Original Prompt: What stupid question have you heard someone ask (or asked yourself)?
Find Part 1 Here
“Are you sure about this plan?” Juniper asked.
“Are we ever sure of my plans?” Sigthyme responded as he tightened the knot of the rope around his waist. The other end of the rope was tied to a ballista bolt.
“I’m all for shooting him at the dragon,” Riffen chuckled to himself.
“I’m already regretting letting you people do this,” Francis said. His hands went to holding his armored head.
“Siggy fly!” Tak laughed holding his stomach.
The dragon’s roar broke up their conversation and they all turned to look at Sigthyme. The guards on the wall had hit the dragon a few times with the ballista, but so far it had done little damage. On the other hand, the dragon was having a field day with the city of Xylon. The dragon’s fire rained down above and tall plumes of smoke rose from the city. People ran screaming as the dragon flew overhead and guards ran up and down the city walls launching bolts from the ballistas and then quickly reloading them.
The plan was to launch a ballista bolt at the dragon with a rope tied to it. Sigthyme would be tied to the bolt and would go with it when it launched. The hope was that the bolt would strike the dragon, Sigthyme would climb the rope, and then Sightyme would be able to take out the dragon’s wings while riding it. Most the plans they had were this terrible and almost never worked.
One of the guards looked at Sigthyme.
“Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Sigthyme said. “But first I’d let to inspire my comrades with an epic speech.”
The groans from Riffen and Francis almost drowned out the screams of the people below.
“When we started this journey together, we were just a bunch of misfits with no real skills and no money…”
“Sounds like you haven’t changed,” Riffen muttered and Juniper gave him a smack upside the head.
“Thank you,” Sigthyme curtsied to Juniper. “Now where was I? Yes. Our beginnings. Our origin story as some might say. We were just a bunch of nobodies and now one believed in us. But now look at us. We’ve gone on adventures together, we’ve slayed -”
Sigthyme was cut short by the guards, “NOW!”
There was a quick snapping sound as the rope went tight around Sigthyme. Mid word he was whisked off the wall and upwards into the air. The air knocked out of his lungs as he was pulled towards the body of the flying lizard.
“Fly! Fly!” Tak yelled. He jumped up and down in glee which scared some of the guards nearby.
There was the sound of the dragon’s roar followed by the scream of a Halfling flying through the air. The bolt soared forward and Sigthym was pulled through the air.
As Sigthym stopped yelling and his vision began to focus, he saw that he was on the fast track to slamming into a large, red dragon. He grasped the rope that was tied around his waist and braced for the impact with the dragon. However, it did not happen. He opened his eyes just a bit and looked down. The dragon had swerved out of the way and began to turn back towards the city as Sigthym and the ballista bolt sailed harmlessly overhead.
“That’s a miss,” one soldier said to the other.
“Oh that’s just great,” Riffen said.
“Oh that’s just great,” Sigthym said. “Now I guess it’s time for plan B.”
Sigthym began to mutter a series of words as he looked at a spot on the red dragon’s back. There was a flash of purple energy and then in a brief moment, Sigthym was no longer tied to a ballista bolt, but on the back of the red dragon.
Immediately Sigthym almost fell off the dragon’s back. The wind was rushing past and his small form was almost blasted off. Sigthym scrapped his fingernails across the dragon’s scales failing to grab a handhold. Eventually as he neared the back legs of the dragon, Sigthym reached down and found a hole in the dragon’s armored hide. There was a small hole where a ballista had pierced the dragon’s scales and Sigthym was able to hold on.
On the wall, soldiers continued to run back and forth shouting orders and preparing bolts for the ballista. A few continued to launch bolts as the dragon continued its flight over the city.
“What’s going on? Where is Sigthym?” Juniper said while scanning the sky.
“I don’t know,” Riffen said. “Maybe he’s dead.”
“We smash now?” Tak asked impatiently. This scared the guards standing nearby.
“Well we need a new plan,” Juniper said.
“We could tie someone else to a balista bolt,” Francis said dryly.
“I don’t think that is necessary,” Riffen said.
“Tak fly now?” Tak asked.
“I don’t think you would get off the ground, big guy,” Juniper said.
While this was going on, Sigthyme was hanging on for his dear life. He pulled a knife from his belt and it blew out of his hand. The dragon let out a roar and the vibrations radiated throughout the entire dragon.
“Hey dragon! Hey stop flying and just die already,” Sigthyme screamed but was drowned out by the high winds on top the dragon’s back.
Sigthyme then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial of blue liquid. He held on tight making sure he did not drop the vial while also keeping his hold on the broken part of the dragon’s armor. With his right hand hanging on to the scales, his left hand popped the cork on the vial and he poured the vial into the wound. Part of it splashed on Sigthyme’s hand it began to smoke. Sigthyme held back a scream as the pain rushed up his arm. As the liquid poured onto the dragon’s wound, the would began to smoke heavily and the dragon began to thrash about. The dragon let out a roar as it looked back at Sigthyme.
“That’s my cue to go,” Sigthyme said as he pocketed the vial.
He gave a little salute with his left hand and then he let go. The wind knocked him back and he was pushed off the dragon’s back. Sigthyme was now falling down as the dragon continued forward.
Sigthyme rubbed his hands together, “Magic time!”
He began whispering a series of words as his form began to shine. It became cloudy and then in Sigthyme’s place was a giant eagle instead of a Hafling. His feathers looked similar to the outfit he was wearing before the transformation.
He flew forward beating his wings. The dragon flew faster than the giant eagle form, but Sigthyme was able to do quicker turns as they both flew around the city. The dragon’s hide continued to smoke from above the back, right leg but the smoke slowed. Sigthyme dived towards the dragon and tried to plunge its talons into the dragon’s left wing.
Riffen, Juniper, and Tak all ran down the stairs off the wall and towards the center of the city.
“Ok here’s the new plan,” Riffen yelled as they all made their way through the crowd. For the most part people were inside and out of the streets, but Tak continued to yell and tell people to get out of the way.
“Thanks Tak,” Riffen said. “Now like I was saying. There is a clock tower in the center of the city not too far from the Titan Leagues’s headquarters. If we can get up there, we might have a vantage point to fight the dragon.”
“I can use the height to shoot arrows at the beast,” Juniper nodded.
“How can I smash?” Tak asked.
“Hopefully the arrow fire will lead the dragon to come close,” Riffen said.
Juniper looked worried. “We want it to come closer?”
“Well if it gets close enough, Tak and I can jump onto its back. Hopefully then we will be able to take out the wings, bring down the dragon, and then kill it,” Riffen said.
“What about Siggy?: Tak asked.
“Well he’s either dead or he is out there with a plan to take down the dragon,” Riffen said. “Either way we can’t worry about him now.”
“Do not worry Tak. We will find him when the dragon is dead, but we need to focus on the giant, fire-breathing problem at hand,” Juniper said.
Tak frowned but continued forward. “But I get to smash?”
“Of course. Your strength will be most needed,” Juniper nodded.
“Come on, let’s go,” Riffen waved them forward.
They quickly made their way to the clock tower. There were a few guards standing nearby trying to direct people to get out of the street.
“Get out of the street and head for cover,” The guards shouted as the three approached the building.
“Look we’re tying to help you take down the dragon,” Riffen said.
“Kind sirs, I know that you are only doing your jobs, but we need access to the to the clock tower. I’m sure you understand,” Juniper said in a soft, sweet tone and threw in a wink for good measure.
“Ummm….look we’re here to keep people safe and that goes for everyone in this city who is not a proper military official,” The first guard said.
“Move. Or I move you.” Tak stepped forward pulling his warhammer off his back.
“Please,” Juniper said.
The two guards looked at each other and then nodded.
The three of them ran by and opened the door. Juniper thanked them as they entered the building. It was an empty building with smooth marble floors. A few benches lined the outside walls and large paintings hung on the wall.
“How do we get to the top?” Juniper asked.
“I…I’m not really sure,” Riffen said. “I thought there would be a staircase or something.”
“Should I get man outside?” Tak asked.
“No we can figure it out,” Juniper said.
A roar of the dragon echoed throughout the building.
They all looked around the inside of the building looking for some kind of way to the top. Eventually Juniper noticed a small door beside one of the large paintings.
“There!” She called out and ran forward.
They opened the door revealing a small, cramped space made for someone like Sigthyme and not someone like Tak.
“Do you think we can fit?” Riffen asked.
“Well we might, but I don’t think Tak is going to fit inside,” Juniper said.
Tak frowned. “I no go to top.”
“Well maybe you can climb on the outside,” Riffen suggested.
Tak smiled and his eyes lit up a little bit, “Tak climb outside.”
“No. No. That was a joke!” Riffen tried to explain but Tak had already strapped the warhammer to his back and bounded back towards the entrance of the building.
“Should I stop him?” Riffen asked.
“No time, let’s go,” Juniper said as she ducked into the closet. Once inside she grabbed hold of the rungs of the ladder and began to climb.
Riffen ducked inside after Juniper and began climbing up after her.
Allen The Writer 