The Dragon Saves

The clawed fist came again and again, hitting Elfin square in the gut. Then it flew into his face, followed by his shoulder.

"How does it feel? To be powerless and beaten? You're no fighter Elfin..." the gremlin mocked. It spat acidic saliva onto Elfin's covered leg, stinging it.

The mage was on the floor, holding himself up with one arm, the other arm clutching his leg. A mix of blood and saliva lined his lower jaw, and a sickening feeling was developing in the pit of his stomach.

Grabbing a fistful of light-brown hair, the gremlin jerked Elfin's head back, then gave another scratch symmetrical to the scar on his right cheek. With the back of its hand, it then slapped him hard.

Elfin cried out, unable to take the torture. "Damn it! Damn it!"

"Tell me," said the gremlin, "should I blind you? Or make you lame? Perhaps both, perhaps I should take away some other organ?" It broke out in manical laughter.

When Elfin saw the demon engrossed in his sadism, he muttered a simple enchantment. It was yet another old spell that could be performed without a staff. As soon as he spoke the incantation, the iron orb that limited his mobility rose a few feet in the air, and crashed--right on the gremlin's foot.

It stopped laughing and screeched. Kicking up the ball, it launched a fist into it. It exploded into dust.

"You'll pay, mage!" the demon hissed.

*** *** ***

Deep in the other end of The Tunnel, Neptune looked around, every fibre of his neck aching. He saw nothing but rock and gravel; not one sign of an object worthy enough to be tributed to summon a dragon.

He was too weak to morph into part-dragon form, and the transformation would only tighten the chains holding him prisoner.

Wait a minute! The chains!

Suddenly aware of the metal contraptions on his arms and legs, the Piscian gathered up what little energy he had and got to work.

*** *** ***

From every corner of the cave, the gremlin flung Elfin from wall to wall. As his bones cracked, the elf screamed in pure anguish.

Soon the gremlin got bored of using Elfin as a frisbee, and decided to see how long it would take for the mage to bleed to death.

Cutting a deep hole into Elfin's abdomen, the gremlin withdrew his claws and let his victim fall over in pain. His screams dwindled to muffled pants, and his sweat had created a small pool.

"I'll go deal with your friend Jason now. You just sit tight and enjoy the pain. I know I did..."

With that, the demon finally left Elfin, disappearing into the shadows.

*** *** ***

When the gremlin arrived at Jason's portion of the Tunnel, he saw a huge hole at one end of it. On the rock wall where the dragon slayer should have been, there was nothing but broken chains and shackles. The enchanted sword stuck into a crevice was also gone.

A loud explosion erupted from the far end of the Tunnel. Realising what had happened, the gremlin screamed and took off.