Here's part 5. Enjoy.

By the way, thank you all for your reviews. I understand my shortcomings, and will try to improve my style to your liking.

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CHAPTER 5 – I am Contained

Against my will, the Vikings dragged me into a pen that was carved into the wall of the large cage. The doors were slammed shut and the moment they were, I unleashed several deep breaths of plasma lightning at them, attempting to break them open. But all that effort only provided a sizable burn mark on the iron and no other damage. These doors were made to withstand dragon fire, I realized and I then charged at them, slamming my shoulder into them, but the doors would not budge. I became exhausted again and nearly collapsed, but the moment I allow that to happen, the Vikings will have won and I still wanted to fight them. My eyes easily adjusted to the dim lighting and I took note of how cramped this pen was. There was barely any room to pace around, let alone spread my wings. I growled in anger. I've been trapped and contained so many times this past month that I was becoming infuriated! Was having my freedom taken away time and again some kind of cruel game for the Gods? If so, I curse them!

As I roared in defiance, I reminded myself about my human and wondered what had become of him. I caught a glimpse of him being dragged away by the big red Viking. Could it be that beast of a human was my human's queen…er…king? If that were the case, then some things were made clear to me. My human was being punished for having a dragon in their village, just like I would be eaten for bringing humans to our nest. Out of sheer frustration with myself and how I have caused more harm than good, I screamed, allowing my plasma lighting explode against the low ceiling above me.

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I should have tried to recover my strength I realize. I could not tell how much time passed when the doors were thrown open and a tide of huge Vikings flooded into the pen, each carrying restraints meant for me. I growled and made a charge towards the opening, but my earlier attempts to break free from this place only fatigued me and once again, several human Vikings pined me to the ground as others began to bind me down with leather, iron and chains. It was humiliating. I, the Night Fury, the source of their very nightmares; overpowered so easily by a handful of Viking humans. Why couldn't they understand I only meant to keep my human safe? Was this the kind of punishment they inflict upon those who protect their kind? Like a helpless victim, several of the humans began dragging me as I laid uselessly in their restraints, my wings, legs and mouth bound tightly to prevent me from freeing myself. I did not know what they were planning to do to me, and that scared me.

They had dragged me down to their ocean side docks, where they then proceeded to tie me down even more so with more ropes, chains and some kind of wooden harness two of them clamped around my neck. I've made more struggles against them but it was utterly futile against them, but I was not about to roll over and let them do what they will to me without them knowing I was willing to fight them. As I was somehow lifted and lowered again onto one of their ships, I growled and bucked, making even more attempts to shrug off the restraints that contained me. The cold iron and rough wood rubbed against my scales harshly, but not as harshly as the voice that was behind me when the big red Viking shouted out commands. When he strolled slowly pass me, mocking me with his show of dominance, I glared venomously at him. He gave me a low growl which I assume was a threat, but I would not give in easily to his intimation. As long as I drew breath, I will resist the big red Viking. How I loathed him!

If it were in my power, I would have taken his head in my jaws. Or roasted his flesh in an instant, but I then remembered how my human pleaded at me with his eyes not to harm the big red Viking. Clearly this human had some meaning to my rider and I was not yet sure what that was. I felt the wind start to blow over me as the vessel I was restrained to began to move, and as the ship left the dock, all hope I had of escape was left behind, watching me drift away against my will.

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Was I frightened? Yes. Was I terrified? Perhaps. But right now, the weight of hopelessness bore down on me heavier than the restraints did. I could wrestle with the leather straps and chain locks forever and they would continue to hold me down. So for now, I waited for whatever fate the humans wish to cast upon me.

Perhaps that is what the big red Viking and the strange yellow Viking with one arm and leg were discussing. When we entered the fog, I was somewhat comforted by its familiarity, but by very little. The strange yellow Viking continued to converse with the big red one, but I wasn't interested anymore. I tried to think of pleasant thoughts, like of my human, and of flying, but as I let my mind drift, my ear fins started twitching to a faint familiar call.

My siblings! I could hear their growls! And though I could not return their calls, perhaps they could still find me! My human was not among those that held me, thus if my siblings were to attack in an effort to free me, I would not object! It's an evil thought, but one can't be blamed when they're tied down and restrained like a beast.

I looked up towards where the calls came from, hoping against all hope I would be discovered. How ironic it was. When I first brought humans here, I tried to go unseen within a crowd of many. Now, as humans bring me back, I try to go noticed, and yet, the fog around us kept me hidden. This world is so full of reversals that it's becoming redundant.

I tried to follow the sounds as best as I could. The growls and calls were submissive, but it meant they were together. And the more dragons there are, the better chances there will be for them to find me and free me from the human's containments. The calls were getting closer I noticed as the ship glided across the waves silently, but the stillness was disturbed by several humans chattering amongst each other. Perhaps passing that one wooden dragon stuck in the rocks was a sign of doom to them, I could only hope. Yet they were not deterred. The kept following my directions as I sought out my siblings from my harness. It was when the vessel came to a sudden stop I realized that we returned to the nest island. And the queen was perhaps waiting for more tribute. I made another vain attempt to break free, but the iron clasps held on as strong as before.

The big red Viking gave orders to the other humans, and they began to dismount the ship, each of them carrying various weapons, tools, and supplies. Giant wooden weapons were also unloaded by means of ropes and pulleys. The Vikings were going to attack the nest! This worried me. Not because of the idea of the Vikings killing more of my kin, but how their attempts will infuriate the queen, and how I am bound tightly, unable to get away.

My fears began to boil within as the humans prepared themselves. I could see them setting up some kind of defense with their large wooden weapons. They carved logs into roughly pointed shapes and arranged them strangely in the sands of the beach. Though I did not understand their methods, I had the sinking suspicion it was inadequate protection.

When the big red Viking gestured with his hands, the giant wooden weapons flung stone and large rocks towards the volcano rock face, each stone smashing against it violently with thunderous crashes that made even my ear fins twitch. After the third or forth loud crash, there was the sound of rock exploding outward and I could only guess that the Vikings have broken through the stonewalls surrounding the nest. If the queen was not yet awake, that last booming rumble of rocks must have.

The humans even launched a fiery ball towards the nest. If they hope to burn my siblings to death, they are wasting their time. In all the years we dragons had conflicts with the humans, did they not yet know that our scales will not burn?

I then heard the roar of a commotion and when I looked up, a nearly endless flight of dragons flew from the nest in panic and fear. And as I watched them fly overhead without so much as a glance back at the Vikings, I coward down, knowing full well that my siblings were flying away in sheer terror. But not because of the Vikings…

The calmness before the storm had just ended…

TO BE CONTINUED

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Sorry for the short chapter, but I liked how it ended there. Cliffhanger! Anyway, more to come within the next few days.

Until Next Time ;-)

Theo~