Quest For A Beloved

Part 3: Will Of Steel

Siegfried couldn’t move. He could feel nothing. He couldn’t even see. It was nothing but numb darkness. He wondered to himself if this was what came after death. Then a voice came to him. A sweet, familiar voice.
“Siegfried?” the voice called. “Siegfried, what has happened?”
He answered back to the voice with despair. “I’ve failed you Amelia. I was not strong enough. I couldn’t save you or myself.”
“Oh, my dear Siegfried.” said the voice of Amelia. “You are the strongest man I know.” He could feel what seemed like her soft hand rubbing his cheek. “I believe in you.”

Siegfried's eyes flung open, staring again into the burning flames of Der Vormund. The knight looked down and still saw the dragon claw piercing his chest. He had to take action! Feeling the hilt of his sword still gripped tightly in his hand, Siegfried swung the blade hard. It severed the dragon’s claw from the dragon’s hand altogether.
“You’ll pay for this, you worm!” Boomed the dragon angrily. Siegfried, knowing he had to act quickly, ripped the dragon claw from his chest and threw it to the ground. Gripping his zweihänder one last time, he lunged toward the injured dragon. He drove the blade straight through Vormund’s heart. The dragon cried out in pain, for the pierce was deep.
“I’ve bested you, guardian of this castle,” said Siegfried with triumph in his voice. “Now, I will take what I have came for!” He violently twisted the blade and ripped it through the scales of Der Vormund’s chest. The Guardian of Castle Ostenburg gave it’s last breath as dragon blood poured out on to Siegfried, healing his wounds. He gathered a full bottle of dragon’s blood and hurried back to his horse, still waiting at the entrance. “It may be too late," Siegfried worried. “I must hurry!”