Blackheart

The Dragon

The knight lay panting as he recovered from the climb, as Leianna and Lexius came up behind him, both just as tired. The three warriors lay there for several minutes, allowing themselves time to recover for the trial ahead.

"Let's...not hope...we need to come back here." Lexius said in between pants.

"Agreed." Alexander nodded, now sitting. "Are you two ready? We all need to have some energy still in us when we go inside...just in case." The knight looked up. A few yards ahead, a massive cavern entrance sat before them, beckoning them. The hole was massive, which seemed to confirm it was home to a dragon.

Leianna stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Well, let's get on it, then. The sooner we...'talk', the sooner we go home."

Alexander, Leianna and Lexius entered the cave with their weapons and shields drawn and at the ready. The group quietly crept forward into the dark cave, the slow and steady dripping of water the only sounds to accompany them. Alexander looked over his shoulder. "Have the monsters told either of you anything about this...dragon?" The knight whispered quietly, in case the creature was nearby.

"He's a fire breather." Lexius whispered. "They said he's been nesting here for years, and hasn't ever really approached the city aside from flying by a few times. If he's aggressive, he's scared of fighting the entire city, or he just isn't and has no desire to fight."

Alexander nodded. "Alright. Keep an eye-" Alexander was interrupted by a deafening roar. Everyone froze and looked around frantically, thinking they were spotted. Suddenly, a flash of light came and went right ahead of them.

The group could hear the roar of a dragon breathing fire deeper in the cave. "What the hell?!" Leianna grimaced. "It's not fighting us! Are we not alone here?!"

Alexander held up his hand. "Try to remain concealed. They still might not know we're here. We need to figure out what's happening before we spring into action."

Before they could move forward, yet another voice shouted out behind them. "Hey! Wait!" The three humans whipped around, shields raised. A kobold in a suit of steel armor ran towards them. Alexander recognised the green, strong-looking kobold.

"Senci?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

The kobold slowed down to a jog as he reached the group. "I overheard you talking about going to see the dragon. I wanted to help, so I trailed you here!"

Alexander shook his head. The kobold had a big longsword strapped to his back and a large suit of armor without a helmet.

"Ugh, whatever, come with us. Hurry!"

As the group moved towards the sound of fighting, they reached a large open section of the cavern. In the center of the room, a figure in a suit of black, gnarled armor was battling the dragon. Alexander hid behind the corner to the room and held his hand up.

"Wait! They're here."

The dragon looked quite large, but not immensely so, leading to the conclusion that he was a young adult. His scales were a dark and rich red, shining and glittering like rubies. The dragon stood looking angry and proud before the intruder.

Upon further inspection, the person in armor had dark purple skin. The man seemed masculine, almost comically so, with a massive frame and shoulders as wide as Alexander's entire body.

He grinned at the dragon with fanged teeth, and glared with black eyes and pupils, and red irises. His armor pulsed with black energy, and looked thick and mangled, ending in horns at the head, though Alexander thought they may simply be sticking out from under the helmet.