Soul of a Dragon

31

Despite the sudden and most certainly startling appearance of Yeouiju, the now five were riding at a good pace towards the castle. The three normal horses had shied away in stark terror at the initial sight and voicing of the ebony creature, and now their three riders were having difficulty keeping control of the wildly panicking mounts. They kept trying to take their own lead and head away from what could possibly be the largest predator in existence.

The two Equestrians had been startled just as much, but their fear was now evident only in the wild rolling of their eyes, the white showing periodically. Their two riders had a much easier time of calming and reassuring the intelligent steeds, all the while listening to their own comforting words in an attempt to give themselves the same kind of reassurance.

It would have been pure idiocy to not tremble before that awesome power.

The Fortress was in a state of distress when they reached the gate. The guards were still there, but they looked shaken, and upon recognizing Hoseok as one of their own, didn't question him further, and the small party was admitted into the fortress of their enemy without hardly a glance.

It was a blessing, but one that might end up being double-edged, cutting back in the form of what must be happening to Jungkook to cause Yeouiju such grief.

As they entered into the Fortress, the unsettlingly monstrous bulk of the ebony dragon was suddenly so close that riding forward another hundred paces would have put them within touching distance of the creature. The horses couldn't take the sight of the beast, not to mention the pure predatory smell of it. It's scent was a mix of smoke, sulfur, and something else that was most definitely wild, and meant to never be tamed. While the horses began to shake at the proximity, their human riders were entranced by the dragon.

It indeed, looked large enough to swallow a full sized horse whole. It had landed haphazardly into the courtyard, wings and limbs akimbo. The leathery skin that had only moments before been stretched taut with the resistance of flight, was now draped about like so much thick silk, hanging loosely from the skeletal framework of those pinions, of which one looked like it had been damaged in the fall; the only part of the dragon's body frail enough for it to do so.

The great head was turned slightly towards them, great long horns like grim spires pointing to the sky. One of its eyes was clearly seen, and appeared to be open only slightly. The brightness of before was dimmed, and only a faint reminder of what had once blazed in the onyx depths remained, a spark of deep red that was yet deeper than the hue of most things that exhibited the same color. Even as they watched, a thin membrane slid over the black orb, followed by the thick outer lid, which firmly closed the creature's eyes, and formed a protection of the same impenetrable scales that covered the rest of its obsidian body. It was not dead, for the lungs of the creature, like great bellows, still made its chest move up and down in that rhythmic motion that came with either sleep or unconsciousness.

Despite their time giving out, it was finally Hoseok who pulled them back together with a low "Come on. We have to hurry."

They all seemed to snap back to reality, and as they discreetly as possible made their way to the covered archway of the stables, a common place for those who had been on patrol outside to go first, a few brave souls were gathering others, and as more came, the whole of them began the process of trying to move the dragon's great bulk in any way possible, probably on orders to do such after the appearance of the beast.

Continuing the farce of belonging, the five proceeded to stable their horses, however they did not fully un-tack the steeds. If they needed a hasty escape, then they didn't want to be wasting time with saddling up.