The tale of Dragon Dormant’s Tenth Year and the Dragon Smogiffer:

I lived in peace within the shire of the sleeping dragon for many years in peace and in ignorance not knowing of the evils and dangers which abound in the world, for I was young. We on the island were protected by the mighty sleeping dragon Squamiffer, a dragon as mighty and bright of shining gold scales, as he was benevolent and tolerant towards the people whom he shared the island with.

It was in a summer however when I was barely a man, nineteen years of age when all of that changed. Smogiffer, Squamiffer’s evil cousin came to visit his cousin in the cave where Squamiffer was known to stay. One could recognize Smogiffer by his green and relatively dull scales. When he arrived Smogiffer found his cousin asleep. Realizing the profit he could make of this he brought woods that when burned made a smog that would keep one who slept asleep. Igniting them with his fiery breath our poor protector was lulled into an indefinite sleep. Eliminating the people’s protector, Smogiffer invited bandits who were his friends to loot from the unprotected peoples of our shire, and in return they were to pay him one half of their profits, while he kept his cousin asleep.

The months that passed awoke us all to the evil of the world, and a great swordsman by the name of Guilemo D’Este offered to teach anyone who would learn the art of swordplay that we might throw off this evil yoke. In all there were six of us, our leader, Guilemo, who was first joined by men named Richard, and John. I then joined them and another called David. Finally a great artist, dancer, and organ maker named Umberto joined us. We six made what Guilemo dubbed the dragon guard in secret from Smogiffer. In the autumn around the time of the Harvest we realized we could wait no longer, for if the bandits were allowed to steal our harvest we would not survive the winter!

Knowing that Smogiffer would see a large band of men going up the mountain towards his lair we separated and crept through the woods. I was alone and can not attest to the valiant fighting that my comrades must have undergone in order to reach the summit of that mountain now home to untold bandits. But I will tell you of the things which befell me and which I saw.

As I crept through the woodlands I suddenly came upon one of the Bandits, by his fine garb, I knew him to be one of their leaders and he was short but with long arms. He challenged me most boldly and rudely shouting out blasphemies hoping to frighten me away or distract me, asking at the end how one as young as myself could hope to get by him. I answered him with my sword lunging forward and thrusting at his head and killed him before he even knew it.

Unfortunately the noise of his challenges attracted another craven soul. This one would not underestimate me so quickly and we fought long and hard. At length he stabbed my leg and I fell to my knees, pressing the advantage he cut by sword arm and brow, but then, by fate as he closed to kill I thrust up and forward striking him through the heart.

Limping up the mountain I found the entrance to the dragon’s cave guarded by a single bandit! I then realized that I was the first to make it this far. I hoped that my comrades had not been killed already and taking new spirit I overcame this third scoundrel where he stood.

Entering the Cave I found Smogiffer guarding the way to his cousin’s sleeping form. I heard a noise behind me of someone entering the cave and knowing it could be a bandit decided to strike immediately. I lunged forward on my injured leg aiming for the soft unprotected part of his breast for I noticed that there was one scale out of place. Yet on my uncertain legs I missed my mark.

Then it was Smogiffer who responded by exhaling a fiery cloud in my direction. Fearing for my very life I desperately jumped back, yet my sword was caught in the heat and became too hot to hold. Dropping my blade from my burnt fingers I turned to face who ever had entered the Cave behind me, and I found it to me David.

Relieved, I shouted of the scale, which I had noticed out of place as I retreated having lost my only blade. At the entrance of the cave then arrived all the others only in time to see David strike a killing blow to the foul beast. With Smogiffer dead we roused Squamiffer.

At first he was very cross at having six intruders within his cave and at being roused so roughly, yet when he heard our tale he decided to spare us. He then went from the cave and chased all of the bandits away from the forest. Exulting in victory, we carried David down the mountain as our young new champion.

A feast was held in honour of that fateful day, and we carved up and ate our very tormentor, Smogiffer, with the blessing of his fair and just cousin Squamiffer who agreed that Smogiffer had received his just reward and since it was we that slew him it was our right to do with him as we wished.

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