust and then she was gone. The brown leather bag started to slide off the small ledge.
 
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