The Immortal Dragon of Higg

 

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Prologue

    Legend tells of a once a great and noble man, loved by his country and kingdom. Dying of old age, the fear in his life of something he could not yet face. He heard a tale of a dragon living high in the Mountains of Higg. Once a great castle, now lay in ruin. None know what happened to the inhabitants of Higg, just that the castle still stands in ruins. The old man made his way to the castle of Higg, where he found the dragon. Sleeping in the darkness of the cave tunnels. The dragon was not pleased with his visitor, yet paid no mind to the elderly man willing to speak to him. The old man asked but a simple question, for the dragon to guard his riches that he had collected in his life. The dragon curious asked what he would get in return for the protection of such material things. The old lord knew of a fitting gift, for he knew the dragon was one of the last of its kind; immortality. As long as the dragon was never harmed he would never grow older, never be sick, never face the guiding hand of Than. The dragon, gladly accepted his offer. In the following months the old lord brought his treasure up the mountain. Gold, silver, rubies, emeralds, gems of all kinds, enough riches to make any man a King. He also gave the dragon the gift he was promised. When all was done he was never seen again. Some spoke of the old lord dying somewhere in secret, being buried with his treasure. However tales tell of the dragon who still lives on the mountain. Watching, waiting, protecting the treasure, of any foolish to try to take it. The dragon eats their bones, adds their plunder to the mountains of treasure below, leaving their name to history.

 

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Chapter One

The old man sat his mug down onto the counter, his story had the whole tavern quiet listening to his story of the old lord and the immortal dragon. He looked up at the other patrons in the room listening to him.

“But that’s nothing but an old wives tale,” The barmaid said to him sitting down another ale and smiling at the others.

The old tavern stood in the village of Caleah. It was as warm and cozy as any of the little shops and homes that you could find in Caleah. However it wasn’t a big village, that were built by the wealthy landowners that decided to found the town on a fork along the river Yann.

“That’s what they all say,” The old man said looking up at her with one eye. His blue eyes shining in the dim lighting the fireplace gave throughout the tavern.

She scoffed at him, “Well if you’re done telling your tails, the others would like to enjoy the rest of their evening,” her attention turned to the others gathered around the old man, “Get on, the lot of you.”

Some of the taverns patrons turned back in their stools and chairs. The old man looked back down at the mug in front of him, ready to take another swig, “Oy! Lass, could ye’ get me another for my friend here?” a voice said from behind him.

The old man turned to face a younger gentleman. The young man stood a little taller than most men. His eyes were a bright amber color, as light as the sun some would say, and his dark brown hair complemented his handsome face. His leather clothes showed signs of wealth, though they we not his to begin with. The crest on the shoulder showed that he was a Knight.

“Wyn,” The old man said smiling slightly, welcoming his young friend to join him.

Wyn sat down beside him, his leather armor reflected slightly in the light of the heath of the fireplace, “Tellin’ your tails again old man?” Wyn asked.

“You know, I love to tell that story,” the older man said.

“Draakor, ye’ tell the same tail to the guards in Ersthorp when ye’ spend the night in jail for being too drunk,” Wyn said placing both hands on the counter, stretching out his back.

“Coming from a Knight spending his night in a tavern,” Draakor said taking another gulp of ale.

“Point taken,” Wyn said smiling at him.

The old man stood finishing the last of his ale and patted his shoulder, “Off to bed for this sack of old bones.”

Wyn nodded and let the old man take his leave. He sat there a moment before the barmaid came back over to him, smiling and bright like a smitten school girl.

“Wyn, how are you?” She asked keeping her eyes on him.

Wyn looked up from his thoughts, “Oh, greetings, Marylynn.”

Marylynn was a tavern favorite in Caleah. Her young demeanor showed with the men of the tavern. She was the pretty face that could get you anything you needed, or anything she wanted to give you.

“Anything I can get you handsome?” Marylynn winked at him.

He shook his head and smiled at her, “Just some water, if ya wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course,” she put her hand on the side of his face and slid her thumb across his cheek tracing the scar along his jawline. His only fault in his ruggedly handsome face.

He watched her walk away and he sighed, the kind of attention that he wasn’t in the mood for tonight.

“Excuse me,” A female voice said from behind him.

He turned to face a woman, a beautiful woman with tight cotton clothing and long leather boots and gloves. He could tell from the way she was dressed that she was a hunter, “Can I help you?”

“My name is Alunda, I’m a huntress from the south. I believe I had heard the elderly gentleman call you a Knight?” She asked him, a curious look on her face.

Wyn nodded, “Ey, I be a Knight of Ersthorp Castle.”

“Do you know of anyone that can read a map? I had come across it in the woods close to my homeland. However, I haven’t seen an area like this before,” Alunda said placing a map on the table.

Marylynn came back to the table and looked at Wyn with a look of disappointment, clearly she was upset about the mysterious woman whom had made herself at home at his table, “Here is your water,” She slammed the mug down on the table and turned with a huff and marched off.

He shook his head pulling his attention away from her and looked back at the map.

“This is very old,” Wyn said looking at it closely. The map looked as if it had seen better days around the edges.

Alunda sighed and placed her hand on her hip, “I’ve tried almost every cartographer I could find. None of them could tell me what these runes mean.”

“Looks elven to me,” Wyn said, looking at the shape of the letters, tracing them with his finger.

Alunda nodded, “That’s what I thought, and the elves in the forest had no idea what these runes are.”

“So you’ve already spoken with the elves?” he asked looking at her curiously. Where had she come from?

“Yes, they looked as confused as I did about them,” She said with a stern look on her face.

Wyn picked up the map rolled it back up, and held it back to her, “Alas, I cannot help you either.”

Alunda had a look of shock, she snatched the map out of his hand and walked off out of the tavern.

He pushed his hands across his face and looked around the room at whomever heard the conversation about the mysterious map. The other pertains seemed to be merry, jolly, drinking, and laughing. Not caring about some map a stranger found in the woods.

All but one character who was sitting in the corner of the tavern with his eyes cast down looking as if he was praying into his ale.

Wyn stood and made his way over to the man, who didn’t break his concentration on what he was doing. He sat down across from him.

“If ye’ like to pray, there is a chapel down the road a ways,” Wyn said offering something to the man.

The man across from him looked up. His messy black hair falling across his deep forest green eyes. There wasn’t anything odd about the man except for that his eyes had skulls in them. His clothes looked as if he was a devout monk. Though a bit dirty and dark for a monk’s taste.

“I’m not praying,” he spoke sternly not breaking eye contact with Wyn.

Wyn leaned back in his chair, “I was just hoping to help ye’ out.”

The man leaned in across the table, looking as if he was about to pounce on him, “If you want to help, you better chase after that girl.” His eyes darted to the door, “I believe I can help her.”

Wyn stood up quickly, there was no way he could hear what their conversation was across the room. The stranger smiled as all the eyes in the tavern fell to Wyn.

“Sorry just lost me balance,” He said to everyone, “As ye were.”

The stranger was staring at him, somehow he felt that this man was telling the truth. He took it the perfect opportunity to leave the tavern.

Walking outside, Caleah was quiet at night. He took a few steps onto the dirt pathway through the village. Signs for closed shops dancing in the wind. It was a cold night and it was clearly visible in the night air. Wyn pulled his cloak tight around his shoulders to keep the chill off his back. He had made a mistake and needed to fix it.

“Alunda?!” He called into the quiet village.

A few of the villagers standing in the street turned to look at him, standing there in the group of the men was Alunda, her brown cloak blowing in the breeze. Her beautiful face stung red with the chill in the air.

Wyn made his way over to her, as he did she turned and started walking quickly away from him.

“Wait,” Wyn said catching up to her and grabbing her arm.

She whipped around and to glare at him, her sapphire blue eyes piercing right into his apologetic look. “Apparently you’re no help Ser Knight.”

“I know I may not be any help but, I think I know someone that can,” he said gracefully.

“Why should I believe you now? After you pushed me out of the tavern into the street? This is clearly something important, and I want to know what it is!” She had made her point clear, she was going to find out what the map she had was leading to.

“There’s a lad inside that may be able to help,” he didn’t want to plead with her, not in the street.

Alunda was quiet a moment, not sure if the Knight was telling the truth. She had but one option and looked at the sincerity in his eyes, “Very well, take me to him.”

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Chapter Two

The monk smiled at both of them as they sat down at his table, “There that wasn’t so hard was it?”

Wyn scoffed at his remark, no doubly had a problem with him doing all the work for him. Alunda looked at him and then turned her attention towards the monk.

“Ser Knight believes that you can help me, is this true?” Alunda looked stern but her brow showed curiosity where others would be skeptical.

“Let me see the map,” the monk said holding out his hand looking directly at Alunda.

Alunda hesitated a second, trying to search the stranger’s eyes his face for any signs of him willing to double cross her. She reached behind her cloak and pulled the map from her satchel, “No one can read it,” She added as she handed over the parchment.

The monk didn’t seem fazed by her comment he just looked down and shook his head. He didn’t say anything just looked over the map and continued to be silent.

Wyn looked at Alunda, when she returned his gaze she just shrugged her shoulders. Not knowing how to respond to anything that was happening.

“Before you ask my name is Hjalmmar,” He said with his nose in the map.

“Hjalmmar, have you seen anything like this before?” Alunda asked.

The monk didn’t respond again, this time she noticed that his eyes were closed.

Wyn had a good look at this stranger this time, able to focus on him rather than just question him. Hjalmmar had on dark black cotton pants, with a high shirt that had the sleeves removed, his grayish jacket had a hood on it that didn’t have any sleeves either, and the tattoos up his arms were traces of his veins, hidden by his gauntlets and his clothing.

Wyn snapped out of observing the man when he finally looked up and spoke to the two of them.

“I can read this,” he said calmly.

“You can?” Alunda asked clearly feeling excited.

Wyn looked up at the man, “How?”

They both turned their attention quickly towards him, “What do you mean, who cares how he can read it?” Alunda said coldly towards him.

“Think about it. Ye’ have gone to every man who can create a map. Yet none can read it, sept him?”

Hjalmmar laughed at him, “I didn’t expect you to question me Ser Knight. I had expected it from her.”

Wyn looked sternly at the monk across from him, “Why can you read it?”

“Because it’s written in an older tongue, one that has been long forgotten,” Hjalmmar said. There was a silence between the three of them, an eerie silence that two of the three didn’t want to break, “It’s draconic. The language of the Dragons.”

Wyn looked at Alunda, “Are you sure, you want to know more?”

Alunda didn’t hesitate, “What does it say?”

Hjalmmar looked at Wyn, “It’s telling the truth of the old man’s stories.”

“What?” Wyn looked surprised and clearly skeptical about anything that had to do with the Dragon of Higg, “That’s just an old wives tail.”

“Oh, it’s no tail Ser Knight. This was dropped by the old lord himself,” Hjalmmar said to them both.

“How can you know this?” Alunda asked.

Hjalmmar smiled at her, “It’s one of my,” He paused as if to how to phrase it, “many talents.”

Marylynn walked over and placed another pint of ale on the monk’s side of the table. Eyeing him up then making eye contact with Wyn, wondering why he was speaking to him. When no one said a word to her she quickly made her way back behind the bar.

Wyn stood quickly and placed his hand on his dagger. “Don’t be so quick to do that here Ser Knight,” Hjalmmar said.

“What’s going on?” Alunda asked.

“There is only one way he could know about that,” Wyn turned and looked at her, “He deals in blood magick.”

Alunda shook her head, “I need to find this place, I found this for a reason and I’m going to find out what actually is on this map. Help from a Dark Mage or not.”

“Witch Doctor,” Hjalmmar said raising his cup to her.

Alunda placed her hand on Wyn’s hand covering his dagger, “He helped where others could not, it’s his life, and let him lead it the way he wants,” she turned to the monk, “Thank you.”

When she reached for the map however it vanished from sight, “You see my dear, nothing comes without a price. I said I would help you and what do I get in return?”

“Give me back my map!” Alunda said sternly.

“Oh no Alunda, here you don’t make the rules. You ask for help instead I have given it to you, now you must do something for me in return,” Hjalmmar said looking at her as if he could see into her soul.

Wyn was about to speak when Hjalmmar turned his attention towards him, “Besides Wyn, what would your blacksmith of a father say when he learns that his only child was raised better, turned away a pretty young lady as Alunda?”

Wyn sat down the witch doctor had them both, he could see into their souls and could make a deal with them whenever. He had control over them.

“What do you want?” Alunda said frustrated and clearly angry.

Hjalmmar smiled at her and then at Wyn, “Take me with you. Besides I’m the only one that can read your map.”

Alunda was quiet for a moment and then looked at Wyn who was looking at her for an answer.

Hjalmmar looked at the two of them with a smirk on his face then picked up his mug and swallowed his full pint of ale in a few gulps, “Alright, then it’s settled, I’ll meet you in front of the tavern tomorrow morning, a little after day break.” He stood and made his way to the inn above the tavern.

Wyn looked at Alunda, “The lad, has your map.”

“Clearly, I’m going to have to take him with me,” Alunda sighed and placed her hands on her face against the table. This looked as if the ordeal of finding someone with that could read the map got heavy on her.

“Yes, we do,” Wyn said.

“We?” She asked looking shocked at him.

“Ey, we do,” he said to her, “I’m not letting a lass like you go out to face a dragon alone.”

Alunda sighed, “I think I need a drink now.”

Wyn laughed, “Isn’t this odd, a hunter, a knight, and a witch doctor. Sounds like them tales old Draakor would tell about adventures.”

Alunda laughed at him, “This isn’t a tale Wyn. We could die, we don’t know what we’ll find out there, or get ourselves into.”

Wyn smiled at her, “Would make one hell of a tale wouldn’t it?”

The next morning was still a bit cold, the frost from the night was still blanketed across the village. The sun was coming up over the horizon and the world of Caldeen was bright with colors.

Wyn walked up two horses to the tavern, his was already saddled and his pack was holstered on the back. He was securing the saddles of the other two when Alunda walked out of the tavern.

“Wyn, what’s this?” Alunda asked clearly about the horses.

He drew his attention towards her and smiled, “How did ye fair last night?”

She sighed and dropped her hands to her sides and then walked over to him grinning. That’s when she noticed his lance attached to his back.

“You’re a lancer?” She asked him.

“One of the many talents our Knight has.” Hjalmmar said from behind them. The two of them jumped when he spoke.

“When did you?” Alunda asked aloud then stopped herself, “Never mind.”

Hjalmmar smiled at her, “Shall we set off or are we going to continue to wait for others to appear out of nowhere to join our little adventure?”

“As soon as I have the horses situated,” Wyn said out of the corner of his eye looking at Hjalmmar.

“Where are we going first?” Alunda asked walking over to Hjalmmar.

He smiled and held out his hand where the map floated across his hand and pointing to a spot on it he clearly used magick to charm the map for his own benefit, “Well my dear huntress, we shall be heading back towards the city of Ersthorp, home of the human lord Edwas. A place our Knight calls home.”

Wyn just threw him a cold look, “My home is where I choose it to be witch.”

Hjalmmar closed his hand letting the map vanish again from sight, “Now, now, no need to be so feisty.”

Wyn looked over at Alunda and then held out his hand, “Shall we?”

“I know the way so I’ll lead,” Wyn said climbing up his horse.

“So it begins,” Hjalmmar said.

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Chapter Three

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Chapter Four

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Chapter Five

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Chapter Six

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Chapter Seven

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Chapter Eight

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Chapter Nine

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Chapter Ten

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Chapter Eleven

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Chapter Twelve

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Chapter Thirteen

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Chapter Fourteen

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