up to one knee, with his sword upraised in defense of his body. It was none too soon, for the beast’s spiked tail flared up and whipped downward. It struck the Sword of the Dragon’s Eye, where steel instantly severed it. The detached portion descended with the force of its momentum and landed with a resounding clank against the king’s helmet. Donigan collapsed, as if he was an empty suit of armor knocked from its stand.
Sir Bornan, whom the dragon had forgotten, chose that moment to make his presence
known. He drove his sword into the creature’s side with both hands, burying it to the hilt in dragon flesh. As the blade went in, he shouted, “I hope this wound festers, you intolerable beast!” Faethlenkandur gasped in pain as the knight introduced himself, saying, “Sir Bornan is the name....” The knight wriggled the sword as if he were excitedly shaking a man’s hand, and finished, “....pleased to meet you.” With an expression half-bordering on delight and half-filled with rage, Sir Bornan ripped his weapon free. However, as he removed his sword, the dragon’s toxic blood poured out onto his right hand and arm. He fell to the stony floor at once, crying out his anguish.
Luckily, the dragon had suffered wounds enough during the course of its fight with the king and his brother that it fled from its lair. The beast turned as it left, still clutching its wounded side, to roar, “I am not finished with you, King Donigan. I will be back to repay you: a queen for a queen!” The dragon spouted flame once more in defiance of the human king and his knights, before it finally turned its back on them and flew away northward.
Sir Sturgeon “Storm-Hand” was the first to recover from his fear of the dragon’s malice, so he rushed to the side of his lord and king. Donigan’s helm was badly dented, but the movement of the king’s chest showed that he was still alive. Donigan indeed survived his assault from the dragon’s tail, which left a nasty knot on his head.
Sir Bornan had not been so lucky. He nearly died from his wound, which left his right hand and arm seriously burned. The young knight lost his ability to use his natural limb, but in time, he would learn to wield a blade with great skill in his left hand. Many were the dragons that later fell to Sir Bornan of the Off-Hand in the War of Dragons that ensued.
The king’s company returned to Skytower Castle, bearing with them the injured and the dead. The deceased were shrouded and laid in magnificent tombs. There was a fine ceremony to say farewell to those departed souls. In the meantime, Donigan and other wounded men
welcomed their chances to recuperate.
King Donigan set his craftsmen to work while he was down with dizziness. He had his finest workmen turn the tip of Faethlenkandur’s tail into a mighty mace. It would become the Dragon Tail Mace. He presented the weapon to his queen for her scepter, both because it was a thing of marvelous beauty, and because maids of Landolstadt were well renowned for their battle prowess. Riana was no exception, though frail she might seem to strong men at court.
The fearless king and his valiant knights were not the only ones to nurse their wounds, for they had only scarcely recovered from their injuries when Donigan received ill tidings from Overlook Castle in the west. The people there were under constant attack by a score of dragons.
The mighty king once again called his knights to arms, that they might ride to the aid of Overlook and purge the surrounding countryside of those fell creatures that were plaguing his people.
Donigan grabbed up his sword and shield and made ready to depart, pleading with Riana,
“Beloved queen, take our son, Lornigan, away from here. Go to Moonriver to the south or Goldwater by the Sorling Sea, but do not stay here. I shall fear for your safety every moment if you remain in this stronghold. Skytower Castle lies too close to the Wyrm Mountains, the home of our
Sir Bornan, whom the dragon had forgotten, chose that moment to make his presence
known. He drove his sword into the creature’s side with both hands, burying it to the hilt in dragon flesh. As the blade went in, he shouted, “I hope this wound festers, you intolerable beast!” Faethlenkandur gasped in pain as the knight introduced himself, saying, “Sir Bornan is the name....” The knight wriggled the sword as if he were excitedly shaking a man’s hand, and finished, “....pleased to meet you.” With an expression half-bordering on delight and half-filled with rage, Sir Bornan ripped his weapon free. However, as he removed his sword, the dragon’s toxic blood poured out onto his right hand and arm. He fell to the stony floor at once, crying out his anguish.
Luckily, the dragon had suffered wounds enough during the course of its fight with the king and his brother that it fled from its lair. The beast turned as it left, still clutching its wounded side, to roar, “I am not finished with you, King Donigan. I will be back to repay you: a queen for a queen!” The dragon spouted flame once more in defiance of the human king and his knights, before it finally turned its back on them and flew away northward.
Sir Sturgeon “Storm-Hand” was the first to recover from his fear of the dragon’s malice, so he rushed to the side of his lord and king. Donigan’s helm was badly dented, but the movement of the king’s chest showed that he was still alive. Donigan indeed survived his assault from the dragon’s tail, which left a nasty knot on his head.
Sir Bornan had not been so lucky. He nearly died from his wound, which left his right hand and arm seriously burned. The young knight lost his ability to use his natural limb, but in time, he would learn to wield a blade with great skill in his left hand. Many were the dragons that later fell to Sir Bornan of the Off-Hand in the War of Dragons that ensued.
The king’s company returned to Skytower Castle, bearing with them the injured and the dead. The deceased were shrouded and laid in magnificent tombs. There was a fine ceremony to say farewell to those departed souls. In the meantime, Donigan and other wounded men
welcomed their chances to recuperate.
King Donigan set his craftsmen to work while he was down with dizziness. He had his finest workmen turn the tip of Faethlenkandur’s tail into a mighty mace. It would become the Dragon Tail Mace. He presented the weapon to his queen for her scepter, both because it was a thing of marvelous beauty, and because maids of Landolstadt were well renowned for their battle prowess. Riana was no exception, though frail she might seem to strong men at court.
The fearless king and his valiant knights were not the only ones to nurse their wounds, for they had only scarcely recovered from their injuries when Donigan received ill tidings from Overlook Castle in the west. The people there were under constant attack by a score of dragons.
The mighty king once again called his knights to arms, that they might ride to the aid of Overlook and purge the surrounding countryside of those fell creatures that were plaguing his people.
Donigan grabbed up his sword and shield and made ready to depart, pleading with Riana,
“Beloved queen, take our son, Lornigan, away from here. Go to Moonriver to the south or Goldwater by the Sorling Sea, but do not stay here. I shall fear for your safety every moment if you remain in this stronghold. Skytower Castle lies too close to the Wyrm Mountains, the home of our
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