A human and a dragon shifter attempt to cross an impossible chasm. Can they do it before they’re ripped to shreds by a pack of wild creatures.
Legua watched as Syzi soared through the air, his body hurtling towards the ledge. Legua squinted his eyes, fearing he would watch Syzi plummet to his death. The slender dragon shifter landed lightly on the other side, making it look effortless, as usual.
Legua stole a glance behind him. The narrow mountain pass curved sharply to his left. He could hear the distant howls of the Socos.
“Come on Legua, are you waiting for an invitation?” Syzi yelled across the expanse. Legua turned. The chasm before him seemed like the maw of a hungry beast.
“I can’t do this, I’ll barely reach the middle,” Legua scrubbed his grimy hand through his cropped hair. Sweat trickled from his scalp down his back and face. “Do you think there’s another way around this, thing?” Legua gestured to the chasm, looking around. There was a shear drop to his right and to his left the cliff face was as smooth as glass. Legua and Syzi looked at each other.
“Nope,” Syzi said.
Legua felt his chest tighten. He had a choice, either attempt to jump and risk falling to his death, or be torn apart by ravenous Socos wolves. He wiped his sweaty hands along his trousers. Both were horrible ways to die.
“I don’t trust you Syzi,”
“Likewise.” The dragon shifter grinned, dropping into a crouch. Legua took a deep breath. If only he knew what kind of man he enlisted to be his guide to take him to see the Shimmering falls of Ulqualta.
“Before you jump,” Syzi piped up, “You’ll have to jump high to avoid the sharp rocks -”
Legua blinked, taking a step back.
“Sharp rocks?” He echoed, scanning the large trench.
“There are no sharp rocks.”
Syzi shrugged his shoulders, “my suspicions are true; it’s an illusion chasm. Only those with Inodul magic can see it,”
Legua sighed. He didn’t have any magical abilities, which got them in this mess in the first place. “Make sure you hold your breath. There’s some kind of vapor rising from the depth and I’m assuming that it would kill you since you’re a human.” He grinned again, gesturing for Legua to proceed.
Legua straightened. The spine-chilling Socos howls ever closer.
“Wait, a, vapor?” He couldn’t see or smell anything. What was Syzi playing at? “Are you trying to let the Socos get me?” He yelled, trying to swallow the panic rising in his chest.
Syzi straightened as well. He planted his hands on his hips, his emerald green eyes flashed,
“Do you want me to help you? I can leave you and let you figure out how to survive this mess. Humans.” Syzi spat the last word, turning his head away. Legua balled his hands into fists, jaw tightening.
“Since you’re a dragon shifter why don’t you transform and carry me to the other side. Have you even thought of that,”
Syzi glowered across the expanse.
“Yes, I have. The vapor keeps me from shifting,”
Syzi was a strange creature, with long hair pulled into a tail, dressed in loose trousers and a form-fitted tunic of opposite colors of yellow, purple and pale green, set in a pattern of circles and stripes. It was a surprise his attire didn’t stun the wolves.
The howls sounded closer.
Legua looked behind him. He had to jump across.
Legua faced forward. He swallowed, his stomach knotting up. It was now or never. He took a few steps back. The howling of the ravenous creatures was almost deafening. Legua whorled around. The shaggy gray creatures bounded around the corner, red eyes gleaming.
Legua turned. His legs propelled him forward, arms pumping. The crack before him rushed to meet him. With a yell he pushed off the edge and launched himself forward, sucking in a deep breath. His left leg brushed something rough even though to his eyes there was nothing there. He sailed through the air, the other side growing closer and closer. He reached out, the ledge rushing up to meet him.
He slammed into the rim, legs dangling into the empty void while his arms sprawled over the dusty ground. The impact forced all the air out of his lungs. He gasped and coughed, chest throbbing.
“Well done, Legua! For a moment I thought you were a goner,” the dragon shifter chuckled, hooking his hands under Legua’s arms. He hoisted him up with minimal effort. Legua took a few gulps of air, head spinning. His body began to tremble.
“They don’t look too happy,” Syzi motioned with his head towards the other side of the chasm. Legua tilted his head. The pack of Socos paced the other side, jaws open in a snarl as they snapped and growled. One attempted to jump. It contacted with something and plummeted, howling as it descended to its death. The others watched it a moment, looked across the expanse one last time before retreating.
Legua looked at Syzi who looked at him. They both shared a smile of relief.
“Don’t think this makes us friends,” Syzi pointed out, slapping Legua on the back. He jerked forward, wincing at the pain. Syzi didn’t know his own strength.
“Fine, but you still need to get me home.”
“What do you think I’ve been doing? You’re the one who wanted to see the Shimmering falls.”
Legua sighed, dusting himself off. One day this would all be an unpleasant memory he would never share with his grandchildren.
The gathering 