Dragon Lord as he passed.
Damion tried hard to ignore the somewhat skittish crowd, but found it quite difficult as many began to cheer as he passed. The story of how he exposed Sorsos as a fraud and transformed him into a donkey had spread like wildfire. It had grown quickly apparent that Sorsos was despised by many of the nobles, and nearly all of the common folk. Now that he was no longer capable of fulfilling his threats, many people seemed to breathe far easier.
"It seems you have managed to win the people over." Veren commented as they rode through town. "Sorsos must have been insufferable if this many people are happy at his removal!"
Damion's eyes seemed to miss the cheering faces to see the frightened and suspicious people in the crowd. Many of the on lookers wore angry expressions as they watched him pass, and still others stared at him with open hate. He knew they blamed him for the dragon attacks, and many still believed that the beasts terrorizing their lands were under his control.
Veren seemed to read his thoughts. "The others will come around eventually."
A skin ny dirt covered man lurched drunkenly from the crowd to stand in the road blocking their way. "It's your fault!" He screamed at Damion, swaying slightly as he stared at Damion. "It's your fault that those beasts are killing our people!"
Damion reined in Storm abou t ten feet from the drunken man and stared at him with sad eyes.
"It's your fault that they destroy our homes and devour our cattle!" The man spat, his eyes full of tears. "Your fault that our families are being slaughtered!"
The crowd lining the street had fallen silent, and everyone stood watching expectantly.
"What happened to you, man?" Veren asked sympathetically.
" A dragon fell upon the farm I worked on, destroying everything!" The man looked at Veren, the tears now flowing freely from his eyes. "It struck in the dead of night, belching flames from above. Its scales were black, and seemed to absorb the darkness around it! It destroyed everything! Only a few of us managed to get out alive!" He looked back to Damion with hate filled eyes. "I curse the day you were brought into this world!"
Veren started to reply, but Damion waved him off. "I'm truly sorry if my actions have brought anyone harm." He said, his voice full of sorrow. He nudged Storm forward and passed the weeping drunk without another word.
They made it the rest of the way out of the city without any further encounters, and were soon heading north along a well traveled trade road with Snowfeather gliding silently overhead.
It was early spring, and the morning air was crisp. Their horses were soon steaming as they passed through the country side, making good time on the well maintained road.
Damion remained silent as they trotted passed the orderly farms that dominated the countryside. Even though it was still early spring, there were already workers toiling in the fields, preparing the land for the coming season. Every now and then they would pass a farm that had been destroyed and burned to the ground, but there was little remaining at these ruined sights, so they continued without slowing, knowing the beast responsible was long gone.
It was late evening when they arrived at a small village with a hand full of stone buildings. They easily located the only inn, which was also the village tavern, and led their horses to its well kept livery.
"Watch yourself around this horse." Damion warned the stable hand as he handed over Storm's reins. "He's a bit aggressive."
The stable hand shrugged. "A horse is a horse. I've yet to meet one I couldn't handle." He gave the warhorse a impressed look. "Big beast though, isn't it?"
Storm snorted and then pawed at the ground aggressively.
Damion laughed, then murmured to Veren. "I tried to warn him."
"That you did." Veren replied with a smile.
The left the unsuspecting man to his fate and made their way into the inn. After they had secured rooms for the night, they found a
Damion tried hard to ignore the somewhat skittish crowd, but found it quite difficult as many began to cheer as he passed. The story of how he exposed Sorsos as a fraud and transformed him into a donkey had spread like wildfire. It had grown quickly apparent that Sorsos was despised by many of the nobles, and nearly all of the common folk. Now that he was no longer capable of fulfilling his threats, many people seemed to breathe far easier.
"It seems you have managed to win the people over." Veren commented as they rode through town. "Sorsos must have been insufferable if this many people are happy at his removal!"
Damion's eyes seemed to miss the cheering faces to see the frightened and suspicious people in the crowd. Many of the on lookers wore angry expressions as they watched him pass, and still others stared at him with open hate. He knew they blamed him for the dragon attacks, and many still believed that the beasts terrorizing their lands were under his control.
Veren seemed to read his thoughts. "The others will come around eventually."
A skin ny dirt covered man lurched drunkenly from the crowd to stand in the road blocking their way. "It's your fault!" He screamed at Damion, swaying slightly as he stared at Damion. "It's your fault that those beasts are killing our people!"
Damion reined in Storm abou t ten feet from the drunken man and stared at him with sad eyes.
"It's your fault that they destroy our homes and devour our cattle!" The man spat, his eyes full of tears. "Your fault that our families are being slaughtered!"
The crowd lining the street had fallen silent, and everyone stood watching expectantly.
"What happened to you, man?" Veren asked sympathetically.
" A dragon fell upon the farm I worked on, destroying everything!" The man looked at Veren, the tears now flowing freely from his eyes. "It struck in the dead of night, belching flames from above. Its scales were black, and seemed to absorb the darkness around it! It destroyed everything! Only a few of us managed to get out alive!" He looked back to Damion with hate filled eyes. "I curse the day you were brought into this world!"
Veren started to reply, but Damion waved him off. "I'm truly sorry if my actions have brought anyone harm." He said, his voice full of sorrow. He nudged Storm forward and passed the weeping drunk without another word.
They made it the rest of the way out of the city without any further encounters, and were soon heading north along a well traveled trade road with Snowfeather gliding silently overhead.
It was early spring, and the morning air was crisp. Their horses were soon steaming as they passed through the country side, making good time on the well maintained road.
Damion remained silent as they trotted passed the orderly farms that dominated the countryside. Even though it was still early spring, there were already workers toiling in the fields, preparing the land for the coming season. Every now and then they would pass a farm that had been destroyed and burned to the ground, but there was little remaining at these ruined sights, so they continued without slowing, knowing the beast responsible was long gone.
It was late evening when they arrived at a small village with a hand full of stone buildings. They easily located the only inn, which was also the village tavern, and led their horses to its well kept livery.
"Watch yourself around this horse." Damion warned the stable hand as he handed over Storm's reins. "He's a bit aggressive."
The stable hand shrugged. "A horse is a horse. I've yet to meet one I couldn't handle." He gave the warhorse a impressed look. "Big beast though, isn't it?"
Storm snorted and then pawed at the ground aggressively.
Damion laughed, then murmured to Veren. "I tried to warn him."
"That you did." Veren replied with a smile.
The left the unsuspecting man to his fate and made their way into the inn. After they had secured rooms for the night, they found a
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