Dragon Warrior - Chapter 1 - No Truck-kun, just Materialized in Another World

    I wheezed out my last breath, alone, in that hospital bed. Nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, nowhere around. My own choice. I kept silent about the cancer that was killing me. It was my directive that it be kept silent til after my body was cheaply disposed of. And the lawyer KNEW, I meant CHEAP. Lol. Pancreatic cancer. Age, 50 years and a couple months. I was fine with it. I had expected nothing of life, for a very long time. I lost interest in it years and years before. So, fully conscious, I was fine with it, when that last breath hissed out, and my heart took its last beat.

            And then, I woke up.

            Lying on my back, in a field full of poppy flowers.

            I blinked. Then sneezed. No pain. I inhaled deeply. Nope. I actually felt…good. So, I tried sitting up. Yup. That worked. I looked down at myself. Still wearing the damned hospital gown. At least the tube wasn’t still up my dick. THAT had been uncomfortable, even WITH all the other pain I was in… There was no sign of the wasting that had rendered me almost a skeleton, by the very end. I was fully fleshed out. Not in my usual pudge, but, in muscle. THAT was strange. I grabbed a fist full of my own hair to look at it. They had wanted to cut it all off, in the hospital. I had steadfastly refused. It was mostly brown, still, shot through with some gray. So; alive and healthy. But, not young. Rising to my feet, I looked around. Off in the distance, seemed to be a copse of trees. With a shrug, I wobbled off in their direction. It had been a while since I had walked under my own power, so, moving across a poppy covered plain, was good. The ground was soft beneath my bare feet, and moist. Also good. There appeared to be a river running though the little forest. Something large and black lay beside the running water. Something that raised its head, and turned to look at my approach. A dragon. A very, VERY large, black, dragon. With brilliant, amber eyes. It made no move, as I slowly walked up to it. Clearing my throat, I nodded and spoke.

            “Good day to you.” My voice was harsh and raspy. My throat was quite dry. Not too much to my surprise, the dragon nodded amiably and replied.

            “You as well. Nice clothes. Your equipment is hanging out.” Damn. A female dragon.

            Struggling to arrange the irritatingly piss poor coverage of the hospital gown, I ignored the jibe.

            “Could you tell me where I am? Am I dead?”

            “Well… you’re not dead. As for where you are, not exactly sure myself… I don’t pay much attention to towns and villages, etc. People tend to get nervous if I get too close. But, you are in the country of Fanglorvale.”

            I sighed and hung my head.

            “That’s not on planet earth.”

            “Earth? …oooh… I see. You’re one of THOSE.”

            “Eh?”

            “Summoned. You’re a hero somebody summoned. That’s the way these things happen, with you humans, so I have heard. Actually met one, a few centuries ago. Saved the world during the last Demon war.” The dragon rolled a bit uncomfortably, favoring its right foreleg. I then noticed the ugly, giant trap which was locked upon its massive foot. There was no blood, but, it appeared the teeth were biting quite deep.

            “Not going to ask how that happened. But, can I help you with it?” I indicated the device with a nod.

            “Well, I wish you could. It’s warded against my own magics. Someone has it in for me around these parts, I guess…” she grumbled bitterly.

            “Do you eat humans?”

            “Oh FARTHAS no. You humans taste TERRIBLE. And really, one never knows where you’ve been or what diseases you’re carrying…”

            I opted not to be insulted, and instead approached her to get a better view.

            “Ugh. No release catch. This was designed to open AFTER cutting all the way though your foot.” I grimaced, gently moving the trap and her foot around, looking for an option. There was only one.

             She watched as I positioned myself and stood in a wide stance, gripping each side of the trap.

            “Once upon a time, I was young and strong enough to do this. Dunno if I still have the gas. But, let’s try.”

            Slowly, I built up pressure, trying to pull the teeth apart. The dragon looked amused, even though it had to be painful, as I was trembling violently with the effort. Then, the amusement turned to shock, when the metal of the trap began to audibly groan in protest, from the strain. With a roar, I spent the last of my strength in tearing the trap in two, falling on my ass in the effort, and exposing myself again. The trap hit the ground, and the dragon sprang to her feet. She lifted her foot to her face, and examined it closely. Then, she put it in her mouth. When she pulled it out, all damage had been erased. Her mangled foot was perfect.

            “MOST unexpected. Well, I should not say that. You aren’t of this world, so, one would guess you have a few trick up your sleeve. Nice equipment, by the way. Though, I’ve seen bigger, of course….”

            I gritted my teeth. Pissing off an animal that weighted twice what a Greyhound bus did, was not a good idea.

            “Thanks. And you’re welcome.”

            “Ah! Yes. Since you’ve saved me, I’m bound by my Flights’ conventions to serve you.” She said, nonchalantly, turning and moving close enough to the stream to start drinking.

            “Serve me? You mean, like a side dish at a dragon convention or something?” I crawled up, staggered over beside her, and knelt down myself to drink. The water was incredibly sweet and pure.  

            “No. As I said, humans really taste terrible. You have nothing to fear that way. I wouldn’t touch your nasty carcass with a 20 foot pole.”

            “You’re not the only female to have said THAT to me…. And , after having just died of cancer, I have no wish to be eaten.”

            “HA. Cancer? I have heard of that. Dragons don’t get it.”

            “Lucky. Most humans die of it, in some form or another. I think old age is in second place for us.”

            “We don’t get THAT either.” The black dragon looked at me, with a rather smug expression on her face. “We’re immortal.”

            “Wow.” I lowered my head into the water and drank deeply for a few seconds, before responding. “You guy must get colossally bored.”

            “Yes. We usually die of THAT, when we get too bored. By our own choice of course. I was contemplating it myself, rather than let someone get their hands on my body.”

            “Really? Your hide is that valuable?”

            “Our scales are pretty much impenetrable. Worked correctly, they make legendary armor for you dunces. In fact, here. Wear this and stop waving your junk around. For some reason, I find it disturbing.” Beside her appeared a suit of black armor and black chain mail, laying on the grass of the stream bank.

            “Ah! Storage. I wonder if I have that too. How would I pull a menu…?” I started poking around the air in front of my face, curiously. The menu came up as if on cue. “HAH! YES!”

            The dragon nudged me rudely in the side, knocking me over. The menu vanished and I slid down the bank and into the stream. Which she apparently found hilariously funny, as I could hear her raucous laughter even underwater. Thankfully the current was not strong and the water itself was shallow, and clear. And warm. Fish abounded. Swimming around my legs. I realized then, that I was rather hungry. First time again, in a VERY long time for me. Chemotherapy tended to take ones appetite away altogether.

            “Do you, perchance, breathe fire?” I asked, eyeing the fish, going about their business all around me.

            “Yes. Of course.”

            “If I collect a small pile of wood, can you light it, without incinerating the rest of the forest?” I grabbed a fish with my bare hand and chucked it onto the bank.

            “…you’re TRYING to piss me off, now, aren’t you?” smoke escaped her nostrils. Not figuratively either.

            “Yep. You seem like fun that way. I mean, since you’re supposed to be bound to serve me, I have to at least make your time interesting til I die, no?” a fish in each hand flew onto the bank.

            “…that would be most welcome…”

            I looked at her, as a huge tear trickled down the side of her face.

            “NONE OF THAT. I can’t deal with human women crying. I have no CLUE what to do, to comfort a crying female dragon.”

            “Ah. That. Easy enough.” Suddenly, instead of a dragon standing on the bank of the stream, a seven foot tall woman, with amber eyes, and long, black hair, stood there. I fell down again, in shock. Her impressive figure was clad in black armor, like she was trying to get me to wear.

            “…why didn’t you do that to escape the trap???” I yelled.

            “Trap was spelled. My magical was turned off while it was on me.” She shrugged. Did I mention her fantastically impressive figure? I mean, Red Sonja on roids. HUGE tracks o land…

            “Do you like fish?”

            “Far more than human meat, I’m happy to admit.” She began picking up branches and twigs and piling them nearby. “But we’ll need more than three. FAR more. Keep throwing, there…oh. What’s your name?”

            I nodded. “Sorry. Totally forgot to introduce myself. John. John Saint-George.”

            She looked at me sardonically. “You’re joking, right? Descendant of George the Dragonslayer?”

            “Oh! No. Well, I don’t know. Didn’t even think of that.” I shrugged and went furiously back to pitching fish onto the bank.

            She sighed and shook her head. “I get a feeling of impending doom from this relationship. I am Reginax. Queen of the Black Dragon Flight.”

            “Nice to meet you. How many more fish do you wish, my Queen?”

            “Don’t YOU call me that. I have to serve your ass. Speaking of which, get out of that water and COVER YOURSELF, damnit!!!”

 *********************************************************************************

           Whatever the fish was, it was tasty. I had cleaned then, with a dragon scale knife, which Reginax provided. We sat on the ground and devoured the small pile of food, that baked nicely over the campfire. The dragon/woman belched and looked over at me casually.

            “You realize we’re being hunted by something, right now?”

            I nodded.

            “Yah. Felt it a while ago. Dunno why I know... I was never much of a hunter. Nor outdoorsman, for that matter…”

            “Probably part of your summoning gifts.”

            “Who and why?”

            She shrugged. “Wolves?”

            “Yes. Although unlike most of these type stories, I will NOT be trying to go back to my own world. I am already dead there.” I picked a fishbone from between my teeth, with a fingernail, and rose up to a standing position. I was about six and a half feet. The dragon had 7 inches on me, in her human form.

            “Sorry I don’t have a sword for you.” She said, standing up beside me. “I can change back and roast em all, if you’d like. We can have wolf brisket!”

            I winced.

            “Wolves are pretty much like dogs. I’d rather not eat dog meat. Lets see what their issue might be.” I turned and walked toward the stronger presence, concealing itself at the edge of the woods. Cautiously, the leader emerged, snarling and growling. But, not attacking. Locking eyes with the animal, I got down on his level, and waited.

            “Hello.” I said in as friendly a voice as I knew how, “How can we help you and your family, Sir?”

  

            The wolf’s head snapped up and cocked to the side as I spoke. And then, I got a reply. In my brain.

            *I…I UNDERSTAND you!* A deep and craggy voice.

            “Oh. Well, it seems I can hear you as well. In my head. How interesting.”

            He looked back and nodded his pack forward. The growling and snarling had stopped, and there seemed to be an air of cautious curiosity. Reginax stood silently behind me, her arms folded.

            *I … am Railun. Leader of this pack.*

            “I’m John. Leader of nothing and no one. Nice to make your acquaintance. How can we assist you, Railun?” I sat up and gestured and offer for the wolf to sit as well. Which, he did.

*We… were hunting dinner. You and your woman were on the short list of easy targets.* he said, rather sheepishly.

            “Ah. No weapons. Well, good thing you didn’t. The tall chick back there is actually a black dragon.”

            The wolf looked startled and gazed over my shoulder.

            *Really? That would explain the scent. We thought a dragon was nearby. Oi. That would have really sucked….*

            I laughed. “So, food. Can you guys catch fish like a bear?”

            *We have never done so…”

            “Come on, let me show you how. You guys LIKE fish, right?”

            *We are not very picky eaters…*

            “Come on then, You’re going to love this. WAY easier than chasing down an elk.”

            I spend the next few hours, teaching the pack how to work as a group and collect fish from the stream, so they all could eat their fill. It was necessary to explain a couple times, before they got it, why they should NOT fish the same spot every day. The fish would deplete and there wouldn’t be enough for a respawn. So, moving around the river was essential. And staying near the shallow banks.

            *You have our thanks, John. With this, even the pups can contribute. We will thrive now, in any season!*

            “As long as you have open water, you should be good.” I smiled.

            *A gift for your service, teaching us this. You are a pack member now. When you have need, call on our power. We will all lend ours to you.*

            I bowed deeply. “I am honored. And I am glad I was able to communicate with you all.”

            “Let’s get you a weapon. I know there’s a village near here. Should be a smithy as well, if I remember correctly.” Reginax said, as we walked down the mostly unused dirt road. Grass grew over most of it, and it looked very much like it hadn’t been traveled in MANY years.

            “I have no cash. How can we purchase it? Do you dragons carry gold on you? From your horde?”

            The statuesque woman glared at me.

            “THAT is an old wives tale. We do NOT keep hordes of gold. Damnit, that asshole, Smaug. That story is ALL HIS fault…”

            I started. “Wait, he actually existed?!?”

            “Of course. He was a raving kleptomaniac. And he had a taste for human flesh. Sick bastard. He made a LOT of problems for my kind.” She kicked a sizable rock out of her path, for dramatic emphasis.

            “Wow. Strange to hear of a legend being spoken of in that way. So, the rest of them existed here as well? Gandalf? Frodo?”

            “Beats me. Never heard of them. But Smaug was one of mine. A flaming pain in the ass. Someone finally ended him. Saved the rest of us the trouble. He hid in some dwarven city for decades. Couldn’t find him.” She grumbled.

            So. Middle Earth had existed. But, in another world. But, the story itself, had come to my own world to be told. Which meant, the summoning thing must go BOTH ways.  Not that I cared. Like I said; NOT going back. Me over there was dead. Me here was still upright and mobile. I’ll stick with that.

            “Where are we headed anyway?” I asked, looking around. The forest was dense here. It did NOT seem like a great place, to put a town.

            ‘I don’t remember that name of it. It’s been a while since I was here. Since a friend passed away, really.” Reginax got quiet, after that. I thought it best not to pry.

            The path widened out and there, amidst the huge trees, and not, interspersed WITH them, an ancient village.

            “Hrm. Looks like it’s longer ago that I thought…” the dragon chewed her lower lip.

            “Yeah. Like several hundred years.” I said, as we entered the ruins.

            “Oi. We may not find you a weapon here.”

            “Ya thnk? I’d imagine the smithy is pretty tapped by this point…”

            We strolled down the main street, avoiding trees and the desiccated remains of wagons and debris. No one had lived here for a VERY long time. The more I looked, the closed to MANY hundreds of years, seemed.

            “When was the last time you were here?” I finally asked the silent Dragon Queen, as she pause to look in the window of an open ruin.

            “…right after… he died. Has it really been THIS long? Sure time cannot have passed so quickly..” she murmured.

            At that point, I kept my mouth closed. Too many smart remarks crossed my mind. And I still was not quite sure how far I could press her, before I ended up as barbeque.

            The street opened up into a smaller sized town square. In the center of the square sat a remarkably well preserved monument. 

            Reginax muttered to herself and approached. It was then, that I noticed a figure, staring at her from the doorway of the structure. Tall, brown hair. Broadly built. A warrior, probably. But, here? In an uninhabited, ruin of a town?

            Hesitantly, I waved, catching the figure’s attention. He appeared even more shocked.

            “You..you can SEE me??” he shouted, moving towards us.

            “Well, yeah. Is there a reason I shouldn’t?” I called back, moving up to Reginax’ side. She looked down at me and frowned.

            “Shouldn’t what?”

            “Be able to see that guy running toward us from the monument.”

            She looked directly at the running man. And through him.

            “Ah. Another perk of Hero status.”

            “What?” I asked as the man stopped before me, a huge smile on his face.

            “You can see and hear the dead.” She stated flatly.

            “Reginax, my love!” the man gushed, moving to hold her hands…but he passed through her.

            “She can’t see you. Or hear you. Only me.” I said, realizing WHO this man was, and why the dragon hadn’t come here in so very long.

            “Ah. Oh.” His shoulders slumped a bit.

            “I’m John Saint-George. Late of Earth.”

            “Nice to make your acquaintance, Sir. I am Glenn Edirol. Just late.” He bowed slightly, his eyes never leaving Reginax.

            “”Would I be correct in assuming you’re Reginax’ latest husband?” he queried.

            I choked involuntarily. Reginax looked at me, her frown deepening.

            “What’s wrong? What did he say?”

            “Nothing. And no, Sir.” I directed the brief second statement at the surprisingly solid spirit.

            “So long. I’ve wanted to see her again for so long.” The man whispered, standing close to the dragon queen. “I miss talking to her. Walking with her. You are a lucky man. She always had a story to tell or a joke. I miss her voice…”

            “Glenn Edirol.” I stated flatly.

            Reginax visibly started and stiffened up.

            “THAT is who you are seeing and speaking to??”

            “Yes.”

            Tears started to flow from her incredible amber eyes.

            “My love… I am so sorry. I am so sorry I was not here to save you. I would have given anything…”  she raised a gauntleted hand to her face, to wipe away the tears that were coursing down her cheeks.

            “Do not cry, my love. It is not your fault, I do not and never did blame you.” I relayed the message as the man softly spoke it.

            The statuesque dragon queen choked and started to sob.

            “How long has it been, Glenn?” I interjected quietly, as Reginax sank to her knees in the dirt.

            “Oh… coming up on a thousand years, I imagine…’ he said ruefully, kneeling before the sobbing female.

            “Why are you still here? Why didn’t you pass on? Go to the light? Cross the Veil?”

            “Don’t have a clue. But here I am. Can’t move beyond the town.”

            “hrm. Say, you wouldn’t happen to have a sword in there, would you?” I nodded at the monument, realizing it was this man’s tomb.”

            “Yes. And my armor. And my bones.” He smiled sadly.

            I looked at the two. Kneeling in the dirt, longing to hold each other.

            “Reginax. Can you feel his presence? Are you sure he is what he says he is?”

            The dragon sobbed and nodded.

            “Since you said his name…I can feel him…it is he...whom I first pledge my life and love to, so long ago… you humans are SUCH frail things…if I had just gotten back faster, my magics could have saved him.”

            ‘oh..my Love. DO not. Do NOT blame yourself.” He moved to gently hold her. But all he could manage was to encompass her form, with his intangible arms.

            My brain twitched. A thought passed through, unbidden, and a plan unfolded. One I was not entirely a fan of, although I knew in my heart it would be the right thing to do.

            “Glenn, have you ever tried possessing a living body?”

            He looked at me strangely.

            “No. Why in Gideon would I do that?”

            “At least temporarily, to interact with people?”

            His eyes widened, in realization.

            “You would allow… oh…oh, bless you!! BLESS your soul, Sir!!” he stood up, a look of hope on his face. Reginax stopped crying long enough to look at me.

            “What… what are you doing?”

            “Hurry. Before I come to my senses and change my frikkin mind…” I said to the ghost before me.

            Tears ran down HIS face as he stepped towards me.

            “Bless you…” he stepped into me. And my consciousness shut off like a light switch.