Chapter Two
By: Ocean Tempest@GO
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ Remus looked at the mouth of the cave carefully. He studied the inky blackness with a careful eye. From deep inside, a loud snoring echoed out. Nothing else made a sound.
He shifted the sword slung over his shoulder, preparing to enter the cave. He fingered the small dagger sidearm to reassure himself. He had finished his observations earlier in the morning. Cecil was right, this was only a small dragon. It was likely just fresh out of the nest. Probably hadn’t even developed its breath weapon. It was only about six foot long, with an eight foot wingspan. Even so, it could still prove to be a fierce opponent, and was not to be taken lightly.
Remus stepped into the cave.
He slowly worked deeper into the dark hole, following the the steep downward slope further into the dark earth. Soon he could not see.
Remus stopped and lit his lantern, casting a gentle glowing light that caused the moist rocks to glisten. He continued onwards.
Soon he entered the central chamber of the cave, having passed through many smaller antechambers full of rotting corpses.. It formed a roughly circular arena, rock spires rising up, decorated with the skulls of animals. The walls were smooth, carved by the diamond like claws of the dragon.
The aforementioned serpentine monster lay curled in a loose bundle against the far wall. It was gently snoozing, its sides rising and falling with each breath. It scales dimly scintillated in the light, casting a radiant gleam on the stone that surrounded it.
Remus slowly crept towards the creature. All of his attention focused on the dragon, he did not notice the small rock in his path until his foot bumped into it. He kicked it away from himself brusquely. The rock skittered along the ground before slapping against a rock and coming to a stop. The larger rock teetered on the edge it was sitting on, before falling off. It landed with a loud crack.
The snoring stopped. The dragon cracked open one eye. The brown eye homed in on Remus and and narrowed dangerously.
Slowly, the serpentine beast uncurled itself and stood up. It stretched its wings out and let loose a massive yawn. It then turned to face the intruder.
Remus’ hand flew instantly to the sword strapped on his back. He carefully set the lantern down, and drew his sword, then pointed it at the beast.
“Well aren’t you a sight to see?” He asked it, his voice taking a cold edge.
The dragon’s only response was to tense its muscles and ready to spring. The pair stood there for a long time, each daring the other to move. Neither did.
Finally tiring of this game, the dragon pounced forward, claws out. Remus lifted his sword and presented the edge to the dragon, and its claws slid off the blade, completely unharmed. A ringing emanating from the metallic blade resounded around the chamber, amplified by the enclosed space.
The dragon missed no chance at attacking, coming right back at Remus. Remus was prepared, and again bared his blade. He positioned himself so that he had maximum leverage. When he felt the heavy body of the dragon pushing on it, her pushed back. The dragon, which had not expected this move, was thrown back. It landed on a rock, a sickening crunch emanating from its leg. Now wounded, the dragon fought back even harder.
It bared its teeth, attempting to bite at Remus. It lunged forward, slightly weakened, its jaws snapping. Remus resumed slashing at it, dodging its blows. The tip his blade caught the fragile wing membrane and caused a huge gash, from which blood began pouring. Enraged, the dragon resumed its offensive with a frenzy only seen in a cornered animal. All vestiges of its higher reasoning gone, it lashed out at anything that moved.
Having weakened the beast, Remus went on the offensive. He artfully dodged between its attacks, years of knight slaying to protect Cecil having honed his reflexes to a fine and sharp point. He stabbed at the beast, blows glancing off its metallic scales. Slowly but surely, the dragon tired out. Remus continued his barrage, himself growing weak.
Soon, the dragons blows ceased. It panted heavily, laying on the ground, its draconic visage curled in a sneer of pain. With his own breath running short, Remus approached the serpentine beast. It looked at him with eyes full of hate.
“You were a fine opponent, and a credit to your species. Now I thank you for the gifts your death will bestow on me,” he said. “Fare thee well, I wish you the best in your next life,” he said, readying his blade. He lifted it, point down, over the dragon’s head. He then brought it down sharply on a weak point in the armor, where it slid in quickly. The spark of life was quickly extinguished from its eyes.
Remus was still panting. His thoughts turned to Cecil. Would she be proud of him? Would she finally recognize him for what he was? Most likely not, but it was in his nature to be hopeful.
Remus pulled the blade from the monster’s head. He grabbed the small dagger. He lifted the scaly head and slid the dagger between some of the thick scales of the neck, and gently pried them off. When he finally had a small area of exposed skin, he made a tiny incision in the underlying vein, drawing large amounts of blood to the surface. Quickly, he uncorked the crystal bottle and held it up to the stream of blood to collect it, careful not to get the acidic substance off his hands.
Satisfied with the amount of blood he collected, he capped the bottle and returned to his equipment. He pulled a silk cloth, one of the few things capable of resisting the acidic corrosive effect of fresh dragon’s blood, and wiped his sword clean. Leaving the corpse and resheathing his blades, Remus picked up his lantern and set off into the setting sun.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ Remus looked at the mouth of the cave carefully. He studied the inky blackness with a careful eye. From deep inside, a loud snoring echoed out. Nothing else made a sound.
He shifted the sword slung over his shoulder, preparing to enter the cave. He fingered the small dagger sidearm to reassure himself. He had finished his observations earlier in the morning. Cecil was right, this was only a small dragon. It was likely just fresh out of the nest. Probably hadn’t even developed its breath weapon. It was only about six foot long, with an eight foot wingspan. Even so, it could still prove to be a fierce opponent, and was not to be taken lightly.
Remus stepped into the cave.
He slowly worked deeper into the dark hole, following the the steep downward slope further into the dark earth. Soon he could not see.
Remus stopped and lit his lantern, casting a gentle glowing light that caused the moist rocks to glisten. He continued onwards.
Soon he entered the central chamber of the cave, having passed through many smaller antechambers full of rotting corpses.. It formed a roughly circular arena, rock spires rising up, decorated with the skulls of animals. The walls were smooth, carved by the diamond like claws of the dragon.
The aforementioned serpentine monster lay curled in a loose bundle against the far wall. It was gently snoozing, its sides rising and falling with each breath. It scales dimly scintillated in the light, casting a radiant gleam on the stone that surrounded it.
Remus slowly crept towards the creature. All of his attention focused on the dragon, he did not notice the small rock in his path until his foot bumped into it. He kicked it away from himself brusquely. The rock skittered along the ground before slapping against a rock and coming to a stop. The larger rock teetered on the edge it was sitting on, before falling off. It landed with a loud crack.
The snoring stopped. The dragon cracked open one eye. The brown eye homed in on Remus and and narrowed dangerously.
Slowly, the serpentine beast uncurled itself and stood up. It stretched its wings out and let loose a massive yawn. It then turned to face the intruder.
Remus’ hand flew instantly to the sword strapped on his back. He carefully set the lantern down, and drew his sword, then pointed it at the beast.
“Well aren’t you a sight to see?” He asked it, his voice taking a cold edge.
The dragon’s only response was to tense its muscles and ready to spring. The pair stood there for a long time, each daring the other to move. Neither did.
Finally tiring of this game, the dragon pounced forward, claws out. Remus lifted his sword and presented the edge to the dragon, and its claws slid off the blade, completely unharmed. A ringing emanating from the metallic blade resounded around the chamber, amplified by the enclosed space.
The dragon missed no chance at attacking, coming right back at Remus. Remus was prepared, and again bared his blade. He positioned himself so that he had maximum leverage. When he felt the heavy body of the dragon pushing on it, her pushed back. The dragon, which had not expected this move, was thrown back. It landed on a rock, a sickening crunch emanating from its leg. Now wounded, the dragon fought back even harder.
It bared its teeth, attempting to bite at Remus. It lunged forward, slightly weakened, its jaws snapping. Remus resumed slashing at it, dodging its blows. The tip his blade caught the fragile wing membrane and caused a huge gash, from which blood began pouring. Enraged, the dragon resumed its offensive with a frenzy only seen in a cornered animal. All vestiges of its higher reasoning gone, it lashed out at anything that moved.
Having weakened the beast, Remus went on the offensive. He artfully dodged between its attacks, years of knight slaying to protect Cecil having honed his reflexes to a fine and sharp point. He stabbed at the beast, blows glancing off its metallic scales. Slowly but surely, the dragon tired out. Remus continued his barrage, himself growing weak.
Soon, the dragons blows ceased. It panted heavily, laying on the ground, its draconic visage curled in a sneer of pain. With his own breath running short, Remus approached the serpentine beast. It looked at him with eyes full of hate.
“You were a fine opponent, and a credit to your species. Now I thank you for the gifts your death will bestow on me,” he said. “Fare thee well, I wish you the best in your next life,” he said, readying his blade. He lifted it, point down, over the dragon’s head. He then brought it down sharply on a weak point in the armor, where it slid in quickly. The spark of life was quickly extinguished from its eyes.
Remus was still panting. His thoughts turned to Cecil. Would she be proud of him? Would she finally recognize him for what he was? Most likely not, but it was in his nature to be hopeful.
Remus pulled the blade from the monster’s head. He grabbed the small dagger. He lifted the scaly head and slid the dagger between some of the thick scales of the neck, and gently pried them off. When he finally had a small area of exposed skin, he made a tiny incision in the underlying vein, drawing large amounts of blood to the surface. Quickly, he uncorked the crystal bottle and held it up to the stream of blood to collect it, careful not to get the acidic substance off his hands.
Satisfied with the amount of blood he collected, he capped the bottle and returned to his equipment. He pulled a silk cloth, one of the few things capable of resisting the acidic corrosive effect of fresh dragon’s blood, and wiped his sword clean. Leaving the corpse and resheathing his blades, Remus picked up his lantern and set off into the setting sun.