Dragonsbane

DRAGONSBANE

Brynn battles The Anuran Bane & The Opal Serpent. | Spring y. 1236

The horn had sounded in the south and Brynn knew what had to be done. For years the woman had made her coin and fame off the backs of the corrupted; it was her penance. With every cut of her sword she wondered if her curse to live forever would lift? Brynn had searched for meaning and answers in the death of every monster, yet none ever came.

This time, there were two of them: The Anuran Bane & the Opal Serpent. They had emerged from the south, in a deep and overgrown set of ruins within the Sunless Jungle. The Anuran bane blended beautifully into the stony ruins, a monolith themselves with jaws that concealed a hellish oblivion. Whipping and coiling around the Bane was the Opaline serpent, a glittering and captivating creature with a magnificent, blossomed tail that left a trail of petals wherever it went. Brynn had seen many great beasts and wonders, yet every time, something new would find a way to surprise her, which, when you live this long, is a welcomed thing.

Many had found their way to the south, staking their ground and taking to battle the foes. Many new faces, some that felt familiar. She crossed paths with many as she darted across the battlefield with draconic rage and power. Dragonsbane magic overcame her, and to Brynn, she and the beasts became the only three left in the world. Claw and iron met scales and flesh as she ripped through them piece by piece. Like any monster hunt, it initially felt like a drop in the ocean, but she knew it would count. Hunts were marathons, not sprints.

Brynn had come and gone from the battlefield, as had many. She would retreat to tend to her wounds, rest, recharge, and then return to the fold. It was a long three weeks, but there had been many longer than this. She did not socialise with the others all that much off the battlefield – after her last clash with the Pyre in the North, she had kept relatively to herself. Brynn had reconnected with Khersag not long after the battle and had spoken with them about tales of old amongst the glittering stars. She had felt remorse for the path her friend had taken, and feelings of an attachment had simmered – it was easier to push it away.

It always was.

The night turned day, and the seasons rolled on; the tail of the serpent was a harbinger of spring. Far from the fray, the people gathered at the feast of flowering to celebrate the seasons abundance. Brynn raged on and her draconic strength seeming to grow with every encounter, and it was clear that the beasts were nearing their end. Maws that held oblivion shuddered and the opaline serpent too seemed to slow. As her rage and strength subsided and the flames that surrounded her sword extinguished, Brynn turned her head for home to wash her wounds, rest and head north.

For too long, she had hidden in the south. Perhaps no one would know of her crimes. Perhaps in time, they would thank her.

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