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Resistance C12: Newcomer

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Resistance
Chapter 12: Newcomer

I cursed quietly under my breath. It couldn't be the Resistance people... They weren't due for another few hours... Fenek seemed to sense my emotions and demanded to know what was wrong, especially when I grabbed my gun and readied it while walking to the door...

Motioning to the table, I remarked to Fenek, "Stay there and try to be inconspicuous."

I then went to the door and slowly opened it, pistol at the ready...

What stumbled in had me stumped. A dragon of a biped configuration. Bruised, battered and bleeding, his silver scales streaked with blood, white chest covered in gashes. The wings were torn to shreds and he bled from a huge head wound, the deep red blood getting into one of his sharp, green eyes. Even his spikes, which ran along his back, were damaged, some of the white shafts cracked, one broken. His claws were caked in blood, probably not his... He held his chest, blood seeping from between his claws. His twin white horns were covered in blood, one of which still leaked blood from the base, as if someone tried to wretch it loose. From his snout protruded a few incisors, also stained with blood...

Before I could react, he stumbled and fell into my arms, muttering, his voice hoarse and husky, "H-help me..."

I stared for a moment, not really knowing what to do... Logic pointed to a possible enemy plant, given the recent chain of events...but my gut said otherwise...

However, before I could do anything, Fenek came running over and slammed the door shut for me, before helping me to lug the hefty unconscious dragon to the table. He was about my size, slightly taller with a little more bulk, but for all our combined strength, the dragon still laid half on and half off the table... It took a bit more pushing and shoving to get the dragon onto the table proper.

All along my floor, there was blood. On my formerly clean clothes too. It was a mess... However, the main problem was the dragon on the table, head lolling to one side and forked tongue hanging out while he bled from his wounds.

And I was no medic... I wondered why he had come here, of all places, especially since what happened earlier in the day probably had me branded as a traitor and an enemy already.

"Why are you standing there?! Do something!" Fenek demanded, before somehow taking the same biped stance as the other dragon.

"What... I'm not a medic...and since when could you stand like that... Nevermind go and look the wounds over. Let me know if they need cleaning. Grab a cloth and stem the bleeding on his chest." I replied, tossing him a clean cloth. "Compress a bit. I'll go and dig around for bandages. This guy is a mess."

I went rummaging around, finding some old rags which I ripped up to make bandages and tossed into a pot to sterilise in boiling water. I also tossed in a wooden plate and pulled it out, using it to hold the clean bandages. Fenek complied, while protesting that he didn't like this form.

I brushed his protests aside while I changed the cloth, since he was far more useful like this. I bandaged what I could and used some local herbs to at least stop the bleeding.

There were cuts and gashes everywhere, and I spent the next hour or so cleaning and dressing the wounds. It was dirty and smelly work, but in the end, the red of blood was replaced by the white bandages, and the dragon slumbered in hopefully less pain.

"I thought you said that you weren't a medic?" Fenek quipped, looking over my handiwork. "You work as well as some of our healers, less the magic."

I shrugged. "Learnt a bit during army training. Can you magic away his wounds, now that the worst of the bleeding is gone?"

"I can help with the smaller wounds, but not the big ones. My skill is not great..." He replied, sighing.

"Don't sigh. It helps more than you think. Do it, and then revive him if you can." I replied, while reaching over and taking my pistol.

Fenek nodded, but froze when he saw the gun... "You can't possibly...."

I cut him off. "I'm not going to shoot him. Keep your scales on, dragon. This is just a precaution. If you want, I'll decock it."

He snorted and began to apply his magic, after which he took up my offer and had me decock the pistol. Then, he muttered something and woke our visitor.

The first thing the silver dragon did was to sit bolt upright and look around, afraid. Then, the pain hit him from the sudden action, causing him to growl and wince in pain.

The second thing was that his eyes fell on Fenek, then me, then my pistol. He slowly raised his arms. "I meant no ill will."

I nodded. "I noticed, considering that my house is still in one piece. Ignore the gun if what you say is true. Anyway, you might not want to move so much. Your wounds are quite bad. What's your name?"

The dragon nodded and slowly lowered his arms. Fenek had meanwhile resumed his normal small quadruped stance. "I am Agenor. I thank you for tending my wounds, kind rider. Was I followed?"

I shook my head. "Not that I know of. Now, you have a lot of explaining to do. First off, why aren't you surprised by the gun? Secondly, what caused you those wounds, and lastly, why did you come here, of all places?"

Agenor sighed. "I have seen guns before. I helped the humans in another region to steal some to fight. When I was exposed, I fled. They caught up and I had to fight... It didn't go well and I faked my death. Then, I continued on foot, and the rumours about you brought me to the door. Is it true that you used to serve in the human army?"

I sent a message to Fenek as he spoke, <Do a check. Is he lying?>

Fenek glanced at me, then and Agenor. <No. As far as I can tell, he is truthful, and is not connected to the others. He is only a few years my elder...>

<Good.> I replied, just as Agenor finished speaking, and I gave him my reply. "Fair enough. I'll have to do my checks, but that question I can answer since everyone knows anyway. Yes, I was in the army."

Agenor paused for a moment, slightly stunned. He probably assumed that the rumours were exaggerated. "I see. Are you in the Resistance? I can offer my help, but not as a double agent anymore. I will be killed on sight if my presence were to be discovered."

I shrugged "Didn't know a Resistance movement existed. Got the gun on the black market."

Agenor didn't seem to believe my little lie, but seemed disappointed anyway. "Perhaps I set my hopes too high..."

I shrugged. "Hit and miss. You can stay here anyway, but if I tell you to disappear, you'd better not exist till I tell you it's safe, got it?"

Agenor nodded, and a smile split his snout. "It is rare to meet a human that is kind like you, especially to us dragons. I owe you for this. I will not forget."

I shrugged and showed him to the bed. "Good, good. Now go rest. You need it."

That was when Fenek started complaining. "But then where will I sleep?"

I shrugged. "Floor or table. Your choice. I'm taking the chair."

Fenek shot me a sour look and started to preen. He was jealous again.

I rolled my eyes and picked him up in a small hug. "Stop being such a jealous bitch. Am I not allowed to be nice to people just because you're around?"

In the background, Agenor chuckled, remarking, "It is normal. Bonded dragons are very possessive of their riders, and dragons have fought over a rider before. But fear not, I am not here to poach you..."

Fenek quietened down a little at this, coupled with some petting. I gave Agenor a pointed look, "Go sleep la, you. I'll deal with this little kiddy."

Agenor snorted and rolled over, showing his bandaged and splinted wings. They had been broken and torn... It would be a while before he could fly again.

Fenek huffed at being called a 'kiddy' and wiggled out of my grasp, to settle himself on the table after swiping my only cushion. "I will sleep here." He declared, and curled up on said cushion.

"Yes, do that without my cushion." I snapped and tipped him off the cushion and put it aside "That's all that stops my butt from aching into the mornings. Don't be an ass, Fenek."

The dragon grunted and turned away, pouting, while Agenor laughed. We must have really looked quite silly...

Now that things had been settled, I sat down to think about how I was going to break all this huge mess of an event chain to the rest, especially since it all happened in a day...
And here is chapter 12. A new guy! will he be a main? Maybe. Maybe not. Who is he, what does he do? And most importantly, whose side is he on?

Fun to write, though now I have another character to juggle. Toying with the idea of introducing his perspective as well, but I fear that it may become too messy. We'll see, I guess. Let me know any thoughts, please~

Anyways, as usual, comment, fave. Go!

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i wonder if its gunna become the new gen of dragons vs the old.