This is a scene from my fantasy novel, The Unlikely Hero. The regular cast is not in this scene, but it tells the story of the creation of the Essedessel Tree, the willow tree River and co find in the Wynnrar Woods, as Rodra, Gnome King, remembers it...
No one had ever won when they went up against this dragon, save Reheloth. He alone had conquered Abaddon, and now had full control of the dragons, all gone now save this one. It was a deadly army he possessed, one few wanted to go up against. There was no counter to the battle from the sky.
He conquered city after city and destroyed village after village. He feared no one. Four kings had gone before him, but none, not even the great Rtharo, had been able to control the dragons. He knew he was the greatest force Savania had ever had to deal with. Rtharo was dead and gone, Seifus long past dead, and the other two kings long since stripped of their thrones. He ruled the whole land, from the North to the south, even the elven forest to the west.
The Dragon was merciless and Reheloth was even more ruthless. His pet project at the moment was the gnomes. He had Abaddon fly over the gnome kingdom on a daily basis, torching trees with every breath.
The gnomes had a glorious kingdom, as woodworkers they were, with fine skills of craftsmanship. He wanted their skills for himself, to decorate his castle. He wanted to study them, duplicate their ways. Then, he would slaughter them all so none could tell his tale or steal his glory.
Whole villages of gnomes were destroyed, until there were only three left. Two of those went up in flames on the same day because they refused to leave their villages. Neither of them knew where the king was hidden.
The gnomes went deep into hiding, running tunnels under ground to avoid the eyes of Abaddon, hoping to stay one step ahead of Reheloth and the dragon. They only had to wait for the one who was coming to slay the dragon with the Topaz of Affliction. The dragon was nearing, blasting every bit of land in his sight.
Adren rode behind him, his heart beat swiftly in revenge, the staff containing the Topaz at his side. He reached the Cliffs of Discordance and called out to the sky:
The world felt the thunder crash. The topaz glowed, its fiery surfaces illuminated until a lightning bolt of fire shot out just as the dragon rose to the sky and engulfed the dragon in his own flames. Abaddon screamed in horrific pain as he plunged from the sky to the wooded earth below. The last dragon to scorch the earth laid in a charred mass upon it, desecrated by a small stone in a staff wielded by a man of little significance.
His ashes ripened in the earth, and a thick green carpet of grass grew in its place, the largest willow tree in history rose where his heart laid, and the last kingdom of the gnomes moved into their new home under the willow tree.
![]()
As always, critique is welcome. This prompt was to take some ugly and find the beauty in it. If you are interested in reading more to the story, click on the tab labeled The Unlikely Hero at the top of the page.
--Stephanie, AKA The Drama Mama
~*~*~*~*~
Abaddon spread his wings out and waited for an upstream wind. He flew with it, spewing fire across the village beneath him, not caring who was caught in flames. He was on a mission, and he must see it through. He was the last and most powerful of the dragons. His skin shimmered with a red glow, sharp spikes up the length of his spine, his wings iridescent. He was beautiful, but so deadly.No one had ever won when they went up against this dragon, save Reheloth. He alone had conquered Abaddon, and now had full control of the dragons, all gone now save this one. It was a deadly army he possessed, one few wanted to go up against. There was no counter to the battle from the sky.
He conquered city after city and destroyed village after village. He feared no one. Four kings had gone before him, but none, not even the great Rtharo, had been able to control the dragons. He knew he was the greatest force Savania had ever had to deal with. Rtharo was dead and gone, Seifus long past dead, and the other two kings long since stripped of their thrones. He ruled the whole land, from the North to the south, even the elven forest to the west.
The Dragon was merciless and Reheloth was even more ruthless. His pet project at the moment was the gnomes. He had Abaddon fly over the gnome kingdom on a daily basis, torching trees with every breath.
The gnomes had a glorious kingdom, as woodworkers they were, with fine skills of craftsmanship. He wanted their skills for himself, to decorate his castle. He wanted to study them, duplicate their ways. Then, he would slaughter them all so none could tell his tale or steal his glory.
Whole villages of gnomes were destroyed, until there were only three left. Two of those went up in flames on the same day because they refused to leave their villages. Neither of them knew where the king was hidden.
The gnomes went deep into hiding, running tunnels under ground to avoid the eyes of Abaddon, hoping to stay one step ahead of Reheloth and the dragon. They only had to wait for the one who was coming to slay the dragon with the Topaz of Affliction. The dragon was nearing, blasting every bit of land in his sight.
Adren rode behind him, his heart beat swiftly in revenge, the staff containing the Topaz at his side. He reached the Cliffs of Discordance and called out to the sky:
By the Strongholds of Lymaxy!
By the People of Savania!
By the Gnomes of the Good Earth!
By the Elves of Tirith Emor!
By the Power of those who have gone before us!
I call to the power of the Topaz of Affliction!
By the People of Savania!
By the Gnomes of the Good Earth!
By the Elves of Tirith Emor!
By the Power of those who have gone before us!
I call to the power of the Topaz of Affliction!
The world felt the thunder crash. The topaz glowed, its fiery surfaces illuminated until a lightning bolt of fire shot out just as the dragon rose to the sky and engulfed the dragon in his own flames. Abaddon screamed in horrific pain as he plunged from the sky to the wooded earth below. The last dragon to scorch the earth laid in a charred mass upon it, desecrated by a small stone in a staff wielded by a man of little significance.
His ashes ripened in the earth, and a thick green carpet of grass grew in its place, the largest willow tree in history rose where his heart laid, and the last kingdom of the gnomes moved into their new home under the willow tree.
As always, critique is welcome. This prompt was to take some ugly and find the beauty in it. If you are interested in reading more to the story, click on the tab labeled The Unlikely Hero at the top of the page.
--Stephanie, AKA The Drama Mama
