Prologue: The Standing

Prologue

Fwoosh!

Booom!

Fire rains down upon the lone knight. The heat from the flames scorches the earth beneath. The knight steps back bracing themselves a lone brass shield shaped like a triangle in their outstretched hand. Though, that is not what is saving them from the onslaught that is threatening to turn them into ash. No, it is the small wavering green glow surrounding their person. A magical shield spawned from an old trinket the knight thought worthless for nothing other than wear. A reminder of a childhood lost. And yet, this reminder saved them. Protected them. They could not fall here. For there is a promise to be completed. A promise to slay the creature who spawned this hellish fire on them. A promise to return to the Ixmtaraza victorious against the creature in front of them.

The Dragon. A fairly powerful and large white dragon is their foe. One of the weaker of its species but that means nothing in the long run. For a Dragon is still a dragon. Destroyers of countries. Harbingers of death. Flames as hot as those sent by Hellions. Flames so hot that despite this magic shield the Knight was praying to the Gods that the onslaught would end soon. For, if the heat did not do them in the sweltering metal armor would.

And as if the Gods were ready to answer the warrior the flames flicker before dispersing. Deep crimson eyes shaded by the helm rest on the large beast perched upon the face of the mountain staring down menacingly at them. The creature's restless cobalt eyes sit narrowly within the creature's rounded, horned skull, which gives the creature a threatening looking appearance. Though barred pike like teeth that sneer at them was frightening enough. The white dragon dotted with crimson. Flesh wound after flesh wound is upon it. Yet, it still looked a lot better off than the knight. For it's face was unharmed. Several enormous crystal growths sitting atop its head protecting its skull from the worse damage.

Small fan-like skin and bone structures runs down the sides of each of its jaw lines. Its nose is flat and has two small, angular nostrils and there's a crystal growth on its chin. A few large teeth poke out from the side of its mouth and give a slight hint at the terror hiding inside. Jaws that for a second latched onto the warrior's broken sword beneath and mangled it. Their sword made of Ethrite one the sturdiest and best metals to make a weapon out of. A weapon that the knight is surely now lacking.

For against this foe with a strong neck running into a snake-like body with armor plated scale-like skin, the knight held a dagger. A dagger just barely strong enough to pierce through that thick scale-like armor. A dagger meant to harm it more than the dozens of arrows sticking out of its blade like slender wings that keeps it from flying. A dagger meant to harm it more than the javelins piercing its underbelly. A dagger meant to evade the large thorny talons seemingly made of the toughest stone and sharpest steel.

The knight can only sorrowfully look down knowing it was about to give its life to defeat the dragon. Solely, for glory. Solely, for the sake of returning to their home a dragon slayer. A dragon slayer. A person of legends. Their names enough to shake fear into their enemies. Their title used as a deterrent from war. That's what their really here for. To become a deterrent for war. Like several others in their class the Knight before this dragon was one of the strongest knights of the Ixmtaraza Empire. Five others like them were sent to battle a dragon. They were sent to the weakest one. They were a battle master. A master of violence of fighting. Known as the knight who didn't care what weapon they used and mastered none. Relying on talent with weapons to get them by. And, what little magic they scrounged up.

This knight was weak and strong at the same time. Weak in comparison to the others. Yet, strong in battle in comparison to them. And yet, they struggled here with the weakest of dragons. For the others were to fight the grander opponents. Yet, it is because this dragon is weak they know they cannot falter. They have to win. For return equals death. For running equals death. For giving up equals death. The only path to live is the path to fight.

And fight they do.

The grip upon the dagger tightens and then loosens. Their body goes loose. The warrior feels the pain in all four limbs and torso. The large claw shaped gashes upon its chest plate. The torn off metal on their greaves. They were haggard. Worse for wear. And now they were going to kill that dragon.

A footstep forward.

The dragon leaps down.

The warrior dodge rolls to the left as a claw scraps past its helm barely avoiding a killing blow. Yet, losing the helm all the same revealing curly black hair. Crimson eyes scorch bronze in a glare. Teeth gritted and they run forward.

Fwoosh!

A ball of fire shoots from the dragon's mouth. Not a stream. Dodgeable. The knight ducks down. A large explosion is heard behind them. But, they can't worry about the mountain now shaking beneath them. No, they have to continue forward. To kill it. Every bit of power is needed. All strength goes into their body. The knight gathers magic channeling and they shout. Not the title of the spell. A shout a cry of war to spur them on. Constitution of the Beast. Magic fills them making them stronger briefly. Lightning dances along the body as the last bit of magic goes into a quick elemental augment of their blade.

The dragon snarls. But, their closer now. The dragon's movements stunted by it's broken wings. It's harmed legs lessoned its ability to jump away. The knight brandishes the shield hiding behind it a tail comes at them batting them away.

Thwack!

The knight slams against the wall. They wince but don't stop. They toss away the now useless dented shield. For it did it's job holding up against such a strong attack. The dragon snarls. Smoke rising from its nostril. The breath attack. Get closer. Now! The Knight barks to itself. The dart forward again. The spell for its constitution working overdrive to get them closer to the dragon. And just like that fire streams from its mouth. At the sight of the flames rising towards them the knight just knew it was dead.

But, the shield was back. Flickering in front of them. Saving them. They keep the momentum and dodge out of the flame. The smoke and fire from the flames must have momentarily distracted the dragon for it did not see the knight. Giving them the perfect opportunity. They get close enough. And there it is the opening. The opening they sacrificed so many weapons on. The heart. The chest. Their shoots for slamming the dagger into the beast's chest cavity. It wears back. The flames flickering and then becoming wild. But the knight does not twist. It simply ducks releasing the blade in time to avoid the slow moving dragon's claws.

They grab the dagger as lightning stutters the dragons body allowing them to remove the dagger and stab again. It rears back then on its hind legs. The knight grips the dagger holding tight to it. Not letting go even as they reach the monstrous creatures standing height. Death. Is coming to this dragon. They punch downwards on the handle starting a slicing motion. That is enough for the screams and howls of the dragon to die out as the last flames in its chest begin to waver into nothing. But, the knight doesn't stop they keep the dagger moving electricity constantly stunning the dragon's body as they disembowel it.

And then nothing.

The dagger fades away to dust. The blade no longer strong enough to withstand the force of the magic poured into it. The dragon stutters to halt collapsing. The knight falls down on their buttocks breaths of laughter escaping their lungs.

"I'm alive. I'm alive," they murmur staring at the divine beast they'd killed. Their arms tremble as their eyes set on the light fading from the dragon in front of them. Dragon Slayer. Dragon Slayer. They did it. They can return to the homeland with their honor in tact with their life ready to live fully. They almost curl into a ball but they have to do something. Maybe, maybe when they weren't tired. Maybe later.

And so the Dragon Slayer faints.

A white light escapes the corpse of the dragon. It rises shaped like an eye. It falls into the chest of the Dragon Slayer.

For the title is more than a title. For the achievement is more power to surmount the unsurmountable.