“There are worse jobs out there,” Westwind mumbled to himself as he watched the hooded arean cleaner enter the stadium with a wheelbarrow full of cleaning supplies. Terina wore bright red robes, a good idea, but the bi-weekly matches in Shadowspire’s gladiatorial games weren’t overly bloody this week. There were only a few sand-soaked spots that dotted the grounds. Pieces of broken armor and weapons, a few still intact, lay strewn across the area. He enjoyed sitting in the stands and the quiet after the spectators left. A cool fall breeze blew through his hair and he looked to the sky where a few lazy clouds drifted and didn’t seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere.
Turning his attention he spotted Terina standing in the middle of the sands looking at him. Her face remained hidden in the shadow of her hood. It was unusual, as it was routine for him to linger after the games. She always knew he was there.
There was a sound of chains rattling behind him.
Turning, Westwind’s eyes grew wide as a reptilian creature, a mere dragon, was making its way over the top of the arena stands. Its face had a maroon color with green stripes along its body and light grey underneath. It had heavy curved claws, a long whip-like tail, with two long, top incisor fangs. The remaining teeth weren’t overly large, but sharp. Its rider was a mountain of a man. He had bestial brown hair with his bangs braided in four long strands. He was clean shaven and easily a head taller than himself with shoulders twice as broad. His arms were thicker than his thighs, and his corded leg muscles radiated power as he straddled the mount. He was wearing simple clothing and noticed his hands were cuffed in thick chains.
“I suspect you own the Dragon’s Hoard, yes?” the rider said.
“I’m the proprietor,” Westwind responded.
“Where is she?”
Turning towards Terina and back, Westwind asked, “Who?”
“My-re. Where is she?”
“My-re?” The woman with the Shagornan elf? I have not seen them in some time.”
“Then explain this to me. This creature tracked My-re to the Dragon’s Hoard, which then tracked me to you. Now, why in Ghea did My-re want to see you?”
“She was looking for someone. Someone who is dead,” Westwind explained.
“Varick?” the barbarian questioned. His expression seemed anticipative.
“Varick, no. She was looking for Araminth Goldeneye, who passed some time ago,” Westwind replied and then paused before continuing. “Are you Varick? I take it you escaped prison?”
“Yes, I am. You catch on to the obvious quick,” Varick nudged the mere dragon with his heels. It edged closer to Westwind until the creature was breathing on Westwind’s face. It sniffed him a couple times then proceeded past towards the arena sands. Varick seemed to be trying to make the mere dragon halt, but it didn’t heed his commands. Westwind followed its path. It was heading straight towards Terina.
“Terina leave the arena,” Westwind called out. She stood motionless. “Varick, I gave you the information you asked.”
The mere dragon sniffed the air and circled Terina twice. It then lay down in front of her.
Varick was unable to budge the creature. Grunting in frustration, he dismounted and looked down on the smaller 5’4” slender, rangy framed Terina.
“You are not shaking old woman? Neither fear of me nor this mere dragon?”
Terina didn’t move.
“It matters little. You are not important. What I care about is My-re came this way. You saw her did you not? Do you know where she is?”
Terina shook her head.
Sighing Varick said, “I trust no one, not even the gods. So, I have a predicament.” Looking around, Varick retrieved a discarded great sword on the sands. Testing the grip in his chained hands, he turned back towards Terina. The mere dragon rose and a low, menacing growl issued from its throat. It stood between Terina and him.
“This creature is known to you? Interesting,” Varick commented. “It does not matter. I will still have my answers and if it cost a pound of flesh, so be it.”
A slender, young hand reached out to the mere dragon from Terina’s long sleeve. Touching its head, barely audible she whispered, “Koma. Protect.”
Koma screeched in the rush of its assault!
Varick curved snakelike away from the charge at the last instant. Dazed and trying to clear his head, he pivoted around seeking the counterstrike.
The mere dragon was moving in circles around the barbarian. He cracked his whip-like tail with tremendous force.
Varick showed he had received superior training as he vaulted over the attack. His opponent over extended himself. He was in Koma’s side, a blind spot. He leapt onto the mere dragon’s back. He whirled his great sword overhead, attempting a bashing attack. The pommel struck the mere dragon’s head. It was a tremendous blow.
Koma staggered, losing its footing, and fell. Its eyes rolled into his head.
Varick, clearing his ears, stepped off the unconscious mere dragon and back to Terina. “You called it by name. So, it is a guardian? A pet? This seems too magnificent a beast to be associated to one so lowly. Unless, you are not. There is more to you is there not Terina the arena cleaner?”
“Leave her,” Westwind said calmly as he descended the stairs.
“Still here and did not flee? A brave man or stupid. I have never encountered a brave man, but plenty of stupid ones. Possibly, you are neither. You have a bond with this Terina, yes?”
Varick motioned to a broadsword on the arena sands not far away as Westwind approached.
Westwind picked up the blade and said, “Don’t transform. They’ll find you.”
“Transform?” Varick questioned as he looked to Terina and then to Koma. “So, Terina is in disguise with known associations with mere dragons. Am I in the presence of a forgotten Folstrom? Controller of dragons? A dragon rider?”
Westwind snorted and Terina tensed at the name’s utterance.
Picking up on the queue, Varick said, “No, not a Folstrom. They burned long ago by dragon fire. But, you are in hiding and My-re is looking for someone, an Araminth Goldeneye. Is My-re looking for you?”
“Run!” Westwind yelled and charged. The two attacked together, almost grappling with each other.
Varick disengaged and leapt to his left. His muscles ripple as he made a powerful swing with his greatsword. He struck Westwind on the right shoulder. It was a devastating attack.
Westwind’s face turned pale. He was on the verge of shock. Visibly staggered, he dropped his broadsword. Falling to his knees, his right arm hung useless at his side. He began muttering a desperate prayer.
Varick kicked the blade away. Smirking at his helpless, kneeling opponent, he raised his greatsword. For several heartbeats the victor stood motionless.
Turning to Terina, Westwind said, “At the end of things. Always know, I love you.”
Snorting, Varick replied, “Stupid and a worthless sentiment.” His greatsword arced forward to cut his foe in two!
A ringing of steel-striking-steel rang throughout the arena.
Varick looked down. In front of Westwind stood Terina, her speed was uncanny as she wielded his broadsword in her hands. She impressively stopped the blow on the hilt of the broadsword.
“Finally a worthy-”
Varick was interrupted as Terina’s right leg smashed outward, kicking with tremendous force. He found himself rather unprepared for the attack. He was stuck in the abdomen. Teeth slammed together and muscles tensed as he pulled away from the impact, throwing him several feet back to the ground.
Rising, Varick looked at his opponent.
Terina held the broadsword in front of her. Left hand on the grip and the other was holding the blade’s thick end with confidence. She had received training. Her red hood had pulled back enough, so the sun now reached within. A fresh, pale face with the appearance of yesterday’s youth stared at him with light, golden brown eyes with a freckled nose. A length of long, silky, tawny red hair had fallen out from the fur lined hood, reaching past her shoulders.
“Amazing. You’re just a young wo-”
Terina charged forward, broadsword whistling through the air.
Varick narrowly escaped the force of the blow. He sidestepped, trying to throw the agile woman off balance.
Holding the initiative, Terina’s broadsword whipped horizontally across with a deadly timed power.
Varick dropped to his knees, avoiding the attack, then leapt back up.
Terina threw a piston like side kick with her right leg.
Varick was struck in the chest. The force knocking him to his hands and knees.
Terina rushed to her opponent’s weak side. She hacked at her foe with untamed berserker energy.
He heaved the weight of his greatsword before him to easily deflect the blow. Snarling, he bounded up off the sands.
Following up, her broadsword arched from overhead with maximum momentum and force.
Varick ducked under the blow and fell instantaneously into a roll to his feet.
Spinning, she threw a devastating wheel kick at his foe with her right leg.
Terina was in a pattern. A sword attack she then follow up with a kick. In addition, she was favoring her right leg. There was something wrong with her left; possibly an old wound. “Got you!” Varick dodged, jumping to the side of the attack. He allowed her to over-extend herself. He brought the flat side of his greatsword smashing outward in a vicious bashing attack.
Terina was struck in the face. She yelped in pain.
Varick unleashed a bone-crushing kick of incredible power. Terina was struck in the left leg. Her limb smashed into the right. She was instantly knocked hard to the ground. Groining and attempting to rise, he hammered down in a ferocious forearm smash. She was struck in the side of the head. She collapsed in a heap back to the sand.
Breathing out heavily, Varick observed the downed woman and sighed. “How am I doing to find My-re now?” He nudged her body with his foot to see if she was conscious, then glanced over to Koma and continued, “I suspect the mere dragon will not let me ride again after nutting him. So, my dragon riding days are over.”
A pitiful moan came from Westwind on the ground not far away.
“Still alive? You may yet prove to be of some value,” Varick said, rushed over, and punched him in the forehead with the greatsword’s guard.
Walking back towards the downed Terina, he said, “So, if I can not track My-re. I will have My-re track me, or specifically you.” Bending down and picking up the woman, throwing her over his shoulder, he said to her unconscious form, “I stand corrected. You are important Araminth Goldeneye.”