It felt weird to Evan to have a dead animal slung over his shoulder. This was a beast that he had never seen in his life and he did not even know what it was called. But, yet, he had slain it! It was quite a surreal experience! He kept looking at it as he walked as if expecting it to suddenly come back to life. It just seemed too easy that he had been able to stop it. The villagers had been struggling for a while to get rid of it and yet he had done it in under an hour. It just felt too good to be true.
He looked at the beast with its large bulging eyes. The life was gone from it as he could not feel it breathing on his shoulder. But, Evan still felt uneasy. He could not place why he kept feeling that but it was so strong within him that his hand grasped the hilt of his sword as he walked.
Avlara was in front of him and walking fast back to the village. Evan could see just how excited and happy she was that he had slain the beast terrorizing their village. Evan was happy that she was happy. That wonderful smile of hers had made him feel so good inside. No one had ever thanked him like that before!
They arrived in the village and it was so quiet and dark. Evan was amazed at how quiet a place could be as there was always noise back in Sedona Ridge. In his neighborhood, car alarms always went off throughout the day and night. There were even the voices of loud drunks as well as the constant hum from the electric poles that had not had any work done on them in years. This quiet was different to Evan but also quite calming.
Avlara turned to him and gave him that happy smile again. "I am going to alert everyone!"
Evan smiled sheepishly. "You don't have to do that. It's so late and they must be asleep."
"Oh, they will wake up for this, dragonslayer…I mean Evan," Avlara said in an excited voice. "They have all been anxious for this beast to be stopped and the great dragonslayer has done it! They must see the dead beast! I'll be right back, Evan!"
"But…" Evan did not have a chance to stop her as Avlara quickly ran off. She ran so fast across the open square and entered a building. Evan chuckled to himself as he stood in the road with the beast slung over his shoulder. He looked at it again and that same uneasy feeling came up inside of him. Had its eyes slowly moved? Evan thought as he looked at it with a frown.
"No, I am just imagining this," Evan said with a nervous chuckle. But his own eyes did not look away from the dead beast's bulging eyes. They were glassy as it appeared to be dead but that uneasy feeling inside of Evan would not leave.
There was the sudden sound of a bell being rung. It was so very loud and Evan saw many candelights and lanterns turn on in the homes of the villagers. There was also the sound of voices as people began to hurry out of their homes.
"What's going on?" A man shouted in confusion and worry.
"The bell is going off! Is it the beast?!" A woman shouted in fear. Another woman beside her held her to comfort her.
No one saw Evan standing in the shadows with the beast on his shoulder. He was even hesitant to step forward as he felt bad that the villagers had been roused from their sleep. He watched as the square filled with people. Some of them were looking around in worry. Evan saw Lord Brenwa come out of the inn with Gretwin at his side. He was dressed in what Evan could only discern as pajamas.
Avlara suddenly ran into the square and was breathing hard. The villagers looked at her in confusion and worry.
"What is it, Avlara? Has the beast hurt someone?" A frightened woman asked.
"Are there more beasts?!" A man asked in a worried voice.
Avalara shook her head. "No! I have great news!" She grinned at everyone. "The dragonslayer has slain the beast!" She pointed in the direction where Evan was standing. Everyone slowly turned and looked at Evan.
A sheepish smile came to his lips and he stepped forward. Many eyes opened wide in awe as the villagers could see the beast slung over his shoulder. There were loud shouts of surprise at the dead body of the beast.
"Oh my god! Look at it!" A woman shouted and put a hand to her mouth in fear.
"The dragonslayer has done it!" A man shouted in happiness.
"Oh thank you, great dragonslayer!" A woman said as she looked at him with a big happy smile.
"Gods, he is so incredible!" The tall blue-eyed elf that Evan had encountered before said. She was looking at him with an awestruck expression. Her eyes were not even on the beast as she stared at him. The other girls that she had been with earlier that day were also looking at him in the same way.
"Wow! There is no one like him! He is so magnificent!" The beautiful dark-skinned elf with the silver rings exclaimed as she looked at Evan. Her eyes were flickering with amazement as she looked at him.
"What is it that he can't do?! He is like a god!" The elf with almond-colored skin and long flowing black hair shouted.
"Thank the gods! The great dragonslayer has slain the beast!" A woman shouted and clapped her hands in joy. There were tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at him.
"He has helped us!" Another person shouted. There were now countless cheers and loud happy shouts as everyone was excited that Evan had slain the beast.
Evan smiled and walked into the center of the village near the people. He was filled with happiness at being able to help these people. He looked at Avlara and saw her beaming with joy. Lord Brenwa was even beaming as he listened to his villagers.
Evan was just about to say something when suddenly, the beast stirred on his shoulder and it lept down on the ground and ran toward the villagers!