A Foe to Fear
Torben couldn’t believe he found Jonas and Yerik! For the first time in the darkness, he found hope. Torben observed further. He stood on a balcony-like structure looking over a wide-open area of an extremely large cavern. He could tell columns had been built to support the leaning walls and ceiling.
His location was too far up to jump, and too sheer of a cliff to climb down. He would have to find another way down. Torben scanned the lower area and couldn’t see any menacing creatures in the area, except one very large looking creature laying on the ground near Jonas and Yerik. He couldn’t tell if they killed the creature or if someone else tried to free them. He also struggled to tell if Jonas and Yerik were still alive. They didn’t seem to move much. Torben recognized that if he could get to them, he could get more answers.
Torben returned to the main corridor and ran down the passageway, hoping to find any connections to the area below. At any available opening, he would stop to get a view of his location and how close he was to the ground level, then continue running to the next opening and repeat the same action.
Thhhwwwuumpp!
In his haste and excitement, Torben failed to pay attention to the pathway, tripping over something in the dark. Then it moved. Time slowed down as the fear pierced his heart. He could feel scales, and he realized he landed on what felt to be a dragon.
It hissed, equally surprised by the encounter, writhing about to wriggle free. Torben believed that the creature he landed on would kill him if he didn’t kill it first, instinctively throwing punches to get free. The dragon fought back, trying to land a bite, or free one of its hands. It had an advantage with long-winged arms pulling and clawing at Torben. Torben struggled to maintain a stronger hold on the dragon. He tried to get his sword in a swinging position, but he couldn’t with his arms and legs tangled with the dragon’s, keeping the sword pinned between him and the dragon. The dragon began to pry Torben away with its wings and hind legs, held out its hand, and started mumbling strange words.
Torben’s dark blade sat in plain sight between him and his foe. If he could only get his arm free for a swiping blow with the sword, then he could—. Torben realized the beauty of his dark blade. The long, curved side excelled at cutting with sweeping slices and swinging attacks. Yet the hook at the end held a completely new potential. Torben twisted the blade, pushing the hook into the soft scales of the dragon’s neck and pulled downward. The hook cut through the soft tissue of the dragon’s neck and belly. The dragon grasped for air and fell limp to the ground. A few writhing twitches, and it lay there motionless.
Torben’s chest felt on fire. He couldn’t tell if it came from the fear or the immense relief of victory. Torben stepped back to look at his kill. He worried he would get in trouble for killing a dragon. He kept telling himself he acted in self-defense. Everything in this dungeon valley wanted to kill him. Why would this dragon be any different? He had to fight back for his own life. Torben still felt shaky, yet he knew what he did. Standing above the slain dragon, scratched and bruised, Torben grit his teeth and yelled a guttural yell.
He was becoming everything he wanted to be. Everything he imagined a fighter would do in this situation; he did. Torben found his bravery, he conquered his fears. He tasted victory in his battles. He was growing into the fighter he always wanted to become! The victory energized him. The sooner he got back to his friends, the sooner they could get back home. He would help them fight for an escape. He couldn’t wait to tell his stories. Torben and his dark blade.
Then, around the corner, came two of the upright humanoid dragon creatures, smaller than the first creature he fought, but this time, they carried weapons. They saw Torben and hissed a screeching yell running towards him. Torben scowled at the dragon warriors. They didn’t understand the strength that Torben had found in the dark.