The Crone

A warning breeze bore tale of a familiar and fiery rage; in the dread of night, a crone hobbled, accursed of her age by smoldering orange glow, she took to an ancient black tome raptly reciting incantations from a frail and ravaged page. A century past, was the last time she’d seen them roam; that cursed dark knight and his dragon with scales of chrome. Overwhelmed by terror, she’d tried hiding herself in her bed but the dragon knew…he could sense her, and lit up her home. Scarred by the inferno, disfigured she looked like the dead. The whole village feared her, and quickly rumors had spread, “You’re a witch, you’re a monster, you’ll curse us, don’t venture so near… stay away from our town, leave us alone.” they had said. 90 years of solitude, the crone spent every night with her fear; entrenched in lore of ancients, spells feeble and others severe. She committed her life to mastering the forbidden art and now to her dread, dark knight and chrome dragon, drew near. Though the breeze had granted her time, and a decent head-start, the dragon had sensed her, and it wanted her heart. Shaking, she whispered, casting spell after spell in the night, transfixed, she fluidly traced out a primeval star chart. When she had finished, she took up a shawl brilliant white, hobbled out of her dwelling, and sang in the twinkling starlight. Above her, the knight on his chrome beast made a dive His sword in its sheath; he was expecting no fight. The crone raised a finger, and with it, her will to survive. Perseus, Prometheus, Orion, and Apollo did revive; The lion, the ram, the bull and scorpion, from heaven crept Beasts and heroes, gods and titans of ages past, came alive. The blanket of heaven descended, and all who had slept marched on the dark knight and his dragon, to intercept. The battle was fierce, but swiftly it ended. The crone ended her song, and then finally she slept. The life she had granted the stars had expended what life she had left, though that was as she’d intended. She’d committed her life to protecting her homeland though they’d sent her away, still their lives she'd defended. Now there’s a rare constellation of a gnarled old hand choking out a chrome dragon which appears to be manned. Written somewhere on a frail and ravaged page, is a spell to summon her...though that book has been banned. 06/21/15 Submission for: FANTASY Hosted by: Mystic Rose