"Whenever I climb I am followed by a dog called 'Ego'."

― Friedrich Nietzsche

"Now, what to do with you?" The King strolled toward Ven. "You saved my children, but tortured their guards," Although the old man moved at a normal pace, he appeared before Ven's face in a few short steps. "And now you're making trouble in my back garden..."

"Rafe started it..." Ven mumbled, focused on taming his rebellious aura.

"Bwahahaha!" The King's laughter blew back Ven's hood and extended his braid into a line. "I believe you were trying to uproot my floor, I'd say the little murderer had a point."

"Uh..." A sheepish smile on his face, Ven rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry about that, but it's not my fault you live in a candied house..."

"It's not candy!" A vein twitched on the old king's brow. "It's pure spirit stone, filled with centuries of collected power!"

"Well, it tastes amazing." Ven nodded his head, ignoring the King's strained voice. "It's got a really smooth finish!"

"Listen, you!" The King reached out a calloused hand and seized Ven by the scruff. "This place is not edible, and you're talking to a king, not a baker!"

"See Jun, I told you they'd be friends!" A young woman sang out. "Dad makes friends with everyone!"

A young, blond dragon-kin charged into sight. She plowed into the King's side, arms wrapped around his muscled waist.

"Huan..." The Dragon King muttered, one hand pressed to the top of the girl's head. "I told you to wait until I'd had a talk with him."

"You know she never listens, Father." Another young dragon-kin spoke as he walked to the King's side. His eyes were locked on Ven, who dangled from the monarch's hand like a cat.

"You're here as well, Jun," The King frowned. "Don't trust me not to kill your newest idol?" He gave Ven a shake. "This stranger isn't even a proper Semi-Divine, I..."

"Excuse me," Ven raised a hand and placed it atop the fist that held him. "I'm not a sack you can just heft around..." Ven squeezed and the king's hand creaked.

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"Oh? Interesting..." The old man grinned and raised Ven up, level with his face. "You've got a very strange body!"

"Please, put him down, Father." Jun sank to one knee. "I think he can help us!"

"Help us!" The King's personable demeanor vanished. His silver eyes flashed, filled with an inner storm. "What help can this weakling bring?" He shook Ven in front of Jun's face like a towel. "You described a powerful Semi-Divne, but this..." The king dumped Ven at his son's feet. "This is just some oddity, fit for some collectors shelf, nothing more."

"Hey!" Ven caught himself before he could crash into the ground. "You ramble on to me about behaving like a proper guest, what kind of host shakes his visitors like a rag-doll?" He dusted himself off.

"He's right, Father," Jun extended his hand in Ven's direction. "He saved my life and Huan's, we invited him here to thank him, not kill him."

"Hmmm..." Ven peered at the armored young man. I don't really remember what those two looked like... It had been early in his adventure and picking on children wasn't his style. "You're the dragon-kin prince from the ship?"

"Bwhahaha!" The King tilted his head back. "Your new hero doesn't even remember you!" He turned his storm-filled gaze back to Ven. "My son and daughter both returned home with very high opinions of you, but now I see it's their weakness that blinds them."

"FATHER!" Huan stamped her foot and squeezed the King's waist with greater force. "STOP BEING MEAN TO MY FUTURE HUSBAND!"

The King's face turned black at her childish cries. He gave Ven a look that chilled his soul before he patted her head gently.

"Now, now, don't cry little Huan..." The doting father that replaced the King squatted down before his wailing daughter. "We'll figure out our plans in the future, for now, why don't we invite him to dinner?" He sent Ven a dark look, as if he dared him to refuse.

"Sure, I'm always up for a meal!" Ven shrugged. Maybe the Royals would have some more tasty food for him to try.

"Hooray!" Huan's tears vanished instantly, replaced by a sly grin. "I'll go tell the chefs to prepare a feast!" She scampered away and left her father, crouched and confused on the garden floor.

"That girl is..." Ven muttered

"That girl is what?" The King loomed over Ven, somehow transported behind him.

"... Innovative?"

"Indeed!" The King's dark face vanished as he nodded. "She's my only daughter, out of hundreds of sons..." He gave Jun a disappointed glance before he turned back to Ven. "A little ray of sunshine, isn't she?"

"Uhh... sure," Ven nodded, his mind desperately in search of a way to refuse the girl's proposal without triggering her deranged father. "So... Jun here mentioned you guys needed help with something?"

"Pffft!" The King snorted. "He did, but he's an idiot. A soft-hearted fool that thinks we've grown too weak to keep our oaths."

"Father..." Jun hung his head.

"Do I lie?" The King's heavy stare trapped the boy in amber. "We have held this labyrinth since it was built, and we will hold it until the Dragon God retur..."

"He will never return!" Jun cried. "He left us hundreds of thousands of years ago, we don't even know if he still lives!" The boy raised his head and met his father's glare. "You are the only real guardian left, if you fall..." Jun choked on his words and the king's eyes softened.

"If I fall, then I fall." The old man reached out and touched Jun's head. "A king protects his people and serves his country. To die holding this truth high is not a tragedy, but a blessing."

"But..."

"Enough, Jun, enough..."

The father and son were silent and Ven stood forgotten to one side. Lot's of drama, but they're not too bad for Royals. He'd seen far worse. Even the crazy little girl was better than most.

"So... what am I doing here again?"