Pied Piper

4. Face Off

Taehyung kept his weapon drawn as he slowly made his way up the staircase to where the dragon was causing destruction. He kept a hand behind him to make sure the woman stayed tucked behind his back where it was safe. Taehyung kept his hand against her to keep her pressed against the wall as pieces of the wall came crumbling down the stairwell, tumbling past them.

"Okay, as soon as I can see a clear path to run, I need you to run," instructed Taehyung.

"Is that all you do to solve the problem of a dragon?" quipped the woman. "Run?"

Taehyung turned his head to look at the woman momentarily. She had quite the mouth on her. He wasn't sure if he liked that or not. It certainly wasn't helping with matters right now.

"You'll thank me when you're not dead," said Taehyung back, making the woman shoot him a look but nothing more.

'Ungrateful maiden in distress,' thought Taehyung as he snuck up a few more steps until he had a clear view of the lobby.

The security guard that had run off on him was currently laying on his back on the ground; staring up into the maw of a giant red dragon. Half of the roof above the dragon was gone as it stalked forward over the squirming security guard. The guard had detached a gun from his belt, pointing it up at the beast whose saliva was dripping down onto his face.

"Stay here for a moment," said Taehyung as he turned to look at the woman. "I'll be right back."

"I have a name you know."

Taehyung paused with his sword ready, fixing his gaze on the woman as he heard her say, "My name is Kora."

"Then Kora stay where you are. I'll be right back. Geezum..."

Taehyung rolled his eyes as he came onto the ground floor, holding his sword in front of him. The dragon's beady eyes narrowed in on the guard, and it looked like it was about to bite his head off in one go when it noticed Taehyung moving off to the left. The dragon's head spun up and around to face Taehyung, letting out a roar that shattered the chandeliers in the roof. Taehyung held his free arm up above his head as it showered down on him before springing into action.

- - -

Kora stayed where she was, watching Taehyung advance towards the dragon. He ran towards the dragon, jumping into the air and seeming to fly for half a second before landing on top of the dragon from behind. Taehyung tucked his legs on either side of the dragon's trunk like neck as Kora heard her phone go off again. She tried to ignore it, but the ringing seemed to alert the dragon to her presence; a dragon that Taehyung didn't seem to have fully under control yet.

Kora quickly dug it out of her pocket, fumbling to switch the phone to silent as the dragon blew fire in her direction. She backed up down the stairwell some to try to avoid it. She ended up catching her heel on the step, falling backwards to land on the landing seven steps below her. Her back made contact with the wall of the landing when she fell, eventually ending up on her back. She let out a sharp hiss of pain as she laid there. Her phone was shattered off to her right. Well. At least it wouldn't provide a distraction for the dragon again.

Kora was just about to make her way to her feet when she saw a blur fly past her; Taehyung's back making contact with the same wall that she had as he was bucked off the dragon.

"I thought I told you to stay still!" said Taehyung as he groaned, rolling onto his side before stumbling to his feet.

"I did, but I kind of had to move before I became a crispy dragon treat!"

"You were safe. What alerted him to your presence?"

"The phone."

"The what?"