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Rogues Paid Gold: Riffraff and Runaways Ch.1 (revised)
I know I posted a previous version of this a while back, but I have since went back and edited it to hopefully make it better. Back when I first posted this, I had not made much progress past the first chapter so updates never came. Since then, I have written over 120 pages for this novel length project. I will be posting the chapters periodically, but I will only be posting Act One here to FA as a teaser. have to save the bulk of it for if it ever gets published.
I was originally planning to wait to draw a picture for each chapter, but there's no telling when that will be, so I'll just reupload the chapters in the descriptions of the pictures if I ever draw them.
Riffraff and Runaways is the first in (hopefully) a number of book-length stories in what I am calling "Rogues Paid Gold". It is a fantasy story taking place in a world that I have been working to develop for over three years (and I'm still not done yet) I hope you enjoy this first chapter and are interested in going through the journey along with the characters.
Any forms of comments and constructive critique are welcome. I am still treating this as a first draft, so I am looking to better it along the way.
Rogues Paid Gold: Riffraff and Runaways
Chapter 1: Having No Guild Sucks
Boisterous shouts and raucous expressions of revelry invaded Cade’s ears as he slinked through the doors of The Pig’s Pearl and into a bustling blockade of rogue and ruffian. The usual collection of rowdy folk occupied the seats of the tavern, downing mead with one’s own Guild or setting up several a competition of boasting with rivals. The weasel wrinkled his nose at the lingering wafts of dubious brew that saturated the air and mixed with the scent of perspiration that was all too common, courtesy of the intense Aridescan heat. Surely, of all the taverns that lay scattered across the eight kingdoms of Fantasia, The Pig’s Pearl must receive the crown for the most debauched, even among the Outlands. Such was Cade’s thought, but the weasel had a mission, and he pressed onward, head down, hood up, and cloak pulled close. The notice board lay in sight.
He sneered after narrowly avoiding a strike to the face by an overly enthusiastic, or should it be called desperate, armor-clad feline he was walking past. Said “hero” sat in the process of regaling a group of delightful-looking barmaids with a story that no doubt carried an exaggerated account of his exploits. The braggart performed grand motions with his arms to accompany the recitation as if hoping to further ensnare the dames in his tale akin to a mariner hoping to hook a mackerel.
“Watch yourself,” Cade muttered to himself as he walked by, his footpaws never missing a step despite the unforeseen “attack”.
Stepping up to the notice board, Cade perused the collection of pinned-up papers, scanning the precious offerings of work while noting the reward first and the job second. All the while, the murmurings of other hopeful quest-seekers sounded around him.
“Looks like that Outland Monster still hasn’t been stopped. Can’t believe no one’s bothered to take him down.”
“Heh, I suppose you’d like to do the honors?”
“Not a chance! That bounty needs to triple before I risk my hide for the Gold. What else do we have here?”
“What about this one? ‘I need these ingredients for a potion I’m making’. Sounds easy enough.”
“Ha! No thanks. One fetch quest will only lead to another. Look, the reward ain’t even worth it.”
“Never is, mate, never is.”
From what Cade could see, most of the new posts looked to be menial. Figures. The ones that usually remained up for lengths at a time tended to be the Four or Five-Star quests, jobs reserved only for Guilds of great renown due to the extreme amount of danger and time they carried.
Continuing his search across the display, a notice which carried striking lettering caught his eye. Several tassels hung from beneath the parchment, signifying a required participation from multiple Guilds.
ATTENTION!
All Guilds!
Do you seek to prove your Guild’s worth as the greatest in Fantasia?
Do you have the brawn, wit, and skills to overcome all others?
Register your Guild now for
SOLOMON’S RUN
Graciously held by the empire of Tengai
All Guilds welcome.
Cade’s collected demeanor broke as he saw the reward. He grabbed at the tassels with an exclamation of “Hells yes!” He held his acquisition up, giving a grin of satisfaction. This is my chance, he thought, I can finally…
Before his thought could conclude, he felt a forceful tug on the back of his hood as he was pulled back and spun around in one swift maneuver. Cade had no time to right himself before his footpaws left the floor, and his back slammed against the notice board, held in place by a massive, calloused hand that gripped at his collar.
Said hand belonged to a gigantic, solid, and menacing specimen of swine who glared into Cade’s own eyes.
“Cade,” the porcine brute said, breathing out the word in an aggressive manner. “I thought I spied your violet-haired carcass!”
The captured weasel simply flashed the pig a contemptuous grin. “Barne,” he said as if addressing a friend he was seeing for the first time in ages, “I’m surprised you could see such a hidden detail under my hood when your eyes are squinted from all that lard in your face, my good ham hock.”
With a grunt, Barne swung his arm, flinging Cade across the room and sending him crashing across several tables while many an onlooker gasped out their astonishment. Amidst countless shards of glass and splintered wood, Cade stumbled up from where he lay, unwrapping himself from his cloak which he had cocooned himself in while airborne. The weasel gave a nod of satisfaction as he watched the glass and debris roll off the garment while the sturdy material remained undamaged. Not a scratch. His small moment of success was quickly shattered as Barne gripped Cade by the hair and proceeded to pull the weirdly-still-smug scoundrel along as he made for the exit.
“What, Barne,” Cade said as he stumbled awkwardly to keep up in favor of being dragged, “is this face too
good for your tavern? I understand. Don’t want to make the other’s feel bad about their looks.”
“Ya know ya not allowed in here,” Barne said. “My business is for Guildmembers only.”
“But Barne, my good swill swallower, I do have a Guild.”
“You an’ that lazy Ranger ain’t what I call a Guild. And if yer talkin’ continues like that, I’ll put a stop ta it myself.”
“Hey, you were the one who started swinehandling me. A simple ‘leave’ would have sufficed. I think you may have scared away some business, and that is no fault of my own.” Cade pointed at the murmuring patrons.
Barne remained silent as he pulled Cade out of his establishment. As they reached the doors, the weasel gave a tsk tsk.
“I should warn you, Barne, because I like you. I happen to own a dragon. Big, brutish thing, he is.” He paused and whistled a tune comprising of one lengthy note followed by two short ones. “I just called him. Hey, are you listening? I can have this place burned to…”
Thud!
The hard, dry ground smacked against Cade’s back after Barne flung him out of The Pig’s Pearl.
“Vlakas!” Cade said before whistling again. “Vlakas, come on!” Another set of whistles.
“Stay out, Cade,” Barne said, rubbing his hands as if trying to remove clinging grime. “Stop comin’ in here lookin’ for jobs when ya don’t have a Guild.” With no further words on the matter, the pig vanished behind the slamming doors.
Picking himself up from the ground, Cade dusted himself off, flexing his lean body before checking his fishnet shirt for any damage. He unfurled his hand to examine the tassel he had taken from the notice board, tossing it up and catching it with one hand while giving the tavern’s doors a triumphant middle finger with the other. “Ha! Dumb pig! You didn’t get one over on me this day,” he said while dangling the tassel.
After placing it into one of the several side pockets of his satchel, he began walking around the perimeter of the tavern.
“Vlakas! Useless idiot! Where are you?”
Cade halted as he heard the skittering of tiny claws hitting the dusty ground. Before long, a tiny black dragon ran out from behind the wall. As he saw Cade, the little reptile let out a chirp and made as if to sit, but the remaining momentum from his running caused him to trip over his own feet, sending him tumbling in the dirt. The dragon lay for a moment, his sparkling amethyst-hued eyes wide in a dumbfounded look and miniature wings jutting out at awkward angles. Cade walked over to him, hands on his hips and looking down at the reptile like a scolding mother. The dragon looked up at him and, without bothering to recover from the contorted position, started swaying his tail back and forth.
“Dumb reptile,” Cade said, giving Vlakas a slight nudge with his footpaw and tumbling the dragon over onto his belly.
“Where were you when I needed you?” He gave one long whistle followed by two short ones which prompted Vlakas to jerk his head up in attention. The little dragon scrambled to his feet as his black scales shimmered with an emerald gloss. Over the course of just a second or two, Vlakas’s body stretched out. His horns, previously small stumps on the top and sides of his head, elongated into fearsome protrusions curving like scimitars. The neck and tail shot out, the scales growing thicker, rougher-looking, and overlapping like armor plating. What was previously a tiny creature, barely over a foot in length now exceeded twenty feet long with a superior height to match.
Vlakas sat on now muscular haunches, head cocked at Cade. He gave an expectant snort as the weasel looked at his dragon, his face set in a deadpan expression.
“It’s too late for that, fool,” Cade said, placing a hand over his eyes and rubbing at the bridge of his muzzle. “By the blade, calling you a halfwit would be too kind.”
He let out the whistle pattern in reverse, two short and a long, and Vlakas’s scales emitted the emerald sheen again before the dragon was reduced to his original small stature. Scampering over to Cade, he reared up, placing his foreclaws on the weasel’s legs. Cade sighed and picked the dragon up, who glowed again before becoming even more diminutive.
“Don’t expect to dine on anything glamorous tonight,” Cade told the dragon as he climbed up the weasel’s shoulders and curled around the back of his neck. “You missed your chance to have quite the feast of pig.” Donning the hood of his cloak, Cade turned his back on the tavern, making his way down into the town square while being subjected to the small snores of the dragon nestled safely in the fabric.
The disgruntled weasel passed by many a shop owned by merchants trying to sell their various wares, or rather, swindle the less informed out of more Gold than the value of the products warranted. For Swenborro was a town comprised primarily of low lives, founded by the Swine and possessing no such thing as an “honest business.” Gold sat at the top tier of concern while decency and comradery lay in the mud at the bottom. Those who did not make their start in Swenborro came here through displacement and misfortune. If one could be so blessed, one might find themselves simply passing through akin to the Guilds that frequented The Pig’s Pearl.
It was commonplace to discover that honesty and chivalry yielded about as much benefit as a mirror to a blindman. Adoption of similar behavior to that of the Swine was better suited for the dried-out dustbowl of a settlement.
Cade glanced from one porcine peddler to the next, taking note of the products. A great number of medicinal substances, most likely secretly useless, hung from ropes in the frame of one stand. Another displayed various roasted meats which Cade could smell the aromas of even while a good distance away. He placed a hand on the coin pouch which dangled at his side, patting it and groaning after feeling its lack of girth.
“I’m afraid this isn’t enough for any kind of food for you, Vlakas,” Cade said, “let alone for two others. And I doubt Syrus bothered hunting for anything.” He made his way past the food stand before giving the sleeping dragon’s tail a yank, causing him to give a surprised chirp.
“Maybe next time you’ll stay in there like you’re supposed to instead of wandering off to wherever you please. So, the next time I call you, you’ll fly out and roast that pig, yes? Then I can be free to take jobs without concerning myself with whether or not a grimy snout is breathing down my neck.”
Vlakas, now roused by his master’s assault, scrambled out from within Cade’s hood and clawed his way to the top of the weasel’s head with the slippery speed of a small lizard scrambling for the protection of a log. The dragon sniffed around and squealed in delight as the scent of the meat entered his nostrils.
“Hey, don’t be getting any thoughts into your thick skull,” Cade called up to him.
Before Cade could say another word, Vlakas grew to the size of a raven and spread his wings out, gliding away from his master and toward the meat stand.
“Curses!” Cade shouted as he gave chase to his dragon. He paid no heed to the shouts and expletives cast his way as he nimbly dodged oncoming shoppers without slowing his pursuit. As Vlakas neared the stand, the dragon grew yet again in hopes of engulfing the entirety of an especially large cut of meat with his now widened maw. In doing so, the dragon failed to consider any other spatial factors, crashing into the counter of the shop, a sound which was met with the panicked shouts of stand operator and patrons alike as they dove for cover.
“Hey,” Cade shouted, jumping on the dragon’s enlarged back. “Are you ignorin’ me out of rebellion or stupidity, because either way, I don’t know why I keep you around.”
Vlakas’s stood on the very edges of his toes. Practically on his claws, he stretched himself out to keep hold of the meat slab that lay betwixt his jaws. He gave grunts of discomfort as, in his current stressful situation, the poor, dumb thing failed to remember that he could remedy his predicament by increasing in size a bit more.
Cade was about to continue berating his dragon when a childish voice called out from the rubble.
“Woah, that’s so amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it!”
Cade turned his head to be greeted with a figure digging itself from the splintered wood and tiles of what used to be the stand. It was a mouse girl with white fur, or at least what Cade could see of it. Most of her body lay obscured by an oversized violet-colored robe that looked to be just the torn-off top half of a formerly larger garment. It extended to just below the kid’s knees, and the sleeves hung loose well past her hands. On her head rested a similarly colored hat with a wide brim that needed to be pushed up frequently as the headwear threatened to engulf her smaller head. The hat extended upwards from the base in a conical formation before twisting and bending back at the top like a gnarled root before curving upwards once more. A cloth strap fastened itself around the wide brim, carrying a bright red stone nestled within its buckle.
A wide, carefree grin lay across her face despite the destruction she was under a moment ago, and she scampered up to Vlakas, placing her sleeve-obscured hands against his scales. Her eyes grew wide and sparkled like the gem clasped onto the hat.
What’s with this kid, Cade wondered as Vlakas chose instead to keep his focus on trying to shove the meat down his gullet. The weasel’s curiosity was broken by the enraged sputtering of the merchant.
“I’ll have that dragon’s head and yer Gold in payment fer wat ya done!”
Cade leapt onto the dragon’s neck, hanging onto it with one hand while he flashed one dagger from the many that lay sheathed in a leather strap around his torso with the other. “Yeeeaaah, well, here’s another thought. I’ve got no time for this.”
The blade slashed through the fibers that held the meat in place before Cade issued a command to the dragon.
“Vlakas, sky!”
Vlakas crouched low before pushing off the ground, his body stretching out to become a fearsome looking specimen. Immense wings unfurled as he leapt and, with a mighty downbeat, Vlakas’s massive body ascended into the sky, leaving the town of Swenborro to disappear beneath them.
I was originally planning to wait to draw a picture for each chapter, but there's no telling when that will be, so I'll just reupload the chapters in the descriptions of the pictures if I ever draw them.
Riffraff and Runaways is the first in (hopefully) a number of book-length stories in what I am calling "Rogues Paid Gold". It is a fantasy story taking place in a world that I have been working to develop for over three years (and I'm still not done yet) I hope you enjoy this first chapter and are interested in going through the journey along with the characters.
Any forms of comments and constructive critique are welcome. I am still treating this as a first draft, so I am looking to better it along the way.
Rogues Paid Gold: Riffraff and Runaways
Chapter 1: Having No Guild Sucks
Boisterous shouts and raucous expressions of revelry invaded Cade’s ears as he slinked through the doors of The Pig’s Pearl and into a bustling blockade of rogue and ruffian. The usual collection of rowdy folk occupied the seats of the tavern, downing mead with one’s own Guild or setting up several a competition of boasting with rivals. The weasel wrinkled his nose at the lingering wafts of dubious brew that saturated the air and mixed with the scent of perspiration that was all too common, courtesy of the intense Aridescan heat. Surely, of all the taverns that lay scattered across the eight kingdoms of Fantasia, The Pig’s Pearl must receive the crown for the most debauched, even among the Outlands. Such was Cade’s thought, but the weasel had a mission, and he pressed onward, head down, hood up, and cloak pulled close. The notice board lay in sight.
He sneered after narrowly avoiding a strike to the face by an overly enthusiastic, or should it be called desperate, armor-clad feline he was walking past. Said “hero” sat in the process of regaling a group of delightful-looking barmaids with a story that no doubt carried an exaggerated account of his exploits. The braggart performed grand motions with his arms to accompany the recitation as if hoping to further ensnare the dames in his tale akin to a mariner hoping to hook a mackerel.
“Watch yourself,” Cade muttered to himself as he walked by, his footpaws never missing a step despite the unforeseen “attack”.
Stepping up to the notice board, Cade perused the collection of pinned-up papers, scanning the precious offerings of work while noting the reward first and the job second. All the while, the murmurings of other hopeful quest-seekers sounded around him.
“Looks like that Outland Monster still hasn’t been stopped. Can’t believe no one’s bothered to take him down.”
“Heh, I suppose you’d like to do the honors?”
“Not a chance! That bounty needs to triple before I risk my hide for the Gold. What else do we have here?”
“What about this one? ‘I need these ingredients for a potion I’m making’. Sounds easy enough.”
“Ha! No thanks. One fetch quest will only lead to another. Look, the reward ain’t even worth it.”
“Never is, mate, never is.”
From what Cade could see, most of the new posts looked to be menial. Figures. The ones that usually remained up for lengths at a time tended to be the Four or Five-Star quests, jobs reserved only for Guilds of great renown due to the extreme amount of danger and time they carried.
Continuing his search across the display, a notice which carried striking lettering caught his eye. Several tassels hung from beneath the parchment, signifying a required participation from multiple Guilds.
ATTENTION!
All Guilds!
Do you seek to prove your Guild’s worth as the greatest in Fantasia?
Do you have the brawn, wit, and skills to overcome all others?
Register your Guild now for
SOLOMON’S RUN
Graciously held by the empire of Tengai
All Guilds welcome.
Cade’s collected demeanor broke as he saw the reward. He grabbed at the tassels with an exclamation of “Hells yes!” He held his acquisition up, giving a grin of satisfaction. This is my chance, he thought, I can finally…
Before his thought could conclude, he felt a forceful tug on the back of his hood as he was pulled back and spun around in one swift maneuver. Cade had no time to right himself before his footpaws left the floor, and his back slammed against the notice board, held in place by a massive, calloused hand that gripped at his collar.
Said hand belonged to a gigantic, solid, and menacing specimen of swine who glared into Cade’s own eyes.
“Cade,” the porcine brute said, breathing out the word in an aggressive manner. “I thought I spied your violet-haired carcass!”
The captured weasel simply flashed the pig a contemptuous grin. “Barne,” he said as if addressing a friend he was seeing for the first time in ages, “I’m surprised you could see such a hidden detail under my hood when your eyes are squinted from all that lard in your face, my good ham hock.”
With a grunt, Barne swung his arm, flinging Cade across the room and sending him crashing across several tables while many an onlooker gasped out their astonishment. Amidst countless shards of glass and splintered wood, Cade stumbled up from where he lay, unwrapping himself from his cloak which he had cocooned himself in while airborne. The weasel gave a nod of satisfaction as he watched the glass and debris roll off the garment while the sturdy material remained undamaged. Not a scratch. His small moment of success was quickly shattered as Barne gripped Cade by the hair and proceeded to pull the weirdly-still-smug scoundrel along as he made for the exit.
“What, Barne,” Cade said as he stumbled awkwardly to keep up in favor of being dragged, “is this face too
good for your tavern? I understand. Don’t want to make the other’s feel bad about their looks.”
“Ya know ya not allowed in here,” Barne said. “My business is for Guildmembers only.”
“But Barne, my good swill swallower, I do have a Guild.”
“You an’ that lazy Ranger ain’t what I call a Guild. And if yer talkin’ continues like that, I’ll put a stop ta it myself.”
“Hey, you were the one who started swinehandling me. A simple ‘leave’ would have sufficed. I think you may have scared away some business, and that is no fault of my own.” Cade pointed at the murmuring patrons.
Barne remained silent as he pulled Cade out of his establishment. As they reached the doors, the weasel gave a tsk tsk.
“I should warn you, Barne, because I like you. I happen to own a dragon. Big, brutish thing, he is.” He paused and whistled a tune comprising of one lengthy note followed by two short ones. “I just called him. Hey, are you listening? I can have this place burned to…”
Thud!
The hard, dry ground smacked against Cade’s back after Barne flung him out of The Pig’s Pearl.
“Vlakas!” Cade said before whistling again. “Vlakas, come on!” Another set of whistles.
“Stay out, Cade,” Barne said, rubbing his hands as if trying to remove clinging grime. “Stop comin’ in here lookin’ for jobs when ya don’t have a Guild.” With no further words on the matter, the pig vanished behind the slamming doors.
Picking himself up from the ground, Cade dusted himself off, flexing his lean body before checking his fishnet shirt for any damage. He unfurled his hand to examine the tassel he had taken from the notice board, tossing it up and catching it with one hand while giving the tavern’s doors a triumphant middle finger with the other. “Ha! Dumb pig! You didn’t get one over on me this day,” he said while dangling the tassel.
After placing it into one of the several side pockets of his satchel, he began walking around the perimeter of the tavern.
“Vlakas! Useless idiot! Where are you?”
Cade halted as he heard the skittering of tiny claws hitting the dusty ground. Before long, a tiny black dragon ran out from behind the wall. As he saw Cade, the little reptile let out a chirp and made as if to sit, but the remaining momentum from his running caused him to trip over his own feet, sending him tumbling in the dirt. The dragon lay for a moment, his sparkling amethyst-hued eyes wide in a dumbfounded look and miniature wings jutting out at awkward angles. Cade walked over to him, hands on his hips and looking down at the reptile like a scolding mother. The dragon looked up at him and, without bothering to recover from the contorted position, started swaying his tail back and forth.
“Dumb reptile,” Cade said, giving Vlakas a slight nudge with his footpaw and tumbling the dragon over onto his belly.
“Where were you when I needed you?” He gave one long whistle followed by two short ones which prompted Vlakas to jerk his head up in attention. The little dragon scrambled to his feet as his black scales shimmered with an emerald gloss. Over the course of just a second or two, Vlakas’s body stretched out. His horns, previously small stumps on the top and sides of his head, elongated into fearsome protrusions curving like scimitars. The neck and tail shot out, the scales growing thicker, rougher-looking, and overlapping like armor plating. What was previously a tiny creature, barely over a foot in length now exceeded twenty feet long with a superior height to match.
Vlakas sat on now muscular haunches, head cocked at Cade. He gave an expectant snort as the weasel looked at his dragon, his face set in a deadpan expression.
“It’s too late for that, fool,” Cade said, placing a hand over his eyes and rubbing at the bridge of his muzzle. “By the blade, calling you a halfwit would be too kind.”
He let out the whistle pattern in reverse, two short and a long, and Vlakas’s scales emitted the emerald sheen again before the dragon was reduced to his original small stature. Scampering over to Cade, he reared up, placing his foreclaws on the weasel’s legs. Cade sighed and picked the dragon up, who glowed again before becoming even more diminutive.
“Don’t expect to dine on anything glamorous tonight,” Cade told the dragon as he climbed up the weasel’s shoulders and curled around the back of his neck. “You missed your chance to have quite the feast of pig.” Donning the hood of his cloak, Cade turned his back on the tavern, making his way down into the town square while being subjected to the small snores of the dragon nestled safely in the fabric.
The disgruntled weasel passed by many a shop owned by merchants trying to sell their various wares, or rather, swindle the less informed out of more Gold than the value of the products warranted. For Swenborro was a town comprised primarily of low lives, founded by the Swine and possessing no such thing as an “honest business.” Gold sat at the top tier of concern while decency and comradery lay in the mud at the bottom. Those who did not make their start in Swenborro came here through displacement and misfortune. If one could be so blessed, one might find themselves simply passing through akin to the Guilds that frequented The Pig’s Pearl.
It was commonplace to discover that honesty and chivalry yielded about as much benefit as a mirror to a blindman. Adoption of similar behavior to that of the Swine was better suited for the dried-out dustbowl of a settlement.
Cade glanced from one porcine peddler to the next, taking note of the products. A great number of medicinal substances, most likely secretly useless, hung from ropes in the frame of one stand. Another displayed various roasted meats which Cade could smell the aromas of even while a good distance away. He placed a hand on the coin pouch which dangled at his side, patting it and groaning after feeling its lack of girth.
“I’m afraid this isn’t enough for any kind of food for you, Vlakas,” Cade said, “let alone for two others. And I doubt Syrus bothered hunting for anything.” He made his way past the food stand before giving the sleeping dragon’s tail a yank, causing him to give a surprised chirp.
“Maybe next time you’ll stay in there like you’re supposed to instead of wandering off to wherever you please. So, the next time I call you, you’ll fly out and roast that pig, yes? Then I can be free to take jobs without concerning myself with whether or not a grimy snout is breathing down my neck.”
Vlakas, now roused by his master’s assault, scrambled out from within Cade’s hood and clawed his way to the top of the weasel’s head with the slippery speed of a small lizard scrambling for the protection of a log. The dragon sniffed around and squealed in delight as the scent of the meat entered his nostrils.
“Hey, don’t be getting any thoughts into your thick skull,” Cade called up to him.
Before Cade could say another word, Vlakas grew to the size of a raven and spread his wings out, gliding away from his master and toward the meat stand.
“Curses!” Cade shouted as he gave chase to his dragon. He paid no heed to the shouts and expletives cast his way as he nimbly dodged oncoming shoppers without slowing his pursuit. As Vlakas neared the stand, the dragon grew yet again in hopes of engulfing the entirety of an especially large cut of meat with his now widened maw. In doing so, the dragon failed to consider any other spatial factors, crashing into the counter of the shop, a sound which was met with the panicked shouts of stand operator and patrons alike as they dove for cover.
“Hey,” Cade shouted, jumping on the dragon’s enlarged back. “Are you ignorin’ me out of rebellion or stupidity, because either way, I don’t know why I keep you around.”
Vlakas’s stood on the very edges of his toes. Practically on his claws, he stretched himself out to keep hold of the meat slab that lay betwixt his jaws. He gave grunts of discomfort as, in his current stressful situation, the poor, dumb thing failed to remember that he could remedy his predicament by increasing in size a bit more.
Cade was about to continue berating his dragon when a childish voice called out from the rubble.
“Woah, that’s so amazing! I’ve never seen anything like it!”
Cade turned his head to be greeted with a figure digging itself from the splintered wood and tiles of what used to be the stand. It was a mouse girl with white fur, or at least what Cade could see of it. Most of her body lay obscured by an oversized violet-colored robe that looked to be just the torn-off top half of a formerly larger garment. It extended to just below the kid’s knees, and the sleeves hung loose well past her hands. On her head rested a similarly colored hat with a wide brim that needed to be pushed up frequently as the headwear threatened to engulf her smaller head. The hat extended upwards from the base in a conical formation before twisting and bending back at the top like a gnarled root before curving upwards once more. A cloth strap fastened itself around the wide brim, carrying a bright red stone nestled within its buckle.
A wide, carefree grin lay across her face despite the destruction she was under a moment ago, and she scampered up to Vlakas, placing her sleeve-obscured hands against his scales. Her eyes grew wide and sparkled like the gem clasped onto the hat.
What’s with this kid, Cade wondered as Vlakas chose instead to keep his focus on trying to shove the meat down his gullet. The weasel’s curiosity was broken by the enraged sputtering of the merchant.
“I’ll have that dragon’s head and yer Gold in payment fer wat ya done!”
Cade leapt onto the dragon’s neck, hanging onto it with one hand while he flashed one dagger from the many that lay sheathed in a leather strap around his torso with the other. “Yeeeaaah, well, here’s another thought. I’ve got no time for this.”
The blade slashed through the fibers that held the meat in place before Cade issued a command to the dragon.
“Vlakas, sky!”
Vlakas crouched low before pushing off the ground, his body stretching out to become a fearsome looking specimen. Immense wings unfurled as he leapt and, with a mighty downbeat, Vlakas’s massive body ascended into the sky, leaving the town of Swenborro to disappear beneath them.
Category Story / Fantasy
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Multiple characters
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 22.3 kB
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