The Challenger

Tales of Dee

By Alexander Brewer

 

Chapter 2

 

Dee and Tashia checked into an Inn to rest from traveling north for two days. Tashia seemed to be slowing down a little over the course of those two days. Dee figured it was just fatigue. At the Inn they overheard people talking about a powerful warrior.

            “Did you hear the Dragon Slayer is traveling through Silveran right now?” A man said.

            “I bet he’s going to the dragon’s lands in the east.” Another replied to him.

            “You shouldn’t listen to rumors.” The Inn keeper said to them. “Dracon the Dragon Slayer is dead and no one can bring back the dead.”

            “But then who slew the legendary dragons last year!” The first man protested.

            “I don’t know but I doubt some super warrior from beyond the grave could’ve done it.” The Inn keeper responded. After a while of listening Dee had decided to get up and speak up.

            “No it’s true, I’ve seen him.” Dee explained. “He looks just like how they describe him in the legends too.”

            “See?” The first man said feeling justified. “Thanks stranger!” Dee went back to sit with Tashia who was curious about the Dragon Slayer.

            “You’ve really seen him?” She asked.

            “Of course not.” Dee responded while biting a loaf of bread.

            “Oh…” Tashia sighed in disappointment. “Then why did you tell them that?” She wondered aloud.

“Because the Dragon Slayer is someone I often keep track of.” Dee answered.

She thought about it for a moment and wondered. “Do you think he’s really alive?”

            “Dracon the Dragon Slayer? I’m sure he is in some form.” Dee answered. “I can only think of two others who could’ve defeated the legendary dragons. We’d probably call them the legendary dragon slayers after that.”

            “Two others?” Tashia asked then realized he referred to the siblings of the dragon slayer.

            Suddenly the door of the inn opened and a man with some parchment came in and posted some bounties on a bulletin on the wall. After he left, Dee checked the bounties then saw some about a group of bandits who have been bothering the town they were at. Tashia came over to check it over as well.

            “Are we going to take on these criminals?” Tashia asked. Dee was concerned for her safety but did note she was a soldier in a military so she could hold her own in a fight.

            “Yes.” Dee answered then walked out the door. It was getting dark now and the streets were empty. “Tomorrow we’ll check when the merchants come to town.” They went back inside and rested.

 

 

            The next day they went over to talk to the market to inquire about the merchants’ arrival and learned it was to arrive in two days. They left town to intercept the caravan and guard it on the way into town. After a few hours of travel west they were stopped at a bridge by a lone dwarf.

            “What are you and this elf doing traveling this way?” He demanded.

            “We’re protecting free trade in these lands.” Dee answered.

            “So you’re after the bandits too I see!” The dwarf concluded. “Well you can’t go any further because the bounty of them is mine!” Dee figured this dwarf might have been tough but alone he couldn’t defeat a group of bandits.

            “Perhaps we could join forces.” Dee suggested.

            “And split the bounty with you?!” The dwarf yelled. “Never!”

            “This isn’t about money Dwarf, it’s about our duty to protect.” Tashia said drawing her sword. The Dwarf drew two axes.

            “Do you think that a shady man and some she-elf could be any match for me?” The Dwarf called out to them. “I’m Bengask! Champion hunter for the Blutro kingdom!” Dee clearly saw the Dwarf’s pride on display but Tashia quick jump for a fight wasn’t helping matters. He noted they could go around the bridge easily since it wasn’t over a deep river and the waters were calm. “Are you a coward?” Bengask called out.

            “Let’s just go.” Dee said approaching the water but Bengask jumped in his way. “This is wasting time and the bandits aren’t going to be stopped with us at each other’s throats.”

            “This is just a mild inconvenience for me as well but I’m not going to let you by!” Bengask said with both his axes ready to strike.

            “Don’t bother with him Dee.” Tashia explained. “Dwarves are simple folk who don’t ever talk.

            “Coming from a tree loving she-elf, that’s quite the talk!” The dwarf yelled to her.

            “How about this?” Dee asked to make a deal. “If I manage to disarm you, will you let us continue on our journey?” The dwarf began laughing.

            “Disarm me?” Bengask asked in amusement. “A dwarf never loses his axes!”

            “Would you let us pass if I did though?” Dee asked again.

            “Fine but just so you know, that doesn’t mean I won’t be going for a kill.” Bengask warned Dee then charged him. Dee managed to easily avoid Bengask’s axe strikes. Dee drew one sword and began deflecting his strikes. Bengask kept up a brutal assault but he couldn’t land a single hit on Dee. Tashia knew Dee had incredible skill but being completely defensive like this without hurting Bengask was just unreal to her. She did note this did leave Bengask open and she could potentially get in a killing stroke to end this quickly.

Dee observed Tashia beginning to move in slowly. He then knew he needed to avoid this getting worse so he hooked Bengask’s axe head on his sword which made Bengask grin because he knew dwarves had superior strength and Dee seemed like nothing more than just a man. He tried to fling Dee’s sword away but it didn’t budge. Suddenly Bengask’s axe was sent flying into a nearby tree. His other axe just as quickly had the axe head slashed off from the hilt. Bengask fell back surprised.

“What?! My beauty!” He said holding the broken halves of his axe. Dee quickly went to Tashia and had her sheath her sword. “I forged this axe myself. I carved the tree for the hilt. I crafted her to be a master weapon.” The dwarf felt emasculated. Dee nodded to Tashia and they continued onward across the bridge to stop to protect the caravan but then Bengask yelled out to them. “Wait!” He quickly caught up with them carrying his axe from the tree. “I want to go with you!”

“What?” Tashia said surprised.

“You managed to best me when no others could.” Bengask explained. “I want to travel with you to learn of your skill, learn from it, perhaps one day I could challenge you to a rematch.” Dee considered it but he did note Tashia wouldn’t like it. “Would you deny a dwarf a chance to restore his pride? I’m sure I can be of some use.”

“Alright.” Dee answered. Tashia was a bit surprised and annoyed but went along with it.

“Excellent.” Bengask said cheerily the immediately headed down the road to the caravan.

“Will you be okay with this?” Dee asked despite already making the decision.

“It’s fine.” Tashia said taking a deep breath. Dee nodded and went ahead of her. Tashia started to walk but then stopped holding her gut in pain then looked at her hand and saw blood. She tried to ignore it and continued with Dee and Bengask.

Reviews

[C. Rose]

"Dee was concerned about her safety" is Dee's POV. It is okay to have either one POV or many POVs. Since you began the story with Tashia, I assumed she was going to be your POV character.

Going to take a leap here and make a prediction. Dee is the supposedly deceased Dragon Slayer. Here's why. He wants the strangers to believe the rumors about what the Dragon Slayer looks like. Dee could be short for Dracon. His first thought at who else it could be is Dracon's siblings. He says "in some form or another.
So. Dee is Dracon. I look forward to seeing how right that prediction was.

[C. Rose]

"a few hours of travel(ing) west"
"who don't ever talk" missing end quotation mark.
"the(n) immediately headed"
A dwarf, an elf, and a mysterious human. Classic :)

[Coyote Poetry]

A very good chapter. I like the way the weapons were took and the group begin to grow. I like the description of the characters. Giving them life and purpose. Thank you for sharing the excellent chapter.
Coyote