The Dragon and the Lamb

A dragon stands in the clearing of my forest and breathes fire into the sky. The trees around him shudder as the coals rain down and burn holes in their leaves. If he were to change his angle, the entire forest would catch fire and we would be consumed in his wrath.

I stand before the dragon with my sword in my hand and my shield raised. Heat rolls off his body and seeps through my armor. Lies pour out of his mouth.

“You stand there before me with a sword and a shield, but you cannot penetrate my armor. The lamb led you here and has left you. Look around you, he is not here.”

I don’t bother to listen to the lies. My eyes cannot see, but my heart knows the truth. The lamb stands behind me, diamond armor covering his wool.

“Even if the lamb were with you,” the dragon continues, “What could he do against me? What does he have to fight with? He has not teeth to bite me, nor hooves to crack my armor. What could a lamb do against a dragon?”

I dare not answer him. I know he will twist my words and use them against me. I know the lamb could simply open his mouth, and the truth from his lips would be enough to destroy the dragon.

I wait. Being blind, I cannot charge in as I would like and must wait for the dragon to engage me, but he will not engage me until he has finished his taunting.

“Why did your precious lamb send you against me?” the dragon asks, “You are just a little human and I could swallow you with a single breath of flame. “

The taunting continues I know not how long. The stars wheel in the sky above me and I see my constellation there rising and setting with each day. I know the dragon waits to attack because he cannot beat me, but his time is running out. If he does not act soon, the lamb will come out from behind me and utterly destroy him. I stand, ready to raise my sword against the mortal enemy.

And then, he attacks. The flames billow toward me and I raise my shield as I feel them enveloping me. I crouch down behind it, a gift from the lamb, and wait for the flames to end. The earth shakes as the dragon comes toward me and I ready myself for the fight.

“Take heart dear child,” says the lamb behind me, “I will fight this battle for you. All you must do is follow the promptings I place in your heart.”

I step out as the dragon approaches and see the sword in my mind. The sun catches the edge and leaves a trail of light as it arcs through the air. Sparks shower to the ground as the sword passes through the fire. They catch the grass at my feet and I feel the flames around me. The panic rises, but the lamb still stands behind me and I know all is well.

I fight until my strength is gone and then I fight some more. The strength pours in at the top of my spine and spreads throughout my body. I know I cannot win this battle, but I will die fighting. Then, after I have gone to the place beyond and reclaimed my position among the stars, the lamb will rise up and fight his own battle. That day will be the end.