Finishing a Chapter Where My Heroine Vanquishes a Bat-Dragon

 I've been working on a novel for the last three years.  The book is close to finishing, but is still months out from being done.  I have approximately 5 chapters to go, with probably another 25,000 to 35,000 words.  It is basically about a konbini that isn't just a convenience store, and a sacred mountain in Japan that is often shrouded in a fog with very real dangers.  Anyhow, my last chapter took me awhile to write.  In it, my heroine, a former special forces operator,  has to face down a bat-dragon in the fog with some help from a spirit cat.  If that sounds farfetched, you really need to read the novel when it is done, and it'll make way more sense.

My first drafts tend to look like 2nd or maybe 3rd drafts for many writers as I don't just jot down anything.  I use a methodology to help me write, which I have previously presented in the following articles. Because of this methodology, I have been able to put down my writing and pick it up again from where I left off, which is very helpful.  I also don't write myself into a corner either!

Plotting versus Pantsing - My Novel Plotting Methodology Answer

Novel Plotting Methodology Overview (Use Your Story Structure of Choice)

How to Outline a Story or Novel

Anyhow, I needed to use a heavy weapon to take down said bat-dragon and decided on an AT4, which is a single shot, recoilless smooth bore gun that looks like a rocket launcher, but shoots a fin-stabilized shell.  It was a good choice it turned out.  Even ChatGPT agreed with me when I was playing around with it later.

Here is a brief-excerpt from the rockety part of the chapter:

"The cat had hopped up onto the HVAC unit so that it was at Yuriko’s chest height.   Ghost’s tail swished from side to side, and its ears twitched back and forth.  “Mrrrp,” Ghost spoke again and pointed a paw at a 60 degree angle up in the air to Yuriko’s right.

Yuriko turned her body, aimed the launcher, and pressed down on the safety lever.  Another press forward on the red firing button would blast the fin-stabilized shell out.   She felt calm descend upon her, like most times before she entered a fight.  It was a strange trait, almost like an acceptance of what would come, but it had served her well in combat many times.  Bracing herself, she listened and looked for the slightest sign of the bat-dragon.  It was coming for her.

There wasn’t a sound to be heard, even the faint sizzling of the parachute flare was dampened by the thick fog.  The air was calm, and the fog was an even greyness.  Yuriko listened intently to the silence, sorting imagined noise from no noise.  Then she thought she heard the faintest of whispers in the air from gliding wings.  Yuriko, sighting down the tube, pressed the firing button.  There was a loud bang and the exhaust cloud from the AT4 firing brilliantly lit the fog up for a moment. The counter-mass expelled from the tube cancelled out the recoil and the HEAT round shot out the front.

The bat-dragon screamed in fury.  The bang of the AT4 had deafened its hearing for a moment, blurring out the target it was approaching, and it felt the unexpected projectile pass just above it’s body.  Instinctively, it continued its dive and blindly swiped with its talons where it thought Yuriko was at."  This is copyrighted of course like everything on this blog.

 

After I wrote it, I was playing around with ChatGPT

I asked it what modern weapons would you use against a flying dragon?  The AI gave me the following answer:

"Flying dragons are fictional creatures and do not exist in the real world. However, hypothetically assume the existence of a flying dragon, the best modern weapon for stopping it would depend on several factors, such as the size and speed of the dragon, its armor or scales, and its behavior.

If we assume that the dragon is relatively large and heavily armored, traditional firearms may not be effective. In this case, anti-tank weapons such as rocket launchers or guided missiles might be more suitable. These weapons are designed to penetrate armor and deliver a high explosive payload, which could potentially cause significant damage to the dragon.

Alternatively, if the dragon is smaller and less heavily armored, high-caliber sniper rifles or machine guns might be effective. These weapons could deliver a high volume of fire to the dragon's vulnerable areas, such as its eyes or wings, potentially causing enough damage to bring it down.

Another option could be using advanced technology such as drones or laser-guided weapons. A drone equipped with missiles or bombs could provide a more precise and remote attack on the dragon, while laser-guided weapons could deliver a highly accurate and powerful strike.

Ultimately, the best weapon for stopping a flying dragon would depend on the specific circumstances of the situation and the technology available. However, it's important to note that this scenario is purely hypothetical, and such weapons are not designed to be used against real animals or creatures."

Not a bad answer for fighting a dragon.  Anyhow, I just thought I'd share this little experiment and a bit of what I'm working on these days for fun.  Enjoy the blog, keep on reading.