The chick latched its jaws around the leg of one of the sheep and started trying to pull it into the cave. It drug the carcass a few feet before giving up and chirping for its mother. Jade grabbed the limp animal and carried it inside. She did the same to the other as well. Once inside, she breathed a small jet of flames across the wool of the animal. In doing so, Jade was instructing her daughter.
Animal fur and wool could not be digested. If she ate it, the hair would clog up her internal organs and possibly kill her over an extended period of time. So, to circumvent this, dragon’s simply burned the fur away. This was an important lesson for the young hatchling that fire was not just a weapon but also a tool.
As the wool burned away, Jade tore a small chunk from the carcass and held it out for her hatchling to take. The chick snatched the meet from its mother’s mouth and shook it violently. Its teeth were still too small to tear meat with any efficiency, but the hatchling slowly worked it into smaller, more manageable pieces to swallow.
Jade watched her baby with animal pride. Only a few days old, and already the chick had the will of a hunter. In a few years the hatchling would be large enough to start joining Jade on hunts and helping catch its own prey, but for now it needed to rely on its mother. She tore another piece from the sheep and gulped it down. Slowly, helping her daughter along, the two of hem consumed the carcass.
The hatchling also needed to eat furiously because its first hibernation would start soon. In only a matter of weeks, the dragons would enter a state of suspended animation and sleep for three and a half months, awaking some time in early spring. They needed all the food they could get while they could get it, and also to expend as little energy as possible the rest of the time.
Once they fully devoured one of the sheep, Jade stepped back out of the cave and into the sun. The chick followed closely behind. They rested together in the light, the hatchling nuzzled up next to its mother, Jade’s wings spread out on the ground to soak up the warmth of the sun. They slept like this for a long time, warm and content.
Chapter 1 5
V ince stared up that the sky intently. The dreary gray clouds choked off the sunlight. A fierce wing blew in from the north, bringing hail and snow down upon him. A thick black cloak hung from his shoulders and flapped violently in the wind. He gripped his crossbow with both hands, the bowstring locked and a bolt set in place.
In the sky, dark against the clouds, flew a dragon. He recognized it as a male based on its bright orange and red scales, along with its smaller size. The dragon circled overhead, one of Vince’s bolts already embedded in its flank.
He kept his eye on the dragon, never letting it out of his sight, even for an instant. If he did so, it would be gone for good. Vince lifted the crossbow up to eye level and took aim down the barrel. The snow swirled all around him, and his hair whipped in front of his face, all obscuring his vision.
His eyes strained, his pulse quickened. The male dragon swooped low and banked, keeping itself just out of range of his crossbow. What he needed was an opening, and he knew the way to get it.
Vince pulled the trigger on the crossbow, the bowstring snapped forward and the bolt flew towards the dragon overhead. As the bolt closed in on its target, the dragon suddenly twisted and rolled in midair out of its path. The bolt flew harmlessly past.
Vince swore silently under his breath. He clicked the lever under the stock forward and the bowstring reset. As he reloaded the crossbow, the dragon folded its wings and dove straight for him.
This was the moment Vince was waiting for. With his crossbow in one hand, he grabbed the cape fluttering behind him and pulled it over himself. Just as the dragon passed over him, it opened its maw and unleashed a torrent of flames upon him. In that split second before, Vince fired his crossbow at point blank range and then pulled the cloak over his body. He was engulfed in flames, but his specially made cape absorbed the heat and block the fire, shielding him from the dragon’s inferno.
The bolt struck the dragon at the shoulder, right where its body connected to its wing. The dragon bellowed in pain as the metal tip cut through its scales and embedded in its flesh. The great creature tried to flap its wings, but a burst of pain tore from the wing. It struggled in flight, eventually loosing, and crashed to the earth in a cloud of freshly fallen powdered snow.
Vince lifted the cloak over his eyes so he could see. The snow settled back as the dragon emerged. It fixed its hateful gaze on the mercenary, snarling and growling. Blood slowly oozed out from the injury to its wing, but the dragon hardly seemed to notice. All its focus was on the human that grounded it.
The dragon inhaled deeply, its chest expanded and it reared up on its hind legs. Vince knew exactly what was coming, he was counting on it. He pulled his cape back over himself just as the dragon unleashed all the fire it could muster. Now that it was grounded and without the need to use its internal fuel for flight, it held nothing back.
Vince became surrounded in flame, the roar of the fire deafened him, and the heat was almost unbearable. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and the tips of his beard started to singe, but he held firm.
The fire ceased. The heat dissipated quickly in the cold air. Vince threw the cloak off and stood triumphantly. The dragon gasped for breath, steam rose from its mouth. It had put everything it had into that blast, and yet Vince still stood. It inhaled again, but this time only tiny blue flames escaped passed its teeth. All its internal heat had been used it, it had nothing left to burn.
The dragon curled its lips. It roared at its attacker, yet he did not flinch. Vince knew dragon behavior better than most, he could tell this was a sign of desperation. The dragon could not fly, nor could it breathe fire. Now was the time to strike the killing blow.
Vince set his crossbow aside and drew his sword from the scabbard at his hip. Gripping the pommel tightly, he charged the dragon.
Seeing the human come charging at it left the dragon unnerved. It reared back on its hind legs, holding its wings to steady itself, and slashed its claws at the attacker. Vince ducked down under the swinging talons and thrust his sword forward. The blade stabbed dragon flesh, pierced through the tough scales and penetrated deep into the chest and heart. Blood sprayed from wound and splashed across Vince’s face and hands.
The dragon roared in agony. Its legs were unable to support itself. The once mighty beast fell to the earth with a thundering crash that shook the ground. It breathed its last just as its eyes rolled back and it succumbed to death.
Vince stood over his kill. His sword was coated with the creature’s blood, along with his face and his hands. He panted for air, his chest heaved. He brushed a strand of blood soaked hair out of his face. Then he gripped his sword again, raised it over his head, and brought it back down on the dragon’s neck. He hacked at it vehemently until the final strips of flesh were cut and the severed head rolled away from the rest of the body.
With that done, Vince cleaned his sword in the snow before drying it with his cape and sheathing it. He picked up the dragon’s head, which was itself larger than a horse’s head, and carried it back to where his apprentice, Rennec, waited with the two horses. Along the way he also picked up his crossbow whence he put it.
“Was it the one, sir?” Rennec asked. “The one that escaped in Italy?”
“That it was.” Vince threw the severed head into the cart attached to Rennec’s horse before climbing on the back of his own. He fit his feet through the stirrups and took the reins. “Now, let us continue.”
“Where are we to go, sir?” Rennec asked. He kicked the gelding and it started forward.
“We’ll continue east. That female from the Alps is still out there, and it was this direction she traveled.” Vince ran his fingers across the scar that ran down the entire right side of his face, from his forehead to his chin. “I know of a village were we can stay.”
“How far have we traveled, sir?” Rennec asked.
“These are no longer the mountains of the Alps.” Vinc
e replied. “Now, these are the Carpathians.”
Chapter 16
R ichard sat up on the edge of the straw mattress. His right hand clasped over his left shoulder, rubbing the tenseness and aches out of it. It was getting better now, he could roll his arm all the way around without a problem, and when he tried, he could pull a bow sting back to its full draw length. Still, he was not fully recovered yet.
A knock came to his door. He quickly stood and threw a tunic on before answering. Rachel stood on the other side. “Richard,” she said, “Sir Ardose has returned.”
“He has?” Richard’s voice betrayed his excitement. He rushed over to the door and pushed past her. He found Sir Ardose standing by the fireplace, dressed in a long black cloak with a jeweled headband around his forehead and matching gloves on each hand. He stroked his beard and listened as Helga recounted the recent events, when he noticed his squire. “My lord.” Richard dropped to one knee and bowed his head in respect.
“Richard,” Ardose said, “I read about your incident with the dragon in the letter your rider sent. And have just been told about your brave attempts to slay the beast yourself. I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”
“Yes, sir. Recovering well.” Richard answered, he quickly stood.
Ardose stepped aside; he hung his cloak on the rack by the door. “Allow me to introduce the man who will solve this dragon infestation for us.” He gestured to the old, grim-looking figure. Richard had been so exhilarated in Sir Ardose’s return; he had not noticed the other man standing in the corner, hidden in shadow. “This is Cain; he’s a professional dragon slayer. The moment I heard about what had happened, I contacted and hired him.”
Richard eyes the old man. He was at first confused when this man appeared with Ardose at the door, but now hearing what he was, Richard felt even more concerned. This man looked far too old and frail to hunt dragons for a living, unless it was something he used to do long ago when he was a young man. Still, the young squire gave a bow. “It is an honor to make your acquaintance.”
“I feel the same way.” Cain spoke. Hearing his voice for the first time sent a shiver running down Richard’s spine. This combined with his jutting cheekbones, deeply furled brows, and ice-blue eyes, gave Cain the appearance of a deadly menace. “You lord has spoken highly of you since we’ve met.”
“I am flattered.” Richard said. He kept his lips firmly sealed, concealing his emotions.
“I’d like to remind you, Ardose,” Cain turned back to the knight, “that I have a charge a significant fee for the dragon’s disposal. Every family in the village must produce a small sum for my services.”
“Yes, of course. I have not forgotten.” Ardose waved his hand in the air as if it meant nothing to him.
Richard, however, was shocked to hear this. “Excuse me, my lord,” He said, “A small sum? How much is a small sum? Many of these people do not have much to live on, especially with winter soon approaching. Is this really necessary?”
“I’m afraid it is.” Ardose replied. He gently placed a hand over his squire’s shoulder, and when Richard tensed up from pain, he pulled it back. “I’m sorry. Helga just told me about what the dragon had done to you, but I’d forgotten already. The truth is, we need a man like Cain to deal with this. Once the dragon is dealt with, then life can return to normal, and it is better that the people only have to pay a little coin then have their homes destroyed.”
“Sir Ardose, you still haven’t answered me. How much is a small sum?” Richard asked again, more earnestly.
“That will be decided tomorrow.” Ardose said. “Right now, I want you to go back home and get a good night’s rest. We leave out first thing in the morning once the fee has been collected.”
“You mean to say I will be accompanying you?”
“Of course. You are my squire, I can’t go into battle without you at my side.” Ardose said with a smile.
As nice as his lord’s words were, Richard still couldn’t shake the feeling of danger that emanated from Cain. Nor the idea of the people’s coin being taken so casually by this man. Still, he trusted the wisdom of Sir Ardose, and made no fuss about it.
The next morning, Richard found himself standing outside the steeple of the church once again. This time he was dressed fully in his armor with the sword, Lion’s Fang, attached to the belt at his waist. He wore a large cloak of animal fur which reached down from his shoulders to his ankles for warmth. He held the reins of three horses, one for each of them, as he waited for Ardose and Cain to finish collecting the dragon slayer’s fee.
Looking up at the mountain, he saw dark clouds circling around it. There was likely a storm coming, he thought it might be a better idea to postpone the assault until a better day, but Cain insisted on this day.
The priest, Father Josef, came outside to greet him. “Good morning, my child.” The priest spoke. “I’ve heard our dear lord returned last night. And brought us a savior in our time of need.”
“I’m not entirely sure about that.” Richard replied. With his eyes fixed on the clouds moving in on the mountain, he brought himself to ask, “Father, do you think believe this quest is true?”
“How do you mean, son?” Father Josef asked.
“I have no doubts about slaying the beast, but I’m more concerned about the company.” Richard explained. “Something about this dragon slayer seems frightening to me.”
“You’re still having trouble, then, in trusting in the decisions of your lord.” Father Josef said. “Our Sir Ardose is a man of God, I have no question about that. Whatever he’s chosen to do is the right thing.”
“I want to believe it.” Richard muttered under his breath.
Sir Ardose and Cain appeared from the village and approached the church. The knight held two large leather sacks of gold coins, one in each hand. “Richard!” Ardose called. “Take these and secure them to my horse.”
Richard took the gold from the knight, the weight surprised him and almost made him fall. “Sir, how much is in here?”
“Enough.” Sir Ardose responded. He placed his foot in the stirrup and mounted his horse.
“This feels like the worth of the entire village.” Richard said as he attached the bags of gold coins to Ardose’s saddle.
Cain gave a slight, but sinister grin. “It is. As I said, my services do not come cheap.” Cain saddled his own horse. He grasped the reins tightly in his long, knobby, bony fingers.
Richard stared dumbstruck at the bags of gold he’d just attached to Ardose’s horse. The whole village, every single piece of gold, almost everything they had aside from the clothes on their backs, all right in front of him. And all of it going to this dragon slayer.
He looked up at Sir Ardose, hoping that what was happening wasn’t right. He wished that what Cain just said was not the truth, and that he wasn’t really taking everything they owned. He didn’t get that, instead Sir Ardose simple responded, “I know it seems harsh, now, but you must trust me. It’s for the best.”
Richard took the reins of his own horse and mounted it. He did not look at Cain, or Sir Ardose, or even Father Josef. What had just happened disturbed him greatly, and left his faith in the knight and his lord severely shaken.
“Now, say a prayer for us, Father.” Sir Ardose motioned to the priest. He then snapped the reins and set off for the mountain.
Chapter 1 7
I n her cave nestled within the mountain, Jade gnawed on a stump of bone. Her daughter and her had consumed the second sheep easily and it was time to hunt again. The chick rubbed its face against her and chirped for food.
Jade was torn. She knew that the baby needed food if it was to survive its first hibernation through winter, and in order to do that she would have to pilfer from the village again. But she also knew that to continue stealing from the humans was dangerous, as it had been for her before. As it stood, however, there was no other food source.
She took the bone in her jaws and snapped it in two. The shattered pieces of bo
ne fell to the ground, were the hatchling promptly pounced on them hungrily. It licked at the marrow in the bones with its long tongue. Jade walked to the edge of her cave, a fierce wind howled and chunks of frozen water plummeted from the dark clouds above. Every instinct she had told her to stay in the cave, hunker down, and wait for the storm to pass. All except one. Her maternal instinct pressed her on, told her to brave the storm and go to the village.
Jade gave herself a running start out of the cave. Once she was free of the confining walls, she flared her wings and leapt into the air. The harsh wind battered her and almost forced her back to the ground, but she was strong. She fought the wind and regained her balance in the air. The going was slow, but she was headed back towards the village.
***
Richard’s foot sank deep into the snow with each step. First they rode the horses as far up the mountain as they could go, and when the horses had to be left behind they started on foot. The wind was howling around them and snow flew in all directions.
“Are you doing okay, Richard?” Ardose hollered over the howling winds.
“Yes, sir!” Richard called back. He held his hand out in front of his face to ward off the worst of the stinging cold winds. Even so, it chilled him to the bones.
At his waist, sheathed in its leather scabbard, hung the sword Lion’s Fang. He tried to give it back to Ardose the day before, but the knight refused. “You used that blade to strike the dragon. You should keep it.” Sir Ardose had said. “and besides, after handling it, I prefer my old sword anyway.”
Richard had no intention of having to use his sword, the likelihood of him having to face the dragon himself was slim; that was the job of Sir Ardose and Cain, but the possibility still prompted him to carry it. Besides, he didn’t trust Cain.
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