In English class, we were assigned to write a story in under seven hundred words. This was quite the change of pace, because usually English classes require a minimum amount of words. But regardless, writing this was a challenge because of the limitations on space, so I had to make sure to choose my words carefully. My theme is that of a guard from Skyrim, but I wrote it before my English teacher informed me it wasn't original enough. Oh well, I think it turned out pretty well.
Shot Through His Pride
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH.
I dashed towards the castle door. I swiftly withdrew my bow, eager to show the fleeing peasants who was going to save the day.
Maybe I'm the dragon born, but I just don't know it yet.
Flames drew near. Citizens cried in terror as the beast flew around the castle tower, shrieking as if they were being directly targeted. If only they knew it was just as scared as they were.
I ran to the top of the tower. Below me lay a field of corpses, as if each body was just a grain of rice to be eaten by the dragon. The dragon's flames slowly roasted the dead bodies as if he were about to start slathering on the barbecue sauce. I knew I didn't have much time.
I began firing arrows at the dragon, but they were useless. It was like throwing pebbles at a concrete barrier. But these pebbles were certainly sufficient to get me noticed.
The dragon looked upward, glazing straight into my eyes. In a flash, the beast straightened its wings and dived upwards. This was it.
I jumped. The castle tower was certainly taller than I had initially expected. For what seemed like hours, I fell. What goes up must come down – except in this case, the opposite was true.
The dragon's head slammed into my chest as I held on for dear life. I grabbed behind its ears, and slowly pulled myself up to the top of its head. The beast hopelessly twisted and turned, attempting to free itself, but its efforts were useless. I was riding the dragon.
The guards of the castle sat quietly on the ground, or so I thought. From a distance I saw them withdrew their own bows and begin useless firing at the spiraling creature. If only they knew how stupid that was.
The dragon went into a swan dive. I knew it would pull up, I wasn't concerned. But the guards down on earth didn't feel the same way. They kept firing arrows in a desperate attempt to get the dragon to pull upward. I waved my hands in an attempt to get them to stop shooting, but my attempts were ignored.
A sharp stinging pain shot up in my knee. It's probably nothing, perhaps just a bird.
I withdrew my sword. With as much precision as one can get riding one hundred miles an hour into the wind, I thrust the blade into the dragon's skull. A roar broke the monotonous sound of wind, and suddenly, we were headed back to the ground.
As we slammed into the ground, I rolled over to the side. Writhing in pain, I looked to my leg where I still felt a stinging sensation. Blood poured from my knee as if it were imitating the Amazon. A guard's arrow had penetrated my knee.
I look to my right. At the very least, I was victorious. The beast was dead, and I would receive the glory of being the one to save our humble castle from what was at first thought just a legend.
"My god… he is dragon born."
I smiled in pain. At least my efforts were receiving acknowledgement. I turned over to accept their praise, but I wasn't the one they were talking to.
"He is… Dovahkiin."
The guards circled around a random adventurer. They patted him in the back as he sit there with a cocky expression on his face, as if he had saved the town. My efforts had been ignored.
Nowadays I sometimes see him going on adventures. I used to be like him, until I took an arrow to the knee.