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"Dragon sign!" Kelton proclaimed triumphantly.
"We have the beast now!"
Even though I could see every breath I exhaled into the frigid air, I
squirmed beneath my cloak, uncomfortable in the sudden heat.
I said, "Kelton, are you sure we can do this? That dragon has killed
sixteen men and boys over the last fortnight, including two Royal Archers.
Are you sure . . . ?"
He interrupted with a disdainful snort. "Turn back, alchemist's
apprentice, if you've no confidence in your magic. Save your skin and live
forever in your shame."
I was annoyed. "Why are you talking like that? You don't talk like
that. Talk normally and tell me again why you believe this hair brained
scheme will work."
Kelton edged forward along the path without replying, shooting me a high
sign to be quiet. He drew his short sword and bent down on one knee.
"It's in there." Kelton whispered, indicating a huge opening in
the side of the hill before us. It led first inward, then downward,
disappearing in all to short a distance into darkness.
It was quiet, the kind of silence that springs on you like a badger on a
mouse and devours you without warning. As we crept into the cave, keeping
to the shadows, I could see what little life I'd had in twenty years of
breathing flashing before my eyes. It was not a pretty sight, especially
the part where. . .
"Hold it." Kelton hissed, stopping me in my tracks.
He needn't have said it. I could see it for myself. The beast was huge and
red and armor plated and horned and horrific. I would have run away
screaming if my body hadn't been frozen stiff with fear.
"It's asleep." Kelton stated the obvious. "Now's our
chance."
That was so much closer to a living, breathing dragon than I ever wanted
to be. I wanted to run, but I also wanted to complete the mission. This
dragon was a killer. We had a duty and it was clear.
The beast was asleep and breathing heavily, as though it were resting
comfortably. And rightfully so. It had, after all just consumed most of a
flock of sheep and two shepherds. As we drew right up next to the monster,
I could plainly see the object of my mission. Sunk almost to it's full
length in the clawed foot of the beast, a sword protruded, its jeweled
handle sparkling ever so slightly, reflecting the dim light coming from
beyond the cave entrance.
"Right." Mouthed Kelton silently, reaching into his cloak for
the bag of
powder I'd given him before we'd begun this suicide mission. He sheathed
his own sword and positioned himself just to my left, the bag drawstrings
pulled, its contents ready to deploy.
I prayed a small prayer to the gods to make me less stupid in my next
incarnation, gripped the sword in both hands and with every ounce of
strength I possessed, pulled it completely out of the dragon's foot.
Kelton dumped the entire contents of the bag into the suddenly open
wound. The powder burst into a white-hot flame that engulfed the entire
top of the dragon's foot in a searing glow that would have vaporized a
fully grown horse.
The dragon came awake with an abruptness that could only spell death for
we mere mortals beneath it. It spat out a line of flame nearly two hundred
feet away from its fearsome mouth, charring everything in and near the
cave all the way back to the entrance. But Kelton and I were below that
fearsome mouth and beyond that awful breath. We remained unscathed.
"You are healed, Dragon!" Shouted Kelton in commonspeak.
"You are cured and you must now grant me a wish."
Though it made no sound, I heard it reply, "You, human. You nearly
burned my foot off."
To which Kelton responded, "The sword is removed, Dragon. It is gone,
and with it, the poison that infected you. You are obligated by the Old
Code to grant a wish."
I guessed that if I said nothing, it couldn't find me.
"Healer," Said the dragon. "You are correct. State your
wish."
"I want to know the truth about life." Kelton shouted, before I
could tell him to wish for gold. "I want to see the gods."
"Granted." Said the dragon. "Climb onto the treasure pile
behind me and gaze into a mirror you will find. All will be
revealed."
We did as it instructed. Minutes later, we were staring through a gold
framed mirror, into a room wherein stood a table, around which sat three
boys, much younger than us. One studied a book. A second pondered a map,
spread out flat out on the tabletop. The third had dice in his hand and
was shaking them. With an malicious smile spread across his face, he threw
them clattering across the table and onto the map.
" The dragon is still hungry! " He pronounced.
A second set of dice clattered. Then a third.
"Saving throw!" Shouted one boy."
"Dammit! Missed" Shouted the other.
The dragon twisted its ugly head completely around, opened its mouth,
plucked Kelton off where he stood. It swallowed him whole. Bellowing in
triumph, it reached back for me, but I was gone, scrambling for the
entrance in the dark.
"Lucky dice," I heard one of the gods say behind me as I ran.
"Crap. I loved that character." Said a second god.
I just barely heard the third god say, "Fortunes of the game,"
as I broke into daylight running down the hillside as faster than I ever
thought I could move. After that, I came straight here to this tavern, I
swear to . . . um, the gods.
I know they're laughing at me, the gods, and I really need a beer. What do
you say, guys?
"Good story," said a dwarf with a crossbow, as he handed me a
pint.
(c) 2001 by Bob Liddil.
All Rights Reserved
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