The Tezamu Sword

• Amanda Palmer, Grade 10, Prospect High School
• Short Story
• 2001

Finalist in the 'Zapped! 2001' competition

The sunlight shone into the darkened cave, lighting it up. And slowly the bewildered beast cautiously opened its eye. In the cave there was old rotting bones centuries old.
The new day approached unevenly the sky looked ready for a storm. If you looked closely enough the sky was split in two one half was pure sunshine the other looking like the mouth of hell itself. As if that wasn’t bad enough Harfoot Valley looked like two dimensions.
Back in the cave the beast formally known as a dragon was now fully awakened hungry for some food. Slowly the dragon dragged itself out of the cave to see what was around. At that moment he saw a distant shadow of a brumby on the horizon. The brumby started to run towards the dragon and the dragon started to fly towards him. On closer inspection the brumby had a dauntless warrior on his back. From head to toe the warrior, Zephaniah was covered in amour. In his right hand he held the sword of Tezamu which only the pure of heart can use this narrow – bladed rapier to fight against Shunaida the magical red dragon.
Within a flash Zephaniah proceeded in the direction of Shunaida. When Shunaida realised the brumby and the warrior were headed for him; he automatically flew into the cave for shelter. When Zephaniah got hear the cave his heart took a plunge. Zephaniah was scared he had only killed one dragon before. Shunaida was a menace to the village Harfoot Valley because he ate their sheep and their livestock. So he had to be killed then the village people could live in peace. So it was Zephaniah’s duty to bring back Shunaida and eat him for supper. Now was the time, Zephaniah carefully headed into the cave on horseback. Shunaida was ready and waiting for the fight of life or death. Zephaniah pulled out his Tezamu sword and with the flick of his wrist fatally stabbed Shunaida, the magical red dragon in the ribcage. And with that Shunaida yelped in pain and with the last and final blow to the heart Shunaida fell to the ground breathed one last breath and passed away.
Zephaniah had succeeded in his task. He slowly got out his rope and tied it around Shunaida’s neck and tied the other end to the horse’s saddle and set off for the journey home to the village Harfoot. When he returns his victory will be praised by the villages. And in the distant horizon the sun faded and the hills mourned for the loss of a friend.