RANKED 2nd BY VOTERS IN CHARACTER CREATION CONTEST #72!
Date | CB 1-Shots | View | Read the... |
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05/09/18 | St. George: The City of Dragons | (Blog) (Forum) | Disclaimer |
Rating | Rating explanation |
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T | Violence. |
"Are you sure this is the right way?" my companion asked for the seventh time in an hour.
"Without doubt," I said tersely.
He persisted, "I only ask, m'lord, because this cavern hardly seems like the way to the City of Dragons. Are you sure they don't live among the Floating Rocks? It seems like creatures that could fly would live on floating rocks, don't it?"
I stopped then. I stared ahead at the birds circling one of the giant twisting roots we would have to traverse to get to our destination, and sighed. Taking a deep, slow breath, I turned to the man carrying my supplies, and asked, "What did you say your name is again?"
He smiled nervously, but answered, "You never asked my name, m'lord; only if I would carry your pack on this journey." He smiled wryly, but added, "My name is Kaseem, m'lord."
"Well, Kaseem, I keep telling you that the dragons do not live on the Floating Rocks. They don't live here in the Roots of Yggdrasil. Only the God Squirrel does, and he is not concerned with our presence, although he will surely let his master know that we have been by this way. They don't live in the Cloud Realm. That's the heavenly hosts. They don't live in the Volcanic Flats. That's the phoenixes. They don't live in the Dark Waters of Wy. We don't know what lives there, but dragons don't hide... although they do like their solitude at times. But they do not live on the Floating Rocks. Something else lives on the Floating Rocks, and not even the dragons go there. If you ask me about the Floating Rocks again, when we get to the City of Dragons, I will throw you from the city bridge as we enter."
He cowered only slightly, not quite sure if I was serious or not. He gulped as if his mouth had gone dry, then plucked up his courage enough to say, "I was only asking m'lord. I suppose it doesn't matter to dragons how we get to their city. They probably get there by air anyway." He nodded approvingly at his own words, but still asked, "Don't you think?"
I forced a thin smile. "They have wings. I suppose it would be foolish if they did not." I turned and continued up the next long root, and he followed.
We traveled in silence until we reached the birds I had seen circling in the distance. They were circling a pile of the God Squirrel's dung. It wasn't a pleasant smell, but the birds seemed to like it. Kaseem complained only mildly. I remained quiet, preferring to concentrate on breathing shallowly.
We had navigated another seven roots when Kaseem said, "This path is treacherous, m'lord. Are you certain they don't live on the Floating Rocks?"
I stopped and glared at him.
"I'm sorry, m'lord. I've just always wanted to go there. I've heard tales from my youth, and it just seemed so fantastic that such a place could be real. You seem like someone who would know such a place, and I had hoped..."
I said nothing, only raising an eyebrow.
"...I had hoped that was where you were going."
"And yet, you did not ask me where I was going."
Kaseem chuckled. "Well played, m'lord," he said cheerfully, and we continued on.
We had entered the Living Jungle a few hours later, when Kaseem asked, "Do you mind me asking what your business is in the City of Dragons, m'lord?"
Just then, the jungle trembled so violently that it threw us both to the ground. It was the frequent quakes that gained it the name the Living Jungle; some local tribes believed it was trying to wake from a long slumber. When the quake subsided I helped Kaseem up, and handed him back my pack.
"The Tournament of Dragons," I said in reply to his earlier question.
"The Tour-- you're going to fight, m'lord?" he asked, plainly astonished.
I smiled genuinely. "No." I pointed the direction we needed to go in, and said, "No, my days of fighting dragon warriors is long over. I go as a guest of the king."
Kaseem stopped as I continued on, but then ran to catch up. "M'lord! You... you know the Dragon King? You've seen him?"
I balked. "Don't be absurd! No man has ever seen the Drachenkönig. I have dealt directly with the royal Escort many times."
Almost to himself, Kaseem repeated, "The 'Drachenkönig.'" Then to me he said, "I have not heard him called that in many years, m'lord. You must be an old friend of the dragons indeed."
We entered an overgrown temple area, and I said quietly, "We've known each other a long time, yes."
Paying more attention to our surroundings now, Kaseem ventured near one of the doorways, and I jerked him back. "Stay with me if you want to see the City, man."
Something growled from within the darkened space, and Kaseem nodded, practically walking in my footsteps after that. "I saw the torch, and I assumed--"
"--As you were meant to," I said calmly. "Our doorway is the one at the end."
We entered the doorway I mentioned without incident, and it was only a few minutes before we emerged on the other side to a tremendous stone wall and gate. It had a series of waterfalls cascading over its sides into the deep gorge between us and the wall.
"It's... it's magnificent, m'lord," was all that Kaseem had to say.
"Yes. Isn't it?" I replied. I pointed to a rough path, and said, "That's how we get to the bridge."
"That is the bridge?" asked Kaseem.
"Yes," I said. "What's the problem?"
"It hardly looks safe to walk on, does it? I think those are planks dangling in the middle!"
"It is as you said, Kaseem- the dragons get there by air. They don't care how we get there." I smirked. "Come on, man," and started down the path.
We reached the bridge after a short while of careful treading down the path, and it was remarkably taught- it hardly swayed at all as we crossed. A little over halfway across, we had to step one-by-one over the large hole created by the dangling planks Kaseem had seen earlier. I crossed first, then held my hand out. "Give me the pack. You'll have an easier time crossing then."
Kaseem handed over the pack.
I set it behind me, and then held out my hand for him. He took it, and hopped across. As his foot touched down on my side of the hole, I punched him in the stomach. Then I grabbed him by the back of his neck and the belt of his pants, and swung him over the edge of the bridge. As he screamed to his death, I said, "I did warn you, Kaseem."
Then I hefted the pack, and continued to the gate. The Escort was waiting for me there. "I thought I might have to kill you for bringing an uninvited guest."
I chuckled. "Good to see you too, Heironymous."
"The king will be pleased to know that you are here," he said, motioning for me to enter the city gate.
We had not gone very far at all when a young woman with bright red hair and scant, bronzed armor descended before us on the back of a purple dragon. "Ho! Have you come to fight, dragon warrior?" she barked hopefully.
I nodded at the honorific, and responded, "Not this year, dragon warrior, but I wish you well in the Tournament."
"Your wishes are not needed!" she scowled.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Heironymous narrow his eyes only barely. Nodding at me, she added, "But I appreciate the sentiment, warrior. Welcome to the City of Dragons." Then she nodded at Heironymous, and said, "Escort."
He said, "Princess," and she flew away, further into the city.
"She has grown."
"Yes, she has. Being her Escort has been a privilege," said Heironymous.
"And being your daughter makes no difference at all, I suppose?" I said under my breath.
Heironymous stared at me seriously, and said, "Careful how you wag that tongue in this city, Saint George. You owe me a fight yet."
"Not until my sword is found," I said simply.
"That again? I'm not the one who lost it. That meddlesome boy will resurface, and if you don't find him first, I will help you get Ascalon back."
We seethed at each other only momentarily, and then I sighed. "This is not what I am here for, Escort," I said, emphasizing the title. "Let us enjoy your beautiful city."
Heironymous lingered on his anger only a moment more, and then smiled accomodatingly, if not quite friendly. "Yes, you're right. Come. Enjoy the City of Dragons once more. Tomorrow, we attend the Tournament together, and see how the Princess fares!"
I clapped him on the back. "You don't want to face me again anyway," I prodded.
"HA!" bellowed Heironymous, and we headed towards the Alabaster Castle. "How are the Floating Rocks?" he asked.
"Ah. You know," I said. "There's no place like home."
"Yes," he smiled. "On that we can agree."
Please let me know what you think, and thanks! -cb | Originally Presented In: CCC #72. |
Story and characters owned by Chris Bishop, copyright 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.
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