Nevermore

The Dragon Slayer

Farkas retrieved Daphne from the Infirmary later that night. The sky was black, but with a purple and pink tinge, light weaving across the dark sky. She was wide awake, which wasn't surprising. 

As soon as she saw him, she stood up gingerly. " Your doctors are good."

"I know."

She smiled and not for the first time did Farkas muse how gorgeous she was, even with her hair in the state it was. If anything, he liked her more for it. 

" Let's go." They both stepped out into the cold night air, a gentle breeze soothing their nerves. Daphne squinted, seeing the dragon on the summit, sleeping. "Huh." She mused.

" I'll go and get the horse. I have the supplies all ready." Farkas informed.

" Okay."

He retrieved the horse from the stables, pleading her to come along (she grunted in response). " Come on Patch," he cooed. Patch headbutted him into a pile of hay. " Having a bad day huh?" He sulked.

After five agonising minutes spent with Patch he returned to see Daphne ...gone. " Oh god." He murmured to himself. He looked around for her, wondering where she may be. The hospital, the tent...but no. The dragon's summit?! Farkas looked up in horror to see her walking calmly up to the Dragon's summit. His face paled. " Dear god." 

He climbed on Patch, grunting as he climbed on, his face cherry red. Farkas then rode up the summit to rescue Daphne from herself. He felt like a prince as he rode on his steed, victory in his clasp as he was about to rescue his princess from a deadly dragon. The only problems were his 'steed' was the grumpiest horse you could ever meet, he was a man-wolf not a prince and Daphne was not a princess but a mere commoner who luckily survived a dragon attack. He wasn't wrong about the deadly dragon part though. It was only as he grew nearer that he saw she had something in her hand. A staff? A wand? A cane?

No, a staff. It was a shining gold, the tip not sharp but a diamond stuck to where the gold ended. Around the diamond and the last few centimetres of gold, shards of diamond were stuck, like a sun, revolving around that section. The hilt too was diamond, capturing the almost non existent light onto it's surface, causing it to glow a bright turquoise. 

" Daphne!" Farkas cried, out of breath as she approached the dragon. His ears rung as he watched with horror. 

Daphne's hair blew in the wind, her heart beating faster as she clutched the staff, her face screwed in concentration. The staff burned,glowed,shone, pulsed with what Farkas realised, unimaginable power. Where she had acquired this staff, Farkas had no idea. Evidently his new ally had a few tricks up her sleeve.

He leapt off his horse, stumbling and ran until he was beside her. He opened his mouth to speak before realising any noise would wake the beast from his slumber. 

Daphne opened her eyes which shone a brilliant bright blue, shining light out of them as though they were mini suns. He watched in horrified fascination, mesmerised as Daphne screamed, the dragon roaring to life as she brought the staff down onto the earth with a crack. The world seemed to slow. The dragon's wicked eyes opened, breathing fire at Daphne for only a split second. Ash singed her hair but she did not retreat but glared into the creature's eyes.

Like a dream, or a story, the dragon's scales sloughed off, crumbling, until after a few seconds the dragon collapsed into bones and dust. Organs were scattered around - a heart, a stomach, an intestine. 

Daphne sighed. "Hm. Well that's done, I guess."

" How can you be so calm?" He shrieked. 

She shrugged. " Pass me a knife, will you?"

He clumsily handed his to her, the one in his backpack. 

With ease, she cut the dragon scales, like fabric. When she had a fair amount cut, she dumped it on the horse's back.

" What are you doing?" Farkas hissed. 

Daphne was a liability, he decided. Crazy. Out of touch. She was going to get him killed. He bit his nails nervously, pacing in a circle, a few steps from the dragon's demise. 

Daphne glared at him, her blue eyes bright with urgency. " What do you think?!" 

She moved over to the dead dragon's horns and began to saw them off. Farkas couldn't help but laugh, bemused. "Seriously, Daphne."

" I'm going to make some armour, a helmet." She looked smug, even though she tried to hide it. "Let everyone know who I am, what I do."

Farkas shrugged. " Okay, I guess." 

Not long later Daphne and Farkas climbed onto Patch, Daphne clutching her staff, the dragon horns in a satchel. With some difficulty, Farkas convinced Patch to begin riding. Leaving the dragon corpse behind, they rode down the Murmuring Mountains to Jaunt Jolie, purpose in their hearts.