Gallimaufry

Sir Princess

The day dawned beautifully, with splashes of pinks and blues across the flawless sky that stretched out above the vast plateau of trees that was nestled amongst the mountain peaks. In the centre of the plateau was a simple patch of bare stone, surrounded by two storey tall towers which contained empty balconies.

In the centre of that stone expanse the sunlight gradually revealed a woman sitting on the ground in brilliant gold and red armour that lit up like flames when the morning light hit her. The deep purple shadows of predawn still stretched out around her when the sound of the monster's footsteps echoed around her. Each reverberation shook the ground with such force that birds were sent wheeling through the sky in panic, allowing anyone who was watching a clear view of the monster's path toward her.

The armoured woman stood, letting out a slow breath as she pulled on her helmet, drew her bastard sword and picked up her shield. The sun was on her back when she turned toward the sound as the large beast stepped from the tree line. It was easily three times her height and body mass, with green scales in the place of armour and a long spiked tail that swung back and forth. The creature walked on two legs, though that was the only similarity it had to a human body. Its head was long and reptilian with yellow, slitted eyes and a mouth filled with sharp little teeth that were exposed when it grinned.

"Princess Calinda. You are the warrior chosen to represent your people?" The rough voice that issued from its chest echoed through the arena.

For that was what the stone platform and towers were, the makings of an ancient arena for this ancient game. Every five hundred years the humans would send their best warrior to attempt to defeat this creature and stop the flow of its hoards over the land.

Human kingdoms struggled to survive, because every battle before this one had been lost.

Calinda merely fell into stance and nodded. "Let us begin."

She had been fighting these creatures her entire life, so she knew that they had one weakness. The monster in front of her was the strongest of them but he was also conceited. He charged, quick as lightning, and she dodged, spinning alongside him and bringing her sword down across his tail, nearly severing it. At the last moment the appendage flicked and she was sent flying across the stones, tumbling in a clatter of metal.

And he followed, but she was ready, coiling her body up under the shield, she stood as that mouth came down, bringing her sword up and past it to bury in the monster's throat and up into his head.

In a gush of blood, it was over.

Though the hardest part was crawling out from under its massive bulk and severing the head to show to the gathered armies.