representatives.”
All the dragons walked together south toward the lake.
“Teelena, you are the Empress,” Grognor said to his new bride as she came to him, cleaning his wounds. “You will ride on Bahamlo and take this.” He pulled off his ring and handed it to her. “I’m counting on you. Once it’s done, come back to me. We’ll finish the games together and prepare for this war.”
She took the ring and looked up at him. “I take your honor, Husband.”
They hugged and she walked off toward the dragons.
Grognor assembled the rest of his Royal Guard, and sent them to go with her. A few moments later a flock of massive dragons filled the sky, glimmering their metallic scales down upon the villages. The largest by far was Bahamlo.
Chapter 9
A s the villagers began to assemble to observe the initial contestant’s training, Grognor and several other contestants assembled on the large arena floor.
Fully expecting to be the only one competing, Grognor was surprised to see many of his highly trained warriors joining him as well as the elves, a few gnomes, halflings, and even a pixie. He laughed at the thought of a pixie competing in something like this. ‘Might as well bring along a fly swatter!’ he thought to himself.
The pixie cheerfully introduced herself to Grognor, “Hello! I’m Pearl! What’s your name?” She smiled a way-too-cute smile, her voice almost too cute and high-pitched to fathom.
“Grognor,” he said, impatiently.
Pearl flipped in the air a couple of times, seemingly shedding tiny, sparkling bits of herself as she did so. “Grognor! Helloooooo Grognor!” she giggled and said his name over and over again, flying around in random patterns.
“Seriously?” Grognor said.
Bōddy laughed. “Fairy dust.”
“What?”
“That’s Fairy dust she’s shedding. See how it lingers a bit, reflecting in all colors, then fades away before touching the ground? Fairy dust.”
“Oh, come on, now!”
“Seriously! Pixies are a type of fairy, and that’s fairy dust!” Bōddy chuckled.
Grognor just shook his head in disbelief and began sharpening his axe.
“And what’s your name?” Pearl asked Bōddy, expectantly.
Bōddy bowed. “Honorable Pearl, pixie of the north woods, I am Bōddy Bloodstone of The Glade.”
She reacted the same way, flipping in the air and acting way too excited to meet him. The scene continued over and over again as the unreal creature greeted each warrior.
“She’s not actually going to compete, is she?” Grognor asked.
A nearby halfling began laughing at the scene, and it was infectious. All the warriors joined in. The hafling gained his composure and introduced himself, “Emperor Grognor, it is the highest honor to make your acquaintance. I am Hentlehoff from Underhill Village.” He put out his hand to greet.
“Now, that’s more like it. Hentlehoff of Underhill, the honor is all mine.” Grognor took the halfling’s hand in greeting.
At that point, a horrible roar was heard. A massive beast flew overhead, causing panic to the citizens below. It had roughly an eighty feet wingspan, and was covered in dark red scales. Its head was very large and full of sharp pointy teeth. Its talons were very sharp, and its tail was long and barbed.
“By the gods!” Queen Kathryn exclaimed from the stands.
Taylen led her under the bleachers. “Red dragon!”
As people scrambled for cover, the dragon circled around again, roaring at the people below.
Grognor watched it, waiting for it to come close enough so he could throw his axe. “Damn, this thing is bigger than the metallics, nearly as big as Bahamlo himself!”
Screams and cries of terror spread like a wave through the villages as the dragon surveyed the ground. Suddenly, it dived toward the arena and inhaled. Grognor and all the other warriors stood their ground, weapons ready.
“You can’t stand there!” Pearl screamed as she yanked on Grognor’s arm. Her pixie strength was no
All the dragons walked together south toward the lake.
“Teelena, you are the Empress,” Grognor said to his new bride as she came to him, cleaning his wounds. “You will ride on Bahamlo and take this.” He pulled off his ring and handed it to her. “I’m counting on you. Once it’s done, come back to me. We’ll finish the games together and prepare for this war.”
She took the ring and looked up at him. “I take your honor, Husband.”
They hugged and she walked off toward the dragons.
Grognor assembled the rest of his Royal Guard, and sent them to go with her. A few moments later a flock of massive dragons filled the sky, glimmering their metallic scales down upon the villages. The largest by far was Bahamlo.
Chapter 9
A s the villagers began to assemble to observe the initial contestant’s training, Grognor and several other contestants assembled on the large arena floor.
Fully expecting to be the only one competing, Grognor was surprised to see many of his highly trained warriors joining him as well as the elves, a few gnomes, halflings, and even a pixie. He laughed at the thought of a pixie competing in something like this. ‘Might as well bring along a fly swatter!’ he thought to himself.
The pixie cheerfully introduced herself to Grognor, “Hello! I’m Pearl! What’s your name?” She smiled a way-too-cute smile, her voice almost too cute and high-pitched to fathom.
“Grognor,” he said, impatiently.
Pearl flipped in the air a couple of times, seemingly shedding tiny, sparkling bits of herself as she did so. “Grognor! Helloooooo Grognor!” she giggled and said his name over and over again, flying around in random patterns.
“Seriously?” Grognor said.
Bōddy laughed. “Fairy dust.”
“What?”
“That’s Fairy dust she’s shedding. See how it lingers a bit, reflecting in all colors, then fades away before touching the ground? Fairy dust.”
“Oh, come on, now!”
“Seriously! Pixies are a type of fairy, and that’s fairy dust!” Bōddy chuckled.
Grognor just shook his head in disbelief and began sharpening his axe.
“And what’s your name?” Pearl asked Bōddy, expectantly.
Bōddy bowed. “Honorable Pearl, pixie of the north woods, I am Bōddy Bloodstone of The Glade.”
She reacted the same way, flipping in the air and acting way too excited to meet him. The scene continued over and over again as the unreal creature greeted each warrior.
“She’s not actually going to compete, is she?” Grognor asked.
A nearby halfling began laughing at the scene, and it was infectious. All the warriors joined in. The hafling gained his composure and introduced himself, “Emperor Grognor, it is the highest honor to make your acquaintance. I am Hentlehoff from Underhill Village.” He put out his hand to greet.
“Now, that’s more like it. Hentlehoff of Underhill, the honor is all mine.” Grognor took the halfling’s hand in greeting.
At that point, a horrible roar was heard. A massive beast flew overhead, causing panic to the citizens below. It had roughly an eighty feet wingspan, and was covered in dark red scales. Its head was very large and full of sharp pointy teeth. Its talons were very sharp, and its tail was long and barbed.
“By the gods!” Queen Kathryn exclaimed from the stands.
Taylen led her under the bleachers. “Red dragon!”
As people scrambled for cover, the dragon circled around again, roaring at the people below.
Grognor watched it, waiting for it to come close enough so he could throw his axe. “Damn, this thing is bigger than the metallics, nearly as big as Bahamlo himself!”
Screams and cries of terror spread like a wave through the villages as the dragon surveyed the ground. Suddenly, it dived toward the arena and inhaled. Grognor and all the other warriors stood their ground, weapons ready.
“You can’t stand there!” Pearl screamed as she yanked on Grognor’s arm. Her pixie strength was no
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