Meanwhile down below in the Valley King Celtas and his men, along with Dartanian and Gimlet made preparations for war. They cut trees and made battlements. They dug trenches and put up a stockade. They even sent riders far and wide, along with Dartanion of course, to bring more men from across the Kingdom to assist in the war against the dragon. The best riding men taught the new recruits in the arts of war. King Celtas himself made many speeches and gave courage to the riders.
Dartanion was sent to search the mountain side for any sign of the company of heroes. Although he tried his best the mountain was so engulfed in smoke that he was unable to see much. The highest peak was now surrounded by a red inscrutable cloud. Daily they heard the screeching of the dragon and at night sometimes a horse would disappear. The men would have strange dreams and some got ill or lost their courage. Soot fell upon them and many hours were spent cleaning up the camp each day.
The King tried to find a path up the mountain but all was cloaked in smoke and was thickly veiled in dragon magic. Any man who approached it became weary and confused. Some wandered about for hours before they were found and brought back to the camp. Some disappeared entirely.
One night the men were awakened by a mighty roar and a scorching heat. They leapt to arms to see the Dragon swooping above them scorching their camp and chasing their horses. The King called out his archers and sent a barrage of arrows after the beast. The dragon alighted outside their camp crushing one of the horses in its terrible claw. The King and his vanguard charged toward it, striking it with lances and swords. Each blow was turned aside by the dragon's thick armored hide. The beast lifted up its long tail and swung it at the men knocking them and their horses to the ground. It then spread its gigantic wings and rose into the air carrying the poor horse with it in its claws.
The men suffered many injuries from this attack. Many had burns and wounds or broken bones. A few had run away and deserted the camp. The King’s heart burned with anger within his chest. He wanted more than anything to slay the beast who had wreaked such havoc on his land and his people.
After the dragon attack the King ordered trenches and dugouts to be added to the camp as a protection against dragon-fre. Many bunkers were set into the ground as a refuge in case the dragon returned.
One day the King called his advisors to a council, including Gimlet and Dartanion. “I have gained much wisdom in my travels and yet the dragon outsmarts me.” Said the king. “We must find the dragon’s weakness. How can we defeat it when it is so strong and so well protected?”
“Are dragon’s not known for greed?” Asked Gimlet, “perhaps we can lure it into a trap with treasures?”
“Perhaps we can lure it with beautiful maidens?” suggested one of the advisors.
“Surely not!” The King spat bitterly. “Never will I stoop to the level of wicked Stalmar and sacrifice my own people. I will not even use them as bait. We must find another way.”
“Perhaps it is prideful and we can rile it with insults!” Suggested Dartanion. Perhaps remembering the episode with the owl.
“No, none of this will work,” Said the King, “The dragon is no ordinary beast. It far outpaces a man with its keen and cruel intelligence, and expansive mind. It will see through any of our machinations. Its skin is like a coat of armor and its breath is an inferno. We cannot kill it with spear or sword. We must find another way.”
“Is there not some magic that would help?” Asked Gimlet. “Some spell or secret weapon which could pierce the dragon's tough hide? I know Druis spoke of such things.”
“We can only hope that Druis still lives then.” Said the King. All our efforts could not harm the beast and I think we will need him to find its weakness.”
Up in the mountain pass the company of heroes made camp on the lakeside. They were much higher now than they had been in the valley below and were surrounded by clouds of smoke. The men were hungry and weak from their days in the underworld but they were able to forage mushrooms and honey in the forests and soon began to regain their strength.
All around them stood bare alpine slopes and the air was crisp and thin. Occasionally the sun would peak through the veil of smoke as it did when they first emerged from underground. When this happened they would get a glimpse of the land below.
“See there!” cried Malcolm the knight. “I can see an encampment far below in the valley. Could it be that King Celtas has returned to make war upon the dragon?”
This news cheered the men’s hearts to know they were no longer alone in their quest and that now they had a strong army on their side.
“We have much to be grateful for.” Said Druis, “Not least of all our brave leader who brought us up out of the pit. Behind us lies the underworld and before us lies the dragon fire. We must reach the dragon’s lair and rescue the princess.”
“We are now together again,” said Lord Andras. “I believe we can make it to the top of the mountain and slay the beast. I only hope that the princess is alive.”
After the men had spoken they heard a terrible cry from the mountain top. A screeching cry of anger came echoing down the mountain.
“What’s this? But I fear the dragon will come out to meet us!” Said Lord Andras.
Far up they saw a black shadow emerge from the cliffside and unfurl mighty wings. It flew off into the clouds of smoke and could no longer be seen but it's terrible cires could be heard far away for the rest of the night.
For the next several days the dragon could be heard and occasionally spotted circling the mountain and making its terrible cries. The beast searched the mountainside and spat torrents of fire at the rocky slopes. Far below they would often hear the blowing of a great horn. The men hid themselves amongst the rocks and dared not approach the path up the mountain for fear of being seen.
“The creature is angry,” Said Druis. “Perhaps because of the King’s encampment. We cannot now approach the mountain path in daylight. We must now scale the mountain secretly and silently in the night to avoid benign seen.”
The party then began very slow progress up the mountain each night. They would wait for the cover of darkness and creep out by moonlight along the exposed slopes. They were perfectly silent and did not speak. After some time Lord Andras would choose some new place to hide amongst the rocks or crevasses. The men would sleep in the daytime huddled out of sight of the dragon’s searching eyes. They did not sleep soundly for the Dragon seemed to fly overhead often and they feared he would scorch them in their sleep.
Despite their meager progress they were slowly ascending the mountain. The men had gone through such great trials in the underworld that they felt they could conquer the mountain so long as they were led by their brave Lord Andras.
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