Inkfire | Prompt A Day - April 2025

Author's note: I will be using @rbhayes account for my journey back into writing from hereon.

shoutout to @shadowspub for the daily prompt (subscribe to her newsletter)

Fiction: During a March thunderstorm, lightning strikes a community library, causing books to swap stories with each other, blending characters across genres.

The day had started out warmer than any day in March but once the clouds started rolling in that evening, thunder began brewing, its deep rumbles stirring in veins of lightning that clapped and crackled. One particular bolt pierced through the night sky like a jagged sword, hitting a violently spinning weathervane on top of the town’s library—

Sir Cedric the Courageous had never witnessed a sight quite like this one – not when he was battling the trolls in the north town of Bromwich, nor as he tamed a rouge saber-tooth that momentarily terrorized cozy Havenshire – so he had no idea what to expect when the cloudless blue sky suddenly turned a burnish red hue, distressing his trusty stead, McMillan, who rose from his front legs in a whine.

The evergreen trees that previously surrounded him in the forest suddenly withered and dispersed into mere dust and all that was left in front of him was a rocky downward slope which lead into an abysmal cave. Gone was the ivory tower he had set his eyes on in the horizon that guided him through the previous wilderness.

Before he could think about his next course of action, a plume of sulphurous smoke puffed out from the cavern, followed by a pair of gleaming eyes – its slitted irises coming into focus – before a scaled snout emerged, then a head that proudly bore two horns sharply curved backwards.

For all his adventures, Sir Cedric had never encountered a dragon before – he read they were quite solitary beasts, if not territorial – but it did not change the fact that actually seeing one would be this magnificent.

“I come in peace, Great Dragon! Just so happened to pass by to rescue a princess said to be trapped in a tower in the Forest of Mischief, if you’d be so kind to point me in the right direction, I’d be on my way.”

He could very well have been offering his whole arm to the dragon as he raised the poster he got from his contractor, yet there was a certain gleam in the other’s eyes that told him of the creature’s intelligence.

“Princess Alexandria? That witch goes by many names yet Fate seems to have spared you from a destiny worse than death had you ‘succeeded’ in entering her tower.”

The great dragon had spoken those words even without opening its jaw, though a set of razor sharp teeth could be seen as it seemingly sneered, its leathery wings unfurling in a state of annoyance.

“Witch? Princess Alexandria has always ever been the only princess of our kingdom. Might you have mistaken her for someone else?” Sir Cedric had stated, aghast, not really thinking about the dragon’s reaction even as McMillan was instinctively backing away.

“Never!” It thumped its claw onto the ground in emphasis, talons digging into the earth, “No matter what name she takes, her eyes remain the same – the very ones who dared enchant me into a deep sleep – long enough to steal my precious Ancient Tomes! I, will never forget.”

Putting his weight down on McMillan’s stirrups and pulling at his reins to stay the horse, Sir Cedric came up with an idea, “Then, Great Dragon, if we are after the same enchantress, why don’t you and I go after her together? Therefore, you would get your treasure back and I’d find a way to prevent her from causing anymore future troubles.”

“It seems you forget I’m able to do both of that without your help, Good Knight.” The dragon said sardonically, flames flickering out between its sharp teeth now on full display.

“The thing is, Alexandria may already know you’re after her. But with me, she still plays the role of the damsel in distress. If she sees me first to enter her tower, then she will not be initially on the defense – think of it as you using me as bait, how about that?”

The quiet rumbling from the dragon’s chest was the only indication Sir Cedric had that it was still listening to his supposed proposal, possibly even considering it—

“Very well. I would like you to bleed on this oath.”

Squeezing out his palm from where the dragon lightly pierced it with one of its talons, Sir Cedric’s proposal was now considered sealed upon the land that the Great Dragon considered its own.

“And now, Good Knight, you may address me as Nalranith.”