Far up on the mountain the heroes were hiding in the back room of the Dragon’s keep. For several hours they had been hearing far off sounds of horns blowing, rumbling, shouting, and now perhaps cheering?
“Ready men for I believe the battle may be drawing to a close. The Dragon may return soon.” Said Druis.
The men all drew their swords silently. Rodrick held the magic shears hidden below his cape ready to draw out when the time came. The men were tense as bowstrings as they waited peering out toward the mouth of the cavern.
The Dragon entered his cavern. Terranis waddled in and exhaustedly flopped down on his bed of gold. He rolled over luxuriantly scratching from his hide any arrows that had stuck there.
The men eyed one another looking to Lord Andras to give the signal for attack.
“Foolish men,” Terranis said to himself, “foolish foolish men. They will fight one another to the death for a scrap of bread. They are mere animals, playing at being rational. They will go down to the pit in the end.” He sniffed the air, “Where are my maidens to attend to me?” He shouted at the back of the cavern. “What is that rank smell? Has a man come in here?”
The heroes watched in horror, eyes wide as the Dragon’s searching eyes combed the back of the cavers. They did not dare move a muscle.
“Come out then and face me.” Said Terranis, “you must be one of those charlatans I almost had for breakfast on the dias. Playing at being hero I see? Well come out then. See if you can match me.”
Lord Andras and Druis looked at one another. Druis winked at the others and stepped forward. He said, “It is I! Druis the Wise Man. I have come here to slay you!” He walked boldly up to Terranis and stopped just a few short paces from the end of his smoldering snout.
For a minute a strange expression crossed the Dragon’s terrible face. It could have been surprise, or it could have been fear. Then Terranis composed himself and let out a loud rumbling laugh.
“You? Druis!” The Dragon said through peels of laughter. “The old man has come to face me? So by some magic you found your way up the mountain and now you think you can defeat me with a few chants. Like as not you have an enchanted sword with you as well? What nonsense! The King sends an old man to challenge me?”
“I have power you know not!” Respond Druis
Terranis laughed more. Snorting and sniffling great clouds of smoke. His long snout bobbed up and down and then he caught the smell of something else. “What’s that!” He said suddenly in a more serious tone. Eyes focusing again on Druis, “I smell the scent of the underworld on you. Indeed it hangs about you. You have recently passed through death. Did you perhaps meet my sister down there at the bottom of the world? The Old Crone. A good match for you I would say Old Man. What did she give you? Bring it out! I can smell it concealed in your robe.”
With that Terranis reached forward his terrible claw with deadly speed. He grasped Druis savagely.
Lord Andras then gave the signal. The men leapt forward but Lord Andras put a hand on Rodricks shoulder and pushed him back down to stay concealed behind a boulder. The men charged the Dragon with their swords. Terranis was too quick for them and with a great swipe of his tail he knocked them down and sent them sprawling across the chamber. Swords flying out of their hands.
The Dragon roared with laughter once more, “More of them! Ha! All you fools here think you can match me with strength. An entire army could not match me with strength! And who is this?” He said looking at Lord Andras, now leaning against a wall and wincing in pain. “You have brought the Emperor's son with you! What fools! I shall devour him first!”
Terranis then turned his attention toward Druis again saying, “But what is it that you have on you? Bring it out.”
The Dragon then shook Druis savagely until from his robes fell the ball of string and the knitting that he had taken from the witches. The Dragon tossed Druis aside and greedily caught up the knitting in his claws.
“No!” Cried Druis trying in vain to take back the knitting but the Dragon only pushed him aside.
Some of the men tried to rise but Terranis pushed them back down with his tail.
“Now this is interesting,” Said the Dragon. “You have brought with you a weaving of destiny. But whose destiny is this? Did you think it was mine? Did you think I was a mere mortal that the fates should decide what happens to me? I am a very old thing, older than the fates, older than mortals. I cannot be killed by the machinations of that old crone.”
Rodrick crouched in his hiding place, eyes wide. The heart of the youth burned with apprehension and indecision. When should he make his stand? When should he take the chance?
“I know who’s destiny this is,” said the Dragon. “I can smell it!” And then the awful beast smiled. It was an awful smile that froze the hearts of the men. It took away their courage and a haze of Dragon magic fell about the room.
The Dragon then stretched the knitting in his claws, straining the threads until they creaked and frayed.
Out of the corner of the room Lord Andras screamed. He collapsed and writhed about the floor in agony.
“This is the destiny of Lord Andras!” Spat the Dragon with glee. “You come to me armed with a backward blade that cuts the one who holds it. What fools! What disgraceful, sorry, ignorant men you all are. I will make his death slow!”
The Dragon then began stretching and twisting the knitting in his claws. Although he worried the threads of the knitting he could not seem to break it. Lord Andras rolled about the floor, crying out in pain.
Rodrick could take no more of this and he leapt forward charging the Dragon with the royal sword. Terranis quickly knocked him down, forgetting about the knitting.
“Oh I see now!” Said Terranis, “You thought that enchanted sword could pierce my hide. Well go ahead and try it!”
The Dragon dropped the knitting and grasped Sir Rodrick instead. Its terrible claws dug into the youth. Then Terranis pulled Rodrick close to his breast and squeezed him. The sound of poor Rodricks bones could be heard creaking and breaking.
Some of the men tried again to rise. Lord Andras got up shakily and reached for his sword but the Dragon absentmindedly pushed them back down.
Sir Rodrick cried out in pain and Terranis roared with laughter. “Go ahead, give it a try,” he said. The Dragon loosened his grip slightly.
With great effort Sir Rodrick raised the sword with his right hand and looked into the eyes of the beast. Then with his left hand he grasped the shears and plunged them deep into the Dragon’s heart.
For a second all was still. And then Teranis’s face twisted up. The Dragon let out a booming cry like a crack of thunder. The beast dropped Sir Rodrick and began writhing about the room. Its tail thrashed around and his wings flapped. Great spurts of fire came from its snout. Gold coins were scattered all around. The whole cavern shook and trembled. The men jumped clear.
“Destroy him!” Shouted Druis. “Put an end to the worm!”
With his last strength Sir Rodrick raised the shining sword and brought it down on the neck of the dragon, severing it in two. The beast shuddered and twitched its limbs falling to the ground and it became still.
All about the cavern was now quiet and the smoke dissipated. The men lay gasping for breath. For some time nothing was said and each of the heroes looked about in wonder.
“My dear boy,” said Druis finally. He hobbled forward and took Sir Rodrick in his arms.
“Rodrick my friend,” Said Lord Andras joining them.
Then the rest of the men joined them, limping and straining their aching muscles. They all embraced one another silently with tears in their eyes.
Then Sir Rodrick smiled shyly. “We’ve done it,” he said. And the men all began laughing and cheering.
There was a great many things to be done. But first the men bandaged their wounds and rested. Then they had a great feast in the cavern with the spoils the beast had left behind. There was cheering and toasts and laughing and revelry. They sat along a long table with Lord Andras at its head.
At the end of the feast the men cleared up the cavern and set to stacking up the treasures for transport. When all were thoroughly exhausted they went to bed except for Druis and Sir Rodrick. The two of them sat together in silence sharing a goblet of fine wine.
“There’s just one thing I do not understand,” Said Rodrick. “Why couldn’t the Dragon rip Lord Andras’s Destiny? Surely he was strong enough and his claws were sharp enough that he could have torn the threads asunder? Wasn’t the Dragon made in the same way that the shears were. Shouldn’t he have had power over life and death?”
“Ah but you forget,” Druis replied, “Lord Andras has already conquered death. He has passed through the underworld and come out victorious. Sure we all helped him along his way and shared in his burden. But he was the one to slay death itself and to bring us all back out again. The threads hold no more power over him. Merely a remnant that caused him pain like an old scar healed over.”
Druis got up and fetched the knitting in his hands. As he held it out it turned to dust and disappeared.
The next day the company of heroes made their way back down the mountain and a great celebration was begun that lasted for many days. The Emperor had left with his mighty host but Lord Andras in his stead made many speeches and gave out many gifts from among the Dragon’s spoils.
A triumph was held in a mighty procession all the way back to Castle Town over the next several weeks. In each town they stopped in the good news was announced. All the people of the Kingdom came out to cheer on their victory. There was endless feasting and merry making.
Many happy reunions were made and there were also many weddings held. When the victors returned to Castle Town the merriment reached its peak. That very day Sir Rodrick and Princess Epona were wed with Lord Andras officiating. After the wedding when the Princess threw her bouquet her dear friend Agitha caught it and eyed Eckbert with a smile.
The Kingdom then entered a time of peace and harmony. That spring was bountiful and the people lived with plenty. Each one having his needs met. Each one holding the love of the Kingdom in his heart.
At the end of the summer Lord Andras departed from them and returned to his father across the narrow sea. The people all went out to see him off and many tears were shed.
With his final speech Lord Andras addressed them, “I will not stay away for long. I will come back again I promise. Remember that my father will always come to you in your hour of greatest need.”
And with that he sailed away.
The end.
Comments (0)
See all