YCH from the talented  ma-adopt

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The road, far from any settlement, led through a perfectly serene valley. The ground between the mountains was wide, allowing for a broad road to run alongside the river that extended throughout the valley, its pure and clear waters a perfect attraction for any traveller passing through. It was not a winding path, but a straight shot in between the Daegmona Mountains and on to whatever cities lay beyond. And even from afar, one could see the main attraction of this path - the gigantic statues carved into the mountainside. Two human mages who watched over the valley, preserving it, protecting it. Their story had long since been lost to time, and yet their statues still stood, preserved almost perfectly save for a few cracks and chips in the surface. No one knew who they originally were or why their statues were here. But the way the staffs they held perfectly lined up with the rising of the sun and moon, these days they were known as Nightfall and Daybreak.

This was always a busy passage. The grandiosity of the valley, the river, the statues, it all made for an attractive spot for travellers, for sightseers, for pilgrims, even for young lovers. Looking down from my position high up on one of the slopes, today was no different. Families camped out amongst the trees, couples picnicking by the edge of the river, road merchants had set up by the pathways, hawking their wares to the people coming and going down the road. Most days, I would have stuck to the less worn path, higher up the slopes of the mountains, away from the crowded road. Today would have been no different, had I not seen her out of the corner of my eye.

A dragoness, her scales tinged with a blue so pale it was nearly white. Her manner of dress was very distinctive, a fairly simple orange dress-tunic, though made of a fabric too fine for me to identify. From her horns hang a golden webbing, occasionally inset with small, shining stones. I stood from the path, snapped open my wings, and glided down the slopes of the mountain to meet her.
"Mahra!" I called as my feet touched upon the ground. The pale dragoness turned as I took a few steps towards her, and she started towards me in turn, a none-too-subtle smile forming on her lips. I couldn't help but grin like a fool myself as I opened my arms invitingly. She opened her mouth to call to me in response.

The sound that came out was not her voice. They were words, but I couldn't distinguish them. I looked to the sky, clouds and mist rolling into the valley. Then Mahra slowed, as though time itself was grinding to a standstill. The sound was coming from behind me, now. I turned to face it, but was met with only a dark emptiness. It was still behind me. No matter where I turned, there it remained - a creaking, grinding, hissing noise from a source just out of sight.

The road was gone. The merchants were gone. The valley was gone. I looked back at Mahra, but she was so far away now. I started to run towards her, but something wrapped itself around my leg and tripped me to the ground, or where the ground might have been - the black mist had overtaken everything. I rolled onto my back, growling, as my hand reached for my sword.

Draw it, came that creaky voice, seemingly from within my mind. Draw the blade, little warrior.

I attempted to, but my fingers could not get a grip upon the hilt. As though my hand was drenched in oil, every time I tried to pull it out, it slipped from my grasp. I heard a laugh, but couldn't tell from where. I grit my teeth and tried one more time. This time, I got a firm grip on the handle, and drew the sword from its sheathe. I roared out and sliced it down upon the tentacle that had wrapped around my leg...but the sword was no longer in my hand. It had returned to the sheathe upon my back.

Draw the blade, little warrior. Draw it.

I looked up at the creature in front of me, but something prevented me from seeing it form properly. Like I was trying to peer through murky waters, I could make out a vague outline and some shadows, but the exact shape and details eluded me. My sword was laying beside me now, so I grabbed at it. my hand went straight through, grasping only dirt. The sword was no longer there.

Draw it, little warrior. Fight. Draw the blade.

My hand returned to the hilt of the sword on my back, and I grasped it, pulled. I heard the distinctive rasping sound of the blade coming out of the sheathe. Then it kept coming. I kept pulling, and the blade kept coming out, but it never was out.

Draw the blade. Fight.

The shadowy figure came closer, and I kept drawing. I looked down to where the tentacle had wrapped around my leg. It was burning, a pain that seemed to embed itself deep down to the bone, burning my flesh and scales. Finally, my sword came out of the sheathe, and I swung it down at the tentacle. I was freed. I scrambled away, supporting myself on one hand, the other holding my sword...but no longer. The figure approached through the murky waters, slowly but surely coming more into existence. And there, in its grasp, was my sword. My shield, too, was gone.

Then, suddenly, I was entangled. I could not remember the eldritch creature approaching, but all at once it was all around me, engulfing me. I roared and reached out for my blade, but it was held just out of reach. I looked at the creature's skull-like face and summoned a wave of fire from deep in my heart...but nothing came forth. Growling furiously, I resorted to the last weapon I had left, balling my hand up into a fist and striking the skull. I was rewarded with a loud cracking sound, and a fissure seemed to open in the smooth surface. But the tentacles squeezed, burning me. The skull face drew closer.

You won't die. I don't want you to die. I want you to fight. I want to feed.

I reared my fist back to punch at it again. Another crack in the surface of the skull. I reared back my leg, my foot claws dragging down its underbelly, if that was what it was. Another wave of burning pain through my body. I drew my fist back, uppercutting the monster's chin. And suddenly, there was a loud sound of shattering glass, and everything went white.

You fed me well, little warrior. But I shall want to feed again.

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I opened my eyes, raising a hand to shield them from the glaring sun. The scene of the nightmare faded, replaced by trees and grass, the hissing voice replaced by the calling of the morning animals. Slowly, I sat up, rubbing at the back of my head. Already, as was always the case with dreams, I was forgetting. I remembered the feeling of anger, of fear. I remembered a fleeting moment of happiness...I remembered seeing her. Of course it was a dream. I should have known when I saw her. But what else...statues? A face?

I stretched out my wings and got to one knee, heaving myself up onto my feet.
"Ouch..."
I rubbed at my aching ankle. There was a pain in there that hadn't been there last night. I must have slept on it in a rough position. Served me right, I suppose, for picking such an awkward sleeping spot. But it couldn't be helped now. A long road was ahead.