Myrddin hired the last dragon slayer; the price, the only thing Kael Scalebreaker’s vast hoard of gold and jewels had not bought as he entered his twilight years. Youth. Having grown up hearing the stories of the warlock’s power, Kael could not help but be skeptical of the wizard. For what help could a mortal be to such a great sorcerer? The task, trap and kill a beast, ancient and cunning, one that magic could not reach. (Yea I know, I need to add all the dialog here and imagery, Myrddin staff has a gem in it that can transfer life from one to another. Originally created so a whole city or village could heal. Myrddin uses it to extend his life and others by using all the life force from others, criminals, insane people, and eventually anyone in his way.)
Myrddin, his apprentice, and servants had departed a week ago. As the wizard predicted, storms had arrived at dawn, cold, dark thunderous skies. It was time, the men were hidden in crevasses in the cold granite cave, walls scalloped like glaciers ice melting in spring. There was no life here in these dreaded mountains. Kael twisted hard and pulled the cork from the bottle. As air rushed in the surface of the liquid began to glow. Following the wizards’ instructions, he poured a small puddle of the faintly glowing liquid, then began to carefully leave a trail of drips to the entry of the cave.
They were well armed for the beast, three ballistae armed with the strongest steel bolts tucked back in the darkness. A squad of knights. The largest chain net known was carefully hidden above the cave. During its placement it still did not completely block the upper portion when dropped. Men were station behind stones ready to pry them free to drop the chain net and block the entrance.
After most of a day of cold howling wind, it was Kaels watch again. It was by chance that he spotted the beast, not in the air, but far below on the path. Kael strained to see the dark figure, the beast was carefully and deliberately moving up the trail. Kael realized the beast smelled more than the lure. It could smell them.
As the beast entered the cave, its sharp hard claws chipped the granite floor. It heard no sounds over the wind. It saw no movement, it cautiously walked deeper into the cave following the smell. The smell grew stronger and stronger, it slowly stuck its head into the small opening, taking deep breaths of the smell, its surroundings slipped away like a distant memory.
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“NOW!” Kael screamed his booming youthful voice echoes were cut off by the sound of the ballista bolts flying into the darkness.
The beast’s scream was deafening. Rock exploded as it pulled back in agony from the masses of steel piercing its side and hind quarters. A rumble came from the entrance as the chain net fell covering the opening. Knights and spearman poured out of every crack and crevice attacking the beast. Three knights were flung to the wall from a powerful swat. A spear man, taking advantage of the beast as it dug its claws into another armored knight, stabbed it near the base of its neck. The beast turned and grabbed the man’s leg with its massive beak, flinging him down the passage. The magical warmth washed over him as his body was transmuted into gold. He bounced, skidded and rang out like a bell down the passage he had just run from. Within moments, the majority of the force was spent. The torches finally lighting begin to illuminate some of the passages. Kael waved the men across the way to attack. The beast staggered further out. It lunged to the remaining wave as they poured out of the passage. Swatting them and turning away from Kael. He raced out, fast, strong, spear in hand, the same ancient, enchanted steel that slew the Scourge. He leapt fully committed to driving the spear to the creature’s heart. It turned and moved like it knew he was there, but not fast enough, as the spear dug into its side just missing its heart. It hit Kael, its claws digging into his leg midair and sending him across the passage and into the wall. Kael awoke from the impact, instinctively drew his dagger and went to stand, only to careen over like a drunkard. His leg was gone, blood dripped from the soaked rag that had been his pants moments before. The beast was gone, he could see glowing embers and items on the ground. He tied his leg off using the dagger sheath to get the knot tight to stop the blood loss. Moans of pain from the injured and dying filled the cavern. It was mortally wounded. He thought, surely it was mortally wounded.
Myrddin woke from his sleep, startled. He could feel the change; the beast was dead. That alone was the best news Myrddin had in a century. With the griffin dead, he could enter ??(yea I need a cool continent name, still thinking about it). There was still a quarter of a century before the Veilrend Eclipse that would allow Mictlāndraztil to return. Soon he would have carcass, with the power he would harvest, even the demon Mictlāndraztil would be felled. He would rule all the lands, and it felt great.
