The Lastborn: A Middle Earth Story(Book 1)(EDITING)

Chapter 18: And So It Begins

  The forest groaned under the weight of dragonfire, and the once verdant foliage wilted and curled in the intense heat. The Mirkwood archers, their agile forms now consumed by the inferno, were reduced to mere ashes, victims of the scorching wrath that the dragon, Aldernari, had unleashed.

Amidst the devastation, Caledorn emerged as the lone elf who defied the consuming flames. His movements were a dance with death, a mesmerizing display of elven agility. As the dragon's breath of fire surged toward him, Caledorn executed a gravity-defying vault, evading the fiery onslaught. In a single fluid motion, he landed on the trunk of a sturdy tree, using it as a springboard to propel himself upward.

Launching into the air, Caledorn gracefully maneuvered toward the dragon, Aldernari, who roared with fury at having missed his mark. The dark-clad elf, seemingly untouched by the inferno, demonstrated an uncanny connection with the elements. As the dragon ascended into the sky, Caledorn, with impeccable timing, leaped onto the creature's side.

Aldernari, startled by the unexpected passenger, roared again and soared higher into the sky. Caledorn, undeterred, seized the opportunity to make a daring move. Driving a slender knife into a minuscule gap between the dragon's formidable scales, he created a precarious but effective point of leverage. The dragon, now an unwilling host to the elf, contorted in discomfort.

As the dragon whirled in the air, attempting to dislodge the tenacious elf, Caledorn, undeterred, jumped from the dragon's side onto the middle of its vast back. The city sprawled beneath them, a tableau of chaos and impending doom.

"You are quite sturdy, for an elf!" Aldernari growled with annoyance, his deep voice resonating in the air. Undeterred by the dragon's remark, Caledorn clung to one of the formidable spikes protruding from the dragon's back. The airborne struggle unfolded like a perilous dance between predator and prey.

In a daring mid-air flip, Aldernari sought to shake off his uninvited passenger. Caledorn, the epitome of elven resilience, tightened his grip, battling against the gales that whipped around them. The struggle reached a climax as one of Caledorn's coal-black daggers slipped from his grasp, plummeting hundreds of feet below. A muttered curse escaped his lips, but with unwavering determination, he drove the remaining dagger deeper into the dragon's scaly hide, anchoring himself to the colossal beast.

The aerial spectacle continued, an elf defying a dragon against the backdrop of a city consumed by chaos. The fate of Fornost hung in the balance as Caledorn clung to Aldernari, a lone sentinel challenging the might of the mighty demon of the sky.

   Aldernari roared as he rose higher into the air. His shadowy wings propelled him higher and higher until, suddenly and without warning, he banked and went into a steep dive, pulling his wings close to his side. Caledorn held on to the dagger with all this strength, but despite that he could still feel his grip loosening. He needed to do something, and fast.
With a quick flick of his left wrist a short, razor sharp blade sprang from his gauntlet. He thrust this blade into the dragon as well, digging it deep under the dragon's scales.
Aldernari let out a roar of pain, and continued to plummet toward the ground. Caledorn looked on in shock as he realized the dragon was showing no signs of slowing down. They were getting closer and closer to the city below them. Caledorn braced himself.
At the last possible moment, Aldernari desperately spread his enormous wings, attempting to avert a catastrophic collision with the ground. Despite his agony and sluggish response, the dragon only managed to mitigate the impact, crashing into a sturdy building before careening across the ground. Small houses crumbled in his wake as he slid, the destructive force of his descent leaving a trail of devastation. 

Caledorn, anticipating the dragon's plight, executed a nimble leap, clearing the imminent disaster. With unparalleled agility, he transitioned seamlessly into a combat roll, rising into a poised fighting stance with a dagger raised high above his head. The other dagger was lost in the chaos, but Caledorn, undeterred, brandished his blade gauntlet, determined to continue the battle. Vowing to retrieve his lost weapon later, he surveyed the path of destruction Aldernari had carved. At the end of the ruinous trail lay the once-mighty dragon, now motionless. Cautiously approaching, Caledorn scrutinized the colossal beast, his bright green eyes keenly observing for any sign of life. His hood had fallen, revealing wild, dark hair that danced in the wind. With each measured step toward the dragon's massive head, he remained vigilant. One eye was open, a milky film clouding its once-piercing gaze. Despite his skepticism regarding the guileful nature of dragons, every indication pointed toward the creature's demise. From its lifeless eyes to the absence of the fiery orange glow in its chest, the evidence seemed compelling. Doubt lingered in Caledorn's mind as he contemplated the possibility. Could it truly be? Relief began to wash over him, a tide of emotion he hadn't felt in years. Finally, the vendetta that had haunted his existence was complete. The formidable beast that had shattered his family and altered his life irreversibly was now, unequivocally, dead.
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