Chapter Two
The ear-splitting screech of the dragon’s roar echoed out over the town as it swooped into view. It was monstrous, probably the size of a semi with a trailer, and I could make out the vibrant red hue of its scales from where I stood. Spikes that looked sharp as swords ran down its spine, and each claw was bigger than a full-grown man.
“Dragon!” a voice yelled from somewhere behind me, and the streets went wild with motion as people darted in the opposite direction of the monstrous beast. The citizens of Bullard screamed out in terror, but their cries would not protect them from death.
Fear clenched my gut, and the palms of my hands grew clammy.
Was I about to fight a motherfucking dragon? What the fuck was it even doing here?
It was both awesome and terrifying at the same time, and I took a deep steadying breath as I wracked my brain for ideas. I had to do something.
Suddenly, the dragon opened its mouth, and a river of lava-like flames flowed out from the opening to pour onto the rooftops of the buildings on the edge of town. It swooped through the air like it weighed as much as a feather, and the leathery wings kicked up a gust of wind that spread its fire breath onto the walls.
The blaze bathed the stone walls that wrapped around the town like protective arms, and soot stained the gray rocks in the wake of the fire. It looked like they would hold for now, though, so I let out a sigh of relief.
“Bash!” Elissa screamed, and I suddenly realized the crowd had swept my women away from me. “Help!”
I searched the chaotic street until I spotted the terrified emeralds of my wife’s eyes. Mahini was nowhere to be found, and I cursed under my breath as I scanned the faces running in every direction around me.
“Where’s Mahini?” I demanded once I’d reached the tiny goddess.
Elissa began to sob, and her shoulders shook with fear, so I wrapped her in my arms and squeezed her tightly. I stroked her fiery-red hair, but the flame-like tendrils only brought me back to the dire situation we currently faced.
“Great One!” Mahini’s melodic voice rang out over the crowd, and I spun to face the direction of the sound. Her piercing blue eyes were open wide, and her sword was out as she made her way through the people toward me. “What are we going to do?”
I worked the muscle in my jaw as I thought about the best approach to the problem. First and foremost, Elissa needed to be safe.
“Take Elissa back to the castle,” I instructed. “Alert as many guards as you can, if they don’t already know about the dragon, anyway. Stay with her, Mahini, and don’t let anything happen to her. Please.”
“Here, I’ll take anything you don’t need back to the castle,” Elissa offered as she blinked tears from her emerald eyes.
I could tell she was trying to be strong for me, and it made me want to hold her in my arms until the danger passed.
“I just need my armor and my sword,” I said, and then I handed the tiny goddess her mace. “Keep this close, and tell anyone you see to seek refuge in the castle.”
“It shall be done.” Mahini nodded curtly, and then she took Elissa’s hand and turned toward the castle. The desert goddess looked over her shoulder at me before she left, and her gaze was full of worry. “Be safe, Bash, please.”
“Always.” I gave her an encouraging grin, and I gestured for her to go.
“I love you, husband!” Elissa called out as Mahini pulled her away.
“I love you, too!” I hollered back, and I blew her a kiss. I hoped it would be enough to ease their concern for my safety, but I knew better. They would be out of their minds with worry until we were together again, but I felt much better with the image of Elissa safe behind the castle’s stone walls.
I watched them leave for a moment while my heartbeat pounded like a high school drumline inside my chest, and then I turned my attention back to the dragon.
I needed to get ready to fight this thing, but it was hard to concentrate over the sounds of the dragon’s rampage. I watched in abject terror as the scaled-beast swooped over the edge of the town and blanketed it with flames. The roof thatches caught fire, and people screamed as they ran in the opposite direction. Smoke filled the air, and then the stench of burning flesh assaulted my nostrils.
This was bad. Very bad.
I shook off my fear, and I thought about how I was going to handle the dragon. I was fortunate enough to have all my weapons and gear with me already, so I hastily began to strap on the armor pieces over my clothes. I was much better at attaching the armor than I used to be, and I was completely geared seconds later.
I strapped my two daggers and my feather sword to my waist, and I slid my left arm through the straps of my shield. If the dragon fire was considered magic, then I was in good shape, but there was still a chance one breath would melt my shield down to the molten metal.
I’d never been more grateful for my abilities than I was now since I’d never faced something quite so deadly before. I was prepared to die a million times if it meant protecting the castle town and my two beautiful women, though, so I steeled myself for the inevitable and then scanned the skies for the dragon.
A hundred guards trotted past me through the streets toward the source of the town’s destruction, and I fell into pace beside them. At least I wasn’t the only one standing up for the people who lived here. I could feel the fear radiating from the armored men at my side, though, and I wondered how many would turn tail and run at the first opportunity.
But I couldn’t quite blame them, since the urge to run far, far away was rushing through my veins and getting stronger with each second.
I made a new save point, right then and there, by focusing on the moment and telling myself I could come back to it if I wanted to.
Or if I died. Well, when I died, because I was probably going to die. A lot.
Fortunately, I had the ability to restart and try again, so even if the worst happened, I could undo the damage and start over.
I ran with the guards down the streets of Bullard toward the wall where the dragon swooped through the sky once more. The men hardly noticed me join them, but I got a few sideway glances before we reached our destination.
“Into formation, men,” one of the guards commanded, and I assumed he was the captain of this unit.
I trotted over to the leader of the guards, and I patted him on the shoulder to get his attention.
“Hey, there, need a hand?” I asked with a friendly smile.
“Are you crazy?” The captain’s eyes shot wide open, and he gave me a look like he thought I’d lost my damn mind. “That’s a dragon, or have you lost your sight as well as your wits?”
“I’m Bash,” I said, and I ignored his surprised expression. “I’m the God of Time, and I’m here to help.”
“How exactly do you plan to do that?” the captain asked with disbelief written on his face like a novel.
“I just need to borrow a bow and quiver,” I replied in a calm voice. “I left mine back at the castle.”
“Are you pulling a prank on me?” The captain’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, which would have been comical if it weren’t for our current situation. “Get the fuck out of here before you get us all killed.”
“I’m staying,” I said in a firm tone. “I can help more than these kids about to piss their armor, so give me a bow. Now.”
The dragon swooped by as if to emphasize the urgency of the moment, and another blaze of fiery liquid poured from its fanged maw to douse the building beside us. We all leaped back away from the molten fire that ran down the side of the structure and pooled onto the street.
It was fortunate Bullard was made mostly of stone, but the thatched roof caught fire an instant later, and the heat in the air intensified. Sweat dripped down my forehead, and my clothes beneath my armor were already soaked in perspiration even though I still hadn’t done anything.
Where was the fire brigade? The people with buckets of water to douse the flames? Did such a thing even exist in this world?
I looked around, but there was just me and a hundred terrified men, so I sighed and tried to figure out the best way to both help and prove my worth to the men who would inevitably die by my side.
Then I remembered my magic lessons from Kane. Ice would combat the flames, so I summoned my will power and uttered the magic word.
“Chs,” I said in a forceful voice, and I directed the palm of my hand toward the burning building. The chill crept up my arm from my fingertips, but icicle shards shot out from my hand and landed in the fire. The ice melted into water, and as I poured more and more energy into the spell, the flames abated until there were only embers.
“Here, take my bow,” a guard nearby insisted as he shoved the weapon into my hand. “I’m out of here.”
He took off running toward the castle without a second look, and a few more guards followed in his footsteps. I shook my head in awe at their lack of courage, but I had what I wanted, so I nocked an arrow to the string and turned to set my sights on the dragon.
The monstrous beast seemed to anticipate my plan, and it flew up above the clouds before I could take aim. I cursed under my breath.
This was going to be even harder than I thought.
I watched for the dragon to come back into sight while I worked to calm my pounding heartbeat. I wouldn’t be able to shoot anything if I was shaking with adrenaline, so I took the small reprieve from the dragon fear to soothe myself. I pictured holding Mahini and Elissa in my arms after the fight, and the thought lifted my spirits and chilled me out.
Then I spotted the crimson tail of the dragon as it flicked up and down in the clouds, and I traced the trajectory as the beast flew above the city. It was headed to the west, so I stomped my foot to activate the fleetness ability of my boots, and then I dashed down the street in the same direction.
I skidded to a halt beneath the court wizard’s tower, and I lifted a nocked arrow to my cheek. I held the bow with my left hand, and I pointed my finger to help me aim as I moved the weapon around until I had the dragon in my sights.
“Take this, you scaly fuck,” I muttered before I loosed the arrow, and I watched it zip through the air toward my target. The projectile hit the dragon’s underbelly as it flew overhead, but it bounced off the thick scales of its stomach and fell to the ground.
“I kind of expected that,” I snickered.
Suddenly, fire rained down on top of me, and I realized too late my arrow had only alerted the dragon to my presence. I couldn’t see anything but red, and the heat scorched my skin instantly. The stench of burning flesh reached my nostrils at the same time the pain rocked me to my core.
I’d never been burned alive before, and that was saying something since I’d died more times than I could count.
Chime.
I trotted alongside the platoon of guards until I spotted the man who’d handed me his weapon before he ran away, and I sidled up beside him before the dragon showed up to douse the nearby building in its fiery breath.
“Hey, give me your bow and get the fuck out of here,” I suggested under my breath. “I know you don’t want to be here, but I do.”
“Here, take it,” the guard said as a spark of hope flickered in his brown eyes. Then he shoved the bow into my hands and took off running.
Well, that was easy.
I went ahead and dashed toward the western tower in hopes of cutting off the dragon’s path. A few minutes later, I spotted the tail as it flipped through the clouds, and the beast looked like he was having fun spiraling in the air.
I nocked an arrow to the string, pulled it to my cheek, and waited for my opportunity. It came a moment later when the dragon flew within range, and it headed straight toward me. I released my breath in a smooth exhale, and then I let my projectile loose. It zinged past my ear and shot through the air with enough force to kill a man, and it dug into the scales of the beast’s side.
The dragon roared and let out another blaze, but it had already flown over my head, and I was out of reach of the flames. I jogged even further away as I nocked another arrow, and I resisted the urge to pump my fist. The fight was far from over, but at least I’d managed to land one hit.
Then a blood-curdling scream split the air, and I spun toward the sound to see a woman lit on fire by the dragon’s breath.
“Shit!” I cursed and ran toward her as fast as I could. I skidded to a halt once I was within reach of her but far enough away to keep myself safe. Then I took a deep breath, gathered my strength, and summoned ice.
I covered the burning woman in ice as fast as I could, and she moaned in pain as she fell to the ground. The smell of her burnt flesh stung my senses, and my eyes watered from the heat that radiated off her flesh. Her pained cries grew silent, and I knelt down to check her pulse.
She was dead.
“Motherfucking dragon,” I mumbled to myself, and bile rose up into my throat, but I swallowed it down. Fuck this. I wasn’t going to let an innocent woman die. Not if I could help it, anyway.
Chime.
“Give me your bow,” I commanded in a stern voice as I fell in step with the platoon, and the guard immediately obeyed. Then I raised my voice and addressed the rest of the men. “Get everyone off the streets and to the safety of the castle. We don’t need any casualties, do we?”
“Who the fuck--” the captain started to say, but I cut him off with a lifted hand.
“My name is Bash, and I’m the God of Time.” I gave him a steady look. “The duke sent me.”
“I don’t care who sent you,” the captain argued.
“Do you want the city to burn?” I lifted my chin, and I waited until the moment I knew the dragon would set fire to the building beside us. Then I gestured to the structure, and perfectly on cue, the beast roared, and the blaze rolled over the gray stones. “Follow my fucking commands or that is going to happen to the whole city.”
The guards all scrambled back to get away from the river of fire now splattering onto the cobblestones.
“Y-Yes, sir,” the captain stammered as he snapped a salute, and he looked like he was about to shit his pants.
I supposed the firm, direct route seemed more leader-like since their reaction was one I would have expected toward the duke. The nobleman was likely hiding in a bunker somewhere inside the castle, and I didn’t expect him to come to rally the troops himself, so it looked like it was up to me to save Bullard.
I got the bow and quiver of arrows from the turncoat guard, and then I dashed through the streets of Bullard toward the western tower. I searched the street for people, and when I found the woman, I urged her to get to the castle. Once she disappeared around the corner, I let out a sigh of relief, nocked an arrow, and turned my attention back to the dragon.
This time, my arrow struck the dragon in the side, but it bounced off immediately. I hadn’t pulled back the string far enough, and the projectile didn’t have enough force to puncture the beast’s thick hide.
“Shit.” I nocked another arrow to the string, and I followed the path of the dragon’s flight as it circled the city in the air. I managed to get another shot off before it swooped out of distance, but my second arrow bounced off the creature’s scales the same as the first.
Then it swiveled and turned back toward me again.
“Fuck off!” I shouted as I backpedaled away, nocked another arrow, and pulled the string on the bow taut.
The dragon opened its mouth and poured out a river of lava hot flames onto the street in front of me, but I turned, stomped my foot, and ran at superhuman speeds until I was out of harm’s way. Then I spun around to find the beast again.
This was going to be harder than I’d thought. Not only did I have to avoid the fiery blaze, but I also needed to figure out how to get a hit to land. I resisted the urge to reset and try a different tactic, but so far no one had died during this attempt, so I let the clock keep going.
Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the air, and the ground shook, which caused me to almost lose my balance. I staggered over the shuddering cobblestones as I scanned the area to see what had caused the disturbance.
Then I saw it.
Two buildings away, the dragon had landed on a thatched roof, and the structure crumbled beneath the weight of the beast. It was so big its front claws scraped the ground, and its tail swung around wildly and bashed into other roofs.
I nocked an arrow and took aim at the creature’s humongous amber eye, and then I let out my breath as I released the projectile. Before my arrow could find purchase in the dragon’s giant eyeball, however, the beast flapped its leathery wings, launched from the roof, and quickly covered the distance between us.
“Oh, shit!” I yelled to no one in particular as I took off running in the opposite direction. I could hear the flap of the dragon’s wings as it chased after me. It roared with anger, and then the fiery tumult blasted from its mouth, and the heat urged me forward even faster.
I narrowly missed the blaze, and I swiveled once I was safely out of reach of the flames, but then I came face to face with the dragon.
It stared at me with its huge, angry, amber eyes, and then it snapped. Sword sized fangs closed around me, and I was lifted into the air. All I could see was darkness, and I realized the beast had swallowed me whole.
Chime.
Eaten by a dragon was a new, and rather awesome, way to die, and I considered making myself some sort of bingo game to check off the various death scenarios I encountered.
This time, I decided to stay with the guards for a change of pace. I trotted over to the captain to see what his plans were, and the man gave me the same incredulous expression as before.
“Get to safety, man!” he yelled at me as I approached. “There’s a fucking dragon on the loose!”
“That’s why I’m here.” I grinned. “The duke sent me to command your forces. I am Bash, the God of Time, and I’m here to save the town.”
The captain looked like he wanted to argue, but another screech split the air, and his face drained of color.
“I suppose we could use all the help we can get,” he allowed with a sigh. “Grab a bow and keep your eyes peeled.”
The sound of the dragon’s roar echoed overhead, and I knew he was about to light the building nearby on fire.
“Everyone get back,” I instructed. “The dragon is going to set this structure on fire.”
The men obediently scrambled back away from the house I’d indicated, and a moment later the dragon swooped by and unloaded its fiery breath onto the thatched roof.
I immediately began to pour out my ice spell onto the flames, and I managed to abate the worst of it. The house would not survive, but it wouldn’t catch the other structures next to it on fire, so I considered it a small victory.
The dragon eyed me from the sky, and my breath caught in my throat when we made eye contact. There was a timelessness to the beast that was hauntingly beautiful, but deadly, and it made me wonder what knowledge laid within its car-sized skull.
“We have to get the people up to the castle,” I suggested to the captain of the guards. “We don’t want any innocent people to die today, do we?”
“No, sir.” The captain nodded curtly and turned to his men. “Sweep the streets, take any stragglers up to the castle, and then report back to me.”
Salutes were given all around, and the platoon of guards separated to perform their tasks, which left me and the captain alone on the street with the dragon as it flew overhead.
My heartbeat thudded inside my chest as the dragon spotted us and moved closer. I motioned for the captain to give me his bow, and the man obliged me without a word. He seemed just as terrified as his men, but he watched me out of the corner of his eye as I nocked an arrow onto the string.
I waited while the dragon drew closer, and I aimed for the big amber eye. When the beast was a few buildings away, I let the projectile loose, and it zipped through the air with a slight spin to it. It reminded me of a football being tossed by a quarterback, and I only hoped it had the same amount of force.
The arrow landed just below the beast’s eye, and it bounced harmlessly off the scales of its face to land on the ground in front of me. The shadow of the creature as it flew overhead bathed the street in darkness for a moment, and shivers ran up my spine from the sudden chill.
I turned to trace the beast’s path through the air, and my stomach dropped when I saw it head toward the castle.
I had to do something.
“Over here, you big lizard!” I bellowed at the top of my lungs, and the dragon’s head swiveled toward me. “Yeah, that’s right you overgrown iguana! Come get me!”
“What are you doing, you fool?” the captain gasped before he turned tail and fled down a side street.
The dragon flapped its wings and turned in the air, so I stomped my foot to activate my fleetness ability. Then I took off running through the streets with the beast hot on my tail. Literally. Fire poured out from its fanged maw and blanketed the cobblestones behind me, but I ignored the heat of the inferno and kept going as fast as I could.
Thankfully, with my griffon feather boots, that was pretty fast, so I managed to stay out of reach of the molten flames.
I kept the dragon away from the castle until I got far enough ahead of it to turn around and take aim. Then I nocked an arrow to the bowstring, and I pulled back the string as the beast approached me. It opened its mouth and let out a blood-curdling roar right in my face, but it seemed like its well of fire was running out since no inferno followed the sound.
At least I hoped it was running out of fire.
Several buildings were going up in flames already, and the thatched roofs weren’t helping. The blaze jumped from rooftop to rooftop, and the fire spread from building to building. The city was already going down, but maybe I could still stop it from taking any lives.
I just wished my ice spell was a little more powerful.
Then I remembered I wasn’t the only person in Bullard who could use magic against the dragon. Where was Kane? Or the enchanter Burnyolf for that matter. There had to be more brave men than the guards sent out to kill the dragon, right?
I decided to reset and try a different tactic.
Chime.
Instead of joining the guards, I stomped my foot to activate the fleetness ability of my boots, and then I dashed through the city toward the western tower. There were no sentries posted outside the door, so nothing stopped me from running straight up to Kane’s study. I didn’t even bother knocking, and I pushed through the portal before I skidded to a halt.
Kane sat in his armchair, but he had his arms wrapped around his body like he was giving himself a hug. His gray eyes were wide with terror, and I could see him shaking from the doorway.
No wonder he hadn’t joined the fight already. He was about to piss his robes with terror.
“Kane, what are you doing up here?” I demanded in a harsh tone. “There’s a dragon out there, and the city needs us.”
The last time I’d seen the court wizard had been our duel in the audience chamber, so I didn’t know if he would follow my orders.
“I am much too old to run to my death.” Kane shook his head. “I am safer here. The stone walls of the tower should protect me.”
“What about the people out there fighting for their lives?” I crossed the distance to him and took him by the shoulders. Then I gave him a hard look, and I held his gray eyes in mine for a long moment. “You have to do something. You’re the court wizard.”
“I am nothing in comparison to the might of a dragon!” Kane shoved me off him, but he rose from his chair and began to pace. “I have heard legends of their might, the heat of their flames, the strength of their magic. To throw my meager skills in its face would be a death wish. Maybe the king’s Grand Wizard would stand a chance, but not me…”
“You can at least help stop the fires from spreading,” I pointed out. I wasn’t about to let him ride this one out. While I could go back in time, I couldn’t be in two places at once, and if I was going to take down this dragon, then I needed some help. “Use your ice spell to combat the blaze, save the town, and become a hero. It's really that simple.”
Kane processed my words for a long silent moment, and then he took a deep, shuddering breath.
“Alright,” he said at last. “I will help.”
“Good.” I grinned. “That’s the spirit. Now, get down there and start putting out fires. If you see anyone, tell them to get to the castle. I’m off to Burnyolf’s next.”
Without waiting for a reply, I dashed back out of the study and down the stairs, but I didn’t stop running until I reached the enchanter’s shop.
Burnyolf was also cowering by his fireplace, and he jumped when I slid into his store. His face was ghostly white, and the lines around his eyes were deeper than I remembered them being.
“Burnyolf, do you have any magical items enchanted with water?” I asked without preamble. “I need your help fighting the dragon’s fire.”
“I-I-I think so?” Burnyolf blinked at me in surprise. “I’ve never fought in a battle before, I’m not sure how much help I could be. Wouldn’t it be best for me to stay out of the way?”
“Innocent people are losing their lives and their livelihoods out there, and there’s no telling when the fires will reach your shop.” I looked around the room and spotted a shelf filled with magical wands and staves. “Do you want all your goods to go up in flames? Or do you want to help prevent that from happening?”
“I cannot lose my shop!” The enchanter leaped to his feet and crossed the room to the shelf. “I might have a water wand, just one moment… Ah, yes, here it is.”
He handed me the wand with a pleased expression, and then he turned to rifle through the rest of the magical items. The wand was made of wood, but it was painted blue, and a stone of the same hue rested at the tip.
I touched my finger to the tip of the want to activate the stats. The text bubble popped up, and I almost laughed out loud at the results.
Durability - 100%
Weight - .5 lbs
Quality - Excellent
Magical Aspect - Water
Magical Ability - 10x Monsoon
“Fuck yeah, Burnyolf!” I exclaimed. “This wand is awesome.”
“I just remembered another magical item in my possession that may serve you well against the dragon,” Burnyolf said in an excited tone. “It’s an ancient spear enchanted with True Aim.”
“What does True Aim mean?” I asked as I mirrored Burnyolf’s excitement.
“It means your aim is not affected by outside variables, such as wind,” the enchanter explained. “The spear will fly true as long as your aim is true.”
“Let me see it.” My pulse quickened at the possibility of a magical spear capable of penetrating the dragon’s thick scales.
The enchanter dug through a big chest that sat in the corner of the shop, and he pulled out a long spear with a brown handle and a black barbed tip.
I took it eagerly from his hands, and I nearly fainted when I saw the stats.
Durability - 100%
Weight - 1lbs
Quality - High
Magical Aspect - Feathering
Magical Ability - True Aim
I tested the weight of the spear in my hand, but it seemed like it weighed nothing. With the feathering aspect and the true aim ability, it was perfect for launching through the air toward an enemy.
“Thank you, Burnyolf,” I said in an earnest voice. “The water wand was powerful, but I’ll take the spear instead. The True Aim ability will definitely help.”
“Thank you for reminding me of who I am,” Burnyolf replied in a solemn tone. “It has been a long time since I encountered a true hero. Go kill the dragon. I will help the people and try to save the city.”
“Let’s do it.” I gave the older man a broad grin, and then I dashed back out the door.
I scanned the streets and the sky for signs of the fire breathing beast, but I spotted it flying over the western tower on the other side of the city. I activated my boots again, and then I crossed the distance back to where I’d just come from. Sweat dripped down my forehead from the exertion it took to run this fast for so long, but I had no time to waste.
The spear felt right in my fist, and I was grateful to have an edge in the fight. I’d never used one before, though, so I knew it would take me several attempts before I mastered it.
I didn’t want to damage the durability permanently by practicing, so I made a new save point once I reached the western tower on the edge of town. The tingling sensation was comforting and familiar, and it soothed my raw nerves.
I was feeling good about the decisions I’d made, and I knew the dragon was going down very soon. All I had to do was hit it in the eye with the spear, and it would be over.
Or so I hoped.
The dragon roared overhead and pulled me from my thoughts.
“Come down here, motherfucker!” I yelled up to the clouds where it taunted me from. “I’ve got a present for you!”
Whether it was my words or coincidence, I didn’t know, but the dragon spiraled from the clouds to land on the roof of Kane’s tower, and I was pleased with myself for getting the court wizard out of there.
How dare you address me in such a vulgar tongue, a voice rang out inside my head. It was deep, gravelly, and brought to mind an image of coals being stirred to life.
“You can understand me?” I asked in disbelief. I craned my neck to stare up into the beast’s amber eyes, and it nodded.
Your petulant protests must be silenced, the dragon continued. Prepare for your inevitable demise.
“Nah, I’m good.” I grinned and adjusted my hand’s position on the spear’s shaft, and before the beast could argue or breathe fire down on me, I launched the spear through the air toward the dragon’s face.
The spear spiraled perfectly as it zoomed through the air toward my target, but the dragon saw it coming and flapped its wings to lift itself off the tower roof.
The spear flew through the empty air where the beast had been a second before, and it landed on the far side of the city wall, out of my reach.
Well, fuck. So much for that magic spear. Maybe I also needed a magic helmet?
“I’ll get you yet you wascally wabbit!” I Elmer Fudded up to the sky with a clenched fist.
Chime.
“Come and fight, you coward!” I shouted into the clouds for the second time, and the dragon landed on the tower roof again.
Who dares to challenge me? the dragon’s voice echoed inside my head, and he sounded very pissed off.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, squared my shoulders, and lifted my chin. “The God of Time does.”
A croaky laugh boomed from the dragon’s mouth, but I decided to silence it with the spear, so I launched my weapon into the air toward the beast’s huge amber eye.
This time, the dragon was distracted and didn’t see the projectile flying through the air toward it, but even with the true aim ability, I missed my mark. The spear flew too low and splintered against the stonewall of the western tower, and the barbed tip exploded into a thousand fractured pieces.
Seemed like I required some major spear-throwing practice.
Good thing I had all the time in the world to perfect the art.
Chime.
I baited the dragon, threw the spear, and then reset when I missed over and over again until I lost count of how many attempts I’d been through. It felt like I’d lived a lifetime in that moment, but each time my throw improved.
The dragon was quick to dodge my weapon, though, so even when I managed a good toss of the spear, he still evaded the hit. I needed to be faster, and more forceful.
My muscles ached immediately after I bucked the spear because I was putting everything I had into it. But after the twentieth time, I still wasn’t getting any closer to my target, so I decided I needed to perfect my technique. I realized if I adjusted my stance, clenched my abs, and let out my breath when I threw that the spear maintained a stronger velocity. Then I started roaring my hips. Then I tried different ways of whipping my arm around.
Even without a master to teach me, I was quickly learning the do and don’ts of spear throwing. There were several times where the dragon killed me with its fire breath, but it only used that technique every other time, so I got better at avoiding it and staying alive. Then I reset for what I hoped would be my final attempt.
Chime.
“Hey, dragon!” I called to the clouds. “Come pick on someone your own size!”
The dragon landed on the western tower, and the croaky laughter bubbled out from its mouth like lava flowing over a precipice.
I see no one worthy, the dragon countered telepathically. Merely a puny human about to die.
“We’ll see about that,” I replied, and then I launched my spear with all my strength and technique.
The barbed tip spiraled as it flew through the air toward the creature’s giant amber eye, and it dug into the gooey substance of the optic orb. The dragon screeched out in pain and anger, and the spear wobbled with its movements, which made it tear into the creature’s flesh even more.
The dragon flapped his wings and thrashed with his claws, but he couldn’t dislodge the spear no matter how he tried.
Arrgh! You have blinded me! The dragon writhed on the tower roof like a cat trying to catch its tail. How dare you injure the great Smiguel!
I laughed out loud, and the dragon huffed angrily. I couldn’t help it, though, since it reminded me of the halfling Smeagol from Lord of the Rings, and I pictured the dragon talking to itself.
“Smiguel, huh?” I grinned. “I’m Sebastian, and this city is under my protection. Now, get the fuck out of here before I take out your other eye.”
You will rue this day, Smiguel declared as he lifted his body off the roof and into the air. This is not over!
Then he flew away, beyond the clouds toward the mountain, and I let out a sigh of relief.
It was over. I’d defeated the dragon, for now. There was no telling when, or if, it would come back, but that was a problem for a different day.
At least the city was safe for the time being.
But how much damage had already been done?