Post by Samantha on Feb 26, 2015 10:52:59 GMT
The tunnel was quiet. Too quiet, perhaps. His heart thudded loudly in his ears, his breathing rapid as he descended ever further into Dragonsdeep. Pools of sunlight cast through holes in the ceiling highlighted great mounds of earth and rock, small scatters of stone cast across the cavern floor, clouds of dust swirling in mid-air.
He didn’t like the silence. He was a creature who craved company, who loved the dark but only when it was alive with the movement and calls of other creatures; fireflies spiralling in the night, wolves howling atop distant hills. This dark was not that dark. This dark was stagnant, morbid, imposing. He wanted nothing more than to get back outside, onto that small shore amongst the ebb and flow of the waves, where the chatter of sea life would call to him.
But first, he had to find Icarus. He had to let him know what he had learned. It was his duty, both as his Creation, and as a member of the broader spectrum of dragonkind.
A stone skidded noisily away from his paw and he flinched, hackles rising, spiny frill bristling about his neck. That limited his peripheral vision, which only made things worse, but he couldn’t do much about it. It was a nervous reflex, and this place certainly made the generally fiery dragon more than a little anxious. The stories he’d heard…the shapes he’d seen chittering in the darkness…
A few more stones clattered across the cave floor. To the right, beyond his field of vision. Not from his own paws this time. The Creation’s blood ran cold as a soft rasping sound met his ears, coming ever closer.
He turned as quickly as he was able, and a startled grunt escaped his maw. There before him trembled a…dragon, of some kind. But unlike any dragon he’d ever seen- its body rippled and oozed and contorted as scales formed and reformed, horns spiralled upward and then shrank away, and hideous jagged teeth sprouted from a too-small jaw. The rasping sound was its breathing, and it parted its jaws with a soft moan as its teeth continued to lengthen, cutting into flesh which already glistened wetly in the light from above.
The Creation screeched and backed away. It was going to eat him. It was getting ready to eat him. It was huge and terrifying and oh stars why was it looking at him like that and it was going to eat him.
Run, you idiot.
But he couldn’t run. Transfixed by this oozing, wheezing monstrosity, he could only stand and stare. The creature seemed in two minds, it lurked in the shadows, taunting him or maybe…
***
It was not sure why this- dragon crouching wailing panting staring- staring and it didn’t want the staring- eyes which accused- eyes which hated- taunting- reminding it that it was never…
really there. really gone really changing no self no sense of…
…made it hurt it trapped it left it hurt it hurt it…
…sense of you sense of us we not us not the same.
***
It lunged forward with two lurching, choking strides. The Dark dragon finally came to his senses and ran, truly ran, with all the vigour he was able. Roaring as he went: there’s something here, help me!
***
The Creation of Many Elements could feel its teeth shrinking back into its skull and its claws growing blunt. If it had been a greater distance from the dragon, perhaps it would have fled. Slid back into hiding, hidden from the storm of unfriendly presences, hidden from the pressure building inside its own head. But it was so close, close enough almost to-
And then it dived onto the dragon, collapsed on top of him with an alien howl, seized the neck and bit down with all the force it could muster. Muscles and bone crunched and tore beneath its fangs, and the cries of the Dark dragon gave way to a terrified gurgle, before they faded altogether. It was done. The echoes faded and silence reigned upon the tunnel once more.
He didn’t like the silence. He was a creature who craved company, who loved the dark but only when it was alive with the movement and calls of other creatures; fireflies spiralling in the night, wolves howling atop distant hills. This dark was not that dark. This dark was stagnant, morbid, imposing. He wanted nothing more than to get back outside, onto that small shore amongst the ebb and flow of the waves, where the chatter of sea life would call to him.
But first, he had to find Icarus. He had to let him know what he had learned. It was his duty, both as his Creation, and as a member of the broader spectrum of dragonkind.
A stone skidded noisily away from his paw and he flinched, hackles rising, spiny frill bristling about his neck. That limited his peripheral vision, which only made things worse, but he couldn’t do much about it. It was a nervous reflex, and this place certainly made the generally fiery dragon more than a little anxious. The stories he’d heard…the shapes he’d seen chittering in the darkness…
A few more stones clattered across the cave floor. To the right, beyond his field of vision. Not from his own paws this time. The Creation’s blood ran cold as a soft rasping sound met his ears, coming ever closer.
He turned as quickly as he was able, and a startled grunt escaped his maw. There before him trembled a…dragon, of some kind. But unlike any dragon he’d ever seen- its body rippled and oozed and contorted as scales formed and reformed, horns spiralled upward and then shrank away, and hideous jagged teeth sprouted from a too-small jaw. The rasping sound was its breathing, and it parted its jaws with a soft moan as its teeth continued to lengthen, cutting into flesh which already glistened wetly in the light from above.
The Creation screeched and backed away. It was going to eat him. It was getting ready to eat him. It was huge and terrifying and oh stars why was it looking at him like that and it was going to eat him.
Run, you idiot.
But he couldn’t run. Transfixed by this oozing, wheezing monstrosity, he could only stand and stare. The creature seemed in two minds, it lurked in the shadows, taunting him or maybe…
***
It was not sure why this- dragon crouching wailing panting staring- staring and it didn’t want the staring- eyes which accused- eyes which hated- taunting- reminding it that it was never…
really there. really gone really changing no self no sense of…
…made it hurt it trapped it left it hurt it hurt it…
…sense of you sense of us we not us not the same.
***
It lunged forward with two lurching, choking strides. The Dark dragon finally came to his senses and ran, truly ran, with all the vigour he was able. Roaring as he went: there’s something here, help me!
***
The Creation of Many Elements could feel its teeth shrinking back into its skull and its claws growing blunt. If it had been a greater distance from the dragon, perhaps it would have fled. Slid back into hiding, hidden from the storm of unfriendly presences, hidden from the pressure building inside its own head. But it was so close, close enough almost to-
And then it dived onto the dragon, collapsed on top of him with an alien howl, seized the neck and bit down with all the force it could muster. Muscles and bone crunched and tore beneath its fangs, and the cries of the Dark dragon gave way to a terrified gurgle, before they faded altogether. It was done. The echoes faded and silence reigned upon the tunnel once more.