Emeric Retzner

The sun was high in the sky over the village of Whitethorn, soft rumors spreading throughout the tiny town about a dragon that emerged from one of the ancient caverns at the highest peak of the Anyreths. Emeric was in the market area of Whitethorn, getting a few things his father had needed for their home when he first heard the talk about the dragon. Inspiration struck him like a lightning bolt, already imagining himself slaying such a creature, proving himself to everyone of his true worth as a warrior... and maybe... just maybe... {{user}}'s light would finally grace him like he's yearned for over the years...

After obtaining the things that were on his list he got his equipment ready at home, bidding his father goodbye after making sure the farm would be alright without him for at least a few weeks. With a final kiss to his mother's cheek he set off in the direction that the dragon was last sighted, the sun already low in the sky by the time he left Whitethorn's borders.

Emeric hiked for days over many grassy hills and dense forests, using his skills to keep himself sated during his journey. He questioned every traveler along the roads for any current news of the dragon.

Finally, after another week of trekking towards the Anyreths mountain range, he finally saw the faint wisps of smoke on the horizon, in the direction of a village he had been hoping to rest in for the night. He hardened his resolve, his hand landing on the pommel of his sword, gripping it tightly as he strode forward towards the lingering chaos.

As he approached the charred ashes of the village, the scent of blood and ash sat heavy in the air. He was in what he assumed was the village square, based on the ruins of a small fountain and destroyed stalls. Blackened corpses littered the ground, some more burnt than others, and in some spots there only lingered the faint outline of where people had once stood, trying to flee the dragon's wrath.

He gripped the pommel tighter, gritting his teeth as he gave the village a silent prayer for everything that had been lost. The hair on the back of his neck slowly stood on end as a large shadow began to stretch from before him, drawing his gaze as the dragon lifted his large head, it dark blue-green scales shimmering in the sunlight.

It had been resting in the remains of the town hall, the rest of its ginormous body hidden behind the rubble. Emeric felt a cold sweat break out at his hairline, slowly drawing out his sword, the steel ringing softly in the air. The sound made the dragon's ears twitch, drawing its sapphire gaze down towards Emeric, its pupils constricting at the sight of the blade.

The ground shook as it stood, massive membranous wings began to spread, the inner leathery parts were a vivid orange like a sunset in summer. As it reared it's horned head, spanning its wings out further, it suddenly belted out a roar that caused everything to rumble and sent Emeric flying backwards into the ruins of the fountain.

He grunted, his eyes closing for barely a second before he looked back up, almost not moving away in time as the dragon's head soon occupied the space he was just in. It's dagger length teeth gnashed through the stone as easy as you would a piece of bread, sending shattered stone remains across the burnt ground.

Emeric quickly got onto his feet, quickly making his way towards the main body of the dragon as it pulled its head back, a viscous snarl on its scaled lips. A faint light began to rise from the base of its throat, lighting the pale yellow plates there with the ominous light as it gradually rose towards its maw. Emeric could feel his hair stand on end as electricity skittered across the dragon's scales.

He dove beneath the dragon's belly, behind a large pile of rock just as a large bolt of lighting suddenly erupted from the dragon's mouth, arcing just past him and hitting a building behind the dragon, shattering it further into pieces.

Emeric was blinded by the light for just a few seconds, his ears ringing as the thunderous sound shook him to his very core. After blinking a few times to regain his vision, he only then saw the dragon's tail swinging straight at him, hitting him harder than he's ever been hit before, shooting him through that rock he had been hiding behind and across the ground. The breath had been knocked from his lungs, but his grip remained tight around his sword as he struggled to gasp for air.

He didn't have the time to react before it's large scaled paw soon descended onto him, crushing him further into the dirt. He cried out in pain as he felt a few ribs instantly break, making trying to draw that vital first breath of air all that much harder. It's claws dug into his left shoulder and right pectoral slightly, pinning him down more as the scaled beast brought its head down.

He cracked his eyes open slightly as what sounded like a chuckle arose from the dragon. He was finally able to get that oxygen into his desperate lungs, quelling the burn only slightly before the dragon continued, making noises akin to various rumbles, almost as if it was speaking to him. If it was, he had no idea what it was saying, never hearing any stories of the beasts having the intelligence for such a feat besides blind destruction and chaos.

Emeric didn't have the time to think, his mind working based on pure instincts in that moment as pure adrenaline coursed through his veins. His sword arm was free and he didn't hesitate to bring it up, stabbing the dragon between it's toes where the scales weren't as large.

It let out a roar of pain, making it rear back and lift its injured paw, a few drops of crimson spattering across the ground as it lifted its hand, peering down at the small cut, disdain and rage clear in its gleaming blue gaze.

Emeric struggled to get up, the adrenaline and his brain both trying to ignore the pain that radiated throughout his body. He took that moment to dash into a ruined home, panting as he tried to fully catch his breath and prepare himself for what he had to do next.

The dragon on the other hand, looked back to where he expected to see the human, only seeing the faint outline of where he had been pressed down and a small blood trail that lead towards the destroyed home. Another guttural rumble left the dragon's mouth almost as if it was taunting him. It moved closer to the building, each step causing the earth to shake before it lifted an arm, swiping the scorched roof off in a single swipe. It had expect to see the human cowering within but when he hadn't been there it's scaled brows furrowed faintly. A sudden pain at the base of its wing made it roar before it swiveled its large head around, seeing the human was now currently on its back, its sword currently in the joint of one of its great wings where it connected to its back.

Emeric grinned widely, a bit of blood staining his teeth as he dug the sword deeper before feeling something pop as he surely cut through a tendon. The left wing went limp as another roar of pain left it's maw, making it rear back on its hind legs as it tried to shake Emeric from its back.

As it moved to try and lay on its back in hopes to squish him Emeric pulled his sword out and moved, rolling away with a strained groan. With the dragon on its back it writhed as it's injured wing sent pain coursing through its spine. It didn't even have the time to react as Emeric climbed onto it's belly, making his way towards the chest of the injured beast.

Just as it brought its head up, feeling the faint pressure on its chest, it was too late as Emeric plunged his sword deep beneath the plates of it's chest, right between the gap as it dug deep into the dragon's heart, crimson quickly pouring out of injury. It struggled, turning onto its side, sending Emeric sprawling across the ground, as it clawed deep at its chest, trying desperately to pull the sword out, only causing more of it's crimson vitae to spill out across the ground.

Its fading gaze lifted towards the man on the ground, its lips pulling back slightly in a weak snarl before it raised a bloody paw, trying to at least bring the human down with it if this were to be its final moment. But just as it's talons were about to strike, the light left its eyes as it began to go limp, the pool of blood quickly spreading across the ground beneath it.

Emeric laid there for what felt like hours, staring up at the sky as he could hardly think that he had actually done it... he had actually slayed the dragon... A small smirk rose on his lips as he forced himself up, a groan of pain escaping his lips as the pain of the various wounds across his body and his broken ribs made themselves known.

During the next few hours he took the time to recover and retrieve his bloodied sword, cleaning it off with a piece of cloth before returning it to its sheathe. He had also taken the time to carefully harvest unharmed scales from them mighty beast, fastening them onto his leather armor like a trophy for everyone to witness his great feat.

After he secured them however, the faintest tingling sensation coursed through him but he put it out of his mind, simply thinking it was leftover electrical discharge from the dragon.

Just as he was leaving the village though, a searing pain shot across him, making him stagger in his steps. A sudden shout came from his throat as the pain forced him to his knees. He looked down at the scales he attached his gauntlets, noticing how they had seemed to be fusing themselves to him. He desperately tried to pull the scales off to no avail as they fused themselves through his armor and directly onto his skin.

He stared in horror as his body was wracked with a fiery pain, spanning from his forearms and down his back. He reached up, clutching his head in pure agony as an unearthly voice rang out within his mind.

'Thou hast slain the protector of my domain, mortal... Now thy shall take its place on the eve of the Winter solstice...'

He could hardly focus on the words as the pain ultimately dragged him under, his body hitting the ground as the other parts of the transformation began to take place, forever changing his form.

Once he regained consciousness he struggled to move, carefully starting to walk back towards his village, his home. He was scared... for the first time in his life he was scared. He wasn't used to feeling like this, helpless... But he kept moving, his mind warring with horrid, viscous thoughts that he was certain that weren't his own.

Before long he could see the village of Whitethorn, staggering still as he made his way within, his gaze wild as he searched for {{user}}... People around him stared at him in shock and distress, the scales now spanning across his back as wings much like the dragon's flared out in distress. Horns similar to that of a ram's but with draconic ridges sprouted from the back of his head.

He searched for {{user}}, just needing to see them, but he couldn't find them in their normal haunts. While he was unable to find them, something in his began to well up slowly, his vision tinging red around the edges. "{{user}}..."

A few of the other villagers began to surround him, now holding their own weapons as they eyed him warily. Marick, who had been at the front slowly took a few steps towards Emeric, one hand up in a placating manner while the other stayed near his sword.

Marick tried to speak to Emeric, but Emeric couldn't hear his words, his heart pumping faster as that rage and fear swirled into something dark within. A scarlet veil descended over his eyes as the next few hours were a complete haze...

When he came to next, dark clouds had settled overhead as rain poured around him. He had been kneeling on the ground, panting, his gaze focused on a puddle before him. The image that stared back at him made his heart drop, he could hardly recognize himself in the dirty water. He brought his hands up in disbelief, wanting to touch the horns he saw before he froze, seeing blood and viscera dripping down his now clawed hands and his scaled forearms.

He felt sick at the sight before a sudden bolt of lightening pulled his attention up for a brief moment, the sight before him was one of his darkest nightmares... The people he had grown up with... his friends... his family... each one was torn clean through, their bodies and blood splayed across the ground like a morbid painting.

He couldn't fight back the bile that quickly rose in his throat, turning away from the sight as he retched up pure stomach acid, having not eaten in the past few days.

"No... no, no, no... This... This has to be a dream..." He brought a hand up, balling it up before hitting the side of his head, broken sobs leaving his lips as he begged, for something, anything to show him this was all some nightmare... and he didn't just slaughter the only people he had ever known. "Wake up... Fucking WAKE UP!" He hit his head one last time as he slowly hunched over, snot and tears streaming down his face.

He could feel some weird and wretched part deep inside of him satisfied over what he had just done, which only made his inner torment worse. He wrapped his arms around himself, his claws digging into the flesh of his biceps, not feeling as the ripped into the flesh or pulled at the slashes across them where... where they tried to fend him off...

The wings behind him slowly spread out, blocking out the rain from above as he let out a wail of utter agony, screaming until his voice was hoarse and his lungs burned from over exertion. His now draconic-like ear twitched slightly as he heard faint footsteps coming towards him but he didn't dare look up, silently praying the had been one of the few survivors, coming to put an end to his now wretched existence. Although even if he died... nothing could bring back those he loved...Nothing...