Scales to skin (Kirkbaku fantasy AU)

Chapter 7

The sounds of metal clanging, and low, terrifying growls met me halfway up the path, cursing, i started into a run, using my explosions to propel me forward. Stupid raccoon eyes...they might be done by the time i get there.

With one last exploding blast fueled by anger, i landed in front of the old castle. The stone was cracked and crumbling, obviously not sturdy, but it was large.

I sprinted inside, the large wooden gate already blown off its hinges, as my footsteps echoed through the narrow hallway towards the throne room, i followed the sounds of the deep rumbling growl that sent chills down my back i would never admit i had.

The yells of men also got louder, frantic, pained yells. Not the war cry's of warriors.

I skidded to a stop as the hallway opened into a large throne room, mumbling a breathless
"...shit"
As i was enveloped by the sight before me.

A large, terrifying, red scaled, dragon stood in the center of the room, towering over about five measly looking travelers who were probably just looking for some extra money. But why the fuck would you choose to fight a dragon??

But that didn't explain why the dragon had open wounds, looking like the damage was done with brute strength based on the cracked and indented scales covering it, because i was sure as hell these weak ass travelers didn't do it.

As the thought accrued to me something large shot from the corner of the room, or to be more specific, a large man launched himself toward the dragon. A possible warrior? No, He was fast, but the strait and simple attack would be easy to doge, that is not something a strong experienced warrior would do.

I looked to the dragon and could already see what would play out, the large muscled man would run at the dragon again, it would evade swiftly and use its tail to counter the attack. I had fought very few dragons in the past, but i know how agile and cunning they are.

Per my prediction, the man launched himself at the dragon, exposed muscles seeming to rip from the skin on his outstretched arms, but no matter how muscled he was, the attack was easily avoidable...but the dragon didn't counter.

It dipped its head at the last moment, the muscled man missing its neck by inches. I scowled, what kind of dragon wouldn't counter that?

But again, the man jumped for the dragon, even faster this time and it had no time to doge, the only option was to block, then counter the attack ... the dragon did neither. Right before the muscled mans attack hit, something flashed across the dragons face.

A flinch

The dragon...flinched?

Then it got slammed backward, another growl rumbled from the depths of its throat, but no fire erupted from its mouth, it swerved sideways

And i was so puzzled at the dragons bizarre reaction to this obvious threat, that I didn't notice it had swerved not to doge an attack, but to avoid the scrawny traveler that would have been smashed into oblivion if it hadn't reacted.

I realized that this dragon did not want to cause harm, it had proved that fact well, and i needed to stop this one sided battle.