Welcome Home

The ship rocked and bobbed in the water of the stormy night. More than a few of the passengers hadn't been able to retain their meals. Fortunately the storm finally began to abate as the ship pulled into the docks, allowing the full moon to pierce the gloom at last. A long trip back from Luiren only to be greeted with gloom and not-so-fresh Cordorian air. It was time for some mead.

To my delight and surprise I spotted Sarah, peddling her lovely jewellery. I took the chance to catch up on local news, you could always trust Sarah to know it.

Suddenly a terrified woman ran past, screaming!

"Dragon! There's a Dragon!"

What a bad joke, I thought to myself. But on a closer look, she was actually terrified, her eyes couldn't lie. Time to investigate, I thought, as I headed toward the gate. The smell of Cordor was made even worse by thick smoke, and not just burning buildings. Then I saw it...

A massive red Dragon stood in the plaza, spreading chaos and havoc as it lay waste to the area. Killing merchants and civilians with abandon. People fled or trembled in fear as the dragon roared ferociously. No one stepped up to fight it, no one was strong enough.

My heart skipped a beat or three in my chest, I was as afraid as anyone. This was a Dragon, after all! I knew I had to act now, or I would remember this day until the day I died. I'd remember my cowardliness.

Taking a deep breath and calling on all my courage, I yelled my battle cry, a challenge to the Dragon. Then I charged toward the deadly beast. It was lucky then that the beast didn't notice, as it was more interested in the tallfolk guards which had just arrived, and I was quick enough to dodge it's tail.

Harnessing my inner Ki, I let loose a flurry of blows on it's legs. It tried it's best to stomp on me and squash me like a bug as my blows shattered bones and vibrated through it's body, but I was faster. Eventually it collapsed to the ground, beaten. It was then that I saw my moment of victory. Fleet of foot, I ran up it's tail and to the base of the mighty beast's skull as it struggled to right itself and fling me off. I absorbed all my remaining Ki energy into my hand, leaving it aglow with power for one final mighty blow.

Crack!

The skull of the beast cracked under the weight of the blow, far beyond anything I had done before or since. Finally, the beast was defeated.

When people are in danger, it's time to step up to put things right.

What a welcome home...

Originally told by Zachary Nightfoot during the second Day of Stories. Recorded, written and embellished by Minto T Fuzzypaw.