5 Into the Cave

The cave's surroundings began to widen. Akai and the rest of the dragonslayers had more room to walk in. Captain Jake was still in front holding the torch while looking at his map. Everybody else was following that light. Akai asked the dragonslayers "So, how long have you guys been hunting dragons?"

All of them looked confused. One of them said "I never hunted a dragon, before. I was a fisherman at Butterton Town." That must have been the same town that was nearby.

Another one said "I saw the dragon flying overhead and then land near the cave. I don't know how it got into this place, though. We were recruited to help kill the dragon."

Akai was confused. "What about you, Captain Jake? You're probably an experience dragonslayer."

Captain Jake replied while looking at his map and surroundings "I used to be a captain of the military, but I left to have a quiet life. I guess having that sort of life isn't as easy as it sounds. I was the most experienced of the villagers in warfare, so it would be best if I helped."

Akai's confusion turned to worry. "What about those ornaments that you are wearing?"

Captain Jake looked and said "Oh this necklace? Their commander gave it to me for good luck."

The other so-called dragonslayers also said the same thing about their ornaments that were made out of a dragon.

Akai started to sweat. These weren't dragonslayers. They wouldn't last a second if they were actually fighting a dragon. Akai calmly breathed in and out. Akai calmed himself down as they wouldn't even need to fight the dragon. Akai can expain to Jezeboyah himself what is happening.

Akai didn't know what Lord Vesuvius' real plan was, but if it involved sending innocent men to their deaths, then Akai couldn't forgive him. But for now, Akai focused on the task at hand. The task to rescue Jezeboyah.

The cave started having multiple paths. The place became a labyrinth, but Captain Jake seemed to know where he was going, so they followed him.

The cave gradually became bigger and bigger. The cave itself seemed to have been going slowly downhill step by step, but it would be very hard to notice.

Captain Jake stopped as they have entered into a long narrow hallway. "The dragon should be just up ahead. It will be a large area, and it will be very hard to miss it. Is everybody rea-"

As he was about to finish his sentence, Akai struck him on the back of his head. The other villagers were in shock. One of them screamed "What the hell are you doing?" At the end of that sentence, Akai struck each villager in seconds with his fists. Each one knocked out. None of them were dead. Akai grabbed the torch that was lying on the ground and snuffed it out. His eyes would be able to see in the dark just fine. He looked at the map and put it into his pouch. He may need it on his way out of the cave.

He walked through the narrow stone hallway. As he got closer, he noticed the walls started to look man-made. It was no longer some cave, but an actual hallway. Akai noticed some luminescent plants lighting the way and noticed the corpses of charred trolls along the sides. As he walked closer, runes that he has never seen before started glowing as well. The more he walked, the hallway became less and less narrow. The hallway would even fit a fully grown dragon. Enough space for Jezeboyah to walk through in his dragon form.

Akai wondered what that ancient dragon was doing in this place. As he got to the end of the hallway, he noticed a large stone door with carvings. Akai didn't know what any of the runes meant. He also saw a small altar in front of the door. He tried pushing the door open, but it wouldn't budge. Akai started to talk to himself "There must be some kind of riddle or password to open this door. " Akai looked at the runes and altar. He looked around trying to see if there were any dragonslayers nearby.

Nobody was near. Akai, with all of his strength, kicked the large stone doors down. The doors were broken off and pushed away. They fell onto the pavement.

Akai casually dusted off his armor boots and walked in.

A giant red dragon was facing Akai. It was Jezeboyah in his dragon form. The large room was lit up by luminescent plants.

Jezeboyah breathed out of his nose. "So, dragonslayer. Have you come to kill me?"

Akai stopped for a few seconds and laughed. "Of course. I have come to destroy you and turn your bones into soup, dragon! You will now perish by my blade, dragon!" Akai sarcastically said while ending with a maniacal laugh.

"So be it. Then, let's see if you have what it takes to defeat me." Jezeboyah replied while beginning to open his mouth to rain fire upon Akai.

"Wait. No. I was kidding." Akai said putting his hands up in the air.

Jezeboyah stopped and said "What kind of dragonslayer are you?"

Akai took off his ring and his scales showed.

"Ah. I did sense a dragon nearby. I almost didn't recognize you, Akai. That ring I gave you is still working, I see. It's been some time," Jezeboyah realized.

"Well, I'm here to get you out of here," Akai said as he put the ring back on and continued "I even came prepared."

Akai took out another illusive ring from his pouch.

"So, now you can sneak right out of here with me. Though, we may need to find you some fresh clothes," Akai continued.

"I can't leave," Jezeboyah interrupted "You have to kill me before I hurt anybody else."

Akai looked in confusion. "Huh?"

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