"I'm still out of fecking range," Seamus said with a frustrated sigh. Mason ignored him.

He also didn't wait to see if his first loosed arrow was effective. With his months of practice and increasingly inhuman strength and speed, he just drew his elven bow, formed an arrow from nothing to sit squarely on the string, then loosed with as much draw as it felt capable.

Rather than rely on a single arrow type from Endless Quiver, he cycled through them, always with broad heads to cut as much of that wing as possible.

The first arrow struck. The dragon roared.

Everywhere seemed filled with the terrible noise, like a jet had broken the sound barrier except stopped right above. It shook dust from the castle, and sent little tremors through the stone. The creature stared down at them with bright, purple eyes, despite Mason still loosing arrows at it.

As the huge, bat-like wings flapped in slow beats, he saw sunlight already shining through holes, and he knew his arrows were ripping skin and flesh.

For a long moment it seemed the creature could hardly understand what was happening. As if the idea that it was being attacked by something on the ground was so impossible it wasn't sure how to react.

The sheer calm of the thing even in the face of attack was unnerving. Then the moment ended.

The dragon's wings curved, its snake-like body rising before it dove straight down.

Seamus loosed as series of fiery missiles, the sound of flames hurtling through the air in a steady beat at the beast's face and body. Many struck, though it looked like little sparks bouncing off a dragon-shaped mountain.

Turned out it was big. Very big. Maybe almost as large as the Devourer worm Mason had killed beneath the earth.

Except this thing had a neck and tail and apparently several clawed limbs. It looked fast and strong and not just huge. And if the priest was right, it was also capable of shooting some kind of flames or acid or...

The dragon pulled up and ended its dive, hanging in the air maybe a hundred feet from the top of the castle with its wings spread, huge reptilian body on full display.

"Get ready!" Mason called for Becky's benefit, not sure if any amount of preparation would help. As he watched the dragon he suspected he knew a little about how it must have felt to have some huge warship turn its broadside in your general direction.

The dragon's chest heaved with a deep breath, and Mason activated Aspect of the Cheetah as he prepared to run.

Green flame erupted from the creature's mouth. It sprayed in a tight, controlled stream straight at Mason, more like a flamethrower than an explosion. He turned and ran, and the dragon's flame followed as its head continued to release, the sound of its breath weapon like a jackhammer behind him.

The top of the castle wasn't exactly flat. It had small separating 'walls' with different square or rectangular platforms, as if it were made in sections. Mason leapt over a small barrier to another platform, rolling behind an angled section of stone.

Green flame lit everything. Mason could feel the extreme heat even from behind his cover. With a split second decision, he turned and fled again just as the stone melted and the dragon's flame roared through. Finally the stream stopped, and for a moment Mason stood and looked up at the dragon's obviously intelligent eyes.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

It bared its teeth, huge pupils aimed exactly on him. Then it turned and raced into the sky just as Mason and Seamus loosed another volley of fire and arrows. It had climbed incredibly quickly, and Mason felt a small wave of panic at the terrifying foe.

But he fought it down. Yes, the creature was wildly powerful, but Mason was a hell of a lot more powerful than against the Devourer, too.

"That's right, run you big bastard!" the wizard howled. He grinned at Mason after the dragon ascended all the way to the clouds. "If all he's got is fire, I'm not that worried, to be honest. Though if he lands I'm going to run like hell. Sorry in advance."

"Hmm." Mason frowned at the cloudy sky then glanced to see a dozen bird men guards slowly rising from various castle exits to stare.

He expected the creature hadn't 'run' so much as 'withdrew to decide exactly what to destroy first'. He saw the look in its eyes again as it stared at him, and knew whatever punishment it chose to inflict, he was certainly the main thing on the list.

Now the question was, what the hell could he do about it? He was hoping it wouldn't run so quickly. That he and Seamus might have the time and surprise to do enough damage to its wings that it had to land.

"Why does everything have to be difficult," he said with a sigh, then glanced at a concerned Becky and overly proud Seamus. "It'll be back. Question is where and when. I think hiding near the castle roof is probably as good as anything. Otherwise we could maybe look for other high places, or..."

"What the hell have you done?" shouted a bird-man wearing some kind of robe. He rose up from a stairway surrounded by guards, his eyes wild, his face contorted in rage. "It's going to destroy us. All of us. You stupid fool. You arrogant madman! What have you done?"

Mason waited and glanced around the frightened, maybe slightly ashamed faces of the warriors near the speaker. He shrugged.

"Where I'm from, we kill monsters. What do you lot do with them?"

The robed birdman clenched his jaw and scowled.

"You cannot kill a volcano. You cannot challenge a hurricane. That monster cannot be stopped by the likes of you. By anyone."

"Not if you don't try," Mason said. "We were hurting its wings. But I need to be there when it gets low again. If I get could some of your soldiers to carry me, we could be ready when it..."

"We'll take no part in your madness!" the bird-priest shouted, spraying a bit of spittle. "I'll..." he shook his head and put a hand to his head. "I'll tell the prince to light a beacon. We will have to send the princess now for certain. And perhaps even a few of the common people in apology. Maybe...maybe if we cast you out now. Or..."

"We'll send no one," said a quiet voice as another of the bird men rose from a nearby staircase. He wore leather armor and carried a spear, but his face was pale, his eyes sickly and wary. The guards all bowed their heads as he stood on the castle roof, only the robed man staying standing.

"My prince," he said, "you must be reasonable. This fool and his companions will be destroyed. And then what will we do? Your people..."

"My people need their queen. And the princess. If I am to die, let it be in combat." He looked to the priest, then to Mason with suffering, but hard eyes. "Are you madmen, as my oracle claims? Or can you and your foreign god defeat this creature?"

The priest looked slightly sheepish.

"Nephus has sent us here to save this city, my lord. I have no doubt of that whatsoever."

"I can kill it," Mason said, "but I need to get it down. Maybe your men can help with that."

The prince used his spear like a crutch, sagging slightly as he turned and looked at his guard.

"Would you have me send the princess Alenia, who you have all seen grow with such life and beauty all her life? Or would you fly with me and risk all, to show this creature, and the world, what the warriors of Rishnahi are made of?"

For a worrisome moment the soldiers said nothing. But Mason saw the captain they'd met at the edge of the castle, his cunning eyes shining with something like pride. He struck the stone with the bottom of his spear.

His men followed, and soon every guard on the castle was knocking his spear against the stone and shrieking some call of violence. The prince smiled.

"It seems we are with you, stranger. You and your foreign god. I am Aixa, prince of this city, lord of my house. Tell me who you are before we fly to our doom."

"It doesn't matter," Mason said, taking the priest’s lead and glancing at the clouds. Of course he meant exactly what he said, because he was pretty sure when this 'challenge' was ended nothing here was going to even exist.

But he couldn't help but admire the man and his guards. He grinned as he looked at the prince again.

"Also I'm pretty sure I pissed off your 'Destroyer' a minute ago. I hurt him, like maybe no one has hurt him in a very long time. He looked right at me, and I think he won't leave until I'm dead. So I guess you can call me Dragon-Bait."

The prince snorted, then met Mason's eyes with a kind of amazed disbelief. Eventually he grinned, too.