Defeating Dragons
One.
Alfred roused himself several hours before dawn and ate a light breakfast of dry bread and cheese. He grimaced as he gnawed on the food, longing for something fresh and warm but he knew better than to start a fire. Not this far up the mountainside. Once he finished his meal, he packed up his supplies and stuffed the rucksack in a moss covered log. If he survived this mission he would come back this way to retrieve his things, they would only be a burden to him until then.
The young man stood and shook out the thick leather jerkin that replaced a chain mail shirt, he wasn't nearly rich enough to buy anything that elaborate nor was he under any employment that handed out such under-armor. The padded leather suited him well enough though, and it was probably more practical than metal in this situation. He pulled the pale yellow jerkin over his head and tugged it across his torso firmly. Then he began to buckle on the armor.
It was a rusted metal, well worn from use and very plain. Although it didn't look pretty, Alfred knew that it was sturdy as it had saved his life countless times. He felt proud wearing it, even if other people laughed. He was lucky enough to have trashed armor like this.
Once the armor was secured, he picked up his belt and buckled it around his waist, a broadsword and dagger hanging on each side of his hips. Alfred picked up his helmet last and began the long trek up the mountain.
The ground was covered by a thick layer of leaves and damp earth, the trees grew tall but not as lush as the forest below. Dotted on the landscape were huge boulders protruding out of the earth, brown and green from the thick moss that clung to the hard surface. Alfred took notice of how different this mountain was in comparison to the ones he heard in stories. He imagined them to be towers of nothing but golden rock, painted almost red by the hues of the hot sun, dry and brittle. The mountains of the north did not fit that description at all. They were green and wet, growing colder as the sky got closer, the sun completely obscured by clouds and fog. It was beautiful, but a very different beautiful than fantasized and Alfred would've preferred the warmth of the sun to this miserable shade.
It took nearly two hours before the trees thinned and Alfred found the dwelling of the beast. He was sure to keep quiet, the slippery moss muffling his boots as he crept along the cluster of rocks before the mouth of the cave. The cave was also very unlike the stories, there was no clearing or great entrance boasting that an evil creature lived here and wished to challenge those who dared approach. In fact, the entrance of the cave was fairly well hidden among the groves of the rock formation. A green hole dipping into the earth was the doorstep and its door was an abnormally shaped black hole, concealed under a large rock overhanging it. Alfred would've missed it himself if he hadn't known where he was going. It was amazing how secretive and hidden such a large creature could be.
As silent as a mountain cat, Alfred dropped into the hole and crept to one side of the entrance. Judging by the lack of response and the low moan of the wind, the hole was quite deep, possibly leading right to the heart of the mountain. The young knight hesitated, weighing the odds of this development.
He was at a major disadvantage. There was no good fighting ground outside the cave and he certainly didn't want to be trapped in this hole. It was possible he could lure the beast out but he had no idea how deep that cave ran so there was no guarantee the bait would even disturb its occupants. Yet, if he went inside in search of the creature he hunted, he would be at greater risk. He could get lost in the dark, wandering the caves of the mountain for years before ever seeing sunlight, at that thought he shuddered. And the beast would be fighting on its home turf where it was most familiar with the common ground and dangers.
Alfred huffed in frustration, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. Many assumed he wasn't a thinker and maybe he wasn't, but he could see a bad situation when it was in front of him. Finally he shrugged off all doubt and began to climb down into the darkness.
Author's Note:
2016 has not been a good year for me so far. I've been dealing with a lot of stress and a lot of...sad stuff. It's been rough.
I haven't updated any of my multichapter fics, only one I feel guilty about. I do plan to continue "By Our Strength" soon, I just don't know when but it's not going to be today. So instead I started writing this as a stress reliever and to get my writing juices flowing (that sounds a tad bit gross). The narrative is supposed to be bland, the plot is very nonexistent...but it won't stay this way. There is a reason it's like this, there is a point, but it won't be revealed until later. If this goes as I planned, the chapters will grow a little longer and the plot more complex overtime. But for now you have very short chapters to look forward to. And eventual USUK.
Merry belated Christmas, Happy New Year, and I hope all of my faithful readers are doing much better than I currently am. Hopefully, I'll be updating soon (either on this or "By Our Strength"). Until next time.