Will Of The Fates

6.

Spiky neck, long claws with talons the length of some swords, massive head, leathery wings. The green eye had a black slit in it down the middle. It reflected my entire body. From my raised swords to my lowered form to the pure fear on my face.

It bared its teeth. And even the volume of the low growl vibrated through my chest.

Danger.

Sosthenes whispered in my head once more. It snapped me out of my head.

My feet pushed me back as I waved wildly with my swords. "BACK UP! BACK! GET TO THE TREES!!"

My yell was filled with fear and desperation. My eyes swung to Kieran at the same time he moved to mine. We converged on each other, both of us in front, side-by-side as everyone shuffled behind us.

Both our breaths were shaky, heavy with fear and panic. The dragon didn't look away from me, but I could see everyone reflected in the massive green orb. There was only fear on everyone's faces. Liru had backed up to her father. Yorja clung to a tree as Urun bravely stood right behind Kieran and I. I didn't dare look away from it. From its massive body.

The dragon was purple, the scales gave off a green sheen, and it's talons were black. The leathery wings were a darker shade of purple. I had no doubt that if they opened up, they could overshadow half the village with their full length. It's body itself was the size of a house. A broad chest with the lines of its ribs visible, and then rest of it's tapered body hidden behind it's lowered wings. It's tail was coiled around it, it's spiky end was the length of Kieran's long sword and twice as thick. Every facet of this being was dangerous. Every facet of this being could kill us.

The men who'd been in the clearing before us were still as they watched us. No fear on their faces. I met the eyes of the one closest to me. "You!" I snapped, my voice wavered. "How-How long have you kept watch?"

"We have shifts." He replied easily. "Morning, evening and night." He pointed at the dragon with his staff. "But it hasn't really done anything yet. It just sits there like that. No movement, nothing."

Sits there? No movement?

"Has it hurt any of the villagers?" Kieran asked right after.

The village chief replied. "No. We even gave it live goats and raw meat, but it refuses to eat." He was backed up behind the trees. "We don't know what to do with it anymore. Could you... Could you kill it?"

"Kill it?!" I snapped, my head turned to glare at the old man. "This thing?! With swords?! You goddamn senile or what?!"

Garmin glared at me. "Alekto!"

"She's right, Garmin." Urun's hand shook. "Our swords would snap like twigs against those scales. We don't stand a chance, no matter how many of us you get." He glanced sideways to look at the Chief. "You shouldn't have brought us here. We can't do anything. No one can."

The Chief's face fell as I turned to the dragon once more. It still stared at me. I took a shaky breath as I held my swords out. My eyes scanned it for weak spots. Maybe it's underbelly, but it's lying on it. The neck? No, also coiled as it states at us. The wings? Maybe... They need to be thin to fly... Fly? Is this thing even light enough to fly?

Emerys, it's dying.

I frowned as Sosthenes spoke. "Are you serious?" I whispered out loud.

The village chiefs begs for us to stay fell silent behind me. I could feel eyes on my back. "What-what is it?" Urun asked.

My eyes roamed the dragon once more. "Really?" I asked again.

Yes. It's dying. It's life force is weak.