Earth, Wind, & Fire…AND LOTS AND LOTS OF ICE

[Atelos]

He went into the next room and there on the podium...there it was. This room had hordes of gold and had plenty of treasures but his quest only offered one to him. The Dragon’s Maw was right there/ It’s eyes glowed a bright white and it called to him. He could audibly hear it call for him, “Receive my power young one.” His mind wandered and he wandered like a zombie to the Dragon’s Maw. CLICK CLICK CLICK* His mind grew to a realization and he was snapped into consciousness. A harpoon came out of a ceiling and launched towards Atelos and he blocked it with his shield. The harpoon then dragged the shield away and for once Atelos felt naked. He was bare and weak without it. He stumbled onto the ground and toppled. His body tired and fatigued he put an arm out after it putting in little energy. His treasure was right before him and he could touch it. Bleeding and tired he limped towards his goal he finally was able to touch his goal.

A white, shiny Dragon was coiled up around the podium and woke up from his slumber and hazily looked at Atelos and eventually realized his presence was no dream. Sleepily with a yawn the Dragon said, “Greetings Mortal, I am Grethar, Lord of this Temple, rogue of the Dragon Faction.” He let out a huge yawn and peered at Atelos, “ Not many have made it this far, I am surprised you have.” His speech was interrupted by a deep chuckle that reverbed through the room. “The only exit is death or besting me! And judging by you, I think one will come sooner than the other.” His laugh was deep and made the room bounce. His eyes were black, reminding him of the maw that lie next to him. The Dragon was three times the size of Atelos with razor sharp claws and a hide that seemed impenetrable. Atelos panicked, his shield, was gone and he felt naked and weak without it. The Dragon got up and swiped very casually at Atelos. Atelos, even though he was tired, jumped easily over the claw and retaliated with his Aura swords. The Dragon flinched in pain as if he were stabbed by a nail. His face turned from boredom to anger. The Dragon stood up with all of his might preparing to actually fight Atelos, contrary to what he originally wanted. The Dragon swept his other claw but again Atelos did the same as before. The Dragon grunted and swiped down at him hoping to hit Atelos but he was too agile and too pumped up from the adrenaline. Atelos decided he needed his shield for this fight especially since the Dragon was the strongest opponent he fought. The harpoon however was across the room behind the Dragon. He went straight for it but the Dragon noticed and punched his fist right in front of Atelos blocking his only chance for hope. The other first blocked his exit trapping Atelos. The Dragon’s hands then cupped him in trapping him. The Dragon’s opened his mouth only to see a black flame in the back of his throat building up leaving Atelos’ nowhere to run and a lot of fire coming his way.

Atelos had a million thoughts in those few seconds and decided to try the best one he thought of. Atelos stabbed his swords into the Dragon’s throat causing it to hold its hands up and the flames stopping. Atelos made a dash for the shield. A flaming comet landed in front of him from the coughing Dragon. He hopped over it and continued to dash. Almost there! And Atelos was completely surrounded by a circle of flame. He turned around and a fist came flying at him. He jumped out of the way his fist scorched by the flames of the wall. The Dragon’s booming voice echoed throughout the room. “INSECT YOU SHALL PERISH!” The Dragon let out a flame incinerating the spot Atelos was just at. However, Atelos rolled to the side avoid the perilous flames. There was no way out so he braved through the flames burning his legs in the process but he dealt with the pain. Aflame and running Atelos was close to the shield he so needed. The Dragon smashed the ground causing a series of rocks to fly out of the ground. Atelos ran for his life but it wasn’t enough the rock hit his back with a loud thud. Atelos stumbled and fell to the ground but got right back up. The Dragon was now chasing him throwing occasional firebolts at him, but none hitting.

Atelos finally reached his shield grabbing it, lighting it instantly, specifically reinforcing the giant hole where the harpoon had punched through. The Dragon took a giant breathe and a black flame engulfed Atelos’ body. Was my journey finally over. Is this how I die? Have I failed you… were the thoughts going through Atelos’ mind, with a slight laugh in the back of his mind. The blackness suddenly died and the Dragon stood there smirking. The cloud of smoke was everywhere from the excessive fire. The Dragon scoffed and began to turn around but the smoke died and there weren’t ashes. The Spartan Warrior stood there shield in hand and rage in his face. The presence of the god was glitching in and out of his face and his aura was strong..The Dragon smashed his fist and he sidestepped the blow and stabbed the Dragon’s hand. The Dragon brought up his hand in pain but Atelos was grabbing one of his Aura swords, bringing him as well as the Dragon’s hand. Atelos jumped onto the Dragon’s arm running along stabbing and slicing everywhere. Atelos reached the Dragon’s head and smashed his shield into the Dragon’s head. In a fury the Dragon flew the warrior off and with a loud thud the Spartan hit the wall. The Dragon’s breath was instantly ablaze and flew all over Atelos. The Dragon smashed his fist into the smoke hoping to flatten the Spartan but was not met with a satisfying crush but instead a sharp pain in his hand. “AGH!” the Dragon screaming and smacked Atelos flying him across the room. Before Atelos could recover the Dragon smashed his fist right on top of Atelos’, barely clipping him in the left leg. Atelos grimace from the pain and got up anyways. The adrenaline running through his body ignored all other sources other than his fury and his desire to KILL THAT DRAGON!

He got up limping towards the Dragon, it smiling from inflicting a wound onto the soldier. Surprise hit it’s face as Atelos came charging. It didn’t expect the soldier to be that quick in recovering. The two were locked into combat constantly exchanging blows. It would swipe it’s claw at Atelos and Atelos would smash it in with his shield. The Dragon brought it’s hand down on Atelos, barely missing. Atelos brought his shield, along with his swords onto the Dragon’s hand severing two of it’s fingers. The Dragon was frustrated with the warrior. With both hands it clasped Atelos and brought it into his face. “You shall have a slow painful death mortal.” Atelos grinned and stabbed both of the Dragon’s eyes blinding it and dropping Atelos, injuring his leg even more. The Dragon spewed fire everywhere catching Atelos burning his body. He put it out without second thought and disappeared from the fight. The Dragon furious was attentive. “WHERE ARE YOU HUMAN!” The Dragon’s ears were attentive and constantly listening. He heard the jingle of his treasure behind him and turned, incinerating everything that was there. Dead silence for a good minute ensued. The Dragon smiled and laughed. “Pathetic insect, I eat your kind for brunch.”

“TONIGHT YOU DINE IN HELL!” Atelos sprang from behind airborne with shield in hand. The Dragon’s smile faded. Atelos smashed his shield into the Dragon, the giant being fell. Atelos stabbed and constantly beat his head in. After an eternity Atelos stopped, completely bathed in Dragon blood. He got up without a word completely red and stained his quest was over. All the gold in the world was not what he was after but instead the item on the pedestal. The Dragon’s Maw was right before him. The giant black dragon skull called for him. He walked up to pedestal and felt the Dragon Maw’s weight in his hand. It’s power was pulsating throughout his body. It pulled him to the deceased, unrecognizable Dragon. He walked to it, Maw in hand. The Maw seemed to come alive, opening it’s mouth and a white aura flew out of the corpse and flew into the maw glowing it’s eyes white. The Maw rattled in his hand and seemed to have a mind of it’s own. Atelos meant to drop it on the ground but it sticked to his hand. It completely took over his hand moving it with it’s own will. It started to imbue into his skin until it was a part of Atelos. Atelos’ eyes panicked and he started to panic and the Dragon’s Maw presence began to take over, Atelos’ vision faded and he fell to the ground.

As Atelos’ vision began to regain he spang up trying to get the maw off of his hand. As he was pushing he felt his fingers and he looked at his hand. It was completely normal. He looked for the maw but could not find it. He turned to his right and it was right there. The Maw had decided to lie on his shoulder. The top part of the skull protecting his shoulder, it fit perfectly and now felt like it was a part of Atelos. It was just like a limb. He tried to peel it off but it wouldn’t come off. Atelos had no idea how to use this thing, it didn’t come with a manual. Confused and brain hurting, he tried to visualize the maw in his hand wielding it’s power in his hand once again. He opened his eyes and there it was. He smiled. He could definitely could get used to this power. He started to laugh and he tried to have it go back up to his shoulder and it seemed to follow his command and will. He kept it on his right shoulder, the dragon skull protecting it from harm. He laughed. All of this power was his. He fell on the ground and could not stop laughing. His eyes grew wide with power and he wiped a tear. He liked the feeling of the Maw and he could not imagine what it felt like without it. He laughed the entire time exiting the Temple. He pushed open the golden doors and he was on top of the mountain.

“All this power, belongs to ME! I will be unstoppable. WE will be unstoppable,” the voice of a jackal was emitted from his lips. His eyes glitching between a white and the dark brown. The jackal voice seemed to glide in tune with Atelos’ voice. “Nothing can stop us.”

And then Atelos was in control again.. He felt all of the pain, stabs in the stomach, broken foot burned shoulder, stabs everywhere, all came at once to hit Atelos. Cringing from the pain he started to climb down, sword in hand dragging down the mountain. Going through the pain he needed to get out of here and find shelter, maybe go back to Dwarfholm. Atelos finally reached the bottom of the mountain with no breaks and hit the floor with a thud.

“What are you doing here human? Are you the one who killed our brethren?” said a group of 8 trolls looking at Atelos scarred. Atelos brought up his shield lazily and ended up blacking out, his last sight the trolls, and some shorter figures in the background.

Atelos woke up in a bed with three small people standing there. He got up in a panic but stopped and held his back. He cringed and laid back down and noticed the two people in the front were the dwarves he saved from the trolls and the third was Borin.

“How did I get here?” questioned Atelos.

“We saved you,” said the two dwarves who were obviously new recruits trying to impress Borin. He waved them away and they soon exited the room. Atelos was beginning to speak but Borin stopped him.

“You were passed out near a squad of trolls and I had sent my men on a scouting mission to see if you had returned. I needed to thank you for saving my men.” Atelos went forward but was silenced. “ You clothes are being mended, we set your leg, and we are currently fixing your shield.” Atelos noticed the bandages around him and his cast around his leg. Borin walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. “I see you got your treasure. I see it didn’t cost much. Was pretty easy to get?” He chuckled

“You have no idea...How am I supposed to repay you for all of this?” Atelos said while laughing.

Borin walked to the door. “You don’t charge family,” and opened the door and walked out.

Atelos had succeeded in getting his maw...but at what cost.

Atelos sat there in the quiet room a single voice echoing in his head, “You lose spartan…You lose...”