Gates to Success

Spectacular, was the best way to describe his failure, or perhaps epic. As he hid behind the stone and hoped the dragon wouldn't take those last two steps forward bringing him out of the cover of the boulder, Germain rethought his life choices. LIke why had he volunteered as a dragonslayer? Yes, there was free armor and an enchanted sword.. Yes, success would mean he was set for life. The trouble was he had never so much as slayed a bunny. How did he think he would manage?

Germain took a three-second breath in, and released it over six seconds. What this situation needed was some calm. Armor and a sword weren't going to stop this dragon, what had he learned other than that? Over his lifetime he had learned from his failures, namely that he physically couldn't solve that many problems. Perhaps he should reexamine the problem. The princess was just the other side of the dragon guarded gate. The dragon was an immovable obstacle. Had anyone ever asked the dragon why he kidnapped the princess?

The dragon demonstrated the ability to speak with, "Your pitiful weapons will not affect me. Pfft, is that The Sword of Midigan? Seriously, it won't actually penetrate my scales, and that shield will only last two point five seconds against my fire. The last idiot had the same one..."

Come to think of it the dragon only seemed slightly miffed as Germain made him prove the shield would fail. Germain had barely ducked behind the boulder before his stainless steel armor began to burn and melt.

"Okay, so you have been through this a few times," Germain hollered, "You wouldn't have any suggestions on how I should proceed would you?"

"That question makes you undoubtedly the most intelligent dragonslayer I have met so far. Yes, I have a suggestion. Why not ask me why I am in your way."

Germain swallowed, "I hate conversing with people when I can't see their eyes. Is there any chance that you might promise not to incinerate me if I came out from behind this rock."

The dragon laughed, "As long as you toss that blade where you won't be tempted to use it on me."

Germain shrugged and tossed the heavy sword as far as he could. It thudded to the ground a few inches from the cover the boulder provided. Then Germain boldly stepped from behind his cover. "My name is Germain. I am not really a dragonslayer. I am a plumber. I just was tempted by the possible rewards. As a dragon I suppose you are aware of the temptation of mountainous piles of gold and gems."

The dragon pouted, "So just because I am a dragon I am all about a hord? Do you see a hord around here?"

"I apologize, uh what can I call you. Dragon seems too impolite, and hey you seems rude."

"Toffey, of the GreenForest Dragons."

"GreenForest? Aren't you a bit far from home? Why would you kidnap a princess here? Ruelandia is much closer."

"For one I was misled and tricked here. For another, I didn't kidnap the princess. That was contracted out to a gang of thugs. No the whole scheme was set up by a knight who was going to offer to free the princess for a mountain of treasures. He got himself transformed into a newt by the wizard he contracted to put the princess into a magical slumber. The wizard wouldn't let me go because he wanted to take over the scheme. I ate him and the newt and the thugs and everyone who has since come to slay me."

Germain unfastened his breastplate, "So let me understand you. You are trapped? How?"

"They placed a magical chain around my right ankle and I can't get any further than this through the gate."

"The Sword of Midigan is supposed to cut through anything. Would it cut through your chain?"

The dragon bared it's teeth in a caricature of a smile. "Would you be willing?"

"Can I have the princess?"

"I don't want her. Royalty gives me gas. That's why I haven't tried to eat her. But seriously I hate to eat people all the bones get caught in my teeth. I'm into fish."

"Hey me too, how am I supposed to get through that gate?" Germain asked picking up the sword.

Toffey struggled to back through the gate but his wings got stuck. "Sorry, the only way I'm going through this gate is forward, but I think their might be a human sized gate to my left... I can't believe how much weight I put on with a diet of deep fried dragonslayers."

"Red meat will do you in..." Germain checked and found the gate. He went through and found the chain. It was starting to cut into the dragon's ankle. "This might hurt." He lifted the sword and brought it down on the chain. It cut like butter. And true to Toffey's word the blade didn't even nick his scales.

"Oh, my, I can feel my toes!" Toffey exclaimed. Germain waited as Toffey limped the rest of the way through the gate. "The princess is in the third tower. Spit in her eye to wake her. I'm going home." Toffey flapped his massive wings and slowly left the ground.

Germain dropped the sword and began unbuckling the rest of the armor. He stabbed the sword into a stone and went to wake the princess. Success was fine bet he learned more from his failures.


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Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest  (ASR) Use the quote provided to write a story and win big prizes! #1207944 by Writing.Com Support

Quote Prompt for September 2024:

"It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."
— Bill Gates


The task is simple: Write a short story using the prompt above as inspiration!


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