Siegfried, out of shock, dropped the unconscious man and stumbled back.

Then mind bending pain assailed the once dragon for an instant, bringing him to his knees. His black scaly hand began to burn with pain. He looked down at it, grasping his wrist with his other normal hand. The fingers were melding together until there were only three. The hand was growing larger, and his nails were becoming claws. During all of this, it felt as if Siegfried’s hand and fingers were being pulled off. He screamed in agony.

To all the others behind the demidragon, they could not make heads or tails of what was happening - they only saw a man who went from one side of the room to the other in an instant, who then fell to his knees and began screaming toward the ground. Half the people ran out of the tavern, including one of the soldiers who said, “Screw this. I’m out.”

Then the pain stopped, he had stabilized. Slowly, he stood, and turned to the other men, a smile of satisfaction on his face, and eyes that were glad of what was to come, perhaps too glad.

And they saw it, his hand. Its aura reeked of murder and death. “Eyes up, swords out,” said the commander. His two remaining men followed. Susannah was forgotten in all of this, only the two parties existed in this moment, staring each other down, sizing each other up. Though Siegfried was not worried, no, not one bit.

He lunged at one of the soldiers, raking him with his claws, sending him slamming against and over the bar with his chainmail torn and blood gushing out of his chest.

Ravenous, he pivoted his upper body to the remaining two in an instant, like some kind of nightmare creature. This caused the commander’s last man (and the rest of the tavern patrons) to run away, leaving just him. He did not run, that must be said. For you or I surely would have. He squared his shoulders, and with his sword, slashed downward at our not quite hero.

Siegfried blocked it with his forearm - the scales had grown up to his elbow - took the sword’s blade into the palm of his claw, and snapped it in two like a twig.

The commander’s face was pale and lost; he had just seen the destruction of the last hope he had left on earth.

Slowly, Siegfried brought his arm back; he wanted to savor the moment. But before he could bring it down, Susannah tackled his back and shouted, “don’t! Don’t do it!”

Arm still up, he said, “are you mad? Why? Why would I stop? I’m winning!”

“You’ve already won! They've all run away or can't fight anymore!”

“So what? That doesn’t mean it’s finished! That doesn’t mean it’s done!” Siegfried tried to step forward, to push Susannah off without hurting her, but she would not budge.

She began sobbing. “When will it be done!”

“They have to die! They have to suffer! They have to scream!”

“Why! Why does it have to be that way!”

“Because it’s always been that way! Now let go of me so I can finish him off.”

“No!”

“What?”

“I won’t let you!”

“You really think you can stop me?”

She made an affirmative noise. Siegfried turned his head to face her, behind his left shoulder. He sighed, he could see that she meant it; her eyes were as fierce as any warrior’s he’d seen, perhaps more so. As he brought his arm down, his body relaxed and along with it, his hand changed back.

And then, Siegfried fainted.

It was the mid of night when Siegfried awoke. He sat himself upright and looked out the window; the moon was full, and dark clouds were gathering. Resolved, he got out of his bed, sent an arm under it, and pulled out a cubby; in it was his armor.

Earlier that day, after the incident - after Siegfried fainted, it didn’t take long for the authorities to arrive, and soon after that, the town council. He woke up soon after that, in the arms and on the lap of Susannah.

The councilmen were muttering things like I told you this would happen, and we don’t have all the facts, but when Siegfried woke up, they became silent and gathered around him. He didn’t need to be told he was in trouble to know it - their eyes told the whole story. Some were worried, some were convicting; overall, it wasn’t a good feeling. But before anything more could be said, it was decided that he would go home and rest and say his peace in the morning.

Susannah had guided him back; Siegfried had leaned on her; he was exhausted, barely able to walk. The entire time, they didn’t talk. Susannah didn’t think Siegfried was in a talking mood, and she was right, he wasn’t.

Siegfried was in his full armor again, except for the helmet - it was too restricting of his senses to wear at all times. It had been almost a month since he last wore it, he had almost forgotten it, once it was tucked away, once it was out of sight, he had almost forgotten who he was.

He then grabbed a backpack and started filling it; a spare change of clothes, his helmet, any food he could find, a knife, some rope, and anything else he thought he might need.

Lastly, he put a cloak over himself, secured a waterskin to his waist, attached a bedroll over his backpack, grabbed his spear that was resting against the wall beside the door exit, pulled up his hood, and left.

At this hour, everyone should’ve been asleep, but that didn’t make Siegfried any less cautious. If someone were to catch him, to alert others, then he would surely be caught and questioned and be put under even greater scrutiny.

He could only lament his past stupidity - to slash away at any who would dare stand in his way. Yeah, sure, he may be able to take one or two, but their numbers would eventually overwhelm him.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

And so, it was with light, slow steps that he made his way past the various dwellings and places of business, and a racing heart. Without strength, he would have to rely on guile and cunning; they wouldn’t expect him to leave so suddenly after he had stayed for nearly a month, and the night was the best time, his best opportunity to slip away unnoticed. Things were so much simpler when he was strong; he didn’t have to worry about plans or chances of success, but he never would have felt the rush, the anticipation either.

Siegfried had made it far past the outskirts of the town. Now he walked leisurely on the dirt main road. He thought he had done it, he thought he had made it, that he was free. And that was when he heard the shout of, “Hey,” behind him. He pivoted around. It was Susannah.

Earlier that night. Susannah couldn’t sleep. She kept on thinking about what had happened, about Siegfried and about how he must be feeling. When she saw him like that, so primal, so ferocious, he was like a wild animal, she was afraid, but only for a moment, only surprised, after the initial shock, she was no longer afraid for herself, or even the soldier, but for Siegfried. She was afraid of what he would become if he had gone through with it. But from what he had said, it sounded as if he had already become a monster. No! She shook the unbidden thought away. He’s not a monster! He’s Siegfried! No matter what he’s done. No matter who he is, he is not a monster. She thought of Siegfried’s kind eyes, the sort that would never even hurt a fly.

He must be afraid too. If she doubted him for a moment, then surely, Siegfried would think she doubted him too. I must make sure he knows. With that thought, Susannah flung off her sheets.

When she made it to his dwelling, there was no answer when she knocked on the door. He must be asleep, she thought. The thought of going back home and waiting until tomorrow came to mind, but for no reason in particular, she thought it awfully important to tell him how she felt right this instant, so she knocked harder this time. No answer.

She tried the door. It was unlocked. She flicked on a candle and illuminated the room. Siegfried wasn’t there.

“Hey,” Susannah shouted again as she finished catching up with the still Siegfried. “What the hell? Why are you leaving?”

Rain began speckling the ground.

He didn’t know what to say. No, I mean really, he himself did not know completely why he was there, out in the middle of the road half a mile (a kilometer) from town. So he simply said nonchalantly, looking away from her, “I didn’t think you would care.”

A pulse of rage ripped through her. “Of course I care!” Then her voice became quiet, her eyes pleading, “Don’t you?”

“About what?”

About what? The words echoed in her mind. About me, she wanted to say, but instead she said, “About the town, about what people will think of you if you leave in the middle of the night after an incident like that. They’ll think you were the one at fault.”

“It was my fault. I did that. But I don’t think I did anything wrong.”

The rain grew heavier.

“Then defend yourself! Make your case and clear everything up, and things will go back to how they used to be.”

He shook his head. “I can’t do that. I can’t go back.”

She was breathless, her voice nearly broke, “Why?”

He was in disbelief, “Don’t you remember? I have to break the curse. I have to find the blue dragon of the north, Celadon. It’s my… It was… Before I found the town. I… I had to…” Siegfried could not find the words. He did not know why.

And then Susannah remembered that first night they met. About what he had said about slaying the black dragon Fafnir, about it cursing him, taking away his memories, and all those other times he mentioned it. Then she remembered the fight, his hand. Suddenly, she believed all of it. “Look, I don’t know what happened to you, but I’m sure if you told the town council and asked them for help, then they would surely give it to you. You don’t have to do this on your own.”

The rain grew ever heavier.

He shook his head again. “I need someone with knowledge of magic. They would know nothing of how to undo the curse.”

She exploded, “So what if you’ve lost all your memories or are cursed with dragon parts that make you go crazy! Does it really matter! What was wrong with the way we lived before! We were happy!”

He shouted back, “I have to go back! To be who I was before! I never should have stayed in that town as long as I did! If it wasn’t for you, I would have been gone after a few days!”

It was pouring now. Their voices would have been drowned out if not for their shouting.

She was indignant, “So somehow it’s my fault! Why is it so important for you to go back! Weren’t you happy! Isn’t that the real reason you stayed!”

“It’s who I’m supposed to be! Who I was born to be! You’re nobody! You wouldn’t understand! If I was happy, I’m saying if, it wasn’t real happiness, I was just distracted! I’m supposed to be more than this! I know it!”

Her heart was broken, and her eyes were dead, she could only wrench her rain-drenched head away. “Fine.” And she turned, and left. Siegfried could not hear her final word, and there was a great pain in his chest, like a hole had been stabbed through him, but he did not know what it meant. And so he too turned and walked away. The once dragon who could not see what was his curse and what was his gift.

End of prologue.