Finn told the village his story; he remembered it all too vividly. Finn had been a gutter rat, one of the countless forgotten children who scampered along the edges of the dark alleyways of the capital of Alzerek. One day, while making his way to one of his more fruitful garbage troves, Finn was knocked unconscious. He found himself waking in the belly of a giant wooden beast as it rocked back and forth. The smell of the sea and the echoes of deckhands were further proof. A thief catcher had nabbed him, and like the hundreds of other children that sat beside him, he was being sent to the colonies. The stories told by the old beggars always included how children would be chained and whipped while they worked the Harvest Monster’s fields under the vile Lord Evergreen.

The men on the ship fed the children maggot rice and salty water. Soon boys and girls by the handful were falling ill. Once half the children had died, the ship's Captain gave the order to toss all the children overboard. At first, it seemed like the ship was turning around, having realized their mistake, but no matter how hard Finn or any of the other children cried out, the boat did not stop. At some point that night, Finn passed out and woke the next morning coughing water on a deserted shoreline.

Finn wandered the wilderness for what felt like an eternity. His sunburnt skin and aching stomach had become his constant companions, but they were not his only ones. In the dense forest near the Frost Drake Mountains, Finn had found an unlikely friend.

Finn stumbled upon a hidden cave while seeking shelter from a particularly harsh storm, this one brought with it colder winds, a sign of a new season teasing the land. The cave was deep and dark, but it provided a refuge from the howling wind. As he ventured deeper, he discovered an enormous nest made of mounds of dirt and dried grass. To his astonishment, it was occupied by a Frost Drake—a magnificent creature with scales that shimmered like frozen silver.

Finn's heart pounded in his chest as he observed the creature. The Frost Drake, sensing his presence, turned its piercing blue eyes towards him. Finn froze, expecting the drake to attack, but instead, it merely stood to its full height and watched him, curious and cautious. It towered over the boy as big as any horse he had ever seen.

"Easy there," Finn whispered, raising his hands to show he meant no harm. "I'm just looking for shelter. I won't hurt you."

The drake's gaze softened slightly, and it let out a low, rumbling growl that reverberated through the cave. Finn took a step closer, speaking softly and calmly, trying to convey his peaceful intentions. Over time, the drake began to relax as it settled back down into its nest, allowing Finn to approach its nest.

He spent the next few days in the cave, slowly gaining the drake's trust. He named her Bastion, after the protection she gave to him. Finn shared his food with Bastion and spoke to her in soothing tones, telling her stories of his life and his journey. He realized that Bastion was not the fearsome beast he had imagined; she was a guardian of her domain, protective but not inherently aggressive. More interesting was that she seemed to really enjoy hearing of his stories surviving on the streets of Alzerek’s capital.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

One evening, as another storm raged outside, this one much colder than any before it, Finn noticed Bastion's restless behavior. She kept glancing towards the cave entrance, her body tense and alert. Finn approached her cautiously, sensing that something was amiss.

"Bastion, it's okay. We're safe in here," he said, placing a hand on her cold, smooth scales. "Or is something wrong? Is there something out there?"

Bastion let out a low growl and moved towards the entrance, nudging Finn to follow. As they stepped outside, Finn saw a pack of wolves lurking near the cave, their eyes glowing with hunger. The wolves, sensing easy prey, had followed Finn's scent from his most recent excursion to find food.

Bastion roared, a sound that echoed through the mountains and sent the wolves scattering. But one of the wolves, larger and more brazen than the others, lunged at Finn. Without thinking, Finn leaped up, grasping onto Bastion's back, clutching her scales as she twisted her head and snapped her jaw around the wolf's neck. Finn could barely hold on as Bastion jerked the wolf back and forth until a loud crack was heard.

Finn leaned low across Bastion's back and placed his head along her neck. "I’m so sorry, girl, I didn’t mean to lead them back here. They could have gotten to your eggs."

Bastion snorted loudly in response.

And then, even though it was still storming, Bastion took off running through the forest as if she knew that young Finn needed something else to think on. Finn held on tightly, feeling a rush of exhilaration and fear. He had never imagined he would be riding a Frost Drake, let alone one that had become his friend.

Hours later, they returned to the cave. Bastion lowered herself, allowing Finn to slide off her back. He patted her gratefully, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline.

"Thank you, Bastion," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. "You saved my life."

Bastion rumbled softly in response, her eyes reflecting a deep understanding. From that moment on, Finn and Bastion were inseparable. They explored the mountains together, Finn riding on Bastion's back as they ventured into uncharted territories. He learned to read her moods and signals, understanding her language of growls and roars.

As the days turned into weeks, Finn's bond with Bastion grew stronger. He discovered that Bastion was not just a protector but also a guide, leading him to places he never would have found on his own. She showed him hidden valleys and ancient ruins, places of beauty and mystery that were known only to the drakes.

Then one day, Bastion brought Finn before hundreds of other Frost Drakes. At first, Finn thought he was being shown off to Bastion's family and friends. But soon an enormous head lifted from behind the Frost Drakes. Higher and higher the head lifted until Finn had tilted his head as far back as it would go.

"So this is Bastion’s little human," the voice was deep and reverberated through the ground into Bastion and deep into Finn's core.

Finn thought the great dragons had left the lands of Prima behind. That's what all the stories said. But here before him was a massive Frost Dragon.

“Go young human speak with your kind and bring those that would speak on their behalf back to me. I tire of the endless disputes and I shall wipe your kind from these shores as I have done many times before or exact my rightful tribute.”