Ch. 4 Dragons and Knights

Interesting title, is it not? Shadow has entered one of his least-favorite stories but, something quite strange happens. Care to find out what our Robinhood encounters?

Ch. 4 Dragons and Knights

 

"Come on son, we need to get to Fable, to your mother and brother.", my father whispers into my ear.

 

I'm thirteen again, my father is still alive and I'm back in my old genre.

 

I run out into the open, following my father across the deserted street. I follow close at his heels, blending into the shadows effortlessly.

"get in.", Uncle Ben whispers, a shadow in his truck. I crawl into the back seat, next to my cousin, Marie who is bawling her eyes out.

My father hesitates at the door of the car, looking at something behind him.

 

"Come on dad!", I whisper urgently.

 

"Wait, I think I heard some-", a shot is fired and my father drops to the ground, his emerald and violet eyes fading. His dark curls spread across his face, covering his soft wrinkles and straight nose.

 

"Dad." I struggle out of my seat and lurch towards my father's body, only to be yanked back by my cousin. He holds me down with one arm and shuts the car door with the other with the other, not allowing me to see my father's body.

 

I don't cry. I don't make a sound. I just sit in my seat silently and replay the moment over and over in my head. Thinking about the cold-blooded killers that murdered my father.

 

The Brotherhood.

 

My earpiece vibrates irritatingly, waking me from my vicious nightmare. I shake my head and turn off the earpiece with my knuckle. It's five thirty, just in time.

I'm sweating through my cloak and mask, not from the heat, but of the dream.

The dream fades in my mind, leaving me with a shaky fear in my chest.

 

I take a quick, cold shower, refreshing my senses. When I'm done, I quickly get dressed and lace up my mask, not wanting to get caught without my disguise.

 

"Hey Shadow.", Spades greets me sleepily. I nod in his direction, slipping my fedora over my curls before he can see. Spades doesn't notice, he's too busy pulling a brush through his jet black hair.

 

Violet is sitting on her bed watching me suspiciously. Her brother Aimes is lacing up his boots, tightening them, his eyes on me.

 

"So, did you take a shower with your mask on?", Violet sneers. I sigh.

 

It's too early for this.

 

I throw my satchel over my shoulder, ignoring her question. "We leave in an hour. Go eat, shower, do whatever the heck you want but I want you in that jeep by seven. We've already lost time.", I say, keeping my hands behind my back.

 

They all nod and say "yes Shadow", all irritation and disrespect leave Violet's face. Replaced with fearful respect. I grin and nod once in approval.

 

I head out to the parking lot, walking past the few cars parked in the small lot. There's a thick forest surrounding the hotel: the wall that seperates the stories from the real world of Characters. On the other side of the forest, I can hear the faint sound of a dragon screeching as a knight drives his sword through it. The screeching stops abrubtly, cutting off awkwardly. I wince at the sound of a sword exiting the thick flesh.

 

I walk towards the forest, pushing aside the thick branches that block the way through the forest. An invisible wall stops me, only one foot away from a scaly tail of the dragon.

 

The tail itself is beautiful. The scales are bright violet, shimmering blue and green. Small spikes decorate the scales, drenched in blood. Not dragon's blood.

The dragon tail is connected to a large alligator-like animal. The size of a dinosaur (which are quite huge). The same spiked scales decorate the large animal, covering its wide wings, spread apart awkwardly. One wing is stretched in front of the animal, the other is bent inward.

 

The dragon's face is gigantic, the size of a house. It's wide snout stretches far, covered in silvery scales. It's nostrils are large and flared, breathing difficultly.

My eyes move to the dragon's bright green cat eyes. They're watching me fearfully, half closed. The light fading from them.

 

"I'm sorry", I whisper. The dragon reaches a scaly claw towards me, causing the poor dragon to wince. I can see his large, long, neck when the dragon reaches a clawed wing towards me, long gashes going down his neck and chest.

 

He can't breath correctly.

Wait, where is the knight?

 

I look around but the knight is nowhere to be found.

That means I can enter the story now.

Characters can only enter a story's setting if all Watchers are with the main Character.

 

I reach my hand out, the wall is gone.

 

I enter the story cautiously, looking around. There is a large black castle in the distance. Other than the castle, the dragon and I are in the middle of an empty field.

 

I run to the dragon and place a hand on it's rough face. Each scale is the size of my hand.

 

The dragon lets out a soft moan, muffled by a gurgling sound. I press both of my hands on the dragon's scales, not knowing what to do but, it just feels right. I close my eyes instinctively, trailing my hands down the dragon's neck. About one-fourth of a football field. I can feel the gashes of the blade that had been previously wrenched through the dragon's neck and chest. The wounds are thin and deep, repeatedly etched through the dragon's thick scales. I reach the dragon's stomach, where the gashes stop.

 

I open my eyes and jump back, startled. The dragon's wounds have dissappeared. Smoothed into shiny scales.

 

The dragon raises itself onto its four clawed paws. Stretching out it's beautiful wings.

 

"How did tha-", I stop in disbelief, looking down at my hands. They're a pale white color, my veins visible through my transparent skin. My hands shake violently and my breath comes out jagged and breathy. My body feels weak, due to the overwhelming fear that fills my chest. I rip off my mask and hat.

The dragon makes a huge circle around me with it's tail, leaving a large circle of scales surrounding me. It takes the scales in its claws and tosses them near where I sit, hunched over my hands.

 

The dragon grunts, turning my attention to it. It grunts again and motions with a jerk of its head to the scales. I pick them up with my pale hands and place them into my satchel, wanting to please the dragon. It leans its head forward and licks my entire face with its huge tongue, leaving saliva on my face.

"Gross! Gosh Scales, please, no thanks is necessary. Seriously.", I wipe my face with my now red hands. "Do you know what I did?", I ask the dragon. It c***s its large head, as if it also has no idea how I healed him.

 

"Your a pretty little thing.", I stretch out my hand and stroke its large snout. "I don't know why they always slay you dragons when they can just politely ask you to move so they can go kidnap the princess.", I sigh, picking my satchel off of the ground.

 

I look down at my watch. It's already six forty-seven.

 

"Well bud, I gotta go. Leave this story or you'll be slayed every day for the rest of your life." I lace my mask back up and pull my fedora over my curls.

The dragon takes off, its large wings spread far apart as it gracefully leaves the clearing. I grin as it adjusts its scales to blend in with its surroundings, making the dragon completely invisible as enters the Character World.

 

They'll never catch him.

　

Author's Note

I absolutely love this chapter and I hope you do too!

Reviews

[Lucy Morningstar &heart..]

i really enjoyed the chapter and the way the story is going so far. well done, my friend :)

[SpeedyHobbit Armstrong]

Fantastic chapter! Definitely like this story

[Raymond Federle]

Another good chapter, well done! :)