The rogue dragon
An unsteady silence had set over the town as dust and fires settled.
The white dragon lowered its head meekly to allow its master to leap off and began walking slowly and cautiously around toward the injured black to inspect it as it now lay pinned and trapped under the weight of the white.
The bloodied dark dragon, roared with one last gulf of rebellious flame in defiance toward the approaching warrior angrily. Kersha was horrified as the man was seemingly engulfed with flame. But at the last second he wrapped himself in his scaled cloak and braced. The flames passing all around him and leaving him untouched underneath. Kersha realized why. The cape was made from shed dragon skin. It was completely fireproof and so therefore, so was he.
The man camly stood and marched slowly toward the black dragon, not looking away and starring it dead on as it brushed off ash and soot from his cloak. The black shied away nervously. It did not want to be anywhere near him! It tried to wriggle and flee, But the beast was subdued. It starred with wide eyes as the rider placed it's food tightly on the beasts snout and pressed hard causing pain. A warning. Stay down.
The beast listened. And at last surrendered. Bowing its head in complete and total compliance. What was once a relentless and unbeatable monster of death just moments ago, was now as meek and subdued as a infant black sheep.
All around the villagers began to gather and swarm, both curious and angry at the beasts for destroying their town. The situation was turning ugly fast as insults were begininit to be thrown left and right at the sight of the black dragon now apparently completely at their mercy.
"Devil! Beast!!" A woman screamed. "Kill it now while its weakened!!" The blacksmith roared. "Cut it' head off! Clip its wings!!!" A guard yelled with blood running down his face. Kersha and Durgan were pushed and shoved as the growing wall of people marched closed and closer, armed with pitchforks, mallets, and any weapon they could get their hands. Soldier and villager alike demanding the black monsters blood for retribution.
The rider turned suddenly to face the crowd. Some thinking to step aside and let them slay the beast. Instead, he drew his sword cleary willing to use it. And actually pointed the gleaming white blade at the very people he had just protected moments ago. His mere presence and confidence bringing dozens of vengefully frightened villagers to a nervous but angry halt.
"MOVE!!!" the crowd chanted angrily. The masked rider stood his ground and changed his colors to address the crowd of hundreds with the words of the most eloquent diplomat imaginable.
"The rogue dragon is surrendered and is not going anywhere. It is over the rider said calmly yet sternly for all to hear. Put down your weapons and pick up as many buckets as you can find, we have to put out what is left of the fire before it engulfs the town. Your town I might add."
He pointed his sword toward the smoldering and blackened buildings. Their light reflecting off its blade to almost make it glow white in the moonlight.
"We have all gone quite through the ordeal tonight, and it would be a waste for your town and belongings to go up in flames behind your back because you are so focused on a threat that is not going anywhere under my watch. Am I right?"
The townspeople glanced backwards with growing looks of horror at the sight of fires still slowly beginning to creep toward their house's as they spoke. Not to mention their children.
He made a good point.
They dropped their weapons with a loud clank and raced toward the well, fighting over any and all buckets around, desperate to save their livelihoods and families'.
The crowded departed as if they were never even there. The rider, clearly relieved sheathed his sword right as a pudgy well dressed man in expensive night clothes and two armored guards began walking briskly toward the rider to speak his mind while still be wary of the two dragons right behind him. Kreshea recognized him as the town mayor. And he was very upset with sweat running down his face from his own fear at the sight of the beasts and from the heat of his town now in flames all around him.
"What is the meaning this attack!!!" He demanded angrily. Pressing his finger harshly against the armored breastplate of the rider. The rider said nothing and kept his calm.
"I take it your the mayor of this town then." The rider said.
"Town!! WHAT TOWN!!!" The mayor asked. Gesturing to his home now very much on fire. "My priceless portraits are now all destroyed!!!! What menace have you brought to our lands this time rider!!!"
The cloaked rider breathed a heavy sigh and removed his helmet. Kersha and durgan hid behind a stall to hear, unable to look away at what they were seeing.
He was very broad man, with a well trimmed beard and haircut the color of ash with just a few hints of black left. He had bright blue eyes with wrinkles under them from age. He seemed to be somewhere in his 50s. And he looked very very tired.
"I apologize for the dragon mayor. I will see to it personally that it will be dealt with and transported out of the town by morning. You have my word and the world of my guild."
"Oh no." The mayor scolded. "There is no way that beast is getting out of this town alive after what it has done. I will see to it. I have friends in high places. People have died tonight. This issue cannot be ignored. And if you will not stand aside then you shall die as well. Guards!"
The mayor snapped his fingers and the two guards beside him drew their swords at the rider.
The rider snapped his fingers and the white dragon pressed its snout forward with a large rumbling growl that shook the ground beneath all three of them. It looked ready to attack, it wanted to, but the rider kept it at bay with a simple hand command of halt. It obeyed nervously and returned to keeping the black constrained. Coiling its long tail around its wings and limbs to keep it from moving any further. It looked as if it had been trained to fight other dragons very well. Without killing them.
"This black ashfire is the property and responsibility of the windrider order, and as such we will deal with it ourselves."
The mayor gulped as it stared into the sea blue eye of the dragon but still was steadfast in his decision and commitment to the people of his town.
"You will not leave this city with that dragon in tow, We will see what my king has to say of this matter. I will send for him. And mark my word, I will have that dragon put down and it's head paraded through the city for what it has done tonight."
The rider gripped the pommel of his sword tightly and began to drum his fingers against it, clearly frustrated as to what to do. He would propose a compromise.
"Very well, I'll keep it chained up outside the city walls and keep it under watch until the king arrives, then we will discuss the matter with him. For now we should focus on putting out the fires and tending to the wounded. Wouldn't you agree?"
The mayor tilted his head up and nodded in reluctant compliance. Fine. Keep the beast here until we have dealt with the fires. Guards with me. The mayor and his escort raced toward the gates, where a makeshift hospital was already being set up. The rider sighed to turn and kneel before the trapped ashfire, stroking his hand against its eye with a look of dread across his now helmetless face. Wondering how in all the world he was going to fix the mess this rogue dragon had now gotten them all into.