Scourge of the Dragon Lord

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Hmm, he must have been in worse shape than I thought. " Airen muttered to himself. Looking up at the afternoon sun, he sighed "I thought that I would at least be able to tell him my name. Hmph" The man looked a little disgruntled as he returned to his satchel. The satchel contained medical instruments, gauze, herbs and a pieces of wood to be used as a splint. He lifted his gaze from the bag and looked at the man who he had stumbled upon, but it was not coincidence that brought him to this place.

***

The dark, cramped room smelled like stale urine and vomit. The man who sat at the bar cradling a pint. "Hey Airen!" a man shouted "Look at this." Beckoning the man at the bar over to the window. The man turned his head towards the window, dropping his pint. The world outside was lit by distant flames that made the night look like the sky was lit with dawn.

Airen rose from his stool and, with shaking legs, stumbled to the door. "Hey what'er you guys doin? We gotta help..." His speech was slurred, and his exclamation was cut short as he reeled and fell face first into the hard packed pub floor. A man by the window laughed as he chided Airen, "Oye, Airen, like you can help anyone. Well I would like to see you try." The mans comments fell on deaf ears, the only sound that left Airen's lips in response was a hearty snore.

****

Sighing, Airen began working on fixing the broken ankle of the man who lay before him. "Hmmm, I wonder what this man has been through." Airen mumbled as he looked at the burns and cuts that peppered the mans body. His fingers and hands moved nimbly over the ankle, binding and setting it before the shadows began to lengthen.

***

My eyelids fluttered open, my head felt heavy, like I was wearing a lead helmet. The sun blazed reddish orange against the sky as it fought against the pull of the night. My injured ankle felt tight, like something had been wrapped around it. The warm evening breeze tickled my chest, looking down I saw white bandages surrounding my ankle, compressed with wooden splints. ¨Ahh the patient is up I see.¨ said a soothing baritone voice, so deep it made the air vibrate. The man, Airen, was squatting beside me. Trying to speak, but all I can manage is a garbled croak. Airen looked at me with a bemused expression. "I guess the medicine hasn't worn off quite yet. Try not to panic if you feel heavy and groggy it is just a side effect of the herb mixture I gave you." It is funny, but for the first time in three days I feel calm, and someone is telling me not to panic. My lips turn up in a smile as I allow my aching and battered body to fall into a peaceful slumber, of my own violation for the first time in two nights.

Finally Airen lay down under the star laden sky and fell into a dreamless sleep.
Neither of them saw the shadow block the moon,  nor did they hear the dry slither of air on papery wing.

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At this time I would like to thank the readers who have been with me since the beginning and the readers who just got here. I am sorry for the sporadic nature of my updates but it is hard to find inspiration or time. but i will try to be better and update more often.

please comment and let me know what you think. :)