Part 20: True Fools at Work

When Dracstan awoke, it was with hazy confusion.

*Where am I...?* he asked blurrily, lifting his head and trying to make his surroundings focus. It was dark at first, then, as his eyes worked to adjust, he found himself staring at metal bars. *No!*

The wyrm jerked awake, immediately sitting up. He was in a large cage, and the cage seemed to be inside a large cave. Nearby, the griffin and the green bear were watching him. Dracstan, seeing that the bars of the cage were widely spaced, immediately tried to slither through one of the gaps. He shrilled in pain as a flash of white lightning seemed to run through him, and he was tossed backward from the bars. Dizzily, he got up, feeling numb all over. He felt the mind of the griffin. It didn't speak his language, but it seemed to be warning him against trying that again. He growled wearily and coiled himself tightly in the center of the cage.

He remembered his mother's warning about humans. Now these were the sort she was talking about... vicious, primative creatures with no respect for life or freedom. The mage, especially. Dracstan seethed in anger. He wished nothing more than to see that mage defeated and imprisoned in one of his own cages. The wyrm coiled himself even more tightly and waiting. Sooner or later, he would get an escape opportunity, and he would take it.

* * * * * * *

Later on, the mage and a group of men came to remove the griffin. The beast's cage was wheeled away, out of the cave. Dracstan listened silently as the mage spoke.

"I am taking this to our buyer. It will be your job to allow Mister Regilt to inspect the dragon. Make sure to get an estimate from him, but do not sell until I return."

The mage and his crew left, leaving four men to guard the cave. Time passed; Dracstan lay motionless, waiting. Then, a man was escorted in. He was dressed in fine green cloth and had the air of someone with an assured place in life. He was led over to the cage where Dracstan lay.

After a few minutes of staring at the wyrm, he turned to the leader of the remaining men. "Is it sick? It doesn't seem to be moving. I won't buy a dragon from you only to have it die in a few days time. Take it out and let me see it."

The lead man grabbed the lock and said something in a language Dracstan didn't understand. The lock clicked open, and the man opened the door. As soon as he reached in a hand, Dracstan's first instinct was the rear up and strike him. That, however, would accomplish nothing, so he went limp and allowed the man to pick him up. The man handed him to the merchant, who began prodding him experimentally.

"He seems hardy enough... but I don't like that glazed look in his eyes. Does he have any magic capabilities?"

As the merchant looked up for an answer, Dracstan snapped his head around and bit into his hand. Hard. The merchant screamed and tried to jerk it away. Dracstan let go and hit the ground already slithering. He moved as fast as he could, trying to find a crevice to slip into or an escape tunnel. The men immediately began to chase him. He rushed toward the cave exit. He was only ten feet away when something hard and heavy suddenly rammed him from the side. He was kicked against the cave wall and hit it with a flat slap. Dracstan landed hard on the ground and blinked, stunned. A man came toward him.

"Not getting away that easily, you devil," the poacher growled. As the man's hands closed around him, Dracstan began struggling anew.

*No! Release me!* he roared angrily. The man tried to lift him up, and the wyrm spasmed, trying to break loose. *Let me go!*

In that moment of panic and need, it was as though the wyrm suddenly began winning. He felt warm and tingly all over as he fought the man. Suddenly, he realised he was winning... and what's more than that, he had legs!

Dracstan

*I am a shrape!* he yelled. *Now, you shall learn your place!*

He shoved himself up on his new legs, using them like second nature. Then, he rammed the man pushing him back until he hit the wall with a yelp of pain. Dracstan grinned maliciously and shoved his horns deeper into the man's abdomen. He squealed in terror, yelling to his comrades for help.

The men came at him, but Dracstan was not afraid. Now, he was a shrape. These weak humans couldn't hurt him. He charged the first one with a roar, head lowered into a line with his spine. The man tried to get out of the way, but Dracstan caught him and threw him to the ground, then stamped over him, digging his sharp, cloven hooves into the poacher. He rounded to face the cave entrance again. The other men stood between him and the exit.

*Who is next to learn a lesson?* he teased the remaining two poachers, baring his sharp teeth in a draconic grin. The poachers glanced at one another. One of them held a club in his hands, while the other brandished a small dagger. Dracstan snorted derisively. *Do you think those are going to help you, foolish humans?*

I once thought the boy Krisr a fool, but here we find the true fools at work... he thought with a grin.

He charged forward, aiming for the man with the club. The two men stood together, ready to do battle. As the dragon closed in, the first man swung the heavy club. It hit Dracstan square on the head, but his horns and thick skull absorbed the shock admirably, and he continued forward to knock the man over. He kicked his front hooves into the man's face, causing blood to spurt from his nose. The second man lunged at him with a dagger, but the blade slipped along his tough, rocky hide, leaving only a white scratch. Dracstan lashed out with his back hooves to hit the man's shoulder and knock him away.

I should kill them all, the young dragon thought, drunk on his own power. Ah, but the mage...

The mage could return any time now. Dracstan broke off and galloped away toward the cave entrance.

*So long, weaklings,* he called as he broke out into the morning sunshine.