to get out. There are fewer of them than before, but there must still be hundreds of dragons that survived the gigantic explosion.
Brank’ox groans.
I kneel by his head. “Are you all right?” I ask again.
He stays down, just reaches one huge, burned hand out and puts it on my knee.
Most of his back is charred and black, with only the pink stripes still mostly intact. He smells of burned flesh, and I start fearing for him.
“Stay down,” I say, my voice thin and shaking. “I’ll get the medpack.”
The backpack was blown over to us by the explosion, the gun’s muzzle sticking out. With numb fingers I get the medpack out, realizing it will make no difference, but feeling a strong need to do something.
Before I can start any treatment, Brank’ox slowly gets onto his hands and knees, his charred back making a dry squeaking, cracking noise like a piece of charcoal being broken in two.
He gets into a sitting position, staring upwards. “Are they all gone?”
“I think so,” I offer, opening the small pot of green, antibacterial paste, knowing it will make exactly zero difference. “That was a big explosion. Brank’ox, your back is badly burned.”
“That’s how it feels. How many did we get?”
“I don’t know. Try not to move.”
He slowly, painfully gets to his feet. “We must get the gold so they don’t…”
The words are barely out of his mouth before there’s a flapping noise from below and a large shape slowly rises out of the depths, dragon wings beating hard, talons scraping on alien material.
My heart drops even further as Isualic the Old slowly ascends, now in his full dragon form, making his way through the complex maze with both wings and claws. He’s a metallic green, splotchy with age and burned black in several spots. In his side is a small cut where a little bit of golden ichor seeps out.
In his claws he clutches a gold necklace, shining and sparkling even in the dark.
Ah, the little nymph, he says into my mind. I was hoping you were still here.
“Stay the hell away from me,” I warn him. “Just leave. I have nothing you want.”
He comes closer, folding his wings back and using all four legs. I agree. But perhaps you are something that I want.
“You have your hoard,” I try. “You can go now, you don’t have to stay on this planet anymore. Just leave us alone.”
It’s a long way through the Void, Isualic says with icy calm. Before I start the journey, I wish to enjoy myself. And there’s no better enjoyment than a sweet, unwilling young female.
“I’d rather die,” I state, anger starting to grow in me.
Then I have good news: you will. But it might take some time. It’s been a while since I’ve had a female to play with. I intend to enjoy myself greatly.
Damn. He’s not joking. His words are steeped in menace and evil intent. And he’s coming closer fast.
Brank’ox stands up next to me, drawing his sword. “Be on your way, unholy horror.”
Ah, the fake slayer. Do you want to watch? It might not be a pleasant sight. Shall I just kill you right now and spare you the pain? No, I think I will leave you for last. I did not enjoy being tricked into coming here. But it ended well.
“Tricked?” I ask, desperately trying to gain more time. “How?”
Isualic’s small, streamlined dragon head smiles with black fangs. The fake slayer made me think that there was a huge treasure in this tainted heap. And that I needed the help of many dragons to gain it. I so alerted all the dragons I could find. They in turn alerted others, until all were here. Too many, I thought. But that’s of no concern as long as only one remains and it is me.
Brank’ox winds up and throws his sword at the dragon, the blade spinning wildly through the air.
Isualic casually grabs the hilt of the flying sword with one taloned limb and throws it right back. Brank’ox has to scramble to get out of the way of his own sword. It hits a girder and shatters into a spray of sparks and pieces of steel.
That was very unwise, fake slayer.
At the same time, there’s movement behind Isualic. Another dragon in human form climbs up the structure, clearly trying to pass unnoticed.
This might be our only chance, and it’s not even a good chance.