Story Pt. 51

Hair radiating from her pale white face. Shocks traversing her body, arcing between fingertips. Earth itself was crawling up her legs, and she was welcoming it. With the earth came some fear if she would ever be herself again after relenting control to the beast which was about to overcome her. The two mounds climbing her legs were about to meet again. A scorching bolt of lightning arced between her thighs, a miriad of smaller, less potent, ball lightnings were sent scattering in the breeze. Bolts seared from her outstretched hands as the earth rose above her pelvis. Around her ankles the earth was solidifying into rock hard plates of earthen armor. Flush was returning to her face, warmth of the earth was extending itself into her body, almost unbearable in this close proximity.1

The dragon was still on top of Jintaro through all of this, it's scales scalding Jintaro even though he had a higher heat tolerance than humans did. He would have felt sorry for Katarin getting hit by the fire, if he had not seen her take on the fire golem in the clouds.2

Arcs of energy hit the dragon in the side of its neck and also its ribcage. Though the dragon was primarily unhurt, it's scales were obviously damaged in that area, indeed some of the scales had come completely off.3

The earth, now encompassing Katarins shoulders, had plated it's way up to her chest and was working down her arms, continually adding plates as there was room. Katarin had not moved for a few minutes, save her mouth which had not stopped moving for a like period. Even her staff got a coating of diamond dust, a gift from the earth. Katarin accepted this gift and gave back in her own manner.4

Her staff glinting in the starlight, and arcs travelling the air around her, Jintaro had never seen something so beautiful in all his years. Face to face with an earth golem, the last place he expected to find beauty. That staff was so dazzling.5

Even the dragon could feel the magic she was insinuating the air with, but could do nothing to release itself from that tangling grasp. That staff was so beautiful he couldn't stop thinking about that. Whenever its thoughts went to trying to break this spell she had seemingly woven invisibly around the creature, it would blink its eyes and was again taken by the beauty of those twinkling rays of light. Emblazening themselves on his scorched eyes. Even when its eyes were close for a short time the staff was still visible. It could not turn its head. Could not even defend itself when the Rannek grabbed up one of his fallen plates.6

Jintaro saw the enthralled dragon and realized there was no time to waste. He slid himself out of the dragons grasp. Picked up one of the fallen dragon scales, and began to clamber up the front haunch of the dragon. He scaled up high enough that his arms could reach around the dragon's neck. He slid the scale up under a healthy scale, and heaved it up with his strength, arms wrapped around the dragon, hands locked on the scale.7

Finally the dragon was freed from the enthralling staff. It threw its neck back at the pain that stabbed into its secret fantasies to hold that staff in his claws. It shook its serpentine neck and coiled back on itself to see what was hurting it. That Rannek had locked himself around its neck.8

The rock golem in front of him spoke in its raspy version of a voice. "Be at peace dragon, we mean you no harm. Calm yourself and I will tell my friend to let you go," at which it paused and waited.9

The dragon sensing it was not going to dislodged this parasite latched on its neck, relented. It folded its wings, laid down on all fours, and placed its head, with snout heating the feet of the golem, on the ground.10

Jintaro sensing this was the quieting that Katarin had requested he let go his grip and placed the dropped scale near the head of the beast.11

Katarin let her armor fall away around her. The roots which had been sprouting from her head withered and fell away first. Then the helmet around her face broke to pieces and crumbled from her crown. Her torso twisted side to side and further sheets of rocks tumbled away. Finally, she stepped out of her stone boots. All of which had been unneccesary in the face of this great adversary.12