MUSPELHEIM: SKYLAR
She had never felt so inadequate. Ever since they were plunged into Muspelheim she had been nothing but a burden on the boys. She knew the moment they stepped into the fire realm her powers were waning. Only this morning did she realise that her Isa rune was slowly fading in color. She had hid that from the two boys, knowing they didn't need her problems to be on the table. The one time she should have been alert she lead them into a death trap with what seemed to be a monster in the floor. She drew an arrow in her bow and ran the arrow head through Victor's fire, lighting it. She shot the arrow in a wide arc and it lodged in the rock next to the oculus, illuminating the whole room.
It was beautiful. Towers of golden coins, goblets, diadems, and precious jewels were scattered everywhere in the cave. The soft light of Victor's fire was thrown and reflected all over the room. However like the shift of snow on a windy day, the gold and gems shifted as something enormous slithered under the gold. Without warning a large reptilian tail shot out from under the gold and impaled itself into the wall, several meters from them, in front of the steps they now knew to be scales. Victor exclaimed: "Wasn't there a story about a dragon that guarded a treasure?" Skylar smacked her own forehead: "Fafnir." She said, horrified. She beckoned them forwards: "We have to run." The three of them sprinted up the scales towards the light of the exit when a raspy low growl echoed through the cave: "What fools have come to steal my trove? I smell the blood of demigods."
In the distance from under mountains of gold, one eye blazing like fire opened. It was the size of a wheel, the shimmering green and gold scales had cascades of coins falling off. Skylar and the boys watched, transfixed in horror as Fafnir rose from his golden resting bed. The dragon's head was monstrous and elegant at the same time. The jaws were narrow, long blade like teeth decorated the interior, the scales were shimmering green and speckled with gold. Between his two amber a shining golden mane of hair ran down his eyes,neck, and back. Skylar was the first to react, and fired three arrows at the dragon, they all glanced harmlessly off his skin. Maximilian drew Gram and grabbed Victor and Skylar's arms and pulled them over to a rocky ledge as the dragon opened his maw wide and blasted a wave of fire across the cavern at them. Maximilian peeked out: "I have an idea. I know how these dragons work. If we can ignite him from the inside it would kill him. Victor, I need you to light an arrow. Skylar and I will you." Victor nodded. Gods, she was so proud of him, he's grown so much since she first found him on Niflheim. She placed a hand on Victor's shoulder: "Relax Victor. I believe in you." Victor nodded as he slowly started to weave a fiery arrow out of the air. Skylar gave him a thumbs up. And she and Maximilian darted out of the cave.
The cavern was ablaze with dragon fire, the Fafnir seemed to be furious: "LITTLE TRICKSTERS HERE TO STEAL MY TREASURE. I WILL BURN YOU!" And Fafnir scorched another cliff face. Fafnir had also freed his wings, every shake of his wings went hurricanes through the cavern. Doubtless the dragon was easily 40 feet. Maximilian grimaced: "We need to keep him away from Victor." Skylar nodded in agreement: "Ready when you are Odinson." And with that Maximilian found a large foghorn of pure gold several feet away from them. Maximilian blew a long hard note on it, attracting the attention of the reptile. The low foghorn echoed through the fire lit cavern as the sound reached the dragon. Fafnir roared: "I SEE YOU PLAIN AS DAY! YOU WILL RUE THE DAY YOU DARED CROSS FAFNIR!" Fafnir charged at them, and Skylar tightened her grip on her bow. The dragon crash down on them, a large clawed hand swiped at Skylar, each blade-like nail easily her size. Next to her, Maximilian has grabbed the claw and was being carried up. Skylar followed suit just in the nick of time. Both of them now were now clinging onto the scaly arm of Fafnir. The dragon snorted fire at where they were, confused as to where they had gone. Maximilian held Skylar's forearm tight and said: "Hold on." And stabbed Gram deep into the hand of the dragon. Fafnir reflexively jerked his hand sideways and the two of them would have been thrown off if Maximilian hadn't hung on by the hilt of Gram and kept Skylar from falling. Skylar used her other hand to reach for a hunting knife, with a deft swipe, she send the dagger whirling through the air at Fafnir's eyes. Fafnir blinked just in time but it still caused him to flinch, lowering his arm, this allowing them to drop off safely onto a mountain of gold doubloons. Fafnir, now glowing with rage, roared so loudly fragments of rock fell from the cavern roof, and he unleashed an inferno from his throat, Skylar screamed: "No!" And channeled the last of her Isa rune to protect herself, she felt the rune cover her in ice as she protected Maximilian with her body. When the inferno finally subsided, Skylar collapsed, steaming, but like Maximilian, unharmed.
