The Preposterous Tale of Sir Edmund The Courageous

Chapter 2 The Death of Krakk

    As the Edmunds stood gawking at the sheer size of Krakk the woman in the cage caught sight of them and Princess Maira let out a loud shriek of joy and relief "Sir Edmund! My hero!"

    In a threateningly drawn out movement Krakk turned his massive head and said in a calm voice that nonetheless echoed off the walls and ceiling, magnifying the sound "Well, hello there my delectable opponents, I suppose you want to relay your title to me now, go ahead."

    "I am Sir Edmund the Courageous." Sir Edmund responded, unsure what else to do "I have come by the will of King Jeffery of Zanlar to free his daughter, whom you have taken."

    "Of course," Krakk said, opening his terrible jaws in a yawn "Though I am afraid I cannot let you do that."

    "Then I shall slay you!" Sir Edmund said, regaining his confidence.

    "Bold," Krakk muttered "perhaps overly so. One does not rightly speak of my death in these lands, and those who do to not live to tell the tale."

    Then Krakk began to rise, slowly and deliberately he placed the bone cage on the ground and rose to his feet, shaking himself and causing gold coins to scatter in every direction, clattering off his scaly back. Then, towering above the Edmunds, he opened his jaws in what appeared to be another yawn, a fiendish glow came into his eyes. Krakk extended his great wings and the tips touched either end of the cavern. Then Sir Edmund saw the glow that had begun to warm up in the Dragon King's mouth, starting as a dull red light, gradually it grew hotter and changed to vermillion, then orange, then to amber.

    Then Edmund the Wise spoke "It is not wise to stand here, Krakk's flames will engulf this passage soon enough."

    Sir Edmund startled as if from a trance said "I will not flee."

    "T'will be no act of cowardice to run, nor one of bravery to stand here; the choice is either to be wise or foolish." Edmund the Wise replied, then the horse turned and began to trot back up the passage.

    Sir Edmund looked at Krakk's mouth again, it was glowing a bright yellow and beginning to turn white; Krakk was nearly finished. Sir Edmund had only a moment to choose, and in that moment he turned and ran as fast as he could back up the long passage behind him, dropping his shield in his haste. It clattered to the ground but Sir Edmund had no time to retrieve it for behind him came a scorching blast as Krakk's fire leapt forth from his jaws and danced about the walls of stone, jumping after the knight. Then Krakk let out a roar, alike to that of a lion only magnified by both the dragon's huge lungs and the spacious cave. Next came the echoing clump of Krakk's gigantic feet as the ancient beast began to run after the metal-clad hero.

    The chase back up the passage took remarkably less time than the walk down it had, and yet Sir Edmund found himself wondering if the passage did not seem longer going this way. It also seemed lager as before he could have sworn that he and Edmund the Wise had taken up most of the space, but now as he ran it felt as if he were in a vast river, to far in to see either shore, swimming frantically away from something that the current had sent barreling towards him. Terror seemed to materialize and stand before him, taunting him, as if he had only to reach it and he would be free. Fear breathed down his neck and if he had not been so caught up in running for his life he would have rebuked himself; he was Sir Edmund the Courageous, and yet he fled in terror.

    At long last he burst forth into the guard room and out into the glorious daylight, though he had not long to rejoice in its splendor, for the dragon was still moments behind him. Sir Edmund ducked to the left as Krakk let forth another stream of raging fire and in a glance he saw Edmund the Wise standing outside, the knight ran to he steed and leapt upon it, urging his four-legged namesake to a gallop he shot up the path that lead further up the mountain. Behind them Krakk stepped out into the bright sky and for a moment was blinded by the sun, gaining the Edmunds a few precious seconds as he blinked.

    In those moments a plan was quickly said and Sir Edmund swiftly dismounted as Edmund the Wise continued up the slope. Then the knight hid himself behind a outcropping of rock and waited.

    He need not wait long, however, for Krakk was soon running again, chasing after the horse, which he still believed to have its rider. As the dragon cantered past his hiding place Sir Edmund saw his chance and leapt out to grab the dragon, catching hold of the flat spike at the end of his tail. Krakk's tail swung up and down as the dragon ran and Sir Edmund's hands were battered repeatedly against the stones, but regaining his courage and might he inched up the scaly appendage, holding on for dear life as he attempted to mount the beast.

    In his haste and fury Krakk noticed not the small knight clutch his tail, so caught up was he in catching what he thought was the knight that he did not notice as the real knight inched up along his back.

    Edmund the Wise galloped furiously up the slope, away from the dragon that was quickly gaining ground, in his mind he felt his natural instincts taking over and he was thrown into a wild and reckless terror, but despite this frenzied burst of speed the dragon still moved ever closer, drawing closer and closer to the panicking stallion. Closer and closer until he could almost reach out and grab the horse in his jaws.

    Meanwhile Sir Edmund was slowly and carefully climbing Krakk's tail, the scales scraping against his armored forearm. Dripping with sweat inside his helm Sir Edmund hoisted himself up onto the dragon's great back, there he clung for a mere instant before strengthening his resolve and scuttling further up towards the neck. After an externally long moment of struggling he finally reached the place where Krakk's great neck met his shoulders. Then, raising his sword high above his head he brought it down with all his might on the dragon's neck. A great resounding clang vibrated through the air as the sword bounced off the armored scales.

    Krakk froze in his tracks and turned his long neck around in a wide circle to glare at the shimmering knight kneeling on his shoulder blades. Nearly half a minute passed as Krakk glared at the blue-surcoated warrior atop him, his eyes blazing with an ire so hot that trees would have withered under his gaze.

    "You arrogant little wretch!" Krakk roared "You cannot harm me! It was folly of you to even try!" And with that he shook himself, sending Sir Edmund clattering to the ground a yard off. Quickly Krakk was on top of him, though the sheer size of his legs left enough room for Sir Edmund to stand between the ground and the monster's belly. Then Krakk began again to warm up his fire, the glow swiftly passing red to orange as the fire heated to a insufferable blaze in his throat. Sir Edmund scrambles to his feet and held his sword, which he had somehow managed to keep hold of in the fall, in front of him, and there he stood; proud and erect, ready to accept this doom in the most honorable way possible.     Krakk's fire was now a startling yellow as it crept towards its destined heat. Krakk glared one last time at the knight and death was in his eyes, he widened his open mouth for the attack but just at that moment, in a last moment of bravery, Edmund the Wise kicked with all his might against the heel of Krakk, causing him to lurch his head backward and up, sending a column of fire streaking through the heavens.

    Sir Edmund saw his opening and with the last remainder of his strength he lunged forward and drove his sword up to the hilt into the great belly of the Dragon King. Krakk let out a screech that rent the skies apart and split the rocks around him, it was heard for miles in every direction and the echoes of it are still heard to this day. Then Krakk toppled forward and Sir Edmund had only just enough time to jump out of the way before the entirety of Krakk's humongous self crashed against the side of the mountain, his claws sprawled out and wings bent awfully against the rocks. The Dragon King was dead.