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It was a beautiful day to be travelling through the mountains.
The sunlight filtered through the trees, creating little cracks along the ground with the shadows of the leaves. It was so peaceful with the quiet sounds of his horse’s hooves against the ground combined with the quiet snorts of his horse sniffing the air.
He almost forgot that he was on a dangerous quest, and not just a simple stroll through the mountain woods. It was a very important quest, one that he was specifically requested for by the villagers who lived at the base of the mountain.
Many knew Prince Hashirama was a strong knight who completed quests yet he never took full credit; he always made sure the praise and the congratulations went to those who helped him as well as himself because if he was honest he did best when his friends were with him.
However this time he was completely alone as the terrain began to change from a lush forest to the rough, barren rock of the mountains. There were some scorch marks along the stone and he couldn’t help the grimace as he looked up towards the top.
If he is completely honest, there was something that didn’t sit right with him when he came here. The villagers seemed eager, or perhaps desperate was a better word to describe it, to send him on his way when he arrived. He barely got enough information about the beast he was sent to slain today other than the beast was known for setting fire to crops, stealing livestock and chasing people around from the skies.
Those were problems that warranted the dragon to be removed, but Hashirama can’t help but think that they didn’t warrant the creatures death. Dragons were after all known for being territorial and protective of spaces they considered theirs.
He wonders if he can just…speak with the dragon, convince him to find new territory or to perhaps strike a deal with the villagers. Dragons could be as helpful as they were destructive especially if they get something out of it.
With a slow, bracing breath, Hashirama kicked his steed and sucked his tongue to get his horse to canter up the rocky ground. If he can find a peaceful resolution, he would rather do that than just blindly kill. However if push comes to shove he will ensure that the beast would never terrorize the village again—
“Oh? Now what’s this?”
Hashirama shouted when his horse reared back in surprise at hearing the deep, gravelly voice. As his horse stopped to start backing up he began to lose his grip on the horse before he shouted and slid off. The impact sent a sharp jolt of pain through his back when his tail bone met with the hard stone.
His horse continued to panic before he turned to run back into the forest.
A deep chuckle sounded through the air, alerting him to the presence that caused his steed to run off in fear–not that he could blame his horse; the old girl was a herd animal and he had no ill will towards the animal.
Slowly he pushed himself up in his red armor with his sword sheathed by his hip; looking towards the source of the voice.
The dragon was a large beast; with a dark wild mane of ebony fur that framed the beast’s oblong snout. Sharp claws rest on the stone digging into it like it was nothing more than clay. He looked as if he could curl up around the mountain without any trouble as his tail swished back and forth. He was covered in scales as hard and shimmering as a thousand rubies and dark eyes that seemed to pierce into the prince’s soul.
“What brings you out here, little man?” He moved forwards quietly, his long body winding slowly before he paused before the prince, “You’re not a member of the little village at the base of the mountain.”
Eyes the color of the earthy soil stare up at the dragon; wide as he was stunned into complete stillness while swallowing thickly. The dragon tilted his head at the human prince before leaning in closer to sniff him.
“Are you here to kill me?”
Instead of anger or fear, the dragon sounded almost excited; as if the idea of fighting someone was as pleasant as going to a tea party with dear friends. He swished his tail with the tuft of black fur at the end as he leaned forward with narrowed dark eyes. His mouth split in what Hashirama saw as a grin.
To the village it would be completely understandable why they would be so scared of this massive creature and the havoc it wreaks ... .yet instead of being terrified or frozen, Hashirama felt like his heart was going to erupt from his chest.
Because this was one of the most beautiful creatures he has ever set eyes on.
He sighed slowly as he stood up looking up at the dragon, “Great Dragon…I came here to try to convince you to please move from the village below and find a new territory where there are no people. Or perhaps find a way to work with them?”
There’s a pause…and for a moment Hashirama thinks the dragon looked baffled rather than offended. However after a moment the dragon snorted out smoke through his nostrils and snickered softly; as if the human prince had told a funny joke and not just asked him to leave his home.
“And what will you do if I don’t?”
Hashirama took a deep breath; he was afraid he would do this, “..then I will fight you and defeat you. If I win then you will have to leave this mountain, find a new home for yourself or at least make peace with the villagers. If I can’t…well if you allow me to live, I will leave and never trouble you again.”
The dragon slowly leaned in closer, to the point that Hashirama could see his reflection in the other’s dark pupils. He swallowed slowly, waiting to see how this creature would respond–praying that perhaps he could be convinced…only to blink and suddenly the beast was gone.
In a cloud of black smoke that burned his eyes, Hashirama squinted for a moment trying to find the dragon he was here to beat.
“Very well, little man. If you win, I will do as you ask…” Suddenly there are quieter footsteps; the smoke was slowly beginning to dissipate until all he saw was a humanoid silhouette approaching him.
His mouth became dry as instead of the beast that was there before, there was a man…or at least he looked like a man at first until he got a closer look.
Wings were opened from the humanized dragon’s back; his skin was like pure porcelain while having claws where hands and feet should be. They looked as if they were coated in red chak with the nails being like black stones sharpened to a point. He still had his tail, patches of red scales along his throat and sides as he walked forwards in only a tatted loin cloth between his thigh.
He gets into a stance, his lips pulled back in a grin as he raises his hands curled into fists. He was silently telling him to come at him.
Only one thought goes through the prince’s mind as he swallows and pulls out his sword from his sheath. His knees trembled as he struggled to stay standing and his eyes widened. He looked beautiful in human form too...maybe not the same beastly, raw, powerful beauty of his dragon form...but still lovely.
..Oh I am in trouble. .