In League With Dragons- Chapter One
The Bad Times Start
Read the full fic on AO3!
behold! Chapter one of my Big Bang fic for @ts-storytime!
taglist: @theimprobabledreamersworld @edupunkn00b
Of all the ways to die, Nico didn’t expect to be killed at the talons of a dragon, the great beasts that his town both admired and feared. Even less expected was the man who rode with the dragons, who claimed they were his family. And Nico certainly didn’t think he would be saved, let alone spared, by the man and the creatures he called his family.
The rainbow of dragons circled high above his head like gigantic vultures ready to feast on some unfortunate animal’s carcass.
He knew, of course, it would be his carcass that the reptiles would tear apart, his own blood that would coat the shimmering scales of the beasts, his bones that would be splintered apart like twigs as the dragons tore into his ribcage.
This was never how he imagined his death would be. He just hoped it would be quick. But dragons were not known to be merciful creatures.
One of the dragons let out a cry, and Nico’s blood seemed to freeze despite the blazing sun beating down on him. He strained against the chains binding him to the boulder in a futile attempt to escape, to hide, to do anything that would not result in an easy meal for the beasts.
Not once did he take his eyes off the sky and the circling reptiles that looked to Nico rather like a flock of vultures flying over a pile of carrion.
Without warning, one of the dragons- a dark blue one, almost the color of a dark lake- broke off from the circle and began to descend. Nico’s eyes followed the creature, but without his glasses that lay cracked in the grass just out of reach, it was impossible to discern where exactly the dragon landed.
There was no doubt the dragon was coming closer.
For just a moment, the entire woods fell silent, even the wind blowing through the trees suddenly stopped. Then without warning a wave of noise exploded through the trees as a dragon came barreling towards him through the underbrush.
Nico’s heart pounded as he held his breath, pressing his back against the cold stone, hoping that somehow the dragon would run right past him. That is, if his heart didn’t explode right out of his chest.
The rustling grew louder, and Nico flashed back to the stories of dragons he had heard as a child; they were ruthless, man-eating beasts who could crush a person without a second thought, whose teeth could grind his bones to dust…
A man stepped into the clearing.
Nico wanted to yell at him, to tell him, “Didn’t he see the dragons? One was coming this way, get out of here!” But even if he felt like he could get a word out without throwing up, the gag that had been stuffed in his mouth barely allowed him to mumble.
Yet the man seemed unbothered by the predators still overhead. In fact, he even looked up and smiled. He glanced around the clearing and began to walk towards Nico, still with his nonchalant grin. When the man got closer his smile faltered, no doubt realizing the state Nico was in.
He crouched next to the stone, and his features were suddenly much clearer to Nico, who couldn’t see past his outstretched hand without his glasses.
The man reached out a tentative hand, and Nico felt the metal fall away from his mouth.
“There’s a dragon, get out of here!” Nico warned, his voice hoarse and his jaw barely able to form the syllables, tongue sticking like glue in his mouth.
The man smiled. “Oh, don’t worry about him! He’s actually a big sweetheart once you get to know him!”
“You’re- you’re with the dragons. Are you- you’re one of them!”
Nico lifted his leg, despite only a tingling sensation running through his muscles, ready to kick the man. Nico was much less sure that it was a man now. He remembered stories he heard as a child about how some dragons could change their form, disguise themselves as human. The only way to tell for sure was to look at their eyes, but Nico’s sight wasn’t good enough to determine if there was anything off about the… maybe-person.
“I mean, if you think I’m an actual dragon, well, I wish! That’d be so cool, right? I always thought I’d make a good dragon. But- here, let me help you.”
The man inched closer and inspected the chains around Nico’s wrists, and as his skin regained feeling he could tell that the man’s hands were rough with work.
“I don’t think I can get these off, I’m sorry. I’ll get Logan, he’ll know what to do! He’s a Fixer.”
He stood up, and for a moment, Nico’s heart dropped. Was this small chance of survival really going to just walk away?
Nico’s fears were almost settled when the man just stood up and gave a loud, low whistle and looked towards the trees.
Something big was running through the woods, tearing down the trees.
The dragon was coming, and the man had called him.
Nico scrambled to his feet, the chains just long enough to allow him to stand.
A flash of blue appeared through the underbrush, and suddenly a dragon was standing in front of him, teeth bared and eyes staring directly at him.
“Logan! Hi!”
“You require my assistance, Thomas?” The dragon spoke.
The dragon spoke.
Dragons weren’t supposed to be able to speak! Nico had been taught that dragons were dangerous, mindless creatures bent on destruction, with no feelings other than hunger! So why was a dragon standing right in front of him, not chewing on his bones?
Nico’s mouth moved but no words came out, and he knew he must look like a fish out of water trying to articulate his thoughts, most of high co sister if the sentiment that he was about to die.
“Who are you?” Nico finally said.
“Oh! Right, I forgot to introduce myself. Sorry about that! Hi, I’m Thomas, and this is Logan, my… friend.”
“Right. Yeah. Okay. I’m Nico.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” the dragon said in a way that suggested he thought it was not, in fact, a pleasure.
“Logan, can you get these off?” Thomas gave a light tug on the chains.
“Of course I can. Let me see your hands.”
Nico brought his wrist as close to the dragon’s eyes as he dared, his trembling rattling the chains. The dragon- Logan, that was right. Logan narrowed his eyes, the slit pupils examining Nico.
“This won’t do. I do not have an adequate workspace.”
Then Logan huffed and flicked his tail as he moved to the anchoring boulder, and in a single swift motion, bared his teeth and ripped the chains right out of the rock. No doubt the noise had been heard across the woods, likely even to the village of the people who had brought him here in the first place. They probably thought he was dead now, their sacrifice successful.
The force made Nico stumble forward, bumping into Thomas, who put his hand on Nico’s shoulder.
“Much better,” Logan said, looking over the stained red and gray stone now scattered across the clearing. “Now come here. Let’s see what we can do about those locking mechanisms.”
Logan sat down on his back two legs and beckoned Nico forward, one of his talons gesturing. Nico suddenly felt as if he were a fish hooked on a line, but Thomas nodded and Nico tentatively stepped towards the dragon.
Logan grasped Nico’s wrist, his talons dwarfing Nico’s hands yet surprisingly gentle as he examined the locks. Then, with a wiggle of his claws, the chain on Nico’s left hand clattered to the ground.
Nico could have sworn he saw a dim blue glow emit from the dragon’s talons as he did so, but Nico didn’t comment on it. In fact, he could hardly think, let alone speak, with this giant next to him.
“Give me your other hand, now.” Logan instructed. A moment later, Nico’s other hand was free, and Logan took the chain in his mouth and tossed it far into the woods.
“Thank you. Thank you, really,” Nico rubbed his sore wrists and looked up at Logan, suddenly realizing just how small he was compared to the dragon. He had always known dragons were gigantic, but the stories had never prepared him to stand side by side with one.
Nico’s head was just above Logan’s knee, and the dragon’s leg was like a tree trunk- as wide as at least three of him around. Granted, he had always been called nothing but skin and bones, always one of the smallest kids when he was younger, but it wasn’t hard to imagine that Logan could snap him in half like a toothpick with little to no effort.
“Of course! So… where do you want to go now?” Thomas interjected.
“Well, he can’t go back to his human dwelling, can he? Pardon, you are a he, correct?”
“Er, yes, I’m a he.” Nico felt he was beginning to have far too many new experiences in a single day, and the only experience he had come somewhat close to enjoying was a dragon asking for his pronouns. If someone had told him that’s what would happen to him someday, he would have called them crazy for believing dragons could talk.
“Now, Thomas, you make a fair point. Where exactly do you plan on going now?”
“I… hadn’t thought about it. I honestly believed I would have been eaten by now.”
“What is it with humans fearing being killed by dragons these days?”
“You’re… you’re really not going to eat me?” Nico asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Eat you?” Logan huffed, pulling his mouth back into as much of a smile as a dragon could, showing off his teeth as if it was the most preposterous statement Logan had heard all day.
“Eat you?” He repeated. “Despite what my sons may say, most dragons find humans… distasteful. Not worth the effort. There is next to no useful nutrients in your scrawny bodies, and certainly not enough to justify all the fight you give!”
“Wait! Logan! What if Nico comes with us?” Thomas smiled.
Logan thought for a moment, tilting his head and examining Nico.
“I believe that would be an amicable solution. Yes, we have adequate resources, and it is certainly better than turning you loose in this forest. But, of course, it is your choice. So, Nico, are you willing to come with our group? Or would you like to find another solution?”
Before Nico knew what he was doing, he nodded. “I’ll go with you.”
“Yay!” Thomas clapped his hands together.
“Well, that was easy. Although I don’t doubt there will be squabbling later. Now, we have wasted enough time. I’m sure the humans from your settlement will be on their way to investigate soon, so we must be on our way. Climb on.”
Logan crouched low, the darker blue, almost black scales of his chest brushing the grass.
Thomas didn’t hesitate, scabbling up Logan’s bent leg and sitting himself between the spines along Logan’s back, just below his neck.
“Come on! I’ll help you up,” Thomas reached down his hand, but Nico just froze.
“How do I even…” Nico gestured upwards.
“Hold onto my scales to climb,” Logan instructed, a tinge of impatience coming to his voice. “It will not hurt me, just do it quickly.”
Nico nodded and held his breath as he touched the scales, surprisingly cold and rough under his hands. He stood on the tips of his toes, reaching out for Thomas’s hand.
“You’re going to have to get up a little higher. Logan, can you get any lower?” Logan wordlessly shifted so he was almost laying down.
“Thank you! Now come on, try again!” Thomas encouraged.
Nico nodded, and this time was able to grip Thomas’s hand and maneuver himself up the dragon’s back. Despite himself having next to no grace, and in fact thinking himself clumsy, Nico found himself hanging on to Logan’s icicle-like spines with Thomas’s steadying hand on his shoulder.
“Where do I hold on? Where should I sit?”
“Here, right behind me,” Thomas shifted to allow Nico room. “Hold on tight!”
“Hold on to what, though?”
“You can hold on to me, and make sure you pinch your legs together, or else you might be a little upside down!”
Nico took another shaky breath as he followed the instructions and put his hands on Thomas’s shoulders.
“Are you settled in?” Logan asked.
“We’re ready!” Thomas called back. “Make sure you hang on tight!”
Logan stood up and spread his wings, which Nico could now see were a sky blue, almost teal color striped with black. A flap of the wings, and Nico felt as if his brain was rattling around in his skull. He gasped and wrapped his arms around Thomas’s chest, burying his head in between Thomas’s shoulder blades.
Nico’s glasses pressed into his face, but couldn’t bring himself to close his eyes as Logan’s wings beat beside him, lifting the dragon and his two passengers into the sky, seeming to run across the treetops.
The wind battered him around and he felt like his stomach was in knots, yet he still didn’t close his eyes.
Nico felt that he could simply reach up and touch the clouds if he wanted to, but he still clung tight to Thomas in fear of plummeting straight to the ground, landing with a splat on the dirt far below, or perhaps skewered by a tree branch…
‘Don’t think about that now,’ Nico chided himself, but clung just a little tighter, pressing his ear against the soft material of Thomas’s shirt.
He felt Logan begin to descend, the treetops engulfing the passengers, and Nico began to relax. Not a second after Logan’s talons touched the ground, Thomas slid down to the grass and looked up at Nico.
“Come on! I’ll help you down,” Thomas called up to Nico. “One leg over, there you go, now lean back, let go!”
Nico looked down, and the ground had never seemed farther away, not even when he was up in the sky. Logan’s cold scales shifted under Nico, the dragon’s steady breathing moving his chest up and down ever so slightly. Getting up had been easy, but allowing himself to fall?
“I’ll catch you, I promise. Let go, you’ll be alright.”
Thomas held out his hands, and Nico closed his eyes and loosened his grip on the spines, letting himself fall, sliding down the cold, rough scales, and suddenly-
Suddenly Thomas caught him, and helped him to his feet, steadying him on the patchy grass covering the hard stone ground.
“Well, how did you like flying?” Thomas asked, his hand still on Nico’s back, steadying him.
“It was…” Nico realized he had been clenching his jaw, and attempted to relax. “It was different.”
How could he describe it, especially to someone who must have flown with Logan countless times, who had seemingly no fear? How could he describe what had been, to him, an incredible experience, the wind in his face, the trees below him, the feeling that he could reach out and touch the clouds had he not been so terrified to someone who did that every day?
“I know, right?” Thomas laughed. “There’s nothing like it!”
“I do not mean to interrupt you, but Nico, would you please introduce yourself?” Logan gestured behind him, and Nico looked over to see five other dragons, each a different vibrant color, all staring at him.
Once again, despite Logan’s assurances that he would not be eaten, Nico froze.
33 notes
·
View notes