Zyrah

Ah, darling. Do come closer. You have strayed far from the comfortable guest quarters to which you were assigned, have you not?

A purr and the sound of scales rubbing against ice, followed by two red eyes, shining from the darkness like rubies.

I can hear it, you know. The thump, ka-thump, Thump of your heartbeat.

A face emerges from the darkness, bringing with it those terrible, beautiful eyes. The dragoness inhales deeply and with purpose, as if she were sampling some rare, expensive vintage of wine.

You mustn't be frightened, darling.

The rest of the dragon follows her head. Sinuous neck spilling from the pitch-dark cave as if the dragon itself were born of the darkness.

After all. You are a guest here, are you not? What poor manners must you think of me, for your heart to beat so fast? What terrible expectations you must have, for you to smell so sweet?

The dragon's head pulls ever closer, till her mouth is but centimeters from your ear. She whispers softly, as a lover might, but her voice contains as much steel as velvet.

We all die, darling. Young. Old. Strong. Weak. Death is unimportant. Do not fear death, my sweet.

A soft chuckle, low and felt more than heard.

Run back to the safety of your cave, pretty one. Back to the light, and the certain knowledge that death could not find you. No, certainly not when you are surrounded by the safety of sunshine and the company of others.

The dragon moved away, backing gracefully into her cave.

Something tells me you'll be back. You will seek me out, and I shall be here, waiting to tell you more truths. Truths of blood and sweat. Sweet truths and bitter ones. Pleasure and pain.

All but invisible now, those twin eyes held your gaze, glittering fires in the darkness.

Oh yes. You shall be back.

The last of the dragon disappeared back into the blackness from whence she'd come, swallowed up so completely that only the thumpthumpthump of your heart was left to tell you that you'd met her at all.

----

Let me whisper sweet nothings in your ear
Nihilistic murmurs of an end that's creeping near
It's ashes to ashes, dust to dust
Much too soon, your armor is nothing more than rust
It comes whether you struggle or lie still
So why fight as you're forced to swallow this bitter ****
The future's fixed, but there's no reason to skip a beat
You're alive in the present, best make it count and keep it sweet
Better to bite the dust with a smile on your face
Than to fret over where you place in the dragon race
Finish first, finish last
Either way it'll be in the past
Before you're history, do your best to make it
You've only one life, do something with it before you quit.