Chapter 2

The Harbinger of Destruction

Everyone stared at the shepherdess, who was pointing wildly to the south.

'It's coming!' she screamed.

Her husband looked awkwardly around at everyone, before stroking her hair to try and calm her.

'Now, now, I'm sure you were just seeing things,' he soothed. But she wasn't listening.

'No!' she shrieked. 'We need to run!'

People began glancing at each other with raised eyebrows. Some sniggered.

But then something was heard that froze everyone in place.

A distant roar, echoing from the south.

Everyone froze. They all stared at each other, wide-eyed. There were two or three seconds of horrified silence.

The next moment, the entire street erupted into screams.

People began running in all different directions. Daniel was knocked flying as an enormous man barged past him. By the time he had sprung to his feet, he had lost sight of Emma. Everywhere, people were running and scrambling over each other in a mad rush.

Looking around desperately, Daniel suddenly caught sight of a cart standing in the middle of the street. Sprinting over, he leapt up onto it.

From his new vantage point, he peered around for any sign of Emma. But he couldn't see anything. He turned and looked over the houses to the south.

There, he saw a sight that he never forgot for the rest of his life.

Coming from the south was an enormous mass of dark clouds, flying over the mountains at incredible speed. At the center of the clouds was a dark winged shape.

Another roar echoed across the valley.

Daniel jumped down from the cart. Everywhere, people were panicking. Fighting to remain calm, Daniel tried to think.

Emma had probably gone back to the inn to warn her parents. He should do the same.

Fighting through the frenzy, Daniel began running in the direction of home. He prayed that his mother and Lily were there. Ducking around a rearing horse, Daniel tried to keep his bearings. Around him, people were desperately loading up carts with family and possessions. Others simply took off on their own two legs. Still others were barricading themselves inside their homes.

Then another roar sounded, much closer.

The screams grew louder. A horse bolted as its owner frantically tried to keep it under control. In the midst of the chaos, Daniel heard a familiar crying. Looking around, he saw the small boy from before walking down the street and crying for his mother. Daniel ducked through the crowd and scooped the boy into his arms.

The wind was growing stronger. There was now a foul smell mixed in it. A smell of fire, ash, and blood.

Bracing himself against the wind, Daniel wound his way through the crowd. Some of the men were shouting orders. Daniel saw a group of them with bows running towards the village square.

The boy was wailing as it clung to Daniel. He tried patting it reassuringly as they drew closer to the square. He nearly tripped over an old man who was kneeling on the ground in prayer.

Above them, dark clouds swept across the valley and covered the sky. It became as dim as twilight. The wind was even stronger now. It was all Daniel could do to keep his feet as he stumbled into the square.

The men he saw earlier were hastily trying to form ranks on the wooden platform. Fitting arrows to their bows, they were visibly shaking.

Suddenly a roar, louder than any they had heard, shook the air.

The dragon had reached the valley.

Several of the archers' courage left them on the spot and they fled screaming, casting their bows aside. The leader shouted at the remainder to stay steady.

The dark clouds swirled overhead, and a foul smell filled the air.

Then an enormous gust of wind buffeted the square, knocking Daniel off his feet. He struggled to stand up, but the wind continued to pin him down.

His eyes watering, he peered up. The clouds were roiling and tossing as something above whipped them into a frenzy.

Then, all of a sudden, the clouds were swept aside, and something dropped through them like a thunderbolt. A nightmare of blood red scales, talons, and monstrous wings burst through and landed in the square with an earth-shaking thump.

The dragon had landed.

Daniel stared at it in terror.

It was gigantic. It towered over the buildings. Its wings looked like they could cover mountains, and its claws were big enough to carry off entire flocks of sheep.

Black spines ran along its back, which was the size of a small hill, and down its tail, which looked like it could flatten the village in a single swipe. Its mouth was filled with tearing fangs. Two spiraling horns rose from its head.

But most terrifying of all were its eyes. They burned bright red, like two red hot coals, and were filled with a mindless, burning rage.

For a few seconds, everything seemed frozen. The whole of Reaville seemed to have fallen silent.

Then there was a shout, and the air was filled with the twanging of bows.

A volley of arrows soared at the dragon from the platform. For a moment, it looked as though they would hit their mark.

But the arrows clattered uselessly against the dragon's scales and fell to the ground.

The dragon turned its head towards the platform. The archers stood frozen.

A growl rose in the dragon's throat. A light flickered in its jaws.

Then, before Daniel could react, fire burst forth from the dragon's mouth with a roar and engulfed the entire platform.

All at once, the village erupted into screams once again. The dragon reared its head back and roared.

It swished its tail, smashing it into the buildings behind it. The buildings fell like a child knocking over blocks. Rubble flew everywhere. Daniel ducked, just in time, as a piece flew right over him.

With a roar, the dragon belched fire again, setting several houses alight.

Daniel scrambled to his feet as the dragon spread its wings. With a single sweep, that nearly knocked Daniel over again, the dragon took off. Climbing quickly, it flew off towards the forest.

The faint hope that it might be leaving was soon dashed as the villagers saw it wheel back around.

It swept over the village, fire erupting from its jaws once again. Flames consumed all it flew over, leaving a burning path in its wake.

Not wanting to wait for the dragon to pass over again, Daniel fled the square, trying not to think about the burning platform.

The boy was screaming, but Daniel didn't have time to comfort him. Smoke was already filling the air, making Daniel cough. People seemed to loom out of the smoke as he ran. Some were crying, other faces were streaked with blood. Some people simply stood in shock, staring up at the sky. Everywhere, there was screaming.

But Daniel barely noticed them. All he cared about was reaching home as soon as possible.

With a roar, the dragon swept over the village again. The mason's house burst into flame, as did half the buildings on the street.

A horse, still tied to its cart, was rearing and screaming wildly. Its owner had long fled. It was dragging the cart along as it tried to bolt away. A part of Daniel wanted to stop and help it. But he had to find his mother and Lily.

Suddenly, there was a whoosh and a nearby house exploded into flame. Rubble and bits of burning wood rained everywhere.

Terrified, a large farmer ran past, knocking into Daniel without even noticing.

Daniel went sprawling, the breath knocked out of him. The boy slipped from his grasp.

Gasping for breath, Daniel scrabbled as he tried to get up. The boy huddled in a ball, before he suddenly looked up.

'Mother!' he shrieked.

A soot faced woman came sprinting out of nowhere and swept the boy up into her arms. Without even glancing at Daniel, she ran off, disappearing into the smoke.

Daniel struggled to his feet, ignoring the pain in his chest. Then turning towards the burning houses, he staggered down on his way down the street.

The dragon swooped again, setting fire to a fresh part of the village. But Daniel couldn't see where it was. All he could do was stumble onwards. Briefly, he wondered what Emma and her parents were doing. He hoped they had fled.

The smoke made it hard to breathe. There were other smells as well, the smell of things burning. Eyes watering, he rounded the corner, and stopped short in horror. He could see his house from here.

It was engulfed in flame.

'No!' he yelled and ran towards it.

He heard a voice shouting after him, but he paid it no heed.

'Mother! Lily!' he screamed desperately.

He was just about to dive into the burning house when a pair of strong arms seized him.

'Let me go!' Daniel yelled, struggling.

'Calm down!' said a familiar voice.

'I have to help them! I have to-'

'Daniel, listen to me!' said the voice.

Daniel looked up. It was Roland, the woodcarver. His beard was singed, and his face was streaked with smoke. But his eyes burned bright.

'They're not in there, you hear me! They're not in there!' Roland shouted over the flames.

It took a moment for Roland's words to hit him. When they did, Daniel almost collapsed in relief.

'I saw them just before,' Roland continued. 'Your mother and sister were making deliveries by the butchery.'

'Are you sure?' Daniel asked.

'Yes, now we need to-' Roland began, but Daniel had torn himself out of his grasp and was running in the direction of the butchery.

'We need to flee!' Roland shouted after him.

'I need to find them!' Daniel shouted back.

His feet pounded the familiar path to the butchery. The way meant running through the narrow spaces between houses. But those houses were now alight.

Daniel hesitated for a split second. Then, wrapping his jacket around his head, he ran through. The heat seared at him, and he ducked to avoid burning timbers. The smoke threatened to make him collapse.

But he kept going and burst through to the other side. Behind him, the houses collapsed in on themselves. He turned and continued running.

Dimly, he realized that he must have injured his leg. Pain shot up his body every time he put weight on it. But he didn't stop.

All around him, Reaville burned. The sky was black with smoke and everywhere, fire raged.

Daniel staggered up the hill. Sweat ran down his face, mixing with the soot. His breath rasped in his throat. Then he suddenly caught sight of something.

In the distance, coming through the smoke towards him, were two figures.

Jill and Lily.

Jill was holding Lily's hand as they stumbled down the street. They were both in their work clothes.

Relief washed over Daniel. He raised an arm and called out to them.

They looked up and saw him. Lily screamed in delight and took off running towards him. Even from this distance, Daniel could see her dress was covered in smoke.

But as Daniel held out his arms to her, above them came the sound of rushing wingbeats. He looked up to see something enormous dropping out of the sky.

The dragon landed on several houses, crushing them underfoot. Its eyes, blazing with mad fury, were fixed on Lily.

'Lily, move!' shouted Daniel.

But Lily was frozen in fear. The dragon raised a claw.

Daniel ran as the dragon struck. In his head, though, he knew it was too late. He was too far.

But someone else was closer.

With a cry, Jill leapt in between Lily and the dragon. The dragon's claw struck her full on.

Her body went sailing though the air, before landing with a soft thump amongst the rubble. She lay still.

A scream tore out of Daniel's throat. Ignoring the pain in his leg, he charged forward.

The dragon turned back to Lily, who was standing in shock. The dragon raised a claw, as if to crush her.

But then Daniel leapt in front of his sister, pushing her back. The dragon snarled.

But there was no fear left in Daniel anymore. Pure white-hot rage burned within him. He was not running from this. He looked directly up into the dragon's burning eyes.

'Come on, then!' he roared. 'Finish it!'

The dragon growled. Perhaps it was thinking that it wasn't used to defiance. Or maybe there was no thought in its mind at all.

Daniel could sense Lily still behind him. He hoped she would run while he bought as much time as he could.

The dragon roared. Daniel glared back up at it defiantly.

'Kill me, then!' he shouted up at it. 'Or I will kill you!'

The dragon's eyes flashed.

Behind him, he could hear Lily whimpering. He longed to turn to her, but he kept his gaze forward.

He suddenly became aware the dragon had stopped growling.

He looked up. The dragon was gazing directly down at him. Its eyes had changed. They still gleamed, but not with the wild fury of before. Now they seemed focused.

Before Daniel could process this, the dragon's claw suddenly lashed out, knocking him aside.

As Daniel flew through the air, he felt several bones breaking. Almost faintly, he heard Lily screaming.

'Please run,' he thought.

He landed heavily, but strangely felt little pain. Looking up, he saw the sky swirling with smoke.

So, this is where I die, he thought dreamily. Blackness was filling the edges of his vision.

Then the earth shook. The enormous head of the dragon entered his view.

Far above him, the dragon's piercing eyes gazed down at him. He waited for it to finish him off. But then the dragon's mouth opened.

It spoke.

Words came out of the dragon's mouth in a harsh, cruel voice that made one's hair stand on end and body tense from fear.

But they were not words that Daniel understood. The dragon spoke in a strange, unfamiliar tongue.

Then the thought of words was driven from his mind as the dragon raised a claw. Extending a talon, it lowered it towards Daniel's chest. Weakly, Daniel tried raising a hand to stop it before it flashed down.

Pain. Searing, agonizing pain as Daniel had never felt erupted as the talon plunged into his chest. Blood flowed everywhere, running into the dirt. Daniel screamed in agony.

But the talon was already withdrawing. At the end of it was something bright red and dripping.

The dragon was speaking again as darkness began closing over his vision. Weakly, Daniel tried raising a hand towards the dragon.

Above him, the dragon opened its jaws wide. The bright red object on the end of its talon fell and disappeared down its throat.

Then blackness closed over and he knew no more.

Daniel was sitting by the fireplace in the inn. In his arms was a baby Lily, bundled up in blankets. He was sitting on Jill's lap as she went through his hair with a comb. She was humming softly to himself as she went.

'Mother?' Daniel asked, 'Are we going to live here forever?'

'Not forever,' Jill replied. 'As soon as we can, we'll get a house of our own'

'Why can't we live where we were going to?' Daniel pressed.

'Because…' Jill began, 'because Father isn't here anymore, so we aren't allowed to.'

'That's not fair,' said Daniel.

'That's the way of the village,' Jill said. 'If you can't work, then you don't belong. We can't do Father's work, so we have to find our own.'

Daniel was quiet.

'What if you weren't here either?' he eventually asked.

'What?'

'If you disappeared, we'd be all alone. Would we have to leave?'

Jill stroked Daniel's hair.

'I'm not going anywhere,' she said gently. 'But if I did, you wouldn't be alone. You and Lily would have each other. And this village has good people.'

'But what if I can't do anything?' Daniel asked fearfully. 'I wouldn't be able to stay.'

Jill wrapped her arms around Daniel.

'One day,' she said soothingly, 'you will find what it is that you can do. When that happens, the whole village will see, and you will never feel that you don't have a home again.'

'What can I do?' asked Daniel curiously.

'I don't know,' Jill answered. 'You need to find that out for yourself. Some people never do, and they end up losing themselves as well. But if you just keep moving, you may find your strength and hope in the unlikeliest of places.'

Lily stirred in Daniel's arms.

'She seems to settle down best when you're holding her,' Jill observed.

'My arms get tired,' Daniel complained.

'You should enjoy this while you can. She may not let you hold her so much when she's older,' Jill smiled.

The room began swimming and Daniel felt his mind slipping away. Distantly, he heard Jill's voice.

'I hope you two are still friends when you grow up.'

The blackness closed over again.

'No…' thought Daniel dreamily.

Other sounds could faintly be heard through the darkness. Screaming, wailing, the sound of burning.

'…Help me!' came a distant scream. 'He's still alive!'

The voice sounded familiar to Daniel, but he couldn't place it.

His vision grew light, and he made out the blurry shapes of several people leaning over him. The closest had long hair which tickled his face.

'B-by the Maker…' came another voice.

That was all Daniel heard as he slipped back into darkness again.

Daniel was alone. He didn't know where he was. He was surrounded by swirling grey fog. He looked around but could see nothing through it.

As he stood there, his chest suddenly erupted in pain. Gasping, he fell to the ground. As he clutched his chest, the fog started to take on a new shape.

Fangs. A jaw. Horns. And two burning eyes.

As Daniel stared up at the terrifying face, a horrible voice sounded in his mind.

'You have been chosen, newly Arisen.'

Daniel's eyes flew open, and he shot up with a gasp. He looked around wildly.

He was in the Hog Horseshoe storeroom. Someone had laid out straw and covered it with a blanket for him to lie on.

Looking around, he could see several other makeshift beds spaced out across the floor. The occupants were all nursing injuries.

Several had bandages wrapped around their arms or head. More than a few were moaning. One lay almost completely still, his head nearly entirely wrapped up in a bloodstained bandage, occasionally groaning feebly.

For a moment, Daniel was bewildered, wondering why he was here.

Then it all came rushing back to him. The dragon, the destruction, the fire, Jill…

He groaned and put his head in his hands. He struggled to recall what happened when he confronted the dragon. He remembered being struck and examined himself.

He didn't seem to have any bandages. That was strange. He remembered his bones breaking and thought he would be wrapped up head to toe.

But it seemed his limbs were all whole, although he ached all over. He was dressed in a soft shirt, and someone seemed to have cleaned the soot off his face. But there were no burns, no cuts, no bruises of any kind on him, as far as he could see.

Something was niggling at him, though, something he was forgetting…

Then he remembered. The dragon's talon, the tearing pain in his chest, the blood. Frantically, he tore his shirt off and peered down at his chest.

He felt his stomach turn over.

Where before there was smooth, unmarked skin, across his chest was now an enormous ugly scar. It extended across his entire chest and nearly reached his stomach.

He began breathing quickly and gingerly touched it.

'Arisen…' a voice came in his mind, burning.

Daniel gasped in fright and clutched his head.

But his heart lay still.

Pulling his shirt back on, he stood up unsteadily. A couple of people glanced up at him, but most of them ignored him.

Daniel saw his old shirt lying next to him. He picked it up. The chest portion was torn away, and it was soaked in blood.

Shirt in hand, he stumbled towards the door that led to the inn kitchen. As he reached it, he heard muffled voices through it. One of them, he recognized as the innkeeper, Emma's father.

'You say it's left a glowing scar?' he asked.

'Yes,' came Emma's voice. 'The wound has closed, and it seems the worst has passed. But his heart… lies silent!'

He heard the innkeeper drawing a sharp breath.

'Ill magick, the work of some curse!' he muttered. 'The whole world's already gone mad for fear of this dragon. Won't no good come of this.'

There was silence for a moment before the innkeeper spoke again.

'I must go see to the others, Emma. Tell me if aught changes here.'

'Alright…'

Daniel heard footsteps as the innkeeper left. After a moment, footsteps also approached the door.

It swung open to reveal Emma, carrying a steaming bowl of rags. She jumped when she saw Daniel, nearly dropping the bowl.

'You're awake!' she gasped.

'Emma, what happened?' Daniel asked urgently.

'You need to lie down!' Emma said, trying to push him back in the direction of the bed. 'You lost so much blood…'

'Emma,' said Daniel, trying to make her focus.

'Sorry we had to put you in here, this is all the room we could spare,' Emma carried on, putting the bowl down. 'All the rooms upstairs are already filled.'

'Emma,' said Daniel, grabbing her shoulder, 'tell me what happened. Where's the dragon?'

Emma hesitated before sighing.

'We saw the dragon standing over you. You were lying on the ground, not moving. We… we thought you were dead,' she said, her voice shaking slightly. 'Then it just flew away. It's gone.'

Emma swallowed.

'I ran over to you, and you were badly wounded, but somehow alive. You had a terrible gash in your chest and were bleeding everywhere. I shouted for help.'

'What about Lily?' asked Daniel.

'Lily is fine,' Emma said. 'She was in shock, but otherwise unharmed.'

'And my mother?' asked Daniel slowly.

Emma looked downwards.

'…I'm sorry,' she said sadly. 'It was already too late when I got there.'

There was a faint roaring in Daniel's ears. He couldn't hear what Emma said next.

The world seemed to sway around him, and he grabbed a table for support. Dimly, he could hear Emma shouting his name in alarm. She took hold of his shoulders. Daniel shook her off and stumbled out of the storeroom, into the kitchen.

Hanna was busy at the stove. She looked up from the pot of soup and her face changed when she saw Daniel. She moved towards him, holding out her hands.

But Daniel charged past her and out into the tavern. The room was full of injured people lying on hastily built beds of straw or blankets. Several were nursing burns. Others walked around, carrying trays of soup and drink.

Daniel dodged through the crowd until he found himself at the door of the inn's back room. Some unknown force made him raise his hand and push the door open.

The back room was still and quiet. Rows of people were laid out on the floor, under white sheets.

They were deathly still.

Daniel looked from one face to the next, slowly searching, until…

His breath caught in his throat.

Jill was lying not three people away. Her eyes were shut, and her face was relaxed. She almost seemed asleep, except that her chest was still. There was no breathing, no movement at all.

Daniel slowly walked over. Her face looked peaceful, there even seemed to be a faint smile on her lips.

He sank to his knees. He bowed his head as tears began flowing down his cheeks. His shoulders shook as he sobbed in the silent room.

Only this morning, his mother had been singing in the kitchen. Had hugged and kissed him goodbye.

Now she was lying here. It hardly seemed real.

Footsteps slowly came up behind him. It was the innkeeper.

'There was nothing we could do,' he said quietly. 'She was wounded deeply in the chest. We think one of the dragon's claws pierced her heart. She must have died almost instantly.'

He knelt down next to Daniel.

'If it's any consolation,' he said, 'she wouldn't have suffered.'

'I… was wounded in the chest, too,' Daniel sobbed. 'Why am I still alive, then?'

'We... don't know,' the innkeeper said. 'It's remarkable. By all rights, you should be dead. Half the bones in your body were broken and your chest was torn open. We couldn't believe you were alive, and yet, by the time we got you home, you had already almost completely healed. We can't make any sense of it.'

Daniel didn't really care, however. Only one thing mattered to him. His mother was dead.

Quietly, the innkeeper left him as he wept.

How long Daniel remained kneeling at his mother's side, he didn't know. But long after his tears had dried up and his knees had gone numb, he heard footsteps come up behind him.

'Leave me be,' he mumbled, thinking it was Emma or her father.

But it was neither of them.

'Come on, up you get,' came a rough voice.

Daniel looked up. It was Roland.

He shook his head, turning back to Jill.

Roland took hold of his shoulders and gently pulled him to his feet.

'Come, it's not good to stay here for so long,' he said.

Daniel didn't have the energy to resist, so he allowed himself to be led away by Roland, who put his arm around his shoulders.

They walked out and through the tavern, where several people were clustering around the fire. Daniel didn't see Emma or Lily anywhere. They walked out the inn doors. Daniel caught his breath.

The village was in ruins.

Everywhere, buildings lay in rubble, several still smoking. The wooden platform was nothing more than a pile of ash. Daniel remembered the archers and felt sick.

Villagers were trying to sort through the rubble. Several stood weeping, their whole lives gone. Daniel wondered how many lay dead under the wreckage.

'How long was I unconscious?' he asked.

'Oh, several hours,' replied Roland. 'The dragon left ages ago.'

He led Daniel across the sad remains of the square, and up one of the smaller streets. More than once, they had to pick their way through rubble and smoldering wood.

Finally, they came to the small cottage that Roland called home. Or at least what was left of it. Half of it had caved in after it was struck by, no doubt, the dragon's tail. Roland led Daniel to the small work shed attached to the cottage.

Inside was a long bench littered with tools and half carved pieces of wood. Roland sat Daniel down on a stool, before busying himself with the kettle he kept on a small stove. While he did, Daniel looked around.

Clearly, this was where Roland spent most of his time. The tools and bench were clean, without a hint of dust. Next to the stove stood a comfortable chair with a saucer next to it, along with a couple of books.

After a while, Roland handed Daniel a steaming mug of tea, before sitting down in the chair with his own.

Daniel sipped it without a word.

'I'm sorry about your mother,' Roland eventually said.

Daniel nodded slowly.

'I've lost people in the past, too, so I know a little of how you feel,' Roland continued.

Daniel stared down into his mug.

'Well, we don't have to talk about that,' Roland said, stirring his tea. 'We could talk about something else, like your miraculous survival.'

'I shouldn't have survived,' Daniel said dully.

'Drink,' said Roland.

After a moment, Daniel took a gulp of tea. He quickly swallowed the scalding liquid.

'I was hoping to sell some figures in the square when the dragon came,' sighed Roland. 'No doubt my work is now buried under all the rubble. When I saw you running off in towards your house, I thought I had better head you off. When you ran off to where the dragon was, I was certain you would either end up in its belly or under the rubble. I feared the worst. To find you alive, well, it was a shock to say the least.'

Daniel didn't reply. Roland stirred his cup absently.

'How is your sister?' he asked.

'I don't know,' said Daniel. 'I haven't seen her.'

'Not many can claim to have been that close to the dragon and lived,' said Roland. 'She's lucky. Perhaps you had something to do with that?'

Daniel shrugged.

Roland watched him over his own cup.

'How much do you know about the dragon?' Roland eventually asked, sipping his tea.

Daniel shook his head.

'Nothing,' he said. 'Only that it appears and attacks without warning every century or so.'

'Much of the dragon is shrouded in mystery,' Roland nodded. 'Where it comes from or what its purpose is. It seems to appear simply out of nowhere for no reason. It wreaks destruction and death, burning men and cities to the ground, before simply… disappearing.'

He stirred his tea slowly.

'History is peppered with accounts of the dragon's appearance. The earliest known one is from over a thousand years ago, although scholars suspect the dragon is far older than that. Have you ever heard of Godking Leonart?'

'No,' said Daniel, but then he remembered something.

A page from one of his mother's books. A brightly colored picture of a group of knights on horseback, and a page of writing next to it. At the top of the page, the word 'Leonart' much bigger than the rest.

He was little at the time, still living at the inn, and was attracted to the bright pictures. How long ago was that now?

'…Yes,' Daniel eventually said. 'But I don't know who he is.'

'He was a great king of men who fought the dragon a thousand years ago,' Roland explained. 'It's said he united the entire continent and led an army against the beast. He won, and for this he was given the title of 'Godking'.'

'If he defeated it, why is it still here?' Daniel muttered.

'Ah, as to that, who can say? Even after Leonart defeated it, it would still appear years later to menace the land,' Roland answered. 'But the legend of Leonart was the beginning of the legends of warriors that fought against the dragon. Every time the dragon appears in history, so too does the story of someone who fights it. These warriors were called the Arisen.'

Daniel choked on his tea. The scar on his chest seemed to burn.

'What did you say?' he spluttered.

'Arisen,' Roland repeated. 'It was the name given to those who fought the dragon.'

'Who… who gave them that name?' asked Daniel, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.

'No one knows,' Roland replied. 'But it is said they were… chosen, by the dragon.'

'How do you mean?'

'The dragon chooses a warrior,' Roland explained, 'and marks them as Arisen. They take something precious from the Arisen, so the Arisen will come after them to get it back.'

Daniel took another sip of tea. Roland watched him closely.

'How is your heart?' he suddenly asked.

Daniel raised his hand to his chest.

'Emma said that it's silent,' he answered.

'Try feeling for a heartbeat,' Roland insisted.

Daniel laid his hand flat on his chest and closed his eyes.

He felt for a beat, a pulse. But there was nothing. He shook his head.

'I can't feel anything,' he said.

Roland looked grave.

'Daniel,' he said slowly, 'your heart isn't just silent. It's missing.'

There was silence in the shed. Daniel stared at Roland, who watched him carefully.

'That's…' Daniel began. 'That's ridiculous.'

'I saw the dragon standing over you,' Roland said. 'I was there. I saw it extend its talon and prise something from your chest.'

'And that was my heart?' said Daniel in disbelief.

'How else do you explain your survival?' asked Roland. 'Your chest was ripped open, that much is fact. The scar on your chest proves as much. No man could survive that, and yet, you did.'

Daniel gripped his mug.

'The dragon took your heart,' continued Roland. 'It marked you. You survive now because your heart lives on in the dragon's keeping. I'm afraid only one conclusion can be drawn.'

Roland set his tea down.

'Daniel,' he said, 'you are the Arisen.'

'Stop,' Daniel said, standing up. His voice was shaking.

'The dragon destroyed our village,' he snarled. 'It killed my mother and now you say I've been 'chosen' by it? I don't want anything to do with it.'

He put his mug down.

'Thanks for the tea,' he said stiffly. 'I'm going.'

Daniel stormed out of the shed. Roland made no move to stop him.

Walking down the street, Daniel stuck his hands in his pockets.

He wasn't sure what he was angry at, but he couldn't make himself calm down.

His heart was taken? Daniel began raising his hand to his chest before shaking his head angrily and stuffing it back in his pocket. Those stories were nonsense, as the idea that the dragon had 'chosen' him.

The dragon hadn't 'chosen' him for anything. It had destroyed his world.

Clenching his hands into fists, he walked on.

The sun was sinking by the time Daniel made it back to the Hog Horseshoe. As he walked back, he had seen more of the destruction. The inn was one of the few buildings to survive more or less intact. Some, like Roland's house, had partially collapsed and people were milling about the wreckage, salvaging what they could.

Many, many others had been destroyed completely. Whether fire had consumed them, or they had been torn apart by the dragon's claws, little remained of these once proud homes. Several were still smoldering. People stood weeping outside these. Daniel watched a grandmother sink slowly to the ground in tears in front of a pile of smoking wood. Her daughter put her arm around her. Others simply stood in shock.

The front porch of the inn was crowded with people, many holding steaming bowls. Hanna was there, busy ladling soup from a giant pot. Not wanting to talk to her at the moment, Daniel slipped through the crowd and went inside.

The tavern was still full of people. Families sat on mats on the floor. Others huddled quietly in groups, murmuring. Many more were injured. The village physician was tending to one of the cart haulers. The man was badly burnt down his arm and face. As he gazed around the room, Daniel caught sight of something.

It was Lily, sitting by the fire. Emma was sitting to her with her arm around her. A lump rose in Daniel's throat. Slowly, he made his way towards her.

Lily was sitting with a bowl of soup in her hands. A blanket was draped around her shoulders. She was still wearing her working clothes. Emma was speaking to her softly.

'You should eat,' she said. 'You haven't had anything all day, you must be hungry.'

Lily shook her head.

'Don't want it,' she mumbled.

'How about some toast, or some… pie?' Emma suggested, before looking up and seeing Daniel.

Lily shook her head again, saying 'I don't want…'

Then she saw Daniel.

'Hello,' said Daniel awkwardly.

'Daniel…' Her lip wobbled. 'Mother… Mother is…'

'I know,' said Daniel quietly.

Her eyes brimmed over with tears, and she suddenly flung herself at him, sending her soup bowl flying.

She buried her face in his shirt as her body shook with sobs. Slowly, Daniel sat down as Emma got up to find a cloth.

He wrapped his arms around Lily as she wept into his shoulder. As his shirt grew wet with tears, he stared silently into the fireplace, watching the flames jump and lick.

Hours later, after Lily had cried herself out and had been taken upstairs by Hanna, Daniel sat at one of the tables, a bowl of vegetable soup in front of him. Emma had gone to help the physician with the wounded.

As Daniel sat, stirring the soup, the innkeeper set a wooden tankard down in front of him.

'It's ale,' he said. 'Drink it.'

'But…' Daniel hesitated. Jill had never allowed him to drink ale, even though others his age did.

'Just drink it,' the innkeeper said, sitting down. 'It'll make you feel better.'

Daniel cautiously took a sip. It had a sweet taste.

'Thanks,' he said.

The innkeeper shrugged. His name was Josef. He was lean and tall, and his face had a pinched look. His black hair and beard were kept carefully cropped. He and Hanna had apparently met when Hanna had rescued him and his donkey from a muddy ditch after a rainstorm. It was a favorite story to tell by the fire.

'We put Lily in Emma's room,' he said. 'All our other rooms are filled up.'

Daniel nodded slowly.

'We could put you up there, too, if you want,' Josef continued. 'Emma can sleep in our room. It would do you and Lily good to be together tonight.'

'Is she all right?' asked Daniel.

'Yes, just tired,' Josef replied. 'She had some small cuts, but we were able to treat them. We're more worried about you.'

He looked directly at Daniel.

'I know I asked before, but how did you survive with such a wound?'

Daniel put his hand to his chest. He felt the scar under his shirt. His conversation with Roland filled his mind, but he forced them down.

'I was just… lucky,' he eventually said.

'Luck is one thing, but this is nothing short of a miracle,' Josef said. "You must be alive by the Maker's own grace!'

His scar seemed to twinge. Daniel scratched it absently.

'…What will you do now?' asked Josef eventually.

'I don't know,' sighed Daniel. 'I… it just doesn't seem real, even when I look outside.'

'Well, you and Lily are welcome to stay here until you decide,' Josef said.

'Thanks,' said Daniel again.

Josef got up.

'I'll tell Hanna to set up more blankets in Emma's room,' he said.

He began walking away. Daniel watched him go.

'Josef,' he eventually called out, 'have you…?'

He hesitated as Josef turned back to look at him.

'Have you ever heard of the Arisen?' he eventually asked.

'The Arisen? Of course I have,' Josef replied. 'Those warriors who fight the dragon, yes? We certainly could have used one today.'

He turned and walked up the stairs, leaving Daniel alone in thought.

Daniel lay under the pile of blankets Hanna had laid out on the floor of Emma's bedroom. Lily slept on the bed.

Daniel hadn't been in Emma's room for years, but it hadn't changed much from when they were children. The bed, the table, the shelves, the chest of clothes were all in the same place. Small wooden toys sat on the windowsill, including the wooden princess doll carved by Roland. In her sleep, Lily cuddled Monty, a stuffed toy dog Emma had had for years.

New additions included the large stack of books sitting on the side table, and the apron hanging by the door.

Daniel stared up at the dark ceiling. Josef's question was still in his mind.

What were they going to do now?

He needed to find work as possible so he could look after Lily. But where? He had planned to go to the capital to work, but what about her? Should he take her with him?

His throat closed up as he imagined it. This village was the only home Lily had known. She had grown up here with her friends. He imagined having to tear her away from that for a dangerous journey to the capital.

Was there anywhere he could work here? The only place he could think of was the inn. But Emma had already told him they couldn't afford to take someone else on. There was also Lily's future to think about. Who would teach her weaving now? He couldn't bear to imagine Lily searching for work, only to be turned away by everyone, just as he was.

Daniel turned his head to look at Lily. Her sleeping face was bathed in the moonlight shining through the window. Her thumb was in her mouth, an old habit from when she was very small. If their mother was here, she'd be gently trying to pull it out without waking her.

He sighed. He could not let Lily go through the same thing he did. He had to make sure she was safe, no matter what.

As he lay, his thoughts drifted to his conversation with Roland. He had tried to ignore it, but he couldn't put it out of his mind.

His heart was missing? The very idea was ludicrous, and yet…

Daniel put his hand to his scar. His chest had been completely silent all day. Try as he might, he couldn't feel the faintest heartbeat. And more than that, he felt a strange emptiness. As if something wasn't quite there. Had his heart really been stolen by the dragon then?

Could he really be the Arisen? Those warriors of legend? And if so, what was he supposed to do now?

Roland had said the Arisen seek out the dragon to reclaim their hearts. The memory of the dragon filled his mind and he trembled at the thought of trying to hunt it.

Arisen were chosen by the dragon, Roland had said. Then why had it chosen Daniel?

Whatever the case, one thing was clear to him. He never wanted to see the beast again.

He rolled over and closed his eyes. It took a while for sleep to come, but when it did, his dreams were filled with his mother's face, Roland's face, screams of terror, and the vast monstrous form of the dragon.

Lily was still asleep the next morning when Daniel awoke amidst a tangle of blankets. Deciding not to wake her, Daniel quietly extracted himself and went downstairs.

The tavern was completely empty when Daniel came down, but he could hear movement in the kitchen.

Walking through the door, he saw Hanna once again busy over a pot.

Glancing over her shoulder at him, she said, 'Take a seat, breakfast is soon.'

Daniel sat down at the wooden kitchen table Emma and her parents ate at. As he waited, his gaze wandered around the room. He had been in this kitchen more times than he could count. Long hours were spent peeling potatoes or cleaning dishes as a child. Jill had been there too, doing the heavier work and helping Hanna cook. Sometimes, Daniel had to look after Lily, who was learning to walk. She had liked to grab things, so Daniel had had to keep a close eye on her.

Hanna ladled some porridge into Daniel's bowl and drizzled it with honey.

'How are you feeling?' she asked, putting a mug of milk next to him.

Daniel shrugged.

After a few minutes, Emma came down, still rubbing sleep out her eyes. She sat down at the table the same moment Josef walked in.

'That's the last of them off,' he announced to Hanna before noticing Daniel.

'Last of what?' asked Daniel.

'Er… well, the Faith has taken possession of the bodies,' Josef said, glancing at his wife. 'Can't keep them here, you know. So, the Faith will look after them at the church and get them ready for burial.'

They both looked at Daniel nervously for his reaction.

'Oh, alright,' he simply said quietly, before swallowing a spoonful of porridge.

Josef and Hanna glanced at each other before sitting down to eat as well.

'The Faith also said they'd take care of our injured,' Josef said as Hanna ladled out more porridge. 'They'll transport them over the next couple of days so we can have some room upstairs. A lot of people lost their homes, so they'll need a roof over their heads.'

'Will we have room?' asked Hanna worriedly.

'If we squeeze them, we might manage,' Josef said. 'We can always make up cots in the tavern if we need to.'

'What about the Manor?' asked Emma sleepily.

Josef and Hanna grimaced. Daniel knew why.

About thirty years ago, an extremely wealthy merchant had decided to retire in Reaville. He had purchased an entire nearby hill and built an enormous manor there. Many of the villagers had been hired to help in its construction. It was the finest building for miles around.

The merchant didn't have much time to enjoy it, however. He had paid the villagers very little, causing much anger in Reaville. But only one young apprentice carpenter decided to do anything about it. In the dead of night, he snuck up the hill to the Manor and broke in. He planned to ransack it but was caught by the merchant. In a panic, the carpenter struck him with an iron bar, killing him instantly, before fleeing.

The body wasn't found for two days. The killer was caught and hung, but the merchant's family refused to live in the house anymore. They tried selling it, but the story had spread like wildfire, and no one wanted to live in a 'village of thugs.'

So, Cartier Manor sat abandoned, growing more derelict by the year. Sitting on its hill, it brooded over the village, acquiring an evil look.

'Even if we could get in there,' Josef said, 'I doubt it's a particularly healthy place to live.'

'It's falling apart,' agreed Hanna. 'Probably only the mold in the walls holding it together.'

'The houses in the village haven't fared any better,' Emma pointed out. 'If we could get even a couple of rooms cleaned out, people could easily fit in there.'

'Work on rebuilding has already started,' Josef said. 'By next spring, everyone should hopefully have a roof over their heads.'

'I can help with the rebuilding,' said Daniel at once, putting his spoon down.

'…Why don't you take a walk today?' suggested Hanna. 'Take Lily with you.'

'What? No, I can help,' said Daniel in confusion.

'No, I think a walk would do you both good,' Hanna insisted. 'Get her out of the village for a bit. Take her up the hill, or into the forest, or wherever.'

'You go with them as well,' Josef said to Emma. 'You've been running yourself ragged.'

Seeing there was little point in arguing, Daniel sighed and nodded.

Later, after Hanna had woken Lily and brought her down for breakfast, the three of them walked out the front door of the Hog & Horseshoe.

Lily had changed out of her sooty work clothes and now wore old things of Emma's. Emma herself had discarded her new, now slightly stained, apron for her usual tunic. Daniel still wore his same clothes form yesterday.

People all around were picking through the ruins of their houses. Walking quickly past them, they wandered in the direction of the forest. Emma led the way, with Daniel behind her. Lily trailed along slowly at the back.

Before long, they had walked out of the village and began climbing the hill to the forest. As they climbed, Lily lagged further and further behind. The bright sun was hot, so Daniel slowed in case she was tired.

But before they were even halfway up, Lily simply stopped and sat down, hunched up, in the middle of the path. Daniel and Emma glanced at each other before walking back to her.

'Are you okay?' Daniel asked, sitting next to her.

Lily shook her head, turning her face away from him.

Daniel sighed inwardly. Lily could be as stubborn as a constipated mule if she didn't want to move or talk.

'A nice walk in the forest might make you feel better,' Emma suggested.

'Don't want to,' said Lily obstinately, hunching herself up into a ball.

'Or we could go down to the river?' Emma tried hopefully.

Lily shook her head. Emma looked despairingly at Daniel, who suddenly had an idea.

'If you come with us,' he said, 'there's this secret place we'll take you to.'

Lily's head moved slightly.

'You can see the entire valley and beyond from it,' Daniel continued. 'Only Emma and I know about it. But if you promise to keep it secret, we'll show you where it is.'

'That's right,' said Emma, catching on. 'It's been our place for years, and now it can be yours too.'

Lily was still for a minute. They watched her anxiously.

Then she slowly raised her head and got to her feet. Silently, she began trudging up the path. Relieved, Daniel and Emma followed her.

As they entered the trees, Daniel murmured to Emma, 'I don't blame her. I don't really feel like a walk, either.'

'It feels strange,' Emma agreed. 'Like nothing happened.'

She looked at him.

'How are you feeling?' she asked, sounding like her mother.

'Other than the scar on my chest, I feel fine,' replied Daniel. 'I'm not sure if I should be worried about that or not.'

'I've never heard of a wound healing that quickly,' Emma said. 'It's as if some kind of magick was worked on it.'

She hesitated for a moment before continuing.

'You don't suppose… the dragon had something to do with it?' she asked.

'Why would it kill my mother, then save me?' he growled.

'I suppose not…' Emma said quietly.

Daniel glanced at her. For a moment, he ached to tell her everything. His conversation with Roland, and what the woodcarver said he was.

But the next moment, the feeling was gone. How could he possibly begin to explain it? Emma would think he was insane. Daniel didn't believe it himself.

They were deep in the forest now.

'I wanted to say sorry,' Emma eventually said.

'What for?' asked Daniel.

'Just before the dragon attacked,' said Emma, 'we were in the street together. But when everyone started screaming, I just… ran. I wanted to get to my parents, and I left you behind. I should have taken you with me. If I did, maybe things would have…'

'It's alright,' said Daniel. 'You know I would have gone to look for my mother and Lily anyway.'

'I thought the dragon had killed you when I saw it over you,' Emma said.

A thought struck Daniel.

'Why were you there?' he asked. 'It was nowhere near the inn.'

'Roland,' Emma replied. 'We were hiding in the inn, before we decided to leave because we thought it would be an obvious target for the dragon. We'd just walked outside when Roland came charging up to us, saying you'd run off in the direction of the butchery. We then saw the dragon land and went running over. When we reached you, Jill's body was just lying there, Lily had fainted, half-suffocated with smoke, and you… your chest had been torn open. But you were still moving. My father and Roland had to carry you back to the inn.'

'And it wasn't you that healed me?' Daniel asked hopefully.

'I tried, but they said it was too much for me,' Emma replied, shaking her head. 'The dragon had gone, so people were streaming into the inn. I spent hours healing people until I was exhausted. Eventually, I went to see you and try to heal you too. But when I saw you, your wound had already closed. I couldn't believe it. All that was left was a scar that almost seemed to be glowing. I got scared and ran and got my father. He told me not to tell anyone because he thought it was a curse and people would panic. But a wound like that could only be healed through magick. So, either there's someone else in the village who can do healing magick, or…'

'Or I'm cursed, I suppose,' Daniel finished for her.

When Emma didn't answer, Daniel said, 'I don't know why I'm alive and, honestly, I don't care. Whether I'm cursed or not, it doesn't matter. I just want…'

He trailed off with a choke. Emma didn't say anything.

They walked silently for a while. The woods were nearly silent too. The birds hadn't come back. Daniel wondered if they ever would.

Lily wasn't silent, however. After a while, she turned and faced them, hands on her hips.

'Where's this secret spot?' she asked grumpily.

'Not far,' said Emma, which was true. They had nearly reached the seeing stone ridge. Now they had to turn off the track and follow a rabbit path through the bush.

Daniel led the way, with Lily close behind. Emma lagged well behind, wrapped up in thoughts of her own.

Daniel had forgotten how difficult the path was when he was smaller. He'd found it when he was about Lily's age and had gone down it, hoping to find rabbits. The path had been well-trodden since then, but Lily still struggled over the occasional root.

But eventually, after much grumbling from Lily, the two finally emerged out onto the ridge.

'Here it is,' announced Daniel. 'Take a look.'

They walked to the edge of the ridge and beheld the view. It was just as sweeping as before. Lily stood silently, wide eyed, taking in the sight.

Glancing at her, Daniel was relieved that it looked like some of the shadows had left her face, for the moment at least. Gazing back out, he let his eyes drift down to the village. From this height, he could finally see the extent of the dragon's wrath.

Yesterday, the village had been a busy patchwork of buildings, life, and activity. Now it was an ugly black stain on the valley. He saw just how few buildings had survived. The inn was easy to spot. Much to Daniel's annoyance, he saw the butchery had survived intact.

Several of the fields were blackened, those closest to the village, in particular. It seemed the dragon had been more interested in Reaville than the livestock. Cartier Manor was still perched on its hill. Clearly, the dragon had had no interest in it.

Daniel wondered how long it would take to rebuild. A year. Two? Ten? That wasn't even considering the people killed in the attack. They were still finding bodies.

It would take Reaville a long time to recover, if it ever did.

Daniel gritted his teeth in anger. He may not have held all of them in the warmest regard, but they were still his people. He had known them for over half his life. They could have died from old age, passed away in their sleep. But they didn't. They died in terror as their homes burned.

And everyone else was supposed to just carry on? How were they supposed to find justice?

But what could they do?

'What can I do?'

The thought came, unbidden, into Daniel's mind and despite his best efforts, it hung there.

He glanced around, looking for Emma. She still hadn't emerged onto the ridge. She liked to take her time when wandering in the woods, he remembered.

Sometimes, mist rolled in and covered the valley floor, making for a dull view from the ridge. But today, Daniel would have been glad for some mist as it would have covered the sight of the ruined Reaville.

'The view's even better on that seeing stone,' he said to Lily, looking down at her. 'Do you want to get on top of it?'

Lily didn't answer. Lily wasn't even looking at the view. She was looking back at the trees, her eyes wide with fear.

'What is it?' Daniel asked, turning to look as well. He hadn't seen any snakes on the way up here.

Then he saw what Lily had seen before him. Among the leaves and bushes, peering at them, was a great big pair of yellow eyes. Almost as soon as Daniel saw them, another pair appeared, and then another, and then another.

Daniel knew what they were. He had only ever seen one once before, but they were the deepest fear of every Reaville child.

Wolves.

'Lily,' he said hoarsely, 'get behind me.'

But the girl was too scared to move. Slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements, Daniel edged in front of her. Even as he did so, however, he knew there was nowhere to run.

A growl rose from over a dozen throats. The eyes moved forwards and Daniel could see the matted brown snouts.

'Why hadn't Emma warned them?'

The thought flashed into his mind, but he realized the answer almost at once. Emma hadn't shouted a warning because she was dead. The wolves would have pounced on her while her back was turned. As they no doubt would have done to them, if Lily hadn't seen them in time.

In time for what exactly, Daniel didn't know. All he knew was that he had to protect Lily somehow.

He glanced around. There was nowhere for Lily to slip away to. Even if either of them did, the pack would run them down with ease. Desperately, he felt for a weapon. But he had nothing, not even a knife.

He cast his eye across the ground. Several loose stones were strewn about. Slowly, he picked up a heavy one with a jagged edge. It was better than nothing.

The first wolves were emerging from the bushes. They were lanky with mottled fur. Their jaws were wide, and their fangs were dripping. They were hungry and, by the sound of those growls, desperate. Which only made them more dangerous.

The only hope they had was for Daniel to somehow distract the pack while Lily escaped. He knew it almost certainly wouldn't work, but he had to try something.

His eyes fell upon the seeing stone. Tall and wide, it was an ideal place to make a stand while covering his back, and it was just possible Lily might be able to hide on top of it.

'Lily,' he said quietly, 'when I say 'now', run and climb on top of the stone and quick as you can. I'll try to distract them.'

Lily whimpered behind him.

'NOW!' he shouted. As he did, he raised his arms and charged at the wolves.

His shout spurred Lily into action. Like a hare, she shot off with a sudden burst of speed and bounded up onto the stone. Her leap carried her about halfway up and she scrabbled on the rough surface, looking for a handhold.

Meanwhile, Daniel was swinging his rock wildly at the wolves. As he hoped, the shock of his shout and sudden charging had made the pack leap back in surprise.

But they were quickly getting over that. More and more wolves were emerging from the bushes. Seven… eight… nine… ten… Daniel found himself counting them without meaning to.

Their teeth were bared in snarls. Any second, they would pounce, and it would be over.

'Daniel!' came a scream from behind.

Lily was clinging desperately to the stone, unable to get a solid grip. She felt herself sliding down. But Daniel didn't dare turn to help her. He knew the moment he showed his back, the pack would attack. Slowly, he took a step back. The pack took a step forward. Gripping his rock tightly, he took another step and another. The pack mirrored his every step.

The stone was behind him. The side of the stone facing the cliff was rough and jagged, with handholds. But the side facing Daniel was as smooth as the inn wall. Useless for climbing.

His eyes flicked over his shoulder. He was close now. Another step or two…

The pack was slowly surrounding him in a well-rehearsed formation. There was a kind of horrible beauty to it all. As if they all shared one mind, the pack silently, methodically cut off all routes of escape. Their gaze never left Daniel. They were waiting for the command from their leader. At his signal, they would all pounce at once.

Daniel wondered if there would any remains for the village to find. Not that they would miss him, but it would be nice to know that at least some part of him was buried in the village graveyard.

Behind him, the seeing stone loomed.

A twig snapped under Daniel's boot. At the same moment, the lead wolf gave a sharp growl.

With a savage snarl, the first wolf to enter the clearing leapt at Daniel.

Daniel stumbled backwards, tripping over his feet, one hand out behind him to steady himself. Wildly, he waved his rock at the wolf. The other hand touched the seeing stone.

And suddenly, time seemed to stand still.

A rush of energy swept through Daniel's body and travelled down his arm into the stone. A bolt of light arched out from the stone and struck the wolf mid-jump. Without a cry, the wolf fell to the ground in a tangle of fur and limbs. It was stone dead. Yelping in terror, the rest of the pack turned tail and fled.

But Daniel didn't notice. He wasn't even paying attention to the pack anymore.

The seeing stone was blazing with blue light. Cracks and markings etched over it were lit up as though a raging blue fire burned within. Suddenly, a beam of light shot up from it into the sky.

With a shriek, Lily tumbled from the stone.

A sound like thunder filled the air and echoed across the valley, as if the earth itself was groaning. Dark clouds swirled out of nowhere, directly overhead. The beam of blue light pierced them, lighting them with an otherworldly glow.

Daniel, hardly knowing what he did, fell back from the stone and began crawling over to Lily. But as he did, a bolt of lightning suddenly arched down from the clouds and struck the seeing stone in a blinding flash and deafening crack.

With a yell, Daniel was knocked to the ground. Every hair on his body was standing on end. Coloured spots filled his vision.

After what felt like an eternity, Daniel slowly got up. His mouth tasted vaguely of metal. Blinking, he tried to take in the scene before him.

But when he did, he stared in astonishment. In front of him was the most absurd thing he'd ever seen in his life.

A crack. Not on the stone or on the ground. A crack in the air.

Just a few feet above the stone, the jagged crack extended downwards. As Daniel watched, it grew. Wider and longer, it grew. Through the crack, Daniel could only see what looked like swirling mists.

Suddenly, a shadow moved within and grew larger. He could only stare as the shadow drew closer and materialized into a head and shoulders. Before Daniel's eyes, a boy stepped through the crack and landed lightly on the ground.

He straightened his clothes and looked around the clearing curiously. Then he saw Daniel.

He smiled and raised his hand.

'Hail, Arisen,' he said.

That was it for Daniel.

The last three days had been the longest of his life and he had gone through more than he had ever imagined. But boys appearing out of thin air was the final straw, and Daniel slowly keeled over as he fainted.