"Enter" said the dragon

and footsteps were heard

on the black tiled floor

and a thousand pairs

of fire-jade green eyes

born of the fire-red dragon

were an echo of reflection

on the walls of the crystal cave

The dragon sighed

"I've tasted your blood before"

said he drawing his tired form

from the uncertainty

of the caves shadow

The man pulled off his shirt

and scars of burning

and rows of teeth marks

across his side

were his own reply

The dragon remembered

the man in his teeth

and the sweet taste of his blood

it's perfume now reaching

the bounds of the cave

The man quietly sat before him

next to a small pile of emeralds

"I come before you to die today

I come to release your guiding fury

I've come to yield myself to you

for the soul of the village

We realize now that only without you

our people wither and our village dies"

As the dragon listened

the cave grew dim

As the man finished

"I myself feel half a man

as I sleep at night

I see the spear in your side-"

his voice faltered

he began to cry

The dragon listen to the man sobbing

in an almost ideal dark

"Speeches!" spat the dragon

"Speeches and offerings

Is this of all that you are capable!

Is this what you think I want!"

The dragon's innards began to rumble

and his mouth spewed a fury of red and white fire

As the draught of fire subsided

the walls of the cave remained brightly lit

to reveal piles of sapphires rubies diamonds

gold silver amethysts jade and all known jewels

The man's eyes fell from pile to reflective pile

until they came to a section of dark smoke dirtied crystal

where stood a large pile of weapons and splintered armor

and next to that standing high against the wall

an impossible pile of bones that quieted the man's tears

he felt an impossible collection shared by all these fallen men

coupled with his own rediscovered abiding hate

that he remembered bringing in with him over one year ago

The man felt the presence

of the dragons own feverish breath

it's arms now surrounding him

"I will make you a king of these people.

No not the dead