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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 6: Gib And Gart
Gib began his tale.
“A long time ago in a town named Glestol, some miles east of here, there lived two boys named Rigger Belphinigib and Dacker Colagart. Rigger and Dacker were best friends, born in the same month even. Both their fathers were in the service of the King. Knights they were, but not for long. When the boys were only five years old there was an attempt on the King’s life. Sir Manus Belphinigib and Sir Quasby Colagart were among those killed saving the king’s life. The knights were honored for their sacrifice but no amount of honors could return what the boys wanted most. Their fathers.
“That was when they started to resent knights. After all if their fathers had been craftsmen or something they would still be alive. So it was that when the time came that they should enlist, they were nowhere to be found. They had escaped into the Neverwood. The wood was more dangerous then but it was not the first time the two had ventured in. Two years they stayed there and their life was better and more free then any other man’s.
“Then came the fateful day with the dragon... I suppose I should tell you now that I was Rigger Belphinigib, though I haven’t gone by that name in a long while. While we were in the forest we went by our last names. I was Belphinigib, Gib for short. And Dacker...Dacker was Gart.
“Anyway, the day the dragon attacked started out like any other day. Gart and me started out from the castle in the morning. There were always new things to do in the forest. Paths to discover, creatures to befriend or avoid, tree traps to study and all kinds of other things to do and see. It was about mid-day when we reached the clearing. We had been there before but that day there was something different. Dragon tracks. We didn’t recognize them of course, we had never seen a dragon. You see there were no dragons in our woods which makes sense because with all the fire they blow they’re better suited for places without trees.
“But for some reason there was a dragon that day, and I believe he was watching us as we traced his tracks to the edge of the clearing where he waited. Then he attacked us. He used his tail, not bothering to waste his breath on two unarmed humans.
“The first blow knocked the wind out of me and sent me flying. When I finally got my feet I saw Gart. The dragon had him in his teeth. Furiously I charged the dragon. I only had my staff but I knew that most creatures could be hurt in the nose and I drove the staff up it’s nostril with all the force I could muster. The dragon jerked back in pain, dropping Gart and breaking the staff as he did so. The dragon scratched at the stump, trying desperately to get it out. But I wasn’t paying attention by then. Even as the dragon flew off I was seeing to my friend. His wounds were terrible but he was alive. I was relieved then but now…now I wonder if he would have been better dead.
“I didn’t know what to do. Gart had the gift for healing and though I knew a little about herbs and oils, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to save him. I ripped pieces of my tunic to stop the breeding as while I administered the frankincense and rose oil. Still there was something else wrong with him. His face was pale and his limbs cold.
“Then he was there. I don’t know how he got there or where he came from but there he was. He was a strange man, with his silver hair and his pale face. He wore black plate armor over his robes and his blue eyes had an evil look that you thought you saw one minute but then wondered if you saw at all.
“He knelt down beside Gart and spoke. ‘This man is dying. He has dragon poison in his blood.’
“I didn't know who the man was but if he could help Gart then he was a miracle. ‘Can he be cured?’
“‘Perhaps. There is an antidote to the poison in the dragon’s blood. I can retrieve it but he may still die. There are only two others that I know to have survived such a poison. But keep a good heart. If your friend survives he will have a gift for dragons that will surpass all others.’
“The moment he said that I thought I saw something in his eyes. But it was gone before I knew what it was.
“‘I will need to take him somewhere safe to heal him.” He called into the forest and out came a great black dragon.
I recoiled in horror. ‘You’re one of them!’
“‘Don't worry,’ he said lifting Gart onto the dragon. ‘When I’m through with him your friend will be good as new.’ and then in a faint whisper ‘Or better.’
“I should have stopped him. Not that I could have but I should have tried. I had a bad feeling from the moment the dragon left the ground. And even though I didn't know it then, it was the last time that I would see Gart. For while I may have seen Dacker Colagart later, that was the last I saw of the man that I called my friend.
“And now you see why I say that he may have been better dead. Because I would rather have him remembered as the man that he was... then the thing that I witnessed the last time we met.”
“Wait a minute.” said Marus, interrupting. “That man you described sounds a lot like BloodVaine.”
Gib nodded. “That’s what I was afraid of. It means that Gart is your deceiver. Brought in by BloodVaine, a gift with dragons, it all lines up. He was gone for three months and when he returned he was a master dragon rider. Somehow he did survive the dragon poison and was given a gift for dragons.
“It was a cold, misty day when he came over the hill and through the fog to the place where I was hunting. At first I didn’t recognize him. But then he spoke: ‘Hello Gib.’ and I knew it was him. I ran. I ran to embrace him but once I had I could see that he had changed. He was wearing armor.
“‘What’s this Gart? Playing knights are we?’
“He chuckled. ‘Yes Gib, knights and dragons.’
“‘What happened Gart? I thought I’d never see you again.’
“‘Well I got enough of that dragon blood in me to combat the poison.’
“Then I heard it. A low snort from behind Gart. I looked and there, silhouetted though the mist, the shape of a dragon.
“‘Look out! There’s a -”
“‘Yes, I know Gib.”
“I didn't understand.
“‘Look Gib.’ Gart started. ‘I want you to come back with me. I want you to come back to the Dragon Masters. I have a have a high rank and you could be at least a corporal.’
“‘What? No. No Gart. We don’t want to be knights, remember. Remember our vow?’
“‘Look Gib, we were kids then. We didn’t know what we were doing.’
“‘How can you say that? We were kids but we had a vision. A vision for a better life. Don't you remember that?’
“‘Gib listen to me. There’s more out there then this wretched forest. There’s buildings and fortresses and...and ranks and power. Power Gib! Think of it.’
“‘Gart...what’s happened to you?’
“‘I woke up Gib. I woke up.’
“‘You are not the man I once knew.’
“‘Fine, Gib. If you want to spend the rest of your life growing moss in this forest so be it.’ And he turned, mounted his dragon, and took off.”
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