Hearing the dragon's prophesy sparked something deep within his chest; the heroic calling which he had so long avoided now burst into a song that filled his mind and straightened his spine. Before Angus or Adrienna could stop him, Quint strode confidently to sword. The eyes of the four statues that held the mighty blade seemed to follow his path as he reached out and grabbed the hilt. He flexed his fingers and then curled them around the twin dragons that entwined to form the grip of the Champion's Blade. He settled his fingers, feeling the scales on the intricately carved dragons that somehow felt warm in his hand, almost as though stout living beings were breathing in his grasp. Looking at the dragon who had again taken on the form of a human priest, Quint tightened his grip, and began to pull the sword loose from the statues' grasp.
Nothing happened. The sword did not move.
Although in his heart he knew it was useless, Quint strained against the stone. The handle no longer felt warm, but cold and hard, quickly growing slick from his sweating palm. He reached up with his other hand and grabbed the hilt with both hands, pulling with all his might.
Again, nothing.
A chest-deep chuckle emanated from the dragon priest. Angus placed a friendly hand on Quint's shoulder and clicked his tongue in mock exasperation. "I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure lots of guys have that problem." He then patted Quint on the shoulder, stepped to the side, interlaced his fingers and stretched out his arm, producing a few cracks from his knuckles and back.
Making shooing gestures with his hands, Angus said "Why don't you step aside, and let me show you how it's done?"
Quint gave a silent scoff and released the sword with a quiet smile, stepping back to where Adrienna was watching and giving his friend an open path. The singer sauntered up to the blade in what was clearly a mockery of Quint's earlier trek, placed his pinkie and thumb around the hilt with his other three fingers purposefully stretched away, made a small tug, shook his head, and stepped back from the sword.
"Nope. I'm obviously not champion material," Angus gave an exaggerated wink to his friends, and lifted out his hand to Adrienne. "Maybe Adrienne is the one. Do you want to give it a try?"
Adrienne, whose hands had stayed clasped behind her back since the dragon first found her investigating his horde, shook her head, "I think I'll pass this time."
The red-robed priest chuckled again. "I said that your presence here was foretold and that the Champion would claim the Champion's Blade, not that any of you were the Champion."
Nothing happened. The sword did not move.
Although in his heart he knew it was useless, Quint strained against the stone. The handle no longer felt warm, but cold and hard, quickly growing slick from his sweating palm. He reached up with his other hand and grabbed the hilt with both hands, pulling with all his might.
Again, nothing.
A chest-deep chuckle emanated from the dragon priest. Angus placed a friendly hand on Quint's shoulder and clicked his tongue in mock exasperation. "I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure lots of guys have that problem." He then patted Quint on the shoulder, stepped to the side, interlaced his fingers and stretched out his arm, producing a few cracks from his knuckles and back.
Making shooing gestures with his hands, Angus said "Why don't you step aside, and let me show you how it's done?"
Quint gave a silent scoff and released the sword with a quiet smile, stepping back to where Adrienna was watching and giving his friend an open path. The singer sauntered up to the blade in what was clearly a mockery of Quint's earlier trek, placed his pinkie and thumb around the hilt with his other three fingers purposefully stretched away, made a small tug, shook his head, and stepped back from the sword.
"Nope. I'm obviously not champion material," Angus gave an exaggerated wink to his friends, and lifted out his hand to Adrienne. "Maybe Adrienne is the one. Do you want to give it a try?"
Adrienne, whose hands had stayed clasped behind her back since the dragon first found her investigating his horde, shook her head, "I think I'll pass this time."
The red-robed priest chuckled again. "I said that your presence here was foretold and that the Champion would claim the Champion's Blade, not that any of you were the Champion."
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