Dakka the Dragon (2/2)

From that point on, Haalfrin learns first that his eating companion's name is Dakka, and that he's incredibly chatty.

First, the dragon looks at the tattoos on Haalfrin's arms and remarks, "Those are cool drawings. Where can I get one?"

"Where would you put it?" Haalfrin asks, "Your arms are covered in scales, even in your humanoid form."

"Oh, I'd just have somebody paint them over my scales. A lot of dragons like to get their scales painted, though they just shed again every 10 years anyway, so it's just a hassle to get them all repainted over and over again.

"Once every 10 years…," Haalfrin replies sarcastically. "That's, like, all the time, right?"

When Dakka doesn't answer, Haalfrin looks down at the fire and explains, "They're clan tattoos from the Kareen. We mark symbols on our arms to commemorate memorable battles, or when someone important to us died.

Haalfrin looks down and points to the Kareen rune for "Greenstone" on his left shoulder blade and says, "This is the one I got for the time I lost my clan." He traces his finger to his right elbow, where the rune for "northern spear master" is written. "This the most recent marking I've got."

Dakka breathes out more fire on the cooking meat to heat up the cooler side of the spit, then remarks, "That's pretty similar to the Drakin – my people. We're all taught from a young have to have a healthy respect for our enemies."

"Do dragons HAVE a lot of enemies?" Haalfrin wonders aloud. If the creatures are so powerful, who would dare fight them?

"Well…," the dragon replies, "We get a lot of self-appointed heroes trying to murder us all the time."

"…Why're people trying to kill dragons all the time," Haalfrin asks, "much less, one who calls himself a hero?"

Dakka shrugs and holds up his hands in genuine confusion. "I dunno? I mean, seriously! Dragons are chivalrous beings who protect our people and even respect our enemies. We have a healthy respect for the culture, art and relics of other races. We treat everyone with kindness, and we're wellsprings of knowledge. Really… there's no reason to hate a dragon!"

Haalfrin chooses to put aside Dakka's questionable answer…

After that, they bond a little by telling stories with each other. Haalfrin recounts tales of his raider days, and Dakka explains how his older brothers would beat him up all the time, and that he eventually ran away from home.

Haalfrin would've felt sorry for Dakka, as his childhood sounds like child abuse, but he's already learned from some of the dragon's past comments that fighting and beating each other up is a form of love for siblings and even parents.

Once the food finishes cooking, Haalfrin immediately grabs a portion of meat about the size of his head and leaves Dakka's side for a moment. The Jaguar is still resting there, and Haalfrin drops the piece of meat in front of its mouth.

As Haalfrin's walking back, Dakka asks, "What're you doing?"

"Just repaying a debt real quick." The cat bites the piece of meat and runs off into the shady jungle.

Of course, using any physical-based magic consumes calories… so even though Haalfrin had already eaten earlier, he's already hungry again.

Just after Haalfrin takes his first bite, he turns to Dakka and asks, "What's a dragon doing on this side of the world gate anyway?"

"Oh, that?" Dakka says as he shoves a chunk of meat as wide as Haalfrin's head into his throat. "A couple of brothers and myself went to go challenge the Threshold fortress you humans have. All my brothers died… Maybe it's because I'm only a 2 horned dragon, and thus, the smallest and weakest of the lot… but I was able to slip past and get through the world gate without getting killed."

The dragon smiles at this, "You humans have really made an impressive fortress. If I wasn't so cunning and brave, I'd have been defeated by the Threshold too!"

Haalfrin frowns, "Aren't you upset about your brothers dying?"

"Why would I be angry?" Dakka replies, "The fact we had any success against that impenetrable fortress is worth bragging about. Their death was far from humiliating. The fortress was stronger than we were. That's the only thing that matters."

"I dunno," Haalfrin offers, "Maybe you miss them?"

"Ha!" Dakka lets out a mirthful roar, "Humans are fated to die, but not the Drakin!"

Dakka takes another bite, and it appears to Haalfrin that he doesn't care to explain what he said. Furrowing his eyebrows, Haalfrin asks, "So... why are Drakin not fated to die?"

"Ah!" Dakka explains through mouthfuls, "Drakin were crafted by the All Mighty Creator to resemble and symbolize the forces and energy of nature. A force can be defeated and overpowered, but it doesn't just go away; it merely changes direction or ownership."

Dakka rests his jaws on his palm and explains further, "When we die, our souls remain in our bodies - our bones, specifically. The pent-up Dravar we've saved up in our souls is transferred to whoever defeated us. If a higher-ranked dragon feels like it, they can just impart some of their Dravar into our bones to revive us. We only really die if we feel old and we let our powers rot away through disuse."

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Haalfrin mutters as he nibbles on his meat, "Are you going to bite my head off if I ask what you're doing out here?"

"No! It's not a secret or anything!" Dakka answers. "The goddess I serve gave a revelation after some sacrifice in battle. There's a human called Haalfrin somewhere in this part of the world. Our goddess wants his blood as a sacrifice to her."

Haalfrin chokes on his food, and he feels chills in his arms when he hears this. "Uh... So, you're going to put him on an altar or something and slit his throat? That's pretty dark, man."

Dakka chuckles at this and waves his hands, as if to swat aside Haalfrin's words. "That's such a childish notion of sacrifice. Our goddess Freyya is a goddess of war! Every soul that falls in battle is a sacrifice to her!"

The dragon looks down a little more glumly this time. "Normally, she doesn't appear or talk to us at all… but if a battle is big and brutal enough, our priests can momentarily comprehend her Name and speak to her. That's how they got the revelation - the first in many thousands of years!! After so long, she finally accepted us as her followers!"

Dakka slaps his tail shyly on the ground and anxiously bites into the meat. "Oh! To serve such a beautiful and mighty goddess has always been my dream! One day, she'll step on me too!"

"!!!" ~ Haalfrin

Aside from… interesting dragon psychology, Haalfrin is much more interested in Dakka's religion. Apparently, battle is a ritual to them, and the fallen are sacrifices.

However, what Haalfrin really wants to know is why Dakka's goddess – why Freyya – wants him dead...

To be clear, he already knows she wants him dead; he just wants to know WHY.

Still, whatever the reason is she wants to kill him, Haalfrin rejoices in his heart for the good news! 'If the goddess is sending assassins after me, then I'll surely fall in battle! What's even better is that there's an entire cult with draconic patrons out for my blood!'

Feeling confident, Haalfrin stands up and announces proudly, "Look no more, for the goddess has led you in the right direction! I'm Haalfrin!! Come! Let's fight. To the Death!!"

Dakka laughs out loud and stutters out, "Y-you're funny, kid! The goddess said Haalfrin is a tall, dashing, and handsome warrior – a man of honor."

"Sh-she said that about me?" Haalfrin stutters out. He's never been described as handsome by anyone before, so it feels weird to be called that now, after so many years.

Dakka shoves the last of the meat down his gullet, then stands up. "Play time's over, child," he announces, "I'll take you back to your parents now."

"Oi!" Haalfrin protests, "You saw me use magic! That means I'm a mage, and mages are older than they look. That means I'm not a child, which means I really am old enough to be Haalfrin!"

"How old are you?" Dakka asks, "100 at most? That's a child."

Dakka then tries picking Haalfrin up, but Haalfrin starts his little war cry, "You'll never take me alive!!"

The dragon only finds the little human's antics adorable. It's like seeing a little child try to act intimidating. It's not going to put anyone in the mood to fight, though it is funny.

Still laughing hysterically, Dakka transforms back into his draconic form, and he exudes a huge pressure of magic greater than anything the boy had ever seen before. Wearing his true form, Dakka seems far more natural with body-strengthening magic; it's a work of art, really. Every movement the dragon makes is a spell by itself!

Anticlimactically, Haalfrin only lasts a second before the dragon defeats him again. A moment later, Haalfrin is beaten to a pulp and halfway knocked unconscious.

Despite his broken body, Haalfrin futilely resists and yells out, "You said I was a child? Look at these broken bones and cuts everywhere. This is child abuse!"

Of course, Dakka only takes Haalfrin's complaints for childish banter and funny jokes.