Gone! The trespasser had stolen something; that I knew for sure. His footsteps, so clear next to the outline of where my golden head had once lain, showed certain proof of his crime. The stink of man was prevalent near my great, shimmering hoard. I dipped my head, holding back the fire in my chest that so longed to pour forth. I must not harm my treasure, my charge.
Inhaling deeply through my nostrils, I found his trace, tiny feet leading straight to a disturbed pile. My favorite pieces, those that I kept near to my body, had been disturbed! Panicking, I sorted through them, going over the detailed list in my head. Then, I found what had been taken. It was gone, the simple golden cup, beautiful in both its simplicity and mastery. The item may have looked as if it was meant for the lowest of thanes, but when examined, it showed that great care had been put into beating it into a near perfect half-sphere.
Rage boiled up from within my gut. Turning my head upward, I sprayed forth blue and gold fire; flames so hot, molten rock began to drip off of the roof of my cave. Several drops fell onto my back, causing me to snarl in pain. I twisted my body in and around itself, trying to quell the qualms that turned my heart and mind into one being. A being that was screaming for vengeance. No one was to touch my hoard. It was mine and mine alone for all eternity.
Spreading my wings out with a snap, I took a running leap and plunged out of my seaside cavern and into the night. My huge shadow was a blot upon the cold, unforgiving ground as I glided silently through the empty night. Birds quieted as I neared, leaving the world feeling as if frozen. I winged up into the high atmosphere until I could see for miles around my hidden barrow.
There were no humans in sight.
Roaring in anger, I spat flames into the sky, illuminating the night with a bright blaze of light. The stars receded in the face of my wrath. Driven by rage, I spiraled out farther and farther, searching for the telltale signs of a solitary human. Dirt roads criss-crossed the area, but they were vacant in the night. Nevertheless, I widened my search, going for hours at a time, neither resting nor eating. Dawn showed her face before I had finished my search. Knowing that it would be unwise for me to get caught flying in the daylight, I returned swiftly to my den, appearing only as a gold streak against the pale blue sky.
Furious, I paced in circles, lashing my tail, knocking over heaps of glittering objects. It must have been days ago for the thief to be able to disappear so quickly. Or, I thought suddenly, snapping my head up to stare outside with glinting black eyes, a near-by noble could have given them a safe- house. Any story of a human hero wrestling a goblet from a monstrous dragon would earn him fame and fortune from all over.
This theoretical situation seemed the most logical to my ancient mind. And so I decided that all the humans would have to pay. Until I found my precious golden treasure, no castle or fort would be safe from my all-consuming flames. But I must wait for night, when the humans are unsuspecting. Low it may seem, but a strategic plan it was as well.
And so I had to wait, staring out at the bright blue sky and waiting for the glowing sun to dip below the blue horizon. To amuse myself, I placed a hunk of gold between my forelegs and breathed azure flames upon it until it melted into a pool at my feet. I dipped my talons into the shimmering puddle, watching as the molten gold trailed over my claws like quicksilver. I almost missed the setting of the sun; such was my joy at this form of entertainment.
As the orange orb sank into the whale-road, I rose up on the air currents generated by the churning waves. The sky cleared of birds and my wailing roar rose up above the clouds. I flew to the nearest noble-house, death and fire dancing in my eyes.
The people were not yet sleeping, but that did not matter, for they did not see me. I landed squarely in front of the mead-hall, watching several guards passed out as others tried to attack me. Their spears were deflected off of my iron-hard scales; their swords struck glancing blows that generated sparks.
I knocked them aside with my clawed fist, my mind set on the people within. The outer guards demolished, I easily tore the roof off of the building, peering inside as people, first frozen, then panicked, screamed and attempted to flee. I blocked the door with my tail. After inhaling once, I was unable to detect the scent of the intruder, nor my own that had rubbed off upon the cup. And so that hall burned throughout the night, all remnants glowing as embers and coals for days to come. But my anger would not be so easily quelled. I wanted revenge. I wanted revenge that only death could bring.
And so I started my rampage throughout the kingdom of the Geats, spending nights upon end terrorizing and slaughtering the puny humans that dared to stand in my way. The few that remained alive after their villages met me only lived to spread the word of my new reign to other potential victims. Although, sometimes, the ones that remained alive were taken back to my cavern after a hard night spent killing the not-so-innocent. But still I searched for my lost treasure. And still I had yet to find it.
One night, after burning down a particularly elegant mead-hall, I lay down among my treasures, moaning and crying, sick of the destruction that I caused and yet unable to stop. It had become habit. A hard knot buried itself deep down at the thought of my refuge and hoard being violated by foul human hands. I covered myself in my gold and jewels while sleeping during the day. To the passerby, had there been any, I would have been indistinguishable from my hoard. As much as they might stand out at all other times, my magnificent golden scales were a sight to behold.
ΩΩΩ
My eyes snapped open as the bellows of a human male echoed through my cavern; he called me out. He wanted to fight. Foolish mortal! He had trespassed upon my hallowed sanctuary! No one man could face a dragon and hope to survive. He challenged me again, my fury rose and I writhed upwards, throwing gold off of my hide in a shower of glittering riches. I could see the fear and doubt in his eyes, even under his helmet, as he watched me writhe and twist, folding in and around myself.
Bellowing, I sprang to face him. Still, to my amusement, he proceeded to attack me. In vain he struck out at my scales, his iron broadsword only creating brilliant sparks that fizzled out quickly. I barked a laugh before turning my flames upon him. Ducking down behind his shield barely protected him from my wrath. No matter, I thought smugly. He won't last long under such heat. I was wrong. Indignant, I watched as he remained alive underneath the shield's protection. The fire I belched up had no effect upon the tough shield of this brave, but foolish, warrior.
Frustrated, I raised my claws to deal him a deathblow, all the while keeping him down with my fierce inferno. I did not see the small figure, swathed in armor and weapons, rush forward, nor did I hear his pitiful bellow. I kept them under the barrage of heat and fire, hoping to roast them alive and show all trespassers what happened to those who dared defy me.
Suddenly, as I drew in breath through my nostrils for a rush of supernova flames, a sharp crack resounded throughout my head, and stars swirled before my eyes. I looked upon the foolish man; I saw him look at his broken sword, which had done nothing more than enrage me further. The hard scales and bony horns upon my head had saved me from any damage this human had intended to make. I bellowed out a laugh, feeling the surge of victory rise up inside my gut.
A red haze had covered my vision, making me wild and strangely uncouth with the need to kill. My neck muscles coiled before my open jaws shot out and clasped about the neck of the would-be hero. I slowly increased the pressure, feeling the metal neck brace around his throat cave in and pierce the skin of my enemy. I heard him scream in pain. I watched him writhe in agony. I enjoyed his misery. I shook him about, feeling the ligaments and blood vessels pop in the beefiness of his throat. He would not survive this day.
Then a pain blossomed like a flower in my heart. I dropped the mortally wounded man and looked down. His companion, with teeth gritted and eyes burning, had sunk his sharp blade into the soft spot between my collarbones. He cried out in pain as my fire poured out of the wound. He had punctured the sac that held my beloved fire, letting it flow freely and out of my control. Another stab of pain bloomed, just behind my foreleg, this time closer to my heart.
Looking to the left, I saw the other human male, the first aggressor, bloody and swaying on his feet, pulling out his thick blade from behind my leg. It was another soft spot, letting him gain access to my beating heart. He had punctured the strongly beating organ, sealing my fate just as I had sealed his. Although I had a binary system, (two hearts) I needed both to survive, a fact I lamented as I felt the fluttering of my failing heart.
I slumped upon the cavern floor, struggling to turn my head to the entrance to my dwelling. The sun was setting, the last glow I would ever see. I moaned, a dull sound escaping my burning throat. I struggled to stay awake, feeling the heaviness of sleep dragging upon my eyes. I had to see the pinpricks of light burning in a velvet sky. I had to see the stars one more time.
As the sun disappeared with a final flash of light, I saw the stars come out to shine with their own light. I moaned, stretching out my head in a silent plea to the distant beings. My life had ended too soon, all of it, both good and evil. But then, as I looked upon the darkness of night, I felt the final sigh of air leave my lungs. Yet I knew that my body would never decay. I knew that my cavern would never be found. And I knew that my open eyes would reflect the setting of the sun, the rising of the moon, and the cold light of the stars for all eternity.