[ MP ] EarthChild by Valentin Boomes

The two bandits were telling a story that Maria had long since stopped listening to. It was the third night eating the food of the forest, and she could finally feel its powers at work. The memories that first appeared were from a deep forgotten place. A memory of her mother holding a blanket, a memory of snow in a field she didn ’ t recognize. 
 
 She felt the earth beneath her, jaw ajar, and looked upon the forest with new eyes. “ I know where it is! I remember now! I remember! ” Maria sprang up and ran from the campground into the forest. She heard the bandits ’ cries in the distance, further and further away, and giggled to herself. 
 
 The trickle of memories became a flood, and the more she laughed the more she remembered, and soon she was stumbling, aching from the unshakable joy in her revelation. She reached out with each passing tree, saying hello once more to old friends. Twisting and turning along an ancient path long forgotten, Maria arrived at a mountain of a tree, encircled by a stream. 
 
 Maria thought of the times she played by the stream with her brothers and sisters. Of the times her father had held her and dipped her toes in the cool, running water. Of the times she camped with her tribe beneath the shade. Of the times she whittled its fallen branches into shafts for her arrows. Of the times she prayed to the tree under the moonlight. But those were not her memories. 
 
 She took a few timid steps closer, bowed, and hopped over the stream. She tiptoed closer and closer to the tree, as if afraid of waking it, and set herself down by one of the larger exposed roots. She traced her finger along the bark, counting to herself, before arriving at the perfect spot. She dug. The earth was tough but soon gave away to softer earth. 
 
 “ What… are you doing? What… did you find? ” Augustus panted between breaths, brushing the thorns that had stuck to him. He found Maria hunched over beneath an ancient tree, immobile. 
 
 She didn ’ t answer. 
 
 He stepped closer, and peered over her shoulder. Nestled in her hand was a stone, impossibly smooth and perfectly ovular, and a shade of deep red he had never seen before. 
 
 Maria whispered with a smile, “ This is a dragon. And it will save us all. ” 

