The First Battle He sat in his home, guarding his horde and burning with the knowledge that it had been defiled by a man. He lay amongst his treasure, keeping his anger on a slow boil, and ached to exact revenge on the thief that managed to sneak his way into his sanctuary and steal. He needed a release for the tension that was building up in his muscles. He let out a hot, steamy sigh and prepared for a romp in the out of doors. That's when he heard it. A cry, piercing the air with its fury and shaking the stone with its magnitude, made it through the stone walls and into his ears. He knew cries such as these: it was a battle cry. A smile slithered its way across his massive face as he rose and let the fury that was simmering within him explode forth as he made his way to the battle he knew awaited. He stormed his way out of his fortress and loosed a blast super-heated steam out before him to clear the way. He saw the gray man before him lift his shield in a futile effort for protection and almost laughed. He was anxious for the carnage he knew would come and wanted to be lost in it as soon as possible. He saw the others standing behind the gray man, there was twelve altogether. He could feel the need for killing deep within his bones and could not bear it any longer. When he saw the glint of a sword being pulled from a scabbard he lost control and made the charge. He let fly a blast of liquid fire and saw the puny man lift his shield to protect him. How silly these creatures are to think that their shields could hold up against his might. He would crush them and release onto them the wrath he wished he could release onto the thief that had stolen the jewel-encrusted chalice from his cache. The shield that protected the man was beginning to melt, as he knew it would. He saw the eyes of the man behind the shield and saw the terror that they held. The gray man knew he was going to die this day and pushed forward. Good, at least he would put up a fight before he died. The gray man swung his sword with desperation and although it broke against the scales, the blade still managed to taste the flesh of the majestic avenger and he screamed in rage at the wound he received. He barely registered the pain of the wound as a dull throb in the back of his mind as his rage coursed through his veins. Fear swelled up into the foolish human's eyes, and his feeble mind finally registered that death was near and unavoidable. The avenger beat the foolish man and spewed forth flame that would burn through rock into the air. As the man retreated, the avenger closed in for the kill. His prey was showing his true colors, now that he was faced with reality, and the gray man retreated as fast as he could as fear ran through him, instilled into every fiber of his being. The avenger saw the opening, the moment of fear-wrought paralysis, and released a jet of flame roasting the ignorant man who thought he could defeat his might. He was a dragon, and one to be feared and not have his time wasted with the likes of old men. This sorry excuse for a warrior was a mockery to his greatness and hardly worth his time. All the rest of the ignoramuses ran away, away into the assumed safety of the woods, now being educated as to the strength of this dragon. All, that is, except for one. That one remaining man stood there and stared at his fallen comrade. The formidable dragon couldn't help feel a twinge of respect for the man who stood by his fallen friend. He would kill him as he had his friend, so they could be together once again. This fool also had a shield, sword, and armor, but they would be no use against the avenger for he had tasted of blood this day and the rush of battle was in him. The man seemed to be lost in thought, for some reason, as if he did not even notice that the dragon was there and as if he were alone. No matter, he would notice soon enough, and the mighty one will taste blood for the second time today. He would kill two great men by the time the sun set, and his thirst for vengeance would be calmed, for a time. Now, let the second battle begin.