“NNGH…UGGH.”
My eyes snap open feeling like they’ve been torn off. I feel like someone piled rocks on top of my body. Scrunching my brow together, I strain my blurry eyes. A flipped over soup bowl is right in front of my face.
“Princess! Princess!” I slam my elbows into the floor and force my face up.
Gone. Princess, the silver-haired witch, and the rainbow mosaic spider are nowhere in sight.
“Damn it all!” Anger lights a flame under me, clearing my mind with its blaze. “How the hell did they leave this room?” The windows and staircase are too narrow for that monstrous spider to fit through. Nothing’s broken either. “I’m goin’ after ‘em!”
My body…can my body move? I can make do with my hands. The feeling is still left in my feet too. I just can’t put any strength into them.
“C’mon you piece of crap body! Is this all you’re made of? HUH?!”
Stabbing pain shoots through the left side of my chest. I clench my chest, unable to take it, and double over.
“Damn it! What the hell is goin’ on?!”
I grit my teeth and withstand the pain long enough to realize: my body isn’t burning. Nor is the room. But bluish-white flames had undeniably enveloped me. The sensation of searing heat consuming my body, suffocating it…is still fresh in my mind and flesh. Was that a dream? Illusion? No, wait, wait, just wait a minute! Something smells burnt.
“Hot! Hooot!”
My tunic! My shirt! Are smoldering! Smoke is rising from them. I frantically sit up and beat it out with my hands.
The heat still won’t go away. Not able to bear it anymore, I tear off the brittle cloth.
“What the hell is this?!”
Muscles in my back constrict and my skin prickles with gooseflesh. This is the first time in my life I’ve been terrified to death lookin’ at my own body.
Dragon’s scale is seared into the left side of my chest. Not only is it lodged in my chest, it actually burned the flesh and the skin around it has hardened together as one horribly burned wound. I gingerly run my finger along it…it’s completely integrated into my body. I’d have to gouge this thing outta my flesh if I want to tear it off now.
“What’s goin’ on here? Hey, Dragon!” He doesn’t answer. “You givin’ me the silent treatment now?”
It’s no use talking to him. An ominous presentiment gnaws at me. Maybe I wasn’t the only one who got burned alive by those flames?
“Sheesh, you’re one troublesome big fat lizard.” I reach out and pick up my sword. “You’ve asked for it! I’ll personally whack ya awake!”
The sword’s blade is broad and the hilt is long. I can swing it around with both hands or just one. It’s not engraved by a famous blacksmith, nor has it earned a name, and it holds no legend. But the steel was forged through the hard labor of a blacksmith who was skilled. I thrust the sword into the ground, shove my body’s weight onto it, and plant my trembling feet on the ground.
“HRRAHHH!”
I pull myself up on my feet and brace my legs. Cracks, pops, and snaps come from all over my body, but why should I give a damn? As long as I’m standing! Standing!
“A’ight, I can do this. I’ll do this!”
Okay, where’s my shield?
A figure enters my line of vision as I search around the room. Nobody was here a second ago. They just appeared out of nowhere without warning. Without a sound. Without a word. Without color. They don’t even cast a shadow on the ground.