Magical swords…and stuff

@Rolena-Hatfield No, it’s for a fantasy newspaper/blog series I’m starting which make fun of various fantasy cliches. Magical swords is my first one; here’s the rough draft of what I’ve written so far (though it may change before all’s over).

Ever hear about Flameslayer? A great, two-handed black blade, quenched in dragon’s blood and of unbreakable steel. It, or so the legends claimed, was the only sword which could pierce the scales of the great fire drake, Garagon. The only small problem was that Garagon killed the first hero who came after him with the blade, then kept the sword to pick his teeth…apparently it was the only piece which wouldn’t snap in two when he dug out bones between his teeth. But that’s irrelevant.

The point was, there was only one blade which could kill him and he had it in his possession. Predictably, he grew cocky, and a cocky dragon is not something you want to meet. And, perhaps worse, he killed every hero who came against him (a surprising amount, given his reputation and Flameslayer’s legend). In the end, it was a woodsman from the next village in Garagon’s route of terror and flame which brought the vile creature to a well-deserved death. And he did it using a magic axe.

What I’m trying to say here is that magical swords are greatly overrated. Sure, they’re all very well in their own time and place, but where are all the legends about the magical spears, axes, daggers, and bows? Just because a sword is the flashiest and (debatably) most cool weapon doesn’t mean it’s the most useful by a long shot.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by Hope Ann.