𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂 & 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓽: 𝓐 𝓣𝓪𝓵𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓮 (Becboc x Lockdown)

[Lockdown]

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𝐼𝓃𝒻𝑒𝓇𝓃𝑜𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒞𝓇𝒾𝓂𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝒞𝒶𝓁𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓉𝓎

❖ ── ✦ ──『』── ✦ ── ❖​

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The slumbering Dragon twitched while memories from the days of yore flashed across his mind. A time long ago before he conquered this human stronghold built within, and under, the mountain of Vulcan. At least that’s what the humans now called it. The black and charred summit received its new moniker after displaying its master’s wrath when he was displeased. Infernos, the Crimson Calamity, would drown the mountain in a sea of flames casting all below in an inferno. The flames decimated the landscape below as the fire spread. The sky would become suffocated with smoke. But now the mountain lay dormant and hasn’t shepherded the day of judgement for some generations now. Heroes of old have long since abandoned the noble quest of slaying the dragon who lives under the mountain. An arrangement had been reached. Infernos will no longer wreck havoc upon the lands and he in return will receive a mortal woman as tribute every summer solstice. A fine maiden who has the “honor” to serve the dragon. But everyone knew she was more so a sacrificial lamb to appease an angry god who made the sky bleed blazing scarlet.

Infernos nestled deep within his glittering treasure in the massive underground stronghold. He had plundered so much wealth throughout his long life and had amassed an unimaginable amount of wealth and gold. The abandoned underground castle full of his fortune made the mythical city El Dorado, the City of Gold, look like change spared to a beggar. Many people desired to steal pockets’ worth of gold to set themselves, and several of their future descendants, up with a life full of riches. But none had succeeded, and those brave enough to venture to the mountain now decorate the dragon’s kingdom with their ashes and bones.

The sun sauntered its way up in sky. Midday had just been reached right when the chosen would be decided. But for Infernos. The proximity of the sun would awaken him as the celestial fireball beamed its illuminating rays of light and showered all below in magic and warmth. Infernos’s eye twitched before slit optics focused on his gluttonous horde of gold. He huffed which sent gold and silver to frolic down his snout as he took in a few deep breathes. “The Summer Solstice…” he hissed with eagerness. How he longed for this every year. Something to preoccupy himself with for a day or two. Eternity had become dull when none pose a threat or even dare to challenge him anymore. How he longed for the Romans to try and take back their castle. Or even the Englishmen who now rule these lands. History repeats itself. One empire falls and another rises to take its place. But the humans remained the same. Their greed brings them to his gold. The massive fire-breather slowly arose to his full stature. The glittering metal clinked as it fell from his buried body. His long serpentine neck flexed to the heavens and he howled a deafening roar. The calamity had awoken.

The Vulcan mountain had sparked to life with only the top being embraced by the warm flames. The fire burned hot and casted an ominous smog as it continued to burn. The blazing heat casted an impending doom down below to the neighboring human village. A subtle reminder of what would happen to their home if the dragon was displeased with this year’s tribute. The town originally started off as a small camp to rest before brave souls ventured to the mountain only to never return and reclaim their belongings. After a few hundred years it now thrived as a town but was now burdened with fulfilling the tradition of the Summer Solstice Sacrifice.

Infernos slithered out from his home. The burnt dirt and rock crunched like gravel with each step he took as if it was a Herculean labor to bare the weight of the dragon. The fresh smoke-filled air flooded his lungs before he exhaled a stream of smoke. A mischievous grin pursed his lips while slit irises focused on the town below. Infernos unfurled his massive wings and stretched his appendages wide before performing lifting off with his legs. He took to the clouded sky and casted a shuddering shadow below as he flew.

The crimson dread soured in the suffocating sky and slowly became larger and larger. The faint glow within his belly became brighter. While the bellowing reptilian growl whispered in the wind sending a bone chilling spell upon eavesdroppers. He flew close enough to the human settlement before he took a deep breath and began to spew hellfire down below. The trees cried in the native tongue as the snapping of wood could be heard before the vegetation turned to ash.

Napalm painted the trees in red before spontaneously igniting and succumbing to the fire. He had grown fond of making an entrance. He had to keep appearances lest the mongrels grow wary of the tales of old. Remind the fresh-bloods of who once ruled these lands with his sharp claws, sharper teeth, and impervious hide. The outskirts became shrouded in smoke. The leader of this settlement along with a few guards stood ready to offer their tribute. Just outside their walls and behind the stone was their homes. How fragile some of their buildings can be when touched by his flames. Then the thundering boom of his landing shook the ground. Still. He hid behind his flames and was shrouded in the smoke. Then a set of crimson orbs peeked from above the smoke. He stared down at the cage with malicious intent allowing her to digest the dire situation she truly was in.

Infernos eventually lowered his head and unveiled himself from the cloak of smoke. His red scales shimmered with the flames and his head dwarfed the cage itself. His massive jaw was lined up with razor sharp teeth and looked big enough to eat a whole horse or a dozen men in one gulp. His massive eye peeked behind the bars. As if he were an appreciator assessing livestock. He tilted his snout to the maiden and sniffed once and twice before bellowing a growl. “She will suffice,” he huffed. His massive claws tore through the top of her confines as if it were tin foil. The metal groaned as it buckled under the strength of the dragon before being torn right off. Then his scaled digits from his hind leg scooped her up gingerly, “One more year of tranquility. Lest you dare trek upon my castle,” he said before a devilish smirk pursed his lips, “but I welcome the challenge,” he expressed interest having grown accustomed to the higher limits of boredom.

Then he stretched his wings open before taking to the sky with a couple beats. The gust of wind from his wings sent dust and dirt up into the air before he finally departed with his sacrifice. Just as quickly as the flames burned they also snuffed out into a whimper once the draconian conjurer departed. Infernos flew as fast as the wind and as high as a bird. In the distance the blanket of warmth and illumination from the sun slowly fell upon the land once again as it followed the dragon back to his castle. It was on his tail as the smoke dissipated and no longer shrouded the heavens in darkness.

Once inside Infernos flew around the massive and hollowed out space before dropping his sacrifice onto a pile of coins. He landed onto his treasure and turned to look at this year’s sacrifice. Venomous slits stared down at her as if she were prey and he was waiting for her to run. But yet he didn’t go for the kill. He simply stood silently observing her before a sonorous tone huffed, “Your name. Make it acquaint,” he commanded with an impatient growl.

Regardless of how she answered. Now came his favorite part, “YN…I bestow upon you three choices. Strength, luck, or wit. You can best me in combat and regain your freedom. But know this. None have ever pierced my hide besides one man many centuries ago,” he gestured to the many scars across his face, “And I don’t smell his blood coursing through your veins,” he hissed as if cackling at her bloodline. “Or you could try your luck and make haste while grabbing anything you desire from my glutinous gold mounds. Whatever you have I’ll let you keep if you make it to the entrance before I can catch you,” his claws brushed along the gold they stood upon making it shimmer and causing a wave to crash against her feet.

“Last but not least. Best me in a set of riddles. Should your answers satisfy and your puzzles perplex me; you will live another day,” he said with bemusement. No one ever chose the final option. Why fight when you’re not even guaranteed your freedom? Most chose to run and fewer chose to fight. But none felt the confidence to stand against a dragon in an intellectual jousting match just to live another day. It was suicide.

“You have until three…” his belly began to glow red, “two…” the color flowed up along his neck. His massive jaw slowly opened as the portal to the nether began to open and was on the verge of being unleashed, "one…"

@Becboc

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