126. This Was No Man

126. This Was No Man

“To arms!” Adam shouted, quickly donning his shield. Unfortunately for them they were on the open road, with not much around them for shelter.

“Ah!” the dragon hissed in their tongue. “I can smell quite the delicious scent among you all! What precious gifts you have brought to me.” The Dragon soared above them, circling around the party as they prepared themselves.

‘It just had to be a Dragon,’ Adam thought, clutching Lightsear tight.

He was pretty confident he’d be okay, what with his abilities, and Jonn and Jurot would be fine too, but the other three?

“Oh fine beautiful Dragon, I beseech you!” Adam shouted in the Dragon tongue. “I come to offer you peace this day!”

Adam really didn’t want to fight the Dragon. It soared well above them, and would be able to rain down lightning over them if it so pleased, and while he and Dunes may have had some ability to deal with it at ranged, he didn’t trust that they would be able to deal with it.

“What deal do you wish to offer me?” The Dragon continued to circle around them, its eyes focused down on the group.

“If you are willing to let us go, I would pay the fair fee of this weapon,” Adam offered, raising his sword, Lightsear.

The Dragon’s eyes snapped towards Lightsear, which held such a powerful scent considering its bonus was so low. “Indeed, it is such a magnificent sword, but...”

‘Shit,’ Adam thought, gripping his blade tighter.

“If I kill you, won’t it belong to me?” The Blue Dragon roared, noting the end of the negotiations.

“Get ready!” Adam shouted.

His eyes darted to Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak, each of whom held something he didn’t expect, but he really should have.

The Iyrmen’s faces were wrought with a wild grin, and they had clutched at their blades so eagerly, ready to fight the Dragon.

‘Oh, right,’ Adam thought. ‘Fucking Iyrmen.’

Battle Order

D20 + 1 = 21 (19)

The Dragon flew down towards them, and aimed its talons and mighty maw to strike Adam.

Unfortunately for it, Adam was more than prepared to face it.

Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2

Attack (Flanking)

D20 + 8 = 16 (8)

D20 + 8 = 18 (10)

Hit!

Mana: 10 -> 8

1D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 5 + 3 = 25 (2)(4,6)(1,2,2)

25 damage!

“Since you don’t wish for peace, it’ll have to be your death!” Adam shouted, swinging his blade wildly towards the Blue Dragon, which crashed down against his shield. Lightsear pierced through the Blue Dragon’s gut, flashing white hot as he cut through the magnificent creature.

Onward Soar: 1 -> 0

Attack (Flanking)

D20 + 8 = 12 (4)

D20 + 8 = 24 (16)

Hit!

Mana: 8 -> 6

1D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 5 + 3 = 34 (2)(4,5)(3,6,6)

34 damage!

“How fortunate I am,” Adam shouted, inhaling deeply as the Blue Dragon screamed in pain, already taking so much damage from the Half Elf, a snack which it had been so excited to consume. “I needed the heart of a Dragon!”

Lightsear cut through the Blue Dragon once more, covering Adam in the Dragon’s blood. His heart pounded wildly, wondering if he’d be able to deal with this Dragon. It wasn’t quite as ferocious as Vandra, but it was still a Dragon.

But, he was not alone.

Jurot shook with rage, but it was excitement which spurred him into action.

‘A Dragon!’ Jurot thought, having not thought he would have been able to slay one for some time, not until long after he had become an Expert. ‘A Dragon!’

The two words were constantly echoing through the minds of the Iyrmen, who were drunk on the potential of glory.

Jurot’s entire body flexed as he swung wildly, his magical battleaxe tearing into the side of the creature, managing to cut deep into it, blood spraying all across his entire body.

“Hahaha!” Jurot laughed like a hyena, tasting the liquid crimson of the Dragon which he had cut through. His face was contorted into a huge grin as he eagerly stepped towards it, making sure it couldn’t leave his range yet.

“You Iyrmen are so eager to die,” Dunes said, raising his hand. His skin was already dark, but Dunes chanted the words to a prayer, and his entire hand turned as black as the night, and he stepped cautiously towards the Dragon, a little too cautiously, unable to find purchase.

“Yes!” Jurot declared, raising his axe into the air.

Kitool raised her staff into the air too.

Jaygak did not. She instead squatted down to grab Bloodseeker, tenderly rubbing a finger along the edge of it. “I’m still not worthy of you, Bloodseeker.” The sword throbbed for blood.

Adam panted, his heart pounding wildly, even more wildly now that it had died. He inhaled deeply to calm himself, before glancing around them all.

“We don’t have to carry it, do we?” Adam asked, flashing a smile.

Jurot’s eyes flashed to Adam’s. “We have killed it,” he said.

“Yeah,” Adam said, “I know.”

Victory!

Blue Dragon

XP Gained: +800

XP: 4370 -> 5170

Jurot grabbed onto Adam’s forearm. “I knew it! I knew that we would be able to create a story worthy to be passed down!”

“Didn’t you trust me?” Adam asked, mocking offence, before lightly punching Jurot across his shoulder. “You’re covered in blood.”

“Yes,” Jurot said, proudly. “I am.”

Even Kitool couldn’t help but get swept up in the moment, her heart fluttering. She stared down at Seekerstaff, which had managed to wound a Blue Dragon. ‘Finally.’

“We should butcher it,” Jonn said. “It would be worth a pretty penny.”

“We need the heart,” Adam said, glancing at Jurot. “Can you focus on that?”

“Kitool will leader the butchering,” he said. “I will assist.”

Adam nodded, trusting the Iyrmen in their ability to butcher the Dragon. They had practise with Vandra, so he assumed they would do well this time.

“It’s lair may be nearby,” Kitool said.

“Nearby?” Jaygak glanced around. “I doubt it.”

“Hill or forest?” Jurot asked the pair.

“Forest,” the Iyrmen replied together.

“It’s closer around this part,” Jaygak said.

“Barely,” Kitool said.

“Will you be able to find it?” Adam asked.

“With some effort,” Kitool replied. “Finding a Dragon’s lair is difficult.”

“Very worth it, though...”

The Iyrmen nodded.

They began to part the Dragon as Adam and the rest took watch, keeping an eye out on the road, as well as the skies around them.

“What do you need the heart for?” Jonn eventually asked.

“A friend of mine needs it to save my wife,” Adam said, flashing a cheeky smile to Jonn. “It’s the reason why I’m not gay.”

Jonn wasn’t sure what he should say to respond, so he decided against saying anything.

‘I feel like I’m forgetting something,’ Adam thought, his eyes still scanning along the horizon.

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Having so many people gang up on one creature does make it easy.