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Amadeus and Mort


Tesset

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This is something I wrote for a friend. I'm looking for some constructive criticism on it, and I'm curious what other people who weren't involved in the creation of the characters think of it. Fair warning: it's long for an internet post, probably a half hour read minimum. Also, the formatting doesn't work quite as well on the forum as it does on paper. Oh well.

 

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Amadeus sang:

If I had a hammer

His voice rang through the field, high and clear.

I'd hammer in the morning

The blue sky overhead was bright and cheery.

I'd hammer in the evening

The birds sang along with him, though with their own tune.

All over this land!

A thick, black column of smoke rose on the horizon in front of him. Something drew him towards it, and he set off that way, ignoring the potential danger.

I'd hammer out danger

I'd hammer out a warning

I'd hammer out love

A dream

Brothers and sisters

All over this land

~~

Amadeus walked into the burnt out village cautiously. Silence filled his ears, unbroken even by burning wood or falling structures.

 

Hello? he called. Nothing responded, so he started walking the paths. All around, he found charred houses, but no people. He could tell that people had been here, and had left in no hurry. But where is everyone? He wondered.

 

Suddenly, a dragon called overhead. Amadeus quickly ducked into a house, but stayed near the door, watching outside. Over the town flew one of the stranger dragons Amadeus had seen, and he'd seen a few, traveling as a bard.

 

This dragon was sky blue, almost invisible against the cloudless sky. The only reason Amadeus could see it in the sky was the golden spots gleaming along its body and the beating of its heavy wings. No scale presented itself, but Amadeus guessed that the dragon was fairly large, at least ten feet in length. A shadow passed over the town as the dragon crossed over the sun, and Amadeus stepped out and watched it fly into the mountains.

 

Amadeus looked around him at the remains of the town. Oh. he thought. Dragon attack. No use sticking around then.

 

Amadeus was back on the main road when he heard the crunch of footsteps. He turned around.

 

Can you help me? A young girl asked. She stood awkwardly clutching a small bundle of firewood, almost losing the bundle twice during her short question. Her yellow dress was torn and ratty, and she seemed close to tears.

 

Amadeus leaned down and took the bundle from her. What do you need, little miss? he asked.

 

Her face instantly brightened. Thanks, she said. I need wood for the fire, but I can't get enough and I can't carry it all back.

 

As Amadeus walked with her, the little girl chatted away happily. My name's Susie. My momma and poppa live in the big cave. My brother lives there too. His name is Cap. He usually helps me get wood, but today he said he couldn't come. Where are you from, mister?

 

Oh, here, there, everywhere. I'm a traveling bard.

 

Susie's eyes lit up. Really? My Uncle Rocko used to be a bard! Do you know the one about the guy with the monkey?

 

Amadeus thought for a second, then started to sing:

Hiru's hat flies

So very high

Even Marnk can't bring it back down

 

Yeah! That one! Susie squealed happily.

Monkey climbs up

falls with a thump

And the hat is still in the tree

~~

Susie rushed into the cave excitedly. Mommy, Daddy, I'm back!

 

Amadeus followed her more slowly. Inside, ten or fifteen families milled around, carrying things, cooking, or doing whatever daily chores needed done. The cave was large, almost twenty feet tall and wide, and stretching back into darkness, but it felt cramped with the people, the lives of an entire village misplaced into a single cave.

 

The cave felt heavy with despair to Amadeus, who had seen other villages in much the same circumstances. Here, though, even the children's laughter echoed off the walls like dead weight, leaving gloom to dominate over the joy. Many of the adults had bare rags for clothing, having long since given what they could to their children. Food was another obvious problem more than one starving person walked the cave with dead eyes.

I'm going to fix this, Amadeus decided. They could use a good song, a good story.

A man approached Amadeus, Susie right on his heels. Good day. May name's Mathew, I'm Susie's father. And you are?

 

Amadeus. I'd offer to shake hands, but I have all these branches.

 

Mathew smiled slightly. Here, let me have some, and we can put them on the big fire. Mathew took a few branches and led Amadeus to a roaring flame in the middle of the cave. Above it was a hole where the smoke could escape. Mathew and Amadeus tossed their firewood in, then sat down in the warmth.

 

I'm the chief of this motley crew, I suppose you could say. Mathew said. What brings you around here? We don't see many new faces, especially these days.

 

I'm a traveling bard, Amadeus said. Just traveling on to the next town when I found this place. I figured I might rest here for a while. I can work for my stay, no problem.

 

This doesn't seem odd to you, us being in a cave like this?

 

Of course not. This isn't the first time I've been to a village misplaced by a dragon.

 

Well, as long as you know the danger here, I suppose you may stay. Ask around, see what you can do to help. Mathew stood up. I need to be going. Still much to prepare for tonight. He walked off.

 

Amadeus looked at Susie, who had stayed behind. What's going on tonight? He asked.

 

It's the Festival of Children, she said, sounding like it should be the most obvious thing in the world. Some other girls called Susie over to them, and she bounced off with a Gotta go!

 

The Festival of Children, Amadeus thought. I've been gone a long time. A long way South. I don't think I've ever seen a festival without snow. Amadeus stood up, and started to help with what he could.

~~

Later that night, the festivities began. Instruments were dragged out of corners and tuned. Spaces were cleared, and couples took to them to dance. Amadeus found a space of his own and started telling stories.

 

He started with simple children's stories. Hiru and Marnk were obvious favorites. As the night progressed, more people, children and adults alike, joined the crowd around Amadeus. Eventually, one of the adults, a wizened old man, asked for the story of the dragons.

 

Long ago, the dragons and the humans were the same. We flew through the skies and commanded their magic just as they do now. We built great cities instead of destroying them, and wrote beautiful music, greater than even what we can do now.

 

This was a golden age of peace. We were dragons, the most powerful creatures in the world. We built a great city in the sky, a citadel of peace and love. Magic suffused the city so fully that simply being there would heal and strengthen.

 

But there were those who were jealous of this perfect city. They called themselves Skies, and those in the city Dirts.

 

The Skies attacked one day deep in the night. They brought fire, and burnt down the great structures. They brought also a new weapon. Ghosts, great, powerful ghosts called Spiritus. The Spiritus spread through the city, attacking and killing Dirts until they were forced to flee.

 

With the Dirts gone, the great city fell. The Skies, their prize destroyed, turned with anger on the Dirts. The Skies banded together, and with their power combined, cast a great spell.

 

The Dirts were stripped of their wings, and magic torn from them. Their forms changed and they became the first humans. Fallen from power, the humans fled to every corner of the earth.

 

The Skies rule us now, though we just call them dragons. But they promised that when they found a human worthy of the honor, they would raise him up to be a dragon. So, we live our lives to appease the dragons, so that we may one day become one of them once more.

 

A silence settled on those sitting, and for the first time, the soft pitter patter of rain was heard. Suddenly, lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder booms echoed in the cave.

 

A figure stood at the entrance to the cave, dripping slightly. He walked slowly to the fire, and Mathew sat down heavily, scattering water drops over the crowd.

 

Cap went to fight the dragon. He went to fight Mort.

 

A gasp went around the fire. Susie stood up, hesitated, then ran off into another part of the cave. A feeling of melancholy settled on the villagers, and several women started to cry quietly.

 

This, Amadeus thought. This is how I can help. I can give them hope.

I will rescue him. He said, standing up boldly.

 

The villagers looked up at him sadly. No one has returned from Mort's cave. It would be suicide to try.

 

But I must try. Amadeus replied.

~~

Amadeus stood outside the dragon's cave. The rain had intensified, coming down harder with more frequent lightning. The inside of the cave was black with soot, smoke, and a general darkness that Amadeus couldn't pierce. Smoke rolled out the top of the opening in rhythmic bursts.

 

Amadeus steeled himself and made his way into the cave. The worst of the smoke passed after a few feet, and Amadeus's eyes quickly adjusted to the dimness. An immense cavern, easily triple the size of the villagers' cave, unfolded in front of him. In it, gold glinted teasingly, piled in mounds that stretched to the roof of the cave. Other treasures glinted along with the gold, from beautiful gems to ordinary objects like buckets and spades.

 

The most impressive thing in the cave, however, was Mort. He lied curled up in the middle of the cave, breathing bursts of fire with his snores. His blue scales still held gold spots, but here, surrounded by the treasure, they seemed natural. He laid on a smaller mound of treasure, using it to protect his soft underbelly.

 

And at the foot of the mound was Cap. He was unconscious, but appeared to be otherwise unharmed. He gripped a hammer in his hand, a simple blacksmith's hammer obviously intended as a weapon.

 

Amadeus crept over, careful to avoid anything that might make a noise. Several careful, agonizing minutes later, he made it to where Cap lie. He carefully shook the boy, but Cap didn't awaken. Amadeus looked up at the dragon, who, in his sleep, seemed oblivious to anyone's presence in the cave, then leaned down close to Cap and sang:

Awake, awake, young man Cap

You are in danger here

 

Cap's eyes fluttered open. Wh-Where-? Amadeus clapped his hand across the boy's mouth and made an urgent shushing motion. Cap's eyes widened, but he nodded in comprehension.

 

Be quiet. I'm going to help you get out of here. Amadeus whispered, lifting his hand from Cap's mouth. Cap stood up carefully.

 

Amadeus looked again at Mort. The great dragon seemed peaceful in his rest, not ferocious enough to destroy an entire village. When no movement was forthcoming, Amadeus started back across the cave, this time with Cap following him.

 

Halfway across the floor, however, Cap turned away from the entrance and started toward a pile of treasure at the side of the cave. Amadeus, intent on escape, did not notice until it was too late. Cap reached the pile, and delicately pulled some treasure off the top.

 

Mort awoke with a roar of pure anger. Cap froze in fear, and the dragon stretched his long neck to face him.

 

Run! Amadeus exclaimed. Cap glanced over, then ran toward the exit, stuffing his stolen treasure into his pocket. Mort immediately reared up to breath fire at him.

 

Amadeus instinctively reached into a pile. His hands met the hilt of a sword, and he pulled it out. The dragon breathed out his fire, but Cap was ready, and he changed direction at the last moment, keeping ahead of the dragon's fire by dodging rapidly. Amadeus ran up to Mort, and with a yell, slashed at his foot, the only thing he could reach. The blade clinked uselessly off the scales. Without interrupting his stream of fire, Mort stepped on Amadeus.

 

Luckily, the sword pierced the dragon's soft underfoot, and he roared again, this time in pain. He turned to Amadeus, trapped under his paw, and Cap escaped.

 

Realizing he had lost his treasure and his captive only served to make Mort angrier. He reared back and a blue flame grew in the back of his mouth. Unable to do anything else, Amadeus drew his extremities under the dragon's foot. With the roar of an igniting pyre, Mort breathed down on his foot. Flames licked Amadeus underneath, and pure heat surrounded him, but the foot protected him enough to keep from melting.

 

Mort realized this, and lifted his foot to fire again. Amadeus wrenched the sword free, and was rewarded with a shower of dragon blood. Blind, the flames engulfed him, and he screamed.

 

But the fire didn't burn. Only a pleasing warmth spread over him, and he stood up in the midst of the flames. Somehow, the dragon's blood was protecting him. His scream of terror turned into a scream of defiance, and he broke for the exit.

 

Mort realized his mistake at the last moment. He struck out at Amadeus and hit him solidly in the back. Amadeus was lifted off the ground, the sword falling from his grasp, and he flew out of the cave into the rain. He hit the ground hard, and half-rolled, half-slid until he found himself at the edge of the mountain cliff. Wild instinct sent his hand to the rocks at the edge as he tumbled over. His arm was wrenched painfully, but his fall stopped. He hung there until the pain made him black out.

~~

Amadeus awoke in the villagers' cave. He hurt all over, but he was alive. Flashes of lightning still illuminated the cave, but his clothes were dry and comfortable.

 

Susie, Cap, their parents, and most of the villagers sat around him, talking and laughing, filling the cave with joy, no matter the evil echoes.

 

Amadeus sat up carefully. From atop him fell flowers, beautiful flowers of every shape, size, and color. Beautiful reds, greens, blues, purples, and yellows assaulted his eyes. And on top, or at least only partly buried by the fallen flowers, was the hammer.

 

He's awake! Susie squealed suddenly. A cheer rose from the villagers, rose and engulfed everything in the mountain. Even when the cheer stopped, its echoes bounced off the walls and escaped into the air outside.

 

Mathew smiled at Amadeus. Thank you, Amadeus, for the kindness you've shown us. He put his arm around his son. No one has ever returned from a fight with Mort. We used to have many warriors in this village, but we had all either fallen, or lost our spirit. I watched my own brother, Rocko, challenge the dragon, and waited in vain for him to return, the last of our warriors. The hammer on you lap is the only weapon we have left.

 

He turned to the rest of the village. But you have given us hope, as only a bard can. You reminded us that we were once as great as that dragon, nay, greater than Mort, and we can be again. We shall be! Mort shall return to take back Cap, and this time, we're ready. This time, we shall slay the dragon!

 

Another cheer arose from the village, louder than the last. When at last it died, Mathew turned again to Amadeus. Will you join us in our fight? He asked.

 

Amadeus grasped the hammer and stood up quickly, sending flowers flying into the crowd. He raised the hammer high over his head, and the third cheer was the loudest of all.

~~

Twenty-one men stood outside the big cave, watching the clouds for a sign of Mort. Every tool the men could find had been converted into a weapon-the strongest men had been given shovels and pitchforks, while others held rags that served as makeshift slings, or sharpened spits and sticks. One man had even called back his old warrior spirit and fastened together a hasty bow with five simple arrows stuck in the ground next to him. Anyone who had no weapon held stones or their fists, to fight any way they could.

 

Pure determination filled the cracks in their offensive power. Each man in the crowd was determined to destroy the dragon - on his own, if he had to and was confident in his ability to do so.

 

At the front of the warriors stood Amadeus, with Cap and Mathew on either side of him. Cap and his father held two of the pitchforks proudly. The villagers had given Amadeus the precious hammer, and had also given him the only armor they had an iron breastplate, slightly rusty and dented, but nonetheless protective. He stood, silently watching the skies for the dragon.

 

The rain still poured, though now it gave gave the villagers an advantage Mort's fire would be weakened by the downpour, maybe enough to keep him from using it. A scout had determined that Mort had indeed left his cave looking for the escapees, and had seen him circling the mountain.

 

Finally, Amadeus spotted him. The gold spots dimly reflected a distant lightning bolt, and the flash was all that he needed.

 

He's there! Amadeus yelled. Light the fire! A hiss and a crackle, and suddenly the cave roared with a massive flame, illuminating the ground where the men stood. The roof of the cave protected the fire from the worst of the rain, and the light reached high into the sky like a beacon. Mort roared in the distance and barreled down at the men. A yell grew between them, quiet but getting louder until broke, screaming defiance into the night sky for all to hear.

 

Suddenly, he was on them. His claws crashed into Amadeus's chest, sending shockwaves through the metal, but the armor did its job and kept Amadeus from being hurt. Rocks flew through the air and crashed off Mort's scales. Pitchforks were thrust upward at the dragon. He flew up, away from the men's weapons. He hung there a moment, and the bowman took his opportunity to fire an arrow. It bounced off uselessly, but Mort immediately responded by breathing fire. The flare of light shot down at the men, and they scattered.

 

The fire fizzled out before it his the ground, but Mort followed it closely, diving down towards Cap with unnatural speed.

 

The boy turned the face him bravely. Aim for the stomach! Amadeus yelled. Cap's grip on his pitchfork tightened in preparation, and when Mort was a foot away, he sprung forward with a yell.

 

The pitchfork met Mort's stomach as Mort's claw met Cap's shoulder. Both wounds were deep, and both screams were loud. Mort tried to climb into the sky again, but crashed into the ground, unable to gain any altitude. Cap fell over, clutching his shoulder in agony.

 

Mort stood up shakily, and opened his mouth. Instead of a roar, a song poured from him, a beautiful, deep song in a language no human could know. Mort's wound started to close, flesh mending visibly.

 

 

Amadeus ran in, recognizing the magic healing the dragon. He knew that if Mort was allowed to heal, they wouldn't win, couldn't win. Mort, intent on his spell, didn't see him approach. Amadeus leapt and grabbed onto one of Mort's spines. He raised his hammer, and with all the force he could muster, slammed it onto Mort's back. It rang loud, and the scale underneath cracked apart.

 

Mort's song stopped, leaving an ethereal silence. If the silence spoke of healing, then the silence spoke of pain, pure, unrestrained pain. Slowly, silently, the village men circled the dragon, and prepared to strike.

 

Mort's flight was sudden, but Amadeus managed to hang on. The men followed the dragon on foot, but once Mort was out of the light, they fell behind to help Cap.

 

Amadeus almost fell several times as Mort bounced heavily, barely able to stay in the air. He roared in pain, and finally crashed down onto a house in the abandoned village. Amadeus was flung off into the mud.

 

He stood up quickly, and wiped the mud from his face as best he could. He turned to face the dragon.

 

Mort lay, in obvious pain, on the broken splinters of the house. He claws had snapped off during the landing and now bled heavily onto the remains of the floor of the building. The stomach wound had reopened, and it contributed its own share of crimson water.

 

The worst wound, however, was the scale. Dragons' scales were renowned for their nigh-invincibility; a piece of armor made from dragon scales would protect a man from anything, if he could somehow get enough to make a set of armor. This meant not only that the dragons were all but impossible to kill or even hurt, but also that destroying a scale would very nearly destroy the dragon; the flesh underneath was weak and transmitted wounds through the whole of the dragon's body. The single broken scale was killing Mort, slowly but surely.

Let's finish this. Amadeus thought. He walked slowly up the the dragon's head, looked him in the eye, and rose his hammer with finality.

 

Mort's mouth opened again, just as it had when he sang the spell. This time, however, no magic was cast, no song sung. A cry was the only thing, a cry of desolation from the dragon. The sad sound echoed off the mountains, filling the rain with sadness.

 

This sadness, however, paled in comparison to what Amadeus suddenly felt. From nowhere came pure sorrow, sorrow not his own. Images filed his mind, of a life of rejection, without love, a life about to end. He sank to his knees, tears in his eyes, though he did not know if they were his, or someone else's.

 

Suddenly, surprise replaced the sorrow, a short punctuation quickly withdrawn. Then, slowly, tentatively, a question followed. It came in no recognizable language, but merely as a series of ideas and images. You can understand me? it seemed to ask.

 

Y-yes? Amadeus said aloud, unsure of how to respond, or even what he was responding to. He felt affirmation along this alien connection, but weakly, as if it were an echo and not a full thought. Who- who are you?

 

More images flashed, and suddenly Amadeus understood. This was Mort, speaking to a human in the same way the dragons communicated. The images assembled themselves into another question, Who are you? What is your name?

 

Amadeus Reginald. The human answered. I'm a traveling bard. He was unsure how that would translate, but the echo came back with images of songs and stories and villages along the road, everything being a bard meant.

 

Mort's response was more complex than anything he had yet said. Images of many dragons a village, or maybe a tribe with a young Mort leaving mixed alongside images of the ground, but also of fire, of the ground being burnt.

 

Amadeus creased his brow in thought. Your name, he said slowly, is Dirt?

 

No, came the answer, with the burning, melting ground emphasized.

 

Clay?

 

Yes! Mort affirmed triumphantly. He sent through the image of him leaving again.

 

Your name is Clay, Amadeus said, and you were kicked out of your tribe?

 

Yes!

 

Why?

 

Mort's excitement died, replaced by a feeling of sorrowful memory. Images came through the ethereal bond alongside sporadic, broken phrases that become more whole as time passed. From these pictures and words, a story formed.

~~

Mort had been born into a tribe of dragons especially skilled in magic called Moonspell. The tribe was small, but proud of its warrior heritage. In his forty-eighth year, there had been a great civil war between the dragons, which had split the tribe. Most had been in favor of fighting, of destroying the tribe's enemy. Mort's older sister, just old enough to understand the war, had opposed the others, had tried to stop them from fighting.

 

She had been the loudest of those who opposed the war. Because of this, he was doomed. The tribe's warriors rose up as one and struck her down, condemning her to death.

 

Familial ties for a dragon are different than for a human. A mother dragon will protect an egg, but once it hatches, the dragon chick is expected to fend for itself. Knowing your family was unimportant; if you knew, it was only so you didn't mate with them. Therefore, even though it was Mort's only sister, no one expected his response.

 

Forty-eight year old Mort, not even old enough fro his own name, flew in and rescued his sister, fighting off the bigger dragons with single-minded rage. His sister escaped in the chaos, flying to join the tribes she had worked to protect. Without his sister's help, Mort couldn't win his fight. He was too young.

 

Normally, the punishment would have been death, but the elders took pity on the young dragon, and banished him instead, bestowing upon him the name given to every banished creature. That had been over three hundred fifty years ago, and Mort hadn't been near a dragon tribe since, all because of a war he still knew nothing about, whose outcome was a mystery to him forever.

~~

And now, I lie in front of you, dying, again for an offense I could never know I committed. How could I know that you ground builders are like us? No one has ever spoken to me before. They've only stolen from me, just like that young man.

Amadeus had sat down in awe. He knew some dragon stories, but none like this. Every dragon story he knew was of a Dirt, fighting nobly against the Skies. They were sad, but bravery was rewarded, not looked down upon. Mort's story made him sound like a criminal, not the hero he would be in the stories Amadeus knew, the hero he should be.

 

Clay is such a degrading name for one so great. Amadeus said, looking into the dragon's huge eyes. Your name among the villagers, though you don't know it, suits you even less. Mort. Death. You never want to cause death. Amadeus stood up and placed his hand tenderly on Mort's giant mouth. You need a new name. Something that remembers who you are, who you have been, but also makes you something new. I think... Mortimer would suit you. Mortimer the clay dragon, the clay, friendly dragon.

 

Then he sang:

Mortimer, sir Clay

Everything's okay

Your magic is strong

No flight is too long

So get up again

I shall help, my friend

Together we shall fight

Everything not right

 

Mortimer took up the melody, taking the simple tune and embellishing it. A simple song, merely meant to inspire the dragon so he could overcome his injuries, turned into a powerful battle hymn. Though Amadeus didn't know the words, and the images could never be put to a verse, he knew what they meant.

 

Mortimer, three-hundred-fifty years banished from the dragon's society, was going to go back. Not for vengeance, but to tell the story of the humans, the ground builders, to atone for his own wrongs. He was going to protect those so long downtrodden by fate.

 

The song ended, and Amadeus stood with his hand delicately on Mortimer's head. In the silence, a connection was forged, a comradery that transcended friendship or understanding, and was closest to brotherhood.

 

The great dragon stood up, slowly, carefully. The wound on his stomach had closed, and his feet had healed, though the claws would never grow back. With a flourish, he spread his wings and said, Marvelous! I am healed! Thank you, Amadeus.

 

Amadeus? a voice asked from behind them. What are you doing? Why did you let the dragon heal?

 

Amadeus turned around. Mathew stood in the street, watching the two of them. Behind him, the rest of the warriors stood, holding their weapons, and looking intent on using them.

 

I...spoke with Mortimer. Amadeus said, looking Mathew in the eyes. He knows he hurt you. He never meant to hurt anyone. He didn't know that we are intelligent. That we were once dragons. Had he known, he never would have done the terrible things he has. Mortimer's going to make it up to you, going to right his wrongs. That's what he told me.

 

You spoke with the dragon?

 

Yes. He spoke in my mind. That's how the dragons talk to each other.

 

Amadeus, you're wrong. Dragons can't talk. Certainly not to humans.

 

But they can! Amadeus said desperately. I spoke with him. He should be a hero, not a criminal that you condemn to death! He's-

 

Amadeus, this monster has killed my son. Cap is dying, Amadeus. If he is so adept at speaking, let him speak to us, let him apologize for that.

What Amadeus says is true! Mortimer spoke, as loudly as he could through the bond. I only wish to make things right! Let me see the young man, so I may use my magic to heal him. He has time, yet, if you let-

 

The dragon does not speak, Mathew said, not knowing he interrupted Mortimer's speech, not able to hear him, because the dragon can not speak. I'm sorry for this Amadeus, but we must destroy that monster. If we kill him, it will break his hold on you. But if you get in our way, we'll not let you live. He's destroyed our lives, and for that he must pay with his!

 

Mathew jumped around Amadeus, and sent his pitchfork flying forward toward Mortimer's underbelly, where Cap had wounded him before. Through the bond, Amadeus felt Mortimer's instinct, felt him immediately attack back. NO! Amadeus screamed. The bond vibrated with the power of the thought, and Mortimer stopped his attack, his mouth closing on the empty air in front of Mathew.

 

Mathew didn't stop, however. The pitchfork kept coming, and Mortimer couldn't move back fast enough to avoid the injury. Amadeus jumped to his aid, swinging the hammer down onto the handle of Mathew's weapon. The pitchfork dropped to the ground, sliding under Mortimer's stomach.

 

Attack! Mathew yelled at his men. With a yell, they slid out of the shadows, bringing more weapons, more bodies, and more hatred. Mathew grabbed Amadeus's hand and tried to wrench the hammer from him.

 

Amadeus fought back, knowing he couldn't give the hammer up. It had injured Mortimer before, had almost killed him. It could do so again. Silently, the two grappled, fighting over the most powerful weapon on the battlefield, while around them the warriors surged, throwing rocks and swinging makeshift weapons at Mortimer.

 

The dragon did not fight back, just made sure the attacks only bounced of scales instead of soft skin. But neither did he flee. Amadeus sensed that he stayed to ensure his friend's safety, to make sure he lived.

 

Mortimer! He yelled over the battle. Go! I'll be fine, but you're going to get killed if you stay!

 

That dragon doesn't care about you! Mathew yelled back at Amadeus. He doesn't stay to protect you; he stays because he thinks he can kill us!

 

Mortimer! Go!

 

With a ferocious yell, Mortimer spread his wings. He flapped them twice, sending powerful gusts that knocked down the warriors, and took to the air.

 

Follow him! Mathew yelled at his men. Don't let him get away! The warriors stood up and ran, following the dragon as he fled the battle. Mathew looked at Amadeus angrily, his hands still on the hammer. Give me-

 

Amadeus let go of the hammer and swung his elbow upward into Mathew's face, throwing all his force into the blow. Mathew staggered backwards, then fell to the ground unconscious. Amadeus reclaimed the hammer, and dragged the chief into a nearby house, one of the few in the village with a roof still on it. He hoped the shelter would protect him from the rain.

You are okay? Mortimer asked through the bond. The distance made him hard to hear, and Amadeus wasn't sure if he would be heard.

Yes, I'm fine. He said, speaking through the connection as loudly as he could. Mathew is no longer a problem.

 

Good. Listen. You must heal his son.

 

How? I can't -

 

Go back to the villagers' cave. If you offer to heal him, I can channel my magic through you and fix up his wounds. That should do it.

 

You can do that?

 

I think so.

 

But what about the warriors?

 

I lost them. They are looking for me now, but it will take them some time to find me. Go to the village, heal the child. Then meet me back at my cave. We will leave these mountains from there.

 

Alright. Amadeus agreed.

 

One more thing. Before you go, give them the treasure. It's theirs, not mine.

Amadeus frowned; he had never heard of a dragon giving away his treasure. Are you sure, Mortimer?

 

Yes. Theft is a terrible crime, and most of that treasure is rightfully theirs. We can take a few things, what we need, but what's theirs should go to them.

I understand. Amadeus replied.

I must go now. Good luck, Amadeus. Mortimer's voice faded away.

 

Amadeus began his journey back to the cave, slowly to allow Mortimer time to escape to his cave. Twenty minutes later, he stood outside the dismal cavern. A single fire was being stoked by a young girl with long, red hair. She hunched over a mat, obviously crying, but softly, as if most of her tears had been spent. Amadeus walked up to her softly, and saw who she sat over.

 

Cap lay on the mat, pale and bloody, his wound close to killing him. He slept, but restlessly, fever dreams dancing behind his eyelids. Amadeus walked up to them and kneeled next to the mat.

 

How is he? He asked. The girl looked up, and met his gaze. Fresh tears filled her eyes, and she looked away, shaking her head.

 

It's alright. Came Mortimer's voice in his head. Lay your hands on the boy, and say some gibberish. I'll do the rest.

 

Amadeus put his hands carefully on Cap's shoulder, near the gash. Guérissez son corps, he muttered.

 

Mortimer let loose his anima, his inner magic. Amadeus felt it, like a perfectly controlled tempest, as it flowed through him into Cap. Cap moaned in pain, but settled, his agitated sleep turning into a deep rest. His fever evaporated, and some small scrapes and bruises faded. Mortimer increased the anima flow, and his shoulder began to heal. Ligaments joined each other, blood vessels closed, muscle grew back and the skin on Cap's shoulder closed over the wound, pink, but healthy.

 

Cap's eyelids twitched open. He sat up slowly and looked around. His eyes glossed over Amadeus, but he saw the girl, who sat still crying, oblivious to Cap's change. He hesitated, as if he were debating whether to do something, and then said softly, Tiff? She sat up and turned to him, disbelief in her eyes.

 

Cap? She gasped.

 

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rose, a single golden rose that glinted magnificently in the firelight. I got this for you, Tiff. he said. That dragon put up a good fight, but I got it. It's a magic rose; it will never wither, never stop blooming. Just like my love for you.

 

Tiff's mouth was agape. H-how do you know it's magic? she stammered.

 

My Uncle Rocko gave it to me when I was young, and told me to give it to the girl I'd marry.

 

You mean-

 

Yes.

 

She squealed and threw her arms around him. The two embraced lovingly in the night. Amadeus smiled and stood up quietly. He walked to the exit, to make his way back to Mortimer's cave.

 

He heard the crunch of footsteps, and turned around. Susie stood behind him, watching him go.

 

Where are you going, Mister Amadeus? She asked.

 

Off to the next town. Amadeus replied. Hey, when your daddy wakes up, tell him the treasure in the dragon's cave is his. Alright?

 

Alright, Susie agreed. Thanks, Mister Amadeus.

 

You're welcome. He said, smiling. He turned and walked out of the cave.

 

Good bye Mister Amadeus! Susie yelled, waving enthusiastically.

 

Amadeus waved over his shoulder, and sang a quiet song.

If I had a hammer

I'd hammer in the morning

I'd hammer in the evening

All over this land!

I'd hammer out danger

I'd hammer out a warning

I'd hammer out love

A dream

Brothers and sisters

All over this land

[/hide]

My skin is finally getting soft
I'll scrub until the damn thing comes off

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I fear this may be a bit painful to read, I got as far as:

"Amadeus walked into the burnt out village cautiously. Silence filled his ears, unbroken even by burning wood or falling structures."

 

As picturesque as it may be attempting to be, burning wood and falling structures would most definitely break the silence.

 

Also at a glance you have made format issues with dialogue, new speech ALWAYS starts the line, you NEVER put a little bit of narration then the speech on the same line, narration can intersect the middle of someone's dialogue but it can't precede it and remain on the same line.

A lot of erratic commas in the middle of short sentences where they aren't needed. You've even put commas before 'and' which is just painfully wrong grammar.

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Operation Gold Sparkles :: Chompy Kills ::  Full Profound :: Champions :: Barbarian Notes :: Champions Tackle Box :: MA Rewards

Dragonkin Journals :: Ports Stories :: Elder Chronicles :: Boss Slayer :: Penance King :: Kal'gerion Titles :: Gold Statue

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