Chapter 10: Dragon's Trust

Horses smelled horrible to Veledar. That earthy smell of fur, manure, and whatever else stuck to their mangy coats made the dragon sick to his stomach. Veledar even started hacking when Lyndis brought a bay horse within close distance of his sensitive nose.

“Please, take…take that horrible thing away.” He addressed the lady in the most polite way he could given the situation.

“Tis just a horse. Can’t tell me you’re getting a queasy stomach from a mere animal. You’ve no problem slashing your way through bandits, or dropping in the middle of a village unannounced. I’m not even talking about heading to Entis to recover a silly book, a journey that, by the way, can get us all imprisoned, or worse, killed.” Lyndis frowned as she pulled the horse’s reins to lead the animal away from the nauseous dragon.

“Grahhhr,” Veledar rubbed his nose with his paw. “I know why you must get these beasts, but why something so ugly and stinky like horses? Surely you’d be better off traveling upon the back of two gryphons.” He said, thankful that the half elf put more distance between of them. He had another one to deal with; a beast just as vile as its brethren. If it wasn’t for the man astride the horse, Veledar would’ve flown off long ago.

“You agree with me, right?” Veledar shot a quick look in the paladin’s direction, only to have Arcturus shake his head with a meek smile. “Why? How can this wingless creature suit a man of your stature better than a gryphon? Even your banner has them. Why not us?”

“Because then, my dear, valiant dragon, we would not see the pretty look you’ve got on your face right now.” Lyndis continued to laugh from afar, clutching her sides as she tried to stay in her saddle.

He squinted his eyes at her, “I should knock you off your saddle for that.” he hissed, “now that would be a funny sight to see.” Veledar moved his tail, getting ready to strike the half elf off, but stopped when Arcturus moved along his other side.

“You’d better behave properly around a lady, Crimson Sky, or you will answer to me.” the human said with a smirk.

Oh, so he thought himself funny as well? Veledar walked right next to Arcturus. “Don't think I won't knock your armored ass into the dirt, paladin. Why, the combination of metal and horse smells even worse than our half breed over there does.” Veledar moved his tail, gesturing to Arcturus now. The human watched it carefully as he brought his horse past the dragon.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” he hissed.

“Do I have to? I thought the answer is obvious.” Arcturus said.

“It would be best if we avoid taking to the skies, least we attract unnecessary attention to ourselves.”

“And why is that, elf lady?” The dragon’s throat rumbled with irritation. Few things annoyed him more than a two-legs spouting their inferior wisdom at him.

“Just trust me.” Lyndis waved him to keep up.

Veledar groaned loudly. He hated the walking part, more so after their recent, month-long journey through the fairy realm. Part of him still couldn't believe it had been that long; he certainly hadn't believed it when Arcturus told him at breakfast. Veledar guessed they lost track of time, when the realm itself did not follow the same rules as the real world. However, Veledar was thankful when Lyndis suggest casting a spell to disguise him. Pass without trace, she had called it. Said it would make him blend in the clouds overhead if he prevented himself from roaring with glee like a fool.

“Tell me again why this fancy spell doesn’t work on all of us.” Veledar hissed with obvious annoyance.

“Two words. Gryphon Riders.”

Veledar cocked his head, which in turn coaxed a sigh out of the half-elf. “And here I thought dragons were all-knowledgeable. Fine. Let me put this in bare terms. Between Entis and us stand hundreds of lookouts. Mages who are just as proficient as I in the use of spells, and most important, the detection of said spells are going to have an easy time with you. Believe me. We wouldn’t be the only ones who’d try to sneak into the capital with a simple invisibility trick. So how about, instead of getting caught on account of your pride, we take the safe option? Wouldn’t you agree this is the better plan?”

“No. I do not agree. We should analyze our options and come up with an even better plan!” Veledar growled.

It was Arcturus’ turn to sigh now. “There is none we haven’t already went over a dozen times. What Lyndis is saying is that a lone camouflaged dragon can wriggle himself out of a bind. A dragon with a human deserter and a half-elf on his back?” the human shook his head. “No way of getting out of that one.”

Veledar preferred to win in any kind of contest, be it an argument, flying, or fighting, but this time, his companions had the upper hand. He straightened up as Lyndis placed a hand on his right side, slowly speaking the words Pass without trace in elven. The magic felt like cool drops of water rolling over his spine as the spell slowly took effect. Veledar looked down to find his scales blend in almost perfectly with the grass beneath his feet. He disliked the idea that his scales were no longer red, as he very much loved their fiery radiance when the sun’s light reflected off them. The dragon sighed in understanding. He would be able to fly in the sky, at least. Unfurling his wings, the dragon gave one last big grin before he launched himself into the skies, away from the two puny, wingless humans and their stinky horses.

“I wonder what ill names he’s cooking for us.” Arcturus looked over to Lyndis, who smiled back at him. “What? You too?”

“I’m not about to get beaten by a dragon.”

Veledar flew higher and higher, leaving his two traveling companions far behind on the ground. He turned, did some barrel rolls, and dove a few times before he once again rejoined the group. The dragon spread his wings wide and started to glide carefully behind them, gazing out onto the path ahead. A path that led them to the capital city of Entis. He thought of another town that he had seen on the map shown to him before they had left. It lay between here and the capital, a settlement going by the name of Drakenburg. Veledar remembered the name from his youth, particularly how much he despised it. His mother had made frequent trips to that place after his brother perished, probably to distract herself from the same pain that kept Veledar crippled for years. He glided for a moment as he shook his head, clearing the dark thoughts of his brother’s demise from his head. There was no sense in ruining a perfectly good day by remembering such a sad moment.

The three of them traveled for the course of several days, stopping to rest and eat along the way. They slept by firelight, as Lyndis had cast an illusion to hide their campfire. Veledar found himself talking to Arcturus more and more each night. Each time they spoke, it usually involved the stories of old, especially dragons.

“I think our adventure will make for a great story to tell your fellow humans about.” Veledar smirked. “Filled with adventure, excitement, and danger, as our brave dragon leads a team of adventurers to retrieve a precious heirloom taken unjustly from his lair.” He said, very much liking the idea of people cheering for him and offering him numerous praises.

Arcturus just reclined on a rock and laughed quietly for a bit. “Should I leave in the parts about how you wobbled around like a slithering snake after you had one too many barrels to drink? Or perhaps I should tell the tale of Veledar the woodbreaker, who bravely vanquished the tavern’s table? Now that is a feat to remember!”

Veledar held up his snout, but not so much as to lose the human from sight “You know how to wound me, paladin.” The dragon let his head fall to the ground softly, closing his eyes. “You have killed me with your words...you murderer.” he said with a quick display of his many teeth.

Noticing the half-elf was being silent, Veledar decided to turn his attention to her. “So. Lady Lyndis. I find myself curious as to what manner of winds or tangled circumstances brought you further south of Drenedar.” he said, placing his head between his paws. “Still running from those folks you mentioned last time?”

“Oh, gods no.” the woman flicked her hand dismissively. “I thought I would be heading home till I ran into you two. My dad used to say...” she held up a hand and dropped her voice, “never turn down a chance at adventure, daughter of mine. You only have one life to accomplish everything you wish.” she said, growing quiet for a moment after spouting that.

Veledar watched how she just stared into the fire intently, letting the light dance across her face before she started up again. “Besides, how could I say no to you blundering fools? I bet you couldn't stay secretive even if your lives depended on it.”

“How rude! I certainly possess the means to conceal myself!” Veledar growled. “Why, I have proven myself a great hunter to my sister over a hundred times!”

“That may be true, but I heard how you two got drunk and started singing along with some gryphons back there in Trost. That sort of thing can't happen in Entis. There are too many prying eyes, hidden agendas, and ears just desperate for any information worth selling.” She said, pulling a stick to stoke the fire. “Imagine the challenge! If I can get you two into the city to pull this book stealing thing off, I will become one of the legendary travelers you hear about in taverns! I’ll be a fockin’ hero!”

Lyndis held out her hands, as if holding a sign in between them. “And I will be known as Lyndis, the best illusionist in the land.”

Veledar admired the fire she spoke with, determined and fierce, not very different from how a dragoness would speak.

“Besides, any chance to get back at this evil bloated kingdom is worth taking.” she spat out, voice teeming with hatred.

“Hey!” Arcturus chimed in. “Since when is our kingdom so vile that you have to spit in the fire?”

“Hah.” Lyndis shrugged. “My tongue itches to unburden itself, but I’ll just say this one thing. Since when does a good and just kingdom want an innocent dragon killed, hmm?”

“Yeah!” Veledar intervened. “What’s that about?”

“You have already turned against your king by letting Crimson Sky here loose. How far will you go to prove your point then?” Lyndis asked, her eyes never leaving Arcturus.

“Now hold on a moment! I just decided to help the dragon get his book back, which is no good reason to squabble over!” the paladin snapped back.

So he said, although in the human’s eyes, Veledar saw fury, and in his voice, heard confusion. It might just have been possible that the human was hanging onto the idea that what he heard must have been some sort of mistake.

“Well, you best not waver in your conviction to help Crimson Sky once we are closer to Entis. In spite of what I said, if the focken dragon trusts your resolve, I see no reason why I shouldn’t.” Lyndis finished with a slight frown.

There was a pregnant pause between them as they just stared into the fire. Of course, Veledar couldn't have that. He absolutely had to break the silence. “Why do you hate the people of this land, Lyndis? I have plenty of reasons to dislike dragon murderers and thieves, present company excluded of course, but what manner of grievance brings out such passion in your voice? Lumara must’ve done something terrible, to get under your skin like that.”

Lyndis took a long, hard swig from her water skin. Her eyes turned to Arcturus, cold as ice. Although the smell on her breath suggested that her water container was being used to hold wine, she began to talk with a voice full of hatred.

“His people came to our towns, our villages.” She spat out, then took another swig, “they dropped from their flying machines like conquerors, armed to the teeth. They washed over us like a plague of locusts, erasing everything in their path, until they forced our people to surrender.”

Lyndis took a deep breath. “Sure. They had fair reasons and all. Every human spouted nonsense about spreading their prosperity, but all they gave our people is slavery and death!” she shouted out before capping her water skin and putting it away. “Every time I close my eyes, I can still see the light your people bring.”

“Watch your tongue, woman. You might aid us in our quest, but that does not give you the right to insult my kingdom!” Arcturus shot back, his voice raised ever so slightly. “What you speak of are lies spread by impostors! I personally helped set up academies, barracks, places where your people can sharpen their skills. I brought in food and supplies so that the transition to your new lives was as easy as possible. I don’t know what you heard or believed up until now, but I…I’ve made people's lives better, Lyndis!”

If the words moved Lyndis, she did now show it on her face. She continued her stare down of the human in her cold, emotionless way. Veledar was reminded of how his sister looked when hunting down some prey. She would focus just as intently as the half elf was doing now.

“Hmpf. I suppose that’s to be expected from a paladin whose leash is yanked by the brutal hands of his mighty king. Have you ever gone back to those villages after your first arrival? Do you have the faintest idea of how they look now?”

Veledar watched the color drain from Arcturus' face. He could see the realization dawn on his face in the wake of a possibility the human had never considered.

“I will show you some of the villages close to Rothdell. Perhaps even around Drenedar. Together, we’ll inspect this light your people have brought, and see for ourselves if it shines as bright as they say.” Lyndis crossed her arms, “What say you, Paladin? Care to accompany me on this journey of discovery?”

“I...I’m…I...” Arcturus stammered. His own tongue betrayed him, and his face grew incredibly red as he quickly walked away from the campfire.

“Good. At least some of my words got through his tick skull, otherwise I would have cause of concern.” Lyndis yawned as she dove into her bedroll. “Have an enjoyable night, Crimson Sky. Don’t let the paladin stab you in the back while you’re sleeping. I heard he has the tendency to ambush sleeping dragons in their own lairs.”

“Sleep well,” he replied shortly before he rose on all fours. The dragon looked longingly at Lyndis, wishing he had his soft things to sleep on throughout the night, just like the woman. Snuggle back into his nest and just forget about all the sorrows and the problems of the day.

He looked to Arcturus. The paladin had taken a seat on the grass about fifty feet away from the camp, on top of the hill. Although it felt mightily uncomfortable, Veledar decided to stride over to the human, his tail swaying lazily behind with every step.

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Veledar took a seat beside the human. Arcturus was staring down at the lake overlooked by the hill, its calm waters seeming to twinkle in the moon-lit sky. After the brief moment of silence, he turned his attention to the human. The paladin’s face, usually full of purpose, was now filled with worry, doubt, and confusion. Arcturus' eyes were not only staring at the lake, but also at the forest beyond, and he slouched over instead of standing up straight like he usually did. The human picked up a stone and threw it hard over the hill.

“She wasn’t exactly gracious, but it’s just words, Arcturus. How deep can they pierce?” the dragon asked, moving a bit closer to so that he could sit a few feet away from the armored human.

“It’s not her opinion that wounds me, dragon, but the implications that make my stomach tighten with the same pain I felt when my family...” Arcturus sighed. “I have striven to do what was right for my family, my nation, for my life. If what Lyndis says is true, then I went against my oath. I’ve been helping evil flourish instead of plucking it from its roots. To go against the codes I stand for…that’s...” He turned to Veledar, his eyes heavy, and his eyebrows furrowed not with anger, but with pain, All in all, he had the look of a defeated man on his face, very different than the paladin Veledar got used to.

“I am not worthy to even bear the title of Paladin. Selina would be ashamed if she saw me right now, and my son…how can I ever explain this to him? That his father, the great hero, brought so much suffering?”

“You are being too hard on yourself, human. Everyone makes mistakes. You are not a bad person. You say you have gone against your oaths, but need I remind you that when faced with my demise, you chose to free me instead of carrying out the king’s orders?” Veledar yawned and stretched out his wings so that his membrane dwarfed the human. “I figure the decision you made that day, on that ship, took a whole lot of courage. It would have been easier to live in ignorance. Easier to lie to yourself than to your king, your squad, your country.” The dragon snorted. “I am glad you decided to put your faith in me. For better or worse, we are together in this.”

The dragon took a shuddering breath. “If what Lyndis says is true, what will you do?”

Arcturus sat in silence for a moment as he mulled the question over. He then sighed, “ the right thing, as I have always done.”

“Even if that means taking arms against the king you serve?”

“I see no other way.” Arcturus said, a spark of the man Veledar came to know returning to those green eyes.

Veledar did not know how to go about comforting the human. He rarely mingled in the affairs of other races, and now here he was, close to a human he started to take a liking to. In his mind, he practiced it several times, not really deciding on how to do it. Should he get close? Look into the human's eyes and say it? Or perhaps, spread his wings, swell his chest and loudly proclaim his piece of mind? Both options seemed fitting for a dragon. Veledar was in the middle of thinking of another great choice when Arcturus interrupted his thoughts. He guessed he had been quiet too long for his own good.

“What are you thinking about, Crimson Sky? You seem ready to tell me something interesting, if not important,” the human said with a smile.

Veledar’s wings twitched for a moment. The human got the better of him. He, a dragon, figured out so easily? Preposterous!

“You are starting to know me well Arcturus. Why, you’ve read me faster than I care to admit,” the dragon’s claws sunk into the earth for a little bit. This feeling of vulnerability did not crawl very often along his scales. Still, it was too late to back down now, so, with a silent growl of affection rumbling in his throat, the dragon crawled closer to the human until he settled down on his belly, eyes looking up at the surprised paladin.

“Making yourself comfortable, are you?”

Veledar used his tail to drag the pile of armor against his belly. “Whoa, hold on a moment!”

“Grrrrrr…”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Arcturus said, even as his hands stroke along the dragon’s snout. “What in the blazes got you so thirsty for this…petting?”

Veledar closed his eyes. The human’s touch felt so…calming. If only he could enjoy it in silence for a bit longer…

“It’s that thing, right? The important one.”

“I…” the dragon sighed, then the human pressed his face closer.

“You know, it is a bit odd to see the mighty dragon so confused,” Arcturus said on a calm voice.

“I’m not!” Veledar hissed. “It’s just…I wanted to…awwr, this is deceptively difficult compared to what I had in my head.”

Arcturus crossed his arms when the dragon pulled his snout away. “I haven’t known a single thing that brought you down so far, Crimson Sky. We’ve escaped from the bowels of the Indomitous together. We’ve traveled through a fairy’s world, almost got captured by gryphons. Then I heard you sing more beautifully than most minstrels in my city, and… gods! Ee even slept together! So straighten your tongue and say what you have to say, because you can’t honestly tell me that a few words are harder than what we’ve already lived through!”

The dragon smiled, closed his eyes, then opened his maw. “Veledar. That is my name. My real name. You can still call me dragon or whatever, but since we’re alone, I figured you should know,” he said, slowly and carefully, although he made sure to speak his name louder than usual. No sense in having the human take him by surprise a second time.

Arcturus went to speak, although he did not get two words out before he did a double take. “Whoa…that’s…you’ve held on to such a simple thing for ages. Your name. You told me your name!” he said loudly, his voice full of excitement.

“Correct. But I advise against blabbering out in the open. I don’t want my name to sink into the wrong pair of ears.” hissed Veledar. The dragon picked his head up, but made sure to keep his eyes on the human's reaction. He had at least shown joy at learning his name, and that made Veledar feel warmer inside than he usually did in the presence of a puny human.

“Well, Vel-Velar-Veledar” Arcturus said, struggling at first, but managing to say the name correctly in the end, “I thank you sharing this gift with me. I will cherish it well.” he stood up and hugged Veledar's left fore-paw. “I’m also grateful for keeping me distracted. You’re a good… friend, to have around.”

Veledar playfully rolled his eyes, “Don't get all sappy on me, or Lyndis will think we are betrothed.” he then pushed the human away with a smirk, “although you are welcome to sleep with me any time you wish.”

Veledar gestured back towards the campfire with the half-elf neatly wrapped in her sleeping bag.

“We best get back before she notices our absence, although I suspect she may be a tad passed out to notice that.” He turned tail and started walking back towards the camp. He coiled around himself, as usual, then draped a wing over the human that snuggled against his belly.

“This feels almost like a proper bed,” Arcturus mumbled as he stroked along the warm membrane of the dragon’s wing. “Good night…Veledar.”

“I’m sure it will be, now that we get to do this embarrassing, seemingly improper thing second time.”

A chuckle came from beneath his wing, putting a warm smile on the dragon’s face. Veledar stared at the stars for a couple more moments, then joined his companion in the realm of dreams.

Veledar awoke the next morning refreshed and rested. He stretched his spine and limbs, as he usually did after a good night’s sleep, yawned, then flew into the sky for a few minutes. The exercise breathed life into his wings, and the dragon pushed himself through a few acrobatics before he dived back for the first meal of the day. He looked around to see Lyndis sitting on a blue cloth, meditating in front of a crumpled piece of parchment scribbled with elven runes. He could hear her muttering under-breath. Incantations in elvish. No doubt she was preparing her spells for later use in the day, like she typically did each morning.

Veledar was thankful that dragons did not have to waste time on such archaic methods of focusing magic. As magical creatures, all dragons could simply will up magic whenever it suit them. He felt pity for the half-elf, thinking it sad that not everyone could hold the grasp of magic that dragons did. Although Veledar had heard of great sorcerers, bards, and warlocks being able to cast spells on demand, just like he did.

Veledar strode around the camp twice, noting the absence of a certain human. Since Lyndis was busy preparing her spells, he decided to follow the human's scent instead. He chuckled at the idea that he was now hunting the hunter. The scent was easy to follow. It led down the verdant hill, in a small glade where the human practiced in his own way. Arcturus had his sword out, performing what looked like strikes against the air. His sword would occasionally look as though a strand of the sun would pass by, each strike swung with purpose.

“You know, the air makes for a very poor opponent,” Veledar chuckled as he strode over to the human.

“Well, it certainly doesn’t talk back as loud as you do.” Arcturus replied with a grin, “It’s a practice technique. Figured I would keep my body in shape while Lyndis was preparing spells and you were off doing whatever dragons do.”

Veledar noticed that, as Arcturus was striking the air, he would follow a pattern that would repeat every ten strikes. Each one would be a different side or height in relation to his body.

Arcturus must have sensed his growing curiosity since he began to explain it. Had he become able to predict all his thoughts now? Veledar thought last night had been an isolated incident. Perhaps it was his eyes, or his snout, or possibly the way he was currently holding his head to the side with an eyebrow raised that tipped the paladin off.

“You see,” Arcturus slowed down his swings. “Each movement represents the flow of energy from my mind to my hand, which then follows up along my blade. Each step is to help focus my body and mind so that they act as one for the day ahead. Usually, while doing this, I would recite my oaths, to remind myself of what is expected of me, and where my loyalties truly stand.”

This form of combat meditation had intrigued Veledar. It was at least a tad more interesting than watching the elf ponder in silence, and he was always up for learning something new.

“May I join you?”

The human nodded his head.

Veledar took a spot next to Arcturus, still watching the human. He knew Arcturus to be redeemable over his other, dragon slayer kind, but this reminded him of his mother's self-reflection each day, and the scale she held as to remind herself of who she was.

“Sure, although I don't know how this will relate to you, Veledar, since you have no sword to swing around.”

“Who needs such pitiful craft? I have teeth, a tail, and claws!” he held them each up as he mentioned them to Arcturus, “my whole body is a weapon far greater than one mere sword.”

Arcturus took a moment before replying with a, “so you do” he chuckled. “Very well. Start here, with your head held high.”

Veledar followed his directions, and held his head high as instructed so he could still see the movements made by the paladin.

“I suppose you should shift to the right and lash out with your right limb.” Arcturus mimed the action with his sword instead of claws. Veledar mimicked him with a savage slash in the air.

“Very good! Now shift to the left and use your right paw, or whatever you prefer to call it!”

Once again, Veledar followed the paladin's instructions. He felt sort of silly as he slashed the air for a second time, but felt a cool sensation go down his spine.

“Now close your eyes and breathe deeply through your nostrils, then exhale through your mouth. Do it slowly.”

Veledar did as he was told, closing his eyes carefully and letting a big breath of air fill his lungs. He let it hang in there for a moment, feeling his chest grow warm, then exhaled, letting a thin stream of fire escape his scaled lips. He opened his eyes in shock at that, as he clearly did not mean to do that.

“Sorry. Force of habit.” He looked to Arcturus, imagining the paladin would be wearing naught but irritation on his face. Instead, he found the human amused by the mishap. Satisfied, Veledar repeated his actions and closed his eyes. He went to breathe in, but felt the ground rumble beneath him. It started out as small tremor, something Veledar was sure only he could feel beneath his paws. He looked around through a cracked eye for the source of the commotion, but he did not say anything. He didn't want Arcturus to panic if it was simply nothing.

There! He spotted among the grass what looked like a shark fin. Veledar had never been to the ocean to see such creatures, but he had read about them before. Although, in a way, it would be a bit strange for a shark to swim through the dirt.

The dragon pounced on Arcturus and rolled with him, tightly pressing the human’s body against his. A large beast leapt from the earth as if it were water. It stood on four legs, and was roughly the size of a horse, armed with large, sharp claws, and a fat head very much like a whale. Where its mouth parted, there were rows upon rows of very sharp teeth.

The earth-brown creature eyed them with large, black reptilian eyes filled with murderous intent.

“What did you do that for?” Arcturus said, raising an eyebrow. He stopped and dropped into a combat stance he readied his armaments. “Wh-what is that thing?” he asked as Veledar spread his wings and hissed. If the creature cared for his display of power, it did not show any concern in the slightest, advancing slowly towards them.

“That's a bulette,” Veledar said, watching the creature. “Some call it the land shark. It often travels in packs to hunt its prey.” Veledar stopped as his eyes widened. That's why it was being patient! It was hunting them with a partner that was moving into position! Veledar went to turn and take off with Arcturus, but it was too late. From the ground burst two more of the creatures. Veledar easily spun out of the way and sliced into the creature's leathery hide with a claw. Arcturus though had not been so lucky. The bulette on his side barreled into him, holding him pinned to the ground underneath its bulk. The paladin currently struggled against the creature's weight, and despite his sword cutting into its leg, the beast failed to relent.

Veleder gave out a battle roar, causing the buelette on Arcturus to raise its head and take notice of him.

Distracted, the beast became easy prey for Veledar, who crashed into the bulette and ripped it from Arcturus as he sunk his teeth deep into its hide. It tasted like dirt and he gagged slightly, but nevertheless, sliced viciously into the bulette’s soft underbelly as he wrestled with the creature. It squirmed, kicked, and clawed against his crimson scales to no avail. Veledar continued his attack with pride now that his beautiful scales were holding the bulette’s frenzy at bay.

He heard Arcturus shout out his own battle cry. The human had stabbed his sword through his bulette’s head, causing the creature to collapse dead on the ground. However, even in death, it managed to pull the sword from Arcturus' hands and stick it out of its wounded body.

Veledar's attention was pulled back to the one he was fighting as its jaws found home around his neck. The dragon grabbed onto it with both forepaws, then ripped it open. The beast let go of the him with a roar of pain. Veledar managed to throw the creature ten feet away and stood back up to all fours. He watched the buelette eye him as dirt was fell off both of their bodies. Veledar could feel the bite of the creature throb through his muscles. It wasn't deep by dragon standards, but still packed quite the sting. Veledar smirked as the creature breathed in deep, obviously exhausted. Veledar admired its determination as it went to dive underground for an attack, but Veledar was faster. In a flash, the bulette was cut, bit, then roasted alive in a bath of blazing flames until the dragon let the creature's charred remains fall from his grasp.

He felt a tad bit of regret for eating early. Even though the creature’s hide had a mediocre taste at best, its succulent insides were far better. Maybe he could convince the paladin to slice off a piece and preserve it.

The Paladin!

He turned quickly to find Arcturus beneath another one of the beasts. Arcturus was shoving the creature with his hands, trying to lift the bulk of the beast off him. However, as Veledar neared the two, it became clear that the creature was already dead from the two rapiers stuck in its back. Lyndis popped up from the other side, her face all red.

“So heavy! What do these things focking eat?” Lyndis shouted through grunts of effort.

“Probably a ton of rocks!” gasped Arcturus, before sighing in defeat. “Vele-Crimson Sky, could you perhaps lend me your strength?”

Veledar was pleased to see that the human had remembered the promise to keep his name secret. He smirked as he placed two paws on the corpse. With a great shove, a grunt, and thanks from his companions, Veledar pushed the creature off Arcturus, quite surprised that the little man held his own without him.

“So now that you two are done nearly getting killed by what is clearly bulette territory.” Lyndis pointed towards a patch of dirt out in the field that looked upturned, most likely from the previous beasts. “We should be off to Entis.”

Veledar agreed. He decided to watch as his two companions picked up their things. When they were ready, they mounted their horses, and Veledar shot into the air like an arrow. “I feel sorry for you two, having to tolerate such smelly creatures!” he shouted down at them.

“Well, it is a nice change of pace from your scaly arse!” Lyndis shouted back, making Veledar pout. That had been an excellent comeback, although he would NEVER tell her that.

“I shall name Arcturus' beast Smelly, and yours is going to bear the fit name of Stinky!” he replied loudly, watching the two laugh on their newly named horses. Both Arcturus and Lyndis seemed to be petting the horses, as if to comfort them on the nature of their new names.

Veledar pushed his wings higher and higher, until his companions looked like tiny ants below him. He flew into a cloud, letting the vapors condense on his snout before passing through with his next flap of wings. The dragon looked down far to the edge of his vision, past the rolling hills and the small mountains, past the forests sprinkled around the land. He saw a village, for that is all what those tiny specks could be. He thought about flying ahead, greeting his mother far before his companions could get there. He imagined his mother nuzzling him as she always did, grateful that he had stopped by. The dragon ultimately decided against it as he swooped down around to circle the two horse riders. No. It was better to stick together with them. Especially if he had to protect them from more monsters. He soared over their heads as they gave a quick wave to the cheerful dragon.

Veledar kept himself busy as the two riders made their way to the village as fast as Stinky and Smelly could carry them. Across the winding paths, it took them days compared to what Veledar could fly in a fraction of that time. Every night, he would watch them as if he were a mother protecting her hatchlings. He would keep the fire going and position himself to block the cold night wind. Veledar made a mental note to remind them how much he sacrificed himself for their comfort throughout this journey. That would surely add up to a suitable reward worthy of a dragon. The dragon did his duty every night, chuckling in silence as the bill kept rising and rising in his satisfied head.

When he was not busy, the dragon would watch the serene stars, with only the sound of the crackling fire to keep him company. On the fourth night of this leg of the journey, Veledar was once again stargazing, watching what dragons called Bahamut's tears.

“I've watched you these past few nights. What are you searching for, up there?” came the voice of Arcturus. The human walked over to him with a kind smile on his face. The pleasant sound of his voice did not startle Veledar, only surprised him. The dragon pointed a claw towards another one of Bahamut's tears.

“I always loved looking into the stars and seeing the souls of dragons shine down on us. I especially like the Bahamut's tears that go across the sky.” he said slowly.

“You mean a shooting star. Some of the wizards say the stars up there are small portals to the realm of fire.” the human said, sitting down beside him.

Veledar simply snorted at that idea. “That is a really mundane theory, I like mine better.”

“I suppose yours is perfectly crafted for your views.” Arcturus paused for several seconds. “Why do you call them Bahamut's tears? Must be an important figure, to name stars after.”

Veledar’s toothy smile completely dominated his snout. He LOVED telling that story, but not in a way that would scare the human off. With his smile shrinking to a more manageable size, the dragon got closer to Arcturus and curled his tail around him. The human looked to him with big eyes. They were so inviting, so curious, he simply could not resist.

“Long ago, there was a great dragon called Bahamut. She would travel across all realms, bringing life to the dragons of old. She was one of the first dragons, who taught her hatchlings that life was important, and specifically insisted on how much it should be cherished. It is said that she left this plane of existence when her children took to enslaving the other races and destroyed the life she held dear.” said Veledar as he hung his head for dramatic effect, then continued slowly on a calm, silent voice.

“It was in those days of strife when she changed from a life giver into a creature of justice, good, and protection. Those tears in the sky represent her sorrow; the burden of having to take the lives of her misguided children, and the state of dragons today.”

He watched the human sit in silence, contemplating the story. “I've never heard of her before today. I guess we humans know next to nothing of the dragons of old,” Arcturus said with a shrug. Then his eyes lit up at having realized something. “Veledar, what was the color of her scales?”

That was a good question. Not surprising, considering what kind of man Arcturus was. “Her scales were a great silver in color, and her eyes were fluid, like liquid mercury. It is said she waits in the great beyond to help dragons reach their place in the heavens.”

“My son mentioned a silver dragon right before he died, despite neither of us having any knowledge of this Bahamut.” Arcturus said again after a moment of silence. His voice was once again filled with the pain of that memory.

“It is most peculiar, that she would appear to him instead of another dragon.” Veledar replied, cocking his head to the side as he usually did. He had never known the goddess to appear to anyone, especially a human.

The two of them pondered in silence for some time before Veledar interrupted serenity of the night. “There is a town called Drakenburg nearby. I am going to go there.” He turned to Arcturus, “and I am not asking for permission.”

“I could tell.” Arcturus coughed, “But still, a question is the right thing to do in a group. It's not like we would have said no to you. Why do you want to visit there anyway? You typically know next to nothing of my nation or its people.”

Veledar thought back to the day his mother left, never to return. She had simply asked them to be strong before she went to the town of Drakenburg to fulfill a promise. Veledar frowned, remembering the reason for that promise…his brother.

“My mother resides there. She made a deal with the people of that town.”

“Veledar, I have been across all of our villages and towns in Lumara. The town you speak of may have the symbol of a dragon stitched onto every building, but we have never seen a dragon around those parts for years.” Arcturus said, his eyes filled with pity.

“Well, she was always good with magic. Perhaps she simply did not want to be found by your people.” Veleder shot back with a grin.

“Perhaps....” Arcturus replied, putting a hand to his chin. “I will tell Lyndis of your plan in the morning then. I envy you, Veledar. You’re going to soon have a touching reunion with your mother.”

“Indeed,” Veledar said, scratching his head with a wingtip talon. “You should get some rest before the sun rises. We need you in fresh shape to ride your trusty steed, the valiant horse called Smelly.”

Arcturus nodded and returned to his bedroll, leaving Veledar alone once more. Veledar sighed. Arcturus and Lyndis were better company than he gave them credit for. Maybe, when this was all said and done, he could convince them to visit him every once and awhile.

As the dragon settled to sleep, he closed his eyes for a second, imagining the tales they would tell him during such exciting occasions.