The Impossible Race: Cragbridge Hall, Volume 3 (32 page)

“To be consistent with this challenge, one of you has to face the dragon,” the guide explained, pointing a covered arm toward the cave. “Alone.”

“Ohhh! So awesome and so scary all at once,” Carol cried out. “I mean, who hasn’t imagined this before?”

“That must be part of the story,” Anjum said. “Someone faces a dragon alone. Start your searches while we talk.”

The beast sent tremors through the ground as it moved inside the cave.

Derick started his search. There were thousands of instances of dragons in literature. How was he going to narrow this down?

“Who’s going to face it?” Piper asked, just as it roared again.

“In my imagination, I always had the guts to do it,” Malcolm said. “And I know this is only virtual, but I’m not too anxious to jump in against oven-breath there. Something that can breathe fire like that could swallow me whole.”

“And you’re a big bite,” Carol said, then waved frantically. “Oh, I meant that in a very you’re-tall-and-muscular kind of way. It wasn’t a fat joke.”

“Thanks,” Malcolm said. “But as much as I don’t want to, I’ll face the dragon.” He stepped forward, shifting the spear in his hand and raising his shield.

“I would too,” Derick said, “but I think if we’re really going to stand a chance, we’d better send in the most agile person we’ve got, not the strongest.”

“I’m both,” Carol said. “And I’ll do it.” There really seemed to be no situation tense enough that she wouldn’t joke around.

“I think he was referring to Rafa,” Anjum said. “No offense, Carol. And I believe I would be our second choice with my history in virtuality.”

Rafa took a deep breath. “If you elect me to, I’ll face the dragon.” That was Rafa, willing and brave.

Everyone nodded. Rafa put his helmet on his head. It had a Y-shaped opening in front so that Derick could still see his eyes, nose, and most of his mouth. Rafa drew his sword and swished it back and forth through the air. Once he felt he had gauged its weight, he stepped forward. “Too bad I didn’t spend more time in your samurai world, Derick. I could probably use this better.” Then he lifted his shield to protect himself as he moved forward. It was long enough that if he crouched, he could get almost all of himself behind it.

It was strange to see a friend walk toward something that seemed impossible to beat. Even though it was a virtual test, Rafa would feel the heat of the fire and the pain of a talon or tooth if it got him. And Derick could do nothing.

Maybe that’s how Abby had been feeling. Maybe she felt like she was watching him step into his death. Maybe he was. And maybe that was even scarier than a virtual dragon.

Smoke and fire.

“There’s a story where King Arthur faced a dragon,” Piper said, having found something with her rings.

“That is not this instance,” the guide said.

Derick had forgotten about researching. He looked back at his screen in his contact lenses.

Rafa crept closer to the darkness of the cave.

“Saint George slays a dragon in
The Golden Legend
,” Abby guessed.

“Also incorrect,” the guide said.

Rafa took several more steps. Derick searched through the possible entries of literature with dragons in it. It was probably something really old. For some reason they always treat old things like they are more important, more classic, more educational. What was one of the first written stories with a dragon in it? “
Beowulf
,” Derick nearly shouted out when he found it on his screen. “It’s the oldest surviving epic poem in Old English.”

“Correct,” the guide said. “Two minutes and sixteen seconds.”

“Good job, Derick,” Anjum said. “Now, Derick, Abby, Carol, and Jess, focus your searches on
Beowulf
. We need to know more about the story, especially how the dragon was defeated. The rest of you, let’s watch Rafa and give him counsel. The more eyes on this, the better.”

“I hate that we have to just stand and watch,” Piper said.

“That is how it occurred in the story,” the guide said. “Beowulf insisted on fighting the dragon alone.”

“Rafa,” Malcolm said, “maybe you should come at the opening of the cave from along the cliff; that way the dragon won’t see you coming.”

Rafa sprinted to the bottom of the cliff and moved closer to the opening.

“Wow, there is no way you can understand this old thing,” Carol said, reading on her rings. “It’s in English, but it’s just so old that it hardly makes any sense. Like, what’s a ‘Spear-Danes’ glory’?”

“Read a summary or a more recent translation,” Jess suggested.

Good idea. Derick searched through a summary. “Beowulf is the name of the main character, and he was intense. He fought monsters with his bare hands.”

“But when he faced the dragon, he never went in the cave,” Abby said. “Rafa, stop!”

Rafa was nearly at the entrance. He danced back to one side.

“Good point, Abby,” Anjum said. “He would be on the dragon’s turf and have few places to hide. How did Beowulf draw it out?”

“He screamed into the cave to let it know he was there,” Abby said.

“Why would that draw out the dragon?” Anjum asked.

“I think because he liked to eat people,” Abby said, squirming a little.

“So I’m the live bait,” Rafa said. Walking quietly next to the cliff side, he approached the opening. “Keep researching; I can use the help. But let’s see what I’m up against.” Rafa stepped enough into the cave to yell, “Come on out,
dragon
!” His voice echoed several times off the walls. He backpedaled away and to the side.

Footsteps. Big ones. And a roar. The ground rumbled with each step as the dragon moved toward the cave’s entrance. Derick looked around to make sure he was far enough back that the dragon wouldn’t see or attack him first. They all stood at the tree line and were ready to hide at any moment. Of course, the dragon’s fire could also burn down the forest.

“Stay just to the side of the opening, up against the cliff,” Piper advised. “You may be able to get an attack in before he knows you’re there.”

“Good idea,” Anjum said.

“It’s not what Beowulf did,” Carol said. “He met him head-on.”

“I’m not Beowulf,” Rafa said. “I haven’t faced any monsters with my bare hands.” He spoke quickly and urgently.

“Good point,” Carol said. “But don’t worry. With your long hair and your armor, you totally look like the good-looking hero in a movie. And the good-looking hero never dies. Sometimes the lovable sidekick does. Or maybe a less-important soldier. Or the father-figure who has to get out of the way so the hero can show his or her true potential. But not the hero.”

“Somehow, I don’t think movie rules apply here,” Malcolm said.

Fire burst out of the opening again. Smoke followed, rising from the roof of the cave. Rafa was poised by the side of the opening, his sword raised, ready to make a surprise attack.

“How did Beowulf defeat it?” Anjum asked, his voice impatient.

“We’re getting there,” Derick said, still searching on his rings.

More flame shot out of the cave before a black head covered in scales emerged from the darkness. A puff of smoke trailed upward out of its nostrils. The head alone was the size of a sedan. Its yellow eyes glared, standing out in sharp contrast to the beast’s dark, scaly exterior. But what was more, those eyes looked wild, maybe rabid.

Reacting, the entire group retreated farther into the trees, holding up their shields until they were far out of the range of the flames.

Rafa froze.

With each step, more of the beast’s long neck emerged, the underside a dirty gray. Finally the body was close enough to the entrance to see. It filled the cave. It had to be the size of a building, a pattern of scales and thick tendrils covering its chest. Its feet dug into the ground with talons like swords. Derick exhaled, not realizing that he had been holding his breath.

Rafa did not wait for more advice. He bolted from his place and sliced where the dragon’s neck met its body. His sword clashed against the scales.

The beast roared. Though the blow did little damage, the dragon wasn’t invincible. A small trail of thick blue blood oozed out where Rafa had hit.

In one swift motion, the dragon swung its long neck. Its head slammed into Rafa, knocking him off his feet. Rafa grunted as he hit the hard ground. He was barely able to raise his shield in time to protect himself from the assault of flame that followed.

Derick gawked. The beast had already been intimidating before he saw how quickly it could react, let alone the charring flames. Now it seemed nearly invincible, a creature that could annihilate anything or anyone.

The dragon stomped fully out of his home as he continued to bellow out fire at his attacker. Thankfully, Rafa’s shield protected him well. It must have been made to withstand such an attack, made for a dragon slayer.

A trail of spikes jutted out from the dragon’s spine and tail. Its wings bore sharp spikes as well and unfolded to a length of over half a basketball court.

For a brief moment, the flames ended. The dragon had to breathe in between attacks.

“Move, Rafa,” Anjum yelled. “Try to stay behind it, where it can’t see you—or move as quickly against you.”

Rafa immediately raced toward the back of the dragon. The beast’s huge jaws clamped down where Rafa had been only a fraction of a second before. Rafa weaved behind it and barely dodged a strike from its large tail. He thought quickly enough to jab with his sword as he went and caused a few more gashes. He was doing amazingly well under the circumstances.

All that aside, it didn’t seem like Rafa was coming close to being able to slay the dragon. It was more of a desperate attempt to stay alive.

“What do I do?” Rafa yelled, trying to double back so he wasn’t face to face with the beast.

Derick looked back at his summary through his rings. “Uh,” he mumbled, then he scanned words he didn’t want to believe. “He dies.”

“
What?
” Rafa yelled.

“Beowulf dies.” Derick broke the terrible news. “I haven’t read the end yet, but it’s already telling me that this is Beowulf’s final battle and he won’t escape with his life. He might still beat the dragon, but I don’t think it ends well for him.” If the beast took down a legendary hero, how was Rafa supposed to succeed?

The dragon lunged, spinning toward Rafa. The Brazilian leaped backwards, but one of the dragon’s razor teeth slit across his arm. Rafa screamed and fell, clutching his wound. He raised his shield in time to again avoid being cooked alive.

Derick read as fast as he could. There had to be something, some sort of clue. They wouldn’t have made a challenge that couldn’t be won.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the dragon beat his mighty wings. The gust of wind flipped Rafa onto his side. The beast lunged again, and Rafa rolled out of the way.

Derick found it. At first he didn’t realize what it meant, but then it dawned on him. He grabbed his sword and screamed, running right at the dragon, the magnificent beast of terror. His legs pushed him forward, his mind wanting to turn and race back the other way. With every step he came closer to the talons and spikes and teeth and flame. The dragon turned in time for Derick to catch its lowered head with his sword. The steel rang and bounced off the scales more than Derick expected, but it also left another gash.

The dragon raised up on its back legs and roared, its wings outstretched. Derick bolted. “Beowulf only defeated the dragon because his friend came to help,” Derick yelled. “Even after Beowulf told him not to.”

Derick looked back as he sprinted. It was as though he stared at death; a flood of fire swept toward him. Derick raised his shield just in time to keep the flames from engulfing him. His hands burned as the shield got hotter and hotter. He could feel his skin searing, even under his gloves. He clenched his teeth and bellowed out in pain and determination.

When the fire paused, Derick’s shield was a melted mess of what it had been. Apparently, his was not as strong as the one Rafa had. His was not meant for facing dragons.

Rafa attacked from the other side, jabbing his sword between the scales in the dragon’s side. Derick had distracted it long enough.

But the dragon didn’t fall. It roared and turned on Rafa, who raced to get out of the way.

Derick slashed again.

An arrow flew through the air and bore into the back of the dragon’s head.

Malcolm lumbered in from the side, booming out a battle cry. It was like he came barreling in for a tackle, but instead used all his force to spear the dragon in the leg. The beast thundered. Malcolm yelled back, caught up in the competition.

Anjum rushed up the dragon’s leg and drove his sword in under its arm. Derick could hardly believe his quickness and agility. Anjum leaped to safety before the dragon could turn. He really was impressive.

More arrows flew.

“We figured if you could come help, so could we,” Nia said, launching another arrow. Abby and Carol were doing the same, though Abby still hadn’t improved her marksmanship from the labyrinth.

The beast whirled its mighty head and breathed fire in every direction. The Spartans ducked and dove, trying to find cover.