First blood

The blood of the wyvern had a specific smell to it, different from the other animals Odorf has killed so far, it left a heavy metallic taste in his mouth. He could hear faint sounds of the others throwing up. Odorf remembers his first time witnessing a carcass, it was frightening and exhilarating at the same time. The thought of taking someone’s life has always hung around in the back of Odorf’s head, he knew this was wrong, but he still felt a certain excitement when extinguishing a life.

Odorf quickly jumped back just in time to evade the wyvern’s fly-by attack. There were three more wyverns in the hole now, but this was a good thing because this way their movement was restricted to just cascading inside the hole, no flying meant that Odorf would be able to pick them out easily. He felt a sudden rush of joy and power through his body. He moved back a few more steps to lure the wyverns into the traps that have been previously set, hoping that at least one will be immobilized long enough to take care of the rest. Even though he didn’t have a clear plan he was hoping that the fact that he was small was in his advantage and that he will be able to somehow use the traps.

As he moved slowly back, the wyverns were slowly advancing towards him. They took the bait and now was Odorf’s chance to spring the traps. He took out one of his daggers from one of his many pockets and threw it at the rope holding the trap in place. Odorf loved daggers, he enjoyed sharpening them and making them as keen as possible, for any possible situation. He had many hidden daggers around his cloak for just in case. He missed. Only a few centimeters though. This was bad, very bad. He was hoping that he will succeed, and now soon he will be cornered without any way out. Just a few more steps and that is it. Suddenly Brienn let out one of the most scariest screeches Odorf has ever had the unfortunate chance the hear. The wyverns have also heard and tilted their heads to see what was going on, Brienn was just standing behind a pile of sand, shocked and frozen. Odorf quickly turned his head in the direction Brienn was looking, just in time to see one of the halfling children jump at one of the wyvern. It was now or never, with all these distractions Odorf was able to draw another dagger and he might be able to quickly finish one of them off.

“Run unca’ Odo’f!” Yelled the halfling child while still in air, holding a sharp piece of metal that they found. All three wyvern heads turned and gnarled at the little halfling. ‘No!’, thought Odorf, ‘this was not supposed to happen.’ He knew that there was no way to save the little one now. At best he would lose an arm or leg. A split second before the metal would have pierced through the wyvern’s eye, the creature quickly opened its mouth and bit through the little halfling’s chest as if there wasn’t any flesh there at all. As soon as it snapped its mouth shut, Odorf was already cutting him open a new breeding hole, along its neck. Blood was gushing everywhere. The other halflings started screaming in terror and the little halfling fell to the ground still twitching and fighting for its life but before even Odorf had time to react the other wyvern snatched the small body and swallowed it whole.

The other wyvern, still hungry, rushed over to where the other halflings were, giving Odorf just enough time to reload his crossbow and aim. He didn’t have time to take proper aim. Three, two, and he pulled the trigger, the bolt went through the wyvern’s skull and emerged from the eye of wyvern. The creature tripped and fell, screaming in horror and pain, squirming and trying to flap its wings.

Odorf was quick on his feet, and a swift dodge to the left saved him from being dinner to the still standing wyvern. Another dodge to the right, tumble to the right, jump back and once again his back was facing the wall. He didn’t have a long enough weapon with him to reach the wyvern before it would snap his arms off. ‘What should I do now?’, Odorf was trying to figure out what to do and how to end this quickly. Meanwhile, the wounded wyvern was trying to get back on its feet, but because it couldn’t use its wings, it was just squirming around and swishing around with its long tail. Brienn, still in shock, suddenly started running towards the fallen wyvern, tears in her eyes and screaming:”You ugly son of a monkey!”. The wyvern tilted its head so that it was facing Brienn now, opening its jaw to bite her in half, however Brienn did a quick move to the left, entering the creatures’ now extended blind spot, and quickly grabbed its neck. The wyvern was trying to break free, but the little halfling proved to be more powerful than she seemed. The creature squirmed around less and less, its screams got quieter as well. Impossible as it might be, Brienn’s blind rage have managed to suffocate a full grown wyvern. As soon as she felt the last life force leaving the wyvern’s body, she fell to the ground, on her knees, vomiting, shaking, sobbing.

Odorf just had enough time to witness Brienn suffocating the creature. ‘She is strong, I should remember not to anger her from now on.’ He quickly dispersed these thoughts, as he was tumbling around to try and save his life. He was running out of room, and he was getting tired, he can’t keep this up forever. In a sudden realization that his life will be over soon and that there is no way out, he started panicking. He lost his composure and the wyvern managed to catch the end of his cloak and swirl him around, throwing him to the right side and crashing into the wall with such force that knocked the air out of him. Grasping for air, and flailing his arms around he felt something sharp and wet. As he regained his composure and got back on his feet, he noticed that the thing he was touching was the little halfling’s weapon, still drenched in blood. He quickly grabbed it and tried to tumble to evade the incoming wyvern’s attack, barely making it. Now that he gained some space to move around, he once again moved towards the traps, maybe this time he will be able to activate them.

Thaf approached Brienn, tried to help her up. She just slapped his hand. “You old fool! Don’t help me! Help Odorf! Do you want him to end up dead, just like little Ymir?!”, Brienn was yelling and crying at the same time. Thaf just tilted his head in shame. “I am scar…” Before even finishing that sentence, Brienn quickly stood up and hit him so hard he staggered. “You are scared?! I am mortified, but you don’t see me moaning about it now do you! We are all scared, but I thought that you as the chief would set an example to the others.” Thaf just stood there, in silence. The others were only ovserving, nobody had the courage to say anything now.

Brienn understood the situation, everyone was a coward. She didn’t blame them, it was in their halfling blood to avert danger. But for Yondalla’s sake, their very lives are at stake here. She also knew that no matter what she would say now, it wouldn’t matter, they won’t, no they are unable to do anything. She turned out to see what was going on with Odorf, and was stricken with shock once again, from what she could see the wyvern has nearly decapitated Odorf.

“Noooooo!!!” She yelled, collapsing. “No, Yondalla, please, no more.” She started whispering.

…Once cast the Dice will decide…

By Dejan Vicai