***
Andreas spun round from the barricade and jumped down. His face seemed more pale than usual.
“The fire has died should we throw some more kindling on it?” asked Andreas.
Nicholas shrugged, "What’s the point we want the Dragon to attack that way.”
The cavern was now dark with a foul taste in the air. Andreas apprehensive and impatient began to get busy, by inspecting the traps again.
“What are you doing,” said an exasperated Nicholas. “We’ve checked and re-checked those traps how many times now.”
Andreas looked up from what he was doing with a grunt, “Yes, and we’re going to do it again. And then we're going to do it again. That Dragon will soon be here, and I don’t know about you, but there are now only two of us. For all we know Achil and Nishga may already be dead.”
At that thought shock appeared on Nicholas’s face, he left his position and in a stoic silence began to ensure everything was as it should be. The thought of Achil being killed by the Dragon had not even crossed his mind, and for the first time, after all the trials they had been through he realised their own mortality. Would they ever return to their city? His home seemed so distant and far away. It felt so long ago since they had left there; that at no point until now had he been concerned that they might never return. Nicholas lifted one of the heavy chains; his hands began to shake through the sheer weight of it, or perhaps they shook for some other reason. He could not tell which. There was nothing worse than waiting for your doom.
Andreas stood at the centre of the cavern and drew a wide circle on the ground.
“I will remain within this circle,” said Andreas. “To get to me the Dragon must pass many obstacles. You’ll remain back there, and release the chain, the boulder above will then fall, and hopefully that will be the end of it.”
Nicholas could see that Andreas had gone over the battle a thousand times in his mind. It was now just a matter of holding their nerve, no easy task considering the devastation the Dragon had caused, and was capable of.
Andreas saw Nicholas’s eyes drifting away.
“Are you listening to me!?!” snapped Andreas, showing more anger than he had intended to. And then he continued with a softer tone. “Look when the Dragon comes through here; I will go to it. I want you to remain over there. I will then retreat to this point.” Andreas pointed to the centre of the circle beneath which the boulder would fall. “Then I want you to snap the chain and everything should collapse. Is that clear?”
Nicholas looked horrified, "Snap the chain; you want me to snap the chain with you still standing beneath it. Are you crazy you’ll be killed also, what sort of stupid plan is that?”
Andreas put his hand out to calm Nicholas, who quickly backed away.
“Before it comes to that I will have jumped to safety. Besides without risk nothing can ever be achieved. I need you to do this. If you don’t then all might be lost. Remember we are doing this for our families back home; you must not hesitate. Now will you do this?”
Nicholas sadly nodded trying to control the tight knot of anxiety that was welling up in the pit of his stomach. He turned away, not wishing for Andreas to perceive how he felt. But before he had done so Andreas had seen the unconcealed emotion on Nicholas’s face, he recalled that when they had started their journey he was an enthusiastic youth, though a member of the Vangarian guard. Now he was more serious, much older in appearance.
Andreas mulled this over a moment and then withdrew to where he felt he would be better able to confront the Dragon. He had no intention of jumping clear when the beast attacked, as it would need to be aroused to a great anger for it to fall for such a trap, which meant he would have to give it an appropriate incentive, to goad it into some reckless act, and that incentive would more than likely lead to his doom. It was important for him therefore to hold the Dragon off for as long as possible. And force it to come onto him, giving Nicholas the opportunity and time required to break the chain holding the boulder in place, which would send both him and the Dragon to their ruin.