Chapter 7: Next Time Lets Just Fly

Arcturus returned to Crimson Sky's cell after the crew had their dinner. With a casual order from his lips, the guard was relieved of his duty, and no one would be the wiser. He turned the knob to the room and opened the door slowly. The plan was simple. Let the dragon escape and take the full blame for the mishap. Of course, it sounded easy when you put it like that. The lies that followed after said deed put Arcturus on edge. He didn’t want to stick to his oath by betraying his people, so he tried to focus on the immediate future for now. More precisely, on how to convince his men -and even the king- that he had no involvement in the dragon’s escape.

Arcturus imagined himself standing before the foot of Cornelius’ throne, with a grave look about his face. I’ve seen the cage give way before the dragon’s might with my own eyes, m’lord. We got lucky to escape unscathed. Yes, the dragon’s gone, but what matters here is that we’re all alive. The beast didn’t kill anyone.

He kicked himself at how stupid that sounded. A full squad of the king’s best men, outsmarted by a captive dragon? It was a hard sell, but Arcturus still remained determined. Whatever justice the king would bestow upon him was better than the regret of having an innocent creature killed. Man or dragon, red or black, male or female. It was a living, sentient creature that deserved better than to be put down like a sick dog.

Arcturus shut the door behind him with a soft click, then turned to the dragon. Crimson Sky had not moved, and his eyelids were closed. Was that snoring he heard? He internally laughed at the thought.

“My favorite inquisitor just can’t get enough of me.” The dragon yawned, his tongue curling like a feline’s before it returned back inside its toothy cage. “What brings you back here, paladin? Surely it’s not only my charming looks or irresistible humor.”

Arcturus chuckled. This dragon had quite the mouth on him.

“That brooding look again? Does this mean I will be subjected to another round of questions?” Crimson Sky crossed his paws, one on top of the other, a curious look in his cerulean eyes. “Or is it that reason finally dawned upon that furred head of yours?”

The dragon tried to bite at his straps in vain, “Despite how stylish these bonds are, they start to feel really uncomfortable, especially around my hind legs, and I’m not even speaking about what’s tucked between them. Did it ever occur to you, at any point in this journey, that your captive might need to unburden himself?”

“Shut your nonsense, dragon.” Arcturus whispered. “I’ve got a set of explanations in my head, but there’s no way I can tell my guards the dragon crapped himself with a straight face.”

“As if I ever would.” The dragon snorted. “So why are you-“

Arcturus hissed again. He approached the dragon slowly and carefully, a hand extended ahead to test the beast’s reflexes.

“You were not really sleeping, were you?” he whispered.

“As if I ever could.” The dragon snorted. “How can you lot even sleep in this contraption is beyond me. Entertain me for a second.”

“No. I’m not talking about dragon-sized outhouses when I’m about to-“

The dragon probably sensed something was amiss. “About to what?” he tilted his head. “You’re thinking of something good, aren’t you?”

Arcturus rolled his eyes at how chatty the dragon was today. He fought evil beasts, lazy beasts, but he rarely had the misfortune to face off against chatty ones. The paladin made his way to the strap at the dragon's neck, then hesitated. What he was about to do next was going to set a whole lot of weird events into motion. Was it really worth it? A dragon’s life for-

The human shook his head. He couldn’t think such thoughts. Not when the dragon looked at him with such peaceful eyes.

“I’ve noticed that twitch, you know. You are thinking of setting me free, after all.” said Crimson Sky with a grin. “Oh, you can’t tell me you got cold feet now when you’ve already come all the way here. Approach. I might even offer you my wet appreciation in return.”

“Ugh, I’m better off without dragon drool on my clothes.” Arcturus said. He kneeled and looked Crimson Sky in the eye, “I’ll set you free, but in exchange, I need your word that no one else is to be harmed.”

“Of course, of course. When did I ever lie to you anyway?” replied Crimson Sky, his eyes not straying in the slightest. “Besides, even if I had this silver tongue you seem so wary of, I’m not stupid to attack a warship. You have my word on that.”

That was the final push Arcturus needed. After brief pause to gather himself mentally, he loosened that strap around Crimson Sky's neck, and immediately, the dragon pushed his head up, letting out a long sigh of relief.

“Much better.”

Arcturus tensed for a brief moment, but there was no deep breath, no intense flame coming out of the dragon’s mouth.

“You’re looking at me as if I grew another pair of horns.”

“Nah, it’s just- no, no, don’t even think of-“The dragon’s snout descended upon him, and if that sea of scales wasn’t bad enough, his slimy eel of a tongue poked out, along with the dragon’s less-than-likable breath. Arcturus’ fears came true. Crimson Sky was definitely going to slobber and drift his tongue all over his fine clothes.

“Gods…” he grimaced as he flung off ropes of translucent goo from his vestments while the dragon stared at him with a very pleased look on his face. “You know what? I’m not even going to bother talking.”

“Good. Because I will.” Crimson Sky went into a pompous lecture about his features, starting with his silky wings, then following up with his tough scales, even talking about the perfect curves of his claws. For a brief moment, his words made Arcturus feel as if he was actually releasing a deity from hundreds of years of imprisonment. That’s how convincing the dragon’s words were. After he finished with the front half, he moved to the dragon’s bottom to unstrap his legs one at a time. The creature’s swishing tail tip reminded Arcturus of the slap he got back in the cave, and if the circumstances were better, he would’ve gotten his revenge right here and now.

But this was not the right time. “Alright. You’re done.”

Crimson Sky threw a quick look behind, then propped himself up on his fours to stretch his limbs.

“Grrrraaaaatitude,” he said as he turned around to face Arcturus. “I owe you more than a few licks, human.”

“Consider us even.”

“Oh. Even you say? Even?” the dragon paced closer, clearly trying to intimidate him with his size. Then, in a flash, that bothersome tail whirled around, sending Arcturus slamming against the wall, hard enough to hurt. He collapsed on the ground with a cough, then groaned as the dragon trapped him underneath a clawed forepaw.

“B-bastard,” he grabbed onto his scaly fingers to pry them apart, only to find them strong and sturdy.

“Do you feel even now, human? Imagine how I feel.” The dragon snarled. “First, you roused me from my sleep, then attacked me with your mob of angry peasants, stole my treasure, brought me here, forced me to sit for hours with the most annoying sound buzzing in my ears, and to you, we are even?” he growled. “Don't think I will forget what you’ve put me through.”

Arcturus felt his pulse quicken. Out of all the scenarios he conjured in his mind, finding himself pinned and helpless was not on the list. He cursed himself for letting his guard down. This bastard was probably just like the other red he faced. A lying, manipulative sod who-

The prison of toes receded, and with a deep breath Arcturus’ fears went away.

“Still, you have freed me. This has to count for something, right? Now show me the way out of this place before I really lose my temper.”

“That’s rich,” Arcturus picked himself up. “You should see how it feels to be rammed to the wall when you put your trust in a blabbering Red.”

“I hope you’re not speaking about me.”

“Yeah. I’m not.” Arcturus lied to avoid another word warfare with the dragon. “Follow me, and heed my instructions if you want to leave this place on your own paws. All I have to do is pull a lever to open the hatch and you can fly away.” Arcturus replied as he turned and opened the large door for the dragon. “Yes, it’s that easy, unless my guards get suspicious.”

Hopefully, that was not the case. Together with the dragon, Arcturus made his way into the empty hanger just as he planned. Crimson Sky was quickly behind him, squeezing his way through the hallways. Luckily, the staff was on a lunch break, so the two of them had a clear way through.

“What convinced you to let me go? Was it my greatness? Or was I able to masterfully manipulate you into doing my bidding?” Crimson Sky whispered from behind.

“Believe it or not, that loud maw of yours told me things I didn’t expect. I... decided to put my trust in someone.” Arcturus sighed. His thoughts went to Selina.

“So, what you’re saying is I was able to manipulate you.” the dragon grinned, causing Arcturus to sigh a second time.

Arcturus walked to a metallic console with different buttons and levers, clearly labeled for their uses. He grasped the one that opened the hangar, then looked back at Crimson Sky.

“Once I open this, you fly away. No questions asked, no farewells given,” he said. “Make sure you get far away to a place where my king cannot find you. I will sort out this nonsense with the false charges on my own.” He turned to Crimson Sky who had narrowed eyes. “Ready?”

“I cannot do that.” Crimson Sky shook his horned head. “Your king demanded my capture, you grieved me in more than one way, and you expect me to just leave?” Crimson Sky cocked his head to the side. “I am going to find your king and make him give back everything he’s taken from me over a pleasant chat about how he thinks it is within his right to steal from a perfectly peaceful citizen of his realm.”

Arcturus could not believe the dragon's bravery, or ignorance. “Gods. You…this is the biggest nonsense I heard yet. Do you realize how many soldiers we have? How many airships, how many men, and teams of gryphons? You couldn't possibly get anywhere near our king without a cage to house you or fetters to bind your limbs.” He said calmly, gripping the lever tighter in his hand. “Now, I did my part and freed your scaly bottom, so how about you do yours?”

“You had contact with your king?” Crimson Sky asked as he raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I have met with him on occasions.” said Arcturus as he peeked to make sure no one was coming. The hangar was still empty. All that remained for him to do was convince this stubborn dragon to leave.

“And you know the layout of the castle?” continued Crimson Sky, and Arcturus noticed the growing grin on his snout. Crimson Sky pounced on him before he could respond. The dragon had him wrapped tight under a scaled limb, then his other paw reached for the lever. The floor of the ship opened up to reveal the ground far below.

“What are you doing?” Arcturus struggled against the dragon’s grip, but the red beast was too strong, and he was pulled firm against the dragon's chest. He slammed his fists against the dragon’s scales, his efforts as useless as everything he previously tried.

“Put me down, you deluded beast!” Arcturus shouted over the howling wind.

“That’s not a smart thing to say.” The dragon chuckled.

Over on the other side of the hangar, the door opened with one of the guards holding a wooden tankard.

“Hey Arcturus, the lads upstairs are having this- by the gods he’s got you!” he dropped the tankard to the floor with a thud, ale spilling over the wooden boards. “The dragon has escaped!” he cried to the hallway. “Beast’s loose! He has the Paladin! To arms, men, to arms! Beast’s loose!” The man sprinted back the way he came to most likely grab a weapon.

“Alright. Alright.” Arcturus spoke quickly. “You had your fun now, but they’re never going to let you leave, so put me aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!”

He felt his stomach lurch as the dragon dove headfirst out the hatch with the paladin tightly held in his claws. Arcturus felt the other forepaw grip him tightly as they descended rapidly from the shrinking ship. Despite not really wanting to be kidnapped in this embarrassing sort of way, Arcturus held onto the dragon as tight as he possibly could. His mind went numb with fright, and his throat never stopped vocalizing said panic.

“What’s the matter, Arcturus? I thought a man that travels in flying machines wouldn't be afraid of heights!” Crimson Sky laughed deeply. “Or is it just for dragons that you scream like a banshee?”

“Do you know what you've done?!” Arcturus shouted, his nerves starting to ease as the dragon steadied his flight.

“I have escaped your flying machine, captured a valuable resource that will help me, oh, and I get to hear you sing.” Crimson Sky said, his voice oozing with narcissism.

“All you’ve done is getting us neck-deep into stupid, scaly dragon crap! They’ll hunt us down to the end of the earth for this. Gods be damned, I was giving you a chance, you arsehole of a dragon, and you’ve messed everything!” Arcturus shouted as he still gripped his captor. “Put me down, already. PUT ME DOWN!”

“Not a very good choice of words for a wingless human.” Arcturus felt the dragon's grip tighten on him. “Would be a very long drop for you.”

“Where are you taking me?” He asked. Surely the dragon wasn't going back to his lair. That would have to be the most stupid plan, and hopefully even this blabber-mouth was smarter than that.

“I have a plan, and I have my ways.”

“Yeah. Your devious, careless ways. Excuse me if I’m not feeling overly optimistic about your plan.”

“All you need to know is that we are going somewhere safe.” Crimson Sky replied.

The rest of the flight went in silence as Arcturus tried to not focus on the ground, so very far removed from his feet. It made his stomach queasy, and his head ache, to even look at the wobbling skies. He instead focused on the scales that adorned the dragon’s chest and forepaws. They were smooth and segmented as to allow fine movements, but possibly even stronger than the armor that Arcturus was wearing. He felt Crimson Sky's wing beats with every flap, and inhaled the dragon’s scent with every breath. Arcturus had to admit, he smelled dogs a lot more displeasing than this dragon. If it were not for the fear of falling, the flight might have even been relaxing.

“Hold tight. We’re going down.”

Arcturus wrapped his fingers around the dragon’s limbs and felt his stomach churn one last time as Crimson Sky started his decent towards the ground.

He landed with a thud, the cracking of wood following shortly after. From the darkness, Arcturus spotted the form of his crossbow splintered in pieces across the dark ground. He stood up and pulled out his sword, holding the gleaming metal between Crimson Sky and himself.

“I get it, you vile, overly loud beast! You lie to me, kidnap me, take me to a secluded spot and eat me.” He looked for an opening, but with Crimson Sky now standing in front of him, he did not see a way out. He most likely could not out-fight the dragon like this, with hardly any equipment. So Arcturus reached into his pouch to pull out a small yellow stone, that, with a simple touch, illuminated the area like a torch.

“Come. Fight me. I assure you, I won’t go down that easily,” he said sternly, gripping his sword tightly. The dragon became all the more intimidating in the stone’s light that reflected off his scales.

“Really?” The dragon just stared at him for a moment before he rolled his cerulean eyes. “Are we going to do this now?”

“What else is left?” Arcturus hissed.

“Oh please. If I wanted to kill you, I would have just dropped you the moment I dove out of your machine.”

Arcturus hated to admit as much, but Crimson Sky had a point. He hesitated a moment before stowing his sword. “So where does this put me? I am your captive? Or maybe…a friend?”

A small smirk appeared on Crimson Sky's snout. “That can be arranged if you help me recover all what I’ve lost. You owe me a lot of things, friend,” the dragon empathized that last word with a hiss.

Crimson Sky started to circle him slowly, with each paw hardly making a noise on the ground.

“Now that’s rich. Why should I be helping you? You kidnapped me!” He shouted, but despite this, Crimson Sky just grinned with his pointed teeth. He settled onto his haunches with his tail flicking back and forth.

“That’s all? I expected a better rant from the mighty Arcturus Lund, paladin of Lumara, vanquisher of scaly evildoers.”

“And I expected an honest dragon!”

“Well, I did save your life, so there’s that.”

Arcturus narrowed his eyes. “This is even better. Out of all the possible things you could say, this is the worst. Please, enlighten me. How in the world did you come to such rational conclusion?”

“It’s easy. By freeing me, you turned your back against your king’s orders. Oh. You probably thought he’s going to fall prey to your simple lies, is that it? This might be hard to hear, but you are not a good liar at all, paladin. The king would’ve seen right through you, then what? Torture? What punishment do you humans have for freeing a dragon?”

The dragon had a point. Curses, it had to come to this, stranded in the middle of nowhere with the same dragon he was supposed to deliver back to Lumara.

“Why are you still thinking? Just admit the truth. Right now, I am the best chance you have.”

“Thank you…Crimson Sky,” Arcturus replied, much to the dragon’s surprise. He even looked another way to avoid showing too many emotions.

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“That…that came a bit faster than I expected from a pompous paladin.”

Arcturus let the snide remark go for now. “I have to admit, you don’t sound half as stupid as I imagined. Lay out the rest of your plans for me.”

“No. You share first.” The dragon said.

Arcturus sighed. “I thought that’s obvious.” Arcturus looked back at the sky. “I figure they already came up with the obvious course of action. There will be several gryphons coming after you that will track us both down and attempt to recapture you.”

“Hmmmphhh, well, luckily, we won’t be here for long,” grumbled Crimson Sky as he was yet to look away from the trees. “I have an acquaintance in this forest that owes me a favor, and I'm sure she would be glad to see that debt paid.”

“Another dragon? How far are they?”

The dragon snorted. “Never mentioned the species to keep you guessing. Besides, I quite enjoyed the clattering feel of your armor rattling over that shivering body of yours. Leaves quite the impression of a brave knight.” Crimson Sky snickered as he stretched his wings wide before turning his snout to a collection of bushes.

“What do you think of our brave knight, Trixie? Quite a sight to behold, isn’t he?”

“Oh yes I did! How loud did he cry?” came the sound of a small female voice. Arcturus turned to see a little fairy emerging from the bushes with a small flash of blue light.

“Oh, you should have been there. He screeched like a proper banshee. Almost hurt me to see him squeal like that,” said Crimson Sky as he stood up and stretched like a cat.

“You’re speaking vile things, dragon.” Arcturus said. “And as the sole being without wings here, I think it is fairly reasonable to be scared of falling to my death when a certain dragon kidnaps me out of nowhere.” He crossed his arms defensibly, a gesture that made the fairy and dragon laugh even harder.

“Crimson Sky, have you returned to collect your favor?”

Crimson Sky nodded at the fairy. “This human and I need to use your portal. He claims that his companions will dispatch gryphons and capture me again. I, of course, intend to lose them before they make any progress.”

“Of course you may use the portal, Crimson Sky, but be wary. Fairy magic has a way of messing around with non-fairies.”

Truthfully, Arcturus had never studied or heard too much about fairy magic. “Could you tell us more please?” He walked closer to the fairy with an eyebrow raised.

“There’s not much to say. You need to have a clear head during the process of gate-hopping, otherwise you may be pulled to whoever knows where.” Trixie said while flying around Arcturus' head.

“Where would that be?” asked Crimson Sky as he tilted his head to the side.

“No one knows!” she cried. “That’s what I just said!”

Crimson Sky laughed at her little outburst.

“I wouldn't laugh if I were you. The other realm affects dragons in the same way it enfeebles other mortals. Even if said dragon is full of hot air.” Trixie scolded the dragon by waving her tiny little index finger.

“Watch your little tongue, Trixie. Friend or not, I do not take kindly to anyone besmirching my name.” Crimson Sky growled, “Let’s just get this over with so I don't have to listen to more of this be careful it’s so dangerous nonsense. I can handle myself just fine.”

Despite trying to hold it in, Arcturus let out a small laugh. He tried to stop as Crimson Sky turned to him with unblinking eyes.

“You have something to say, paladin?” Crimson Sky asked. He approached slowly, his tail curling around him. “Something you found funny, perhaps?”

“It’s nothing. Just that…I’ve got firsthand experience with this hot air she speaks of.” He burst out, causing Crimson Sky to turn to the fairy.

“See what you've done? Now my human is snickering at me!”

“I’m not YOUR human, dragon!” Arcturus pointed out, to which the dragon let out a gust of hot air.

“Didn’t seem so when you held on to me for dear life.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have if you didn’t kidnap me!”

“Ok, ok ok ok!” Trixie held up her small arms to split the two arguing males apart. “You guys are making my head spin. If you are serious about using the gate, you need to be a lot closer. Much safer to travel with a buddy if you’re a non-fairy.” She gestured towards them to get closer. Arcturus moved slightly towards Crimson Sky, who did the same.

“Closer. Has to be much closer than that.” she put her arms on her hips.

“Ah, blast it. A few steps closer and you’ll ask me to kiss him!” Arcturus scoffed.

Crimson Sky puffed out his chest. “Oh, Arcturus, I know I look good, but you don’t have to-“

“Shut it, you gnarly lizard.”

Crimson Sky stuck his tongue out at him much to Trixie’s disappointment, who zapped them both with a touch of fairy magic.

“If you two keep arguing, I’ll leave you here to sort this conflict out with your chasers.”

The two males shared an angry glance before they nodded at her.

How did I get here? Arcturus inched closer little by little towards Crimson Sky. I had a good thing going on that ship. I had my squad, my honor, all traded for a gorram blabber-mouth with an ego the size of Lumara.

Arcturus was still pondering his misfortune until Trixie pushed him into Crimson Sky, who dragged the paladin against his chest with a scaly forepaw.

“There, there. Wasn’t that hard, was it? My little human pet…”

Arcturus didn’t even bother speaking with this… distasteful dragon.

“Now, Crimson Sky, put your claws on his shoulders. You have to have physical contact with your buddy.”

“What, this hug isn’t good enough?”

“It’s better the way I say it. Just do it.”

Arcturus figured the fairy’s advice wasn’t completely selfless. The dragon probably did too, only he enjoyed extracting amusement from this unfortunate situation. Arcturus felt the dragon’s fingers give way. The beast looked down on him not with malice, but with amusement, and maybe…something else. He certainly was much gentler than Arcturus imagined, his sharp, curved claws barely making a sound as they fell onto the metal shoulderpads.

“Is this good enough for you Trixie?” he glanced over the fairy to obtain a quick nod from her. “Praise the Gods. Any closer and we’d be smacking our lips together.”

Arcturus rolled his eyes, still as a statue. The dragon probably noticed the discomfort showing on his face, for he broke the silence shortly after with a simple question. “What happens now?”

“You will feel a small numbing sensation, then feel as if the ground wants to swallow you whole. A faint path will appear in front of you. One you must follow no matter what happens.” Trixie explained as she clapped her hands together. Then Arcturus and Crimson Sky nodded in unison.

“Now stay still. Both of you. We’ll part ways in just a moment. Try to have fun, alright?” Trixie gleefully cried as she started to circle them, chanting in a language Arcturus did not understand. It sounded soft and easy on the ears, with numerous oooo sounds. As she spoke, the surrounding trees started to blur, as if he was falling to sleep. The night sky started to darken, as if the moon and stars just vanished into nothingness. Even the bright crystal Arcturus held in his hand started to fade away, until the only thing he could see was the dragon clasping his shoulders. The last thing to fade away were Trixie's words as they started to drift away until they became mute, uncomfortable silence.

Arcturus turned his head away from Crimson Sky. He saw a blurred forest around him, in dull colors of blue and purple. The once pleasant murmur of the forest was replaced by a soft humming every few minutes, but not loud enough to be annoying.

“Should we let go now?”

Arcturus slowly nodded to the dragon. He let go of Crimson Sky to feel the ground. Soft just like the forest they had left behind. He breathed in deeply, yet strangely enough, only Crimson Sky’s scent lingered upon the air.

“Eerie place we’ve gotten ourselves into,” said Crimson Sky as he tested the ground with one of his claws. “Do you suppose this ugly earth will swallow us if we stray off the path? I don’t like things that try to eat me.”

Arcturus couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony of that. “Indeed. Not like you have a perfectly fine pair of wings to wrestle yourself out of trouble.” Arcturus started to inspect his surroundings. “This forest feels the same, but something is amiss. There’s no sound, no smells…” he trailed off to look around.

“There it is.” The dragon started walking towards what looked like a small worn path through the blurry trees. That must have been the trail that Trixie spoke of.

As they approached the path, Arcturus noticed that the trees seemed to bend away from them. The corridor was large enough for Crimson Sky and himself to walk alongside each other, without either one feeling cramped. Arcturus reached out to touch a purple leaf, only to have the plant recoil its branch before his hand even made contact. Startled, he pulled his hand back.

“What an odd place,” he gasped, turning towards Crimson Sky. The dragon apparently had been watching what he was doing intently.

“I agree. Most bizarre. I have not seen anything like it before. I suggest we follow the path like Trixie suggested. She can be a bit of a joker sometimes, but that piece of advice didn’t strike me as random.” Crimson Sky gestured to the path with his neck. “At the front, paladin. Pretend you’re leading your valiant dragon-slaying knights into battle, only this time you seek to please the dragon, not slay him.” Crimson Sky grinned.

“The more time I spend around you, the more I start to realize what an odd creature you are.”

“Oh, there it is. A compliment after a downpour of ill-intentioned japes.”

“You’re not supposed to take it that way.”

“Nevertheless, I will, because I am painfully aware of how striking I am.”

Arcturus eyed the dragon's teeth with a slight hint of worry, then quickly realized he had better chances to drown on his mead than get harmed by this joker of a dragon.

“So? Who leads if I refuse to please the dragon, as you put it?”

The dragon’s claws tapped Arcturus’ backside.

“Oh, fine then…I suppose if Crimson Sky is scared, a paladin will of course have to lead the way until the fearsome dragon’s bravery returns.” He smirked at the dragon.

“You’re so full of yourself.”

“Hah! Get a good look at who’s talking, your strikingness.” Arcturus took the lead and they both started walking on the strange path laid before them.

They walked for hours, the path never seeming to change direction or turn. Several times they stopped at the sound of a slight roar. Crimson Sky confirmed that it was indeed the sound of a dragon. A quick discussion was held about the possibility of lost dragons in the woods, followed quickly by arguments against such nonsense. Arcturus stopped for a moment as his feet had begun to ache, at which Crimson Sky causally bumped into him.

“Why did you stop?” the dragon asked, sitting down on his haunches.

Arcturus had to sit. It felt like they had been walking for days. When his rear touched the soft ground, an utter wave of exhaustion washed over him. Like days upon days of exercise had suddenly caught up with his weary body. All his limbs felt as though they were weighted down by armor five times heavier. He slumped down backwards as his eyelids threatened to close. They shut only for a few seconds before he opened them again. He saw Crimson Sky was fighting to stay awake as well, as the dragon's head was slowly descending towards the ground. It rested softly beside him with a small groan.

“I rrrrreally need to rest for a bit…” The dragon mumbled as his words slowly descended into snoring.

Arcturus felt his eyelids once again insist on closing. He found them even heavier than before, and this time he did not think he had the strength to keep on fighting. He remembered slumping over and laying down beside the dragon before his dreams took him.

Hours later, Arcturus awoke with a deep yawn, sitting upright and feeling completely refreshed. Beside him still lay the sleeping Crimson Sky. His wings were draped over him like a veiny, semi-transparent blanket. Arcturus looked around. The once dull colors of the night had been replaced with very vibrant greens and browns lit by a very bright blue sky. However, as he looked around, he could still make out a slight blurriness, a sign that they were still in the faerie’s realm. He quickly checked his gear, finding everything was where he left it, except the crossbow that got smashed by the dragon.

He felt his stomach grumble, so he started digging through his pockets. After minutes of pulling out every gadget he had, Arcturus held a small brown bag in his hand, containing a stash of trail rations. He greedily grasped the dried fruit and nuts, stuffing them into his mouth. While he was chewing, in the back of his mind, he realized he was way hungrier than he thought he would be. It felt as though he had not eaten in days. He pulled the water skin from his pack and took a swig from it. The water was cool to his tongue as he gulped it down. He gasped before wiping his mouth. When he was done he turned back towards Crimson Sky, who, by the sign of his deep breaths, was still very much asleep.

He rolled his eyes as he sighed. Out of all the possible dragons he could get paired with…

He moved over and placed his hands on the dragon's head, ready to shove him awake. He stopped of course, to think about what Crimson Sky would do if he was -again- rudely awoken.

“Now, Arcturus,” he said aloud to himself, “this is either the worst decision of your career, or just one of many. Eh. What’s an extra boulder on top of a mountain?”

Arcturus dragged his voice, then moved his hands down the dragon’s scaly neck. He knew just what this lazy lizard needed.

“Wake up!!” he slapped the dragon’s tan belly. “We can't be resting the day away!”

“Well maybe YOU can't do that, but I certainly intend to.” Crimson Sky yawned lazily before opening one of his eyes. “Hold on. Are we still in Trixie’s realm?”

“Take a look around, your highness.” Arcturus waved sarcastically.

“You’re a crap servant.”

“Why thank you, my liege.” Arcturus gave a mocking bow. “Please, pardon me for not cleaning your claws or polishing your scales during your rest.”

“That’s an idea.” The dragon stood up and stretched his spine, following with his wings, and then slamming his tail onto the earth.

“How long have we been asleep?” Crimson Sky asked as he flung off patches of dirt from his belly with the help of his claws.

“Just slept the night. Gods, I have never been so tired before. I didn't think we were walking for THAT long.” Arcturus said.

“I noticed that as well.” Crimson Sky started to scowl, “I imagine that in this place, time moves at a different pace.” Suddenly, Crimson Sky grabbed his stomach as it gave a loud growl, which was a very terrifying noise to Arcturus.

Arcturus met Crimson Sky's eyes briefly. “Oh, don't be frightened,” laughed the dragon. “I am not so hungry as to eat you. Although....” The dragon looked into the blurred woods. “I fear I must go hungry, for I have not seen a speck of wildlife, and even I’m not stupid enough to venture off the path just to sate my hunger.”

“How about some nuts?” Arcturus stretched out whatever remained of his rations.

“No.” The dragon said sternly. “The quicker we’re out of this place, the better. Move your armored ass now,” said Crimson Sky as he pushed Arcturus along with his snout.

They started on the path again, with Arcturus still in the front and Crimson Sky very close behind him. They would both stop to stare at the myriad of different bizarre plant life they encountered, some with many branches that ended with eyeballs, or flowers they spotted that gave off a purr like a cat. As they walked, the path seemed to be less and less verdant. They even saw what possibly could have been birds overhead, but Crimson Sky cited Trixie and decided to not take a closer look. They stopped at the next clearing for a rest, Arcturus looked up to find no sun, so he was unsure of what time it was supposed to be.

Crimson Sky laid down onto the grass and sprawled out as he stretched. “You know, I realized something.”

“Oh my. I stand in awe before your intellect. Please. Amaze me.”

“I hate all this walking.” Crimson Sky said as he sat up and stretched his neck into an S shape.

“Yeah. I can see that on your snout as you look to the sky throughout the day, praying for it to end. Still,” Arcturus groaned as he stretched out his arms, “you’ll find no disagreement from me here.”

“Never felt this way since I was a hatchling. Suddenly find myself unable to take to the skies, that is.” The dragon paused. “Grarr, how annoying. Imagine how quick this journey would’ve been if your dwarfish legs didn’t slow us down.”

Arcturus let out a dry laugh. “Try harder, Crimson Sky. I’m sure you can do better.”

“I don’t want to!” the dragon complained. “Thinking takes energy, and time. I just want to fly.”

Well, that was something he did not learn from his studying of dragons. “You can’t fly as a hatchling? I thought dragons came out chirping and darting every which way through the air.” He mimed his arms to be like wings, to which Crimson Sky frowned.

“No, our wings are not strong enough to carry us at that age. It falls to our parents to carry us around.” Crimson Sky said as he closed his eyes, “I almost pity you for not experiencing that blissful safety of soaring over the world in the claws of a loving parent.”

Arcturus figured the dragon was picturing himself flying once more in the sky.

“Hmm…I imagine it is more enjoyable when you are not plucked suddenly from the ground against your will.”

Crimson Sky just grinned, “That scream you gave was pretty hilarious. Maybe we should do it again when I need a laugh.”

“Don’t even try.” Arcturus said, pointing a finger at the dragon. “Or I will make sure you are missing one of your claws next time you wake up.” He brandished his sword around.

Crimson sky just replied with a smug look. Then a moment of silence. “I don't think you are capable of harming me.”

“Why would you think that?” he asked. “I was trained to kill dragons, you know.”

“Yes, but you have a different heart than the men I speak of. You are…frail. In a good way. Gentle is the word I seek, yes.”

Arcturus smiled. “Crimson Sky just gave me a compliment!”

The dragon snarled, but couldn’t find anything to say in his defense, so he just draped that annoyingly slimy eel of a tongue over Arcturus’ hands as the human struggled to protect his face.

“Stop that!”

The dragon pulled his snout back. “What? I’m expressing my affection!”

“Express it somewhere else,” Arcturus grumbled. “You know how I feel about dragon drool.”

“Get over yourself.” Crimson Sky playfully shoved the human back. “Speaking of which, now that we have the time. I wanted to know why you freed me.”

Arcturus put the licking behind him. Silly or not, the dragon had enough mockery for now. “I believed your words, dragon. Everything you said about me as a man and a paladin… it made me realize I could not put an innocent life to death.”

Crimson sky laughed, “Innocent, am I now?” he rolled in the grass, “Yes yes yes! An innocent hatchling free of any sins!”

“Well innocent of those crimes.” Arcturus chuckled at the dragon’s playfulness. “My king changed his mind and ordered me to kill you.”

Veledar rolled back onto his belly. “And the person you mentioned that you put your trust in, what was that about?”

Arcturus paused when Crimson Sky asked about Selina. “Let’s just say the person would have given you a chance. I reminded myself that my oaths were not to just humanoids, and could extend to any living creature, including dragons.”

This just made Crimson Sky grin again. “This person sounds very wise.”

“She was.” Arcturus went to feel the locket in his pouch.

“What’s there? More little nuts?” Crimson Sky approached with his head tilted to the side. “I saw you reach in there when we were talking on the ship.”

Arcturus pulled out the locket, opened it, and showed it to the dragon. “These were my son and wife. They were the ones taken from me by the…other red dragon I mentioned.”

The dragon stared at the pictures of the paladin’s dead family for a moment in silence. “I did not know. That is certainly more valuable than a coin, gem, or piece of art.”

“Yes.” Arcturus placed the locked back into the pocket. “Yes it is.”

“I cannot claim to know the dragon you’ve killed, but to rob the lives of your family…it takes a monster to do that, you know?”

“Indeed. Thank you for…you know.” Arcturus mumbled, stroking the dragon over his snout more as a reflex. Crimson Sky gave no signs of discomfort. Quite the opposite. He started purring like a cat, only in a much deeper way.

“You don’t mind this?”

“Nraarrr.” The dragon growled in a rather cute way. “Not many humans touched me like this. Believe it or not, you are the first human to not be a complete arse to me, in spite of the incident at my cave.” He finished speaking with a growl.

“I'm sorry about that. Truly.” Arcturus grabbed both sides of the dragon’s jaws. “I will make sure every coin is returned and that your name is cleared of any false accusations.”

“And my books? What about those?” the dragon mumbled.

“New ones if I can get them.”

“New ones?” Crimson Sky said, getting his snout closer to Arcturus' face. “I want old books, not fresh ones.”

Arcturus nodded, “Of course. Old ones it is. Valuable at that.”

This seemed to please Crimson Sky as he sat back down next to him. His attention was drawn to what appeared to be a silver wrymling running out towards the clearing. The wyrmling was female. Arcturus could tell by the less pronounced horns and spines. She stood as half as tall as Crimson Sky and eyed him with a look of playfulness. She opened her mouth and seemed to speak in a language of hisses and growls.

Crimson Sky turned his head in an instant, his face frozen in terror. The little wrymling darted away from them into the forest away from the path.

“Who was that?” Arcturus placed his hand over the shocked dragon’s leg.

“T-that,” Crimson Sky began, “That can't be her. She is much older than that!”

Crimson Sky stood up to pace in front of Arcturus, “It has to be an illusion.” He started to ramble nonsense in the same growls and hisses the silver dragon had talked in.

“Crimson, who was that!” exclaimed Arcturus. This seemed to snap Crimson Sky out of it as he turned towards him. “I think what I witnessed -what we both saw in fact- was an illusion of my younger sister, and when did you start calling me Crimson?”

“Just now. I decided it was easier than Crimson Sky all the time, and somewhat better than dragon.”

“I don't like how it feels, bare and insignificant.” Crimson Sky replied as his muzzle scrunched up. “Use the full title. Don’t be lazy.”

“Fine, Crimson Sky.” said Arcturus in a monotone voice.

“That’s much better!” Crimson Sky beamed.

“I shouldn’t be surprised you have a family, but in a way, I find myself…mystified.” Arcturus said. Although now that he thought of it, it seemed natural for dragons to have families. It was just something he never thought of.

“Go on. I’ll tell you in a moment.”

They started walking once again, although Crimson Sky was walking more slowly than he did.

“I had a sister. That was her, back when she was still a hatchling. We both had a mother as well, in case you’re wondering.”

“Well I figured that, unless you dragons just sprout out from the ground…” he stopped as Crimson Sky turned to him with his teeth barred.

“Bad joke. Sorry,” he said quickly, then decided to ask him another question. “So, what were their names?” He quickened his pace to now match the dragon that was leading.

“I see what you are trying to do.” chuckled Crimson Sky. “But you will not get their names from me. You will have to earn their names from them. You can of course have their titles. My sister was known as the Radiant Gem of the East, and my mother's favorite title was the Indomitable Aegis. She was quite fond of that one. Said an elven caravan gave it to her when she fought off a large group of bandits that had beset them.”

“She had the best stories.” Crimson Sky sighed, “Not like your human stories at all, where dragons capture maidens, pick on humans, or wreck devastation on the countryside.”

“You are kind of picking on me.” Arcturus pet the dragon’s side to keep him from growling. “And I am sure we have a good dragon in one of the stories. Definitely. We know you’re not all that bad,” he protested, but with a quick stare and the dare, “prove it” he was wracking his brain for one. After a moment of thinking, he sighed and admitted defeat to the dragon that thrilled at having bested him.

“I can't think of one right now, but I will let you know when my memory returns.”

“Sure. Something tells me I will be waiting till your death bed until you remember one.” Crimson Sky chuckled.

The two of them suddenly stopped. The road they were walking on had been bright and colorful, while the road ahead looked dark, dreary, and covered with clouds. Arcturus looked to the path that was littered with worn stones and gnarled roots. A crack of thunder later, and the downpour started. It was a strange sight to see, as if an invisible wall separated the bright trail from its much darker counterpart.

“I am starting to hate this fairy magic.” Arcturus said with a stern face.

“A sentiment well shared.” The dragon agreed.

They both took a step onto the dark path, finding it was not a trap, but it did make them wet. As they walked, the sound of the rain hitting Arcturus’ metal armor suddenly came to a stop after a few hundred feet. Looking up, he saw what had happened. There was a tan membrane of a wing overhead, sheltering him from the rain like an umbrella.

“Much obliged, dragon,” he said with a smile, pointing to the wing.

“I only did it to stop that annoying sound your scales make when the rain hits them,” grumbled Crimson Sky. He then turned his snout to the path ahead, as if to ignore Arcturus. Although Arcturus swore he saw a smirk on the dragon's snout.

“Sure dragon, sure.” He poked the dragon’s chin, then continued walking down the path in the company of the only worthy dragon he knew. Perhaps in a few years, there would be a story of a good dragon out there. The tale of Crimson Sky the Bold. Arcturus merely had to witness such heroic acts…and hope both of them lived to see the tales spread throughout the taverns of the world.