“The giants are a peaceful race whose size rivals our own.” The dragon said, laying down. Some of the children had approached it, patting its scales and playing games near it, it didn’t seem to mind all that much. “They prefer to live in deep forests and occasionally swampland. What about them?”

Azarint tapped his chin. “They only appear in myths and legends nowadays. How do you know of these races?” He asked, turning to the dragon with interest.

The dragon shifted onto its side, idly watching the children hop around in a variant of what I’d call cops versus robbers. “Compared to the other races.” It paused. “Most other races, we are long lived. Our oral traditions last longer. Also I suspect our isolation has allowed us to keep our records more or less intact.” It explained.

Their records started with the Aerathi, who were the ones to organize them into a civilization, teaching them that they were better off a collective than individuals. For this reason, they venerated them, not as gods, but as though they were figures of enlightenment.

Azarint nodded thoughtfully. “What are these ogres that you mentioned before?” The dragon said, trails of smoke rising like wisps into the air. The dragons always seemed to be surrounded by the smell of woodsmoke, their breaths puffing it into the air. The dragons of this world did breathe fire, though I had to wonder what it was that fuelled it.

“They’re creatures about as tall as a two-floor building that eat livestock and occasionally people.” I said, proceeding with a short description of their physical features. “Are they something new to you?” I asked

“Yes, that is… troubling.” The dragon muttered. “Well, if you want to travel back, I could well carry you back, it would be much faster than walking I believe.” It chuckled.

Azarint stared at the dragon for a moment, and smiled. “Yes, that would be quite the experience I think.” He smirked at me. “What do you say? Willing to ride a dragon?”

A few hours later we found ourselves in the air. I clung tightly to the dragon’s back, my fingers trying in vain to dig into the dragon’s scales. The ground lurched away as the dragon leapt into the air, a distance away from the outpost. Its body was warm, which seemed strange, but then again I think a few years before I was whisked away from home it was claimed that dinosaurs were warm blooded.

The scales were smooth, and I clung tightly to the dragon’s spine, laying against its back. This was a horrible idea. I thought to myself as I looked down. I’ll bloody fall off. I thought. Oh hell. I gritted my teeth. I had barely clambered onto the dragon’s back before it had taken off. Ahead of me Azarint lay as well, immobile. I couldn’t tell if he felt the same discomfort that I did.

[You can change the properties of the armour right?] Page asked suddenly.

Yeah… I thought back. The dragon shifted lightly. We’d pointed it in the rough direction, but we were to help guide it by shouting once we spotted it. I grimaced as my foot slid slightly. What about it exactly? I’m not exactly in the mood for any kind of debate… I shifted back carefully, staring down at the ground as I looked for the town.

[Couldn’t you just make your gauntlets sticky maybe?] Page asked. [You are changing it on a molecular level.]

That managed to distract me enough from my situation. I couldn’t make it like tape… That was a structural effect, and I couldn’t manipulate it at that scale. Bonds then… How to do it though was the question. All I knew was when the Liaen rejected a change. Hopefully I don’t blow myself up or something I guess…

[On the upside the only thing that will be destroyed are your extremities.] Page noted, and I grimaced in return. That’s a great comfort. [You’ll heal?] Page offered, to which I rolled my eyes.

Me and Page were still hashing it out when a shout came from Azarint, the dragon banked gently, obviously heedful of our precarious situation. As it landed I was thrown off, I instinctively forced myself to go limp, bouncing across the earth. My head rolled back with a thwack, I lay there for a moment. It’s a little sad how used to falling I am. I thought to myself, sighing into the earth.

“Is he dead?” Someone asked, I felt someone prod me with a boot. Just let me lie would you? I thought irritably. I’m considering the stupid crap I’ve had to endure.

Someone rolled me over, and I saw Azarint’s face loom over me. “Are you alright?” He asked, slightly panicked. I sighed, nodding my head once as I shifted into a seated position. “That was a rather rough landing.” He said, pulling me to my feet.

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“I apologize.” The dragon said. “I’m not used to people travelling with me.” He ducked his head low in shame. “I’m sorry if you have been hurt.” The crowd exploded into excited murmuring.

“Nothing’s really broken. It’s fine.” And it was, bouncing across the ground limp as I was meant that I hadn’t suffered as much damage, the force dissipated at the joints and by the earth. I waved off the dragon and Azarint, brushing my armour off. A bunch of people had gathered around, looking at the dragon in both awe and fear. They were pushed aside by a man in armour, who came up to us.

“While a few people did tell us about how any dragons coming by would be friendly. It’d be nice if any of you had sent word ahead.” The man said, frustration and anger evident in his voice. “You know how on edge having a gigantic mythical city destroyer makes us when it flies in from the skyline?”

Azarint turned from me to the guard. “I apologize for suddenly dropping in, but time is at a premium after all.” I dusted myself off as the guard looked to me.

“I saw you fly straight off the dragon.” He said, a small note of concern creeping into his voice.

“I’ll be fine.” I said, nodding to him. “Have Frejr and the others dealt with the metal goblins?” I asked, rubbing at the few parts of myself that were sore. “Oh right, we wanted to go see Jeff. The dragon is a little curious about some things.”

“… Jeff?” The guard said. “Well if that’s what you want I guess.” I cocked my head, but got no further as he continued. “As for the goblins, the irregulars did destroy them, but they can probably tell you more about it than I can.” He said, peering behind me.

I turned around, and watched as Frejr and the others walked into view. I waved at them, compensating just in case they’d seen me get thrown bodily off the dragon. “Are you alright?” Numen said, skipping forward to look at me. Rince followed close behind.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” I said, brushing her off. “I’m not that hurt at all. It wasn’t that bad a fall.” I explained, moving my body a little to show her.

“You fell off a dragon.” Rince said. “The whole town saw you come hurtling down, that sure as hell didn’t look like a simple fall to me.” He looked me up and down. “You sure you’re alright?”

I rolled my eyes at him, turning the faceplate transparent so he could catch it. “I’m alright, I know my body far better than I would sometimes prefer.” I said with a slight grimace.

He raised his hands in supplication while shaking his head. “I won’t raise it again then, just don’t keel over or nothing.”

“The goblins?” I asked, my face turning solemn as I regarded them. The goblins were if anything else, a serious threat to the peace. It spoke of organization on a level that would allow them to severely weaken the ability of the nations to fight back against the demons.

“Exterminated.” Frejr said simply, there was a certain weariness to the word, I suppose I may well understand that to an extent. “It was a town of them, set up in an ancient mining town once owned by the dwarves, until the wildlife cut down the supply route.”

Perhaps it was just as well I wasn’t there. I thought to myself. I’m not a truly good soldier…

[The irregulars as a group are hardly good soldiers either.] Page noted flatly.

I nodded at that, a small grimace forming on my face. That much was true as well, perhaps in different ways, or maybe we weren’t so different at all. “So what will happen to the town?” I asked. If they had managed weapons from that, I wondered how much iron was still within the mines themselves. If a nation could just secure them, they would have an ample amount of metal to work.

I wonder how much of it would be used for war. I thought idly. Probably all of it, considering the circumstances.

“Jaren is closest, so they’re securing it and trying to get it running again. They’re already working out trade agreements with the other nations, mostly at cheap, money isn’t worth anything if you’re dead.” Frejr said. “The Republic is extending their reach there, but so far Jaren has refused further aid, citing the taxation as an undesirable term.”

“Not like the Republic needs more iron really.” Qent said. “But it’s good publicity I’d say. So… dragon?” He asked, looking up at the creature whose shadow had covered us for a long while.

“Pleasure to meet you.” The dragon dipped its head in acknowledgement. “You are a member of the hunting party?”

“Uh, I think so?” Qent answered. “So what is it that we’re going to do? I assume you came back here for something?”

“He wants to talk to Jeff.” I answered. “Then I’ll need to go talk to the wisps.”

“You’ve met them before?!” Qent said with surprise. “No actual sightings have been documented in centuries. The last one was the Grand Mage for Unil.”

“Well, they’ve got a method of staying hidden.” I replied grimly. “Need someone who can resist soul manipulation, but keep it quiet about that ability. They won’t try it on me since it doesn’t work right against me and they know it.”

“Okay.” Qent said. “Then let’s go see Jeff. How long will it take you to fly us there?”

The dragon shifted a little. “I do not know how far we are. You would need to point it out.”

“Oh crap!” Qent screamed as the dragon took to the air with us on its long back. I clung on, still formulating the proper method to make it stick. I made it midway, managing to finally get the armour to stick lightly to the dragon’s scales. The dragon seemed to notice this, turning to regard me with a strange look, but continued its flight.

After another rough landing, this time without faceplanting, the dragon carried us to the church where Jeff worked. Jeff came out, his eyes seeming to pop out of his skull as the gigantic reptile swaggered up to his door. “W-Wh-Wh-What’s this?” He stammered out. “I’ll uh… call for the guards!” He shouted, and I peered out from the side of the dragon’s neck. He caught sight of me and smiled nervously. “Kael? Please explain what a DRAGON is doing in front of my church…”

I have to say, seeing people’s reactions really doesn’t get old. I thought with a smile. I’d seen a few citizens damn near crap their pants from the sight of the dragon. I swung down, landing with a knee against the ground, and walked forward with a huge grin on my face.

“Jeff, we’re bringing history to your doorstep!” I said with a laugh. “He wants to hear you talk about the past.” I elaborated.