Topic: Of Scales and Death.

Vandalarius · Date: 2013-10-21 05:00 EST

Centuries ago....

Energy spears nudged the dragon's side. A snarl from the twenty foot beast, but it moved forward into the wash pit. Ability to kill a man on high, the energy spears only appeared to cause minor pain to large dragons. Enough to get them to move at least.

Like a missile silo, round and tall, the wash pit was filled with the red dragon and after a moment of securing the great doors the water turrets began to wash down the beast. Blood and mud started to slip down the drains at the bottom of the pit. The red dragon slowly shifted, allowing the water turrets to wash at his wounded sides and wings.

"He did quite well, didn't he?" Jacob turned toward the other man in the observation booth high in the wash pit. "Yes, he did quite well indeed." The older man nodded some as his eyes were focused on the great beast below. "This is his tenth win in the arena. To be honest, I didn't think he'd make it past that first dragon you set him up against. Look at him now though eh' Bigger, meaner and he nearly killed that last dragon during the match. I bet you the accountants will be up half the night counting all the coin won tonight." The older man gave a light nod again. "I was lucky to have acquired him for the arena fights. This one is going to make me quite rich I think. Quite rich indeed." Jacob grinned over at the older man and owner before gazing back down from the booth into the wash pit. "How big do you think he's going to get' I mean, he's grown quite a bit since the fifth match he did." "I don't know." Spoke the old man, finally turning his gaze from the beast below over toward Jacob. "Time will tell."

Vandalarius · Date: 2013-10-21 05:04 EST

Centuries ago....

"Victory to the Red Dragon, known as Vandalarius!" The announcer called out as the crowd in the massive arena cheered. In a private booth, a man was busy arguing with the red dragon's owner however.

"Your dragon killed him deliberately!" The shorter man shouted at the older one. "Now see here, Mr. Heumpt. Your dragon clearly kept trying to attack him instead of backing off behind the line to show fore fit of the match. Clearly, my dragon was only responding to yours still in the game." The shorter man huffed and tapped his foot upon the flooring of the luxury booth. "Yours has killed the last three dragons he's gone up again. That dragon of mine out there on the arena floor" I spent over twenty years perfecting and training of him. Do you have any idea how much money I invested into him?" The older man waved a hand at the shorter one with a nod of his head. "I've lost dragons, too, Mr. Heumpt. Don't be a sore looser. If you want to argue the out come, you can take it up with the Fight Committee. Otherwise I expect you to pay up just all the rest gathered here tonight that lost betting against my dragon." The shorter man scowled and stormed off grumbling and muttering to himself. Jacob stepped forward and leaned beside the older man. "He's getting bigger, still." The older man gave a slow nod of his head as turned his eyes downward from the high booth at the massive red dragon in the arena. "Yes, he is. Let's keep a watch on his rage though, shall we? In the arena is one thing, outside against his handlers is another."

The massive red dragon moved slowly around the arena. Lifting that long scaled neck of his and growling at the surrounding crowd while they cheered. The other dragon, of darker coloring, laid lifeless upon the arena floor. Blood oozed from several points along it's body. Soon the handlers would come and use their electric rods and small hover craft to usher the winner away. While a clean up crew would move in and clean up the arena floor.

But for now the crowd cheered and the massive red growled right back at them. His hatred brewing.

Vandalarius · Date: 2013-10-21 05:29 EST

Centuries Ago...

Jacob shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest with a look at the older man upon the room. "That's the fifth, handler he's killed in two weeks time." The older man nodded from his chair behind the fine desk of polished wood. "The usual payment has been sent to his widow as per the contract for the job he signed up for. That red dragon is making us a lot of money in the arenas, Jacob." Jacob shook his head again and walked over to peer out the massive window of the luxury condo. From the third floor, the landscape was easy to see below. Sweeping valleys and sparse trees here and there with dots of green grass. "Yes, they sign on the line when they take the job as handlers and cleaners, but even you have to admit five in such a sort time" The last time we lost a handler, was two years ago. Before that' Was five years. At one time we had the best record for safety in the League." "Jacob, he's making us a fortune. We can afford a few mishaps." Grumbled the old man at his desk. "Mishaps?" Jacob perked a brow over at the other man. "Five in two weeks, is a mishap" Demin' had seven years with us as a handler and Tamonion next summer would of been his sixteenth year as a handler. They knew what they were doing with those dragons. This big red, he's...got a mind of his own and an anger that's not matched by any I've seen in the arenas ever. He could of killed the doctor when he came last month for his check up, if it'd not been for the quick movement of the guards to pull him back. He's getting harder and harder to handle. In the last three years he's won every match we've set up for him. He's a fan favorite in the arenas, but he's killed nearly half the dragons that have gone up against him. Most of the League is upset at your because of their loss of prized stock."

The older man shook his head and chuckled. "Bah, just as the handlers of these mighty beasts the owners know they can lose in this sport. So our prized dragon is a little rougher then the others." Jacob stepped back from the window and closer toward the desk to look downward at the older man. "A little rougher" The last match he was in" He tore that gold dragon's wing half off and did you see how quickly in the match one month before that...he snapped the other dragon's neck in his jaws so quick and with such a precision."

The older man shook his head again at the younger sort. "He's learning how to be a better fighter in these few years as our prized dragon, Jacob." "That's what worries me." Nodded Jacob. "Since he was a young hatchling, he's learned things at a quick rate. Faster then any I've seen, any I've even heard of before him. He's dangerous in the arenas and he's dangerous outside in the dragon pens, Sir. That last fight, when they came to usher him out of the arena with the electric rods, he knew what thicker scaled parts of his body to shift at them to take less of a shock. I'm worried, what if he one day turns on everyone" The handlers, the crowd and the guards?" The older man shook his head at Jacob with a smile perking his lips. "Jacob, no dragon has ever caused a problem for the security measures at the arenas. Not even in my long life time. Quit your worrying for one night and go enjoy some of the money we've made on his last fight. Go take your wife out to that new restaurant on the eastern continent. Things are going to be just fine, you'll see."