Savan Alexander Aster, a 16-year-old boy with medium length dark brown hair and stern facial features, approached the gate leading into the Dragon’s Lair. In a duchy called Liore, where he would fight many battles with great skill and means to slay the dragon, Savan had been chosen to slay the dragon by the House of Biquard to reclaim the heart of the Lord who ruled it. Alongside him, Salde Wright: A middle-aged pawn who had been chosen to serve Savan in battle, leaving his son, Vincent, behind.
As Savan entered through the gate to the dragon’s lair, he reached for his letter and shortened quill, followed by his tightly sealed inkwell. He sat down, opened his inkwell, and dipped the sharp end of his quill into the ink. The ink dripped from the quill as he wrote on the flattened letter.
“Hey little brother, just wanted to let you know that I’m gonna be fighting this dragon. Wish me luck, cause I damn sure would rather be with you right now. I know I’ve been a little inconsiderate in the past, but I eventually realized how immature I was. I’ve grown up quite a bit since we last spoke in person, and I’m sure you already knew that. Maybe one day I’ll see you here with me, and we’ll fight monsters together like brothers-in-arms. Either that, or you take my place. A little birdie told me you were training yourself, maybe you’ll succeed me, but we’ll have to put that to the test when I get back. Oh, and you didn’t wish me a happy birthday a couple weeks ago, does July 18 ring a bell? Hopefully Aelinore is still able to see me after I get outta here, you know… With the whole royalty thing I was telling you about. Anyway… say hello to Mother for me, and I just wanted to let you know, I’ll be home soon.”
When he finished writing, he wrote his name at the bottom right side of the letter. He picked up a handful of dirt and sprinkled it on the writing to dry the ink, before folding it and putting it back in his pocket. Afterwards, he stood up and continued walking, eventually meeting with his accomplice, Salde. As they walked through the corridor, an unsettling darkness fell upon them.
“How dark it’s gotten! Have you a light source?” he asked Savan as he lit his own lantern.
With a quick search of his satchel, Savan revealed his burnt out lantern. Another quick search he made revealed the fuel for the lantern. After pouring the oil into a specific hole on the top of the lantern, it awoke and emitted a bright light.
“Shall we continue?” Savan asked.
“Yes ser,” Salde responded.
They walked through a dark tunnel in a cave.
“I heard you had a son, Salde,” Savan broke the silence.
“I do,” Salde replied.
“He’s gonna be fourteen this September seventh, and has been training in the pawn legion.”
“Last time I saw him though, he was at least six foot three.”
“You’re about as tall as I am, is his mother really tall?” Savan asked.
“No, she’s a few inches shorter than me,” Salde responded.
“Who knows? Maybe he gets his height from his grandfather.”
“But I do expect one thing, and it’s that I hope he’s finished training by the time I come back. I expect the best from him.”
They eventually reached a dungeon with a ladder leading to a lower floor, then descended the ladder and were met with a glowing riftstone. Savan held his hand over the riftstone and a portal appeared just above it. Two pawns were spewed out of the portal, Morganna and Quince; Savan had met them monthes prior.
“Good to have you back,” Savan spoke.
“We are ready to fight,” Quince said.
After more walking into the depths of the dungeon, they were met with the disturbing sight of purple bat-winged harpies feasting upon the flesh of a soldier’s carcass. Savan quickly dashed towards the harpy and impaled it in the chest. Salde ripped one’s wing off and Morgana cast a lightning spell and struck a harpy directly in the head. After much slashing, the harpies had been killed, and the group pushed on.
“Wish my brother would’ve come along…” Savan spoke.
“You have a brother?” Salde asked.
“Alexander, my younger half-brother,” Savan said.
“He’s only eleven.”
“Sometimes, I would train my muscle with him.”
“And he would kinda cramp my style had I been around my friends.”
“Looking back… I feel bad, and I really hope he’s okay.”
Savan recalled memories of when he and his little brother would fight.
“Anyway, me and him go back and forth writing letters to each other, and the letters would reach him or me usually by the middle of each month.”
“I told him about you in one of my letters.”
“Me?” Salde asked.
“Why me?”
“Figured he’d like to know,” Savan said.
“Alexander…” Salde spoke.
“Isn’t that your middle name?”
“Yes,” Savan said.
“His first name is my middle name and vice versa.”
Salde looked confused.
“Meaning that he also has my first name as his middle name.”
“Since my father died about a decade ago, I went by his last name, Aster.”
They reached a large black unopened gate and searched for the lever to it. After a bit of searching and no results; all of the sudden, the gate opens by itself. They walked through the gate into a corridor and eventually were led into a large room with a giant stone door at the end. Savan scanned the room and found four giant pressure plates in the shape of buttons on the ground.
“Maybe those buttons can be pushed down with our weight to open that door,” Savan suggested as he pointed at the plates, and then the door.
They walked to one of the plates, but as they stood on one, they heard a loud growling coming from above them. Savan looked up and was met with the terrifying sight of a chimera perching over a platform. After a second, the chimera jumped down at them, but they all dodged it. Everyone drew their weapons and prepared for the chimera’s next approach. Instead of attacking, the chimera made a deafening roar causing everyone to stagger back and hold their ears, letting their guard down. Using this opening, the chimera struck Savan with its claw and sent him flying quite a ways back. Salde quickly readied his sword and charged at the chimera with all of his might, but its tail in the form of a snake grabbed him and threw him away. Quince readied her bow and arrow and shot the snake through the mouth, killing it instantly. After it died, it decayed off of the chimera’s body. Savan, now regaining his strength, picked up his dropped broadsword and charged after the now staggered chimera that had fallen to its side and reeling about. He impaled the lion’s head while Salde stabbed the goat’s head on its back, killing the creature as a whole.
“Now choose: flee, or step forth…” a low rumbling voice spoke.
The giant door opened by itself, and the roar of the dragon could be heard beyond. Savan sighed, and prepared himself with determination.
“This is for Father…”
