Dragon Hunter - CLOSED for vampireelf

[No_such_thing]

It was a dark age, humanity huddled in their hovels, their houses, their castles. Man has always been afraid of what he cannot understand, those great beasts of magic that have long since disappeared from today's world. But the world then was different, younger, more beautiful, more primal, more dangerous. It was a time of fear, of knights and magic. A time, of dragons!
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The village burned, fire lighting the underside of the clouds, a dark shadow flitting beneath their dark thunderheads. It was ready to rain, but even a serious storm would struggle to extinguish the carnage currently engulfing the coastal village.

He reared up beneath the clouds, fire gathering in his throat and unleashed a single focused fireball into the centre of the village, it exploded in a rush of heat, fire splashing out, a single lonely figure running screaming, a burning torch running through a burning village.

He alighted upon an as yet untouched village hall, roaring, a long plume of fire scorching the air above the village. He looked around, his strong imperious gaze burning out of a dark powerful scaled head. Satisfied, he turned back to the sky, launching himself off into the sky, strong powerful muscles forcing his wings down, the downdraft of his wings making the roaring fires flutter and ebb momentarily as the shadow vanished once more.

 

[vampireelf]

Alex Lacruxis was the first and best female Dragon hunter to this day. For a dragon hunter Alex wasn't quite what you would expect standing at a bout 5'9 she was taller than most females she knew including her mother and 2 sisters. her lavender hair fell down her back in the normal braid reaching about to her waist.Weighing in at about 125 pounds she wasn't exactly a light weight. Alex was any mans dream with curves and hips to die for. This event she was almost always sought after which some times was a thorn in her side. primarily she wore red and on occasion she wore violet clothing that was tight and form fitting so as not to hamper her movements.

Alex was siting in a small tavern on the outskirts of a rather small fishing village. Today she was racking it up at the table quite sure she was a bout to win her 6th hand of poker. The doors to the tavern burst open and in walked a stout looking and pudgy looking man. The newcomer walked over to the table just as she pulled the pot her royal flush trumping all on the table.

The intruding man spoke up as she stood from the table "Are you Alexandria Lacruxis?"

The young woman hissed through her teeth a bit and turned to face the man "What if i am? What business is it of yours?" Alex was no meaning to come off harsh but she hated when complete strangers called her by her whole name.

"We have a problem...A dragon problem" The man was nervous and frightned to say the words that finally tumbled from his lips

Alex laughed and took the mans shoulders and began to walk with him out of the tavern. The leather purse attached to her hip was fat with gold and her bow along her back and her sword upon her hip as they walked. After negotiations with what turned out to be the Mayor of the village she walked out off the village with her pay for the job. Alex began hiking in the direction of the caves the dragon rumored to be in.

 

[No_such_thing]

The mountain was massive, a great remnant from the birthing of the world. It had been thrown up when the world was young, the wind and the rain had beaten and raged around it, but such a mighty sentinel of the earth would not be bowed by the mere elements. As it was it had been honeycombed with tunnels and caverns from top to bottom. It was rumored there were caves big enough to lose a town in deep in the heart of the mountain.

It was in such a vast cavern that he had made his lair, so vast you couldn't see the walls or roof of the cave. Great pillars of rock rose from the ground giving the cave the air of some barbaric hall beneath the mountain. This was only added to by the glittering hoard that filled the centre of the cave. Dragons had a natural affinity with wealth of all kinds, from rubies, to diamonds to simple gold and silver. They gathered and hoarded it to an extent no miser could ever dream to match.

In the centre of the hoard, in a groove formed over the centuries, slept a great beast. Abraxas slept on his accumulated wealth, blissfully unaware of what had happened in the fishing village only a few miles from his lair. Not that she had been the first slayer, there were stories of those who had gone before, and, while it may seem a little cheesy and melodramatic, it must be said. They were never seen again, certainly not intact.

 

[vampireelf]

Alex stood at the bottom of the mountain looking up her hand on her hip as she readjusted her pack and began to hike up the hill she had a ways to go before she reached the main entrances to the caves that was about two days walk from there. "Lets see" she said to herself what did she know about the dragon of the caves. Racking her brain she recalled stories told in her village about a mighty and kind dragon that lived in these mountains that had one day gone rogue and began killing anyone and anything in its conquest of of gold and treasure. The soul reason Alex had become a hunter.

It had happened about 12 years back when Alexandria was about 8 or 9 her mother and herself were in the meadow behind her house picking flowers when it happened. From the sky came a giant dragon of purple and gold the one from stories her mother had told her. Running out in to the meadow to greet the dragon when she felt the heat of fire fly over her head and hit her mother. Alex watched her mother burn up in flames and the dragon destroy the town.

Snapping out of her memories she saw that it was dark so she et up camp for the night on a small flat of land with a large pool of water. After a quick bath she laid down in the clearing under the night sky. "Mom..."

 

[No_such_thing]

Most dragons kept themselves to themselves, living and hunting in the great mountain passes of the north. Some would talk to travelers, or kill the few foolish and greedy enough to attempt to steal from their hoards, dragons were very possessive. Occasionally one would rise and wreak havoc, they would destroy towns, even cities in their quest for wealth and power. They swiftly increased in infamy and hunters would flock from every realm, kingdom and fiefdom. Scores, even hundreds would die before one got lucky. But that wasn't where it ended, such dragons would amass fabulous fortunes, first one, then another would be murdered, even battles were fought over their wealth. No being had ever caused as much suffering as the dragons.

Abraxas had never been one of those dragons obsessed with gold and gems. He had shared their natural affinity, but had collected much in the past in tribute. He had enough. He left the villages in peace, communities growing on the vast slopes of his mountain realm. He acted almost as a guardian spirit or a god, leaving accidental visitors to his realm be, sometimes guiding them out of the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the mountain. Then, a little over a decade ago, something changed in his mind. Where once he had been a wise and noble protector, the great dragon Abraxas became only a destroyer, a dark beast of rage that slew all before it. No King would stand against a dragon, the losses they would suffer would be great and no realm had the army to defeat a dragon as ancient and powerful as Abraxas. Instead the inhabitants of the land surrounding the mountain sought out dragon hunters, rogues, often hated and shunned, but respected and needed when a dragon went rogue.

An eye, once bright and golden was now filmed and misty, almost silver. Blind. Though Abraxas could see, his blindness was not literal, the filmed eyes could see as clear as day, but were a representation for the darkness and corruption that had taken root in a once peaceful soul. That eye stared out at the stars now, high in a mountain eyrie he looked out, before leaning forward and launching himself out from the mountain top. He soared on rising currents, wings outstretched, gaze searching the land below as he made the motions, made so common by routine towards a pool where he often drank. A small flat of land with a large pool of water. But tonight there was another in the clearing, he caught her scent on the wind, then saw her form, lying back beside the water...

 

[vampireelf]

Alex was sort of oblivious to the looking danger over head as she reminisced about times with her mother and her family. Rolling over she looked in to the pool of water at her reflection she looked just like her mother granted her hair was far messier but it was still that lovely lavender hair. Dipping her hand in to the cool waters as she felt the winds pick up a bit her her hair wavering in the wind. That's when she saw it out near the middle of the lake there was a dark looming shadow coming closer ant great speeds. "Damn" she cursed she had let her guard down grabbing her things she ran for the nearest shelter to get ready for what may come from the sky. Although Alex already knew what it was it was a dragon. The one she maybe hunting now.

Alex found her self siting in a small caver not big enough to fit a dragon but bige enough to hide her well from ones sight. Laying quietly in wait she had her sword out and her hair pulled back from her face waiting for it to land. "This must be where it drinks" she whispered. Alex felt the ground shake slightly as the massive beast touched down on the ground. Not being able to see the creature clearly she laid in wait for it.

 

[No_such_thing]

The grass rippled infrequently as he lowered himself on gently beating wings, the displaced air spreading out and down, buffeting the delicate blades with relentless force. A few feet from the ground, he flapped his wings one last time to steady himself before he landed. The earth trembled, ripples spreading out across the immaculate waters of the pool.

Whoever had been visible before had vanished, scurrying for cover as his shadow had soared across the clearing. He settled back onto his haunches casting an imperious gaze around the clearing, no one was visible. He leant forwards, crawling on all fours towards the water. Inhaling deeply as he grew closer to the pool. The usual pure, clean air was tainted by the presence of a human.

Female, strong, a warrior and a killer. The scent of steel reached his nostrils, death. This was no weakling, she was a strong one, he could smell the danger on her, smell the death of dragons. A Dragon Hunter? But a female? Knowing she was there, watching? Perhaps. Certainly aware, hidden beside the pool. Crouching by the water he leant forwards, lowering his snout and sucking great gulps of water into his gullet.

 

[vampireelf]

The grass rippled and the cool air from the dragons wings made her hair whip around her face at high speed and she smiled the fight was just beginning. Alex almost dropped her weapon as the ground trembled under the massive beast a few rocks falling in the small causing a hole in to the under ground patch of networks to open behind her. Alex was biding her time as she watched the Monster drink from the pool about to make her move she slides her right foot back a few inches. Pushing her weight up she suddenly felt the ground give way under her foot and she tumbled backwards in to the darkness below with a silence shattering scream.

How long had it been? who knows when Alex finally awoke with a groan covered in dirt and rubble "What the hell happened? Was I hit..No i fell." she looked up into the darkness and saw nothing. Than feeling for her bag she found a candle and a tinder box, Lighting the candle she looked around. "Left...Or ..Right" she asked her self before just choosing the right. Mumbling to her self on how stupid she was for not paying attention she began to step in to a large circular cavern that was mostly empty besides animal bones and some soft looking things in a large pile in the corner. This must be a den for some animal she thought to herself as she kept moving slowly and cautiously through the caves.

 

[No_such_thing]

There! He whipped around, roaring, mouth wide, ready to burn the fool brave enough to challenge him. He was greeted by empty air and the sound of a scream. There was a clattering of dislodged rocks and her moved forward, peering into the cave the noise had originated from. Whoever it was had disappeared, fallen into the darkness of what was in fact an entrance to the caverns that honeycombed the mountain.

Abraxas snarled in frustration, not only had his prey evaded him, it was now within the mountain, within his domain. He turned, whipping his tail around, scoring the earth before launching himself powerfully back into the sky. His wings beat down until he found a rising thermal to soar higher on. She would have to come out sooner or later, when she did, something like a smile appeared on his long snout, he would be ready.

 

[vampireelf]

Alex found her self in cavern after cavern as she tried to find her way out of the god forsaken mountain. "Well if this isn't the best day!" she called to the perpetual darkness around her "I mean how else could this day get worse. This was supposed to be a simple mission but noooo the ground just had to collapse under me...." she sighed and sniffed the air stopping in her tracks "What the..." she smiled and turned the corner and walked out in to the breaking dawn of the new day the wind catching her hair. Alex had managed to find her self on the west end of the mountain the morning sun warming her skin. "Well it might just get better" She smiled looking up "There..." she was almost there the cave of the beast she was to slay. Taking the small rocky path upward she found herself at the entrance of the gates to perpetual hell as she would call it. Drawing her weapon she crept slowly inside the caves dark depths.

 

[No_such_thing]

A long roar split the twilight. The sun had not yet risen, but hints of it's presence lurked just below the horizon, not that the light was necessary. The village burned, one lone figure staggered out of a hovel, flailing, beating at the flames that enveloped the struggling form. It staggered around in a small circle, then collapsed, at no point did it scream, it's identity, gender, everything lost and consumed in the white heat of dragonfire.

Abraxas watched idly from the centre of the village square, not that it could be called a square, it was simply a dirty circle of earth the rest of the buildings huddled around, providing a focal point for village life. He squatted like some great brooding bird of prey. He was frustrated he had missed his chance with the hunter, something about her scent had seemed, familiar somehow. But he knew she would re-emerge somewhere, she wouldn't stay hidden for ever, she would come for him.

He pushed off into the sky, exploiting the rising thermals from the burning village to soar back into the sky, finding other air currents to carry him back to the mountain, back to his lair. He alighted in the entrance to the cave, pulling his heavy form through the tunnels, curling up on his treasure hoard, his long tail wrapping around him. His lids, heavy with slumber, closed slowly.

 

[vampireelf]

By this time Alex was becoming majorly frustrated and she was about I've seconds away from pulling her hair out when she rounded a cornier and saw a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Alex took her time and stepped forth from the sheer darkness and onto a cliff not very big nor did it lead anywhere. Looking to her left she saw a small walking ledge big enough to get her feet on and inch around to the other near by ledge.

Alex wiped her hands free of sweat and gripped the wall and began inching around the corner taking her time. Reaching about the mid way point she stopped and pressing herself against the wall she slowly rewiped her hands off and continued on until she reached the rather large ledge and stopped feet from the mouth of another cave. Unsheathing her sword she began to inch forward to the mouth of the cave turning to pear inside she breathed slowly as her eyes fell on the enormous beast.

"Finally i have found you she whispered to her self." stepping in front of the cave she called out to the beast.

"Great dragon of the mountain prepare to die for the crimes agenst the village and FOR KILLING MY MOTHER YOU BASTARD!" Gaining momentum she began to run at the beast.

 

[No_such_thing]

The great silvered eyes opened a crack, taking in the situation before them instantly. The woman charging across the cave, the speed and momentum she was building up, the sword above her head glinting in the moonlight. She cast a shadow towards Abraxas as she came, poised to take his ancient life.

He kept his eyes slitted for the moment, hiding the fact that he was awake until she came closer, taking the opportunity to admire her form. She was attractive, for a human but the strength in her beauty was undeniable. She hurtled closer until at last she was in reach and his eyes flickered fully open. One claw reached out, flicking the sword from her grasp to clatter on the cave floor a few feet away. He reared up, snapping his great wings open and roaring in anger.

"You dare assault me?"

 

[vampireelf]

Suddenly the heaviness of the sword left her hands and she saw it clatter to the floor a few feet away. Alex stopped switching feet as she jumped back and slightly to her left snatching up her sword and crouching low as the great dragon opened its wings wide and roared at her.

"I do dare you killed my mother you bastard. So in return I plan to kill you"

Shuffling back to the mouth of the cave she began her fast run into her idea where the blind spot of the dragon was and just stood there.

"I was only a little girl when you took her from me. Only 8 when you ca,e and ripped apart the town for your pleasure do you remember it dragon DO YOU!" she stepped closer her sword poised " You took every thing dear to me when all we did was worship you. We did nothing to anger you and you still took the lives of my family and friends... I was all that was left why was that dragon answer me that before i rip your hear out and roast it over the flames laughing" she stepped back in to the the dragons sight at a safe distance and waited for an answer " Why was i spared ?" Her violet hair flowing down her back and her blue eyes shining.