EYES DECEIVED

Draygonia stood between the trees, looking out at the meadow, and sighed at the creature she saw. It was an old gray horse with green stains on its side where it had been rolling in the new spring grass. The town's folk had told her there was a vicious unicorn living in the woods around the village. She had come at their summons and spoke her price to rid the village of the nuisance. They had readily agreed. The village Witch had given her a charm to use against the magical creature. She frowned as she remembered the soft- spoken words the woman had told her,
"See not with your eyes, Child, but with your heart and soul. For only then you will see the true danger that awaits you!"
The horse moved in an arthritic way, its joints swollen, and its coat dull with age. The teeth, she noted, were worn almost to nothing. He had trouble tearing the grass with them. A small breeze ruffled the tangled mane and tail.
Suddenly, the head came up. She blinked at the sudden change in the animal. Instead of a tired looking horse she saw a snow-white creature with a single horn adorning its forehead. At the tip of the horn shone the sparkle of a diamond. Silver and gold wrapped itself around the horn in a spiral that caught the light of the sun and reflected it blindingly into her eyes. Its hooves were of silver, and golden shoes adorned his feet.
"Oh, ho!" she thought, "A clever way to disguise yourself! Keeps unwanted hunters from coming after you."
The unicorn raised its muzzle into the wind. Soft snuffling could be heard, and then a strange light came into its eyes. The unicorn reared in excitement; sweeping its gaze around the clearing.
She nodded to herself, "It figures, a stallion on the rampage, probably looking for a mate."
She whispered the spell to the charm that the witch had given her. As she felt it take hold she stepped out from the trees. A beam of sunlight caught her; forming a halo effect around her. The stallion called his pleasure at seeing her. She pranced and danced in front of him for many minutes before walking towards him slowly.
"I hope this charm works," she muttered to herself.
The stallion stretched his muzzle to her, their noses almost touching. She stared at him and searched for the amulet that would normally hang around the horn. At first she could not see it, and started to panic.
"Where is the amulet?" she asked herself. The sudden movement of the stallion’s head let the sunlight pass between them; she saw it. It appeared to have a double image on it.
"Of course it does, dummy, it hides him from the hunters!" she chastised herself.
Slowly and carefully she raised the hand that held a silver dagger with two spheres on its hilt. The stones glowed softly as she neared the horn of the stallion.
He snorted and backed off. He became suspicious when she had not responded to him as her earlier dance suggested. Realizing her mistake she gave a quick squeal and flashed her tail at him. He relaxed and returned to sniff at her. She winced as he nipped her playfully along the shoulder, and she squealed again, this time in true reaction. Taking advantage of his momentary lapse of attention she swiftly flicked her wrist causing the amulet to fall from the stallion's horn. Too late, he realized the danger. He lunged at her, knocking her down.
For some reason the words the old witch spoke to her rang in her head. She closed her eyes at the sight of two silver and gold hooves rising above her as the stallion reared in anger. From behind closed lids she saw the true images on the amulet.
"Great Mother! What had she gotten herself into?" She rolled instinctively to the right and heard the hooves hit the ground where, just moments before, her head had been resting. Still reeling from the sudden discovery, she rose and ran. Behind her came sounds of pursuit. The stallion called, only the sound was changing. It was more a cross between a bugle and a roar. She turned and froze in place at the sight that came to her eyes.
A red-gold haze surrounded the unicorn stallion. His back split as long leathery wings unfolded, his feet changed into claws with long nasty hooks on the end. The unicorn's neck stretched, his fine boned head elongated, and the single horn split, becoming two. The sound she now heard was definitely a roar.
No longer thinking coherently she began to draw three inter-connecting circles at her feet. As each one was completed she sang a quick ward. She stepped into the middle of the center circle, dropping the transformation spell, and watched in horrified fascination as the charging creature came towards her at an unbelievable speed. As he charged, the transformation became complete. In place of the unicorn was a very huge, very angry, dragon.
She groaned," Please, Great One, let this humble servant live to see another day!"
The dragon flapped his powerful wings and flew over her. He roared his challenge in a sulfur laden voice, "Who dares defy me? You are nothing. Where is my true challenger?"
Searing anger burnt its way through her," I am your challenger, and your death, Worm from the pits of Hell!" She raised her fist and began to chant one of her many spell songs. Before she could finish, however, the dragon flew over and sent a great trail of fire at her. She fell to her knees as the heat engulfed her and the grass outside the circles caught fire. She staggered back to her feet and defiantly raised her voice at him, "Did you think me so stupid, you arrogant beast? You can not harm me while I stand in this place!"
"So, fire will not harm you there? Hmm," the dragon hovered above her, then turned and climbed into the sky. Soon he was just a small speck, but that speck quickly grew as he came at her at a great rate of speed. She watched and tried to figure out his strategy. Closer and closer he came, until she thought he was going to ram her into the ground by the sheer force of his body. Instead he fell straight then suddenly unfolded his wings and back peddled, causing a high wind to blow debris and smoke at her. She coughed and choked, her eyes were streaming tears from the acrid smoke. She did not realize she had stumbled from the protection of the circles.
She tripped and fell. The dagger and amulet flew from her hands and landed several feet away. The dragon roared his triumph and reached for the amulet. As his huge claws encircled the objects he felt a searing pain course its way up into his body. SILVER! He should have realized. In his anger he had not even thought about how she had gotten the amulet. He dropped the items and rushed for the girl. She rolled along the ground and dodged in among the trees. The dragon did not leave his precarious perch over his precious toy. He would have to figure a way to get the two objects apart. As he pondered he quickly forgot the girl. He could only concentrate on one thing at a time. She hid among the trees watching the dragon. No wonder the old witch had tried to warn her. She must have suspected this type of treachery. Dragons, she had been told, quickly tired of their games and would often forget what they were originally angry at, or else would just give up when it seemed they could not win. This particular one, however, would not give up! The dragon roared his rage at being unable to get at his treasure! With a mighty thrust of his hind legs he became air born.
His eyes glowed red-orange, smoke and flames slipped from between gritted teeth.
"Where are you!" he roared. "Come, finish the challenge! Look, I have left the trinkets for you to claim. Come forth, woman-girl." He circled higher and higher.
She moved through the trees trying to get as close to the items as possible before leaving her shelter. She knew better than to try and outrun the creature. Carefully she judged the distance between her, her protective wards, and the dagger, still wrapped with the amulet. She peered into the sky, but was unable to see the waiting creature. She knew he was there, she could "feel" his watching eyes. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, counted quietly to ten, then dashed from her cover. From overhead she heard the dragon roar. She did not dare look up, for if she did, she was dead.
Reaching the dagger she grabbed, dropped and rolled. The dragon passed over and she heard claws clack shut just inches from her body. She jumped and ran for the wards that she could see still glowing in the fading light.
"Oh, Great Mother," she thought, "I'm running out of light!"
Her wards were barely out of reach when the dragon caught up with her. She heaved one last time with her legs and jumped for the circles. Landing just short, she quickly scrambled into their safety.
The dragon lost all semblance of control. He raged at her, blew fire at her and twice knocked her from her feet. He rose into the dying light and prepared for a final assault on the girl. Below him he saw her raise her hands to the setting sun.
In her left hand she held the two crystals from the dagger's hilt. In her right was the dagger and amulet. The dragon knew the spell. He roared in outrage. She must not be allowed to finish the spell!
She prayed there was enough sunlight left. Holding the objects over her head she began the chant that would destroy the dragon:
DRA--GOON,
DRA--GON,
DRA--CORN!
THY POWER HAS PASSED!
THOU ART NO MORE!
PASSING AS THE LIGHT OF DAY,
PASS YE NOW, TO HELL'S RED WAY.
LIGHT WILL STRIKE, THE DARK WILL FLEE,
THESE OBJECTS ARE NOW ONE WITH ME!

A lone beam of light passed under the dragon and struck the two crystals. A red beam passed from the dagger to the amulet and then bounced from the silver up to the raging dragon. As the light touched him he turned and tried to flee, but the power from the spell and the setting sun was too strong. Smoke curled from his shining scales and fire danced along his back. Everywhere the magic touched caused a shriveling of scales, and flesh to burn. He fell to earth as fine black powder. The dragon was gone.
Her arms ached. Her body was cut and bruised, but still, she stood. As the sun passed from sight a sparkle caught her eyes. Looking down at her hands she saw, that where the two crystals had been, was a single large, blood red ruby. In the center of the stone was the mark of the Guardian.
The stone and the mark meant only one thing, she had been chosen as the Guardian of the Dragon's eye.
"How," she wondered aloud, “will I manage to live a thousand score years and not re-live this day?"
"You will never forget."
She spun around. Before her was the village witch.
“How come you here, alone?" she asked.
The old woman chuckled, "Look not with your eyes, Child, but with your heart."
She frowned then closed her eyes. She willed her mind into calm, and waited. The image before her was the same as the woman standing before her, only much younger. In her hand she held the Dragon's Eye.
"You were the guardian?"
"Yes, my child. And like all guardians before me, when my powers grew weak the dragon returned. Only the next chosen could have handled the dagger as you did."
"How did you know?" she asked.
" I knew of you long before your birth. Take the eye. Do not return to the village. I wish that I could journey with you, but these old bones will soon go to rest. The old woman turned and faded into the shadow of the trees.
Draygonia pulled a silk bag from one of her many pockets and placed the eye into it for safe-keeping. With a flip of her long red hair, she turned and left the clearing, never once looking back.