Chapter 2

I can feel myself breathing, living. Death had not taken me, and I was wondering why with my eyes still closed away from the world around me. Before I could even open one eye there was a striking pain all around my body, the left side in particular aching the most. It was pulsing, I could feel each separate, serrated tooth mark buried in my skin moving with my heartbeat. I... wouldn't be feeling pain if I was dead, right?.. This thought was sitting in my head for a while, growing restlessly as time went on. I felt the surface I am on move a bit, like I'm on water... I hated to think I was on a boat of the village I just robbed. The idea of being an idle prisoner, free to their will, their tortures. I started to feel fear again, I hated this feeling, it was one that showed weakness, it told myself that I was weak. I did not want to feel weak, I knew I was not weak, I kill dragons for a living. ..along with 'side jobs.'

I finally muster up the courage to open my eyes and face the reality I am in. I cannot hide from it forever, I need to see what my next moments are. I started to hear voices too and see the mouths they were coming from; people all around were talking to each other, but I noticed one walking towards me now. The rest of the chatter settled into nothingness. The man was tall and had heavy, long blond hair and beard as he approached me. He was a bit round, but still had a very intense presence. He looked of authority, his eyes met mine with a certain gaze that would unnerve anyone. I looked back at him though with a gaze that did not falter, but I was rubbing my eyes initially. Even though I was feeling like I was chewed up and spat out by a monstrous nightmare, I felt like I had just gotten a night's rest next to an open fire.

The man was holding my necklace I had stolen, right in front of my face, but out of my reach. The simple, initial taunt sent my thoughts into a rush to find out who I was prisoner to. "Hello thief." My expression dropped when he said this; at this moment I knew I had been captured by the Heavy Arm tribe. He was waiting for me to respond, but I knew I did not want to. "Not goin' to speak, eh? Need not to worry, we're not them Heavy Arms." He spoke in a tone that was rather moderately soft for a man of his stature, but now I would speak out since he said this and I could not be mute any longer knowing he was not an enemy. I would be bounded if this was the Heavy Arms, right? I thought silently to myself just before opening my mouth. "I'm guessing you don't want to give me that back.." I spoke with some defiance looking at the necklace with wide eyes, but soon eased up seeing the man let out a sharp chuckle at my sentence. "Now why would a successful dragon killer like ya' be stealin'?"

"You know I'm-"

"-Krann the Drake Killer? Why of cours'!" The man interrupted me with a toothy grin, not caring one bit. "Word spread quickly that a night fury was spotted and that it killed a man and attacked a certain thief that drowned." I wanted to laugh, but I just looked away from that man's controlling look, "what tribe are you from.. and why is it worthy enough for you to save a thief like me?"

"Our names are not important, we don' need someone goin' 'round sayin' that we let thieves live and 'ive them work. You can at least call me Burr."

"Burr?.. And what's this job you want me to do?.." I asked looking at him hard, but with a curious look. I had no intentions of wanting to learn the man's real identity, the only thing that had the slightest importance to myself, other than my heath, was getting that necklace once more. He had mentioned in his previous sentence he had work for me, but I had not the idea he was soon to present to me. I knew that Burr was scheming to get me to benefit him for saving my life. A grin that looked conniving came onto Burr's face, "bring me the night fury's head and I'll give you this necklace."

A silence fell over us, kill.. a night fury? Impossible. "No one's ever killed one of those," I spoke back to him sliding up so I was now sitting with my back against one of the ship's many sides. I take this moment to glance at my injuries. I lift up my bloodstained shirt to inspect the main wound and only see carnage. It was still hurting a lot, but it also looking like the holes were on a way to recovering from the massive injury. The toss from the dragon too had bruised my body all around, most evident on my left arm. You could point out three purple-blue circles, each as if they had struck a bony rock with amazing force. I felt lucky just to have not broken any bones in my arm. "And why would I do it for just a stupid necklace." I finally said trying to bargain, but the man just kept his smile and shook his head a bit more.

"Don' play stupid with me boy." He said down to me. I knew he was older than me, but I still was in my manhood. "Who are you calling boy?" I say forcing my weak body to stand on its two legs. The left one almost failed on me as I added weight to it. He was taller than me, but only by three inches or so. I was about six feet and two inches tall, a normal size for a Viking in my eyes, but size had no meaning without skills to battle others. His stance changed as I met him, Burr knew that I would not be shying away from him, "'cause someone like you wouldn' risk your life over some gold unless it held importance to you, eh?" He said without smile or any expression, "we're not stupid. Now if you want this necklace, bring me the head of a night fury." He said looking down upon me once again with hard eyes. I stared back at them, refusing to show any signs of weakness. The fear I felt initially had fled me, I was back to my old self, only a bit damaged.

I did not know what to think, I knew that there was definitely a story behind that necklace. That necklace I had seen before in my life, but now it was in some man's filthy hands telling me to go kill one of the most uncommon dragons in the world. No one in the right mind would do that for a gold pendant on a string, but my life had just been becoming less and less important to me. Dragon killing was becoming a service no longer needed. And stealing would never last me, a thief is easily disposable in many eyes. But since I saw that necklace, I knew what I wanted to do with my life, what I needed to do with it. I knew that necklace would be a key to finding my purpose. Burr was right about that, for some reason I had risked it all for a stupid piece of gold. That gold meant something, it had purpose, it had my purpose. I needed that purpose, I would go kill anything or anyone just to get that necklace. Even if it does not remind me of anything I want that necklace. It.. brings a small comfort... ...I haven't felt that feeling in forever... It reminded me of peaceful days.

"A rare dragon is worth more than a petty necklace," I continue to say rather than admitting its importance to me. "I'm going to need somethings more to be convinced to risk my life... again." I say to him, showing I would not accept this job for just a necklace. I wanted to accept it, I know I had to accept it, but I wanted a better deal from this Burr.

"Well, we could bring ya' back to the Heavy Arms, but where would be the fun 'n that?" Burr said with a rather devious tone, the man toying with easily, "we bought your boat back from them at price of two bags of coin. We'll 'ive you that boat, your boat, and you go find that legendary dragon for this necklace." Burr said presenting it again to me, "word says the dragon fled the island after the he killed that one Viking. The Heavy Arms were ou' in full force cause of that, t'was an amazing sight to see their full force." I look away for just a second, but then look Burr back in his hard stare. "Yeah, yeah.." I said to his last comment, I could care less about the tribe I stole from, knowing that a man had died from them could not even affect me. The Heavy Arms were like a single piece of gold to a man with the world's wealth to me.

"I guess I'll have to get you your head first." I was saying now seeing my boat on the side of theirs. My boat was substantially smaller since it was a single man vessel almost every time it was in use. I walked over to the side of the boat mine was on and looked down at the dark wood. It was an old boat, it looked of it too. I wanted to believe that even my parents used this, they probably did. Its sail pole was a bit bent, but it never failed. It was the single part of the whole vessel that I had never had to repair though. It was and is reliable, to put it simply. The smell of sea was all around us, not that anyone would care. It was a bit of a relief to be away from Burr though, rarely a time for baths on the open seas for any sailor, I would think. My boat has been with my for longer than I could remember, I would be an unarmed child facing an angry deadly nadder without it. The boat was one of the few things I had from my home village, and I do not get to visit there often. I then checked myself to make sure I had all my weapons. I looked at both of my sides of the belt to see my daggers and then look back for a second. I remembered I was laying down next to my sword when I woke, but now a girl was bringing my main weapon to me. She looked about my age, her skin was the same light hue like my own. It was also notable to say our hairs were the same length, flowing past our shoulders just a little. She did not speak a word to me though as she handed my long sword back to the rightful hands. The blade was as standard as could be, but I know for a fact it was a weapon that traveled down from the father's side of the family, something rather common and true to the Sea Shark's tribe, my tribe's, tradition.

"Have it good, Krann, my black-haired friend." Burr spoke to me as I climbed down to my boat, I gave him one more long gaze and let the winds take my vessel out to sea. Burr continued to look at me with that dirty grin, its grittiness said that he could betray me in a second, but I was ready for such an event. As I set sail from his ship I took a deep breath in. The air was fresh, it did not have that smell of being near docks where many fish came in for trade and food. Burr had also explained he would be staying at the Heavy Arms island for a while, but only for a month. He would take the necklace for his own as compensation for saving my life if I could not get back to him in a month with the right item for trade. I stared at the people on their boat as I sailed away from there. I then looked down to the sea as I made my final escape, very well knowing I might have to return. I must return... I need that treasure. I see myself staring down into the waters to see how badly my face was damaged.

Seeing into the blue I see my green eyes right back at me and the stubble surrounding my face, but I also notice a bruise right on my left cheek. When I had hit the ground with my left side it had really done a lot, I had seen fights to the death between dragons before and the loser came out looking better than myself, but I could only hope to recover with some haste. I then look down and see my left leg bruised too. I will make you pay, night fury... I will take your life... I was thinking to the quick skirmish, how we both had landed devastating attacks in our second strikes. The battle was so quick, then again, all battles felt that way, but this one was truly one that had only lasted but moments. I was only clumsy cause I was running away... you got lucky dragon.. I told myself again, that the odds were against me, that was the reason I had failed. I refused to think that I was lesser combatant, I knew that no one dragon or man had a chance against my blade, or so I loved to believe. The dragon had actually managed to kill someone other than me, to help me escape certain death. I looked at my arm and then my face in the water again, "I hate dragons..." I said to myself out loud just for personal satisfaction, the words rolled easily off of my tongue. My mind was still stuck on that day; Burr said I had been out for a full day until I woke up.

I finally am able to stare at the teeth marks in my side without having to worry about dozens of eyes watching my every movement. I was alone now, free. I slowly move my right hand to the main injury, surprised there were no bandages around it at this time, but Burr's tribe was kind enough to supply me with some of that sort of aid. I have some bandages on my arms and legs, but none on the main wound, were they cleaning it some more?.. That was the only explanation that came to my simple mind. I stared at the marks as my hand finally made contact. I wince painfully at first, but do not take my hand away though it is clearly stirring up my nerves in said area. My left side of the stomach felt like all the pains I have experienced before, the aftermath of battle was nothing new to me, it was always welcomed actually. To let me know my victory was one of grandness, or a painful reminder that I need improvement in my tactics and swordplay. I started to laugh a bit actually, it was a time that it was a painful reminder that I needed to improve before I someone or something met my blade again. Father always said, "almost isn' good 'nough." That is all I remembered about the man. If you almost survived, it would mean you were still dead. It you almost did not killed by a dragon, it would mean you were still a meal in its stomach. I almost got away with the necklace and an encounter with a night fury... But that was not good enough. I was now on this job to collect a necklace with an object that held much more actual value. I finally removed my hand from the wound and look at the palm of it now. I am surprised to not see any red, sticky liquid on it, but I was not going to complain. I took out the bandages and began to wrap the wound. My clothes smelt burnt and the bandages reeked of sea water. But it was another bit of relief to cover the soon to be scars from the outside world. If it gets infected, I am surely a goner. That idea made myself remember when I got my first, and last, infection. I looked at my right arm and pulled up its seemingly unscathed sleeve. A large scar walked along my entire forearm.

...

"Krann!" A voice of a female ranged out.

I shook my head, focusing back onto the woman with light brown hair in front of me. "Wha..? Oh.. Sorry Kirstia." I put on a smile and take a sip from the flagon of mead in front of me.

"Ye' know if you lose focus on me again, I'll take ye' out back and duel ye'." She said with a smirk.

I closed my eyes again playfully, and let my head fall again slowly to portray the idea I was dosing off. I soon heard her getting up from her chair. I could hear footsteps on my right side so I responded with raising my right arm quickly, blocking her hand that was about to thump me on the back of my head and helmet. I opened my eyes looked at her, "c'mon, I wanna duel ya anyways." I said with a hearty laugh and a sly smirk as I arose from my seat too.

...

We were both outside with swords. Of course this was not a death match, but the one strike Kirstia landed on me would leave me near death from an infection. I looked away from my right arm finally and back to the sea ahead. I miss you Kirs... I thought for a second, but shoved the thought out of my head. She found another man, and I was not angry. She was better to be with someone who would be there versus myself. I let out sigh, my thoughts soon left the once chance of myself settling down into another village and returned to the thing I truly felt like I lived for. Dragon killing.

What if the night fury was trying to hit me and that guy just got in the way?.. This single thought stunned me, it was a possibility and I could not ignore it. It came back to finish off the job, but I got spared... ...that sly bastard... ...I gave it back a chance to life and it tried to kill me? What an ungrateful creature, I will end its pathetic existence. I was growing in anger, that something could be so lacking of honor. I thought how the village would have just killed it and it would have killed me, no one out there to trust... I started to fantasize about taking that black head from its body and carrying in my hands by one of those strange plates on its head, it's its ears right?... This whole idea made me smile, it was a mean smile, but I did not think so. I was so excited thinking about killing this dragon, this one night fury and having that title under my belt. Krann: Slayer of the Night Fury... The title had a certain ring to it in my head. I also noticed again I was in the same rags I fought the night fury with, the gray leather shirt and pants, along with a timber wolf pelt cloak and dark brown leather boots. My shirt had been torn and I had no way of replacing it now, so it would just show off my battle scars until I could replace it. I will make you suffer, Dragon, I swear my life on that...

I did not know where I was heading or who would win the battle, or if there would even be a battle for that matter. I just knew that I needed that necklace.

a/n: Sorry again that I take forever to publish/update anything, even though this is not a heavily followed story. I still like to write it for myself. I also like waiting, due to the fact, it helps me plan out the story more. I also blame college for taking up all my time.