Dimwater's Demons

by Sam Ferguson

  “The men picked up the pace and charged in. A few peeled off from the group, kneeled in the ash and soot and drew their bows back, aiming for the dragon’s head. The rest went for the underbelly. Axe, spear, and sword struck against scales of granite, damaging the weapons more than anything else. The beast drew in a great breath, and with unearthly speed it rose to all fours and lashed out with its tail. It skewered three men and flung their bodies away. Arrows glanced off its head and neck. It turned and blasted the archers with a wave of orange and yellow flame that reduced them to dust.

  ‘“There, men, strike there!’ Terrelius shouted as he pointed his blade to an opening near the underside of the dragon’s tail. It looked to be the only vulnerable area on the animal’s body.

  “Within seconds, one of the warriors heaved a battle axe through the air, and the blade did in fact bite into the scales near the orifice, showing that it was indeed a soft spot. The dragon bellowed madly and crushed a group of men with her rear left foot. Then she bathed the ground in flame, forcing the group to retreat or die in her fiery wrath.

  “The tail came down, crushing a man on horseback to the ground, merging both broken bodies together like some sort of fleshy pancake. Then the dragon reared her neck back, like a snake might do, peering down at the men before her.”

  Britner cleared his throat and bellowed out the next part loudly. ‘“What is this?’ the dragon sneered. ‘A handful of babes in skins and metal think to destroy the mighty Garnuthak?’ The dragon laughed heartily and struck out lightning fast with her left foreleg. She seized a man in her grasp and brought him closer to her eyes for inspection. ‘What hope have you now?’ Terrelius watched helplessly. The man squirmed to get free, cursing at the beast all the while.

  ‘“What do we do?’ one of the men shouted. ‘We can’t pierce her hide.’

  ‘“Where is Alerik?’ shouted another.

  “Terrelius stood silently, eyes fixed on the man in the dragon’s clutches. Finally, her eyes caught his gaze and she dropped the man as a child might drop an old doll when given a new one. She brought her face low to the ground and extended her neck out. Terrelius’ men trembled and backed away as the dragon slightly opened its fang-filled snout, revealing the ever-hot, orange glow in its throat.

  ‘“You lead this band against me?’ the dragon asked. ‘Why?’

  “Terrelius stood firm, matching the gaze in the dragon’s left eye. ‘I cannot let you terrorize this land. You must be stopped.’

  ‘“Ha!’ she sniggered as she snapped her head back to survey what was left of the group. ‘You have only thirty men left. I have killed scores more than that in a single spurt of my fiery breath,’ she claimed.

  ‘“What do we do?’ the men asked again. ‘Do we attack?’

  ‘“No,’ the dragon answered. A low, rumbling growl formed in her throat and her very eyes burned with anger. ‘You will die!’ Out poured searing flame, catching all who were too slow to evade its fury. The dragon tramped around the ashen land, seeking the men out one by one. She bit some, stomped others, and crushed others under her tail. The men fought as valiantly as they could, but there was nothing they could do to stop her onslaught.

  “Terrelius charged in, yelling a final war cry and beseeching the gods for strength. The few remaining men joined him, rushing forward to give their last efforts. The dragon laughed heartily, almost smiling at the challengers. She sat back on her hind legs and prepared to strike again.

  ‘“GARNUTHAK!’ came a shout from behind the dragon. ‘Have you forgotten your oath, you foul demon?’

  “The dragon’s sneer vanished from her face and she whirled around to face her newest rival. Her tail whipped up dust, soot, and ash, forcing Terrelius and his men to stop. Terrelius could just make out Alerik’s outline atop a hill beyond the dragon. He stood alone, with a gleaming spear in hand.

  ‘“You,’ the dragon hissed. ‘I thought you would be dead by now.’

  ‘“A mortal’s life is short,’ Alerik agreed. ‘But I am still here, dragon.’

  ‘“And you, did you break your oath to me?’ Garnuthak probed. ‘You did give me your word of honor.’

  “Alerik pointed to the base of the hill. Terrelius and his remaining warriors took a collective step back when a second dragon came around the hill, standing almost as tall as Garnuthak, and certainly just as deadly. ‘I never break my oath,’ Alerik shouted.

  “A second dragon!” Kathair shouted. He couldn’t stifle the excitement he felt. Dengar and Foman laughed, but Britner continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted at all. He stalked around the fire and crouched low as he spoke in his impersonation of the dragon’s voice. ‘“Then how is it you are still alive?!’ Garnuthak hissed. She turned to the dragon and lowered her head, gazing into the second dragon’s eyes.

  “The second dragon growled and clawed the ground, but stood mostly still.

  ‘“He does not know you,’ Alerik shouted. ‘The years he spent forming in his egg, I sang to him. I sang the very song you sang before I took the egg from your nest. He recognizes me as his family now, not you.’

  ‘“Impossible!’ Garnuthak bellowed. She turned and swiped the ground before Alerik, tearing the earth and stone apart. “He should have killed you once he hatched!” She turned and looked to the other dragon one more time and then looked back to Alerik. ‘For your treachery, I will kill you myself!’

  “Alerik held up the spear and shouted, ‘You cannot!’ He pointed the tip at her throat. ‘You swore to me, gave me a dragon’s oath, that you would never lay a hand on me so long as I protected your son from death.’

  ‘“You stole him from me!’ she hissed. ‘What else could I say?’

  ‘“You also swore never to return so long as your son lived!’ Alerik bellowed. ‘“Do you remember the punishment for breaking that oath?’

  ‘“You cannot enforce the rules of a dragon’s oath, you are but a human!’

  “Alerik set the butt of the spear on the ground and then pointed to the second dragon. ‘But he is not. Your son is a dragon, and he can enforce the dragon’s oath.’

  “Garnuthak’s eyes widened and she backed a few steps away. She set her gaze back to the other dragon. The two locked stares for what seemed an eternity. Then, Garnuthak bowed her head. A misty, green vapor rose from the ashen earth, enveloping her form. The fire in her throat was quenched in one breath, and her scales began to fall off, revealing soft, pink skin underneath. Her fangs broke and fell from her snout, as if they had been rotting for thousands of years, her claws became brittle and snapped under her weight. All of her horns and spikes shed from her body as easily as though it were a dog breaking free from its winter coat. The mist then fell back to the ground and vanished.

  “Garnuthak humbly lowered herself to the ground. ‘Are you satisfied now, human?’ she hissed resentfully. ‘My shame is more than I can bear.’

  “Alerik tapped his spear on the ground three times. ‘A dragon’s oath is more than a man’s,’ he said. ‘It is an oath sealed by great magic.’ The second dragon rolled over onto its back and extended its young, still tender neck.

  ‘“What are you doing?’ Garnuthak asked.

  ‘“The second part of your punishment, should you break your dragon’s oath. Do you not remember it?’ Alerik started walking down the hill.

  ‘“No!’ Garnuthak bellowed. ‘Let him live!’

  “Alerik stopped and turned. ‘You gave me a dragon’s oath,’ he said. ‘Your oath was to never return so long as I lived. In return, I gave you an oath to never harm your son. The terms of your oath were clear. Should you ever return, I would be able to call forth your shame, and I would be set free from my oath.’

  ‘“I never thought my son would willfully obey your command,’ she said. ‘I thought he would tear you asunder!’ She desperately turned to the other dragon and grunted, gesturing with her head for him to rise and fight back.

  “Alerik nodded. ‘I would be willing to let him live on one condition.’r />
  “Garnuthak turned to him. ‘What is it?’

  “Alerik raised his spear to the air. ‘Surrender yourself to Captain Terrelius and his men. Now that you have no scales, they can make a clean death for you, and you will trouble our lands no more. Do this, and I will again be bound by my oath to never harm your son.’

  “Garnuthak looked to Terrelius, then to Alerik, and then back to her son. She closed her eyes and extended her long, scale-less neck toward Terrelius. ‘Strike fast and true,’ she said as a single tear welled in her eye.

  “Alerik tapped his spear on the ground three times. The second dragon rolled over to sit on its haunches. As Terrelius and his men closed in, the young dragon sang a song that caused the ground to shake. He continued singing until Garnuthak’s spirit floated out from her body, and into the heavens from which it had been born. Then, all was silent.

  “Alerik gathered the water of Garnuthak’s tear into a vial, and then looked to Terrelius. ‘I am glad that you trusted me,’ he said.

  “Terrelius looked to his remaining seven men and nodded. ‘And I am glad you held to your word.’

  ‘“You knew about this?’ one of the men asked as he pointed to the young dragon.

  “Terrelius shook his head. ‘Not until after the night by the cave.’

  ‘“How do you control a dragon?’ one of the warriors asked of Alerik. ‘And how did you know this dragon’s name?’

  Alerik’s head sunk low and then he sighed. ‘Did you not hear the discourse between me and Garnuthak?’ he asked. ‘Thirty years ago, I could see that we were heading to our doom. So I snuck out at night, careful to track the dragon without being seen. I found its nest, and inside I found an egg. I stole it, and hid it from Garnuthak. Five of the other warriors went in with me on the plan. I brought the egg to them and they took it to the Gray Wood. I then approached the dragon the next day. I was too late to save the other warriors, but my five companions and I survived and struck a deal with Garnuthak.’

  ‘“But how did you know it would work?’ Terrelius asked.

  “Alerik smiled slightly. ‘I had spent a lot of time reading of dragons,’ he explained. ‘Have you ever heard of The Compendium Drakonis?’ Terrelius shook his head. Alerik smiled and looked back to the young dragon. ‘It is the largest work about dragons ever compiled by man. It discusses every aspect you could ever think about.’ Alerik then held the vial up in the air with the dragon’s tear and swirled it in the light. ‘Now, we should discuss what we do from here.’

  “Terrelius stepped forward. ‘Before we do that, I want to ask something.’ His stern gaze met Alerik’s and the captain slid his bloody sword back into its hilt. ‘If you could control the dragon, why did it attack my men outside the cave, and why did you not let us out in the Gray Wood at night?’

  “Alerik frowned. ‘I don’t control the dragon,’ he said honestly. ‘I have formed a bond with him, so that he views me as family. This took decades to do, and even now I do not understand exactly how strong the bond is, and what might break it. While my song usually calms him and makes him listen to my commands, he is still a wild beast at heart, and there is no knowing when our bond may dissolve.’ He paused and then glanced at the other men. ‘He hunts at night, as did his mother. While I have been able to teach him not to hunt the people that live with me in the Gray Wood, I have not been able to break him from attacking strangers who wander into his territory.’

  ‘“So when he reaches adulthood, he will hunt like his mother did?’ one of the warriors asked.

  “Alerik nodded. ‘And that is why we need to discuss what happened here,’ he said. ‘No one can know that this dragon exists.’ Alerik turned and looked at the young dragon. ‘Nor can anyone know that I survived. You six will return, claim the reward for yourselves, and live out your lives however you like. I ask only that you let me and the dragon depart out to the east, and never reveal our secret.’

  ‘“Where will you go?’ Terrelius asked.

  ‘“Best that you not know. I will say that it will be far enough away that even after I die, this beast will not return. There are lands that are yet savage far out to the east, where hunting is plenty, and he will be happy there.’

  ‘“We could kill it,’ one of the warriors put in.

  “Alerik scoffed. ‘You couldn’t slay him any more than you could pierce his mother’s scales, but there is no need to find out. Everyone put forth your left hand and we will take an oath. The men put forth their hands and Alerik used the spearhead to slice their palms. As the blood dripped to the ground below they each swore an oath, vowing never to speak of how the dragon had truly been defeated, or reveal that Alerik yet lived.

  “Then they parted ways. The six began their journey back to the king, carrying bloody dragon fangs from Garnuthak as proof of her death. Alerik rode upon the young dragon’s back as the beast took to the sky and flew out to the east, disappearing over the mountains, never to return.

  “When the six finally arrived at the castle, they were welcomed with a shower of rose petals and lilies. The king held a grand feast for seven days. One day to celebrate each of the living heroes, and one more to honor the fallen. When the feast was over, the king brought out the promised ransom, and divided it among the six. The five warriors each set out on their separate ways, retiring from battle and taking up more peaceful lives in countryside villas.

  “Captain Terrelius returned to the Gray Wood. He used his treasure to build up Alerik’s bastion where he became friends with the young bard, who, he discovered, was the son of one of Alerik’s five companions who had helped him to hide away Garnuthak’s egg those many years ago. After telling him the whole of the true story, the bard composed the tale a great battle which told of how Alerik died while delivering the final deathblow to the terrible dragon. He swore an oath to Terrelius to proclaim this story throughout the kingdom until the day of his own death. Terrelius then gave a portion of the treasure to the bard for the young man to use as he traveled around the kingdom singing praises to Alerik the Dragonslayer. So it is told, from village to city, and kingdom to empire, that Alerik the Great slew the beast whilst entangled in its jaws, saving all by offering his own life. None were ever to know the truth as it really happened.”

  Kathair screwed up his face and shook his head. “Then how do you know?” he asked.

  Dengar laughed. “He’s a quick one, isn’t he?” he said.

  Britner patted the air. “The young bard wrote the true account down in his journal. After his death, it was discovered by his grandson. From then on, the true account has been known. Either way, this story isn’t about how Garnuthak died. It’s about the savage nature of dragons.”

  “You see,” Dengar put in as he pointed to Britner. “Alerik’s baby dragon hunted humans too. Even as tame as it was, Alerik could never break it from its monstrous appetites. So, to answer your question, a dragon might come to like a person or two, if a bond is formed at birth, but it will always be savage on the inside. Just like that night outside of the cave, a dragon could turn on anyone at any time.”

  “What happened to Alerik?” Kathair asked.

  Britner shrugged. “No one ever heard from him again.”

  “Probably eaten up by his own dragon,” Dengar said. “Come on, let’s turn in and get some sleep.”

  Britner nodded and turned a narrowed pair of eyes on Kathair as he held up a warning finger. “Even if a dragon lives beyond the reach of the curse, they can’t be trusted.”

  Kathair spent the rest of the night playing the tale over and over in his mind. At first he thought the others might be right, but then he thought about it more and he came up with a different idea. If even the mother would give an oath for the life of her unhatched egg, then dragons weren’t all that different from men. Bigger, more deadly perhaps, but greed beset men just as easily as dragons it seemed. What mattered to Kathair was two things. First, the love that Garnuthak had for her offspring and second, the fact that the young dragon did in fact l
earn to let everyone in Alerik’s bastion live. More than that, it had not attacked Terrelius or the others at the mountain. In fact, it sounded as though the young dragon followed Alerik’s commands.

  So what did that mean for Leatherback? Would he remain loyal to Kyra, or would he someday become more animalistic? Kathair wished he could know how Alerik spent the rest of his years with the young dragon. Still, he took the tale as a sign of hope. If Kyra and Leatherback could get the dragon beyond the mountains and the sea, then he could escape the curse.

  Chapter 14

  Kyra waited in the library, reading her books and pacing back and forth from the table to the window overlooking the courtyard. She knew that Lepkin had gone on patrol with the dragon slayers, but he was due to return today, and she was more than anxious to tell him the news about the garunda.

  It was well after noon before she saw them ride into the courtyard below. Kyra nearly squealed with excitement and turned to rush toward the door, but stopped short when she saw Feberik standing there, watching her. Kyra’s smile vanished and her stomach flipped.

  Feberik offered a half-smile and he glanced out to a window near him. He sighed and then held out his hand. “I thought we could have an early dinner tonight,” he said.

  Kyra had been so excited about the garunda that she had entirely forgotten about her weekly dinner with Feberik and Janik. It wasn’t exactly an event she enjoyed going to, but she had never been able to excuse herself from one before either.

  She wanted to ask the large warrior why he was doing this. Why was he still going through with the betrothal? She wanted to tell him that it was never going to happen. Even if Leatherback could never fly north, away from this land, she was never ever going to marry Feberik, of that she was certain, but the words would not come to her. Instead, she stood there, silent and unmoving while Feberik held his hand out for her.

  “Are you not hungry?” Feberik asked.

  Kyra sighed and shook her head. “Perhaps we can skip this week,” she said.