by Sam Ferguson
“Told him what?” Kathair asked eagerly, leaning in anxiously.
Britner smiled wide, teeth illuminated by the fire’s orange glow. He continued the tale without answering the question. “Alerik shook his head slowly, explaining that he had needed to know he could trust Terrelius. Terrelius shook his head and protested, ‘You cannot expect us to go on like this!’ Alerik placed a hand on Terrelius’ shoulder and squeezed hard.
“‘You must,’ Alerik said. ‘If you do not, then my secret will be exposed and the dragon will have the advantage.’ Alerik sighed and looked up to the cave, then back to Terrelius. ‘Let us fight as comrades. They are the other edge of the single sword we wield against our foe. Fight with me, and we can succeed. Desert now, and all is lost.’
“Terrelius asked Alerik to tell him how he had accomplished his secret feat, but Alerik would only agree to tell if they survived their encounter with the dragon.
“What secret?” Kathair shouted. “What did Alerik tell Terrelius?”
“Pipe down and let him finish,” Foman called out.
Kathair blushed as he realized how silly his excitement must have made him look to them. He settled in and listened to Britner, biting his tongue and waiting as patiently as he could for the story to unfold and reveal its secrets.
“Alerik went for his horse. The entire group was quick to fall into place, often glancing around them and behind them at the grotesque scene left from the previous night. They moved along at a grueling pace. The men on foot almost had to jog to keep up with Alerik as he led them through the winding valley, across streams and around the thick brush and birch trees flanking the mighty river that had been siphoned off in places to make beaver ponds. The going was tough, pushing through sticky branches and grabby vines, but they made it to a small, rock outcropping that jutted out from the base of a large hillock.
‘“We sleep under this tonight. Then, just after dawn, we will go for the dragon,’ Alerik said.
‘“It is still mid-afternoon,’ Terrelius protested. ‘Why not go for the dragon now?’
“As if the beast could hear them, a mighty roar shook the valley. All of the horses, except for Alerik’s, bucked and shied away. Two threw their riders to the ground and ran off, but the others were soon calmed. Alerik turned a wicked grin at Terrelius and glanced down to his horse. Then he pointed back to the clumps of birch trees they had just emerged from. ‘Have your men cut down enough lumber to create pikes and poles. We will ring the rock outcropping with a palisade of birch wood. That will keep us for the night. We can fit our entire group under the rocky overhang, so the dragon will not spy us from above. The pikes will keep out other unwanted guests.’
“Terrelius clenched his jaw and his nostrils flared. ‘It had better,’ he growled before turning to relay the orders to the men. Alerik dismounted and went under the rocky structure. As he went farther back and the ground rose up slightly closer to the rock, he put his hand up and let it slide along the smooth, black surface. As he felt the pits and bumps in the rock he recalled the previous night he had spent here. The men had been strong, valiant warriors all. There had been no singing, no games, and no story telling among them. They had all sat quietly, each pondering fires within their own souls while watching the orange flames from the campfires around them.
“After a few minutes, Alerik found the very spot where he had slept. He remembered it clearly because there was a dip in the ground, with a large gray stone covered with orange lichen half buried in the dirt. He set his sword and over cloak down near the rock and slowly turned to slide into the depression in the dirt. No sooner did he lie back, than he could see the faint images of his past comrades - those who had depended upon each other, upon him, to fight the dragon. Here he was again, lying in the same dirty hole, preparing to march against a dragon. Only this time, he had fewer men at his side, and none of them seemed to match the prowess of their predecessors who had perished in those earlier hot, white flames. He could still hear their screams and cries, and he could still smell their burning flesh. A shiver ran up his spine and then down his forearms. He flexed his fingers, trying to break free from the memory. He leaned his head back on the rock, adjusting around until the smooth, convex curve fit the groove of his neck, and then he closed his eyes, meditating upon the morrow until sleep overtook him.
“When his eyes opened again, it was night. A couple of camp fires smoldered nearby, with the smell of roasted meat still lingering in the air. He sat up and bumped a small, wooden plate with a bit of meat and beans on it. He took the food up and tore off one bite, but the meat had no flavor to him. Perhaps on another day he would have enjoyed the meal, but not on this night. His stomach protested and his mouth refused to produce any saliva. It was as if his entire body was revolting against the morsel, so he spit it out.
“He crawled up from his spot and picked his way through the men, careful not to wake them. He made his way to the north, heading for the same small crevice that he had used on that night so many years ago to escape from the camp unseen.
“Unbeknownst to Alerik, Terrelius only feigned sleep. He was watching Alerik through half-closed eyes from a spot only a few yards away. When the large man disappeared from the camp, leaving his sword and over cloak behind, Terrelius felt a sour, gripping ache tear at his stomach. He sat up slowly, looking around at his men, and offered a prayer to the old gods for help. Just as he finished his prayer, that same, strange growl erupted in the night from somewhere beyond the outcropping. Unlike other nights though, the sound only was heard once. Terrelius stayed awake, listening carefully for any sign of the beast that had attacked his men the night before, but if it was nearby, he was not for knowing.
“He soon rose to his feet and spent the rest of the night pacing about the camp under the rocky overhang, half dreading and half longing for the golden dawn. When Alerik had told Terrelius of a plan as he had whispered his secret to the captain the day before, he had also explained where the beast would be. Alerik was to sneak out during the night, undetected, and then Terrelius was to march to the agreed upon spot in the morning. He struck a fist into his open palm and hoped to the gods that he had made the right decision in trusting the old man.
When the first rays of light finally broke the darkness, he began rousing his men and getting them ready. There was no breakfast this day. The men just donned their armor, checked their swords, and fell into lines under the rock. It wasn’t long before they noticed Alerik had disappeared, but none of them mentioned it. Terrelius paced before them, waiting for the last of them to be ready, and then he addressed his men briefly.
‘“I know we are fewer now than when we began, and I know we face something that a force twice our size barely beat. However, do not fret, we have Alerik, the Dragonslayer. He left in the night so that he might get close to the beast. While we attack from the front, he will sneak to its rear. We will be like a mighty hammer, and he will be our anvil as we strike the dragon down!’ Terrelius shouted.
“A cheer broke out among the men and then Terrelius gave the signal to march out. They ran out from under the rock and turned down to the south, toward the dragon’s last known location. Terrelius shouted at them as they passed by, swearing at some, encouraging others. This was no time to let his men have doubts, even if he still did.
“With the last of the men on the road, Terrelius quickly mounted his horse and tore off to lead the group. They marched for just over an hour before they came upon a blackened, charred land filled with scraggly, ashen tree stumps and covered in embers and soot. The normal smells of the forest were replaced by a thick, heavy sulfuric odor that made the men cough and hack. They slowed their pace as they approached a large, black hill. This was where Alerik had said the dragon would be, lying in slumber on the other side of a hill, nestled in his bed of coal and ash. The troop moved up, swords slowly sliding out of their sheaths and spears leveling with their points facing forward.
“Terrelius’ heart skipped a few beats and his throat clo
gged when he caught sight of the massive beast. The head was easily twenty feet long, covered in scales the size of bronze shields and armed with fangs the size of a man. The nostrils flared lazily as the beast slumbered heavily. Its eyes were closed tight. The dragons brown, leathery wings were tucked in tight against its back, revealing its heaving belly as it breathed. Terrelius pointed to the underbelly and his men nodded. Despite the fact that even this area looked strong as steel, it was their best hope of slaying the beast. Across the dragon’s back stood plates and horns made of bone, ending in a tri-tipped spiked tail. Each of the dragon’s feet also bore claws at least as long as the dragon’s fangs.
‘“We do not fight a beast,’ said one of the men. ‘We are fighting an army, at least a thousand strong. We are no more able to slay it than we could break down a castle with a hammer and chisel.’
‘“Be silent,’ Terrelius reprimanded. ‘We strike while the beast is asleep. Onward!’
“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 roll
ed 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.’
“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.