The Battle of the Dragon’s Treasure
Maya Maloney, Group 2: Fiction, German Swiss International School
he skin on the soldier’s hand was black. I looked at it, and as I touched it, the man screeched in pain. I
jerked my hand back. The man immediately calmed down when I pressed a cool cloth to the burn. I
wrapped a bandage on it and hurried over to my next patient. He was a man with a sharp knife in his
belt. I touched the back of my hand, the one that held the last marking from my father before an arrow
had pierced his temple. It had been a spell. It made me good at whatever I wanted to be then though
couldn’t change it to anything else. I had chosen healing. Although I was the youngest healer in the
army, at age 11, I was the best at the job.
T
I saw a man with many people kneeling around him. One of them was calling out to me. “Xing Wu! Xing
Wu! Come help this man! He is dying!”
I bolted over, supplies in hand, and kneeled at the man’s side. He was breathing quickly, and I could tell that
he had a few broken ribs almost piercing the heart, and one poking at the right lung. I touched my symbol, and it
glowed. I raised my hand over his body, and as the man’s eyes fluttered open, a horn sounded.
“
THE LIONS ARE COMING! RUN!” a man screamed. Our tribe is the Dragons, and our strongest suit is
healing. The Lions knew that, and they were taking advantage of it. They were trying to steal our oldest and
most closely guarded secrets. They were hidden in a maze. It is risky even writing this, as the Lions may steal
this and uncover our secrets. The man I had tried to help ran over to me with a knife in his hand.
“
You did not help me, even if I was dying, and for that you will pay!”
He hissed into my right ear.
He pressed it to my left wrist. I stared in horror and pain as he started to skin the symbol. Then I found my
voice.
“
HELP!!” I screamed. A woman, maybe the age of twenty, ran over and hit the man so hard I thought his
head might come off. His head rocked back, although the knife stuck in my hand. My eyes filled with tears,
although I refused to let them out while was running away from the Lions. I looked back, and beckoned the
woman after me. She just shook her head. I hurried back to her.
“
Come on!” I shouted there is not much time!”
“
Xing Wu, I am your mother. I shall and will do anything to protect you.”
I stared at the woman who claimed to be my mother, and I saw recognition in the colour of her eyes.
“
Tell the tribe I have gone into heaven. I will see them soon enough.”
I opened my mouth to say something, but tears came into my eyes and spilled out instead. Then I surprised
her with a hug. While she was holding me close, she whispered in my ear, “I love you Xing Wu. I will always
be here to protect you.”
With that she let go and kissed my forehead, and I watched her walk bravely to her death. I couldn’t look
anymore. So I turned and ran. I heard the screams of my now dead mother. I bolted. I couldn’t die. Not after the
things she told me. I got to my horse and that night, at the fight at the dragon’s last defence, I survived. Unlike
many others. Now they come here, not knowing what my old man frame thinks. He thinks about the life and
battle he fled. He thinks about the mother in heaven who he is soon to join. I sigh as I take my last look at the
Great Wall of China, sigh as I take my last breath, and smile as I pass away.
* * *