Calandryll - A Short Origin Story

“Do you think flattery will keep you alive?” He asked, his voice grave, echoing off the cave walls.

“N-No, Dragith,” The lone soldier replied. He was struck with a fear that paralyzed him into staring, the realization the dragon saw right through his evasions to escape by the aforementioned means rendered mute, and it was horrifying having death staring him in the face.

“No indeed,” Dragith slithered his way in front of the soldier in the torchlit darkness of the cave, loose rocks and gold falling to the floor as he approached, their noise echoing with his footsteps, the ground giving shake. His hide as black as the shadowed interior, the light of the soldier’s torch making Dragith look like part of the midnight sky on a moonless night was put inside this very cave. Yellow eyes, the eyes of a dragon, stared him down.
“You seem familiar with my name, but I don’t remember smelling you before,” Dragith hissed, “Who are you and what kingdom do you hail from? Speak now lest you die by my fire, human. 
“Oh yes, I know the colors of human fear, and it is quite a delicious color indeed. Your cape is Blood-Red like those colors adorning your fear, the cape of an enemy of my King!” He roared furiously. “Are you Spy? Assassin?”

“I…” The soldier started, choking on the lump of fear in his throat before swallowing it with pride placed in his honesty, “I spoke true of being lost.” He took a triumphant step forward. “I know not this world; I hail from Kingdoms where dragons are but fairy tales. My name is Calandryll, I read about you in a book when I was just a boy, I swear it, my life is but in your hands, as it were. My armor I stole after a ba- tavern brawl, to disguise myself in this world, lest I would have met my fated death sooner. Please, have mercy upon me, I wish not to die by Dragon Fire.”

Dragith turned heel after seeing the soldier urinated upon himself, speaking as he sunk back into the shadows of the cave, “Turn back, Calandryll, go south from this cave’s entrance. There you will receive hospitality, human outcast. Beware, you’ll be subject to my King’s questions, get rid of that cape before you are found by someone else wearing it, and hope my King sees truth in you as I have.”

“Is he a dragon like you?” Calandryll called into the deep black, but no reply came, only to hear the fire of his torch in the silence that followed.