Trollik and Ragnadolf's Hoard

Trollik, the black dragon, asked me to have my scribe write down how we met,
and our adventure together when I was on my youngling dragon quest years ago. 

It just so happens that my scribe, Theresa, has completed the tale, and it is 

Trollik's Hatchday! 

We dragons have great timing...

Now on with the story...

Trollik and Ragnadolf’s Hoard
By Theresa Snyder

Farloft watched as the large black dragon glided around the edge of the high beach cliff. This was the third day of following the dragon. His dark body, with dark blue fur accents on his tail, made him easy to spot as he sailed along the shoreline. Farloft was fascinated by the dragon’s actions. At first, he appeared to be searching for food in the many caves hollowed out of the chalk that rose up from the beach almost four-hundred feet. However, with a bit more observation Farloft saw the dragon fishing for his meals in the ocean and along the plain which topped the cliff, yet he still searched the cliff caves tirelessly. Curiosity had gripped Farloft. He wanted to know what the dragon was doing.

            Farloft’s father gave him advice before he set out on his youngling dragon quest. He told his son to be cautious in approaching others, not just humans, but dragons as well. Not all were friendly, many had territories that they defended to the death. He needed to observe, not rush in.

Three days were about as much time observing as Farloft’s curiosity could handle. He decided when he rounded the bend, to find the black dragon digging in another cave, he was going to introduce himself. Farloft gave his wings a powerful down-thrust and glided around the cliff edge to meet this new dragon.

The big black dragon met him head on with a scorching breath when he rounded the corner.

Farloft did a quick back-thrust and zoomed to the plain at the top of the cliff with the black close on his tail. It was a mistake to have surprised the other dragon, but it was too late now. He had to either fight or try and make amends. Fighting would be a mistake. The black was almost twice as big as him. The size of Farloft’s father. Farloft quickly landed, spread his wings and bowed politely to the big black.

“I am so sorry I surprised you,” he apologized when the black landed directly in front of him.

“Who are you and why are you following me?” the other dragon demanded.

Farloft noticed there was a tremor in the other dragon’s voice and the tone was much higher pitched then he expected. This dragon was younger than his size led Farloft to believe. And was that tremor a touch of fear? Were the aggressive flames brought on by fear and inexperience even though he was the bigger dragon?

“My name is Farloft.” He bowed again. “I just saw you searching the cliff caves and thought I might be of assistance, if I knew what you were looking for,” he offered.

The black dragon studied Farloft with his bright green eyes. “I am Trollik,” he said, but he did not give Farloft any further explanation.

Farloft relaxed and sat back on his haunches. “I’m new to this continent. My clan lives east of here.” He grinned at Trollik. “I’m on my youngling dragon quest. Is that what you’re doing?”

“I do not know what you mean by dragon quest, but I am a youngling among my clan,” Trollik confirmed.

So, he was a young dragon even though he was huge.

“Your clan members must get very large.”

Trollik grinned back. He was beginning to relax. “We do indeed. I will grow three times as big before my 50,000 spring.”

“You will live to be 50,000 years old?” Farloft said in disbelief. The oldest member of his clan was hardly 2,000.

“Oh yes, unless something awful happens to me…” Trollik flicked his tail showing off his blue accented fur. “And I will grow long bright blue fur down my back to the tip of my tail and on the backs of my legs. My father’s fur almost glows in the dark. Not like this dark blue.” He sat down and took a close look at Farloft. “What is this ‘dragon quest’ you speak of?”

“Well, when our clan members reach 65 springs they are encouraged to set out on a quest of discovery. We investigate the other eight continents of our world, meet dragons and other living beings, and perhaps find a place of our own to live and raise a family. I have been on my quest for four years now and have seen six of the nine continents. You are the first I have met on this land.”

“That sounds marvelous,” Trollik said with a sparkle in his green eyes. “I will travel more when I am older, I hope. For now, I suppose Ragnadolf’s hoard is my quest.”

“Ragnadolf’s hoard?”

“It is an old story among my clan. Ragnadolf, a mighty dragon, lived in this land many long years ago. He was a very enterprising dragon. He led hundreds of caravans across these plains.” Trollik waved a wing to indicate the land they were sitting on. “For his protection, and safe passage, it is said that the caravan leaders gave Ragnadolf many fine treasures. When he died his hoard was believed to be the largest in the land. However, he died without an heir and without anyone knowing where his lair was or if he even kept his hoard there.”

Farloft snorted in surprise. “So, his hoard is out there somewhere?” He waved a wing out over the plain.

“It is indeed… and many have searched for it in the past without finding it. They found his lair, but the treasure was not there. Either someone beat the finders to it, or he stashed it somewhere he thought was safer.”

“And you think it may be along this chalk sea-wall?”

“No one has ever searched it as extensively as I am doing. The wall is too long, and everyone eventually gives up.” Trollik rose and stood to emphasize his point. “However, I do not intend to give up until I have searched it from the east tip to the west.”

“Would you like some help?” Farloft asked. “I am on my quest, so I wouldn’t claim any for myself. I’d have no way to carry it.”

Trollik thought for only a moment before he lowered his head and extended his paw. “I would be happy for the company. It is a lonely pastime.”

Farloft took his paw. “Count me in.”

~*~

Trollik silently pointed down through the trees. Farloft couldn’t see anything through the canopy below, but he trusted the young black. Even though Farloft had superior eyesight, his new friend seemed to be able to see through the branches.

They both dived, and sure enough, once they broke through the top branches Farloft spotted the herd. They both picked out a large beast for their daily meal.

“How do you do that?” Farloft asked later as he chawed on a leg bone. “I couldn’t see the herd until we got below the canopy.”

Trollik tapped the side of his head with one long claw. “I shift my vision so I can see the heat of their bodies. It doesn’t help with fishing, but anything warm blooded gives off heat.”

“Handy,” Farloft said with a grin. “I was thinking…”

Trollik looked up from his meal with anticipation.

“Have the forests been explored fully for Ragnadolf’s treasure? My clan lives in caves in forests.”

“His lair was in this forest, but it has been fully searched over the centuries.”

“Maybe he buried it? I met a dragon on another continent that buried his treasure in the sand.”

Trollik pawed at the ground below their feet. Under the forest debris was a hardpacked layer of clay. “Can you imagine digging in this miserable excuse for soil?”

“Maybe Ragnadolf had longer claws, like razors.” Farloft grinned.

“Or shovels…” Trollik started to chuckle.

“Can you imagine?” Farloft extended his claws and flexed his paw. He giggled and went back to his meal.

~*~

The summer continued to unfold at a leisurely pace. Farloft and his new friend spent their days searching the cliffs with breaks to hunt.

During the evening they would lay on the beach, or the plain, and tell each other about their families and friends. Farloft regaled Trollik with stories of his travels thus far, and Trollik recounted ancient tales of Ragnadolf and other legendary dragons of his clan.

The two young dragons warmed to each other and the bounds of friendship began to set in solid stone.

~*~

Trollik tossed another fish to Farloft. “You certainly eat a lot for such a small dragon.”

He nabbed the fish from mid-air. “Helps me grow big and strong.”

The black and he had been searching the cliff caves for over three months. They had not been rewarded for their troubles unless you counted a run-in with a nasty hibernating griffin and several encounters with snakes of varying sizes. It seemed the snakes feasted on birds that made the ill found choice of using the caves for nesting areas. Today or tomorrow they would be at the end of their quest. The cliff face petered off into the sea at this point.

“I’ve been thinking,” Farloft said in between bites.

“Oh no…” Trollik shook his long, wedged head back and forth. “Not again…”

This had become a game for the two youngling dragons. Farloft always seemed to be thinking of a new, ridiculous, idea on the way they should alter their search, which usually ended up in Trollik pointing out the idiocy of the idea and them both breaking down into laughter.

“No, wait…” Farloft protested in all seriousness. “I really do think I have an idea this time.” He threw the skeleton of the large fish to one side. “Do any of your tales of Ragnadolf say how big he was?”

Trollik scratched his head in thought. “Not that I remember. Why?”

“Well, we haven’t searched all the caves,” Farloft pointed out. “Ones that were too small for you to get into, we skipped. I assumed you were basing you search on a cave that at least you could fit into because the members of your clan are the size they are. What if Ragnadolf was a dragon from somewhere else who just took up residence here. He could have been a smaller dragon. Even a smaller dragon would scare humans and could defend a caravan.” Farloft looked hopefully at Trollik. “I have met other dragons on my quest, like you, who possess magic. He could have used magic to defend the humans from marauders.”

Trollik laid his head down on his paws. “You might have something there, my friend. Ragnadolf lived so long ago that his description is lost to us. I, like the others who have searched, assumed he was from our clan, but you may be right.” Trollik raised up. “Let us finish the thorough search of the larger caves to the end of the cliffs. If we don’t find anything then I am willing, if you are, to start from this end and keep you company while you investigate the smaller caves.”

“Ready, willing and able,” Farloft said with a grin. “I am growing used to you catching my supper from the sea each night.” Farloft rolled over on his back. “I am getting fat and spoiled.”

Trollik laughed and tossed another fish to Farloft. “Eat up. You will need your strength. I feel our luck is about to change.”

~*~

Two days later Farloft and Trollik stood before the east end of the cliff wall as it petered into the sea. There was a section at the end taller than Farloft and wider than his wingspan filled with dragon runes.

“What is this?” he asked Trollik.

“These are the names of all who have searched for the treasure over the centuries.”

There were hundreds of names. Trollik placed his paw on a bare space on the wall. He seemed to go into a trance and the blue hair on his tail stood up on end. When his eyes came back into focus and the fur of his tail smoothed, he removed his paw. On the wall was a new dragonic rune. His name.

They both looked down the long undulating shoreline of the chalk cliffs.

Trollick’s tail twitched in anticipation. “Tomorrow we start searching the smaller caves we overlooked.”

“Tomorrow,” Farloft echoed.

~*~

Their luck did change. Not that day or the next. Not even that week or month, but almost six weeks later Farloft spotted a stream of water running out of one of the caves, like a mini-waterfall, down the cliff face. He entered the smallish cave opening while Trollik lay sunning himself on the plain above. Once in, there was a tunnel that curved to the left and then opened into a huge domed chamber.

There it was…

It was breathtaking, especially to a dragon, the true species to appreciate things that shined, glittered and gleamed. Standing at the mouth of the tunnel, in the stream, Farloft was overcome with the brilliance of Ragnadolf’s hoard.

The dragon had dug a hole in the stone roof of the cave, which allowed light to spill in from the plain above. It was also where the water for the stream came tumbling in a beautiful waterfall behind the huge mound of treasure. Ragnadolf also dug a moat around his pile of treasure and then a trough down the tunnel to the mouth of the cave, which allowed the water from the stream to flow fresh and clear through his treasure palace.

And it was a palace, a shrine to his treasure trove. The bed of the moat and stream from the entrance to the tunnel were lined with multi-faceted jewels. The treasure trickled off the mound and down into the moat. The back wall of the cave was covered with ornate mirrors, shields, and trays that sparkled in the light from the overhead hole and lit his bounty. The items on the wall were so highly polished that they must have been enchanted to have lasted this long in the sea air and not corroded.

The light was such that it bounced around the spray off the waterfall making rainbows behind the hoard. The mound looked twice its size. The whole spectacle made Farloft’s mouth water and his breath catch in his throat.

He walked to the edge of the stream around the mound. It rose well over his head. Ragnadolf might have been small, but his collection was the largest Farloft had even seen. There was every manner of treasure, plates, trays, human eating utensils, goblets set with jewels, crowns, tiaras and armor, coins, staffs, scepters, and all of it was topped with a massive pile of ornate, brightly colored silks that cascaded down the sides of the mound like snow in the crevasses of a huge mountain. Ragnadolf had loved his comfort and his hoard.

Farloft leaped to the top of the mound and settled down in the deep luxury of the silk pile. He chuckled as he rolled and rooted deeper into the soft mound. He could hear the small avalanches of coins and treasure shift and tinkle down the mound to spill into the stream. He rolled over and let out a laugh followed by a roar of pleasure. He was in dragon heaven.

“What’s going on down there?” Trollik called down the hole in the roof of the cave.

Farloft looked up and could see his friend’s face through the hole. “I found it!” he crowed in delight. “I found Ragnadolf’s treasure!”

Trollik started to dig…

Farloft sprung up. “No! You’ll cave the roof in! Come around to the cliff face and we’ll widen the cave entrance so you can get in.”

Trollik roared in excitement as he leaped into the air to join Farloft at the entrance.

~*~

They worked hard to preserve the streambed as they widened the opening and tunnel to the treasure dome. It took them several hours, but Trollik thought it well worth the effort once they were finished.

He was elated when he saw the hoard for the first time. They both circled it amazed and mesmerized.

“He was really a showman,” Farloft noted. “Look at the way the light bounces off the mirrors and makes the rainbows.”

“I wonder how long it took him to accumulate this much treasure?”

“A lifetime…”

~*~

            Trollik and Farloft lay sleeping on the soft silks of Ragnadolf’s hoard. Both dragons were lost in their own dreams.

            Trollik had returned triumphantly to his clan bearing gifts for his parents, a jeweled crown for his father and a dazzling tiara inlayed with gems for his mother. In his dream everyone gathered around. There were many questions about where he had found Ragnadolf’s hoard. He tried over and over to evade their inquiries, but eventually retreated to his family’s cave to escape their constant badgering. But in his dream, he couldn’t even escape them in the confines of his parent’s lair. The leering faces of his fellow clan members were in the smoke of the fire, their images oozed from the walls and when he flew from the cave in a panic, they pestered him from the clouds. “Where is Ragnadolf’s treasure?” they cried over and over.

            Farloft’s dreams were equally unsettling. In his dream world, even though he told Trollik he would not take any of the treasure, he fashioned a bag out of the silks and piled it full of items from the hoard. When he launched himself from the mouth of the cave, the bag was so heavy that its weight threatened to bring him crashing to the beach below. He slipped his head out just in time and the hoard tumbled down the cliff to scatter on the beach.

            As soon as it hit the sand, all the dragons Farloft had met on his dragon quest thus far came sailing out of the clouds. They descended upon the treasure and began to quarrel and eventually to viciously fight each other for each item. These were dragons he had made friends with. He had lived with them, ate with them, hunted and played with them. He couldn’t believe the viciousness of their attack on each other.

            He swooped down and flew into their midst trying to stop them. When he landed, they turned on him snapping, biting and clawing at him. He woke with a start.

            Trollik was restless and growling in his sleep, but he was still asleep, so Farloft rose as quietly as possible and went to the mouth of the cave to get some fresh air to clear his head.

            It was not long before Trollik joined him as the sun was just rising and spilling its raze across the waters before them.

            Trollik sat down beside Farloft. “I’ve been thinking.”

            “That’s my line,” Farloft said with a grin, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He was still a bit fogged from his nightmare.

            “I know…” Trollik shook his head. “I don’t think I want to tell anyone we found the treasure. I don’t think I am ready to deal with defending it.”

            “Really?” Farloft tilted his head on one side. “I was thinking the same thing.”

            “I don’t think we’re old enough or experienced enough to defend it,” Trollik went on. “And I really would like to share it with you one day. You did figure out where to look and you technically did find it. One day you will have a lair of your own…”

            “And you will have one too,” Farloft added. He was pleased they were of like minds.

            “Yes, and then we can divide it up…”

            “And we’ll be older… and bigger… and can guard it better…”

            “Exactly!”

            “Exactly!”

~*~

            The two young dragons worked for two days walling the treasure back up, insuring that the stream was still able to flow from the hole in the dome through a trough they preserved to a smaller opening on the cliff face. They used the chalk they excavated for Trollik’s entry into the cave. It appeared the same from the outside. Now even a small dragon could not get inside. One would have to dig to find the hoard.

            Farloft and Trollik sat on the beach feeling as if a load had been lifted from their shoulders. During the sealing of the cave they both had confessed to the other their dreams. They knew they were doing the right thing. As much as a dragon loved ‘dazzlers’ it was important to know one’s limits and what one was capable of protecting. It was not their day to claim such a huge wealth.

            “Will you head home now?” Farloft asked.

            “I believe so. I have been away for too long. My parents will start to worry soon.” Trollik scribbled a rune in the sand as he spoke. “How about you? Will you continue on?”

            “I will indeed.” Farloft ruffled his wings to rid them of the sand. “I have a whole continent to investigate. So far I have only seen the coast.” He chuckled.

            “Ahhhh, but you have done a thorough survey of it,” Trollik said under a chuckle of his own. “Let me fish for you one last time. I wouldn’t want to send you off on an empty stomach.”

            “That would be truly appreciated,” Farloft said as he leaned in and patted Trollik’s shoulder with a paw. “I love the fish in your sea. Perhaps when I return years from now, I will bring you one of our elk. They are the finest in this world and the next.”

            Trollik grinned. “I would like that.” He rose. “Until then, we feast on fish and dream of Ragnadolf’s treasure.”

            Farloft came to his feet and wing bumped the big black dragon. “Until then…”

The End