Farran had made it to his side of the small island using a small rowing boat. He felt his blood pumping and was ready for the fight to come. He felt strong and confident, yet slightly worried. There was a lot riding on his success personally. Speed stingers were an aggressive species. The one he was facing perhaps more so. While the young hunter hated dragons of all kinds, he at least understood that they were rather intelligent despite his claims that they were nothing more than simple beasts. Especially when it was clear that his opponent recognised him.
Why the creature hadn't been assigned to another auction like requested Farran did not know. Maybe because the hunters thought it would mean a bloodier, more entertaining battle since the two had a short history. Probably that reason alone. Out of the hundreds of dragons, of all the different kinds, it was that particular dragon. There was no way that it had been a coincidence.
Still, no point dwelling on it now. The ship Thors Pride had reached the other side of the island and was soon about to release the dangerous monster against him. He needed to prepare.
His shield held firmly on his left arm as he held his crossbow in the other. He had already tested to see if he could use the shield to balance and aim the crossbow. It worked but the kick from the crossbow was more fierce since he couldn't grip it with his shield hand. Had he been up against another dragon he may have discarded the shield completely but against a speed stinger, he'd rather defence over speed.
His spear sat at the front of the boat, ready to grab in case he didn't shoot down the beast in time, which he strongly expected that he wouldn't. His knife also remained strapped to his thigh as a last resort weapon in which unlike his other weapons, he'd need to get in close to use it.
Against a speed stinger, most vikings wouldn't feel too confident. Just a prick from their tail and they'd be as good as dead. Their venom was enough to paralyse a man completely and turn them into a statue, making them an easy meal. Farran however felt slightly more at ease knowing he had at least one advantage.
The stinger clearly wanted him dead, so it would no doubt be coming for him the moment it's released. That meant it would have to cover the entire distance of the island in one go, depending on how determined it was, and judging from its reaction upon seeing Farran once more it seemed very determined. Letting it come to him would hopefully leave it tired running such a distance while Farran would remain well rested. The island was also flat and almost completely devoid of any kind of obstruction which meant that Farran would see the creature coming in plenty of time.
He could do this. He could survive this duel. He could win.
He had no choice.
Fourty minutes slowly went by before Farran finally caught sight of the speed stinger making its way to him. It was a mere dot in the distance but it couldn't have been anything else. Even checking through the spy glass he could barely make out a rough shape speeding towards him. The hunters heart rate quickened slightly. He had maybe five minutes before it reached him. He grabbed an arrow and loaded it into the crossbow. He aimed it as best he could and waited until the creature was in range.
The minutes ticked down before the beast finally made it in range. Farran wasted no time and fired his first shot. The stinger avoided it easily leaping to the side and stopping in its tracks. It had already spotted the arrow heading its way. Farran realised that he would need to wait until it was closer if he wanted to have a chance of hitting the monster. The hunter cursed his itchy trigger finger.
He began to reload right away. A move the speed stinger noticed before charging once again at frightening speed. Farran rushed to get the arrow loaded in but the beast was already nearly upon him! He heard its ear-splitting shriek get louder! It took only a few seconds before his weapon was ready to fire once more but it was already too late! Farran looked up from his weapon in time to see a mouth full of sharp needle-like teeth ready to tear into him! He didn't even have time to aim and fired again, only for the arrow to miss again.
The stinger, looking much angrier and terrifying up close pounced. Its talons ready to mutilate Farrans face had the hunter not dropped the crossbow and held the shield up with both arms. The green dragon slammed into the wooden shield causing the hunter to buckle under the weight of the beast. Its tail swiped at him, missing by a hair before jumping off and circling Farran, eager to try again.
Farran felt a small lump form in his throat. The dragon was nowhere near as exhausted as he had hoped. He grabbed his spear from the boat as quick as he could and got into a defensive position. Anytime the creature got too close he thrusted his new weapon forwards keeping it at bay. But how long would that last for?
The speed stinger growled aggressively, keeping out of the spears way anytime it was jabbed forwards. As fast as it was, even a small injury could turn it into a slow and easy target. Knowing this, it lunged forth again and the hunter responded with a thrust forwards. Unfortunately Farran did not expect the beast to suddenly lean to the left before coming back and snapping onto the front half of the spear with its jaw. With a single powerful bite the dragon broke the weapon in half with terrifying ease.
However, even with two weapons gone the hunter was still dangerous, proving that point as he bashed his shield against the stingers skull as hard as he could before it could strike once more. He was rewarded with a sickening crack and the sight of the stinger falling to the ground dazed.
It was enough time for Farran to grab his third and final weapon. His dagger. Surprised at how quickly he had needed to resort to it already, he racked through his head for any tips on dragons that could help him out. The dragon was already back on its feet and was just as angry at the sudden tactic. That was twice this hunter had hurt him with a shield to the head. A slight headache was not enough to stop it from getting revenge on its target.
The two contestants glared at each other. Both daring the other to make the next move. Minutes passed. The only noticeable movement were their bodies moving up and down as they breathed. They both recognised the threat they posed to each other which made it all the more essential to win this duel. However only one of them had the proper chance of having a bright future should they live.
For Farran, he would return to the hunters and would be rewarded for his success. As for the speed stinger, even if the hunters back on the Thors Pride decided not to hunt it down it would eventually die of starvation. Farran knew this and wondered if the dragon did too. Not that it mattered right now, in this moment. If it did it changed nothing. The stinger would do everything in its power to take him with it to Helheim.
Finally one of them made a move. It turned out it was the speed stinger. Farran responded just as quickly raising his dagger and unexpectedly began banging it against his shield over and over again before the stinger could get close. A bizarre move to many.
And yet it appeared to be working. The moment the banging reached the stingers ear holes it suddenly looked as though it was unable to focus on the hunter any more. Now it slurred sideways letting out confused shrieks and snarls.
Farran taking this in felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had managed to remember one thing about fighting dragons at last. Making noise to throw off a dragons aim! Something he had been taught but had never actually used from years ago. Although unsure at first if it would even work on a speed stinger, it was a gamble that paid off. Now all he had to do was get in closer and finish it off with his dagger.
The hunter stepped forth, continuing to make as much noise as he could. The harder and louder the better. It didn't take long for him to be a frightening two feet away from the dragon. Now came the tough part. He needed to plunge the dagger into the vile creature in order to win. But of course to do that, he needed to stop banging and making noise with his shield. A risk he had no choice but to take. And he did so right away.
Only for the stinger to react with lightning reflexes and lunged forth with an open mouth. It bit into the shield. And part of Farrans arm.
The hunter yelled out in pain, feeling the sharp piercing teeth sink deeper and deeper into his arm and the stinger applied more force. Not enough to break the bone thanks to the protection on the shield, but it would keep the hunter from using it for a week, maybe less depending on the skill of the dragon hunter healers. Physically, it was one of the most intense pains Farran had ever felt. So much so that he almost failed to spot the stingers tail finally make another move in the fight and rise up into the air ready to strike.
Almost.
As it lunged at him he barely managed to grab it with his free hand, forced to drop the dagger in order to do so. The muscular tail was stronger than it looked but Farran managed to hold it at bay, doing everything in his willpower to block out the searing pain his other arm. It seemed like a stalemate, but the dragon had the advantage. How much longer until the human would tire and fall victim to its paralysing sting? It wouldn't be long now. His strength was fading just trying to keep the tail at bay.
The dragon would easily be able finish him with little resistance. Farran would be stung, paralyzed and killed.
But he wasn't.
He was still standing when by now any other hunter would be dead. He still held onto the stingers tail which before was about to plant its spear-like end into him. Now it was being forced back towards the stinger. And Farrans face, which had been mostly stoic and calm throughout the battle had now twisted into an unmistakable look of rage and hate.
He was overpowering the dragon. And perhaps more importantly the hunter knew exactly why.
This dragon, the speed stinger. It had most likely spent most of its life free. Had probably been captured less than a month ago. Throughout that month, it would have been mistreated, perhaps whipped, most certainly caged and tormented. It had suffered at the hands of its captors, anyone could tell that much.
Farran however, he had spent nearly his entire life suffering to these scaly beasts. He had lived in three different villages, all brutally destroyed one way or another by dragons. Each one more painful than the last. To spot a Vikings limbs ripped from their body by a ferocious dragon while still alive. To see another's blackened hands desperately trying to break open a blocked doorway as they burn alive in a flaming house. To find the ones you care about driven insane after discovering the ripped and torn corpses of their own families. That was a fraction of Farrans horrors, yet it made him all the more dangerous. Though intact physically, his mind carried every scar. This speed stinger he was fighting? What did it know about true suffering? As angry as it was at him, Farran was the one more determined to survive, allowing him to push past his limits. The dragon was beginning to see this.
Its own angered expression became one of worry and concern for its own safety as it realised it was in danger from being stung with its own venom.
It tried to escape the hunters grasp but it was too late. It felt its tail pierce its neck and its opponent released his grip. It immediately felt its body begin to freeze in place and in seconds, its eyes were all that could still move. Its greatest asset had now become its death.
All its could do now was watch as the hunter removed his arm from its teeth. The limb was covered in blood from the elbow to the fingertips, but no serious damage had been done from the looks of the injury. Observing the injury it was hard to tell what the hunter was thinking. His face remained furious. Before long he slowly walked on over to the dagger and picked it up off of the ground before turning to the stinger. It was obvious what was about to happen.
The last thing the stinger saw was the dagger closing in on its eye in a burst of speed. Then, extreme pain. It couldn't even defend itself in any way, only offer a pained yet muffled screech before... nothing but darkness.