The Last of the Dragons-Set 1

106

      "Don't move! Don't fucking move! I'll put an arrow between your eyes!" I shouted as the five men dismounted their horses.

The first one dismounted quickly, which startled me. I shot my arrow into the mans shoulder, knocking him back as he shrieked in pain.

"No! Please! We don't want to hurt you!" The second man pleaded as I drew a second arrow.

"Th-Theodore, drop your bow." The second man said in a hesitant voice.

A young man, who couldn't have been any older than twenty tossed his bow out in front of the group at my feet. Then, the man in front knelt down in front of me as Doron snarled behind me.

"My name is John. This is Theodore, my son. This is Gerald, Hudson, and you've already met Easton." The older man said while motioning to the man I had shot.

"Who are you people?" I asked while I held my bow firm.

"We are strays from the kings army. We have heard of your heroic attempts to liberate your people, and the king has grown far to greedy, ruthless, and entitled. We managed to get away in the dark of the night, and decided to come looking for you. We wish to aid you in your fight." John said as the other men dropped to their knees.

"Why should I believe that you aren't the kings best assassins sent to kill me?" I demanded as I pressed my dagger up against John's throat.

"Because you would already be dead." He responded.

I lowered my dagger and tossed my bow aside.

"You may rise." I said.

The four men stood up and brushed themselves off as Easton remained on the ground, holding his wound. I looked over the group more closely now. John was a short man with short black hair, on the skinny side, with a large scare on his neck. Theodore was basically a younger version of John, though he had much longer black hair that came down to his shoulders. Gerald was much taller than the other men, with nearly no hair on his head and a long narrow jaw, and a pronounced forehead. Hudson was an average height, and on the chubbier side with black hair that came down to his neck. Then I looked over to Easton, the man I had shot in the shoulder with the arrow. He looked similar to Theodore, except he was a little taller.

"Bring him here." I said.

The four men picked up their crippled friend and brought him over to me. I grabbed the arrow and forcefully ripped it out, causing Easton to scream in pain.

"Hey, if you want to fight for me, you have to have a higher pain tolerance than that." I said as I pushed him aside.

"So, you really want to fight for me? Why shouldn't I just have my dragon eat you for lunch instead?" I said as Doron showed his teeth.

"W-Well, you could surely use more men, right? I had heard talk of your entire army being slaughtered, but there were rumors that you had survived." John said.

I pondered whether or not to kill the men and leave their bodies here, or to trust them, and bring them back with me.

"If I catch you doing anything suspicious, i'll spill your intestines out onto the ground with my dagger." I said as I held the knife up to display.

"I swear on my sons life that none of us are a threat to you. I would rather fight for you than for that thieving, ruthless bastard." He said with a quiver in his voice.

Theodore gave John as displeased look.Just as he finished his sentence, Doron lowered his head down to the men and looked the group over, snarling and hissing. 

"Oh what a pleasure it is to see a dragon. I had never thought dragons would exist again, No one did. But, if you use them, and you use us, I promise you, on my life, that you can win back what was once yours." John said.

I pondered again, and for what ever reason, I decided not to slaughter the group, and instead to give them a chance.

"Fine. You got your wish. I'll take you with me. But like I said, any of you try something, and I'll be wearing your skin for clothing." I said firmly.

The five men bowed their heads, and thanked me several times. Doron reluctantly stretched his wing out for me to climb. I helped the five of them up to his back.

"Hang on to his quills."I said.

"What about those horses?" Theodore asked.

"Doron hasn't eaten today." I said as I turned to the dragon and nodded my head.

Doron bent down and swallowed each horse whole as they whined and squirmed.

"Like I said, don't get on my bad side. Ever." I said.

I hurried up Doron's wing and mounted in front of the five men.

"Fly."

Doron spread his wings and took off in the direction of the valley. I had hoped these five men would either be sincere with me, because if not, I could have just put us all in grave danger.