The landscape was a farmer's paradise. Flat land leading up to plateaus, soil completely fertile. Hills in the south had rough ground, foreign minerals nourishing. Rained in gallons, sun shined with white heat, and plenty of ground to go around. On a small cliff, was a small house with a view of everything, th plateaus, the hills, and the distant mountains. It would've been perfect, perfect for the small farming family, but everything sweet has its bitterness. Gnomes liked to roam the hills, plateaus crawled with fairies, and water nymphs danced in the downpour. Worst of it all was the dragon, the dragon that loomed in the mountains. Of course, no one knew about the dragon, secluded in the mountains and all. That is, until it ventured out to explore the skies and rolling green.
And one can only imagine what panic that caused. Slayers and heroic lads came from all around to vanquish the savage beast. Unsucessfully. Each one went up to the dragon's lair and each came back battered and bruised. They all had a grand tale to tell, some clearly far-fetched. Some told of being nearly strangled by a massive claw, others related of great battles with fire and sword, but to no avail. None had a single burn on their armor and merely looked like they were pushed off the side of a cliff. Nothing brought about the end of the dragon, but the dragon didn't even do a thing. It just sat in its cave, eyeing th hustle and bustle of the day.
The news grew old and fears died down. Heroes stopped appearing and new tales were told. For some time it was actually peaceful.
A new family moved into the village. Former trader, he was. One daughter and one son with wide smiles. They took the residence of the little house with the great view of everything in the valley. They fought away the gnomes, shooed away the fairies, and danced a reverse rain dance with the water nymphs. The mountains were near and they were warned about the idle dragon. The trader laughed and replied, "Pooh." Guards worshipped the trader's bravery and appointed him their captain, a title he accepted graciously.
It happened near the little house that overlooked th valleys and hills.
The dragon swooped through the sky, and landed in the fields, trembling the ground. Completely caught off guard, he lost balance and fell to the ground. The trader was not one slow to react, the second the dragon was in eye sight he blew a whistle. It chirped a high note, slicing through the calm of day, calling all the other soldiers to postition. A loud clatter of hooves sounded as arrows fired.
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