Nebiros looked down at the youth from his lofty heights. Shabbily dressed, lanky, unkempt hair almost reaching his shoulders. He didn't look like much, but perhaps there were hidden qualities to him. Certainly there didn't seem to be much fear in his eyes. Or much of anything else.

"Ah, you must be the sacrifice," Nebiros rumbled. "Are you perhaps the fairest among the villagers, meant to be displayed in my lair? Or their best scholar, meant to discuss philosophy with me?"

The youth scratched his head. "Uh, what?"

"Not the latter, then," the dragon said, sighing. "What kind of a sacrifice are you meant to be, pray tell?"

The youth looked up at him with dull eyes. "Iunno," he mumbled. "You got anything to eat around here?"

"Anything to eat?" The dragon's voice gradually rose into a thundering bellow. "You stand before me and have the gall to give me demands?"

"Well, yeah. Wossmater?" The youth picked his nose, fished out a booger, and looked it over, impressed. "I'm hungry."

In his centuries-long life, Nebiros didn't often find himself speechless, but this was one of those times. He sat back on his haunches and exhaled a puff of smoke. "Do you even realize where you are, boy?" he asked in a defeated tone. "Who I am?"

"Sure. Yer that big bad dragon, right?" The boy nodded sagely. "Everyone knows."

"And yet you're not afraid of me?"

"Not much point, is there?" the boy said, glancing around the gloomy lair before losing interest. "You could probably crush me underfoot if you wished."

"Indeed I could," the dragon said, a little mollified. "What did the villagers even tell you before sending you here?"

The youth's face became animated for the first time. "Oh man, they were all like 'Get off your behind, boy, and be useful for once'." He rolled his eyes. "Parents, man."

"I see," Nebiros grumbled. "Perhaps I shall have words with the village elders about the quality of their sacrifices."

"Whatever. How about some food first?"

The boy is in his mid twenties. Dressed in a simple but clean robe. He didn't look much like a villager. But here he was. His bright gray eyes fixed on the mighty being in front of him. He was not sure if the dragon was telling the truth or was just playing with him.

-Sir (he said hesitantly, trying to determine the sex of the creature to no avail) I am not the fairest of them all. Rather the most unfortunate it seems. I was a scholar from the academy of Kitzgerguard with a degree in monsterology...am I boring you?

-Not at all little one. After living for ten thousand years it is hard to be in a rush.

-I came here on commission of late king Bertram to study dragon lore. But then the whole thing with Xagrax happened. And the new king Hammond put a bounty on anyone who has been working on dragons.

-What happened? I have not been to the outside world for half a centenary.

-Well, how should I put it. King Bertram invited a dragon to his 60th birthday and that dragon, Xagrax, decided to eat him and burn half the capital. Apparently they had a serious disagreement on something.

-Indeed it looks severe. We dragons are not accustomed to eat monarchs.

-Anyway, the villagers kept me in prison hoping for a reward. But then you demanded a human sacrifice...

-I see. Better an outsider than one of their own. Two birds with one stone. They didn't know though. I was testing them. I was gonna give a tenth of my treasure to the Sacrificial lamb and let them go!

-Really my lord?

-Of course not you imbecile. I am pulling your leg. (And he let out a mighty laugh).

-Oh I see (young man was clearly not only disappointed but uneasy too, perhaps in this particular instant the outcome could have been either a treasure or an agonizing death.)

-Don't be so gloomy now. You might just make it. You know why I demanded a human sacrifice?

-I don't know my lord. Maybe eating cows and sheep has become tiresome? Or maybe they did you wrong?

• You are being sarcastic and bitter, young man. You should know better. Is this what you learned about dragons? To hold petty grudge against mortals?

-I apologize. Misfortune seems to follow me everywhere I go. Perhaps the prospect of being killed in this god-forsaken cave made me bitter.

-I once had the pleasure of courtship with a young mage. He died a thousand year ago, not eaten by a dragon I might add. I still miss him sometimes. You see young one. I crave a companion. And humans are in the habit of hating their most intelligent. I was hoping they would send someone interesting. Either way I would eat the boring ones.

(The Young man's body bounced back in shock. The Dragon laughed again and continued!)

-Look at your face. Oh my, I am having fun. Please excuse me for doing this. Jesting is something I missed a lot in solitude. Now, what is your take on Arukamov's Magnus dragonica? Are you familiar with the writing? Or should I eat you and demand another human?

This time they both laughed. And the young man began explaining his opinion on the controversial book. (But that is a story for another day. )

The dragon sacrifice was supposed to be Andre. He was large, healthy, strong and as recompense for his sacrifice, he’d mated with every female he desired, impregnating at least five. I’ve never even sniffed a female.

This morning the emergency horn sounded, assembling the whole kingdom. A human envoy had arrived to inspect the “goods”. I knew I was expected to stay at the back of the crowd, but I’ve never been known to follow rules. Fire, they call me, because I blaze my way through life.

I’d merely desired a peek. What did these gods who controlled us all powerful dragons in their palms look like?

Puny.

Hairless.

Tender and skinny. Like a baby deer. Not enough meat to even pad my tummy.

This human wore a thin layer of white fabric that covered most of its body. Glass covered its eyes. It had a thin rectangular metal object in one hand. Teknology. It’s what made them so strong apparently. I bore holes with my eyes into the thin metal, unable to fathom what made it so special. Could it withstand my fire breath?

I couldn’t hear what was being discussed, but I could see that all the dragons a hundred times the size of the puny human were fawning over it. The human circled Andre twice, then stabbed him with a thick transparent tube which turned blood red. Watching him writhe in pain set my blood on fire. I had to do something.

I pushed my way through the crowd. As I launched myself at the human, Elder Green pummeled into me at lightning speed, clawing off a number of my newly grown scales I'd proudly shown off to him mere days before. “What are you doing?” He roared.

I looked up at him in shock. As the youngest prince no one has ever lost their temper with me like that. Elder Green has only ever doted on me.

“Blue blood?” The human noted, tapping on the metal object. “What’s your name?”

From this close I could hear the human's voice. High pitched and nasally, like it had a stuffed nose. Like an obnoxious little fly. Fragile. Insignificant. Dirty as poop.

“His name is Fire.” Imperial Father rushed over. “I apologize for his insolence. He is but a child, only 35 years old, which is equivalent to 12 in human age and maturity.”

Father stepped in between me and the human. I bristled. Why are we hiding? How can we cower under such an insignificant fly?

“We’ll take Fire instead.” The human's fly voice whined.

“Please spare him. He’s only a child. And he is willful and violent and will be more problem to you than he is worth.” Even prostrating, Father towered over the human. Father is proud. I have never seen him bowing to another.

“The decision has been made. Please don’t cause trouble.” The human casually opened up its white outerwear showing that beneath was filled with thin metal. Teknology. A threat.

“I’ll be back for Fire tomorrow at noon. Until then.” The human raised the corner of its lips then entered a metal box which sped away, leaving a cloud of dust, terrified dragons, and bewildered me in its wake.

The man fixes his glasses as he pulls out a form and a clipboard, fixing his stance as he pulls out a pen last.

“I’m actually here on behalf of the Draconic Taxation Bureau. We noticed that you failed to file your dragon hoard taxes last month and I’ve been sent here to find out why.”

Quixalus didn’t believe what he heard. He had been dutiful on his work and made sure that everything was in order. Adventurers had been making scams all over the continent, or so he had heard from fellow dragons, so the fact that this man, this meat-thing was here to audit him and his hoard did not sit right by him.

“I did file my taxes. You perhaps didn’t receive them!” A low rumble echoes through the cavern, but the representative looks at the dragon unfazed.

“That fine sir, but I still need to look over your docu-“

“No!” Quixalus roared, rising high above the man as flames dance from its maw. “I filed my paperwork on time as a dutiful draconic member such as myself should! If you didn’t receive my paperwork, then it is your fault!”

He felt a rage he had not felt in centuries. The affront of this man to think he would not follow the correct rules of proper file submission and taxation was an insult to his very being.

The man blinks a few times. “We just need to go over your papers sir. Then I will need to take a look at your hoard and note any changes that happened in the past year.”

“Or perhaps I should burn you where you stand, and feast on your corpse!”

“According to article 127, subsection 8, subarticle 55b, paragraph 9, any harm that comes to a representative of the Draconic Taxation Bureau by a dragon shall be penalized in a summary removal and confiscation of any and all items in the draconic personage in question that inflicted said injury, damage or death upon the representative. The draconic personage shall also incur a fine of no less than 30,000 gold pieces due expediently, and all rights, advocacies, protections, licenses and duties shall be forthright withdrawn from said draconic personage for a period of up to a minimum of two years.”

Quixalus’s tempered his rage. If there was something that all dragons across the land respected more than power was the bureaucracy of the Draconic Taxation Bureau, at least, any respectable dragon would.

He doused the flames he had been feeding, and took a deep breath, exhaling a thick cloud of black smoke through his nose. He heard the representative cough somewhat, but as the smoke cleared, the puny human was still standing there, with a blank and unfazed look on his eyes, almost as if the whole task of auditing dragons without being eaten alive was too much of a burden.

“Fine!” Quixilus said with a low rumble in its voice. “We will go to my hoard and I will allow you to audit it. But if I smell so much as a hint of trickery, you will be the first to be eaten from your companions. Understood. Human?”

The representative yawned. “Sir, I don’t need to remind you of the laws involving-“

“Be quiet and do your duty. I’ve naught time to deal with the likes of you, and the longer you remain here, the less time I have to do my other duties!”

MEANWHILE IN A DARK CORNER

“Holy shit! I can’t believe he pulled it off!” An elf in leather armor whispered in amazement.

“I thought he would definitively get eaten alive!” The dwarf retorted. “Now lets go and get the artifact!”

The text starts from the last word in the prompt.

The girl walks over to the dragon. "Ah, you must be the sacrifice the village sent. Are you perhaps the fairest among them, meant to be displayed in my lair? Or perhaps their best scholar, meant to discuss philosophy with me?"

''Euh! Actually I am the dragon slayer they sent to trick you and kill you. But, we can talk philosophy if you want.'' She Said with uncharacteristic confidence for a human.

An amused smile tugged at her thin colored lips as she took of the sword sheath hanging at her side and put it down on the ground.

A surprising action in the present circumstances. So the dragon watched her in silence.

She held her hands open in a peaceful gesture and walked very slowly, toward the large dark animal.

She advanced deeper in the cave, despite the growing darkness. The sound of her footsteps reverberated on the rough walls of the cavern, and her breath caught in her throat.

''Scaredy lion cub!" He caught himself thinking. He usually liked the mountain lion cubs, who ventured in his cavern sometimes. ''But she had nothing similar to them. She is a treacherous human.''

The dragon watched her in silence. He didn't move an inch. He wanted to know how far she could go, how far her courage would take her.

Would she dare act against him in his own lair, after her confession?

That was an interesting question for Azimir: the spirit of the Mont Haven Stairs.

So, he Watched her tentative steps with a mixture of the usual hate he reserved for humans, and a pinch of amusement.

He could have turned her into ashes in a blink of an eye, but her ungraded confident smile suggested that she wasn't an ordinary insolent naked ape on two legs.

The girl, who was barely a woman, came up close and regarded him with an air of wonder and awe.

He appreciated the fact that, despite her racing heart, she didn't flinch when she had a closer look.

Azimir's copper scales glistened in the thin thread of light that invaded the darkness of his dwelling. His skin looked like thousands of little yellow blades, sharp and unyielding.

The mighty thousand years old dragon looked impressive and utterly terrifying and he knew it.

That however, didn't seem to bother the little lady warrior too much. She reached out her hand to his muzzle.

''What in the name of Methuselah is she doing?'' he thought.

On instinct he retracted his neck and got the sharp pointy little scales of his noise away from her fingers.

He didn't want to be touched by a filthy human, he told himself.

Her eyes showed a pained expression.

''She didn't get hurt'' he thought ''So why does she look hurt?'' "Huh, complicated bugs." He concluded inwardly.

To prevent himself from thinking about her any further, he spoke.

'' and what changed your mind?" He said. His voice rumbled like thunder in the closed space. He expected her to shudder in fear and run for her life. Instead she stood annoyingly steady and fearless. '' you spoke! '' she said immediately, as if it was obvious. ''I came here to slay a mindless, heartless, blood thirsty and rampage seeking creature. Instead I find a calm, self composed and speaking dragon. And that was the opposite of what I was told all my life. ''and how is it different from your teachings , young one?" He asked before he could stop himself.

''If you speak then you are endowed with reason and if you can reason, then you can be reasoned with.''

'' So, unless you plan on making me your supper today, wise dragon, I see no need for a weapon.''

''Spoken like a true gentleman of old.'' He thought. But he guarded himself from answering. Instead, his curiosity took the best of him. And he asked another question. '' and what reason does a beautiful young lady have to dress like a man and carry a weapon to the dragon's lair. Pray tell me.''

He spoke softly, as if he let her choose not to answer, if she wished to. Her eyes widened and color accentuated her rosy cheeks.

'' What now?" He thought as a sigh escaped his old lungs. She seemed to catch the wordless question.

''Did you just call me beautiful?"

'' Is that a bad thing? It wasn't a lie, if that is what you're asking. Dragons don't lie.'' He said simply.

'' her confusion increased.'' and her hand flew to her mouth. '' Did her brain finally catch up with her precarious situation?'' The wondered. But then, she laughed a loud crystalline laughter, sounding like a child. And it was his turn to be confused. He watched her in silence, struggling to catch her breath and align her words together.

''So you understand beauty and you know the difference between truth and lies? And you like philosophy?"

''and you SPEAK" ?? She exclaimed again, as if she couldn't believe what she was saying. '' What do you know." She exclaimed.

Azimir didn't know whether to feel flattered or annoyed by her incredulous tone.

He should feel neither, he figured. Shouldn't be feeling anything toward this human whom the other humans sent to kill him.

He shouldn't be conversing with her, and most importantly, he shouldn't be enjoying it. She is human for crying out loud! And he isn't.

He wanted to scare her. He needed to get her to be afraid of him. She needed to understand her place, and the danger she put herself in. She shouldn't be speaking to him and laughing with him. She shouldn't be looking at him as though he was something beautiful. She shouldn't even be inclined to touch him.

He could not allow her to break his defenses and change his mind about the human race.

She shouldn't be looking at him so expectantly. He has nothing to offer her Nothing but a long lasting hatred for her murderous race. She shouldn't have to pay for the crimes of her kind, though. She shouldn't trust him like that. His heart was too rigid and too burned to feel compassion for her.

He wanted to scream at her. To tell her to come to her senses. To tell her a run away instead of sitting cross-legged in the monsters lair, so close to the big bad dragon.

For the memory of his mate who had been savagely slain in her lair, five hundred years ago,

He mustn't forget He mustn't forgive

He mustn't allow himself to soften He mustn't let his heart get attached to a mortal stranger. A total stranger whom he didn't even know the name of.

If for some wretched reason he couldn't exert his revenge on her. If he cannot even imagine hurting her. Then he will fly away and nurse his bleeding heart and his broken pride.

He was about to spread his wing, To push her away without a warning and startle her young naïve mind to the cruel reality of the world.

Then she spoke.

'' my name is Elthia'' "What is yours?"

So he changed his mind.

The woman laughs and then points to the dragon.

Asu: "I'm the most fiercest! Your rain of ter-"

The dragon immediately blows out flames. Once he stopped and the smoked cleared, Asu was nowhere to be found. The dragon spreads its wings, preparing to take flight, and as it does, it feels something tug on its leg!

Asu: "HOW RUDE! I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SPEECH DONT YOU HAVE ANY MANNERS!?"

The dragon tries kicking her off, but she begins to climb up unto its back.

Dragon: "How dare you?! I WILL USE YOUR BONES AS TOOTHPICKS THEN BURN YOUR VILLAGE TO THE GROUND!"

Asu leaps to the dragon's face and punches its eye. He spirals outta control, crashing into the ground in a forest not too far from the village.

Asu: "Ya ain't burning anything ya little lizard!"

The dragon stands up and builds fire in his mouth before spitting out a fireball. Asu pulls out a rapier and stabs the ball of fire, dispersing it. The dragon looks shocked.

Dragon: "Who are you?"

Asu: "To the people a Hero, to you? Your end!"

She makes a quick dash and starts poking at various parts of the dragon while dodging all of his swings. The dragon jumps into the sky and blows flames beneath him. Once again, there was nothing but scorched earth, but looking closer, Asu had a magical barrier around her.

Asu: "I'm getting bored of playing with you, dragon!"

Asu jumps off of some of the trees and stabs the dragon in his neck. He comes crashing down again, and when he tries to stand, he wobbles and falls, noticing all the stab wounds Asu had dealt to his legs. Asu walks in front of the dragon a set distance away.

Asu: "Ready to call it quits and die?"

The dragon looking angry opens its mouth to spit more flames, but nothing but gas comes out.

Asu: "Don't bother, that flame bag of yours is as good as ruined. I'm the fiercest fighter from the village, but I have the help from the wisest people about your anatomy. I might know more about how your body works than you."

Dragon: "You can kill me, warrior, but know that my curse will wipe out your village!"

Asu: "Doubt it."

Asu jumps up and pierces down into the dragon's skull. She pulls it out and returns to the village where she is greeted by all of the villagers.

Scholar: "You've returned!"

Asu: "Don't sound so surprised."

Scholar: "So, did you best that beast?"

Asu: "For a Scholar, you ask stupid questions."

Asu holds up a piece of the Dragon's tooth.

Scholar: "Fasnating! Did he speak of the curse?"

Asu: "Yeah....nothing we can't solve, though."

Scholar: "Everyone prepare your shovels. We must dispose of the body!"

After everyone had prepared to head into the woods. Asu finally arrived home and heads inside.

Asu: (That dragon's curse.....)

Asu's head begins to ring as she hears a familiar voice in her mind.

Dragon: (The curse has taken effect. We will wipe this village out together.)

Asu's right eye resembles the dragon as she falls to the floor.

“Ah, you must be the sacrifice the village sent. Are you perhaps the fairest among them, meant to be displayed in my lair? Or perhaps their best scholar, meant to discuss philosophy with me?”

“I am Karkas.” The minotaur replied.

“I see.” The dragon staired at the young minotaur and blinked a few times. “Is that all?”

“Karkas has was told by villagers that there was much gold in this cave.” The minotaur looked back and forth, scanning the floor of the cave. All he was able to see were bones and crispy pieces of armor.”

“Ah,” the dragon said. “ You are here to steal my gold then?”

Karkas looked up at the dragon. The glittery scales mesmerized him for a moment. Distracting him much like a child staring at a mobile.

“Karkas is no thief. Karkas thought the townsfolk left gold in cave. They only told Karkas he need be brave to retrieve it.” Karkas scratched his head, never breaking his gaze from the dragons scales. They seemed to shimmer in the light of his torch.

“I think I know what happened,” the dragon began, “Those conniving little townsfolk thought they could send you to me in place of their sacrifice. That wasn’t very nice of them.”

“Karkas, likes your scales. They are pretty.” The minotaur sat down on a bolder and let his axe drop to his side.

“Thank you, uh, Karkas is it? It is very difficult to keep my scales clean in this dingy place. So much soot and grime.” The dragon brought his giant head down to eye level with Karkas. The dragon’s head alone was four times bigger than the stout minotaur. “ You look rather tasty treat, I will not lie, but before I decide what to do with you, why don’t you tell old Shaldox what exactly you were hoping to do with his gold?”

The question regarding his motives broke his concentration from the scales. A serious look came across his face, and the dragon shifted ever so suddenly with anticipation.

“Karkas’ friends in jail. Karkas owes money, until Karkas pay back 10,000 gold, friends stay in jail.” The minotaur cast a serious gaze on the dragon.

“Do you wish me to pay your debt? Wipe the slate clean for your friends and yourself?” The dragon had a big toothy grin.

“Karkas would owe then?” The minotaur questioned.

“Exactly. I resolve your friends dispute, and you and your friends do a small quest for me.” Shaldox replied.

“Karkas’ friends are always ready to adventure. Karkas accepts your offer.” The minotaur extended he hand for a handshake.

The dragon, not wanting to be rude, sat up and extended the very tip of his claw, which was so thick the nearly seven-foot minotaur could barely rap his hand around it.

“Wait here Karkas. I will return in a few minutes. Make your self at home.” The dragon then fluttered its wings, blowing the torch out, and flew from the cave. The force of the wind pushed Karkas back down on to his seat.

A few minutes passed and the Shaldox the Dragon returned.

“Go back down to the city. Your friends will be in the jail house. There should be no trouble from the townsfolk. Come back when you are finished. The quest I have for you cannot wait.”

Karkas made his way back down to the village. Upon his arrival he immediately realized that all but a handful of buildings had been burned to the ground. There was not a single building in the entire town that was not singed or fire damaged in some way. As Karkas approached the jailhouse he found his friends being released right on que.

After exchanging pleasantries for a few moments and explaining the situation to his friends, they began making their way back to the dragon’s cave. They may be free from the jailhouse, but the real test was yet to come.

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The dragon stared blankly at the human. "Powers above you're arrogant."

"Excuse you?" The person replied in mild shock. "Do you forget who you address?"

"You know what? I take it back, I am going to enjoy this after all."

"Just leave him alive boss, we won't get paid otherwise." A ghostly girl added, appearing suddenly at the drakes side. She took the sword from his side and handed him a foam-covered bat. "This should be... non-lethal enough. Otherwise you're getting a pool noodle."

The target looked between the two, indignation fading, quickly replaced with worry. "I'm the head of state, you see! The village is supposed to send a sacrifice, if not you, then where is it?"

"Oh, the village sent us, alright. But I'm here to knock you around some and bring you in broken." The drake responded with a predatory grin. "Broken, and alive."

The sounds of babbling and bribes was washed away with the screams of terror and pain. The drake was handed a pool noodle after all.

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