The old dragon lay in his cave far away from human and elven eyes. His body rose and fell as he struggled breathing. His look was quite terrifying no thanks to wars in the past. He has an ugly scar that ran from the bridge of his snout all the way down to his scaly chin. His vision in his eye wasn’t as good as it used to be, and his wings were tattered and shredded.

He remembered what happened 50 years ago. His young self with his even younger rider flying to who knew where doing who knew what. But war broke across the land, and both wanted action. So they joined the militia and fought bloody battles.

Then one day when the dew didn’t show on the grass it happened. The last battle that would determine freedom or suffering. As the dragon and his rider advanced in the frontlines, saw a new enemy emerge from the enemy. A huge dragon,like himself, only stronger,faster, and more deadly. The young dragon was afraid but he didn’t show it.

With a powerful roar he leapt to the sky for his attack! Only the other dragon thought of it first. They collided in the dawning sun and fought quite fiercely. The enemy dragon’s rider was looking at his rider the entire time with a crossbow at the ready. His rider on the other hand was too busy avoiding talons and teeth to notice his true enemy.

Then it happened. A piercing scream of pain rang in the dragon’s ear,and he felt his rider slump in his saddle as blood trickled from his back. The young rider was breathing heavily and took hold of his dragon’s ear.

“Keep fighting! Don’t lose! And… I … Love you.”

The dragon with horror before his eyes saw the rider fall out of his saddle and plummet to the ground. With a gruesome crack, the rider gave his last breath. The dragon roared a terrible moaning at the top of his lungs and lunged for his riders body.

The enemy neither cared nor pursued they just stared at the heartbroken dragon that clung to the body. With pain and anger in his veins he looked at the battlefield. Both men and horses had frozen in fear. There was Carnage all over the field and all the dragon could focus on was the fact that his rider was dead.

He gave a look of hatred at the dragon in the sky and felt his stomach begin heating with flame. He saw a javelin in the dirt and he looked back at the enemy dragon. Flame was escaping from the corner of his mouth as he picked up the javelin ,and laid his rider gently on the ground.

He leapt in anger beating his wings in rhythm of his hate. The dragon was circling around the battlefield and was waiting for the younger dragon. But the younger dragon knew what he was going to do. He looked at the enemy rider and couldn’t resist. Hot red flame burst out and shot towards the enemy rider. Screaming ensued as he was being burned alive. The enemy dragon looked outraged at his rider, but before he knew what happened he felt something Hot and sharp pierce his underbelly. 

He looked down too find the younger dragon piercing the javelin ,he had coated with flame,into his underbelly.He felt blood trickling out of his mouth as he gasped in astonishingly. How? How could a pathetic young king ever kill him?
Using the butt end of the javelin the younger dragon thrust the dying bodies of the dragon and his rider, into the enemy line in the battle.With a thundering crash the flaming bodies rammed into their allies and killing them instantly.

The young dragon received thousands of praise as he scanned the ground for his fellow rider.Catching the scent he leaped to the body , picked it up, and after an hour of flying, buried his friend.

Black Hollow was a cursed place. The townsfolk whispered about it with fear, their warnings sharp and clear: “Never go into the woods after dark.” It was said that a creature lived there—something ancient, monstrous, and merciless.

But tonight, those woods were the only place Sarah could go. Her little brother, Liam, had wandered off chasing fireflies, and as dusk fell, the search party gave up. “No one survives the Hollow at night,” they said, retreating to their homes. But Sarah refused to listen. She grabbed a flashlight, clutched her brother’s stuffed rabbit for courage, and plunged into the forest.

The deeper she went, the darker it grew. The trees were skeletal, their branches clawing at the starless sky. Her flashlight flickered as she called out Liam’s name. No response. Just the sound of her own footsteps and… something else.

A growl. Low, guttural, and impossibly close.

Sarah froze. Her heart pounded in her ears as two golden eyes appeared in the shadows. The creature stepped forward, and her breath caught. It was massive, with fur as black as the void and claws that could shred a bear. Its face was part wolf, part nightmare, and its teeth gleamed like knives.

Sarah stumbled backward, tripping over a root. “Please,” she whispered, clutching the stuffed rabbit like a talisman. “I just want my brother.”

The creature sniffed the air, tilting its head. Then it turned, moving silently into the forest. A moment later, it glanced back, as if expecting her to follow.

Terrified but desperate, Sarah obeyed.

The creature led her through the winding paths of Black Hollow, its movements eerily graceful. It stopped abruptly at the edge of a ravine. Sarah gasped as she saw Liam, sitting on a rock on the other side, crying softly.

Before she could react, the creature leapt across the ravine in one effortless bound. It gently nudged Liam with its massive snout, and the boy looked up, his tears turning to wonder. “Wolfie!” he said, giggling as he hugged the creature’s leg.

“Stay there!” Sarah called, her voice shaking.

The creature returned, scooping Liam up in its jaws—not to harm him, but to carry him back across. It placed the boy gently at Sarah’s feet, its golden eyes locking with hers. For a moment, she saw something unexpected: not malice, but… sorrow.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

The creature growled softly, almost a purr, before vanishing into the shadows.

Back in the safety of her home, Sarah tried to explain what had happened, but no one believed her. Black Hollow remained cursed, and the monster’s legend lived on. But Sarah knew the truth.

Sometimes, even monsters have a heart.

Always swimming deep Avoiding the dark of man Seeking only light

Death, her siren song
No one bothered to tell her That she had a choice

Dark

Shadows

Of creatures in the night

Bold

Scars

Left in terror and fright

Screaming

Sounds

Because of this beast

Lost

Now found

Kindness can’t be beat

Saving

All

The monster did do

Trying

Peace

It was something new

Bright

Laughter

Of creatures in the light

Bold

Smiles

Of happiness and sight

Monsters can’t be hero’s They don’t even show it If they wanted to be kind Then I guess we don’t know it

They smash and stomp and destroy Everything we know Monsters are our enemy Our eternal foe

Until a day when the cities hero Suddenly came along He was saving the city from the monster The monster was too strong

The city started to crash and burn When the monster changed his ways The monster started to rebuild Remembered for years and days

The monster stopped destroying And left alone this place He went to save other cities The statue left his trace

A statue built in his honor So everyone knows That sometimes monsters Might not be your foes

The wailing started soon after their first discovery of the wave. It was huge, and headed straight for them. As Eliot faced the receding sea, his heartbeat thudded with the gong of the bells. His brother was up there, ringing and ringing and ringing, until everyone was away from danger. But not Eliot. He waited. He knew his brother would be the last to evacuate. Crying near him drew his attention away from their doom. One of the villagers, a woman he couldn’t remember the name of, was trying desperately to carry all of her children. The twins had been a good omen, but she now had three kids who couldn’t walk. Her husband was nowhere to be seen. The coward. Eliot ran over and picked up two of the children, holding them close even as their mother’s cries filled the street. When she looked up through her tears at Eliot, she inhaled sharply. “I can help you get them to a wagon,” Eliot offered, gesturing into the street with a nod of his head. But he could take them no further than that. His brother still needed them. Eliot and the woman hurried toward one of the carts left in the street, the horse still harnessed. It wouldn’t be faster with the wagon, but she still had a chance. As he set down the children gently, their mother thanked him before hopping onto the horses back and snapping the reins. Some maternal instinct had clearly kicked in, as Sliot watched them go he noted how she lead the horse through the crammed streets like an expert. Fear would do that to a person. The wailing was quieter now, as whoever was crying had started their departure from the town. Eliot returned to his post outside the bell tower door, facing the sea. His brother was hitting the bell more frequently now. Since he was up high, it was likely he could see the wave approaching. Eliot scanned the bare rocks of the harbor, the occasional unfortunate fish or… something larger was down there. He peered over the harbor wall. Something dark, misshaped. Before his eyes it shrunk, getting smaller and smaller. The water line was only a few meters away, but the further it got from the creature, the smaller the creature got. Eliot glanced behind him, but his brother was still diligently ringing the bell. The creature was now no larger than Eliot’s head. He sprinted. Jumping the short harbor wall and bounding onto the pier, not a moment of hesitation met him as he jumped. He landed in a soft patch of sand, got to his feet, and ran for the creature. It was the size of his hand, and as he picked it up, it began to cry and shake. Eliot ran for the waterline, struggling under the creatures growing weight as he got nearer. Once he was able, he tossed the creature back into the sea. It dissapeared, melding into a shadow of the water. Eliot panted, his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. The water receded even more, and now he could see the wave. It loomed in the distance. “Eliot!” He turned to see his brother in the tower, leaning over the edge. From this point they could see each other. “Roman!” He smiled and waved. A brave face was what they both needed. “What are you doing?!” His brother shouted, hands waving above his head. “Just enjoying the view!” Eliot called back, beginning to pick his way toward the ladder on the end of the pier. “ELIOT!” His brothers voice had taken on a hysterical edge that made Eliot pause. His brother’s eyes were wide. Eliot slowly turned around. The wave was here.

Eliot crouched down, knowing either way that he would be swept into the rocks. “I’m sorry, Roman.” He whispered as it loomed above him. His brother would have to watch him die. At least Roman had the chance of surviving in the tower. He closed his eyes. But no impact came. After a long moment, the sound of water rushing cascaded around him, but it sounded… off. He opened his eyes. Standing before him was the creature he had rescued, now twice the size of the tower Roman was in. It loomed above him, blocking the brunt of the wave. The water cascaded off its back, eventually calming and returning to its normal level. Eliot was left treading water as he faced the monster. It’s black eyes bored into his as it stood a mere few feet away from where he swam. Eliot glanced back at the pier and realized the water hadn’t hit the town at all. The beast had saved him and Roman. “Thank you,” he told it as it watched him. A soft screech emanated from the ocean as the creature dipped its head. A few seconds later, Eliot was lifted out of the water, held by a clawed hand. He would never admit it, but when he had first felt the creature grip him, he had soiled himself. But it lifted him up and over to the pier, rising with him so they were always at eye level. Once Eliot’s feet touched the dock, he sank to his knees. “Eliot!” Footsteps pounded on the dock, and a few seconds later, Roman embraced him. “Are you okay?” “Yeah,” Eliot nodded. “I’m ok.” “The… monster?” “It saved me.” A low whine echoed across the ocean surface as the monster raised its head, then slowly sank beneath the waves.

Souls gather in the middle of the darkness, Voices are breaking down the silence, Echoes of forgotten love shouts in their hearts, Pain washes the fire burning in their iced eyes.

Screaming, shouthing, trying to breathe in this black galaxy, They search in stars for a last word, for a blue sky, But all they see is a beautiful spring coming in their life, Tearing apart everything they bilt, what they’ve tried, Bringing the cold of winter in the house.

They watch from distance an endless fight, Seeking for shelters in the middle of the night, And trough the red light of their last so called “alive” They can see their shadows laying on the ground.

Who will lead them back into their beloved camp, into the dark? Who’s gonna stand with shadows growing in the light? Who will be the next to reach the new lavel of their pride? Will they still want to live in these lifeless times?

Like faith guiding the souls in it’s home, A greater shadow is coming from the unknown; The enemy of the enemy’s kingdom of light, Running away from the place he used to love last night, Comes to unite them, and all the shadows put their heads down, Because this is the saving of their heartless fight.

And toghether, they are stronger, they are one, Wanting to stab the knife, to end with this lightened light. The weapon they need is right there, standing at the end of the times: The forgotten warrior of their enemy’s pride, The ruler of the night in disguise, confessing that their time will come, That they will break down the wall, but they won’t fall, Because it’s Shadows time to re unfold!

I was hanging onto the rail of the ship for my life. Below me was the frothing water of the Cardina Sea, and below the surface, there was a monster.

I had only been trying to get away from the monsters on the ship. And now either I could let go and face the monster below or climb up and face the monsters above.

Either I fall to certain death or climb to the crew of malicious pirates above.

And then there was a hand. The world moved in slow motion as he pulled me up. The only monster on the ship that had shown me kindness - if you could call it that.

He had saved my life. He had been the one to speak up against the others’ cruelty while still keeping an icy mask.

He was the one that now sat with me in his arms on the rainy deck, in the night, with tears in his eyes, saying I should’ve been careful, that he can’t do this without me.

The wolf and the lamb. The monster and the innocent.

And then his mouth is on mine and I couldn’t help but think that maybe not all monsters were truly evil, but maybe just misunderstood.

The deck of the wooden ship was slippery as we ran from side to side, bracing ourselves for each harsh wave. Hats were flying off our heads and I couldn’t help but shiver despite the movement. You’d except everything but ‘life’ and ‘death’ to be forgotten during a situation like this, but apparently not. A loud roar erupted and the ocean seemed to shake. A sinkhole of water dumped into the slithering creatures body with a gulp that made me shudder. Then it was silent. Everything froze as if we were a wax sculpture. Only the wind kept moving, whispering a satisfying hushhh in my ear. The noise next is hard to describe. Imagine a loud tuba and a whale song mixed together, but ten times louder. So loud it felt like it was digging into your skull. The creature leaped out of the water and spit the water in a circle, raining a mixture of saliva and salt water all across the ship. The pressure reminded me of jet mode on a hose and pushed me down to the floor. I screamed, trying to push my brown hair out of my face as I slid down the side of the ship. My boots couldn’t find a ledge in the rotting wood. My stomach dropped as the ship tilted towards its side. And I dropped. Down. Down. Down. Down into whatever would be below. I couldn’t think. I could almost already feel the stinging of the cold water. The prickles in my blood as it froze. Then something snatched me mid-way by my stomach and I had to gag. My breathing was heavy and I could barely hear the high-pitched squeal coming from the giant-multiple eyed octopus. His teeth gleamed golden and his scales reeked of fungus. I barely caught my breath before I was dropped back into the ship with a thud. Everyone was in stunned shock and for a second I wondered if I was in hell. Then the loud shrill echoed throughout the vast ocean again. I could almost imagine it stretching into the horizen. Then several tsunami sized splashes. The octopus creature glanced towards the snake- like one before smacking it with its tentacle. The snake landed with a glass-shattering splash in the water. I held my breath. We all did. I leaned over the railing and stared into the deep blue, looking for the snake. It was gone. I regained my balance and stared at the multi-eyes creature. We stood in silence. Then it swooped back into the water without another noise, leaving the ship and it’s crew rocking in the water. Safe and sound.