Fiction: Lamero's Journey

In a beautiful land where the green sprouted in beautiful shades of life and the trees rose majestically caressing the azure blue of the firmament, the legend of Lamero arose, a young knight who fought against the darkness at the side of his faithful dragon Argonas.

The day it all began, Lamero was practicing with his dragon the arts of the good attack. The young knight was riding on the silver back of Argonas who, with his great red snout, was spewing out fire as hot as lava. After finishing, the great dragon would let himself fall on his crimson chest, leaving the scales that protected him marked on the bare earth.

Lamero lay down next to his faithful companion, with his calloused hands the young man caressed his dragon and his silver eyes rested on Argonas' red eyes. The connection of man and animal was impressive, two entities united in a single feeling.

Lamero and Argonas were lying on the green carpet, they watched the clouds drift by forming anthropomorphic figures, which were changing according to the wind. At that moment a darkness began to paint the clear sky.

Lamero and Argonas noticed the situation and got up suddenly. The atmosphere became very tense, and a dark energy began to be felt. Argonas became restless and began to throw fireballs into the darkness.

"Calm down, my good friend, let's get out of here." Lamero stroked the dragon's golden mane hoping to calm it down, but none of that succeeded in calming the great dragon's fear and anxiety. At that instant a dark hand grabbed the beast. Lamero looked at it, without thinking twice he jumped on the shadow, trying to help his great friend.

Everything was fruitless and the red dragon roared for help, but it was too late, the shadow had disappeared along with the dragon. Lamero threw himself to the ground, letting out some screams and tears that were lost in the clear and sunny day.

After a few days of depression for the loss of his friend, Lamero sought help from the wizard of the shire, he reached the cedar door with betas that drew the mystical atmosphere of the house, knocked three times with his left hand and the echo echoed inside the house.

"Who is it?" the wizard asked from inside.

"I am Lamero, son of the great Astricus. I have come to fetch you because I need your help, urgently."

The door opened slowly as if in a pulse of eternal time and from within emerged a man with a beard as long as a waterfall and white as winter snow, his brown eyes focused on the young boy. "Astricus it's been a long time since I've heard that name, tell me: what can I help you with, young man?"

"I need help, the darkness took my faithful dragon friend, I need to know where I can find my companion." Lamero radiated a terrible sadness and on his hairless face one could see the helplessness of not knowing what to do.

The magician seeing his state, invited to follow the young man and offered him a tea of ancestral herbs, then he sat down on a carved wooden piece of furniture lit a pipe and addressed the young man. "What you intend to do is a very difficult thing, no one has ever been able to face the darkness and return to the light, if you decide to go you must be willing to sacrifice everything." The magician took a puff on his pipe.

"I am willing to do anything for my dragon friend, I beg you, wise wizard." On his knees and glassy-eyed Lamero pleaded.

"Rise up, boy. I can see in your eyes the sincerity of your words, I will help you, but, only to reach the place where darkness dwells. Besides, I believe your dragon is not still alive. Captured dragons are killed almost immediately, taking away their life energy."
"I am ready for anything." The young warrior's fortitude illuminated the room.

"All right, young Lamero, I will send you to 'The Black Hill' and there you must seek your destiny, but first I will give you this dagger of light, which will help you against the darkness. Close your eyes, young warrior."

Lamero closed his eyes, and the wizard took another puff from his dragon-shaped pipe. He exhaled with great force the white smoke that enveloped the young warrior.

Lamero began his journey through the cosmic curtain and the glittering stars shone with such intensity that they blinded the boy. After a time that seemed like a decade, the young warrior opened his eyes and found himself on the black hill.

Everything was darkness and negative energy, the heaviness of the atmosphere made the stomach ache. Lamero took out his dagger and it began to glow as he walked along a pestilent path, after a few minutes he reached a dark castle decorated with lightning and black clouds.

He reached the entrance and looked at a large wooden door with a carved demons, instantly the door opened revealing inside Argonas who was lying on the floor chained and his body sprouted his vital energy.

Lamero ran to his friend, seeing him in such a pitiful condition his heart gave out and fury drove the young warrior to curse. "Come out of your horrible hiding place, damn you."

A breeze charged with negative energy touched Lamero's long brown hair. There was no response, the young warrior turned to his dragon and stroked it on its head. The poor animal could barely move and looking at Lamero his eyes sparkled.

"That's my dragon, come on I'm going to set you free." Lamero pulled on the chains with a roar that invaded the room.

"Put that down, intruder." A booming voice filled the place with maleficence.

A dark figure with red eyes appeared out of the darkness and immediately pounced on Lamero, sending him flying through the air and a sinister laughter decorated the gloomy atmosphere. Lamero stood up and charged at the shadow, but it was too strong.

Argonas saw the fight and how his friend was defeated. He tried to regain strength to help him, but it was all in vain, his life force had been sucked out almost completely. A weak roar came from his entrails.

"Shut up, you silly dragon, die at once, your energy feeds me, hahaha..." He laughed loudly as he held Lamero by the neck. "And you, stupid knight, you will die along with your pathetic dragon."

Lamero was running out of oxygen and his strength was failing him, while the shadow continued to laugh at the unfortunate fate of Lamero and Argonas. When all seemed lost, an incandescent light appeared and out of it came the magician.

The shadow looked perplexed at the wizard. "You can do nothing to me in my world or you will be punished by the gods," it spoke angrily to the wizard.

Final one