Knights of the Nine - Beginning of the End

Chapter 3: Dable

Derek leaves Borden on a horse. Leaving at high speeds. He is going southeast to the old watch tower where the king sent him. The king reported that there was a Dable, a small dragon that can't do anything but bite and scratch, taking hold there.

After a few hours riding, Derek heard the loud growls of the Dable. There was no path up to the tower, yet there was a cave. A cave. Common sign of a Dable, one that can use its strong claws to move rock.

Derek ties his horse around a tree and suits up into, tough, steel armour. Not the Knights of the Nine, just a basic steel. Derek pulls out his bow and attaches his sword and bow onto him.

He begins to move into the cave, scraping his hands against the walls. All bumpy. Dead merchants flood the ground of the cave, their blood staining the rock wall. Derek begins to jog to kill this Dable.

Derek reaches a cliff, one that goes up. There he sees a guards men, with four hired thugs. Derek dared to call to them but knew that would only kill the five. Instead, he decided to climb up.

The ledge was tiny, his feet could just take hold. A loud boom shook the wall of rock and Derek almost lost his grip.

"There's that bastard! Kill it!" A man from above yelled.

Derek shook his head, climbing faster. He was climbing so fast that he stopped checking to make sure his grip was ligit. Derek could hear the clashing of steel to scales. He knew that this battle would end in the Dable's favour if he didn't get up fast enough.

After a minute of pure climbing. Derek fondled up and whipped out his bow. The five, now three, looked back at him.

"Get behind me, now!" Derek yelled, pulling back the thugs.

The thugs obeyed and Derek threw down his bow. Using his hands to conjure up flames. He placed his hands on his blade and held it there. The Dable charging at full speed. Derek took his firey sword in hand and began charging too.

The thugs looked in shock while Derek slid under the Dable, slicing its neck and belly. Just breaking the Dable's scales. The Dable used its tail to wipe Derek from under him. His blade still rammed in the belly of the dragon.

"You slippery son of a bitch." Derek mumbled, reaching for his shield, his only weapon left.

The Dable threw his left claws into Derek's shield. The power forced Derek back but he held his ground. The thugs stood in awe, still.

"You know, I could use some assistance right about now!" Derek called out.

"Should we help him? Or we could kill him after we kill the dragon and collect the coins for ourselves." One mentions.

Derek looks to the three and they start fighting. Taking away the Dable's attention. Derek ran for his bow and placed an arrow onto it. He drew his bow and shot an arrow into the belly, where he sliced open the scales.

The thugs were getting thrown around like a baby playing with blocks. Derek threw down his bow and slid back under gripping his blade. He tried pulling it out but it was lodged in there.

Derek lifted himself up and the blade gave in and fell out.

'Oof'

The screams of the Dable ached all of their ears. Derek focused and flung his blade into the head of the Dable. The scales bursting off and, finally, hit the skin. Blood began flying out and splatting onto the ground, the blade, and Derek's face.

After five good swings the Dable gave in and died. Derek sheathed his sword and picked up his bow.

"Shit, need a new shield," Derek said to himself. "Logan's gonna love that."

"Um, thanks for your help." One of the thugs say.

Derek felt his presents coming closer. He turned around and walked past him.

"Who is the leader here?"

"Him." A skinny short man said pointing to a dead body on the ground.

Derek bent down to flip the body over. He examined the body.

"What's his name?"

"Gavin Grey. Why?" The tough, bulky man said walking closer to Derek.

"Gavin Grey... sounds familiar. Thank you." Derek begins going back down the cliff.

"Where you goin'?" The bulky man said.

"To the king of Borden."

"That's our pay! We basically killed that thing. You just happened to arrive when you did."

"I thank you for that but I am the one that killed the Dable." Derek said going down.

He slid all the way down, scrapping his hands. Once Derek hit the ground, he looked back up and saw the three thugs slowly going down. He ran to his horse and untied the rope.

Derek rode back to Borden, leaving dust for the thugs to follow. Once he saw the gates, he slowed his horse down and gave him back to the stable manor. He walked up to the city and saw all the people walking, buying, and drinking.

Derek pushed open the doors and walked up to the king.

"The deed is done."

The king stands up, unleashes his blade and wields it. The glare of the fire reflects off.

"The ba - Dable - is dead," The king walks up to Derek. "Judging by your looks, I can tell there's more than meets the eye."

"Aye, a group of five thugs were attacking it. Three were there when I got up. They tried to kill me."

"Or you killed them and you just watched from the behind?" The king pointed his sword towards Derek. "But I doubt, Knight. Either way the deed is done. I grant you this blade, Eve of Destruction. Use it well, Knight."

Derek takes the sword and looks over it. Words from another language floods it. He sheaths it and turns.

"Before you leave. Jeff, your friend, has told me to tell you that he left for Wintergale. He did not give an explanation on why." Said the king walking back down to his throne.

Derek nods and leaves. At the stables, Derek jumps on his horse and rides to Wintergale. The journey will take a day on horse, so he will have to stop at a local merchant and purchase items for survival.

'Time is four thirty seven, merchant service are gonna be scarce. Dammit.' Derek thinks.

Windy, cold but sunny. Derek finally finds a merchant. He rides up beside her and gets off his horse.

"What can I get you, sir?" The merchant asked smoking a pipe.

"Simple camping gear, please."

"Got you."

The merchant hands Derek camping supplies and sits back down. Derek shoves all the gear into the pack on his horse and mounts. Derek begins riding again, the wind flowing through his hair.

After another hour of riding, Derek finally sets in to his tiredness. He ties his horse around a tree and begins setting up his camping supplies.

"Early frost? It's mid September." Derek murmurs to himself.

He gets into his sleeping bag and rests up, a fire at his feet. Heating up his tent and his body. Derek closes his eyes and tries to go to sleep. The wind pushes the tent, slightly.

Derek opens his eyes. Looking around his tent, he pushes himself up and looks at his fire. It's been put out recently, probably the reason he woke up at this time. He pulls himself out of bed and puts on a shirt and pants.

He walks to his horse and pets it. He pulls up his sattle and clips it on. Derek jumps on and begins riding again.

Derek rides away from the Borden border and into Gilliant's border. After Gilliant, Wintergale.