It was an ordinary day in the kingdom, and Richard was making his usual rounds near the livestock pens. But these days, “ordinary” had taken on a new meaning—ever since a dragon had begun terrorizing the countryside, swooping in without warning and stealing livestock in broad daylight.

Determined to put an end to the menace, Richard devised a plan. He set a lone sheep out in an open field, using it as bait, then waited nearby in silence, hidden in the tall grass with his horse tethered behind him.

After what felt like hours, the air shifted—followed by the distant, rhythmic beating of wings. Richard’s eyes sharpened as a shadow fell over the field. A dragoness dove from the clouds, snatched the sheep effortlessly, and ascended again in a blur of motion. Without hesitation, Richard mounted his horse and began a quiet pursuit.

He followed her trail through the hills until she finally descended near the base of a jagged mountain. There, she landed gracefully, the sheep still clutched in her claws, before disappearing into the mouth of a cavern.

Richard dismounted, his hand steady as he drew his sword. The wind whispered around him, and the cave loomed like the open mouth of some ancient god.

He stepped forward, steel glinting in the light of the setting sun.

“All right, foul beast,” he muttered under his breath, voice low and steady. “This ends now.”