The bitter taste of dirt invaded Isaac's mouth, as the sound of rattling chains met his ears.
"You are my friend." came Bowen's voice.
"Then as my friend, STRIKE PLEASE!!" Draco roared in reply.
"I can't." The sound of shuffling met the boy's ears as he slowly lifted himself up, finding he was bound; the heavy iron chains on his wrists enough to keep him from moving much.
Isaac watched the two of them, seeing Draco's expression grow angry.
"Then I will make you!" Roaring, the dragon lunged at Bowen, who dove aside, rising with a cry.
Isaac struggled against his chains, crying out to the dragon. But clearly, neither he nor Bowen noticed.
That was when it occurred to Isaac that he was watching a memory, albeit a disturbingly vivid one, of Draco's wish for death to stop King Einon.
"Strike back, dragonslayer! Defend yourself!" Draco roared. Bowen hefted his axe, before throwing it aside.
"Pick it up!!"
Suddenly hearing a gasp, Isaac only now saw Kara, just as the king grabbed her around the neck, drawing his sword to her throat!!
Isaac felt a stab of panic, and fought to try and scream out to Kara, but as much as he did, no one could hear the young boy's cries.
Einon chuckled maniacally under his breath...just as the dragon bit his left hand; the king screaming in pain as he felt the bite...despite being nowhere near Draco.
Isaac felt momentarily hopeful as he watched Kara escape the evil king's grasp, running toward Bowen, who had now hefted his axe.
Glancing up just as the soft crack of Draco's breast scale being pulled open, Isaac began to weep as he watched Bowen glance between the dragon and King Einon, who was now running toward Bowen with an enraged sneer, his dagger raised for the killing blow to the young knight.
The mesmerizing pulse of Draco's half heart echoed over the courtyard.
"No! Please, God....NO!!" Isaac screamed in fear, yet was helpless to do anything more as the final page in the life of the greatest dragon ever known to live, was unfolded in such a violent and heartbreaking manner.
THUNK!!
Isaac screamed as the axe's blade sliced into the dragon's exposed heart; Einon's run suddenly faltering as he jerked, gasping raggedly and flailing, before the knight grabbed his arm with a yell of rage, flipping the evil king over him like a rag doll while tearing the dagger from his grip, raising it as the king slammed into the ground; a terrible, bloody line seared down the centre of his chest!!
As Einon took his final breath, then died, Bowen dropped the dagger, as Isaac watched helplessly.
The knight looked up at his friend; Draco's now fading gaze seeming almost grateful, then, as the pulse of his slowing heart resounded one last time, the dragon rested his head on the ground as his eyes closed; the final, slow pulse of his heart resounding.
Isaac knew he would never forget the pained look on Bowen's face...
...
"NO!!" Isaac bolted up, sweating bullets and hyperventilating.
His hand came to unconsciously rest on his heart, as a soft shuffling startled him.
"Isaac!" came Draco's sleepy, yet annoyed, voice. "What are you doing?"
But the young boy didn't answer.
Luckily, due to their shared heart, Draco and his friend were also empathically connected, and the dragon softened as he felt his friend's fear and worry.
