“Ouch.” A muffled moan reaches my sleepy mind. I open one eye. Aodynna’s back is standing over Zaltem’s couch. Levi is waving at me shyly. I push myself off the couch and rest my weight on my elbows.

“What’s going on?” I ask. Wow. I sound terrible.

“We need to leave now or we’ll be late.” The Shaman answers me.

“Oh yeah, sure, ok, give me a moment.” Zaltem sits up and covers up again. “Do you mind?” He asks the girl, slightly blushing. I think?

“Just hurry up.” The girl walks away from the Druid and goes straight out the front door.

“We’ll wait outside then.” The Balli Mage whispers and leaves too. My head hurts. I put it back down on the pillow and hug it.

“Thank the others for us, and apologize, please.” Zaltem murmurs to me getting dressed and I wave lazily at his words.

“You guys are not staying for breakfast?” Miss Laira’s voice. The Druid freezes up instantly, half way through making his couch. I raise my head up again.

“Aodynna said they need to leave or they’ll be late.” My head smacks back down into the fluffiness…

“That’s a shame.” Sir Marcus.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” The Druid finally recovers from the unexpected ambush. “Sorry for the trouble.” He bows his head.

“Don’t worry about it. You are all welcome here any time.” Miss Laira’s voice seems to be fading away. She probably went into the kitchen or down the hall…

“Thank you very much, Miss.” The Druid bows again. “See you later.” He backs away, all the way out the front door.

“If you want, you can move upstairs now and sleep some more.” Sir Marcus crouches next to me.

“I’ll come around soon.” I mumble with a mouthful of pillow.

“No rush, it’s your day off still.” He answers walking away. I turn on my side and drift off again…

    “Good morning!” My body reacts to the loud greeting, before my mind has time to process anything. A smacking sound follows Sir Rixa’s salute.

“What was that for?” The CC sounds rather surprised.

“The kid’s sleeping.” Sir Jack.

“I’m awake.” I sit up and wave to the people behind me, taking my shirt off the table and pulling it over my head.

“Sleep good?” The Ram warrior puts a cup on the table.

“Pretty good yeah.” I yawn and take the cup. “Thank you.” I nod and take a sip. Wow. The energy pours over me instantly. I take another sip and my eyelids evaporate. Strong stuff. I put the cup down, pull the pants on and stack the pillows and the blankets on the corner, clearing the couch.

“Those go into the second door on your left.” Sir Marcus sets some plates. I nod and grab the pile. I stand there, realizing I can’t see. I see the two pillows on the top get swept away. Lady Breeze.

“Need a hand?” She asks smiling.

“Good morning.”

“Morning.” Sir Crile takes Zaltem’s pile. I follow them. “Sleep good?”

“Why is everyone asking me that?” I hear my voice escape me. The Lady laughs.

“Because we care.” She opens the closet door and walks in. I wait.

“Go on inside. Breeze will help put those away.” Sir Crile stands to the side of the door. I walk in.

“It’s quite spacious.”

“We made it a point to make it so that a few people could fit in here at a time. We also have backups of a bunch of other things too. Blankets and pillows included.” She takes the blanket from me and puts on the empty space on the shelf. “Can you bring the pillows in from Crile?”

“Of course.” I walk out into the hall and stand on my toes to reach the top pillow. I snatch it almost falling over, but manage to keep it together. I take the other pillow and bring it back to the Lady.

“Thank you.” She takes one and puts it on the lower shelf. I put the other one next to it.

“Heads up.” Sir stacks the blanket over my head and quickly leaves the closet. I stand up again and look around. Same as in the bathroom. Shelves are stacked with pillows of all sizes. Blankets for all seasons. Even coats, hats and boots? How thoughtful… I smile and walk out of the closet.

“How are you feeling?” I ask Commander.

“A bit weird. It hasn’t really sunken in to me yet… But for now, least I’m not nauseas or anything.” She quickly puts a bright smile on her face.

“Let me know if you feel anything at any time.”

“Of course.” She puts her hand on my back. “Let’s eat.”

“Sure.” I nod and almost clash with Lady Culebra’s back.

“Pardon me.” I studder quickly.

“When are you fighting me, Druid? I am tired of waiting.” The Mancer speaks coldly.

“Fighting?” I look at Commander.

“We have some unfinished business.”

“Which involves fighting?” I ask Lady Deathbreeze again.

“Yes. Is there a problem, cub?” Lady Culebra stares at me.

“I’d advise against full body shapeshifting till after childbirth…” I feel my eyes scream for help.

“Wonderful idea. I second that.” Praise the Gods for Sir Crile!

“It’s not funny.” The Mancer is not pleased…

“As of yesterday, Percival is in charge of Breeze’s health. If he says no shifting. It means. No shifting.” The Assassins holds the Mancer’s gaze. I do believe that’s not exactly how this works…

“I would not advise sparring of any kind for the time being either…” I quickly grab a sandwich and munch on it in my corner…

“There you have it.” Sir Crile hands a plate to Lady Breeze and takes one for himself too.

“Ridiculous.” The Mancer persists.

“I can fight you with one paw.” Commander sticks her hand out in front of her face, grinning. Suddenly her grin turns into a painful expression. She drops the plate and covers her mouth with her hand. She coughs and blood oozes though her fingers.

“Percival!” Sir Crile quickly puts the plate down and drops to his knees next to the Lady. I rush over. The Lady pushes us away.

“I’m fine…I’m fine…” She whispers. Her breathing’s normal again. She wipes the blood off her lips. Sir Marcus hands her a kitchen towel.

“What just happened?” Sir Rixa asks, breaking the silence.

“Breeze?” Miss Laira sounds worried.

“I’m fine. Really.” She smiles at us.

“Percival?” Sir Crile looks up at me.

“We need to examine her again and thoroughly, this time.” I check the Lady’s pulse. Normal.

“I’m sorry. I made a mess.” Commander kneels down and picks up the food off the floor. Sir Jack brings the garbage bucket from the kitchen and puts it next to the Lady.

“Thank you.” She whispers. Miss Laira takes the wooden plate and the bucket back into the kitchen and brings a new plate for the Lady.

“Thank you Laira.” She nods and gets up. Sir Crile follows her. “Please, don’t mind me. I’ll just go freshen up.” She nods to us and they walk down the hall to the bathroom.

“I thought you said she was fine?” Sir Rixa stares at me.

“She was. When I checked her yesterday.”

“Alright. We’ll take a look at her together again after breakfast.” Miss Laira tries to stay calm.

“No use crying over spilled milk.” Sir Jack sits back down and continues with his breakfast. Bit by bit, we all get back to eating. Lady Breeze and Sir Crile come back to the living room shortly after. Nobody says anything. Lady Culebra is the first to finish her meal and leave. The Ram is second. The close-combatant hesitates, but follows out the heavy warrior. The Mage finishes eating and tries to clear his plate. Miss Laira stops him.

“You should go. I’ll run a bit late.”

“Sure.” He gives her a quick kiss on the lips and leaves.

“We better get started then.” Miss Evergreen stands up. Sir Crile and I get off our couch as well. Lady Breeze, very uncharacteristically, does not even try to argue. She lays down flat on the couch.

“I’ll check the Vines first.” Miss Laira kneels down next to the Lady. She lifts the side of her sweater, exposing the skin. Tiny, almost microscopic Vines, slither out from the pouch on the Miss’s waist. They puncture the Druid’s skin and pierce deeper into the Lady’s body. Sir Crile sits down on the other couch. His face is grim. No wonder. I stand next to the Lady, monitoring her pulse. All’s good so far. Miss Evergreen takes her time. My back begins to ache as I stand hunched over the Lady. A chair appears behind me. I look to my right. Sir Crile stands next to the kitchen chair. I nod and sit down. He goes back to the couch.

“I can’t detect anything. The Vines have merged nicely.” Miss Laira seems rather disappointed.

“Her pulse is normal too. The breathing’s steady.” I add.

“Then why did she cough up blood?” Sir Crile’s voice is ice cold.

“Commander, did you, perhaps, try to shift?”

“Yes.” She sits up, as soon as the Vines retract. “You said no full body shifting. Or sparring. I simply tried shifting my arm into a paw just as a joke when I said it.”

“What are you thinking?” Miss Laira pressures me.

“I’m not sure yet… Do you feel weak at all?” I look at Lady Breeze.

“No. I feel fine.” She shakes her head.

“How’s your mana level?” I ask again.

“Normal. I feel like it’s back at full strength.” She answers calmly.

“Maybe that’s because it’s less than before…” I whisper.

“Meaning what?” Sir Crile switches places with Miss Laira, as she sits down on the other couch and the Sir takes his place next to Lady Deathbreeze, putting his arm around her.

“I’m thinking what if, because of the severe injuries, that the Lady’s body endured, the mana level has decreased. It’s not that she is low on mana, but rather…”

“Rather her capacity decreased…” Miss Laira catches on fast.

“Exactly.” I nod.

“Shouldn’t I be able to recover that with Meditation?”

“Not if the capacity has decreased.” I look at the couple. “I’m not sure, but it could be that your body is not strong enough anymore to handle the usual capacity for the magic power.”

“So, then what? I won’t be able to shift? Ever again?”

“I don’t know… I lower my gaze. “It is a possibility. However.” I add quickly. “I would not rule out the possibility that due to the injuries and the pregnancy, your mana is being re-directed to help the child’s development… So, for the moment, it could be, that the backlash from using magic, is only a warning sign, that you should take a break from it, for the time being…?” I want to tell them something good. I want to tell them that Commander will be fighting again in no time… I want to… Yet… I feel I would be lying…

“Well. No use in pouting about it.” I hear Sir speak and raise my head a little. “We’ll just have to wait it out.” He gives a peck on the side of the Lady’s head. She puts her head on his shoulder and nods. A sad smile with a few tears accompanies her eyes and lips.

“In any case.” Sir continues. “Laira, while you’re still here. There’s something else we need to tell you.”

“I have a feeling I won’t like it…” The Miss shakes her head.

“I’m sorry.” The Lady looks at her sister.

“Just tell me.” Miss Laira smiles.

“We decided to go back to Noxanda.” Lady Breeze says. The Miss’s face instantly turns tearful. She holds it in. The Lady continues. “We decided it will be for the best. I did promise my mother I would go back after all of this is over and I am dead too... The longer I stay here the bigger the risk the truth will come out… I don’t want to cause any of you more trouble than I’m worth…” Lady Breeze sits down next to her sister and hugs her…

“So, you’ll even rob me of my chance to be an aunt?” The Miss finally speaks and tears follow… “I just got you back…”

“I’m a terrible big sister… I can’t and I won’t ask you to forgive me…”

“Oh please. I’ll spoil the child rotten. You owe me that much…” Miss Laira tries to smile, but her lips break apart each time…

“Not a problem.” Sir Crile doesn’t argue. The two women sit in a tearful, quiet embrace…

“When are you leaving then?” Miss Evergreen manages to pull away from the Lady, wiping her face off.

“We figured a trip like that will need time to prepare, so a month or so?” Sir answers.

“Can I come with you?” I raise my hand.

“To Noxanda? What for?” Commander looks at me surprised.

“No;” I shake my head; “not Astri, Repperi.”

“The capital of Primerias?” Now Sir looks at me with the same surprised expression.

I nod. “I think there may be information on the Rebirth in the Great Archives.

“Oh. I didn’t think of that.” Miss Laira finally calms down.

“Good thinking, Percy.” Sir pats me on the back.

“Thank you. I also will be able to look after Lady Breeze, till you reach home safely.”

“Great. This works out perfectly.” Sir Crile smiles at me.

“Are you planning on stopping at Crepitus or Snake Port on your way back?” Miss Laira asks.

“I’d prefer not to, if at all possible. But the whole trip is about two months, so…” The lady hesitates.

“I’ll ask around what can be done. We can discuss the details later. I need to get going now.” The Miss’s gets up.

“We’ll make dinner tonight.” Sir Crile gets up too.

“I look forward to it.” The Ravo smiles and leaves. I stare at the front door before I realize that my body has started moving on its own. I pick up a few plates and carry them to the kitchen. Sir Crile follows along with the next round of plates. I take up my position as the dish washer. We don’t speak. Lady Breeze walks in and tries to help, but the Sir sits her down instead.

“If you wanna do something, go talk to Storm.” I turn my head slightly and watch the Lady leave.

“Tell me the truth.” Sir Crile speaks to me. “It is possible she won’t ever use magic again.” I hear the sad concern in his voice. I bite my tongue…

“Percival.” He urges me.

“Yes. Worst case – she will only have enough mana to keep her life force going… Mana cannot be restored to a body that is too weak to withstand the power…”

“Any way to fix that?”

“I’m not sure… With her. I can’t know for sure. Perhaps her mana will go back to normal on its own as soon as her body will be strong enough again… Perhaps not… I need to look into this more closely… I only know for a fact that when a caster exerts their mana, all in one go, they turn to dust. It is not as uncommon as most realize… The fact that she has recovered nicely, despite her injuries and the comatose state we had to put her in… There is hope she would one day regain her power…”

“I’m sorry, Percival, we ask too much of you.”

“What? No. Not at all! I’m happy I am able to help and be useful…” I feel my face get warm. “My life has meaning now. I’m truly grateful that you let me join your team.”

“Well, as long as your happy, we’ll be happy too. Just don’t forget to look after yourself. Your skills and knowledge are quite above average. It’s not that we expect great things of you. We simply know that you are destined for that. It’s a simple matter of fact that you are capable of creating that greatness even in tiny things. Like these, for one.” Sir Crile holds up one of the straws I had asked the local blacksmiths to make for Lady Breeze… I feel the blush intensify…

“Take care of yourself, so that you will have a long, healthy and a happy life. That’s all we wish for you.” Sir finishes wiping down the last cup and looks at me. I feel like a little girl.

“Thank you, Sir, that means a lot to me…” I feel my voice break up. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

“It’s ok to feel emotional. You’re a person first and a man second.” His voice is low and calm. “I’m saying this because I lived longer. I’m saying this because it took me a lifetime to figure that out. Girl or boy. We all feel the same way.” I feel a light squeeze on my shoulder. “I’ll give you a moment.” He lets go and walks out. I stand there holding back the sobs. I wonder if this is what a parent’s affection feels like… I pull myself together and walk out to the front yard. Meteor, Sky and Storm are snuggling up with Lady Breeze and Sir Crile. I watch the five of them. The dragons are a rare sight to behold. They are regarded as the highest badge of honor one can possess. There are only one of two ways to get a dragon. Raise it yourself. That includes taming a wild one. Or – receive it as a gift from the King of the Concord. The three dragons that are in the Noxian family possession are truly, nothing short of majestic.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

The black dragon, with the red markings that follow along the curves of the wings, spine, the jaws and the claws, highlighting the creature’s features, is Meteor. The pair of red eyes, give the dragon almost a murderous look… When the dragon lights up its wings, he does look like a meteor, flying through the sky. However, as I have noticed. He doesn’t technically set his wings on fire. It’s a bit more complicated than that. Meteor makes the scales on the wings vibrate at a high speed and that generates the heat and the light. The faster the scales move, the more heat is produced. As a result – the brighter the wings shine as well. It is quite easy to get confused. It is known that each dragon has one special ability. The abilities vary dragon to dragon. The only thing, that is clear, is the inheritance of the abilities.

Next to Meteor is Storm. A snow-white dragon with black, writhing markings running through her body, as if touched by lightning. Her special ability is to make her scales on the wings detach and shoot out. Making it rain tiny daggers. The scales are hard enough to get cut when launched, but at the same time they are weaker than the scales on the rest of Storm’s body. The wings are the only part of the dragon, where the scales grow back. It’s almost as if the entire wing is made up of nothing, but scales that never stop growing and the skin there is only meant to keep those other scales hidden, until the old ones need replacing. Storm has a pair of night black eyes, having them watch you, feels like staring into a bottomless pit…

Next to her is Sky. Miss Laira’s and Sir Marcus’s dragon. A sky-blue colored dragon, with patches of grey and white, like clouds, covering his body here and there… Even his eyes are different colors. Blue for the left and grey for the right. His special ability is to make the scales on his wings harden, making it almost impossible to damage them. It helps that the wing size is enough to cover half of the dragon from head to stomach or stomach to the tip of the tail. If the dragon coils up – the wings are enough to protect the entire body.

There is one more trait that all of the dragons’ share. Fire Breath. Dragons by nature are coldblooded, as they resemble overgrown lizards. The Fire Breath allows for the dragons to survive in cold climate. Nobody truly knows how The Fire Breath really works. It could be that the dragons are simply able to use mana purely on instinct. By gathering the body heat and infusing it with mana, while increasing the power of it and then releasing it from within the body in a roaring fiery blaze… Some even speculate that dragons simply have an internal fire source, kind of like a camp fire, always blazing inside of them, allowing the fire breath to happen. The theories never stop. One is clear. Our world is quite magical… It would be a shame to let it get destroyed…

“Percy! Come here!” The Lady waves at me. I snap out of my thoughts and approach the five of them carefully.

“Don’t be shy. It’s ok.” The Lady urges me. I come closer to her. “Put your hands like so.” She stretches out her hands in a crescent moon look. I hesitate and then to the same.

“Storm, say hi to your new master.” The Lady pets the dragon and then points at me. Storm glares at me and rams her head into my chest. I stager a moment and realize my arms are hugging her giant head perfectly. I feel the dragon gently rubbing against me. A low, deep growl reaches me. I stand in awe.

“Come again?” I finally manage to find my voice again. Sir Crile laughs loudly.

“Told you he’ll need some time to process this.”

“He’ll be fine.” Commander approaches us from the side. “I decided that you will be a good fit for Storm.” She strokes the dragon. I feel my palm getting picked up and moved around the rough scales. Oh, right. I gently pat the dragon.

“Unfortunately, we can’t take the dragons with us… Transporting them would mean having a ship for each one. Dragons can’t fly that far, despite their size and strength they are weak on stamina… That’s why most dragons reside here, on Existara. Only the dragon eggs can be transported.”

“That’s unfortunate…” I feel the tension ease up from my body as I pet Strom. “But wait, why me? Why Storm?”

“You know that dragons are loyal creatures.” Commander steps aside again. “I don’t want to leave Storm all alone again… Sky has chosen Laira as his new master. Which is not that surprising. Laira’s gentle nature reminds Sky of his late master… Sky has always been a bit of a cautious type. Handling him isn’t easy… Storm is more chill in that sense. I figured, you two would be a good fit for each other. She simply needs someone to look after her and show her affection. I figured this way, you’ll get an opportunity to take a break from work too, since you’ll have her to take care of.”

“Lady, I am honored, truly, but… I don’t think I can accept such a…”

“Don’t. Even.” She glares at me. “You have proven yourself to be worthy of our trust. If Storm wasn’t of the same opinion, she would have sent you flying with a whip of her tail.”

“Wouldn’t sir Marcus be a better fit?” I ask doubting…

“Oh, don’t worry. Meteor here will be his dragon.” Sir Crile answers me as he sits there with his back against the dragon and Meteor’s head in his lap. “We don’t know what others will choose to do, but since you will be running the RRD, together with Marcus and Laira, you’ll be close by, so, you make the good choice to keep up appearances. A dragon needs a master. You don’t have to be by their side 24/7, but it does mean a lot for the dragon to have a favorite person.”

“Exactly.” The Lady agrees. “So, there you go. Congratulations, as of this moment you have become Percival Skyrider. Keeper of Storm Skyrider.”

“Thank you so… WAIT! SKYRIDER? ME!”

Sir Crile laughs again. “Love his reaction.” He says giggling. I continue staring at Commander.

“You don’t have a last name, do you?” Lady asks me. I shake my head. “How would you feel to have mine? A Champion of the Concord is only a tittle. We believe your name will go down in History for many great things… Percival, I believe you will inspire many people to strive for greatness. I also believe that a promising man, such as yourself, needs a suitable name. Deathbreeze Skyrider is only an alias to me. To the people of the Royal City here it has a lot of meanings. Some respect it. Some fear it. Some despise it. Dragons are required by law to have their names registered with the Palace. Storm’s full name is Storm Skyrider.”

“Same goes for Meteor Shadowkill and Sky Starlight. The thing is. Once a dragon changes its master, it is required by the law, to change the dragon’s name in the registry as well. That is why dragon breeders are not allowed to name the dragons. The breeders usually just call the dragons by colorful nicknames instead. It is the naming of the dragon that creates that bond. As a dragon gets named by their master, a blood seal is made on the dragon’s chest. Binding them to their master. That is also what adds to the dragon’s loyalty. But the seal is nothing more than a way to identify the dragon. It does not force the dragon to obey you. Meteor will probably become Meteor Tallen. Same last name as Marcus’s. Sky will be named Evergreen too. That is only because both Marcus and Laira have their own last names.” The Sir explains it to me.

“I’m only suggesting you take Storm’s last name, should you wish. By any means I am not forcing you to take it. Take your time to think about it.”

“I accept.” I cut the Lady off mid-sentence. I back away from the dragon and bow. “Thank you. I accept the name Skyrider. I shall take good care of Strom." I feel a hand land on my back. I straighten up.

“Thank you." Lady’s eyes sparkle with tears. "I’m happy I can leave Storm with you. I won’t have to worry about her now…” Her voice dies down as she covers her face. Storm nudges her master. Lady smiles and hugs her dragon.

“Perfect. That will give us enough time to oversee your bonding experience too. We’ll make sure you guys get along before we leave for Noxanda.” Sir Crile stands up.

“Oh wait, I might be gone for some time, won’t that…”

“Don’t worry about it. Once you bond with her all will be ok. As long as the master is alive – the seal stays intact. It lets the dragon know that their master is fine. When Laira and Marcus get back, we’ll perform the ritual then.” Sir Crile explains it to me again. “You can give her a new name too, you know.” He adds.

“She’s fine being Storm.” I pet her.

“Oh, and don’t worry about feeding her. Dragons have a pretty slow metabolism, considering their size, so they stay fed for up to a week. They usually hunt their own food too.” The Lady breaks it down for me.

“That’s good to know, I was about to ask you about it.”

“Go on. Take her for a ride.” Lady Breeze encourages me. Storm coils up next to the Lady. I don’t say anything and carefully climb on her back.

“Now, it may be a bit difficult to hang on to her without the saddle, but don’t worry. This will only help you two to bond. Trust her. She won’t let you fall.” The Lady tells me, petting her dragon. “Tell her “fly” and she’ll take you anywhere. When you’re ready to get back, just tell her “home.”

“Storm, fly.” I say and hear the dragon rumble under me. She stretches her wings, lets out a roar and with a single beat of her wings – we take off into the blue sky. Last time we flew I was too busy keeping watch over Commander’s condition. I didn’t really pay much attention to the flight itself. Now. The feeling is nothing short of exhilarating. I look down and witness Araneum in all of its beauty from above. The array of islands and bridges, resembling a spiderweb on the surface of the giant lake make the city appear to be levitating midair. Especially with the clouds reflecting on the calm water…

    “Look who’s back early.” I welcome Marcus and Laira.

“It’s nice not having to go on missions anymore, but I gotta say, the bureaucracy of the Palace life can be more challenging and exhausting…” Marcus shakes his head getting of his mount.

“We try to get out of there early as much as possible.” Laira seconds her partner.

“Well, at least while you guys are still here and the RRD isn’t in full swing.” Marcus takes his black horse and Laira’s bay Celodian into the stables. “Where’s our youngest?” He asks.

“Bonding with Storm right now.” Breeze answers.

“Already?” Laira asks.

“Yup;” I nod; “seems like the perfect time to break it to the kid too.” I gesture to the Mage. Before anyone can say anything again, a dragon’s shriek reaches us.

“Perfect timing!” Breeze greets Percival. “How was it?”

“Amazing.” The boy pets the dragon.

“I can tell.” Breeze laughs, ruffling up the Cleansers already ruffed up locks.

“Do you have it?” I ask Laira.

“Right here.” She gives me three scrolls.

“Perfect. Thank you. Breeze! We're good to go!” I wave the scrolls to her.

“Great!”

“Good to go for what? Marcus comes back to us.

“Congratulations. As of today, you are Meteor’s master.” I tell the boy, as I put my arm around his shoulders, pointing to my dragon.

“Who’s what now?” He studders.

“I mean, if you want him. This is not an order.” I tell him.

“Laira?” Marcus turns to his girl for moral support.

“You’ll need to give Meteor your last name. You need one of those to seal the contract.” The Ravo points to the scrolls in my other hand.

“Percival has already agreed to take Storm, it would mean a lot to me if you would take care of Meteor for me?” I ask the boy. “You can say no too.”

“Why me?” Marcus looks at me.

“Why not? You’re a great guy. I think you two would get along nicely.” I wave to Meteor to come closer. “He matches your horse too.” I make a stupid joke.

“Are you sure?” The Mage doubts.

“I wouldn’t be asking you if I wasn’t.” I pat him on the back.

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to take care of Meteor.” Marcus finally nods.

“Excellent!” Breeze takes out a knife. “Hold out your hand for me.” The Cleanser hesitates, but does as asked. She slices gently across his palm. “Place this on Storms chest and repeat after me.” The boy does as told. “Storm, I, Percival Skyrider, am now your master. Serve me well.”

“Storm, I, Percival Skyrider, am now your master. Serve me well.” The Cleanser says and Storm roars. The blood on her chest glows for a moment, coils itself up into two letters: PS and disappears between the scales. Storm shakes her head a little and puts it back down into Percival’s arms.

“Is that it?” Marcus asks.

“Yup.” Breeze answer. “Why?”

“I kinda figured there’d be more to the transfer ritual, like the ground glowing, lighting striking, I don’t know? Something?” He wiggles his fingers in an attempt to imitate magic.

“Nope, there’s all there is to it.” I say.

“Press your palm down here.” Breeze takes the print from the Cleanser, striking out the previous owner’s name and scribbling the new one into the contract.

“Don’t we get a blank contract?” Percy asks sealing up his cut.

“Not till there’s room on the scroll, once it’s full – then the Handlers will issue a new one.” Laira explains.

“See. That’s my print right there.” Breeze unrolls the scroll.

“Your turn.” I give my dagger to the Mage. “You can give him a new name if you want.”

“I think we’ll stick to Meteor.” He cuts his palm and places on my dragon’s chest.

“Meteor, I, Marcus Tallen, am now your master and you are Meteor Tallen. Serve me well.” The dragon roars. Same thing happens as with Storm: the blood on his chest glows for a moment, coils itself up into two letters: MT and disappears between the scales. I hold the scroll out for the kid. He places his palm on it and I rewrite the owner’s name.

“Good boy.” I pat Meteor. “Be nice.” I tell him and he growls for me. I’ll miss him…

“Right then. My turn.” Laira takes the same knife from Marcus, wipes the blood off and slashes her own palm. Places it on Sky’s chest and recites the vow.

“Sky, I, Laira Evergreen, am now your master and you are Sky Evergreen. Serve me well.” The dragon roars. The blood glows and rearranges itself into two letters: LT, disappearing between the scales. Just as before. Breeze takes Laira’s print and changes the name on the contract.

“Well, that was over quick.” Marcus shakes his healed hand.

“Disappointed?” I ask.

“Kind of.” He smiles.

“Dragons get their names changed quite often, so if the ritual was any longer than that, not many would bother with it.” Laira explains.

“Yeah, I know. But still.” The Mage persists.

“I kind figured it was rare for the dragon to change their master so often…” Percy helps Laira seal up the gash.

“Dragons are too loyal for their own good, so, if they don’t get transferred to a new owner, they kill themselves when the owner dies. A dragon master has the obligation to leave a Transfer Note, clearly indicating to whom the dragon is being handed over to after they die... Sadly some masters die before they sign it... It's usually the next of kin who inherits the dragon anyway. Allowing to uphold the family honor and such. Of course, should the person who inheritate the dragon does something that brings shame upon the family name then the King seizes the dragon, thus breaking the contract. The seal is then removed and the dragon is, but on hold to give to someone else. It has happened before. However, because having a dragon is regarded as the highest honor possible, people tend to watch themselves, making sure the beast stays within the family. Think of them as a family heirloom. A household's influence is sometimes measured by how many generations managed to maintain their dragon in good health. It is rare that one family would have more than one dragon, but if you manage to get one, it's usual to think that you have been acknowledged by the King. " Breeze explains.

"Even taming wild ones is not as easy, so it doesn't happen as often." I add.

“I see.” Percival pets Storm. "I had no idea it was that complicated."

"No worries, you'll learn that the Royal City tends to gloss over certain things..." I tell the boy. “We should start the dinner if we want to have it done before the rest of the gang gets back.” I suggest handing the scrolls back to Laira.

“Oh sure, you guys get a night off.” Breeze agrees.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but do you even know how to cook?” Marcus stares at Breeze.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be handling most of it, she’s my lovely chopping assistant only.” I mock her.

“Oh, that’s good to hear.” The boy lets out a sigh of relief. Breeze glares at the Mage. He turns away from her.

“And when did you become a master chef?” Breeze mocks me back.

“I had plenty of time when doing nothing here at the Palace.” I wink at her.

“Uh-huh, riiiiiight…” Breeze rolls her eyes at me. I smile at her and a quiet giggle rolls us over…

    A loud slam wakes us up. “OH NO YOU DON'T!”

“What was that?” Laira asks me.

“Sounds like a fight?”

“What’s going on?” Percival.

“Are they fighting?” Jack. Laira and I look at each other, we quickly pull some clothes on, well, whatever we can find laying around on the floor here by the bed and step out in the hallway. The rest of the crew is already out here too…

“I don’t care! I WILL dice you up into chunks and seal you up in glass jars IF THAT’S WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP YOU HERE!” Crile… “You’re not walking out on me again!!”

“What was I supposed to do then! HUH!! TELL ME!!” Breeze…

“I DON’T KNOW!! Could have said something! “Yes, no, go to Hell!” Anything would have been better than the deafening silence!! Damn it Breeze why didn’t you say anything!! I SPENT FIFTY DAMN YEARS TALKING TO MYSELF LIKE A MORON!!!”

“It sounds bad…” Percy’s worried.

“Leave them be.” Culebra answers.

“I DON’T KNOW!! I’M AN IDIOT! ALRIGHT!! THERE I SAID IT!! HAPPY!!” Breeze yells out…

“THE HELL I AM!! I ALMOST WENT INSANE BECAUSE OF YOU!!”

“OH LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE SEEING YOUR MAN FUCK SOMEONE WHO IS NOT YOU!!”

“NO! NO I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE!! THAT STILL DOESN’T EXPLAIN WHY YOU NEVER REACHED OUT OR CAME BACK!!” Crile’s voice is full of rage…

“BECAUSE!!” Breeze screams…

“BECAUSE WHAT!”

“BECAUSE EVERYTIME I CLOSED MY EYES I SAW YOU UNDER HER!!! IT MADE MY INSIDES TURN AND I’D THROW UP!! I’D KEEP THROWING UP TILL BLOOD SPILLED OUT!!” Muffled cries come from the couples’ bedroom. Nobody says anything.

"Watching your commrades die is one thing!! Being forced to kill them is completely different !!" Silence...

"I don't even know what could possibly be worse than that!! Slaughtering your whole family maybe!! Who's to tell me that my brothers and sisters in arms ain't my family!! That I killed!!" Another cry screams out...

“Every damn morning, I would wake up praying NONE IF IT EVER HAPPENED!!! You!! Star!!! The Battle!!! My life became a never ending nightmare!!! I'd walk myself ragged till I would pass out so I could sleep!! As if it ever helped!! I'd just wake up screaming over and over again!!! The stench of burning flesh haunts me to this day!! The screams!! Of the same people I so valiantly swore to protect!! How was I to recover from that!! HOW!!" We hear loud gasps cutting in...

“You sure it’s a good idea to leave them like this?” Rixa asks.

“Yes.” Laira answers. “There’s only two ways to deal with unresolved issues. Talk them through or ignore them…”

“They already tried the latter option…” I add quietly…

“I’M A COWARD!! I wasn’t strong enough to face you!! My mother!! OR Star’s parents!! The best I could come up was to run away!! AGAIN!!” The cries intensify...

“I tried to kill myself so many times I lost track!! I try to drown myself and Emerald drags me back to shore!! I jump of a cliff and she tackles me, softening the impact!! I pull a dagger out and she tears into my arm!! If it weren’t for Emerald, I would have… AND NOW SHE’S GONE!!” Another wave of cries… Laira crashes to her knees… Weeping softly…

“What was I supposed to do? Go back home? How? HOW was I ever supposed to stand before my people when all I ever wanted was to get away from there!! How could I ever face old man Bell after I…” More muffled crying…

“Who is old man Bell?” Percival asks in a whisper.

“The previous King of the Concord. Bellkehm of Cobalus. He was the twin brother of the King of Ballista, at the time.” I explain.

“THE ONLY THING I REGERET IS NOT PULLING THAT SLUT OFF YOU AND TEARING HER THROAT OUT RIGHT THERE AND THEN!!!”

“WHY DIDN’T YOU!!!” Crile roars…

“BECAUSE I FROZE!! I DIDN’T… I couldn’t believe my eyes so I got the Hell out of there!!!” Another pause…

“TIME DOESN’T HEAL SHIT!!! IT ONLY GIVES YOU MORE TIME TO WALLOW IN YOUR MISERY!!” Another hysteria reaches us, along with a lower, muffled voice… Crile…

“THEN WHY WAIT FOR ME!! THE ENTIRE NOXANDA IS FULL OF MES!!!” Breeze…

“WRONG!! NONE OF THEM ARE YOU!! THERE CAN NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU!!”

“WHY!” Breeze…

“WHY WHAT!!” Crile…

“WHY LOVE ME!!” Another scream. “Nobody HAS TO LOVE ME!! Nor you, nor Laira!! NO ONE! Nobody ever should listen to me!! If it weren’t for me Tonso and Burla would be alive now too!! All of the fighters too… Nobody EVER SHOULD EVEN LIKE A PERSON LIKE ME!! Starlight was right! I AM DESPICABLE!! There’s absolutely no reason why I should ever be in charge of anyone! The only thing I ever do is lead people to their deaths! HA!" A hysterical cackle comes from the other side of the wooden door, sending blood freezing chills across the body...

"The name Deathbreeze never seemed more fitting…" More of that cackle reaches us with a loud gasp of air...

"Nothing I ever did in my life was the right thing!! Not a single decision!! I WASTED FIFTY DAMN YEARS WONDERING AROUND LIKE A MORON!!! RUNNING AWAY FROM ALL THAT I WAS!!” Breeze screams out… Alright, that does it! I burst open the door. Breeze is curled up in a ball, on her knees, crying, with her face covered. Crile is on his knees, with no shirt on either, right in front of her.

“Some of us don’t need a reason to be nice!” I yell at Breeze. She raises her eyes at me. “What? You can run into the bowels of Hell without batting an eye, but can’t handle it when people are nice to you for no other reason than “just cause”? Well too bad! Get used to it! Not all of us are rotten here you know! And neither are you! Quit making yourself the bad guy here cause you’re not! Those people would have died anyways! If you weren't the Chieftain, someone else would have led them and they would have died still! Quit blaming yourself for everything! You're no God! You're not responsible for everything! And you know something else? You sure as Hell didn’t have to save my sorry ass back then yet you did!” I point to the crisscross pattern on my side.

“Yeah! Remember?” I continue. “You could have left me there to die. Hell! You could have easily run a dagger through my chest and put me out of my misery! But NO! You didn’t! You sat there! For hours! Sewing me back together! Why! Don’t answer! I’ll tell you! Because you’re human! Because you’re a kind and caring person! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here right now! So quit your whining and get to bed! Idiot!!”

“Thank you, Marcus.” Crile smiles at me. “Well said.”

“Anytime!” I answer panting. That took a bit of breath out of me… Percival slips past me and kneels down next to Breeze, with a cup in hand.

“Anxiety isn’t good for the child…” Our Cleanser says calmly. Breeze immediately takes the cup from the kid and gulps it down…

“Zarri…” Crile crawls over to his woman. “I don’t love you for any of the reasons you just said…” More like shouted… “I love you, because I’m an idiot too. How about we be stupid together?” He presses his forehead to hers…

“Don’t weee get anything out of this?” Rixa sticks his head in the doorway. “Ya kinda woke us up here, ya know…” Breeze stands up, adjusting her robe and walks out into the hall. I step back and give her some room. She kneels down, bowing all the way to the floor.

“My deepest apologies for disturbing you all… Please try to forget anything happened…” Breeze keeps her head to the floor as she speaks.

“Too late.” Jack answers.

“Next time – do it outside.” The Mancer hisses and slams her door shut.

“Can I get a kiss goodnight, to help me sleep better?” Rixa crouches down next to Breeze.

“Sure, my foot will be more than happy to oblige.” The Assassin stick his toes underneath the CC’s nose. The Warr backs away.

“When are you going to get it through your head? She’s not for you.” Jack tells Rixa off.

“She could be though.” He answers.

“Goodnight, Rixa.” Laira nods to him.

“Night.” Jack closes the door, before the Warrior can say anything more.

“Is there any more of that calming tea?” I ask Percival. He looks at me confused. “I think I need some too.”

“I can make you some, if you want?” He says carefully.

“He’ll be fine.” Laira takes my hand. “Goodnight.” She says and walks me back to our room.

“Sorry…” I mumble.

“For what?” She asks sitting down next to me on our bed.

“I couldn’t bear to listen anymore…”

“It’s ok. I’m pretty sure it’s for the best… She needed to hear this from someone who isn’t me or Crile… Like the last time… What was it that you said? “If you want to yell at someone, then I’ll happily hand you a mirror, scream away. Now apologize.”? Laira looks at me and I feel myself blush…

“Yeah well… I got mad that time too. I mean she’s a good person, but she can be so damn stupid it really pisses me off… How can someone that intelligent be that moronic at the same time?” I hear Laira laugh.

“It happens, I guess?”

“I guess…” I look at her. Even with bed hair, she’s stunning still… I put my hand on her neck and pull her in for a kiss… She responds, sliding herself over to me. I roll on top of her…