Dragonite - Chapter One - The Awakening2

Thar had already begun to move, but something kept Cod's feet right where they were. After a few steps, Thar noticed his absence, and came to an irritated halt, his barely regained good mood dangerously close to collapsing.
"What on earth now?" he growled.
Cod didn't reply, instead knelt down once more in front the pedestal. Yes, again, his eyes hadn't deceived him. There, curved into the pedestal's side was a small recess, which had escaped his attention earlier. Within it, lay a bracelet.
Thar peeked over his shoulder.
"What ye got there?" he asked, the irritation in his voice momentarily elbowed aside by his curiosity.
Cod didn't answer. The bracelet was fairly thick, and rather too wide to be worn around the writs, even for a muscular one like Thar's. It shone just like the crown had. Probably plain gold just as well. And yet... something about it that made his palm itch to hold it.
"Wha' ye doing?!" Hissed Thar, as Cod's hand almost absent-mindedly reached out towards the bracelet. "Have ye forgotten what the captain said?! Don't touch anything else on the pedestal!"
Cod's hand froze in mid air.
"True." He muttered. "Then again... he di said don't touch anything else on the pedestal. And the bracelet isn't exactly on it, now is it?"
That prickling sensation...
"Well... I don't know Cod, the captain-"
"Oh, stop being such a pussy Tharny."
Thar gritted his teeth. He hated that particular nickname.
"I told ye never to..."
But Cod wasn't listening. The last shreds of doubt giving way under the ever-growing fascination towards the bracelet, Cod's hands covered the last several inches remaining, and his fingers closed around its surface.
Pulling it out, he wasn't surprised to find that indeed it was just mere gold. No decoration or anything of the sort covered the smooth surface. But no, actually, it wasn't exactly smooth either.
Holding the bracelet up towards the light, Cod noticed that there were symbols, no, pictures engraved into the surface. Pictures of...
"Ruddy hell! Dragons!" gasped Thar behind him.
Indeed they were, realized Cod. But what a curious assortment of dragons indeed! Sure, some of them were just as one would imagine them to be: Large, massive body, muscular legs, enormous wings, and a long, deadly tail to fill in the picture. Some of them Cod even recognized, from the stories heard at the taverns, and the tales of wanderers way back in his childhood...
Yes, that one there, that was no doubt a red one... Spiky back, scaly skin/leathery hide... Could breath fire if he remembered it right... Oh, and the one next to it, the furry one, that was a green dragon, wasn't it?... And the one further up, with deadly-long claws and coated in scales... That must be the dreaded black... And all with such detail!... Such magnificent detail...
But there were others too, others that Cod could only guess as to what kind of family they might belong. The one with that longish face, was it a blue or a yellow?... And could the one on the border possibly be the white colored dragon of the snowlands?... And the one beside it?... Just what kind of a beast was that?... Was it a dragon at all?...
Cod turned the bracelet slowly around, examining the pictures. Yes, there were more of the sort... If dragons, they sure looked strange. Those there for example looked like ridiculously over-spiked giant lizards more then your average dragon... Their head was dragonish enough all right, but for goodness sake, they didn't even have wings!... And that one there, that was even more odd, completely furry and not a single spike! What kind of dragon has neither wings nor spikes?... and... no, at least the paws had claws... and that bunch over there... that rather large bunch of similar drawings... what sort of creatures did they fancy to be?...
But perhaps the most peculiar one of all was the dragon that seemed to be placed somewhat apart from all the others. Oh, it looked perfectly all right for a dragon... and yet... and yet, there was something about those minuscule, yet endlessly deep eyes...
Cod released a breath he didn't realize he was holding back. Those eyes... so finely crafted, so astonishingly real... just by looking at them, he sensed and ancient, never-before-felt chill creeping down his spine, squeezing his stomach into a tiny ball...
"Now that's a piece of jewelry you don't get to see every day..." murmured Thar at the back of his ear.
"Aye..." breathed Cod, waking up from his hypnotic-like state. Why did the bracelet arouse such an interest in him?... It was after all only gold... Even with all the fine-carved detail, it still was worth far less than most of the other stuff that lay around in here ... And yet, the more and more he looked at it, the less and less he wanted to part with it...
"Come on lad." Nudged his shoulder Thar. "We don't have the whole day to waste. Put that thing back where it belongs, an' let's get it movin'"
"Hmm..." hummed Cod in reply.
"Oy, don't be a fool mate!" snorted Thar, guessing what was on his mind. "Ye know what the capt'n said about-"
"Oh, come off it Thar! Don't you be telling me you haven't bagged in a couple of jewels under those rags of yours!"
"Them aren't no bloody rags, but pretty darn fine clothes! And those are tiny gems we're talkin' about, and not something as darn huge as that bracelet! If the capt'n ever finds out-"
"Then he won't." Shrugged Cod, looking over himself in search for an idea.
The pockets were out of the question. The bracelet would bulge out far too much not to be noticed. Another choice would have been his good old leather sack, except he had to leave it behind back in the forest. Cod smiled. It had been a painful, but rather simple a choice: either cut it loose, or keep it, along with a meter long spear holding it dead-fixed against a tree, with its owner and three of his palls bout there to retrieve it. And anyways, if the captain was in the mood, it would have been the very first thing he'd search through. So...
"Oh, come on lass, just put it back where it was, ye'll come back for it once the capt'n has his bloody crown."
True. But still... what if someone else got here first to claim it? What if the captain himself spots it? Surely he'll want to take a look at the pedestal... And parting with it... Plain gold or not, this thing was even more of a marvel than the snake-cup...
But... where to put?... darn it, Thar's right, if the captain-... Oy! That's an idea!
Sliding his left hand into the bracelet, he pushed it up until it set nice and firm, what was rather close to his shoulder, what with the thing being as big as it was. But once there, the bracelet fitt perfectly. Finally all those days of scrubbing the deck started to pay off...
"Ye aren't serious!" gaped at him wide-eyed Thar.
Cod didn't answer, instead tore off a makeshift seam on the edge of his shirt, and unfolded the sleeve. It was a good shirt, even if a bit worn out by now, made of quality silk. 'Acquired' some years ago from a merchant who would no longer need it. The sleeve rolled down till the elbow, perfectly covering the thick body of the bracelet. He did the same thing with the right-handed one, gazing satisfied at the result. The sleeves were fairly loose, loose enough for the bracelet to be completely invisible beneath their fabric, and not arouse any attention.
"What do you think?" he asked, looking pleased with himself.
"Ye're an idiet." Stated Thar, shaking his head.


They weren't first nor last to return from their search. And apparently neither were they the only ones to have stumbled upon a mountainfull worth of gold either. But even so, Cod sure enjoyed the look on the ones present when he produced the crown from under a rag. The whispers and curses, the envious eyes boring holes into his side... Nay, he won't even bother noticing them. Just to spite them a bit...
Cod winked at Zorna as he passed her, the sole female of the bunch, who smiled adoringly back at him. A long, freshly acquired gash wound over her forehead, but even with that and the grime and dust coating her usually so smooth, sunbrowned skin, she looked absolutely gorgeous.
The captain's eyes were huge, and positively beaming as he approached, and his hands trembled as they hastily clasped after the long awaited artifact. Was that a hint of a tear running down that battle-hardened, scar-wrinkled cheek? My, whatever one didn't live to see...
"Well me hearties!...." The captain breathed, his voice unusually soft, barely even a whisper. "Ye sure have..."
His lips continued to move, but no sound came out from between them. Cod gazed at those usually so ferocious eyes, now completely lost within the crown's mirror-smooth surface. Me hearties? Did he hear it right?
But barely a moment later, the captain's face shifted to his usual, shark like expression, and he barked out:
"All right you scurvy mongrels, away with you! Half an hour, that all you got, is that understood!?"
There was an earth-shaking 'Hurray!' of a reply, accompanied by loud cheers and whistles.
"Enjoy your share!" the captain added half to himself, eyes already long lost within the shine of his newfound sweetheart.
No one needed to be told twice. Immediately, the men spun around, scattering all over the place towards the direction they came from, each having a treasure or two already eyed out for themselves.
"Your share. Right..." sneered softly Cod under his nose. He glanced over at the captain. Just for a split second, the captain glanced up. There. A tiny twitch of his fingers. The sign. Most hadn't even noticed it, but Cod and two others knew perfectly well what it meant.
Cod quickly checked whether those two have seen it. They had. As agreed, Zorna disappeared round the corner right behind Ksalvar, smiling in her cute, cat-like fashion. Lovy Halfeye stepped into the corridor opposite Cod's, following the endlessly chatting Blackale and Rusty. He looked quite sour, having to follow those two blubbering idiots instead of heading towards his own corner, which was through the same passage that Zorna took. What was yet another reason why Halfeye would have preferred that other passage. Tough break Lovy...
The only one who remained unmoving was Woodshanks, staring sternly after his departing shipmates. He was perhaps the only pirate to sail the seas who wasn't interested in treasure... apparently apart from the captain that is... Ah well, suit yourself. Not that it'll matter anyway...
"Hey Thar!" Cod shouted, turning around, and waddling off after the already distant figure, half lifting, half dragging his by now rather painfully throbbing leg. "Hey mate, wait up! Could use a little compassion over here!"



         They trotted on side-by-side, Thar ceaselessly chattering about what he'll do with all the treasure, and constantly nudging Cod to hurry. His face showed not a trace of the foul mood he was in barely half an hour ago. A single thing filled his feverish mind: gold.
         "Oh come on Cody," he laughed, mouth reaching from ear to ear. "You're as slow as me gran'ma after her funeral!"
"You try hurrying with half your leg torn up." Cod panted. He no longer could walk properly. In a few places, the wound began to bleed again.
"...And all the women my boy, think of all the women!" continued Thar his fantasizing, taking no notice of Cod's reply. "Just imagine the things we will- Oh, get yerself movin' already! Just thinking about all this is making me drool!"

They reached the treasure room. For a moment, Thar just stood there, eyes spinning in every direction possible, unable to decide in which pile to plunge himself in first.
"Cody me moy..." he sighed, wallowing his entire being in the sea of riches. "We're two darn lucky bastards!"
Cod smirked back.
"So, what will it be?" he inquired.
"Everything!" burst out Thar, flinging himself into the mound beside him. Completely forgetting the pain in his leg, Cod followed.
Pile through pile they scaled, snatching up all kind of gems, jewels, precious jewelry and ornaments, basically everything their fingers stumbled upon, examining them with an expert's eye.
"Here my lad, what ye think?" poked Thar a jeweled amulet under Cod's nose. "Now tell me it ain't a beauty!"
Cod scanned the object with thorough eyes.
"Yea, not bad, but, but nowhere near this marvel!" he said, pulling out a scepter.
"Who!" exclaimed Thar, chucking the amulet behind his back without a second thought. "Now that's a thing worthy of my two eyes!"
For a moment or two they stared at it, eyes gleaming with all the brightness of their auspicious future.
"Here, take it." Cod said, tossing the bejeweled staff into Thar's hands, already halfway over towards the next heap.
"Oy, you're serious?" Thar exclaimed, astounded. "I can have it? Now that's a real pirate's honor right there my boy!"
Cod grinned back, picking up an exquisitely decorated breastplate.
"How's this?" he asked, holding it up.
"Hm, let me have a look..." Crawled up the pile Thar, hands filled to the brim with gemstones. "Nay, to fancy."
"To fancy? Since when was that a problem?"
"Since we're rich Cody, WE'RE BLOODY RICH!!!" broke out Thar in an insane laughter, so much so that he fell of his feet, jewels flying all over the place.
Cod's grin turned for a brief moment into a snarl. Gosh, he is giggling just like a girl...
Suddenly, Thar stopped, whirling around.
"Now here's a worthy beauty!" he said, pulling out from under a pile a jewel-cased dagger. Cod whistled.
"Wow! Let me see!"
Thar handed him the priceless weapon.
"By Merlin's beard!" breathed Cod, his fingers gently caressing the jeweled-sheath. "Now that's something you shouldn't let the captain see. Whatever got into his head to make him stop caring for treasure, I'll bet you anything he'll snatch it right off you the moment he lays his eyes on it."
They both chuckled in agreement. With loving care, Cod pulled out the dagger from its scabbard.
"Look at that! Even the blade is set with jewels!"
Thar was about to reply, when a distant shriek filled the air. They froze. The shriek faded away, and in the few seconds that followed, a dead-like silence befell the chambers. Thar looked at Cod, and Cod looked at Thar. They both knew exactly just what kind of shriek that was. One that's never uttered by the same person twice...
"Ksalvar..." whispered Thar, glancing towards the passage, face pale. "What the bloody hell could have-"
Cod grabbed the chance by the throat. Thar gave out a dump, hollow cry, nowhere near as loud as Ksalvar's, and fell face forward onto a pile, the jeweled dagger protruding out of his back. The blade had run right through his heart.
Cod sighed, whipping a bead of sweat from his forehead. This was close. Too close. Thar Gutsplitter wasn't someone he wanted to test his blading-skills against in a one-on-one battle. Especially with an injured leg. Darn you Zorna, you two-left-handed ditzy!...
         Yanking out the dagger, he wiped its blade clean on Thar's clothes, making sure that not so much as a droplet of blood remained.
         "I'll have this if you don't mind." He said, picking up the shining scepter, its end colored beautifully scarlet with blood. "Pirate's honor my arse..."
         Hastily, Cod made his way through the piles towards the shimmering pedestal, and from there, he traced his way back to the ravishing cup he spotted earlier. He had the sense not to show Thar that particular object. Just in case.
Pausing only for a brief admiration-filled moment to marvel it, he raced on towards the passage, cashing in a few more jewels on the run as he went.
         "Darn you Zorna..." he swore out loud, panting from the strain on his leg. Just she wait till he gets there... He'll rip her head off!... Hopefully she at least managed to kill Ksalvar. Else she's in a lot of trouble. Ksalvar Deafblade was by far the most cunning seadog he ever had known, with the only thing bigger then his wits being his greed for anything that even pretended to shine.
And Halfeye... If he hadn't managed to kill Blackale and Rusty before that treacherous cry, he was about to have a hell of a time. Blackale may be fat, and Rusty thin and wiry, but together they formed a formidable team. Anyhow, it's best to return to the captain. Things might get pretty hot pretty fast, and the treasure isn't going anywhere.
Darn you Zorna... Just be alive...

He ran through the passage, sword drawn. At the last bend, he made a quick halt, stashing away the staff and the goblet into a less visible corner, so as not to be hindered by them if it comes to action.
Another scream, this one filled with fury rang through the halls. Rushing into the hall, he was just in time to see Blackale limping out of the passageway, his drawn saber dripping with blood.
"Treachery!" he croaked, blood of his own seeping down his side from under his shirt. "Treachery! That son of a bitch sliced Pidgins right up! He-..."
He stopped dead, noticing the limp mass that lay at the captain's feet. Cod glanced down as well. It was Woodshanks, face up and spread out, the marks of the captain's blade clearly visible across his throat. His own sword was still sheathed within his belt.
Blackale's body started to shake with rage. Despite his wobbly figure and dim eyes, he was quite quick-witted.
"You miserable... To my side Cody! This bloody bastard wants all the treasure for himself!"
But before Cod had time to reply, a loud jingle reached their ears, and all three of them turned towards the appearing Zorna.
It was a sight. She was so covered with golden bracelets, rings, necklaces, anklets and anything else possibly wearable, that the only things still visible of her were her big, shiny eyes and the dagger clutched in her hand.
"WHY YOU LITTLE...!" bellowed Blackale, seeing the blood coating her blade. "THAT'S FOR KSALVAR!" he hollered, leaping at her, losing the last bit of the self-control he still had left. And sense.
Two bounds and he was in front of her. He gave out a loud roar, saber speeding down towards its target. But before it came even close, it flew out of his hand, landing with a loud clang upon the marble plates of the floor. Roar rapidly fainting into a petty scream, Blackale slumped to the ground right by it, the very same embellished dagger sticking out of his back as out of Thar's.
"That's for Halfeye" snorted Cod, bending down to retrieve the weapon. Not that he actually cared for Halfeye.
"Sweet throw, Cody." Purred Zorna, jangling closer towards him.
"Lousy stab, Zorna." Replied Cod, trying to grin and sneer at the same time. Zorna was really a magnificent creature. 'Attractive' hardly did her justice: graceful, slim features, honey-like voice, and beautiful, silver-green eyes, the kind in which one wished to stare into for an eternity, not caring for anything else that was happening around them.
"Hey, it wasn't my fault!" She protested waving her hands, sending ripples of jingle throughout her body. "That bastard glimpsed me in a mirror just as I was about to stab him! He-"
"Ye, ye, sure. And we both know he was not only half deaf, but dim-sighted too."
"It was a big mirror!" stretched Zorna her tongue in reply, putting on her sulky expression. She gracefully walked towards the grim figure of the captain, showily snuggling against his muscular body.
The captain let out a broad, shark-like smile, a smile that had more teeth in it than anything else. His eyes positively beamed now that the crown was settled upon his head, almost as if an immense amount of suppressed energy was barred behind them, begging to burst out. Was that simple circlet really magical? Or was it just the way the fire reflected upon their surface, and upon that of the crown?
Slowly, the sharky smile widened into an even sharkier grin. Something about it sent cold shivers running down Cod's back.
"So, what now captain?" broke Cod the silence. "Back the way we came? Will get a bit dangerous with only the three of us."
"Aye, me boy, that it will." Replied the captain, shaking of Zornas's hand, which was gradually twining in around his neck.
"Pity about Halfeye and Ree." Continued on Cod, trying to keep up the conversation.
"Aye." Agreed the captain. "A darn fine fellow Ree was." The captain didn't really care about Halfeye either.
"So, eee, just how exactly are we getting out then?"
The captain reached into one of his waistcoat's numerous pockets, pulling out two round something that looked very much like common marbles.
Cod blinked at them.
"Pardon sir?"
A loud, rumbling laughter burst out between the captain's jaws, echoing throughout the chamber.
"'Pardon sir'?" he repeated, mimicking Cod's tone. "Cody my boy, when are you goin' to finally learn how to talk proper? Five years out on the sea, and you still blubber like a toothless landrat."
"Aye sir, but a landrat with sea-legs and a black tale nonetheless."
The captain continued to chuckle, Zorna giggling girlishly beside him.
"Well, so what exactly are those, eee... things?"
"Portals." Replied the captain in a perfectly natural-like manner.
Both Cod's and Zorna's eyebrows crept an inch upwards.
"Eii... portals?" leaned closer Zorna, eying the two stone-like balls with a curious look. "You mean like... the things that get you to places? Like the ones wizards use?"
"Aye." Grinned at her the captain.
And it was at that precise moment that Cod's heart skipped a rather large beat. Two marbles. Two portals. For two people. Ree... if Ree hadn't died...
Without a second thought, Cod kicked himself backwards, fingers already clasping around the hilt of his blade. And at that very moment, a sharp pain spread throughout his chest, leaving him choking for air.

The stab was meant for his heart. Even so, it barely came an inch short of its target. But it didn't come from the captain-...
"Zorna!" he gasped, as Zorna leaped forward for another stab. Not Ree?... Zorna!? But it made no sense... Ree had always been the captain's favorite...
"Blasted bitch! You'll pay for this!" spat Cod, jumping to the side. Blocking her blow, he sent the jeweled dagger spinning towards her, but missed, his burning lungs blazing up with almost unbearable pain from the effort. She didn't waste any time either, hacking at him with merciless force. Cod hardly managed to block. Tears sprung in his eyes as the two blades clashed together, the strain on his chest almost causing him to faint.
She fought like a vicious cat, slashing and stabbing at him from every direction. She was fast, too fast for his wounds to handle, even with all that jewelry strapped on and around her. He felt his energy gradually seeping away through the blood-spouting wound at his side. His vision suddenly doubled, but just for a moment. He was losing focus...
Zorna... Zorna betrayed him! She, who so sincerely called him his friend! Who so many times cried on his shoulders when she was barely a girl, so many years back... She and the captain have-... but no. No. That second portal was meant for Ree. It was meant for Ree, not her, and she knew it! And yet, in spite of all this, she tries to curry favor with the captain now that the second place if free! Had Ree not died, she would be soaking here in blood herself... She had a choice! Mage or not, together they could have defeated him! They could have won! She didn't have to...
Boiling rage flooded him, filling him with renewed strengths, dampening the pain with its energies. Turning a block into a parry, he sank his blade into her shoulder, not caring for the wound he received in return. Slash after slash he advanced on Zorna, his fury and the lust for revenge burning stronger and stronger, until it was the only thing that filled his entire essence. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the grinning figure of the captain, just standing there with that devilish look on his face, enjoying the show, not really caring who of the two shall become the victor. If Cod would wins, then it will be him who'll receive the second portal. But no, he won't accept it. He'll chop that wretched bastard up into thousand pieces, not caring what petty magic the captain might throw at him. Oh yes, he'll kill him, and make him pay, even if that's the last thing he does!
He slashed, struck, blocked, kicked, ducked and slashed again, the clatter of steel reverberating against the walls of the dark and empty cave. He wanted to make them pay for this betrayal! They will pay. He wanted to kill, he wanted revenge, he wanted blood...


He slashed, the brute strength of the blow sending Zorna's blade flying thorough the cavern air. She looked up at him, her hand dropping powerlessly to her side, sheer terror coating her face. Then he struck, sinking his teeth deep into her body.
The flesh gave in like butter to knife. The bones snatched. The sweet taste of blood filled the rims of his mouth. Releasing her lifeless body, he let it fall onto the dank, earthy rock with a 'squelch'-like thump. Blood pulsed out of her wounds, spreading in a wide pool around her.
He turned to face the captain, that puny human standing below him, a feathered wand swinging in his hand limply by his side. Just one emotion shone through those usually so ruthless and rage-filled eyes: Emptiness. Just deep, pittless emptiness. Oh yes. What an ineffably rapturous look indeed!...


Cod's side burned, his heart was pounding, but his mind was neither filled with rage nor pain, but plain, bottomless, infernal horror.
He still felt the large drop of saliva-mixed blood dripping down from his jaws, the sweetness of its worm, life-filled substance still lingering among his lips, though now even the mere thought of it was utterly repulsive.
What-?... How-?... This was madness...
Cod just stared at the enormous beast towering above him, snapping with its foot-long teeth at the captain. The claws, the teeth!, the wings, the size of it! Oh, he knew what the beast was, he knew exactly! He had seen it on paintings, he heard stories about it bout a hundred times! Heck, he was staring at its picture not ten minutes ago! He knew, but his mind refused to accept what his eyes were showing him. And those eyes... Those burning, hell-ridden red eyes...
He heard the sickening snapping of bones, and the brief, horrid shriek of the captain, and a wave of death-like cold ran through his body. The world begun to swirl in front of his eyes, the nausea-like horror and the loss of blood taking hold of his consciousness. He desperately tried to focus, to stay on his feet, to run, run, RUN, but his legs could no longer support him. He sagged on his knees, down onto the cold, earthy ground, right next to the ragged, blood covered Zorna. He could no longer hold it back, the contents of his stomach came rushing right up, splashing into his lap.
He saw the gigantean shadow turn, he heard the deep, rumble-like breath thundering over his head. He could no longer see it, everything having gone completely dark. He had to concentrate, he had to focus! But it was no use. The darkness was spinning faster and faster. Cod fell to his side, down into a pool he knew was not water. A warm substance dripped onto his face. His eyes were clenched tight, his whole body trembling. Something round was pressed against his left palm. Instinctively, his fingers clasped around it. His lips moved, though he had no idea what they were forming. Then there came a pull. A sharp pull, first at his palm, then spreading throughout his body, growing stronger and stronger... And then suddenly a jolt. Right in his side. Hot... Piercing... Pain seared through his entire being. Blood rushed into his mouth. And he screamed. A choked, gurgling scream, on and on and on... And then everything went dark.

He was dead.