My latest fan-fiction, is a retelling of Saint George and the Dragon: It had been many years since George and his friends had been back to the quiet town. Now the campaign was over, they looked forward to sharing their coin with friends, reminiscing over the old times and sharing in the new. However before they reached the town itself, it was clear something was wrong. The innocent beasts that frolicked in the fields outside the town were nowhere to be seen. The joyful smiles that once adorned the young, were also gone. The children they passed instead looked sour and unsettled. George HAD expected a warm welcome when he returned, adorned in his armor, spear and sword by his side, the delight and joy he received was far more than he expected. Men and Women, he didn't know pointed to him and his two friends with exhilaration on their faces. Entering the gates, George was surprised to see the local King and his men had come out to greet them, yet George was also repulsed by the King's appearance. The King had grown fat and round, his face was blotched red from the over consumption of alcohol. His bodyguards looked weak, lacking practice, and several had the shifty eyes of a thief and a trickster, not those of stoic Warriors. He was still graceful in his greeting; however the King wasted no time. "Oh George you've returned, thank God you have come, thank the heavens, we didn't know what to do without you!" "Speak friend," said George. "Tell me what ails you." "Oh it happened not even a half year after you left. A terrible serpent appeared in the night and attacked us. He slew the entire Lotters family and consumed most of their flesh. We confronted the terrible monster and it simply laughed at us, telling us it would rise from the cliff caves every week to consume as much man meat as it wished, only sparing us if we sacrificed our sheep and cows to him." The King looked at George with pity and fear in his eyes. George said plainly "Finish your tale." Of course of course." The King spluttered. "Well we did just that, we fed it every Sheep we had. Eventually we fed it the chickens, we even fed it wild geese but it never left and still it demanded more. When we told it we had run out of animals, it demanded to be fed the flesh of women instead." With this revelation, the King could not meet George's fierce glare. "We decided to draw lots to decide whose daughter, whose wife would be the sacrifices to the Dragon. It has consumed 3 women already, and oh, yesterday the worst of it all, the lots came up for Eudora, a mother of four. My daughter refused to let her be taken and demanded to take her place! My only daughter! The Dragon is being fed my only daughter!" George interrupted. "Is? What do you mean IS? Do you not mean WILL be?" The King burst into tears and went to grab George, who swatted the hand away. "Is this city run by cowards and children? You!" He said pointing towards the armed guards. "Are those Spears for fishing? Do you bear arms solely to impress tavern wenches?" The guards murmured and mumbled, one has the audacity to shrug. "Please," begged the King. "If you save my daughter, her hand is yours I-" "Silence! You pathetic maggots that call yourself Christian Men! I do not need a bribe to do what is right! Tell me now where the foul beast is, where this Dragon resides. Before I cut you down to placate my anger!" The King flustered and panicked, spat out the location. "The cave under C-crows Cliff! He-" George had already turned his horse, gesturing to his two friends. He gave them instructions and they separated, riding off into the town. "My men will stay here to secure the town while I am gone. I will do what no else cared to try!" And before the king and his guards could say another word, George drove his pale horse forward and back out of the gates. --- It did not take long to arrive and if he had not been told where the Dragon lay, it would not have been hard to find. Barely 500 feet from the Cave he found the broken bones of dozens of animals. Their carcasses were mostly stripped of flesh and organs, the rest, left to rot in the sun. He heard a terrified scream and continued down the hill and around towards the cave entrance. There a beautiful woman, half naked and struggling against her bonds, stood tied to a stake where countless more skeletons lay. Some of them, clearly human. Her eyes were puffy and red, the tears on her soft cheeks, shining in the Sun as it rose overhead. She appeared to be hiding behind her own long auburn hair and as George looked up to see from what she hid, he finally laid his eyes upon the terrible Beast. A snake-like head - with somehow crueler eyes - that reached out from the body on a long thin neck. It too caught the rays of the Sun yet unlike the beautiful woman whose visage was highlighted by her fear, the sun reflected back the greed and avarice of it's twisted body. A swampy green and black form, if it had once been a thin four-legged serpent, it was now impossible to tell. It's bloated body mirrored that of the cruel and cowardly King. The creatures belly looked bursting to breaking point and it's once powerful legs now barely held up the behemoth of flesh, made fat off the townspeople's desperate sacrifices. It meant George's gaze and it's puss yellow eyes showed not fear but contempt and confidence. The filthy serpent did not tuck in its long scabby tail but instead the creature grinned and crept forward, defiantly. "Stay back you foul Beast!" Cried our hero, his bold words catching Sophia's attention as her dread filled eyes softened and were refilled with hope. "George!" She gasped gleefully, her shivers of fear ceding to relief. "The Lord has answered my prayers!" George directed him and his white horse between the monster, said horse showed no ounce of fear, for it trusted it's rider absolutely. Its every action fully under George's command. George moved forward and started to slowly circle the great Beast. It had been fed into such a monstrosity George could only guess at its true size, well over 15 ft long, its height equal to him and his horse. Worthless bat wings sat on the dragon's back, long having become nothing but decoration thanks to the foolish King. George calmly twirled his long spear in his hand, as he sized up the dragon. The small flag wrapped around the spearhead hilt fluttered softly in the wind and the monster glimpsed the Cross embroidered into it. It hissed with contempt and opened its mouth. "Run away little boy, your false god will not protect you from me." The serpent's lies steeled George's spirit and he thrust his spear towards the creature. It stumbled back to avoid the blow before hissing once more while throwing its large body his direction. But George was far too quick, by the time the serpent moved to attack he had already pulled his steed back and around to the side. The evil serpant spun to follow George, it's massive girth kicking up dust and it's scaly spiked feet crushing bones beneath it. George feinted the Dragon once more sending out a false strike before pulling far away before the Dragon could react. With this he drew some distance from the monster and it sneered at him, a horrendous sight to see. With sharp teeth sticking out in every direction, its mangled maw opened and it spoke once more. "Run little boy, run and leave your juicy horse behind. Flee here alone and I will spare the town my wrath." It chuckled, it spoke with as much confidence as its belly held food. Every chortle shook it's slimy frame. "I will do no such thing." Stated George, as he jammed his heels into his steeds side and charged directly at the Monster. It stood ready to pounce once George pulled away... but it's belief in its own invulnerability was its end. For George and his faithful steed did not turn away, they did not slow down, they charged forward as one and drove the spear deep into the dragon, piercing right through the shoulder and deep into the mass of muscle and fat. The impact was so heavy the Dragon was folded back onto its own hideous body and as it howled it raised up its serpent neck to bite George. The bite never landed as George released the spear, drew his sword and with both hands, cut the Dragon's head clean off, leaving behind a spasming noodle of flesh and blood. The vicious beast collapsed to the ground, kicking up dust with it's weight. And just like that, the evil dragon was slain. --- (PROLOGUE - This is more my own take than part of the original) "Praise the Lord!" said Sophia, her tear-stained face, now looked up at George with jubilation "You saved me!" He cut her bindings, accepted her embrace and to her surprise pushed her back gently, handing her a coat. "Get dressed, I must retrieve my spear and the monsters head. We still have work to do." As George rode into the town with Sophia holding onto his back, he pulled out the dragon's head and raised it above his own. The Townspeople gasped when they saw it and started chasing after him. He slowed down to a trot as he accumulated a large crowd of relieved citizens cheering for their savior. It didn't take long at all to reach the town square and for an ecstatic King to come waddling up to George, delight written all over his face. Sophia dismounted and before the king could say anything, George raised his hand and asked "Where are my two men?" His question was answered by the sound of galloping hooves from one and soft troots from another. The excited crowd parted to let the men through. "It was as you suspected George." Said the first who pulled a thick tuft of wool out of his bag. "The king was hiding a dozen or more sheep inside his stables. He kept meat to himself and willing fed Women to the Dragon instead." The crowd gasped in horror. "No no you don't understand," said the King "The Lord told me to-" "Do not add blasphemy to your list of sins." Snapped George He turned to his second friend. "And you?" The second pulled loose a large pot from the binding on his horse and murmurs came out from the crowd. They recognized it. "Your insight proved right here too." Said the man. He threw the pot to the ground, where it shattered and pieces of parchment spilled out upon the ground. "Sophia's name was not on any of the lots. The King was not willing to sacrifice his own daughter, while he sacrificed others." At this Sophia screamed. "Father! You beast, how could you?!" She stepped back away from her now scared Father, a look of disgust on her face. At this, the confused murmuring of the crowds turned to an outcry. George trotted towards the King who turned to his guards for protection... but those cowardly men had already thrown down the arms they had refused to use against the Dragon. "No please George, I beg for your forgiveness. I'll do anything. Please forgive me you-" "Then may the Lord give you grace, for I will not." He unsheathed his sword and cut off the King's head in the same motion. And with that, the town was saved, as Saint George the Dragon slayer, struck down two monsters that day.