[ IP ] Practice

The glowing back hardly made this dragon sporting, but I was out there that afternoon to test my equipment rather than to shoot target practice. I had just gotten a new bow that was supposed to generate enough force for arrows to reach the speed of sound. On top of that, the arrows themselves were supposedly tough enough to pierce a dragon ’ s skin. I did not believe this per se, but I was still hopeful. Although not a particularly avid dragon hunter, I had to review the bow and arrows for its maker that evening. Dragons had been the first animal that I could truly get a good test with, so I had to take my chances. 
 
 The shot was lined up before I released the arrow straight at the dragon ’ s armored head. Unsurprisingly, the arrow bounced right back. Then, the dragon turned its attention to me. I cursed before lining up the next shot against a now charging dragon. Again and again, nearly a dozen arrows flew frenetically. Two were aimed at its head, another three at its legs, and the rest were a smattering of anywhere that seemed like the dragon ’ s body. None of these arrows penetrated the dragon ’ s armored shell. I cursed several more times as the dragon neared. As a last resort, I broke the new bow into two. Now I had the bow ’ s jagged edges, which I could use as a weapon. 
 
 This dragon was quite remarkable up close, unlike any I had ever seen. Its armored exterior was so different from the usual smooth shape and lean frame. Its bulky shape made it appear more machine than organic being. The glowing back furthered the unnatural vibe I got from the beast. However, as much as I wanted to contemplate its complex nature, I needed to get out of this situation. 
 
 The dragon struck at me viciously like a predator trying to kill its prey. Unfortunately for the dragon, I was a predator too. I slipped beneath the fire breathing dragon before I brought out the fragmented bow and slashed the dragon right down its middle. There were groans from above as the dragon was shrieking out in agony. The only downside of this all was that the dragon was dying above me. If it had not been for the last bit of inertia going to the side, I would have likely joined the beast in death. 
 
 I dusted myself off from the ground. Then I picked up the two fragments of the bow and found the remaining arrows. Although I had indeed managed to kill the dragon with the bow and arrows, I would be giving it back to its maker with a poor review. A sword would have been just as good.
