Pthu! Foster spat into the Cult Leader's mouth, causing him to flub whatever he was trying to state and start choking a little. He wrenched on all his limbs, both familiar and new to try and get something loose. The tail slipped through the chains and he quickly started lashing it around, knocking away the large cultist that had come to subdue him.
“Wretched little shit!” the cult leader bellowed stabbing downwards. Foster had luckily had enough strength and dexterity to grab him around the wrist and hold him. “You're outnumbered little drake. Best die quickly and painlessly. If you don't let go now I'll draw out your death for days.”
“Kiss my scaly arse you dress wearing ninny!” Foster bellowed before shaking the cult leader as hard as he could. The insane tug of war ended when the cult leader showed that he had nothing in the way of upper body strength, and Foster plunged the dagger into his stomach. He staggered off gurgling before collapsing.
There was a silence in the room and Foster turned to glance at the rest of the cultists who were frozen in shock. Quickly twisting his right arm and trying to streamline it he managed to free his right forelimb. He used it to quickly lever the chains away from his head, a quick blast of fire and he had some more room to free himself from the now sensible cult. Left forelimb free, wings free, and legs free. He stood up on his hind legs exclusively, his clawed hands in front of him and his head up high.
“Bring it on.” he stated to the shocked cultists. A cruel grin twisted his reptilian face, he knew what they had expected, he knew that he'd given them almost the exact opposite. He'd worry about the hows and whys of his being here later, right now he needed to either carve or scare his way through these twits to freedom.
Two of them rushed at him, the nearest one had a curved dagger that he swung wildly. His arm was quickly grabbed and the dagger driven in to the side of his head. The second one had a handaxe and he was swatted to the side, his weapon easily twisted out of his weak grip. The next cultist to charge was one of the burly ones that had tied him up earlier. He ended up with the axe jutting out of his forehead like the world's most insane piercing.
“Hunh, didn't realize my throwing arm was that good.” Foster noted as he glanced over the cult. They were mostly hanging back, looking at him as if he were a monster. He had to catch a glance at his own reflection to remember why. 'Man I feel like a gormless twit.' he thought before starting to dash off towards the door.
One of the cultists got in his way and he actually tried to wrestle him. He was bitten in the face for his trouble. He was then thrown into the rest of the cultists by his bitten face as Foster continued to march towards the exit. Another cultist charged and was lifted up easily by the front of his robe when the door detonated inward. A man in a shining suit of armour depicting a mailed hand holding a pair of lighting bolts charged in.
“Foul Beast! Release that man or feel the might of Heironeous!” he bellowed and Foster shrugged before setting the cultist down and walking past them both. The knight was sputtering in his armour. “What kind of fool do you take me for?!”
“A rather large one whom cannot read a situation.” Foster said politely. “Have a nice day sir knight, I hope our paths never cross again.” he quickly dropped to all fours and dashed down the hallway that the knight had very kindly cleared for him.
“Hey! Come back here Dragon!” the knight shouted.
“Ni!” Foster shouted back, deciding that if nothing else he should have some freaking fun with his new lot in life.
“I shall flay thy wretched hide from wicked bone beast!” the knight bellowed.
“How can any creature not a day old be wicked? How can any being acting only in self defence and desperation be wretched?” Foster asked back and the knight clanked to a stop.
“What?!” the knight demanded, but Foster had kept running and was not going to slow down for the metal clad dunderhead. He spotted sunlight up ahead and put on a greater burst of speed.
“Yes! Light! Freedom! Food! Blackjack! Hookers!” Foster called out with glee and slipping in a few jokes. He exited the cave and took a deep appreciative breath. “Eww... there's a swamp nearby.” he realized with the smell of peat hanging in the air.
He stretched out his wings and gave them a flap. Once, twice, and pulled a little off the ground. “Ohh! This is gonna be fun!” he realized before dashing forwards with his wings madly flapping. He pulled off the ground with ease and was making good progress away from the shelf by the time the knight finally emerged from the cult's lair.
“What in Heironeous' name is a hatchling red dragon going to do with a hooker? They prefer virgins...” the knight asked out loud. “I mean... it can't possibly be sexually active... can it?” he shivered at the mere thought.
“Ohh! Apples!” Foster noted having found a fruit bearing tree in his fly over a nearby forest. The mountain the cult had holed up in had a forest that quickly devolved into a swamp at it's base. Still, an apple tree was a very welcome sight. Pulling a few of the sour green fruit off the branch he quickly learned that holding them at the tip of his maw and breathing a tiny tongue of flame on them baked them perfectly.
It only took as long as three armfuls of apples before someone decided to put a blade to the back of his neck. “Pull that away please, I'm just trying to eat.” Foster said as cordially as possible.
“You are trespassing, monster.” the voice snarled and he rolled his eyes.
“Then put up some kind of sign. If you don't mark the area you want avoided then it's entirely your fault when others fail to avoid it.” he reprimanded levelly wondering just how strange it must be for a red dragon to be lecturing others on proper behaviour. If he remembered correctly, (which he did) then red dragons are the worst of the worst among the evil dragons.
“Do you think to make a fool of me?” the voice snarled at him.
“Of course not! You're doing a fine job on your own.” he countered with a smile before having another apple. He was still quite hungry even if the fruit had taken off the edge, he needed some meat. “Also, do you know where I could acquire a brace of rabbit or perhaps some venison?”
“What exactly are you trying to pull Dragon?” the elf demanded and Foster rolled his eyes again. This was getting repetitive and he just did not have the patience for it.
“Look, I just want to live. Not an unreasonable request in the least. If you know some way I can get some meat or a way to rapidly leave this area, either would be appreciated.” He stated and the blade quivered for a moment before being withdrawn.
“You want away from here?” the elf asked and Foster nodded. “I know where to find a well of many worlds, if I show it to you, will you travel through it to another world?”
“That would be lovely, lead the way good sir.” Foster said smiling, realizing the whole 'polite dragon' bit was really putting the man off balance.
“This way, and if there's any funny business...” the elf threatened and Fsoter bit back a snort.
“You elves pride yourselves in being a 'good' people. So long as I behave myself I can walk right into the centre of your town and nap in the village square without fear.” Foster countered and the man turned around to glare at him. “Or is living a virtuous life, and denying the darkness in my own nature somehow offencive?”
“Just keep moving dragon.” he stated as he led the way. The forest paths twisted and spun on themselves as if they were making the trip shorter. Foster pondered exactly what kind of magic or spirit would be needed for a such a thing when... “We're here.” he stated pointing to a vine covered well that throbbed with intangible power.
He walked over to the well and looked into it. It was a mostly empty hole with a shifting portal at the bottom. It altered every few seconds to a new location and did not repeat. “Perfect.” Foster breathed in awe. This was his way out. His way to safety, or perhaps greater danger. “Thank you for showing me this. Now if you'll excuse me.” Foster said over his shoulder to the still mostly confused elf.
He dove into the well and shot downwards toward the portal. It's shifting colours mesmerizing and just as easily as falling out of bed, he was through the portal. His wings shot open as everything was suddenly unfamiliar and he had to brace his fall. He was in the sky over a city but what city was it?
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(Posted Fri, 31 Oct 2014 15:39)
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