Beth Lyons

Dragon!

Posted on May 29, 2008 by Beth

We left Cauldron, headed to an X on a map. “We”ve heard that a man named Crazy Jared knows a path into the Underdark. His hut should be about here.” No one mentioned the dragon.

We came over the crest of a hill. Below us was a round hut, surrounded by thatched walls. Crazy Jared”s place, just where Celeste said it would be. As we watched, though, a dragon swooped in and set fire to the hut! We saw a man come scrambling from the hut and begin yelling and jumping around. Acgar and I both spurred our horses down the hill. We must save Jared!

As we galloped towards the hut, the dragon landed near the man and they began to speak! The others were on our heels and since a few of them know Draconic, I checked the horse, so others could pass me. I”m still not sure what passed between them, but it was enough for Myntilly to shoot a magic missile at the dragon. That got the dragon”s attention; he lifted in to the air and turned to face his attacker. Cinder took that moment”s distraction to run to the man we assumed was Jared. Over the wing beats of the dragon I caught a few of her shouted words. “Fire!” And “Run with me.” The man pulled his arm from her grip, dancing away. He seemed to be shouting about knights.

I could only focus on protecting the man who had valuable information for us. With (obviously) no clear thought, I rushed Jared, tackling him to the ground.
Note to self: never tackle a crazy man when there is a dragon overhead.

As we landed on the ground, rolling towards the thatched wall, I felt a hand on my butt and breath in my ear. He was giggling like a child. When I caught my breath I said, “I can take you to safety. Please listen!”

Jared rolled away from me and sat up. “Leave my kingdom? Never! My knights will defend me and mine!”
“Oooh-Kay” I thought to myself. “Sire! We will defend the kingdom, but I want you in safety from the dragon.” I threw my arm out, gesturing to the dragon. At that moment the dragon belched fire. I felt the heat on my fingertips. Thanks be to Pelor that we were just outside the fire field.

Jared threw his arms around my waist. Both hands landed on my butt and squeezed. “Sire!” I yelled in his ear. “I”ll show you mine if you show me yours. Let”s head for a private place!” And with that he began to move towards the gate opening.

I had been unaware of the mortal peril of my friends. Myntilly had been the target of the fire stream. I saw her on the ground, but Jared was pulling me towards the meadow. What had I done? To focus on this man over my friends? Madness.

The heat was becoming intense. Gusts of hot wind blew across my face. Over my shoulder I saw the dragon land on the stone walls of the hut. Krylscar stood his ground to face the dragon. He had something in his hand.
I sensed Cinder come up beside me. She pulled a wand from her cloak and pointed it at the dragon. A moment later, the dragon flinched and roared in pain. As he lifted off the hut, Kyrlscar hurled the thing in his hand. It was a tanglefoot bag! One of the two I just given him that morning. It hit one of the dragon”s wings causing him to flap oddly and finally come to rest on the hut again.

Although one wing was crippled, the dragon lashed his claws at Krylscar. It was a blur. I must have imagined the sound of combat because I know the roar of dragon and fire were too great to hear anything. I saw Kyrlscar fall back and Acgar rush to him. I heard the crack of lightening and I swear I smelled the ozone of a summer”s storm. The dragon roared again.

To my left, Acgar lay hands on Krylscar, staunching the blood. To my right, Dyssko knelt beside Myntilly. She stirred so he must have cast cure wounds although I still had a roaring in my ears.

I blinked. Inside everything became quiet. “God, help me.” A righteous anger grew inside me and before I knew it, I was shouting out deific vengeance. “Pelor, smite this red dragon! Look at the destruction! The havoc! Fire! Pain! Fear! Death!” With the final word, a light shot from my finger and zapped the dragon in the face. He roared in obvious pain. Lightening flashed again. Another roar. Beside me Cinder flicked the wand and the dragon toppled. Down. Dead.