“What did you see in the future?” I asked. “No bus stop?”

Thump.

I looked up, alarmed. Amber’s head snapped up from a conversation with another stranger that had just walked by us on the sidewalk. Max stepped closer to Olive.

Thump.

“RUN!” Olive cried.

A branch crackled. Leaves fell to the ground. The ground shook, and I could see small pebbles tumbling from the hill.

All of a sudden, a mountainous monster erupted out of nowhere.. Screams of people rang out through the streets and the rampaging footsteps of them fleeing filled the air. The enormous body of this thing blocked out the sun.

What.

I slid into a fighting position, my legs gliding naturally into a stance. Moonshine slipped out. I could feel wretched horror in my chest. We were all about to die, weren’t we?

“Oh!” I cheered with enthusiasm that welled out as unexpectedly as this monster, “It looks like we can test our swords for the first time!”

I had no idea where this energy was coming from.

Amber and Max just gawked skeptically at me, their facial expressions hoping that I had a plan to get us through this. To my relief, they also slipped out their weapons and readied a fighting stance.

People streamed around us, fully ignoring our gleaming blades in their instinctive panic. I can almost smell the terror in the air, like the ozone before the breaking of a storm. More pebbles and debris rained down upon us as the figure continued to grow taller. Wait, we hadn’t even seen its full size yet?

“Hold up,” Max interrupted, keeping his eyes trained on the rising beast. “Where did this thing come from?”

“Um… What even is it?” I squinted, pulling Olive closer to me as people stumbled and tripped around us. The glaring sun haloed the beast’s head and blinded my futile attempts at vision.

“ALRIGHT, YOU TWO. HAVE YOU NEVER SEEN A DRAGON BEFORE?!” Amber shouted incredulously.

Have I ever seen a what?

I glanced up even higher, forcing my burning eyes against the stabbing rays of light.

The monster was gigantic. It looked like a lizard. Silver, snake-like eyes shone brightly against the spotted sunlight and shimmering green scales swirled across its massive body.

Each piece reflected another gleaming ray of light. On the top of its huge back were large silver-lime wings. Its teeth were as big as cars, and it looked like it was famished.

The good news was that it did not seem to notice us.

Of course, I was joking.

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Its eyes swooped down and stared at us piercingly. They burned into mine.

“I’M READY FOR A SHNACK!!!” It roared with such ferocity that it knocked everyone off their feet as a heavy gust of wind flew past. I scrambled back to brace myself and hastily pointed my comparatively tiny weapon at the dragon again. Olive squeaked and dove behind me to avoid the monster’s wrath.

“You.” It roared at me. “You’re the pathetic Mackie Jade, aren’t you.”

Those words sent shivers up my back. How in the world did he know who I was? I looked at Amber for help.

“And you.” It stared at Amber. “Young, weak, Amber.” Amber’s sword clattered to the ground, her eyes wide.

“What are you doing?!” I hissed through my teeth, “Pick that up, it might be the only way we’ll survive this!”

Amber glared weakly at me as her shaky hands pulled out her spellbook.

“AND YOU,” the monster turned its intimidating gaze to Max, “Are the arrogant Max.”

Max, who had been quiet for a while, looked as if he was going to start crying like a three year old baby. I probably didn’t look much better off.

“Arrogant is a bit rude...” Max mumbled nervously.

I mentally facepalmed.

The beast’s enormous head reached down.

My hands were instantly clammy against Moonshine’s hilt. I felt a wave of goosebumps rising on my arms.

Olive clutched at my shirt, shivering in fear.

The dragon’s eyes.

They were the color of burning gold. A peculiar white, swirling and glossy, drifted like licking flames around pupils of chipped obsidian.

Its voice was unearthly. “Olive. Time is a strange concept for you, isn’t it?” Its eyes seemed to swallow her whole. “Be careful, weakling. You cannot shake the hands of a clock.”

I glanced back, and to my horror, her small wrists were whiter than snow.

The dragon blinked, its golden gaze still focused on the little girl. “Spend it well... for you do not know how much sand is in the hourglass.”

Suddenly, the dragon tore its great head away from us, and exploded into maniacal laughter.

“Pathetic. SUCH PATHETIC CREATURES.” It looked down at us with pity.

A chilling cold limb bumped my arm.

Olive was holding up something green, her arms shaking like a leaf in the wind.

The jewelry! Minh had blessed us with a necklace before sending us off.

Olive obviously remembered, though. Cowering behind me, she held something up the leaf-shaped necklace from the chain around her neck. She was taking a scan of the dragon.

I quickly gave her a nod and clasped my hands tightly around hers.

Please respond please respond, come on man just RESPOND!!!!!!

The dragon snarled at our heavy discomfort and panic. “ARE YOU HUMANS DONE STRUGGLING YET?” At that, it paused, tilted its head, and continued. “WAIT, I DON’T CARE. IT’S SNACK TIME.”

Goodness gracious, what was the dragon going to do no-

We were sent flying.

The dragon had only taken one little stomp, yet the earth was erupting. Trees shook, and debris on the ground leapt up and danced in the air.

Moonshine scraped on the ground uselessly as I scrambled to climb back up. As soon as my foot found solid ground, the dragon whipped its tail.

A searing wave of tiny spikes shot at us like bullets-

And stopped less than a foot away from impaling us all.

Amber fell to her knees as her spellbook dropped from the air. A yellow glow was dying in her outstretched hands.

Max shot from my left and caught her in his arms. “Nice one!”

Amber gave him a weak smile that was torn into blazing fear as the dragon’s tail suddenly dove down from the clouds.

Right as it was descending upon us, a thick branch fell onto its head.

“ARRRRUUWAAAAGGHHH!” It roared and batted the empty air with his gleaming claws.

Another branch fell, this time near me. A shimmering green glow exploded from where the tree hit the ground. Dust swirled with the wind, and leaves erupted in an ominous circle. The branches burst into green sparks. Shining leaves spun in a mini cyclone, and a figure appeared amid the small storm.

“MINH!” We all cheered, our voices hoarse and desperate.

The dragon huffed, and a hurricane of bursting wind swept up with scattered debris on the ground.

I clasped my hand over my face, unable to keep myself from coughing. As my blond hair danced and thrashed out of its ponytail, I retreated a step.

Minh did not.

Loose strands from her bun of midnight-colored hair whipped around her face. Her violet eyes narrowed with malice and they slowly began to glow a sheen of purple.

“ANOTHER SNACK. NICE.” The dragon growled with unwavering animosity.

Minh stepped closer to the dragon, calm and collected.

A green-handled sword ornamented with carved designs of leaves whispered as it slid into her grasp. Her stance did not falter as the dragon directed its full knock-over roar at her, barely sparing a blink.

Clambering up from the ground, I mentioned for Amber, Max, and Olive to get ready to back her up.

Max raised his sword, and with his other arm, he shielded Olive.

Amber raised her hands once again, her spellbook fluttering into the air.

I tied my ponytail back together.

With a shaky breath, I muttered to our group. “Let’s rock the skies, huh?”

A fight was about to go down.