Algera pulled at her leg but it was still stuck. The roof above her had landed on it when she pushed one of the others out of the way. The ground shook as the dragon walked forward and the debris on her leg just settled more firmly. 

​

She looked up as it stopped in front of her. She was glad she hadn’t made a promise to Menda to come back safe, she wouldn’t be keeping it. The dragon opened its mouth and pulled back taking a big breath. She didn’t look away; she was going to face death head on.

 

As it breathed its fire a figure stepped in front of her taking the blow. The heat seemed to be absorbed into its clothes.

 

“What? Who are you?”

 

He turned towards her and stared down at her. “You don’t know me. I’m just passing through.”

 

She was taken aback by the nothingness she stared into. Was it a trick of the night or something else? “And you're helping?”

 

“I made a deal with someone to do so.” She stared up at him. “But looks like I need to go help others.” He looked her over, as best as she could tell. “I will say this as a favor. Sorry.”

 

He turned away from her. “Wait.” She grabbed onto his coat but he pulled away and walked towards the dragon. She looked at her hand to find it covered in dust, her handprint on his back.

 

She wasn’t able to get her leg free before the dragon had been killed. As soon as it was she could see that coat person flying off in the distance. As soon as she was free from the debris, she started to limp back to her house hoping that was where Menda was waiting for her. As she limped by the box she saw it had been burned open. 

 

She moved to the edge of it looking in to see that it was empty. She looked at her hand again where some of the dust was still there. Looking back into the box then up into the sky where the person had floated away. “No...that….” She looked back to where her house was. “Please…” she whispered to herself heading back to her house as fast as she could with her limp. Since it was farther back it had been undamaged in the dragon attack.

 

She rushed into the house. “Menda, Menda!” She looked around but couldn’t find her. She sat on the couch and tried not to freak out. Her sister had to be somewhere Algera was just confused.

 

Algera let the doctor check over her leg and let her neighbors look for Menda. Her boss came to her while she was resting in her house a day later. “We can’t find her.”

 

She glared at the box that she could see only a little from her window. “Do you think…”

 

Her boss looked to where she was looking. “That the man who helped us took her.”

 

“He told me sorry.” She clenched her fist. “There would only be one reason he would say that. He said it was a favor.”

 

“What are we going to do?”

 

“I’m going after him. I’m getting my sister back.”

 

“How are you going to do that?”

 

She turned to her boss. “Have you heard of a dragon heart gem?”