Monsters and Machines - Three Days of the Dragon

Day 1

I looped around Wright Mountain, coming in low and fast through the valley. Stretched out in front of me was a rich seam of green pine trees, flanked on either side by tall mountains, transitioning from the green trees to black rocky cliffs and snow-capped peaks up either side, underneath a darkening gray sky. In the centre of the valley a little more than a kilometer away was an ornate white castle, its base rising above the trees and its towers reaching up in front of the dark gray rocks of Raven's Head Mountain behind that. Green Gate Castle.

Just a few meters below me the pointy tops of the pine trees rushed past as I sped towards the castle. Elements of the view stayed static until they suddenly became three-dimensional and rushed past, the landscape unfolding in front of me like an origami puzzle.

As the tree tops whipped by just below they briefly filled my ears with a "whoosh, whoosh". I remained focused at the castle slowly getting closer on the horizon.

Whoosh!

Whoosh, Whoosh!

Thwack!

I winced as the leading edge of my left wing clipped the top of a taller pine tree, sending it tumbling to the ground behind me. I kept going.

Whoosh,

Thwack,

Whoosh, Whoosh, Whoosh,

Thwack, Thwack,

It was no use, I was slowing down and losing altitude. I'd be face first into the forest floor at this rate. I had to fly up.

Flap!

One stroke of my wings and I quickly gained altitude, but the damage was done.

The plan had been to launch a surprise attack on the castle. My dark green scales were about the same shade as the pine trees that filled the valley, and from the guard towers looking out I would have been hard to see in the evening light just above them. But now with two big green wings suddenly rising up above the trees I would be easily spotted. I focused my vision towards the wooden guard towers now visible on the outer edges of the castle. In the ones facing me I could already see tiny shocked faces, and, most importantly, one of the guards reaching for a large hammer to ring the warning bell within the top of the tower.

Now it was all or nothing. I could turn and flee, or fly as fast as possible towards the guard tower and destroy it before the bell could be rung.

I was no more than 300 meters out and moving fast. The idea of abandoning what should be mine left a bitter taste in my mouth, and so I would fight.

I pitched forward and beat my wings furiously, rapidly gaining speed.

200 meters.

The scrawny guard hefted the hammer up on his right thigh, and then into both hands. The stone work on the light gray wall behind him came into focus.

100 meters.

The guard leaned back and wound up a swing. Around him I could see the dark brown wood of the watch tower, the surface splintered where black iron nails were driven into the joints.

50 meters.

The hammer started to move towards the bell, picking up speed. The guard's blue eyes filled with panic, sweat beading on his face.

3 meters.

The hammers strikes the bell and it begins to ring. Bongggg... BASTERD!

0 meters.

I lean back at the last moment and plow into the watch tower feet first, instantly demolishing it and knocking loose the heavy bronze bell, which crashed noisily to the ground.