Mercy

• Jake Irvine, Grade 9, Bundaberg State High School
• Short Story
• 2020

3rd in the 'The Inside Story 2020' competition

The whistling wind whips through his blonde locks like a whisk through cake batter, his feet as quiet as a ninja barely grazing the stubborn andesite wall. After weeks of planning he was ready to enact his revenge. To end the fear and suffering so many like him felt. His loyal bow and arrows were strapped to the rear of his cloak finally ready for some action again. The security was tighter than the intel he was given, and it was nothing like he could have ever imagined
Royal sun fire elves sheltered all but one entrance to the citadel. A sewer tunnel leading to the heart of the fortress. He quivered for a second considering his options before quickly jumping the knee-high fencing on the outer wall and beginning his descent. It felt like forever as the cloudy skyline constantly flashed before his eyes.
Long ago, in a distant land called Arcadia filled with magic and mythical creatures, a human kingdom decided an offspring of the most powerful creature in the land could not be allowed to hatch. The egg belonged to the king of the dragons. The humans called him Quake as when he roared the ground would forcefully tremble. On one fateful day the people launched an attack on Arcadia. They stormed the nest at the top of the dragon’s spire. Soon after Quake was slain, his final roar split the ground in two. Enraged the queen launched a counterattack on the human kingdom. Thousands were wiped out that day.
Grabbing the ledge of the sewer entrance, dangling 100m above the jagged rocks below, he pulled himself into the tunnel reflecting on the events of that day and reminding himself why he was here. Looking out into the sky, he could see his parent’s faces form in the clouds. A single tear dripped down his cheek. He continued into the tunnel, face red with anger. Navigating multiple paths through the sewer he reached a grate in the wall and peering through it, he could see a giant nest in the middle of the room with the queen was asleep in the nest unaware of the destined event. The walls had orange, purple and blue swirls climbing them. The swirls met in the centre of the domed ceiling with a pendant chandelier elegantly hanging down.
He quietly climbed out the of the ventilation grate. Reaching over his shoulder and dislodging his bow from its position on his cloak, he prepared his first and final arrow ready to silence the queen of the dragon throne. “This is for my family!” he screamed with tears streaming down his face.
Suddenly one of her eyes opened. It was as deep as the Mariana trench and as dark as the night sky, with only a tiny slither of crystal blue escaping the endless void. He could see the tragedy and terror in her eyes.
Quivering, the arrow slipped from his reach, the stone tip striking the floor with a loud clatter.