DRAGONHEART: Dawn of A New Beginning

Chapter 11

Geoff decided to risk sneaking to the dungeon later that night, and just as he reached it...another door opened, letting the younger of the two foreigners from the building and walk towards where Geoff was hiding, Geoff put his finger to his lips, hoping the man would understand he didn't want to get caught just as he received a solemn nod from the young man.

"But we must test the dragon, before the comet arrives."

Master Kwan insisted to the old man as he was walking out the door, Friar Peter answered with a little exasperation in his voice.

"There are no dragons here, but...Lord Osric knows about stars and comets, perhaps he can help you."

"Thank you, Goodnight."

The younger man of the two keeps Geoff's location a secret as they depart from the monastery courtyard. Once they've gone, Geoff turns back to the door and slowly unlocks it, opening it with an ancient creak resounding from grating hinges.

He stepped inside, reverently picking up the sword hilt...and saw the snapped blade inches from the guard.

Geoff threw it down in anger, the metal clanging against the ground. Well that's just great! He thought.

As Geoff looked down, he noticed faded footprints in the dirt on the floor. From what Geoff could see, the footprints led all the way down the dungeon hallway, he also immediately recognized them.

"What would Mansel being doing down here?" He said to himself.

Geoff walked alongside the prints, and grabs a hanging torch before heading down the corridor.

An intersection meets him too soon and he looks around, until the wind begins to extinguish the torch. Geoff groans as he takes off running down the tunnel away from the wind stopping once the air ceases to push on his back.

"AH, this was not a good idea..." Geoff blows gently on the torch head slowly restarting the blue tinged flame.

Geoff held the torch higher and investigated the small chamber...he was in a crypt. Geoff screamed and backed right into a hanging corpse before he took off running. Not realizing where he was going, he slammed into a stairwell railing, dropping the torch over the edge.

Seeing a glint on the dungeon floor he leaned over the edge further. A completely whole sword lay on the floor, it was just a little filthy. He crept down the stairs and picked up the sword, not realizing he had a dorky teen smile on his face as he polished the sword with his sleeve, looking at his reflection in the glowing metal..

He didn't notice the faint humming, or the heavier intakes of air as something large sniffed at him, nor did he even see the bulky shadow on the wall, but he did see the reflection of a monster in his sword...

Geoff quickly turned around and stared into the creatures large eyes. Its pupils turned to slits at the sight of him. Frightened, the creature let out a loud roar. Geoff screamed as he dropped his sword and ran to hide behind the corner of the wall, nearly stepping on the still burning torch. He heard pounding footsteps heading the opposite way. He peaked his head out from behind the wall to see only the creature's tail disappearing behind a wall that led into a large room.

"Stay away from me!" Geoff shouted as the creature headed back the way it had come, deeper into the candlelit dungeon and nearly knocking over a stand full of burning lights.

The room went silent.

After making sure he remembered to breathe, Geoff cautiously came from behind the wall and grabbed the sword tightly with two hands. The creature's shadow reappeared on the wall in front of him. It craned its long neck out with low growl and sniffed the air, Geoff stiffened, his sword shaking in his hands. The creature snorted and vanished behind the wall again, growling and the loud thumping footsteps started to fade.

Geoff cautiously (and if he had stopped then to think about it a little stupidly) followed whatever that creature was into the dungeon's main room. The dungeon was furnished like an overly spaced out library, candles just as numerous as the books. Geoff suddenly heard the growling again, that was coming from the upper level. As he walked up the steps, he saw the creature's tail vanish behind large red curtains just a few feet in front of him. Geoff could see that whatever it was, was running away from him as he followed.

I must be out of my mind. Geoff thought as he slid his sword into his belt and crept up closer to the flowing drapes. The dim candlelight gave a clear vision of the creature's full shadow behind the drapes. It growled loudly as it extended its wings, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

I'm definitely out of my mind. Geoff thought as he yanked the curtain down...the creature cringing and ducking away, gasping as the cloth fell...

Geoff drew in a sharp breath as he laid his eyes on a dragon.

The dull bronze and blackish-green scaled dragon looked up nervously, a small crest of eight horns adorned his head and a lethal looking axe-like club sat on the end of his tail, he must've been young, not only from his size but lack of large teeth and the spikes down his back. But the dragon was a lot taller than he was...

The dragon shakily spoke first, "You know, you-you better...you better go...you're not supposed to be here." A little on the defensive side but mostly nervous.

"How long have you been down here?" Geoff asked.

The dragon was about to open his mouth than closed it, thinking of all the years he spent down there. He hesitated in answering.

"I've always been here." The dragon answered him, sounding like that was the most obvious bit of information.

"I'm Geoff."

"I'm Drake."

Geoff gave Drake a friendly smile. And Drake politely smiled back, which marked the beginning of a new friendship.