Chapter 21: Dragonwasp

All in all, their time at sea had been peaceful. The worst battle had been with boredom, and neither Adriana nor Davos would be caught dead complaining about things being too safe out on the ocean. Now that the dot grew bigger by the second, the old excitement shone through and Adriana’s fatigue faded into the background.

The creature was at least fifteen feet long, and skimmed over the water on four blurred wings. It cut through the water, a wide wake behind it as its carapaced, serpentine body wriggled side to side in a short sidewinder pattern. Six segmented legs dangled beneath it, each tipped with an oddly dextrous looking claw.

“Our first monster in a few days,” said Davos as he drew his sword. “This thing looks big, and it’s fast. Be careful, and stay defensive until you get a better idea of what it can do.”

Adriana nodded. Her muscles still ached after her workout, and for once she didn’t feel like being as aggressive as usual. “It’s been a while since we’ve fought one that flies. I’ll get its attention, you get on it and cut its wings off?” she suggested.

“It’s a plan,” Davos laughed. He shifted over to the side, putting more distance between them. Unlike her, he was completely well rested and calm. He wasn’t as powerful as her, but he had experience and discipline, enough of both for even her to respect.

“It’s coming,” Adriana said, mostly to herself. The dragonwasp blazed closer. She took a long breath and counted.

Three.

Two.

One.

The dragonwasp came right for her. Its mouth opened sideways, revealing horizontal fangs and probing mandibles. Adriana shifted her weight and threw herself to the side ride as its long tail shot forward like a whip. It buried its long, barbed stinger into the sand where she had been just a second before.

Adriana landed in a roll and flung a handful of Smoldersap as she came back up, but the dragonwasp was already gone. It shot right through and then whirled around for another pass.

“Fast fucker,” Davos yelled, sounding oddly pleased. “Don’t let yourself get stung.”

“Gee, you think?” she shot back.

It came again, slowing down. Hovering just out of reach, it seemed to consider them with whatever passed for a mind in the creature. Or, at least, it focused entirely on Adriana. Davos went completely ignored as it shuddered and attacked once more.

Adriana went to move, but even with her enhanced speed and strength, the creature was faster. Davos was faster still, and he blew a powerful Gust that sent it off course at the last second. Its fluttering wings cracked against her face with the force of a whip. She fell back, clutching at her neck.

The dragonwasp’s legs scrambled in the sand and it whirled around. It slither-crawled to cover the short distance and Adriana barely had enough time to throw up her hands and catch the jaws as they would’ve closed over her head. It took all her strength to anchor herself in the shifting sand and keep from being chomped.

“Hang on,” Davos cried. He came up and swung his sword into the dragonwasp’s carapace, but he couldn’t make a dent at first. Brute force had never been his strength, but he could usually be counted on making his blows count.

Adriana grunted as the creature pushed and she slid back on the sand, towards the water. If she lost her footing, it would overpower her and finish her off. Through gritted teeth, she gripped its jaw as hard as she could, fangs digging into and piercing her skin. Blood trailed down her flaming hands, which gave her an idea.

She gathered smoldersap along both hands. Her skin turned black and oily, and began to bubble as she poured her energy into warming it up. If the dragonwasp could feel pain, it didn’t show up. Adriana kept up the heat. The increasingly strained grunt turned into a feral scream the longer it went.

Davos hacked again, and this time he managed to hit where a thick, armored leg met its sinuous body. The creature hissed and Adriana gained ground. Another two hacks and the leg came off and it released her, whirling around and away from the blows. She wasted no time in swinging a bloody, blackened fist into its side and splattering a foot wide circle of sap, where it hissed and boiled.

“Are you okay?” Davos asked as it turned away. The entire body had to move in order for it to pivot to where it wanted, and that bought them some time.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Adriana returned, even though her hands screamed with pain. “I’m going to cook it!” She thrust her hands together and shot out a Flamespitter on its retreating form. It didn’t come anywhere near the Smoldersap, and the monster got a scuttling start before it returned to the air.

“Stay behind me,” Davos said as he moved forward. “Something about this doesn’t feel right.”

“Like what?” she countered, but did as he said. Her sword was back on the boat, and she could’ve taken the time to get it, but the past week had her relying more on her strength and fire than anything else.

“Like the fact that this monster made a beeline right for us despite us traveling safe waters without any trouble until now.” Davos grimaced as the dragonwasp circled them in the air. Its giant black, multifaceted eyes stared blankly at them. It betrayed nothing as it spiraled, and Davos kept on pace, moving as it did.

“Maybe we were the only prey around for miles,” said Adriana.

“Doubtful.”

It turned another circuit in the sky before its entire body shuddered and it came crashing down. Davos remained in front of her, and at the last second, it peeled away. The rush of wind it left in its wake nearly bowled them over. Rather than going back up, it landed with its five legs scuttling awkwardly. It turned around and charged them.

“Go left!” Davos shouted as he went right.

Adriana booked it. The monster didn’t hesitate; the moment Adriana moved it was on her. Running at an angle, momentum worked against her as it moved to intercept. The dragonwasp’s long, narrow jaw opened wide for her. She threw herself at the ground and rolled as it went over her.

“Hah!” she crowed as it continued on past her. Until the stinger came into sight and buried itself in her belly.

A few times in her life she’d been stabbed and survived, and another time a hateful old woman burned her with a fire poker when she tried stealing food. This was worse than both of them combined. It lasted only a second, but the barbed stinger went in through her clothes right above her belly button, injected the venom, and retracted. Adriana laid on the ground, unable to move or even think past the fire inside her.

“Adriana!” Davos shouted. Her head rolled over to see the dragonwasp turning around for another pass. Her friend got a running start and Gusted himself into the air. He sailed through the air before his weight came back and he landed on the creature’s back. This time, he didn’t bother trying to pierce its carapace. Instead, he went for the wings.

It let out a hideous screech and veered off course. Davos clung to its back, crouched low and with one hand holding onto the ridge above its head as it bucked and moved. He’d saved her from being eaten, but now he needed help of his own.

Adriana rolled over, and the world turned white for a split second. Fire consumed her from inside, and she wasn’t sure if it was better or worse than the gaping wound in her stomach. It felt bad, but she could still stand. All she had to do was stand. It was the hardest thing in the world.

Strength failed her. The sun was halfway set, and the unlimited energy she’d had just an hour ago slipped away. Adriana growled and pushed herself to her feet. It felt like she was going to rip her stomach open if she moved the wrong way, but the dragonwasp got over the pain of having its wings clipped and went for her.

She couldn’t move well or fight, but there was still one thing she could do. With a manic, desperate laugh she coated her hands with Smoldersap and unleashed it on the sand in front of her in an arc. It wouldn’t stop the dragonwasp, and she didn’t intend it to. It came over the patch in the sand.

Rather than wait for the last second, she pushed strength from the sun into her limbs and threw herself to the side. All the air left her in a gasp as the wound pulled and burned worse, but the dragonwasp was shit at turning. She scrambled forward and unleashed her Flamespitter at the patch.

Davos held on for dear life, but he saw what she was doing and nodded. The pile of smoldersap bubbled and grew until it was a boiling heap, ten feet across and sloping up a couple feet in the center. Davos leapt off sideways as the monster went through the patch of boiling black sap.

Its legs were coated in the substance, and splashed more up against its underside. There was no time to dodge this time. Adriana kept the Flamespitter going until the last second. Black coated its yellow striped body, spreading to engulf it entirely. It hadn’t noticed the heat before, but now it let out a scream as it collided with her.

Adriana expected to have her head bit off, or for the stinger to stab her again and end things. Instead, it collided with her head-first and then it trampled her. All the wind went out of her as its legs slammed down on her, only to keep going. The heat from the Smoldersap was far away, like the heat emanating from the other side of a kitchen door.

The dragonwasp continued on for another few steps before collapsing in a heap of violently bubbling sap and limbs. Then came the popping sounds as it cooked from the inside out. Now dead, Bestia appeared as the body faded from view. Davos was at her side in an instance.

“Adriana? Are you okay? Gods, that’s a lot of blood.” Davos’ hands twitched, like he wanted to grab her and make sure she was okay, but was terrified to touch her.

“Davos?” she said through the pain, now climbing to an inescapable fever pitch.

“Yes?”

“Think I got the exercise I needed?”

He stared at her incredulously before bursting out laughing. Adriana laughed as well, and then mercifully passed out from the pain.