Young Shor Algornin alighted on a rock outcropping and tucked his wings in closely. The morning breeze was sapping the warmth from his body, and the sun had gone behind a cloud. It would be best to wait on a warm rock. He knew there was at least one other dragon nearby already, he saw the glint of scales a minute ago, and smelled the distinctive odor of dragonfire. That wasn't good at all. Shor had not yet developed his fire into anything formidable, though he had powerful wings. A physical confrontation would not be in his favor. He was hoping to have been in place long before any others arrived. If there was another there already, they weren't being obvious about it, aside from the fire. Shor scanned his surroundings. He was on a large, flat rock on the edge of the forest. In front of him, where the trees thinned out considerably, a manor sat out on the grassy plains. A few scattered boulders here and there could hide the other. Perhaps some depression in the ground hidden by the tall grass. But anything standing still would stand out against the waving grass and flowers. The sun came out again, and Shor took great pleasure in stretching out his wings to absorb the heat. His energy returned as the blood in his wings warmed. He murmured contentedly and laid his head on the rock, waiting. "Shor Algornin," hissed a voice behind him. Shor spun around to see a thin green dragon eying him carefully from among the underbrush. "Awfully ambitious, aren't you?" "What's it to you?" Shor muttered, tensing his muscles in preparation. "Surely you wouldn't be so foolish as to think you'd be the only one here," the other said, weaving his way towards Shor like a snake. Though he was thin, he was long and muscular. Seth’kal, another from the mountain Shor was from. "No." "I think that you're rather small to be contending with the others likely to arrive. You ought to go after something less coveted. Something you're not likely to get hurt trying to collect." Seth’kal slithered ever closer as he spoke, his body undulating, but his legs in perfect alignment. Shor took a step back. "I am not in possession of any treasure, I am merely trying to rest on this rock. You cannot issue challenge." "Poor little Shor doesn't realize that no dragon still abides by those old rules." "Begone, serpent. If you're here for the gold in the manor, go take it. I’m not here for it." The green one stopped and sat upright. He hissed softly, thinking. A claw twitched. “You can’t be trusted,” he muttered to himself, eying Shor. “What dragon can?” Seth’kal thought for a moment longer. “Stay away from it, then.” He dove into the grass and darted toward the manor. Shor relaxed again. He knew there would be others. A whole host of them. Young dragons seeking to start their hoards, old dragons seeking to add to them... When news spread last night that the old unicorn court mage who lived there had died, a dozen dragons set out to claim her riches as soon as the sun rose. The magical defenses had fallen with their creator, old Sunflare the Dragonslayer, and it was free for the taking. She hadn’t left any heirs. At least, none as powerful as she. The hum and glow of the forcefield was gone, and Shor couldn’t sense it anymore. He had been there a month ago, scouting out the area. The barrier was strong, he could feel it for several hundred feet in any direction. Now, the odd pressure in the air was no longer there. Any trace of magic was gone from the place. Shor rested on the rock, watching the snake-dragon approach the manor. The fool. His scales were the exact color of the grass, and he moved low enough to the ground that he was invisible, but he kept poking his head up and looking around, exposing himself. That was a mistake. The one in the sky saw the serpent before the serpent saw him. A great golden dragon soared overhead, his majestic wings flapping fiercely as he came in to land. He slammed his feet into the ground, not at all caring to land softly, and stomped forward, after the little green one. “Begone!” the great one bellowed, clouds of smoke trailing from his nostrils. The small one knew there was no hope of direct confrontation, and he skittered back the way he had gone as fast as he could. He weaved through the grass towards Shor, as the great gold one followed him with his eyes. Shor’s gaze met the giant’s across the field. “You stay back as well! I, Hithkar, lay claim to the hoard here.” Shor remained silent. Hithkar stared across the field for a moment before turning and lumbering towards the manner. Seth’kal hissed at Shor, taking a place on a nearby rock. “You knew he was coming!” Shor crossed his arms and smirked at him. “So did you. The difference is that I was planning on it, while you were hoping against it.” He growled to himself. Shor chuckled. “How can you possibly benefit from him being here?!” he spat. “Watch.” More dragons were arriving. A few medium sized ones, another large one -- though not nearly as large as Hithkar, the massive golden one -- and a half dozen of Shor’s size. All different hues and builds. Hithkar reached the manor, but stopped. He stood up and looked around, roaring. Daring. “Everyone is going to gang up on him. He’s the biggest, and everyone here knows that they can’t take him one on one,” Seth’kal said. “Precisely.” Shor nodded. And they did. The smaller dragons circled around Hithkar, who backed up against the mansion. He tried to fend them off with blasts of fire, but they avoided these and kept coming. Hithkar lunged at a small blue dragon, grabbing him in his claws and tossing him across the field. The dragon spread his wings mid flight to right himself. He hit the ground and skidded to a halt, but he was on his feet, and he began his approach again. "And you're waiting for them to weaken each other before you step in." Shor gave no response. "That's rather dishonorable." "You yourself said that no one abides by those rules any longer." Seth'kal hissed to himself. The others had Hithkar pinned up against the manor, and there were several in the air in case he tried to fly. They could slow him down enough for the others to attack. Hithkar leapt forward to strike at his largest foe, and all at once, the others were upon him, like a swarm of wasps on some poor colt that had stepped on a nest. They fought for some time, smaller dragons being thrown off of him, spurts of fire here and there. They fought for some time, smaller dragons being thrown off of him, spurts of fire here and there. It was not in Hithkar's favor, as his wings were crippled and his body attacked from all sides. He gravely injured some, but he was too slow to fend them all off. They were too many, and he was overwhelmed. "You know, Shor, I rather like your plan," Seth'kal said. His voice was close. Shor turned. A tingle ran down his spine. Seth'kal pounced on him, and they tumbled off the rock into the grass below. Shor tried to get up, but Seth'kal was on him instantly, claws digging into the scales at his throat. Shor raised his arms to try and pull Seth’kal off of his neck. "You're too late," Shor wheezed. "Look up." Seth'kal tightened his grip, and his eyes followed Shor's. A thin purple haze filled the sky above them, and a strange pressure pushed on their skulls. "No..." Seth'kal looked around, seeking some hole in the barrier that was forming. His head darted side to side. His gaze settled on Shor. "You knew about this!" His grip tightened. A few scales flaked off of Shor's neck, and beads of blood trickled from Seth'kal's claws. Shor tried to respond, but he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes and tried to push the larger dragon off of him, but he couldn't move Seth'kal; his long tail had coiled around Shor's, holding it back, and his arms were stronger than Shor's. He tried with all of his might, pushing, clawing, but the clamp around his throat remained. He could only wait to suffocate. He couldn't even open his jaw, Seth'kal was gripping so far up his neck. All the plans were fading. He opened his eyes to vision obscured by black spots. Seth'kal glared down at him. But on the rock behind the green dragon, a mint unicorn... A bang. Burning in his lungs gave way to tingling relief. He coughed and rolled to his side. The weight was lifted. The grip released. Shor planted a foot beneath himself and struggled to his feet. He lifted his head, still gasping, to meet the eyes of Seth'kal again. "You're in league with the ponies!?" the serpent hissed, clutching at a wound on his side. The unicorn hopped down off the rock, standing alongside Shor, horn bristling with magic. "What of the treasure? Answer me!" the serpent dragon cried. Shor coughed. "I told you, I wasn't here for the treasure." "Then why were you here?" Shor sat upright, on his haunches, one hand on the ground and the other lifted to brush at his neck. A few more scales feel loose, and lines of blood were trickling down. He felt at the wounds. Deeper than what would be preferable, but not life threatening. He stretched his neck. Behind the snarling Seth’kal, the field was nearly still. Dragon fights rarely lasted long; they were equipped with so many natural weapons. Hithkar lie unmoving, his great golden hide stained red. A few others limped about, some approaching the manor, others pacing where the barrier met the ground. Shor turned to the unicorn. "Sunflare, I trust that this fulfills my end of the bargain?" Seth'kal lunged forward, striking at Shor. A shield materialized and deflected the blow. A bolt of amber light shot from the unicorn's horn and struck Seth'kal in the chest. He reeled back, clutching at the new wound. "Yes, dignified Shor Algornin, I believe it does fulfill the first part." Sunflare circled around Seth’kal, analyzing. "What have you done, lizard?" Seth'kal cried. "I played you for the fool you were. Silence, worm." He glared at the dragonslayer. "Now then... first part?" "Your kin for the gold, your oath of allegiance for your safety." She didn’t look away from the wounded specimen before her. His eyes narrowed. "You are modifying our bargain." "No." She finished her circuit, facing him, horn glowing again. "No, you have misinterpreted our initial dealings. You fail to realize what these dragons mean to me." "And what is that?" "Dragon hearts can extend the lifespan if brewed carefully with magic. Unnatural extension. You thought that I'd be dying soon after this, and you'd be free of all obligations made to me. Able to betray your bargains just like your kin." She took a step forward, not at all intimidated by Shor being three times her size. "I will live long, and I will watch you. Swear to leave ponyfolk be, or I'll add you to my concoctions. You've heard of what I can do to a dragon, and now you've seen it, too. Do not cross me, Shor Algornin." Shor blinked. “Very well,” he muttered through clenched fangs. She had him. This wasn’t an even bargain any longer. He had unknowingly delivered to her the very tool by which she could control him. “Swear it.” “I swear to not harm a pony so long as I shall live.” “And you,” she said, looking at the pathetic Seth’kal, wallowing in pain. “Whatever gods you dragons pray to, pray to them quickly.” Seth’kal only hissed, and she struck him down before moving on to the rest. Shor stared into the amber glow that enveloped his body, the sting of the dragonslayer. Her intellect was as sharp as her magic. Shor Algornin climbed back onto his rock, and basked in the sun while he waited for the unicorn to subdue the survivors and bring him his gold. At least he could trust her there. He stretched his wings. She had already given him a fraction of her wealth, and it sat in the cavern he had claimed. He would have such joy counting it once it was all together. Though, growing it with her around, the ever vigilant sentinel who had devoted her life to fighting his kind, would be a problem. ******* My first serious attempt at writing, mainly just practice before I attempt my better ideas. Issues I have with this: The narrative voice is bland and uninteresting. I don't know how to fix that. Any suggestions?
