Cold sapphire eyes watched as they moved in slow patrols around the makeshift village. Cteatures with large bulbous eyes, thick glistening skin, and wide mouths that almost split their lower faces in half. The webbed hands of the creatures held weapons of simple of form but well crafted. Masaru could see the slight glow of magic on several weapons and armor. Those would hurt, perhaps not much alone but enough to make caution advisable. He had flown over the island two days ago and noticed that the toad like beings had formed defenses when he was spotted. They hadn't run in abject fear, but rushed to predetermined post with the intent of defending their lair. Unfortunately for them, their lair was on the islands he wanted now, and the creatures weren't well known for their ability to negotiate.
Masaru had watched them for the last two days while suppressing his presence. The lower ranking guards and gatherers could not sense him but the more experienced could still feel the sense of unease at being watched by an apex predator despite Masaru's efforts. However, their attention and numbers were nothing. He had no fear of them. If he had rushed in the moment he arrived and simply attacked, they would already be dead and he would already have claimed the island as his new territory. He had only stayed his wrath and observed them to ensure that he wasn't attacking a peaceful intelligent people. If they had shown the barest signs of redeemable qualities he would stay his fangs and they would be safe. He would have allowed them to stay and be a part of the community he had agreed to help build. They, however, had done little to engender compassion. They had sacrificed and roasted their own young twice to their bloated lesser deity and kept several slaves that they treated worse than animals. He could have possibly ignored those infractions against his sensibilities for a time but they hadn't even showed the capacity to appreciate the land they had usurped. And their god was just a fat three eyed toad, that was just dumb.
The large silver dragon waited behind his illusory barrier as another patrol passed close. His breath held as the cool sea breeze rushed through the dense tropical canopy and played among the underbrush like a curious child. The strong scent of drying sea plants on the near by beach mingled with the salty air and the unwashed bodies of the amphibians to create a powerful miasma around the area that contrasted strongly with his own scent of fresh fallen rain. Fresh sunlight whispered across the dusky landscape like the gentle caresses of a long time lover as Masaru made his mind up that today would be their last.
His fanged maw opened wide as the tensed muscles of his long equine neck snapped forward like a released compression spring. A quick snap of his jaws and the entire quartet of guards was simply gone. Yellowish green blood dripped from the side of his dark silvered jaws as he let the illusion dissolve like a confectioner's sugar in warm water. His huge wings expanded wide as the muscles in his powerful legs bunched tight like boulders and launched his massive form into the air. The air displaced with each wing beat sent whirlwinds through the trees and buffeted the area with dust and sand. He roared out his fury. His long baritone outcry filled with millennia of battles and the cold reptilian will to hunt, kill, and devour all challengers drowned out all other sounds.
He rose into the air with a self satisfied grin as the miserable creatures ran and scurried for their cover. Their false belief that setting stone upon stone would build safety was probably the saddest aspect of the lesser species personalities.
"Would that my hands had been made to build. I would know what to say. What to do. Maybe in another life I would have been that being. In this one, my words, like my hands, are clumsy. All they can do is cut. All they can do is break." Masaru thought as he watched their futile attempts to prepare.
He gained the altitude that he had deemed as the appropriate level. The lines of defense were formed, the proverbial lines in the sand drawn, and he would have to teach them the consequences of their hubris. With a roar he dove. Mist gathered around his bared fangs as he swooped toward the encampment. The roar that came next was followed by a raging blast of ice that tore and froze as it went. Bodies and buildings froze solid as he swept in. As he flew he swung his tail at the newly frozen enemies and left shattered pieces in his wake. His huge wings carried him back up as he sped through to circle back around for another pass.
After the third pass their numbers were nearly expended and Masaru knew that it was over. What he didn't expect was the water beside the little villiage beside the portal stone to explode upward. Their god was apparently more physical than most. The huge three eyed bloated beast stood 40 feet tall and had the circumference of a ship. It's four clawed hands swiped at him as he passed and rent a tear in his wing. Masaru roared out in anger and beat his wings as he turned hard back toward the frog monster. The frog beast spat acid out as Masaru's wings spead wide and he raised his talon cover front and hind feet. He crashed into the beast as the acid sizzled against his scales. The two sent jets of water, sand and stone into the air in a ball of raging limbs and roaring. Masaru bit down on the creature's head after minutes of gouging and grappling and crushed the creatures tough bones. The giant beast let out a high pitched gurgling scream before finally going limp.
The dragon stood alone on the island, heavy chest heaving as he sucked air hard enough to move small trees. He surveyed the carnage and death he had created and roared out his victory. He roaring carried for miles as he stood on a carpet of bodies and declared this land and the portal stone his. This was his territory now, and he declared himself king of his new island.
Masaru had watched them for the last two days while suppressing his presence. The lower ranking guards and gatherers could not sense him but the more experienced could still feel the sense of unease at being watched by an apex predator despite Masaru's efforts. However, their attention and numbers were nothing. He had no fear of them. If he had rushed in the moment he arrived and simply attacked, they would already be dead and he would already have claimed the island as his new territory. He had only stayed his wrath and observed them to ensure that he wasn't attacking a peaceful intelligent people. If they had shown the barest signs of redeemable qualities he would stay his fangs and they would be safe. He would have allowed them to stay and be a part of the community he had agreed to help build. They, however, had done little to engender compassion. They had sacrificed and roasted their own young twice to their bloated lesser deity and kept several slaves that they treated worse than animals. He could have possibly ignored those infractions against his sensibilities for a time but they hadn't even showed the capacity to appreciate the land they had usurped. And their god was just a fat three eyed toad, that was just dumb.
The large silver dragon waited behind his illusory barrier as another patrol passed close. His breath held as the cool sea breeze rushed through the dense tropical canopy and played among the underbrush like a curious child. The strong scent of drying sea plants on the near by beach mingled with the salty air and the unwashed bodies of the amphibians to create a powerful miasma around the area that contrasted strongly with his own scent of fresh fallen rain. Fresh sunlight whispered across the dusky landscape like the gentle caresses of a long time lover as Masaru made his mind up that today would be their last.
His fanged maw opened wide as the tensed muscles of his long equine neck snapped forward like a released compression spring. A quick snap of his jaws and the entire quartet of guards was simply gone. Yellowish green blood dripped from the side of his dark silvered jaws as he let the illusion dissolve like a confectioner's sugar in warm water. His huge wings expanded wide as the muscles in his powerful legs bunched tight like boulders and launched his massive form into the air. The air displaced with each wing beat sent whirlwinds through the trees and buffeted the area with dust and sand. He roared out his fury. His long baritone outcry filled with millennia of battles and the cold reptilian will to hunt, kill, and devour all challengers drowned out all other sounds.
He rose into the air with a self satisfied grin as the miserable creatures ran and scurried for their cover. Their false belief that setting stone upon stone would build safety was probably the saddest aspect of the lesser species personalities.
"Would that my hands had been made to build. I would know what to say. What to do. Maybe in another life I would have been that being. In this one, my words, like my hands, are clumsy. All they can do is cut. All they can do is break." Masaru thought as he watched their futile attempts to prepare.
He gained the altitude that he had deemed as the appropriate level. The lines of defense were formed, the proverbial lines in the sand drawn, and he would have to teach them the consequences of their hubris. With a roar he dove. Mist gathered around his bared fangs as he swooped toward the encampment. The roar that came next was followed by a raging blast of ice that tore and froze as it went. Bodies and buildings froze solid as he swept in. As he flew he swung his tail at the newly frozen enemies and left shattered pieces in his wake. His huge wings carried him back up as he sped through to circle back around for another pass.
After the third pass their numbers were nearly expended and Masaru knew that it was over. What he didn't expect was the water beside the little villiage beside the portal stone to explode upward. Their god was apparently more physical than most. The huge three eyed bloated beast stood 40 feet tall and had the circumference of a ship. It's four clawed hands swiped at him as he passed and rent a tear in his wing. Masaru roared out in anger and beat his wings as he turned hard back toward the frog monster. The frog beast spat acid out as Masaru's wings spead wide and he raised his talon cover front and hind feet. He crashed into the beast as the acid sizzled against his scales. The two sent jets of water, sand and stone into the air in a ball of raging limbs and roaring. Masaru bit down on the creature's head after minutes of gouging and grappling and crushed the creatures tough bones. The giant beast let out a high pitched gurgling scream before finally going limp.
The dragon stood alone on the island, heavy chest heaving as he sucked air hard enough to move small trees. He surveyed the carnage and death he had created and roared out his victory. He roaring carried for miles as he stood on a carpet of bodies and declared this land and the portal stone his. This was his territory now, and he declared himself king of his new island.
