Trust: Page 2

I woke up with a headache and a very dry mouth. I was laying on a smooth, glass-like surface. Through my blurry vision, I couldn't see much of the area around me, just that it was dark.

I pushed my sore body off of the ground and blinked a few times to clear my eyes. The world around me was pitch black, an endless void with only a glass-like floor to stand on. Somehow, I was back in that vast empty place. This time, there was no shadowy figure. Whether that was a good or bad thing, I wasn't sure. But I was sure of one thing. I really needed to stop pushing my magic so much.

I looked around, wondering what exactly that place was. It seemed like some kind of alternate dimension, but that didn't exactly narrow it down.

"Hello?" Is anyone else here?"

Silence.

A moment later, I heard a deep rumble. I looked around but saw nothing.

Another rumble.

This time, I heard what direction it came from. I spun around, my heart pounding. In the distance, I could see a faint red speck. With every passing moment, it grew larger. Far too late, I realized what it was.

I turned and ran, shoes slipping on the smooth glass. I heard another deep rumble and was pushed to the ground by a strong wind from above. I looked forward, seeing four large reptilian legs touch the ground. There, its head some 60 feet (18 meters) above me, was a red dragon.

"Holy shit!"

"Now now, a human in the Everdark? How strange."

"P-please don't eat me."

The great beast threw his head up, shaking the world with a deep throaty laugh.

"You aren't worth the effort. But rest assured, your **** will bring me some satisfaction."

Deep in his chest, I could see an orange glow beneath the deep red scales. From its maw a huge cone of roiling flames emerged, enveloping me in a cloud of red-orange. Though, as usual, I was unaffected.

The smoke cleared, and the dragon saw that I was very much not dead. The red dragon cocked his head at me. I pushed myself to my feet, annoyance and arrogance far surpassing common sense.

"Is that the best you can do? I thought dragons were supposed to be scary."

I don't think I've seen anyone or anything look as angry as that dragon did at that moment.

"Pathetic ape!"

I looked up in time to see a massive claw move towards me before it crushed me. For the briefest of moments, I felt about as much pain as could be felt, but it was over in a flash.

I opened my eyes, once again back on Earth. I was laying in the grass, and judging from the sky, it was almost nighttime.

"Guys, he's back!"

Lexi's face swam into my view.

"Hey Lex."

"Evan, what the hell happened?"

I sat up, seeing the others running out of the house towards me.

"What time is it?"

"It's almost 8, you've been gone all day."

"Damn."

"Evan, what the fuck happened? Forester couldn't even sense you."

"I'll explain everything tonight, I swear. But right now I need to be alone. Tell the others that I'm ok."

I ran inside, ignoring the questions and sympathetic remarks. I shut my door behind me and sat on my bed.

"Yo Samara, we need to talk."

I heard a puff of smoke behind me and felt her weight on the mattress.

"Yeah, I'd say we do."