The thing was massive, easily larger then any creature I have ever seen, maybe as big as some whales even. It had massive wings and was circling around my little graveyard with purpose and I couldn’t help but wonder if it intended to cause me harm. I knew though that if it attacked and intended to kill I wouldn’t be able to stop it from doing so. I could not face a dragon, and everyone knew that, from the more mindless undead and earth constructs, to my elemental and the Prince. My everything relied on this dragon being neither a mindless predator nor a greedy hunter after my core as a prize.
It circled for a bit longer before coming to land just outside the entrance to my graveyard, and it’s size was definitely nothing to scoff at. It was as big if not bigger then some buildings I have seen, defiantly more a city threat then small town kind of threat. Its eyes where sharp too, looking around at my little quaint home and taking in every detail it could. So I wasn’t exactly surprised when it saw my elemental emerging from the crypt, the nerves I was feeling heightened as those predatory eyes narrowed at him. Despite that it didn’t move as my elemental approached it, just watched him for any signs of hostility or adversarial behavior.
“do you speak for the dungeon?”
The rumbling voice made us both jump but just as quickly the elemental recovered and nodded emphatically.
“I see you lack a proper voice, hold still”
Frankly I don’t think he could have moved if he wanted to, there was such a potent aura of danger that triggered my own freeze response that trickled into the elemental freezing him aswell. The dragon took that in stride as it leaned down and placed a claw on my elemental’s head, then I felt a lance of pure energy streaking like a knife between my eyes. It hurt like hell and I almost thought I would crack right then and there, but nothing happened as the pain faded.
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“there we go” The voice was quieter, softer even, but non the less it was the dragon’s and I was hearing it in my head. “I am Arahkana, the great dragon of these mountains.” The name sounded, odd…. But I couldn’t do much about it really since it wasn’t my own. Hearing it speak its name also gave me the general impression that it was a she, so that was nice to know. But along with that I was still terrified out of my mind to really have many rational thoughts to communicate to this dragon with.
Taking the quo she continued. “I have come at the behest of my scion and ward to speak with you on his behest,” That could mean a number of things, and I am even more worried that there is something that could ask something of a dragon. “he speaks to you through me to inform you that for now you are under his gaurdianship, as ordained by the gods and the words of the world.”
“The gods? Sent you?” The madness of the statement manages to knock me to my senses for a bit, why send a dragon to do that deed, why not just order the church to stop?
“Indeed young dungeon, it seems you hold something that is of interest to the gods, what that is, I cannot say.” She smiles and I can tell it is forced, it doesn’t quite reach where it needs to for it to be genuine. It is also very uncomfortable for a dragon to smile at you.
“We expect in time tribute for these protections of course, as any lord should their followers.” Oh god it’s a protection racket. “but we also know you lack a way of doing so. As such we shall wave such a tribute for a time until you can give it,” Oh how generous of you.
There is a moment or two longer before she bows slightly to me and my elemental. “with that I must bid you your time, for there is much you need to do, and I must not leave my ward unattended for long.” With that she takes to the wing and begins flying off. Leaving me with only a few things left on my mind, primarily how the hell did I get into this mess?
Secondarily how the hell am I gonna pay a dragon for their protection?
