Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam
+JMJ+
May Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary grant success to this attempt at pleasing Her and Her children with a story.
Last time: After running away from home and being chased through the woods by a cat, Bill met with a knight named Phillip, who had been separated from his fellow knights to save the kingdom of Corcrist from an evil dragon. On the way, they met a strange hermit named Br. Christopher, who joined them to assist the good people in their spiritual desolation. In an overgrown forest, all three were captured by evil, self-indulgent dryads and locked in a cage where they were harrassed by one of Phillip’s own friends who had joined the dryads. They escaped just to meet a ferocious werewolf which turned out to be another of Phillip’s friends. Finally returning to the road, a group of men in dark, hooded robes stood in their way led by the last of Phillip’s comrades, Ignatius, who had sworn allegiance to the dragon. This villainous traitor made no effort to stall them, trusting his new master’s power to defeat Phillip. Approaching Corcrist, they met the Queen Esther who politely told them to go away just before the dragon appeared, and Phillip four with it. After the dragon flew away, Phillip fell unconscious and was brought into Corcrist to be healed. Having woken up, he suggests that they attack the dragon in its own lair…
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The cat continued to circle the mountain beyond the sight of the dragon’s cave within the forest. Their spirits slowly dropped as the minutes passed. After the thrill of coming so near to their enemy, the anticipation of seeing it again made the time feel much longer. Yet, the cat kept walking determinedly without speeding past or stopping to rest. Bill in particular was excited to keep following at least until it reached a place to rest. Eventually, the curious feline turned away from the line of trees towards a pile of stones. There, it started digging between the rocks as if looking for something underneath.
“What is it doing?” Esther asked.
“Let’s find out!” Roderick answered.
The three men began pulling away some of the larger boulders. Finally, after a few collapsing rocks nearly crushed Bill, who was standing too close, a small hole was uncovered. When they were finished, the hole was big enough for even the tallest of them to stand inside. Without even looking at them, the cat trotted confidently into the utter darkness within.
Silently, Jerome started a fire. From his satchel, he produced a roll of cloth meant for bandages which he lit at the end of some branches. With the light of these torches, the group carefully filed in.
“Watch your step,” Roderick cautioned. “There may be loose stones and hidden passages that you could fall through.”
“Nothing like the fear of being crushed in a cave-in to lighten the mood of fighting a dragon,” Esther responded.
“Take heart,” Phillip said. “The cat must be far within already, and it seemed to know where it was going.”
“Speaking of the cat, can you see it at the front?” Esther asked.
Phillip stuck his torch forward at the head of the group. Only inky blackness rimmed the outside of his light. “No,” he answered. “Perhaps we will find it further on.”
But they didn’t find the cat further on. Luckily, there were no pits or passages to lead them astray. Without the light of day, which had faded quickly as the tunnel wound forward, time ceased to mean anything. Only the clink of armor and weapons accompanied them.
Eventually, Phillip halted the crew when he heard a small rumbling sound. “Do you hear that?” he asked.
The whole party waited silently. Bill would’ve said it sounded like a washing machine in a distant corner. But it started and stopped at times.
“Could it be- snoring?” Esther proposed.
They all considered her suggestion and eventually agreed.
“You must be right. I think it must be the dragon sleeping,” Roderick responded. “What luck! We will be able to strike while it doesn’t expect us. That blessed cat has given us the element of surprise.”
Only Phillip was a little unhappy at this news. “It doesn’t seem honorable to attack a sleeping beast no matter how fowl,” was his only excuse. He did not oppose proceeding with the plan to attack at first sight though. The kingdom’s life was more important than anyone’s honor.
The rumbling sound increased, and it became a more distinct snoring with each passing step. As the noise grew louder, the room started to heat up as well. Sweat started to trickle down Bill’s nose, and he knew that the dragon’s fire must be heating the very floor of that infernal cave.
Finally, the cave opened into a larger cavern, and they could see the dragon’s hind legs and tail splayed out. Phillip and the other two knights dropped their satchels and fixed their grip on their spears. In their left hands, they held their shields. Each checked that his sword was loose in its scabbard in case they lost their spear. Bill and Esther stood by. Although Esther had demanded to come, she let the men lead the charge considering it right to let them exercise their professional skills.
The three knights formed a ‘v’ with Phillip at the point. They entered into the larger cavern making absolutely no noise despite their heavy leather boots. The dragon stirred in its slumber. At the mouth of the cave entrance only a few yards ahead, several trip wires could be clearly seen gazing out into the sunlight. Obviously, the dragon had hoped to wait for one of them to pull the wire and wake him. He hadn’t counted on them finding another way.
With a mighty cry, Phillip grabbed his spear with his shield arm and charged at the monster. It immediately leapt to its feet remaining low to the ground and whipping its head around on its long neck to bite at the intruders. But Phillip had timed his cry perfectly. As it leapt, it exposed enough of its softer underbelly for him to stab at.
But the dragon was too quick. Despite the confined space, it somehow managed to spread its wings and flap them with a mighty shake. Just as Phillip’s spear was scratching the surface, the strong blast of air threw him to the side and only left a small gash in the dragon’s scales.
Jerome and Roderick, only a step behind Phillip, had time to roll away. From either side, now, they ran at the dragon. Once more, it extended its wings. This time, instead of a blast of air, he buffeted either knight, knocking them off balance. As Roderick was composing himself, the beast dashed at Jerome. The poor man had hardly a moment before the monster slashed its horrible claws at him, hurling him against the wall. Not losing a second, the dragon lashed out at Roderick’s head with its tail. Roderick narrowly ducked beneath and struck at its exposed thigh. His spear pierced the upper hamstring. With a horrible roar, the dragon let fire burst from his mouth in anger. It then turned and bit at Roderick while flames still licked its teeth. Roderick didn’t have time to move before its fangs had wrapped around his armor squeezing him to death while those thin metal rings held together.
“Let him go!” a voice echoed.
There, alone, stood Esther with her spear aimed at the dragon. Her face was stern and daring, but a slight tremor in her right arm belied her fear.
“Let him go,” she said again. “It was always me you wanted, you ruinous monster.”
A low rumble purred in the dragon’s throat. Squeezing and shaking Roderick fiercely, he tossed Roderick against the wall not too far from his brother. At first, it looked as if Roderick might try to rise, but the pain in his chest was clearly so intense that he passed out from the effort.
“Oh, Esther,” the dragon said in a surprisingly deep and melodious voice. “I have known you and watched you. In your mother’s womb, I knew you and watched. Now, you will be mine. It was always going to end with you coming to me one way or another.”
“You’re wrong. I will slay you.”
“Foolish girl!” The dragon laughed with a terrifying cackle that sounded more like the sound of dogs fighting. “You actually think that I may be defeated? I have always been and always will be, and nothing can stop me.”
“Even if that were so, I would fight you. Better to die protecting my people and resisting you than live a thousand years after giving in to your rottenness.”
“Oh, I promise you that you will die swiftly in either case.”
With that, smoke started coming out of the dragon’s mouth through its teeth. The fumes billowed around its face. Suddenly, a ball of fire rushed at her, and she knew that this must be her death.
Then, two strange things happened as if in slow motion. First, Phillip, out of nowhere, only his shield in his hands, ran between Esther and the fire. There he stood and endured the flames, protecting the queen.
Second, when the flames stopped, Phillip collapsed, and Esther could see Bill rushing past her towards the beast with a spear in his hands.
“No, Bill! Stop!” Esther called, but it was too late.
As Bill had watched this wretched lizard taunting a woman so pure and so noble, something came over him. Despite his fear and cowardice, he found himself picking up the spear and rushing to challenge that monster. His limbs felt weightless, and his feet flew as he raised the spear and charged.
“He’ll kill you!” Esther cried trying to catch up to the boy.
A wicked smile curled across the dragon’s face looking at the pathetic boy, and he swatted poor Bill away carelessly. But as he took a step towards where his fresh prey had fallen, Esther stabbed through his unguarded chest with all her might.
A look of fear entered the dragon’s eyes for the first time in his long, heartless life. He felt the cold grip of death begin to wrap its fingers around him.
“No!” he roared and pulled away from Esther with the spear still in his chest. “It can’t be! I–I–am unstoppable…” His body twirled and writhed spasmodically as he raced to the entrance in a panic.
His cries could be heard has he floundered to ascend in the air and painfully began soaring away.
Esther immediately began waking the others and checking that they were alive. Soon enough, everyone was mustered, even Bill, who had a nasty bump on the side of his head and a trickle of blood streaming down.
“Where did it fly off to?” Phillip asked.
“I don’t know. It didn’t say anything,” Esther answered.
“There’s only one place it could go,” Jerome said. “Corcrist.”