AWAKENING (2)

I groaned.

What in the world happened? I thought I have powers? I thought I had everything under control? Oh well, it turned out I don't.

Oh fuck, my body's all sore just from that throw. I tried getting up to stand while the crowd around jeered at me.

"Oh give me some slack! This is my first time!" I shouted at them but I doubt they heard me.

I looked down and glared at the sword, "Just when I thought you'd be of great help."

I faced my opponent and what faced me shocked me to the core. What I found was no bear, but instead a big, red dragon was spewing fire at me.

"Dragon?! How am I supposed to fight this thing?"

I jumped sideways to dodge its fire. I was desperate. I didn't want to die again. "Sword! What do you think should I do?" I asked a thing just to help me but I guess this is another end of me.

"Now you ask for help? Very well, I'll help," a voice sounded in my head. I looked around to find the owner of the voice but all I can find is the dragon roaring at me.

"Look down, you idiot," it said.

I obeyed and I found my sword gleaming in a rhythm. "You talk?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Of course I do," it said. " I am the sword's consciousness and you have the ability to understand it. Now use me so we can defeat your enemy."

I was still in confusion but the voice is right, we have one task at hand - to live another day.

One at a time. "So, what should we do?"

I was now running around the arena because the dragon was rather fond of throwing fireballs at me. It took all my concentration to avoid the fireballs and striking a conversation with my sword.

"Think before you strike. What should you do to make the battle end quicker?" the sword asked me.

"To strike when the enemy is vulnerable on its weaker side."

I felt the sword smile even if I knew all to well it doesn't have a mouth. Well it can talk without having one. So what's the difference?

"And what is the weakness of a dragon?"

"Okay sword, or whatever you are called, I have never known a dragon to be existing until now. I have fought humans and dummies but a mythical beast as this? Negative."

"Then think about the myths surrounding the existence of it. Where do you think is its weakness?"

I hissed as a stray small fireball hit my arm, the entire arena turning slowly into black from gold.

"The heart. That's what all princes did to defeat a dragon and save the princess."

"Then aim for the heart," the sword said matter-of-factly.

Yes now I remember. The princes in fairytales always kill the dragon by piercing the heart. And the heart is always accessible through a chink in the dragon's scales in its underbelly.

I faced the dragon, running now sideways to observe its underbelly. Looking for that chink on its armor would be very difficult amid my running and dodging the fireballs. But I persevered until at last I found it.

"Now to do that, I have to get near it. But how? The fire is becoming a bother. Well it has always been a bother."

"Look for a pattern," the sword chimed in.

Yes! A pattern. "Oh sword, you are such a lifesaver."

'Observe thy enemy and defeat it at its game.' That's what Grandpa used to say.

After minutes of running around, I noticed that the dragon could only spurt three huge fireballs in succession and have a 20-second interval before throwing another volley. And each fireball has a 5-second interval from each other.

A plan started forming in my mind.

As soon as the first volley stopped, I ran a few meters near it. When the 20 seconds was done, fire rained down but I was ready. I ran sideways and when the three shots were done, I inched forward again.

I continued doing this until at last I was near its feet. I moved back a little so as not to alert him of my plan. I don't know if it understands what is happening, but just to be sure.

He fired at me and I ran around him. I noticed that his feet move sluggishly, maybe because it is used to flying. But the beast cannot fly because of the chains around his leg. So I ran around because it would take time before it could face me again fully.

When I reached behind him, the 20-second interval started. I waited for the dragon to face me halfway before I jumped high and pierced my sword into its heart.

The time for me to marvel at my prowess in the jump and the accuracy of the attack never happened because the dragon turned to dust and now I was face to face with the bear from earlier.