As they move from the shade of the forest into the light, the blazing red orbs are revealed for what they are: eyes.

Radiating hunger and contempt, they pin me to the spot. I frantically sweep my head from left to right, more concerned with keeping my eyes on everything I can, rather than taking in the details. So even in the light of the day, all I get is a general sense of the creatures.

The thought that keeps spinning around my head is that they are too big. It’s what I might expect if a gecko was given the time to evolve and mutate into an apex predator. Maybe a Komodo Dragon would be similar enough and incite the same fear tinged disbelief, but seeing these things in person is too far removed from what I've viewed on computer and TV screens.

Despite my best attempts to keep everything in my line of sight, certain details draw me in. Eyes of fire leave red streaks in my vision as the creatures spread out before me with surprising grace and speed. Claws spear into the earth and leave deeps gouges in the ground behind them. Powerful tails, corded with thick muscles, sweep back and forth in a hypnotic sway. But again and again I’m drawn back to those burning embers. Another thing, small and simple in its own way, that simply should not be. A reminder, when I need it the least, that I am truly far from home.

The lizards have effectively encircled me in no time at all. Easily done as I lay on my back, caught between fight or flight. I’m too nervous to take my eyes off these prowling reptiles; Visions of sharp fangs sinking into the meat of my neck keep me facing forward. My blade is held forwards in both hands with what I hope is a passably threatening display.

Through the crushing dismay of impending violence I’m able to maintain a shred of control. Enough to count five of these hell spawned lizards, two on my left, two on my right, and one directly in front of me. Focusing on something as simple as numbers fosters a flickering oasis of calm, quickly snuffed out in its transience, but bringing a previously overlooked detail. Behind the creatures, multiple streams of smoke billow up into the sky. They twist like thin ribbons, rising from the furrows dug out by knife like claws. In a few instances, small patches of grass have even caught flame.

Burning red eyes, literally spreading fire in their wake… Reason would dictate that a pack of coordinated lizards the size of wolves are already bordering on overkill. I would insist to any and all higher beings currently watching that giant predator lizards with fire itself coursing through their bodies is a bit ostentatious, but what do I know? This world seems to care little for me or my worries.

Unconcerned with my panicked inner dialogue, the marauding pack continues to advance towards my position. There is maybe 10 feet between me and the closest lizard; Saliva dripping through its fanged mouth, sizzling as it hits the ground. A terrible clarity strikes through the fog and I begin to scramble backward on my hands and feet in an awkward, crab like shuffle.

My sudden movement draws one of the lizards on my left and I can feel more than see the impending attack in my peripheral vision. Pulse thundering in my ears, I twist around as my hand first touches the cool water of the brook. Driving down hard with my legs and good arm, I flip myself over and onto my feet in one motion, barely avoiding a self inflicted cut with my dagger. My feet struggle to find purchase on the smooth stones littering the river bank and I nearly fall, but I’m able to salvage enough forward momentum to splash through the running water.

I’m a little less than halfway through the stream when I hear a cacophony of sliding stones and an angry hiss that draws my attention backwards. I whip around, blade first, to see the charging lizard skidding to a stop in front of the water. Unable to arrest its movement in time, one of the creature’s legs hits the edge of the running water and a thin sizzling sound pierces the air. The reptile jerks the limb back out of the water with a snarl, ever so lightly limping as a small band of steam cascades from what I pray is a wound.

A detached and slightly crazed part of my mind imagines the whole lot of them tripping into the river and fizzling away into nothing, while I cackle from my safe spot in the brook. A split second is all I need to trash such thoughts as desperate escapism. The offending lizard having already retreated back from the moving water with a wariness speaking to at least a type of animal cunning, if not outright intelligence.

I do have my spot in the brook, which is a blessing beyond what I can adequately express my thanks for. With hindsight it’s fairly obvious that these beings of fire would be weak to water, though to what extent I cannot say. Whether it is on the level of a distressing irritant or a full on existential threat.

I have an ineffably better position than before, although I belatedly realize that I’ve traded away any real options but to stand my ground – or in this case, water. Their apparent weakness to water is all I have going for me and I can’t give that up.

Noticing that the two to my right have been slowly moving closer, I cup a handful of water and fling it in their direction. Most of it falls out during the motion and the rest sprays harmlessly onto the ground. I can’t tell If any water actually scored a hit and if the increasingly heat hazed air above them is any indication, the act only seems to have enraged them further. I refuse to let that stop me from sending splashes of water in the direction of each and every lizard. I get the feeling that doing so is merely stalling the inevitable, however I dread the moment when they are close enough that my dagger must come into play.

I’m broken out of my stalling when, after sending a spray to my left, one of the lizards on the right breaks their apparent malaise and dashes forward towards my position. I’m caught flat footed and only have the time to ready my blade in its general direction before it’s at the water's edge. To my surprise, the fanged creature flexes its thick limbs and jumps far to my right side. It easily clears the brook, sliding a foot or so before its claws stem its movement.

While I appreciate not have a wolf sized hell-lizard soaring in my direction, I’m now pinned down on both sides. I swing my dagger back and forth as I try to keep the creatures on either side of the water in my sight. My hopes of escaping this situation through some deus ex machine were already thin to none, but I chance a fleeting look up and over the encirclement of lizards. As before, It’s just me and the gaggle of creatures as far as I can see.

Whether it’s the instinct of a predator or true intelligence, one of them attacks the moment I lift my eyes. All I get is a vague sense of dread before its upon me.

I don’t even feel feel the impact. I just see twin blazing lights of red fill my vision followed by the sky rolling backwards. My head smacks against the water and everything goes fuzzy. Burning hot knives stab into my chest and legs and my scream is muffled by a flood of water into my mouth. Coughing through miserable attempts to draw in air, I bring my arm up and over to stab the creature, banking on a solid cut to get the horrid thing off of me. To my mounting horror, an empty hand smacks into its side. Despair fills me and I flail with every ounce of strength my frightened animal brain can muster.

My screams reach a higher pitch as the water around me starts to bubble and boil in a crimson tinted hue. The last thing I hear is a ferocious hissing noise and a matching roar against my ear before the darkness smoothers me.