Dragon Hunter

By Sammy J. Hajeer

Mercenary, tracker, hunter. Nexus Scarlet has held a number of titles in her short career in the northern republic, but when a hunt went horribly wrong, her life as she knew it came crashing to an end.
After two years of training in the mountains with a trouble-making dragon, Nexus sets out to start her life over again. Stepping forth onto the plain-swept kingdom of Rowana, she believes she is ready for anything.
However, with highwaymen along the road, a mysterious goat-eating beast on the prowl, and a royal conspiracy threatening to bring the world to its knees, she just might have found herself in over her head.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sammy J. Hajeer
• Release date: Aug 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311402196

Sammy J. Hajeer

My name is Sammy Hajeer. I have lived quite a few places over the years including the tidewater and D.C. suburb areas of Virginia. I first became interested in writing while I was in college. After receiving my degrees, first an associates in Computer Graphics and later a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems, I decided to try my hand at writing.I have multiple skills which range from graphics design to programming and web design. I have even been known to do some 3D modeling in my free time. If you are interested in seeing some of my art, check out my portfolio at: behance.net/searipper

Book preview

Prologue

Xavier climbed down the weathered stone steps of the crypt, the small torch in his left hand radiating pale light onto the dark underworld. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Xavier held up his torch to look around the desolate halls of the poorly kept undercroft. It was wide, big enough to drag a cart down, and judging by the deep grooves worn into the floor, it had. Likely in times of plague and famine, this crypt had seen a highway of fresh corpses rolling through. A bony set of toes sticking out of one of the burial vaults along the wall caught Xavier’s attention, so he held his torch out further. The vaults were stacked ceiling-high with the bones of the dead. Some were entire skeletons while other assorted bones were stacked in organized heaps, as if the grave keeper who had set out to organize the mess quit halfway through the job.

What a cheerful place this is, muttered Xavier to himself as he took a nervous step forward. I bet the tenants here will be brimming with happy smiles and laughter. A skeletal corpse hung out from one of the vaults along the way. The light shown white on its polished skull; its jaw hung loose in a painful scream. Xavier was reevaluating the term silent as the dead when suddenly the wrenching shriek of a child pierced through the dark halls. The cry abruptly ceased moments later, and the underworld returned to its deathly stillness. His right hand warily rubbed the gold pommel of the sword hilt at his hip. I suppose a friendly welcoming party is out of the question. He let out a nervous laugh and then started to creep through the abysmal black halls.

Dead stares and silent bony jeers followed him as he cut through the undercroft passages. It was almost as if the deceased had sided with the living in their judgmental mocking of him. Xavier had been humiliated all his life, from his father’s loss of the throne to his own banishment from the castle. He had endured, of course, just like he endured these corpses now. For years he had endured, but he was no longer content to sit in silence as the world walked over him.

A movement flickered in the dark, and he spun around as a skeleton fell upon him. In a flinching reflex, he swung his sword to cut the corpse in half. At the screeching noise of an animal, Xavier lowered his torch to reveal the squirming form of half a rat crawling away on its front paws. The rodent left a bloody trail in its wake. Its lower half lay severed on the ground. A pox on you and may you rot in hell, he muttered as he walked onward once more.

With the source of his scare revealed, Xavier took a moment to calm his heart and return his sword to its scabbard. He nervously rubbed at the scar that lined his neck and face, a souvenir from the swordsman who had run him out of Rowana. The swordsman had been sent by the king of Rowana, who just so happened to be his dear old uncle. Xavier had memorized all the names and faces that had wronged him that day, but at that moment he was relieved he would not have to add a rodent to that list.

Several chambers dotted the sides of the hall as Xavier passed, but he avoided these since half of them were filled to the ceiling with bones, and the other half he could see were dead ends, no pun intended. The hall finally ended in a smaller round chamber where three passageways led off in different directions. He let out a sigh and started looking around. Turning his head, he was startled to notice a cloaked figure sitting by the chamber entrance that he had just come through. Xavier hissed in surprise, but upon further inspection, he realized it was just another skeleton like the other residents of this dark hole. The skeleton was grasping a scythe in its right arm while pointing with its left. Xavier followed the skeletal finger to one of the passageways and nodded, Thanks Sir Bones. He smirked. Your help is much appreciated.

As Xavier made his way down the lifeless hall, he began to notice a green glow coming from a chamber at the distant end. The noise of incoherent chanting began to choke the air. Panicked squeals were added to the chorus as a pack of rats fled down the hall. Xavier waded through the discarded bones and squirming rodents on his march for the light.

As he crossed the threshold into the final chamber, the shadows of many masked men in dark robes surrounded him with accusatory glares. They were like fleshy versions of his skeletal friend from the hall and quite lively in comparison. Several lanterns and candelabrums burned with a peculiar green flame, and strange chalk marks were scratched into the chamber floor. So they like playing with chalk, he observed, I suppose everyone needs a hobby.

A tall albino man in a black cloak towered over Xavier and glared down at him with a crooked sneer. Who dares to enter our sanctum? demanded the man.

Xavier muttered under his breath, Obviously someone armed and more dangerous than you. With a shrug he spoke up, It is generally considered proper to introduce yourself before asking the name of another.

I am Requiem, said the man as he held his arms out to gesture to the crowd of cloaked men, leader of the cult of Bol. Now answer me!

Xavier noted the man had a grooming problem with overgrown hair, long fingernails, and a colorful collection of cavities in his snarl. He wrinkled his nose at the pungent smell wafting in from Requiem’s direction. He bit back a comment, or two, about the man’s aura and opted instead to say, I am Prince Xavier of the Rider family, and you are quite… er, tall.

Bring him closer, Requiem, ordered a child’s voice with an unsettlingly deep tone. Requiem scowled and then stepped back to reveal a child whose eyes burned with a demonic red flame. I have been waiting for you, Xavier, son of kings, said the child. I’ve long since sensed your desire for revenge, your hunger for conquest. I knew you would come eventually. You need the proper tools to achieve your goals, and I have them all.

I somehow doubt the power of an adolescent will do me much good, said Xavier with a smirk.

Requiem slapped him across the face with his nails. How dare you doubt the power of our Dark Lord Bol, insolent whelp!

Xavier swiped his finger against his cheek and glowered at the drop of blood from his scratch. Now why did you have to go and do that? he thought with a sigh. Very well, sir Requiem, you are now on my list. He turned back to the business at hand and smiled at the evil little child. My apologies, Bol, was it? So am I to understand you are willing to just give me your help?

For a price, the child cackled. Only strife is given freely.

Ah, a price, Xavier said as he rubbed his chin. He could feel the blood dripping from his cheek, which annoyed him greatly. This is not one of those, ‘In exchange for your soul’ prices, is it?

Oh, please, said the child, waving his hand in disdain. You wouldn’t believe how many souls of kings, princes, and fishermen make it into hell on their own. No, I want something more.

Fishermen? Xavier pondered. He then asked, And what is your price?

The world, laughed the child. It has been far too long since demons walked freely on the earth. I want you to change that.

Xavier rubbed his brow and said, Hmm, regardless of whether that’s physically even possible, aren’t you worried about some celestial force or something driving you back out again after you’re here?

Fool, shouted Requiem. The Dark Lord did not ask you to invade heaven. The magic of this world keeps him bound.

Xavier felt a ripple of animosity run through his brow and threaten to turn his pleasant face into an ugly scowl. He took a moment to regain his composure before turning back to the child, Very well then, Sir Bol, we have an accord.

Good, said the child. Then the deal is set. You shall have your revenge, young king.

The Dark Lord has spoken, bellowed Requiem. Now leave, Xavier. We will find you during the next full moon to give you your next task.

Xavier turned to leave but clicked his fingers and stopped. Oh, I almost forgot, Bol. He pointed at Requiem. Do you need this man for anything?

The evil child stretched an evil grin across its face and said, Not really. Then, with a burst of flames the child disintegrated.

Oh, bless you, you’re a saint, said Xavier as he brandished his longsword and thrust it into Requiem’s throat before the man could raise his hand in protest. Requiem gurgled while clutching his slit gullet and then collapsed to the ground.

One of the cultists peeled his eyes away from the dying man to stare at Xavier with eyes of fear. That was the head of our cult. Who will lead us now?

Xavier wiped the blood off his sword and returned it to its sheath. Guess that will have to be you, he said to the man. Xavier walked over to the new cult leader and patted him on the back. Congratulations on your promotion, friend. I was rooting for you. He then let out a sigh as he leaned his arm around the cultist’s neck and smiled. I think we’re going to get along really well. Now then! When is the next full moon?

Chapter 1: Hunter

The Hunter was not a happy woman. Not so much unhappy with her life, as she knew that it had its ups and downs. As an orphaned bastard daughter of a mercenary and a whore, she considered her life to be going better than could be expected. No, she was unhappy with the small band of four dragon slayers she was leading into the gaping jowl of the mountain cavern. Several claw marks covered the cavern walls and a stalagmite lay broken off and toppled on the entrance floor. It had been her job to track the beast and bring the men to the dragon, but it did not take a twenty-five-year-old veteran of three dragon attacks like herself to know the beast had come this way.

Despite the fall chill that festered in the air, The Hunter was sweating. She had traded her chainmail coat for a more discreet leather vest on this hunt. She had a single-bladed falchion sword sitting silently on her hip, padded in its sheath, and her hand gripped the short wooden spear with a force that could choke a sailor to death. The Hunter bent down to look at all the signs scratched into the rock and shook her head. It was all a little too obvious to her, like an invitation. She remembered something her old man had once said, that a cautious fool was better off than a dead one. Nibbling off a good portion of her finger nails, The Hunter spit, and then signaled for the group to retreat.

The leader of the group, the spoiled son of the baron who had hired her, snickered as he shook his head and signaled the group onward. The Hunter charged in front of the group and held her hands up in protest, but the baron’s son grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her aside. You are being paid to help us find the dragon, so do your job, he growled. The Hunter grimaced and grudgingly started stalking down the cavern’s maw.

From the moment she had entered this fiefdom, she had regretted signing onto this dragon hunt. The baron had even placed a limit of one month for completion of the contract, which still infuriated her. She knew the effort, training, and manpower it required to take down this beast, and this group was wanting in every aspect. Dragons were smart, they were devious, and they were powerful. The slightest noise could alert the dragon to their presence, and then the whole plan would be ruined. The scuffing of her companions’ feet was particularly jarring to her. She pulled a lock of brown hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear before turning to scowl at the three men who accompanied her. Do they want to get us killed? she wondered.

One of the baron’s men had lit a torch along the way and now golden light danced along the cavern walls. Dragon eyesight was not that much better than a human’s, so she knew its nest would be in a well-lit place. The thought of advertising their arrival with a beacon aggravated her to a great degree. The thought of slitting the baron son’s throat and running off crossed her mind, but she did not like her chances with that option either.

If her old man had still been alive, he would have kicked her in the gut for letting these fools charge into battle. Blind stupidity leads a man to ruin was his motto after all, The Hunter thought to herself. Of course, his other motto was I only ever took you in because your mother, sick from pneumonia, told me, ‘She’s yours. Raise her right, or I’ll haunt you,’ before dying at my feet. Ironically, it had been a dragon that finally ended the old man. That had been The Hunter’s first time killing a dragon, and her last day as a Cavallan mercenary. There really wasn’t any reason for her to stay where she wasn’t wanted after that.

The group finally reached the inner chamber of the nest. A ray of golden light filtered in from a hole in the cavern ceiling, revealing bones and blue scales that littered the rock strewn chamber. Of the dragon, however, there was no sign. Over the years The Hunter had learned to trust her gut, and every animal instinct was telling her to run. She signaled a retreat, but it was too late.

Teeth and claws sprang forth from the shadows as the dragon tore off the head of baron’s son. The Hunter barely managed to roll out of the beast’s striking range as it swung its clawed hand at her. Her spear was shattered in the process though, and now eighteen feet of angry dragon separated her from the other two men and the exit. One of the men threw a spear at the dragon’s flank, but the beast easily swatted it aside.

No, you idiot! The Hunter thought. We surround her and attack at the same time! The dragon turned her head and spat a stream of raging gold flames into the attacker, cooking him in an instant. The Hunter lunged with her spear, but the dragon was on her. With a quick swipe of its left front paw, the dragon tossed Nexus across the chamber and into a pile of animal bones in the corner.

The last man seeing the demise of his companions did the only sensible thing available to him. He dropped his spear and ran, screaming, towards the exit, most likely soiling himself along the way. Obviously sensing no threat from the coward, the dragon turned its full attention back to The Hunter.

Pulling herself to her feet, The Hunter unsheathed her sword and faced the dragon. The two finally met each other’s gaze, and there was a brief moment where they just stared at each other, as if in sudden shock. This was not just any dragon. The Hunter had come face-to-face with this dragon three years past when she had hunted its mate with another group of hunters. The fury and intelligence she saw within its eyes burned white like a hot brand.

The dragon bellowed a furious roar and the accusatory word You! accosted The Hunter’s mind. Ignoring the ringing in her ears, she rushed the dragon with her sword knowing full well that she was going to die here and now. The dragon swatted The Hunter to the ground and pinned her with a mighty clawed hand. It roared once more and the words, Dragon Hunter! echoed through her mind. Black spots popped in and out of The Hunter’s vision as the weight of the dragon began to crush her. The dragon’s mouth drew closer and closer as the world grew black.

The Hunter managed to cough out the words, Oh, guess you win, before it became too hard for her to breath. She laughed to herself, Seriously? That’s the best line you could think of for your last words? Then, The Hunter lost consciousness.

~

The world was black. Nexus Scarlet did not suddenly realize this, for realization required a level of computation that her mind was in no condition to do. No, instead, realization came leisurely, like honeysuckle vine growing up a fence post. When Nexus finally realized the world was black, she also began to notice other things.

Things like, the world was wet, the world was round, and the world was small and cramped. All of this data only served to confuse the budding mind that was Nexus. It was only when a voice called out in the darkness that Nexus started to put pieces of information together, Come on out, lazy bones! This world won’t wait forever for you,

Nexus tried to move around, but the smallness of her world confined her to a tight crouching position with every limb in touch with the warm walls surrounding her. A thick slime filled the space causing her to draw her first conclusion, I’m not breathing. That’s not good!

In a panic, Nexus clawed at the walls of the world desperate to escape. A crack of light suddenly appeared in the darkness, giving the frightened Nexus a ray of hope. Digging and digging she made the crack wider and wider. Finally shoving herself through the hole, she squeezed out and fell onto a burning fire outside.

As a new wave of panic slammed into her, Nexus tried to flee from the flames. Unfortunately, her legs were shaky and frail from neglect, and she only managed to stumble and fall. Clawing and rolling, Nexus pulled herself out of the fire and started coughing up streams of pink liquid from her lungs. With her lungs finally cleared, Nexus took a long gasp of air. She was naked and covered in slime, but at least she was alive. Wheezing in several more breaths, Nexus rolled herself onto her back and looked back at the blaze. A small bonfire crackled around a large oblong sphere that had a visible hole cracked in it.

What in Grim’s name is going on? Nexus gasped, not really expecting an answer.

So you finally hatched, little imp, said a feminine voice that echoed through Nexus’ mind. Nexus turned to see the giant head of a dragon above her. Terrified, Nexus squirmed to get away. Hold still, girl! shouted the voice. A giant clawed hand pinned her down, and the dragon proceeded to lick off the remaining slime from Nexus’ body.

What the bloody hell! Nexus screamed in disgust. It occurred to Nexus that something was seriously wrong, and not just the fact that a giant dragon was treating her like a salt block. The dragon flipped her over and started working on her other side. It was then that Nexus noticed two large wings protruding from her back. In the light of the fire Nexus could see her body, which still looked human in shape, now shimmered with dark blue scales. Her fingers ended in sharp claws, and a tail now sprouted out from somewhere behind her. In utter shock, Nexus went limp as the dragon continued cleaning her off. When the dragon finished, Nexus sat up and stared into the gaze of the dragon. What did you do to me?

The dragon blinked and then tilted its head, as if thinking on how best to answer the question. Finally a voice chortled through Nexus’ head and said, I guess you could say I made you mine. The dragon leaned down and gently cradled Nexus with her mouth. You can call me Bluefang, or mother if you prefer. I’m going to make you into the most dangerous beast that ever walked the earth, little one. Against protests and curses from Nexus, Bluefang carried her off like a dog with its favorite bone.

The Council of Dragons

(two years prior)

Bluefang had always been somewhat of a rebel amongst the dragons. When ancient magic was forbidden, Bluefang learned it. If a hunting ground was restricted, Bluefang would poach a meal. She had even taken on a life mate, which was a scandal among dragonkind. Anger and sorrow filled her mind every time she recalled humans hacking away at his lifeless corpse. When a messenger had arrived two years past asking her to attend the council of the dragons, she surprised even herself by showing up, late mind you, but still present.

Bluefang had soared over the glassy sharp cliffs as she flew on her way to the council. Memories of hatchling friends and mischievous deeds raced through her mind as she darted between peaks. When she finally spotted the largest snowcapped peak, she stalled in her flight and stared. The Sacred Valley was on the other side of that mountain and with it the Dragon Council.

A voice from her distant memories called out to her in her mind and Bluefang giggled before yelling, I’ll race you to the top, and then bolted through the air. The wind filled her wings and caressed her scales. It was as if she was a part of it, the dragon and the wind as one. It would normally take half-an-hour to reach the peak, but Bluefang was there within a matter of minutes. She skimmed by the snow, kicking up white powder like it was mist from an ocean wave. She finally reached the top and splashed down in the chilly snow. I win again, she said and then looked back in sadness, knowing no one was there. Bluefang stood in silence for a minute before turning around to stare down at the Sacred Valley.

From her perch she had a panoramic view of the ancient basin. A small plateau circled around the eastern and southern edges of the valley, and the sheer edge of the mountain range wall towered over the west side, making the valley almost solely accessible from the air. The Sacred Valley was emerald in hue with lush green grass creeping out of every crevice and moss clinging to the stones. There was also an ancient stream that sliced through the middle of the basin, carving out a number of small pools and cataracts as it ran its course. She remembered following it upstream a number of times to the bottomless pool where a giant waterfall fed into it from the cliffs above. It was a sacred spot, and none but the elders were permitted to enter its ancient depths; naturally she had jumped in many of times.

Nearly three hundred dragons stood in the valley that day, crowded around the Dragon Council and watching in nervous apprehension. The council sat in the stone circle at the center of the Sacred Valley, as they had done since as far back as Bluefang could remember. The Council Circle was a massive round obelisk that stood a good three feet above the surrounding area. In the circle there stood fourteen large pillars where each of the elders perched while they debated matters of importance that affected the traditions and wellbeing of dragonkind. At least there would have been fourteen elders had one seat not lain empty. It remained as a hollow reminder of how even the mightiest of dragons can fall, and mighty she had been.

Bluefang dug her feet into the snow while crouching, then leapt over the edge like a spring chick leaving the nest. She waited until she was halfway down the mountain before unfurling her wings and gliding off to circle the council. There were red dragons, green dragons, black, silver and blue. At the head of the council sat the last of the line of bronze dragons, an elder with icy white blind eyes by the name of Pence. Bluefang had never paid much attention to the names of those who sat on the council, save for the select few who yelled at her.

Well, that’s not quite right, Bluefang chuckled to herself as she approached for a landing. They have all yelled at me before. Some just yell louder and more often.

A green and a black dragon were in the middle of an argument when Bluefang dropped into the empty seat, sending a hush throughout the crowd of the three hundred dragons that filled the valley of the council.

The elder bronze noticed the sudden silence and spoke, I sense the presence of a new arrival. Does this young one have a wing-name?

When Bluefang remained silent, a red dragon spoke up, It is the urchin, Bluefang, Elder Pence. Urchin? Bluefang thought. That’s a new one, Uncle Fury. I’ll have to remember it. A wave of murmurs and whispers flooded the crowd. A bellowing roar from the red dragon returned silence to the valley. Ignore the rude youth. Can we please get back to the topic at hand?

Remembering his dispute, the green dragon roared, As I was saying before, I am against this plan. Why should we abandon thousands of years of our traditions!

Have you taken a look around, Viper! yelled the female black dragon. We are dying out. A hundred years ago there were thousands of us. Now only a few hundred remain. This is not a question of traditions! It is the key to our continued existence in this new world!

The green dragon, Viper, shook his massive head and growled back, If it is a matter of survival, then we should exterminate the humans that have caused the problem! Do you not have the backbone to defend yourself?

Bluefang let out a snort, which drew everyone’s attention. With a toothy grin she spoke, My apologies, Elder Viper, I was just recalling a similar argument I had with you fifty years ago on the same subject. As I recall you told me it was our tradition to let nature take its course and not upset the balance of things.

Viper blinked three times before saying, We all make mistakes, child. I recall your warnings of the human threat, and if I could go back, I would have heeded them. Viper shot a furious glance at the black elder dragon. But we can still do something about this threat! I cannot agree with Ebony’s plan! Bluefang knew as much as she sided with Viper on wiping out the humans that his words were hollow. Certainly they might be able to destroy the humans’ civilization. However, in the process too many dragons would die, and in twenty years the humans would be back like the roaches that they were. Afterwards they would just continue the annihilation of dragonkind with renewed vigor. It was a realization Bluefang had come to only after her mate had been killed.

The black dragon, Ebony, shook with irritation, We both know your plan would only lead to our downfall, old fool. Our species has gone for thousands of years without changing, and it has finally come to its end. The only way we can survive is to change, and the only way we can avoid the expansion of the humans is to be indistinguishable from them. My spell will make that possible! Bluefang knew Ebony well as Bluefang had learned many forbidden spells under the black dragon’s wing. So this announcement peeked her interest.

Viper was furious, You plan to deform our young and indoctrinate them with human culture!

"And you plan to lead us to ruin