-Chapter One-
"So how did you get here?" the dragon murmured, flipping the man up into the air with a wicked black claw. "I am sure I closed the portal, when the last adventurers came through."
The man screamed, desperately holding his top hat on his head. It was a rusty brown, and had two ribbons of light brown and forest green wrapped around it. The man wore a sleeveless, leather jacket that was tied together with strings. He had on a white undershirt, the sleeves buttoned up to his elbows, and had wrappings and strings around his wrists.
"Put me down!" he screamed, pulling a pair of aviator goggles, decorated with gold and copper gears, down around his neck. He kicked a steel-toed boot at the massive hand holding him by one leg. He had on skinny brown pants, and a gold-rimmed belt that held several pouches and a bushel of arrows. His crossbow was in one hand, and he fumbled for a steel arrow.
The dragon rumbled in humor, swinging the man. "You have not answered my question."
"L-look, smartass," the man shouted, letting go of his hat for a second to load an arrow. "It isn't everyday that I'm thrown into a portal, only to meet a fifteen-ton lizard that talks!"
"I am highly offended," the dragon hissed in amusement, shaking him just enough to make his hat fall to the ground forty feet below. "I am seventeen tons, not fifteen."
"Same difference!" the man snapped, then cried out and reached for his top hat. "My hat!"
The dragon laughed again, a throaty growl that echoed in waves. He reached down and plucked the hat up, waving it in front of the man's face. "What, this? Does the baby want its bottle?"
The man growled and stretched for the hat, only to have it pulled away. "I'm not a baby! I'm Johnson Wilbert Archepell the Third! Now give me my hat!"
The dragon laughed again, and set Johnson down. "So Archepell, what are you doing here? Don't you know that a vile, fire-breathing, man-eating beast lives here?"
"No! No I didn't!" Johnson shouted, aiming the crossbow at the dragon's nose. "I was just mining when these guys in black came and dragged me into a stupid portal!"
"Oh, so you are my offering?" the dragon muttered, forked tongue flicking out to run over Johnson. "Scrawny, aren't you?"
"W-w-what?!" Johnson sputtered, wiping saliva off his face with a disgusted scowl.
"Though, I wish they would have sent some honey, or perhaps peanut butter. Humans are so delectable that way, roasted to medium-rare, and then slathered in butter and honey and peanut butter... I wonder if I have any around here."
The dragon turned and walked over to one of the tall, obsidian pillars. His long tail whipped the air, the spikes at the end gleaming dangerously. From Johnson's point of view, he could clearly see the muscles rippling under the purple scales, and the long, wicked, black talons clicked together as the dragon walked. His dark wings were folded closely to his sides, but the glimmer of purple at the edges of the black webbing was not missed.
"I-I-I don't really like being eaten, sir," Johnson called, standing up and brushing his clothes off. "So, if you please, I think I should be going-"
"No, you'll do none of that," the dragon murmured, and tapped a claw against the pillar. It opened up with a swirl of violet sparks, unfolding and revealing a whole hoard of different objects. For a moment, it looked like an opening to a different dimension. Johnson craned his neck to see into the vast space, which was definitely enchanted to look like a pillar. There were diamonds, gold, emeralds, iron, swords, crowns, and jewelry. There were even several pieces of horse armor. The hoard was massive, brimming with treasures from all over.
The dragon shifted away a bundle of fur hides, scaly lips pulling into a frown. He sighed, and said, "Well, I see a human-sized jar, but... Ah, I suppose that will do."
Johnson gulped, quickly fumbling with his crossbow. He loaded two arrows, and took aim.
But the dragon had disappeared.
"Huh?" Johnson said intelligently, looking around. The dragon was gone, as if he had never been there. And suddenly movement caught his eye. He aimed again, watching with bated breath as a man shoved away a wheel from a carriage. He walked out of the hoard, snapping his clawed fingers. The pillar closed back up with a clanking noise, like wood against ston.
"Here it is," the man said, in a tone way too close to the dragon's to be a coincidence. "I thought I'd lost them. Oh, you haven't tried to run?"
Johnson realized the man—dressed in long jeans and a hoodie—was talking to him. The man's face was hidden by his dark, purple-black hair, but Johnson didn't have to guess what his eyes looked like. "I-I-I-"
"What, am I not so intimidating now?" the man—no, dragon—asked; his head tilting to the side and a sly smirk growing. "Don't judge just the cover."
Johnson jumped when the dragon took a step forward. Without thinking, he aimed and pulled the trigger. The arrow flung throw the air with a twang of the cord, and it struck the dragon's shoulder.
The man yelped and tumbled back, clutching the steel arrow. "Damn! Good shot, man. Try to aim for the heart next time, why don't you?" he hissed sarcastically, scowling.
He twisted it, pulling, but it was stuck. "Humans," he spat angrily, and tossed two jars towards Johnson. They suddenly burst into purple flames, rolling towards him like grenades. Johnson jumped away from them, loading another arrow.
The dragon looked up at him, cat-like, violet eyes gleaming dangerously. "Oh, so we are fighting now?"
"Well I would assume so," Johnson said, backing up as the other started approaching.
The dragon chuckled darkly. "I like you. It will be a shame once you are dead."
"Who said I'll be dead?" Johnson said, glaring at the dragon.
"I did," he said with a crooked grin, showing a sharpened fang.
Johnson had to remind himself that, just because it talked, didn't mean it wasn't dangerous. He was sure, under different circumstances, this would have been a very social person to talk to.
Under different circumstances.
Without warning, the man leaped. Johnson cried out and stumbled back, finger tugging on the trigger. The second arrow was released with a twang, but it sailed past the dragon's head.
Johnson gulped and looked over his shoulder, stomach sinking at the sight of the edge of the island. This was it. This was the end.
And suddenly he remembered the sloshing at his right hip. He paused, looking the dragon up and down.
The dragon towered a good two feet over him, and Johnson was by no means a short man. But something tickled at the back of his mind; he remembered once, in a rainstorm, a strange, tall, dark creature with violet eyes—howling in pain and dying in the rain.
It was a far-fetched hope, of course, but it was Johnson's only hope.
Johnson quickly reached down, tugging the oilskin pouch off his belt. He saw the dragon pause as he unscrewed the cap, then reel back in horror when Johnson threw the oilskin at him.
There was a horrible, horrible screeching noise of absolute agony, and the dragon staggered back. The oilskin had caught him in the chest, quickly dumping its contents of water onto him.
Thinking quickly, Johnson loaded an arrow and aimed. He hesitated for a moment, then thought silently, "This thing was going to eat me... I shouldn't be showing mercy."
The arrow was released with a twang, catching the dragon in the stomach and making him trip and fall into his back. And suddenly, with a wild screech, the dragon twisted and raked his claws across Johnson's left leg.
The man cried out, falling over himself. He clutched the wound, biting back a wail at the pain. He looked over at where the dragon was, only-
The dragon was gone. In his place was a flurry of purple snowflake-like sparks. Johnson stared at it in confusion, brow furrowing. Then he shook his head and staggered to his feet. He bent down and grabbed his crossbow, slinging it into the slot on his back. He looked around, then hopped over to his hat and quickly scooping it back onto his head.
"By the gods," Johnson muttered, "What did I just do?"
So here's that story I was talking about. I hope it turns out good, so far I have a basic plot and the characters are pretty solid ideas. The dragon, by the way, is my main roleplaying character. You'll learn to hate him and love him at the same time. I know I did. He's the Ender dragon, If you guys haven't figured it out yet. I promise, you'll like him eventually. (Hopefully)
I hope you guys all enjoyed. Leave a review, tell me what you think. Let's hope this story goes smoothly, right? Thanks for reading, everyone. Stay awesome.
-Cold