Caelum

Co-Author: 2 Wing Dragon was sent the draft version of the story, which only contained dialogue and present descriptions of the scene. The co-author edited the lines to make them conversational, and re-typed the format in part tense and added the storytelling descriptions.

We tried using all four:
Prompt 1: A mystical gem that has unusual powers
Prompt 2: Write a story that includes the line 'It was all going so well' (tense may be changed)
Prompt 3: A hapless wizard as either the protagonist or antagonist
Prompt 4: Write a story that includes anthropomorphism

Word Count: 1258

“If I told you we were here to kill a dragon, and not just find my sword, then you wouldn’t have come.” Gallard pulled out his spare sword. It was drab and simple. Nothing like his real one. “I know you’re half-dragon and all, but there’s no one else I could trust with my life.” Gallard humbled himself. Had it not been for the fact that his best friend lied to him, Buckley would’ve found the last statement heartwarming (well, more heartwarming). It was a waste of all the searching spells he’d prepared though.
        “At least tell me what happened.” Buckley said,
        “Well, after I ran ahead to the top of the mountain, I saw the Richinin right in front of me. All I had to do was reach out and take it. But then that beast swooped in and started carrying me away. By that time the cliff had crumbled and that’s what knocked you out.” Buckley recalled that. “I saw the Richinin start to fall, so I slashed at the dragon and tried to make a jump for the jewel, but then I saw the beast start to go after it as well. I threw my sword at that monster to try and stop it and then I saw the beast fall to the ground, along with my sword. Not only did that beast cause me to lose my true sword, but also a chance at taking the Richinin.”
        “You saw the Richinin?”
        “I almost had the Richinin!” Gallard demonstrated. “I almost held it in my own hands, and it was all going so well...but then that dragon...” he ended the conversation in anger as they arrive at the top of the mountain. Both half-men stopped, Buckley was a few meters behind Gallard. “I swear I will have my revevnge.” Buckley grimaced at this. Same old Gallard. He understood them though, lions, sometimes their pride is all they have. Even anthromorphic ones like Gallard.
        “You know, maybe you haven’t thought this through. You don’t know what that dragon was doing.”
        “It won’t matter anymore.” Gallard produced the magic bell item from his pocket. The shock on Buckley's face was clear; this wasn't what he intendened to happen.
        “That’s a Draconian Bell Charm! Where did you get one of those!?” Buckley asked with alarm. Gallard did not answer. He rang it and the magical force that emanated from it stirred a large whirlwind and a flash of light in the heavens. “Gallard, no!” Buckley screamed, but the magic silenced every other noise but that of the magical bell. With the death of the last ring a roar was heard and, from the sky, emerged the dragon. Gallard became enraged immediately and he shouted,
        “There you are!” and began swinging wildly at the dragon, who had suddenly flown backwards in fear. Gallard, still stuck in his fit of rage, didn't take notice of this and continued running for the dragon as it retracted. Buckley tried to intervene for the 15-foot beast, but his cries for Gallard to stop were muffled by Gallard’s battle cries and the dragon’s roars. In the confuson and chaos, the dragon, accidently, swung its tail and knocked Buckley off the side of the mountain.
        “Buckley!” Gallard flinched for a second before trying to run at the dragon who continued to retract and, in his anger, he made a swing that lodged his sword into a piece of earth, injuring his swinging arm. The ground below him began to crack and he found himself falling toward the ground far below...he closed his eyes...and suddenly, he felt something swoop in and catch him, it’s familiar – the dragon had him caught in its mouth and safely lowered him to the ground, where he found Buckley standing. The dragon set him on the ground in front of Buckley, then it jumped to sit beside Buckley, who was smiling. Gallard suspected the worst. “You’re...in league with it?!” he drew a long knife angrily with his good arm and Buckley quickly fired a spell with a snap of his finger, turning the knife into a carrot.
        “Oh...I was just supposed to disarm you. Anyway, no Gallard, it’s more like she’s in league with us.”
        “What?”
        “Put your guard down friend and listen. This is Caelum, She's a guardian of this mountain.” Gallard was surprised by this news.
        “I thought all guardian dragons could speak.”
        “Oh, she can. But when you first saw her you slashed her vocal cords, damaging her speech.”
        “Her?” Gallard started to become nervous and embarrassed. This was the first time he looked the dragon straight in the eye.
        “I met her just last night. I found her wounded in the village near here and healed her as best as I could. We couldn’t really communicate so I used a telepathy spell to speak with her.” Buckley got quiet for a second.
        “She wasn’t attacking you.” Buckley began the story:
        “When you were about to reach the Richinin, the first time we went up the mountain, the ground below you was about to collapse. She swooped in to try and catch you but you slashed her throat. Then, she tried to catch the Richinin to keep it from falling but you hurt her by throwing your sword at her." The dragon stepped forth with the sword in its holster and swung around her neck. She then presented it to Gallard. Gallard was speechless, but accepted it nonetheless. “I was supposed to introduce you to her on this mountain, using the Draconian Bell Charm when I thought we were just looking for your sword.” Gallard was ashamed. With slow, and almost uncertain – due to not wanting to hurt his pride – motion, he walked toward the dragon, she did not flinch, and touched the bandage where he’d stabbed her with his sword.
        “How long before the wounds heal?”
        “Who knows? Could be weeks, months before the deepness of the cut heals completely on its own...” Buckley responded. Gallard was silent and truly sorry. “...but with that healing spell I gave her, it’ll be about five days till she’s all better.” Buckley chimed. Gallard, letting free all his lion-y pride, knelt before the dragon and bowed his head saying,
        “I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry...this is my fault...” The dragon mumbled something to Gallard, he slowly looked up, and Buckley translated:
        “She knows the Richinin. Many have gone to find it for it's magnificent powers, but as she has told me...the legend says, only a knight of pure spirit, with, above all, a humble heart may be worthy to find it."
Gallard looks up at this.
Caelum smiles and mumbles something again. Buckley translates: "Gallard, if you would be so honorable, Caelum would like to accompany you in your quest for the Richinin."
Gallard turns to Caelum, though his question is directed to Buckley's words. "The honor would be mine...*he bows again* But do you really think I am worthy?"
"Caelum says that a guardian cannot turn her back in a situation where her services will be of use. Any knight - especially a lion, of all creatures - willing to accept his mistake, and humble himself, is worthy of the Richinin. You're a great knight, Gallard."
...
The sun begins to set as the three walk off for the city. A new friendship formed. Caelum whispers to Buckley: "I didn't really say that last part."
Buckley apologizes. "I'm sorry for bending you words, but he's a lion. It means so much more coming from someone greater than his goofy old best friend.”