Dragon's Greed
By Jon Sleeper
Will you quit that, Orin?
"Quit what?"
Fidgeting around in the saddle. You're starting to give me a back ache.
"Sorry, Star. Not my fault the road is so rough."
You're telling me! I'm the one who's going get rocks in his hooves!
My only response was to sigh. Star, my horse-slash-unicorn friend always gets like this every time we start a new adventure. I guess there's just something in his personality that hates starting things. But the thing is, he becomes intolerable when we've been at something too long. Intolerance to boredom is his worst personality trait. But other than that, he's not a bad guy for being a glorified horse...
Glorified horse, am I? Hmph. Though his mental words were like he'd taken offense, his tone was that of good-natured ribbing. We've been through too much to think of each other as anything but than good friends.
I slapped him on his withers in friendship. "Sorry, old friend. I've been a bit preoccupied lately. Just one of those days, I guess..."
Can you at least tell me why we're doing this again?
"Well, for one, you know me and mysteries."
Boy, do I.
"Quiet while I'm talking. If what we heard about in that tavern a few miles back is halfway true then I'd rather try to at least talk to the ogre before those idiots get themselves killed for no reason. Ogres don't normally kill people like that. I sensed a dragon about too, so I'm naturally going to investigate. I got one of those Feelings again."
Feelings? Great. Okay, you're so smart, then why's that ogre... what did the townspeople call him? Mendel, Crendel, Fendel...
"Grendel, Star. It's G-R-E-N-D-E-L. The townspeople and their 'king' were quite insistent on that name for some reason. Hell if I know why. They were also waiting for someone named... um... now it's my turn to be forgetful."
Beowulf. Or something. What kind of name is that anyway?
I really didn't have any time to answer. We were about to come upon the final little hovel before the road (if it could be called that) angled up into the mountains. The village apparently stopped right where the road (path, rather) started its upward climb. Before we entered I reflexively checked the wrappings around what I euphemistically called my "special arm." And seeing that the wrappings weren't quite right, Star and I decided to stop in a thicket to make sure nothing could be seen.
I undid the wrappings on my special arm. Which is actually a reflection of what I really am.
In general, werecreatures aren't all that common in the world. There's your standard werewolves (which are a copper a dozen), then there's werecats, werehorses, wereeagles. Not all animals, certainly. But a fair number. Then there's me. I'm the rarest of all. A weredragon. Which is sometimes more trouble than it's worth. Considering the way it marks me... I stared at my blue-scaled, clawed, and elbow-spiked draconian right arm, and sighed. If people knew what I was... well. "Persecution" would be an understatement.
I carefully re-wrapped my arm, expertly hiding the three-inch elbow spike, and my five-fingered, clawed hands. Can't we go around this time? Star asked. That reminded me, if not for him, every horse within a mile of me would spook. Horses are quite tasty actually...
"I wish we could go around, my hoofed friend. But this is the only path into these mountains that you can handle. Once we move into the mountains I can use my Dragon Vision and I'll have a better idea where the trail leads. This whole thing smells fishy if you ask me... oh. I can see your horn."
What?! Damn. Thanks. I guess my concentration was slipping. While I have my arm to hide, Star has his two-foot spiral horn coming from his forehead. He's really a unicorn/horse hybrid. I saw him close his eyes in concentration, and the horn (which is normally a mother-of-pearl color) slowly fade into nothing. Or rather, transparency. It's still there, just so clear you can't see it. Star gets his name from a perfect four-point white star between his eyes, on his otherwise chestnut-colored hide, with the area where his horn emerges somehow looking white.
Now that the both of us were ready we could finally get the job done. We went through town with a minimum of being stared at. Though there was really nobody on the streets with a rampaging ogre around anyway. So what did this ogre do again to get the humans so riled up? Besides killing people, I mean. Star thought to me.
I didn't answer immediately, I'd pulled up my hood and was activating my Dragon Vision. One of my standard Powers is the ability to see magical Espers left by other magic-spawned creatures like myself, as well as magic-users. But the thing is, my eyes change to that of my alternate dragon form's when I do it, and my forehead gets blue scales and a more pronounced brow ridge... Not good in normal society. The hood helps, but...
Star repeated his question, more loudly this time. "Okay, okay," I growled. "It's that I happen to know that there's been peace between humans and ogres for at least a century in this area. To have one suddenly start killing people isn't consistent with the situation. Too abrupt. Then there's the dragon that I Sensed... I also happen to know that this area hasn't been very good to their local Enclave of Dragons. Tensions are rising... but there aren't too many dragons around here. They'd be driven out. So I have a sneaking suspicion about this..."
Did I ever tell you how annoying your 'sneaking suspicions' are? No? Well, let this be the first time. I was a bit taken aback by his statement, but he continued, I've gotta admit, my friend. You're many things, but you're never boring. Thanks for making my life exciting.
If I could've blushed I would've. But since most of my face was dragon-like I couldn't. I gave him a few more friendly slaps on the withers, and he nickered audibly in acknowledgment. The climb continued...
The path got narrower and rougher, becoming nothing more than a trace through the high passes. We had to stop every quarter-mile or so because I had to pick rocks and pebbles out of Star's hooves with my claws (they have some practicality for me in this form). I'd long since taken off my hood, as well as my arm wrapping. There was no point in hiding them anymore. There was no one on this road... and the dragon Traces I was Seeing (it looked like a glowing trail through the air which got lower and lower the closer I got to the source) were getting stronger. But oddly, there were no ogre Traces. No glowing footprints, nothing. Could the ogre be a mage of some sort? Star asked.
"It'd be unusual for them to have a mage, but not impossible. But the dragon Traces that I'm Seeing don't add up..."
Why don't you just change forms and fly up to where you can see things clearer?
"For one, I couldn't see footprints up that far. And two, I'd rather not lose you in these passes... I can't always Hear your mind-voice in dragonform, remember. And if there is another dragon around, and he's responsible somehow, he'd know what I was here for right away. Two-horns like myself aren't common around here."
We paused on the trail for Star to rest, I got off started on his left-front hoof, picking out all sorts of pebbles. "Otherwise, I hope this Beowulf fellow hits a storm on the way here. I get the feeling that he's not exactly the brainy type. I'd rather talk to this ogre--if it is a ogre--before I flame him. Because if he is guilty of killing that many people he's going to need punishment. I do hope he goes down well. I don't want indigestion," I smirked with that last part.
I wouldn't bother eating him. From what I've heard, ogres are tough and stringy. Besides, wouldn't you want something to bring back to this "King Hrothgar" so you can get paid for your efforts?
"What use have I of gold? Besides, I'm more concerned with keeping the peace around here. A race-war is exactly what the true king of this Realm wants to avoid. And..." I heard a cracking noise. "And..." there it was again. It was coming from above...
Rockfall! Hop on! Star thought urgently.
"No time! Go!" I yelled. As the mostly small rocks came tumbling down, I took a deep breath and started my transformation into my dragonform. As I felt the two horns on the back of my skull that gave my particular species its name take shape, a larger rock among the pebbles hit me right on the noggin and I blacked out...
I woke up to a scratching noise, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a smaller-looking Star, in his temporary humanoid unicorn form, digging me out. I'd gotten maybe a third of the way changed before that rock had hit me. "You know," I said to Star. "I don't think that was one of my better ideas."
"Nnno kidding," Star said in a whinnying voice. "Cann you pull yourself out of therrre?"
"I think so... Just a moment." I shut my eyes again, and I quickly resumed my transformation. I'd done it so often it was second nature to me by now. When I was done, I pulled myself easily out of the pile of rocks I was nearly buried in. "There!" I rumbled.
In dragonform, I was about thirty five feet long, and sky blue except in my "ears" and my belly, where I was an off orange color. I rather liked myself, actually. "How long have you been like that?"
"Mmaybe five mmmintues. So I've got some timme left."
"Oh good! Then I wasn't out long. Get the saddle, I'm tired of messing around. The dragon obviously knows I'm here, so I might as well not bother hiding myself. Besides, you've been on your hooves too long today anyway, and I like doing my fair share."
Star scratched his mane-like hair. "Have I ever told you how mmmuch I hate flyinggg?"
I sighed. "Yes, you have, but I need you with me. Strap on the saddle and lets get moving. You've got less than an hour in that form as it is..."
Star sighed and picked up the saddle which way laying a few feet away. We'd worked out a way to modify the girth so it was compatible with my dragon physiology. The saddle rested just in front of my wings, and around my neck. Feeling the straps secure, I dipped a shoulder for Star to step into the saddle. He rested his hoofed feet in the stirrups, and made sure his short tail was out of the way, strapping himself in securely. Then gave me a slap on my withers and said, "I'mmm ready... or sommmething. Take off before I change mmy mmmind."
Without another word, I sprang into the air towards the dragon Traces I could still see lingering in the air. I felt Star do his share of fidgeting in the saddle as I encountered a bit of turbulence in the thin mountain air. I heard Star's horse-like breathing increase each time we hit another pocket... "Sorry!" I rumbled back.
"Kinnnda like rocks, isnn't it?" He said. I nodded, and looked down.
There I saw a whole series of rockslides that would've blocked our way even if we'd missed the first one. So what we were doing was really the only way of reaching what had to be a cave up on one of the mountainsides. Just before I rose into a cloud bank, I caught sight of a lone, burly human figure running in the same direction I was flying, sprinting over hill-and-dale no matter the steepness. That must be Beowulf, I wonder how he got ahead of us... I thought.
"You saw that?" Star said. I nodded. "That guyy is goingg to take a lot of firrre to cook!" He whinny-laughed.
It was probably him who caused that rock fall, I thought. I'm going to have to step up my timetable... The dragon Trace got stronger and stronger, and only by luck did I catch where it suddenly dropped onto at ledge outside of a large cave that was still inside the cloud bank. If I hadn't been paying attention to it we would've gone straight into the side!
I landed and Star got off. He went immediately back into his unicorn form while I went human again. Once more I felt lucky that for the both of us, any clothes or items that we carry somehow change with us and we don't have to drop them. Case-in-point were my torn clothes, and a short sword that I'm not very good with, but carry anyway. I have... other weapons at my disposal. I took out a torch from Star's saddlebag, and lit it with a bit of flame-breath from a partially transformed head and torso. The torch sputtered into life and we went inside.
I used my Dragon Vision inside the cave, as well as the torch, so the interior was an odd mix of shadows from the torch and very faint glowing from the natural Espers that all living things produce. "I think I wish I'd stayed in bed..." I said, half-seriously. "Five more minutes and I never would've overheard that conversation..." The clop of Star's hooves echoed loudly in the dank darkness.
Down, down, down we went. The cave had an odd lived-in feel to it. Which actually made sense. Other types of dragons like to use caves as homes (I prefer ruins myself), but this one seemed to have gone overboard... I think this is as far as I can go, Star suddenly thought to me. The ground's too rough here, and a bit steep for me. I'm sure you've heard me slip a few times...
I turned to him. "I guess I'll have to go it alone, then. But at least you can warn me if anybody comes by. And at the rate that human was moving, it surly won't be wrong. I've got to find out why that dragon's been doing this... don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
I know. Just be careful. I'll be here...
I slapped him again on the withers with my human arm and went into the belly of the beast...
The deeper I went, the more I hated it. I could easily find my way back to Star if I needed to, I made sure my trail glowed to my Vision. The tunnel pathway itself was big enough for a dragon twice my size to move easily with a bit of Vision and flame-breath for light. I'm probably near the other side of the mountain by now! I thought.
The next moment I heard it. A persistent moaning sound that seemed to come from everywhere. But the moaning wasn't one that scared you, it was an inhuman moan of pain and anguish and sorrow. It rose and fell, and as I moved onward, sounded more like a sob at times. It also had a feminine note to it... I stopped, concentrated, enhanced my Vision to the point that my head was nearly all dragon, and opened my eyes.
I'd come to a fork in the passage, but with my Senses enhanced I felt that the moaning was unmistakably coming from the left. So left I went. I wasn't disappointed.
Chained to the wall at the end was a female ogre, I'd never seen a ogre cry before... "My son, my son..." I heard he say. Then she noticed me. "YOU!" she yelled, her voice suddenly taking on a knife-edge to it. Then she looked again, squinting in the light of my torch... "Wait... you're not he who holds us captive. He has no horns."
Experience told me not to take this at face value, but my Senses were telling me different. I looked at the cuffs that were holding her, put my torch down, and took out a lock pick. I didn't use my claws because they're no good to me if I break them off. Just as I was about to unlock the ogre woman, I heard a thundering voice say "STOP! I am Beowulf! Son of..." And he launched into a long series of "son-of's" that would've left my head spinning if I'd paid attention. "...my mission, I have been sent here to kill the ogreish wench and her boy Grendel and bring their heads back to my King! And all who stand in my way!"
By the time he done I was leaning against a rock, drumming my clawed fingers on it. "Are you quite finished?" I said sarcastically. He nodded dumbly (what is it about beards with these people?). "Good." I let a bit of smoke trail up from my fairly draconian nostrils. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't flame you where you stand and be done with it."
Instead of answering he drew his sword. I sighed. "Okay, fine. Be that way." I said calmly. I took a deep breath and started to change...
"WAIT!" the ogre woman yelled. "If you two will stop fighting I'll reward you with gold for saving my son!" At the mention of the word "gold" Beowulf dropped his sword and said "I'm yours to command." With a greedy lilt to his voice.
For some reason the whole situation seemed very humorous to me, so I rumbled "Aww! You're no fun anymore!" and transformed human again. I wasn’t all that enthusiastic about filling the cave with smoke anyway. Beowulf gave me another blank look through his beard and simply broke the shackles that held the ogre woman in place.
Beowulf led the way as if he already knew where he was going. The ogre woman turned to me and said, "humans are greedy, aren't they? You're obviously part human, why didn't you jump at the gold?"
I shrugged. "Money is meaningless to me. I only care that I get this mystery solved. Speaking of which, who or what had you chained there?"
"A Gray Dragon calling himself Smorrg. Hrothgar did him an insult some years back, I believe. He's using my son somehow to sow hatred between my tribe of ogres and the local humans. He wants to weaken them enough so his Enclave can take further revenge. I think he means to kill all the humans. That, or I'm totally off base." She kept her voice low so the lumbering brute ahead of us wouldn't hear.
"You seem very well informed," I complimented.
"I should be. I'm Intendent here, though I took a sabbatical from my Clan. So they don't know what's going on..." She sighed. "Smorrg left again with my son not too long ago. I worry for him... He's only a hundred years old. I'm Zenna, by the way."
"Orin," I said, extending my hand. She obviously knew that as a human gesture of trust, and she took it. I raised a brow ridge at her words, though. I was only twenty five myself. I guessed some species had longer childhoods...
We turned to go down the other fork, and came upon a set of chain not unlike those that had held the ogre woman. Only these were positively glowing with a mix of dragon and ogre Espers. Then we heard a whump-click of dragon footfalls. Large dragon footfalls. "Behind that rock!" I whispered, we scrambled for it quietly.
I doused my torch (as well as Beowulf's) as quickly as I could. Just in time, too. The smooth-skinned, UnderDragon (Smorrg's species name, they really like caves) whumped in with a ogre on his back. He was big too! Maybe fifty feet! And generally the same as me in body shape, but with no horns or other appendages that might stick in the walls. In the dim light I noticed that the ogre's mouth was still dripping was must've been human blood... And I wondered why Star didn't warn me of his arrival. Then I remembered that I'd been in at least partial dragonform all along... Dumb, stupid, idiot, I chided myself.
I took a moment to admire the composure of Zenna. Even though she could see her child from where she was, she kept her cool and didn't go running out. I saw hope in her eyes, and she licked her sharp teeth and quietly clicked her claws in anticipation. Beowulf, on the other hand, stood there like a spoiled child. "Where's the gold?!" I heard him mutter under his breath.
I was sorely tempted to clamp my scaled hand over his mouth but I didn't how he's react. Besides, he smelled funny.
The ogre woman's ire grew when the dragon clamped her son into the shackles hanging from the ceiling with a loud metallic click. "Now then," Smorrg said. "Once more and I think we've done it. Hrothgar is about ready to raise an army." Then he chuckled.
I had to give Hrothgar credit. He had a hell of a lot of tolerance for an ogre killing his people before he did something about it. But suddenly Smorrg started, and looked around. His tail twitched knowingly. And I suddenly had a deep sense of dread... He turned and pushed in a rock on the side of the cave, which started to rattle and shake, and open.
"GOLD!!" Beowulf screamed uncontrollably. The cave wall had opened to the absolute BIGGEST stash of gold everything that I'd ever seen! Before I could stop him, Beowulf sprinted for the nearest pile of gold, and was promptly turned to cinder by Smorrg. He merely said, "disappointing. I'd hoped Good King Hrothgar was a bit better at finding a champion. Oh well, spilt milk."
I decided then and there that it was probably best to show myself. The stench of "Beowulf flambé" was still in my nostrils, and I was a bit disgusted (I might talk about doing that to people, but doing it is something entirely different), but I had no choice.
Apparently Smorrg was a bit overconfident about other dragons finding this place, but he knew me when he saw me. "You must be the rep from the other Enclave! So good to see you, old boy! I see you managed to tag along with that human chap. You led him right to me! Good show."
I only looked back at the pile of ashes. "As dumb as an ox, wasn't he?" I said, deciding to play the part.
"Yes indeed. Now, on to business. Why don't you shed that silly human shell and join me for a spot of tea? We have much to discuss."
Out of the corner of my right eye I saw Zenna creeping up to where her son was chained. I changed forms, carefully hiding what she was doing with my wings when I was done. "I'm sure we do," I replied. "But inciting war between humans and ogres isn't one of them." I decided to hit it head on. I didn't have time to talk.
"Are you sure I can't convince you otherwise?" Smorrg said, taken aback. "A bit of gold, perhaps? It's wonderful to sleep on."
I shook my head.
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. Well, pip pip, cheerio. See you later."
His dismissal was a bit unexpected for me. A tug on my wing told me she wasn't done yet. "But than again..." I said. Smorrg brightened up right away. "If you tell me a bit why you think all this gold is so important I might be amiable to your suggestion."
"Well, I do believe I've discovered why humans like gold so much! I believe humans call it 'greed.' Or something. I have to admit, having all this shiny stuff to look at in this dank place is nice to look at. Besides, Hrothgar isn't missing it. Since I took most of it from him..."
I heard a whisper beside me. "So that's why humans started raiding our territory last year for these shiny rocks!" the ogre woman said. "But what does my son have to do with it?" I carefully phrased a similar question.
"Ah! That's the beauty of my plan! Since Hrothgar has to use his remaining gold to buy troops, when the money trains move out it's fairly simple for me to just take it! I've been using the ogre as a puppet for that purpose, getting more gold. Unfortunately it tires him out so I can't do a thing with him for days at a time. Oh well, sacrifices must be made..."
I only kept my anger in check by the skin of my teeth. What saved me was another tug on my wing. I looked carefully to see that Zenna'd slung her son over her strong shoulders and was ready to move out. "It's a sound plan, but I don't understand the greed thing. I doubt if the rest of your Enclave knows ether, so I’m going to report this to them before I make a decision. So I'll going now." I started to back out, carefully hiding the ogre woman.
I was almost to the point where Smorrg would've seen the empty chains anyway, when he said "wait... you're not the representative! You're not even a true dragon!" Damn. I guess he'd used his Vision. "You won't leave this cave!"
I was prepared for that, and let a blast of smoky flame that blinded him (but didn't hurt him) fast enough so Zenna could get on my back and I could run out of there! I took great strides, slipping only a few times, following the glowing Trace of mine and Smorrg's.
He was built for these caves, I wasn't. He was catching up with me too fast! "We're not going to make it!" she said from my back.
Don't be so sure! I suddenly heard Star's mind voice. His horn was glowing with magic energy. Run! I'm going to collapse the cave!
I didn't stop, as soon as I passed Star he blasted the roof with that energy, starting a cave-in that hurt my ears, and the dust was choking. But I didn't stop running until I hit the cave entrance. A minute or so later I heard Star's hooves clopping up the stone, too. "Thank the One you're safe!" I said to him, relieved. The couple slid off my back. Grendel was coming to.
The ogre woman (who was probably beatitful for her species, or if you liked claws, sharp tusks, and glowing red eyes) looked into the cave. "He likes gold so much, let it decorate his tomb." Then she spat into the cave, and turned to me. "I can't thank you enough, Orin."
I made a dismissive gesture. "Think nothing of it. All in a day's work." Star was busily strapping the saddle back on where we'd left it hidden near the entrance. "And if we ever meet again, I hope to see your son up and around."
With that, and with Star on my back, I sprang into the air.