After a while, he landed into a heap in the middle of a dirt road

After a while, he landed into a heap in the middle of a dirt road. 'Where am I?' he wondered as he dusted himself off.

"Good, you're here," a voice said. He looked up and saw a girl standing in front of him.

"What?" Davis said. He was confused. Where did that crazy teacher send him off?

"You're a hero, aren't you?" she said. Davis looked down and saw that he was wearing a set of chain mail and had a sword strapped by his side.

"Well…" he started. "Then you can help us against the dragon," she said.

"Dragon, milady?" Davis said, turning pale.

"Yup," the girl said grimly. "A giant three-headed inferno of one too. We've been searching for heroes to help us. You will help, won't you?"

"Uh…" Davis said.

"If you're looking for him, he's over that hill." She pointed to a tall, burnt hill. Davis sighed in defeat and headed toward the hill reluctantly.

As he crossed the area, he noticed as he grew closer and closer, that the earth looked more and more charred, as though by fire. His apprehension grew greater as he walked, and the smell of sulfur didn't help either. It steadily grew hotter, not a reassuring thing to Davis, who happened to be wearing metal all over him and was in danger of being cooked alive before the dragon didn't roast him in the first place. Then it appeared. It was even scarier than the description that the girl had given him. It was at least 50 feet tall, with scales that flashed from deep scarlet to deep gold. Its four legs and feet were armed with sharp, silvery claws, each about as long as his sword. But the worst parts were the heads. They had long fangs, silver like the claws, and had nasty looking forked tongues that would occasionally flicker in and out like snakes'. Two of the six pairs of red eyes glanced at him in hunger and anger burning in them.

"Okay," Davis said, staring at the creature. "I've had enough now. I think I'll be going." He tried to slowly inch away, but the dragon just glared at him, and he froze. It seemed to be saying 'Not so fast.'

Davis then heard a loud scream. He whipped around and saw the girl he was talking with in the path of the dragon.

"Run!" he yelled.

"I can't," she yelled back. "My foot's stuck." She was right. Her foot was somehow stuck in a hidden crevice. Davis's fear seemed to ebb away and was replaced with determination and courage. He thought, 'Courage doesn't mean not being afraid. It means doing what's right.' His eyes hardened, and he drew his sword. He rushed quickly down and grabbed the girl, pulling her foot out of the hole. But while he was rushing toward there, a symbol burned on his chest with a bright orange light. He jumped back, just in time to dodge the monster's claws from tearing his arm off. He ran back and set the girl on a safe spot, away from the dragon. He turned to the dragon, sword drawn and ready. But to his surprise, the dragon stopped and lay down. A look of peacefulness filled its red eyes. It gazed at Davis, then did a dragon's equivalent of a smile on all three heads. Davis was shocked. What was this dragon doing? But then red fire surrounded him again and he was swept away again by another rush of howling wind.

He landed again into a heap onto the ground.

"Why can't you learn to set people down properly?" he grumbled as he picked himself up.

"Shh!" hissed a voice.

"What?" Davis said, looking around.

"Shut up!" the voice hissed again. "Do you want the enemy scouts to find us with their eyes closed?" Davis looked down and saw his clothes had changed again. He was now wearing a leather tunic over a dirty white linen shirt and leather breeches. A quiver of arrows and a bow were slung over his back.

A few bushes rustled and a boy stepped out. He was dressed like Davis was, except it looked a bit more worn and was shorter than Davis's. He was tall and well built, with long black hair and deep amber-brown eyes. His skin was a light brown, yet tanned and ruddy. A strip of brown material with a short stripe of red over his forehead marked him as a corporal.

"Hello," he said, reaching out a hand. "New here, major?" Davis now noticed a strip of bright red and black material around his upper arm.

"Yes," he stammered. "My name is Davis."

"Nice to see you too, sir," the boy said. "My name is Ryan." Davis shook the hand that was offered. "You don't have to be too formal with me," Davis remarked. "Just call me Davis."

"Sure," Ryan beamed. Then he turned quickly. "There's something wrong here," he whispered. "Too quiet." Davis was on his guard also.

Suddenly, something jumped out of the bushes and grabbed Ryan. It turned out to be a strange man, dressed in black and glinting armor, and was holding Ryan in a death-grip with a sharp sword to his neck.

"Drop your weapons," he growled roughly. "Or I slit his throat."

"Don't do it!" Ryan called out. "Just call for back-" But the stranger clapped his hand over the corporal's mouth. Davis just froze. Then a blur attacked the stranger. He was so surprised that he almost let go of Ryan. The blur turned out to be another boy, but shorter and with a mop of fair hair and kind blue eyes, though currently they were sparkling with rage.

"Don't just stand there!" he yelled at Davis. "Help me for God's sake!"

The stranger's eyes were glittering with insane fury.

"Be careful there," he taunted, holding the sword closer. "I'm getting tempted to spill some blood."

He pressed the sword closer to Ryan's neck. A thin stream of blood trickled down. Ryan moaned slightly, but seemed to grit his teeth. 'What should I do?' Davis thought frantically. 'I want to help Ryan, but I don't want him to get hurt. What should I do?'

"I'm waiting," the man growled.

"How could you call yourself his leader?" the blond snarled at him. "You don't understand friendship!" Davis's eyes widened. 'Friendship is one of the strongest things on earth and I know why now. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to help your friend, the right thing is not always the easy thing.' Blue light erupted from his chest, coming from another strange symbol on his heart. Davis charged, surprising the man, who dropped Ryan. Davis quickly drew his bow and slid an arrow in place. In other circumstances he would have been surprised that he had a sudden ability in archery, but there was nothing on his mind but rage.

To his surprise, the man grinned, kindly though, and bowed to him. He then jumped away into the trees.

"What?" Davis said, scratching his head.

Ryan and the blond boy turned to him, grinning also. "You passed the test," Ryan said.

"Good luck," the other boy said, eyes twinkling. Davis's eyes widened, but before he could speak, a wave of red fire and a rush of wind surrounded him. Finally, it disappeared and he fell to the ground into a heap once more. He got up, wincing. He looked down and with disappointment found that he was wearing his own rags again, with his old cloak over it.