Perfidy

The looming lights in the distance grew brighter as the dark abysmal feeling in my heart grew darker. I didn't want to face this. I was bound to this fate, yet my heart cried to be set free. My one companion floated silently by my side. His small weary wings fluttered soundlessly. My eyes, filled with dread, slowly turned toward Henry, the winged tortoise. Don't be afraid young warrior! The message from Henry flowed into my mind like liquid fire, melting away my fear. But sometimes the replacement of fear is far more terrifying then fear itself. The sleeping warrior within me awoke, transforming me into the dragon slayer within.

L'écharpe's impatience got the better of his determination. With a puff of smoke he arose from his lair and streched his frozen brittle wings. From above L'écharpe was nearly invisible as his mass of white scales blended with the snow covered wilderness before him. The unseen assassin scanned the dark forest below him for the pitiful human who dared to defy him.

A monstrous shadow fell on the wilderness. Nothing but the bitter wind broke the stillness. Against the night sky L'écharpe's white scales shone like diamonds. Not beautiful undying diamonds, but deadly diamonds with the power to destroy. I watched from my hiding place waiting for the glowing purple orbs that were the monster's pitiless eyes to fall on me. Fear tried to creep back into my mind, but I pushed it away. L'écharpe was not just another deceitful conniving monster. He did not prey on the fear of defenseless weak humans. L'écharpe killed for revenge. He was not always the treacherous monster that appeared before me now. The story of his past, scattered with perfidy, struck fear in the hearts of generations of villagers....

This is a continuation of "Dread" before this...