Thomas had never felt such a rush as he rode back towards his home. It was fear, excitement and enough adrenaline pumping through his veins to stop a troll dead in it's tracks. But most of all he felt worried, worried he might not be able to save his friends and family, worried he might die to whatever had set his town alight. He only knew one thing, and that was that he must trust his mentor and the skills he had taught him. He strapped the shield to his arm as the horse followed it's kin up the mountain path. He steadied his breath as they reached the edge of the village and dismounted.

"Be ready for anything, and remember that our duty is to the people," Beverm said, donning his helmet and grabbing Thomas by the shoulder, "no matter the cost."

Only now did those words carry their true weight as Beverm drew his sword and Thomas drew his. So far, they had only found a few bodies, all already dead. Mothers, fathers, even some children. But not the source of what had caused it, until overhead they heard a loud roar, louder than even a mountain giant. Then a gigantic black figure flew by overhead, breathing a green fire and scorching 3 of the houses down the road from where Beverm and Thomas were standing. "Oh, gods above..." Beverm said as Thomas's jaw dropped at the sight of the first dragon he had ever seen. "Quickly, we have to reach the tower, that is where the survivors will be." Beverm said to Thomas. Thomas stopped for a moment and took a look just left and below the tower towards where his house was and said "But my mother. She wouldn't leave I have to make sure she's okay Beverm please!" Beverm looked up and back at Thomas before sighing "Fine, but be quick, and meet me at the tower with all haste, help anyone you can find along the way." Beverm took off towards the town square as Thomas dashed up the hill, his sword slapping against his leg as he ran as fast as he could past more burnt houses, some already crumbled and more bodies. Bodies of friends and family, people who he had grown up with and who had helped him become the man. Little did he know it would become so much worse as he crested the hill to his family's farm and found only rubble. "No no no MOM!" Thomas shouted as he fell to his knees and began throwing rocks and debris aside, deep down knowing he would only find more pain than relief. After moving aside one particularly large rock he came across his mother's hand, still wearing her ring that his father had offered to her for her hand in marriage. Thomas stifled back a cry as he took note of the blood that the hand laid in, curling over and sobbing as he realized that his family was now gone, and he had nothing to his name except a ruined house and a burnt crop field. Suddenly another roar shook the ground he knelt upon, and he looked towards the tower and saw the dragon fly around the back of the mountain. Thomas remembered his mentor's words as he saw the beast and stood up. He took one last look at his home, and promised himself he would come back and give her a proper burial. He drew his sword and set off up the hill towards the tower, and towards hell itself.

Beverm worked his way through the town square, still searching for some semblance of life, but all he found were corpses. Until he came upon the first of the monsters who plagued the nightmares of children, and the bad lands far to the south in the desert. It was a zombie, all by it's lonesome, but still dangerous to anyone who couldn't wield a weapon or was caught by surprise. Beverm had no such weaknesses and swung his sword down into it's head, cleaving it in 2 like some grotesque flower blooming. He said a quick prayer in his head, hoping the soul would find peace in the life after. He only encountered a few more of the monstrosities on his way to the tower, meaning the majority must have either wandered off into the neighboring hills or were attacking the tower. When Beverm arrived at the gates however, the walls remained standing tall and imposing, a bulwark against such evils. The gate opened as he arrived, and he took note that there were still plenty of guards manning the walls, and as he stepped inside the main tower itself, plenty of people had made it safely. He found the mage he had spoken with earlier that day and asked to be caught up.

"First came a few skeletons and zombies, we had thought it would be just a simple mission of dispatching them, possibly a rogue necromancer that had let some of his pack go off by themselves to cause panic and mayhem. Then, more kept coming, but not just the mindless dead, soldiers with armor and weapons, organized in their attack as they hit the outskirts to draw some of the guards. Once we realized how serious it was we rang the bells and most of the townspeople fled here." Beverm grunted as he thought about what could have brought this. "Then," the mage continued, a look of terror crossing his face for a second, "The beast came down and set the town ablaze. Crops and houses toasted in a matter of seconds, but he has only flown by the tower, hasn't tried burning it or even landing." Beverm thought for a moment, before asking "How many men do we have?" "Enough to man the walls, and a few others ready in case the gate comes down." The mage responded. "Regardless, we need to be ready. Have the guards swap duties so they don't get relaxed, and-" Beverm went to continue before another roar echoed through the valley, and the sounds of shouting and heavy footsteps erupted outside. "It's here."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Thomas had never thought that running with armor could get so tiring, but here he was, making his way up the hill towards what he thought would be a safe place. He realized how wrong he was as he crested the last hill, seeing the massive gates laying broken off their hinges, and a large ram standing in front of what remained of them. His blood ran cold as he saw arrows lodged into the walls, and numerous bodies laying over the parapets. But the worse part was the massive wings that made the walls look like a children's playhouse inside of the courtyard. As he rushed in, he saw the massive dragon standing in front of the tower, it's body decayed and rotting, with bones showing in numerous places. It was hideous, and Thomas thought he would retch at the sight of it. He then noticed a lone figure, in front of the tower and between it and the beast. It was Beverm, and he was shouting at the dragon.

"If you want what lies in this tower's walls, you will have to cut me down before you lay a claw on it." The dragon laughed, a dry hissing sound that sounded like rocks scraping together. "How, pray tell, are you to stop me young mortal? Your men lay slaughtered like cattle, and you are on your last legs. Your pitiful fortress was a mere rock in the path, hardly enough to even slow me down."

"I am a paladin of the Order Montague. Like the mountain we are named for, we stand firm against the winds that may try to blow us down, we stand firm against any evil, no matter our chances of survival! I will give everything and more to prevent you from harming anyone in this tower, even if it costs me my life!" Beverm's words echoed through the empty courtyard, full of pride and making Thomas feel like he could fight the gods, so long as Beverm would lead him. But as much as those words inspired, Thomas could not help but take notice of Beverm's state. His helmet was tossed aside, looking almost as battered as it's owner. He stood tall, but the wounds on his arms and the blood on his chestplate could not be ignored. "So," the dragon hissed again, "what is your plan for defeating me? Death itself could not hold me, and you are surrounded by my minions." Thomas looked around, finally noticing the skeletal warriors standing silently in the shadows underneath the parapets, their massive shields and spears locked together forming a tight phalanx around the courtyard's interior. Beverm looked around and laughed, "I have faced more worthy warriors in far greater number than this, beast." he spat, a tone of spite in his voice. "In the grand play of my eternal existence, you are but a speck of the dust in the wind, a brief amusement to the audience before my greatest act." The dragon said, laughing as he raised his head to the moon. Beverm shouted in anger and charged the beast but fell right into it's trap as it swept him aside with one mighty hand, smacking him into the skeletal phalanx and causing him to shout in pain. The skeletons, with no hesitation began stabbing and stomping, and before Beverm could even grab for his sword, he breathed his last breath and looking at Thomas, whispered something he could not hear. The dragon then turned, taking a look at the young boy who raised his sword and shield in a challenge, but the beast only laughed. "And you, little insect, shall be a pet project of mine." The dragon began uttering in it's draconic tongue, and mystical green tendrils began reaching towards Thomas as he backed away, keeping his shield raised. Suddenly Thomas felt himself unable to move, as he was lifted up, and wrapped in the malignant magic that felt like it was draining his very soul. "You shall never know the sweet release of death, or any form of mercy. You will walk this earth for eternity, and never know rest. You will always know that I live and will feel endless torment as you watch everyone you know die a slow, and agonizing death." The dragon said, it's voice echoing in Thomas's head as everything faded to black.