Dragon Falls
I clung desperately to the back of the creature and did my best to avoid looking down past its haunches. The thing's scales provided handholds for me and I was slowly climbing up it's hide. I had grabbed the creature in hopes of ending our struggle swiftly, but I had not accounted for it taking to the air. Dragons are far more tenacious that I'd realized.
"Give up and fall to your doom, fool!" The dragon's voice was grating and harsh, as though all of its teeth prevented it from forming the words properly and its throat was singed by the fire it spat. The reminder that they were leagues above the fields did give me pause to reassure the grip on its back. It was fortunate that I took that moment for the dragon began bucking wildly, trying to throw me away like the core of an apple. I had conquered many a horse and even a bull or two, so one overgrown lizard would not beat me at that game.
"You'll not throw me demon! I will see you dead before we leave the sky," I screamed. "So sayeth a Knight of the Order."
I grit my teeth and waited out the storm, and though I could feel the dragon speaking again the wind had kicked up and I could no longer hear it's curses. I was fine with the reprieve from its foul breath and I glanced up at my destination, not even a stones throw away. Just a few arms lengths above me was a scale that I'd knocked lose during my last fight against the beast. I knew that if I could pry it loose I could thrust my longsword deep enough to end the dragon's life.
With that thought my mind drifted lightly to the village below, its fields burning and its people mourning their lost. I dwelt heavily on my beloved, under the care of the priest and healer. Would she wake from her forced slumber? Could I survive this encounter and hold her slim frame in my arms again?
Those thoughts were cut short as I felt the dragon steady its wings and begin to find purchase on the updrafts in the area. It had tired and I knew it would need to glide for a spell to recoup its energy. With that I began to inch higher again and kept my eyes firmly on my goal. My armor was weighing me down, and should I fall I would drop like a stone. The gloves of my gauntlets however protected my hands from the hard scales and for that I was grateful.
"The Order?" The dragon roared with labored laughter, "A bunch of sad old men telling stories to the young and awaiting for their coffins." I could practically feel the malice in his words and it made me shiver. "The Order is nothing now, and even in its prime none could match my power!" His gloating turned my stomach.
"None but my master - Adam the Red! It is his teachings that will destroy you. His teachings and my hand!" I knew the rage the name of my master would cause him and he started hurling curses so intense that fire spewed after every other. I used the distraction to speed my pace and a few agonizing moments later reached my destination.
Without delay I found footing and began to pry at the loose scale. Practically kneeling atop the beast's back I wrenched up with all my might and the scale gave. I held it in my hand for only a moment when the dragon screamed with pain and rage and I couldn't keep my grasp on it. It went flying on the wind and I scrambled for purchase on the beast's back again and to my great relief I did not land far from the hole I'd made.
"What are you doing?" There was an anger in the dragon's voice that might have been able to kill on its own had there been enough power behind it. "I will destroy you! Once I have my claws around you the pig iron you wear will be your own tomb!" A smile crossed my face despite the danger. It seemed that the dragon was finally taking the threat of me seriously now. Maybe with a bit more I could give the dragon more than just a momentary fright.
"You do not scare me dragon," I retorted. "Fear is for those with aught to loose, and I have nothing left. You have seen sure of that yourself. You shall die by the hand of the last knight of the Order , a man with naught left to live for but your death." As I spoke I grabbed the edge of the hole in the beast's hide and braced my knees against its back. I drew the sword from my back with my right hand, sure to let the blade scrape against the scabbard.
To my delight, a sickening thought to be sure, I felt the dragon shiver. My mind must have started to slip, because I suddenly felt a perverse joy at the fact this dragon was at my mercy. I felt myself chuckle darkly, what use does a man about to die have for a mind anyway?
"Then tell me your desire!" I was surprised by this turn of events, but it filled me with a sadistic glee. A dragon begging? Bargaining for its life? Truly this was the greatest irony! "I can give you jewels and wealth beyond your wildest dreams!"
"You forget dragon," I said, "Those of the Order swear an Oath of poverty. Should I survive the wealth would go to my king and brothers. Wealth has no value to me."
"Then power!" I could almost have swooned at the desperation in its voice. My how the tables had turned. "I could set you up as king and emperor of any land!"
"Even now I have more pride than to be your puppet for an eternity dragon!" I hitched myself up and raised my sword arm above the hole in the scales anticipating the end of it.
"The girl then!" That made me pause a moment. My now fevered mind cleared just for a moment and I thought of the dark hair and soft features of the common girl I had fallen in love with during those long summers in the village. I had guarded them well during that time, but that was far beyond me.
I had only dropped my guard for a heartbeat, and no sooner had I than the dragon bucked again, rolling in the air to dislodge me from its back. I nearly fumbled my sword, but I grabbed on and held my position by sheer willpower alone. When the dragon had righted itself again I shot back at him. "Even if you could save her I could never let you harm any other. No bribe will save you today dragon, and if I must die as well then so be it!" I screamed with rage and indignity over his offer and thrust my blade into the hole, digging so deep that I think my hand sunk into the flesh after my sword.
Everything stopped then. Time no longer passed and I felt the dragon's massive heart stop. We lingered in the sky for what seemed to be an eternity. I could almost see whatever magic held us aloft fade from the dragon's aura and the wind blew again. Then time resumed and the earth pulled on the dragon's body from far below.
We fell.
The fall was intense and I felt my consciousness slipping, blackness edging at my vision.
I cried.
The last thing I remember thinking was her name.
Ophelia!
"Give up and fall to your doom, fool!" The dragon's voice was grating and harsh, as though all of its teeth prevented it from forming the words properly and its throat was singed by the fire it spat. The reminder that they were leagues above the fields did give me pause to reassure the grip on its back. It was fortunate that I took that moment for the dragon began bucking wildly, trying to throw me away like the core of an apple. I had conquered many a horse and even a bull or two, so one overgrown lizard would not beat me at that game.
"You'll not throw me demon! I will see you dead before we leave the sky," I screamed. "So sayeth a Knight of the Order."
I grit my teeth and waited out the storm, and though I could feel the dragon speaking again the wind had kicked up and I could no longer hear it's curses. I was fine with the reprieve from its foul breath and I glanced up at my destination, not even a stones throw away. Just a few arms lengths above me was a scale that I'd knocked lose during my last fight against the beast. I knew that if I could pry it loose I could thrust my longsword deep enough to end the dragon's life.
With that thought my mind drifted lightly to the village below, its fields burning and its people mourning their lost. I dwelt heavily on my beloved, under the care of the priest and healer. Would she wake from her forced slumber? Could I survive this encounter and hold her slim frame in my arms again?
Those thoughts were cut short as I felt the dragon steady its wings and begin to find purchase on the updrafts in the area. It had tired and I knew it would need to glide for a spell to recoup its energy. With that I began to inch higher again and kept my eyes firmly on my goal. My armor was weighing me down, and should I fall I would drop like a stone. The gloves of my gauntlets however protected my hands from the hard scales and for that I was grateful.
"The Order?" The dragon roared with labored laughter, "A bunch of sad old men telling stories to the young and awaiting for their coffins." I could practically feel the malice in his words and it made me shiver. "The Order is nothing now, and even in its prime none could match my power!" His gloating turned my stomach.
"None but my master - Adam the Red! It is his teachings that will destroy you. His teachings and my hand!" I knew the rage the name of my master would cause him and he started hurling curses so intense that fire spewed after every other. I used the distraction to speed my pace and a few agonizing moments later reached my destination.
Without delay I found footing and began to pry at the loose scale. Practically kneeling atop the beast's back I wrenched up with all my might and the scale gave. I held it in my hand for only a moment when the dragon screamed with pain and rage and I couldn't keep my grasp on it. It went flying on the wind and I scrambled for purchase on the beast's back again and to my great relief I did not land far from the hole I'd made.
"What are you doing?" There was an anger in the dragon's voice that might have been able to kill on its own had there been enough power behind it. "I will destroy you! Once I have my claws around you the pig iron you wear will be your own tomb!" A smile crossed my face despite the danger. It seemed that the dragon was finally taking the threat of me seriously now. Maybe with a bit more I could give the dragon more than just a momentary fright.
"You do not scare me dragon," I retorted. "Fear is for those with aught to loose, and I have nothing left. You have seen sure of that yourself. You shall die by the hand of the last knight of the Order , a man with naught left to live for but your death." As I spoke I grabbed the edge of the hole in the beast's hide and braced my knees against its back. I drew the sword from my back with my right hand, sure to let the blade scrape against the scabbard.
To my delight, a sickening thought to be sure, I felt the dragon shiver. My mind must have started to slip, because I suddenly felt a perverse joy at the fact this dragon was at my mercy. I felt myself chuckle darkly, what use does a man about to die have for a mind anyway?
"Then tell me your desire!" I was surprised by this turn of events, but it filled me with a sadistic glee. A dragon begging? Bargaining for its life? Truly this was the greatest irony! "I can give you jewels and wealth beyond your wildest dreams!"
"You forget dragon," I said, "Those of the Order swear an Oath of poverty. Should I survive the wealth would go to my king and brothers. Wealth has no value to me."
"Then power!" I could almost have swooned at the desperation in its voice. My how the tables had turned. "I could set you up as king and emperor of any land!"
"Even now I have more pride than to be your puppet for an eternity dragon!" I hitched myself up and raised my sword arm above the hole in the scales anticipating the end of it.
"The girl then!" That made me pause a moment. My now fevered mind cleared just for a moment and I thought of the dark hair and soft features of the common girl I had fallen in love with during those long summers in the village. I had guarded them well during that time, but that was far beyond me.
I had only dropped my guard for a heartbeat, and no sooner had I than the dragon bucked again, rolling in the air to dislodge me from its back. I nearly fumbled my sword, but I grabbed on and held my position by sheer willpower alone. When the dragon had righted itself again I shot back at him. "Even if you could save her I could never let you harm any other. No bribe will save you today dragon, and if I must die as well then so be it!" I screamed with rage and indignity over his offer and thrust my blade into the hole, digging so deep that I think my hand sunk into the flesh after my sword.
Everything stopped then. Time no longer passed and I felt the dragon's massive heart stop. We lingered in the sky for what seemed to be an eternity. I could almost see whatever magic held us aloft fade from the dragon's aura and the wind blew again. Then time resumed and the earth pulled on the dragon's body from far below.
We fell.
The fall was intense and I felt my consciousness slipping, blackness edging at my vision.
I cried.
The last thing I remember thinking was her name.
Ophelia!
Copyright Kevin Franks 2013
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