‘Thank you very much for saving us.’ The girl Ignis saved was bandaging her burnt arm. She had long white hair, crimson eyes, and snow-like skin.

After having dealt with the horned bear, the people Ignis had saved were treating themselves. Some were in critical condition, but none had died.

‘My name is Alicia,’ she said with a smile. ‘Alicia Ignicia. What’s yours?’

‘Ignis.’

‘Ignis? Like the great fire dragon?’

Like? ‘I am the great fire dragon!’

‘Fufu… Is that so?’ She covered her giggle with her hand. ‘You have the most realistic horns I’ve ever seen. Where did you get them?’

Where did I get them? What’s that supposed to mean? ‘They’re mine.’

‘Oh, you made it yourself? You’re very talented!’

Ignis didn’t understand her. Was all human this confusing? ‘I—Ouch!’

Alicia had tightened her bandage. ‘I guess that’s how talent works. You’re so focused in your craft that you don’t care about other things. Can I fix your kimono’s obi? It’s been bothering me.’ She asked for permission but went to fixing anyway without waiting for Ignis’s response. ‘Say, where’s your group? Won’t they get worried if you’re gone?’

‘What group?’

‘The group you went to the forest with! Are you… alone by yourself? I guess you’re strong enough for that, considering how you easily killed the horned bear. Why are you here by yourself?’

‘I was taking a walk.’

‘Taking a walk! In this forest! I wish I could be as nonchalant as you are! Must be nice to be strong. Say, can I ask you to teach me fire magic?’

‘Alicia!’ called a man. The same man which Alicia had cried for before. His shirt was torn, but his wounds had disappeared, removed by a healer who could use healing magic. ‘It’s not polite to make a request to our savior. Not before we fulfill her request—to return the favor of having saved our lives.’

‘I’m sorry father… Say, I’m done with the obi, how do you feel?’

‘… Comfortable, I guess?’ Human clothing was weird to Ignis. There was more to it than just wearing it for warmth it seemed. Otherwise, she couldn’t understand why they had to be complicated.

‘I apologize for having heard your conversation, but allow me to express my gratitude, Ignis.’ He kneeled before her. ‘I, Fervor Ignicia, am grateful that you have saved my family from the horned bear. Please, allow us to return the favor by granting a request of yours.’

Did he say granting a request of hers? How convenient! I guess it was good of me to have saved them from the horned bear! ‘I want you to help me restore my true form.’

‘Your true form? Could you please explain further?’

Thus, Ignis told them what had happened to her. About how she, the great fire dragon, had woken up as a human. For the most part, her story was clouded by her complaints about how inconvenient the human body was, but the Ignicias listened carefully and was able to understand her situation.

‘Does that mean your horns are real?’ Alicia asked.

‘Of course they are!’

‘Can I poke it?’ Alicia asked for permission but went for the act anyway without waiting for Ignis’s response. Do all human act like this?

‘I see,’ Fervor rubbed his hairless chin. Was it feeling itchy? Ignis couldn’t understand the gesture. ‘I must apologize in advance, for this story is difficult to believe. The great fire dragon having turned into a human…’

‘Can I try pulling your horn?’

‘Ow! Ow! Stop that! Why do you ask for permission if you’re going to do it anyway?! Stop!’

‘Father, they’re real!’

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

‘I told you they are real! Stop it! You’re hurting me!’

‘Hm…’ Fervor hummed. ‘Humans generally don’t have horns attached to their heads. I suppose right now that suffices as evidence to your story. Very well, Ignis, our savior, you have my words that I will help you get to the bottom of this transformation of yours. Unfortunately, I can do hardly anything inside this forest, but once we get out you will have my full support. Not to mention, getting out of the forest would prove to be difficult with my knights being wounded. With that said, may I ask for your aid to get us out of this forest, Ignis?’

‘Stop pulling my horns or I’ll burn you!’ Ignis shouted. Finally, Alicia stopped. ‘That’s right, I would’ve! Don’t ever do that again!’ Ignis was gasping for air. That wasn’t a pleasant experience.

‘How about it, Ignis?’

How about what? Did he say something? Now that the pain was subsiding, she could recall that he had been talking while she was being terrorized. Was it important? She considered asking him to repeat, but could she, Ignis, the great fire dragon, admit that she had been so distracted by a puny human girl that she didn’t hear him? Could her pride really allow that? No. She might have lost her form, but she had not lost her identity. I’m the great fire dragon. ‘Yes…?’

‘Great! Thank you, Ignis. I promise you that this favor you’re lending us will be repaid twice as much.’

Did I agree on something I shouldn’t have…? ‘I… Okay.’

‘Alright, men!’ Fervor said aloud. ‘We’ll resume our journey in a while! Assess your condition, salvage only what’s needed, and prepare yourself for what’s to come! Ignis, our savior, will accompany us!’

The men cheered. They were happy to have her around.

It was a weird feeling to have people—companions around her. Ignis had lived for centuries in her cave, having only herself for company. Being in a crowd felt… off… I don’t think I’ll get used to this.

***

‘Ouch!’ Ignis hit her chin on the grass. Her legs had tangled, causing her to fall.

‘Ignis, are you alright?’ Alicia asked. She offered her a hand.

‘I’m… alright.’ Ignis pushed the ground and stood up. How many times had she fallen today? After they had resumed the journey, she was the only one who had fallen so far. Is there a trick to how humans walk? Ignis couldn’t help but wonder. She had her pride as the great fire dragon, but that didn’t mean she liked pain. She hated it enough to cast her pride aside for a while. ‘Alicia, how do you walk?’

‘How do I walk?’ Alicia responded.

‘Yes. You make it look ea—’

‘Careful!’ Alicia caught Ignis who was losing her balance, preventing her fall. ‘Are you alright?’

‘I’m alright…’

‘Sorry, what was your question again?’

‘How do you walk?’

‘Right. You put one leg in front of the other. Then repeat!’

‘But that’s what I’ve been doing!’

‘Well, you’ll get used to it? Oh! How about this?’ Alicia reached for and grabbed Ignis’s hand. ‘We’ll walk together! I don’t know how to teach you to walk properly, but at least I can prevent you from falling!’

They continued their walk together, hand-in-hand. And every time Ignis was about to fall, Alicia was there to catch her.

Ignis felt pitiful, having to rely on someone else for this matter, but it wasn’t bad. She still lost her balance, but at least her fall was being prevented.

‘… When I get my dragon form back, I’ll allow you to ride on my back.’

‘That would be delightful! But it’s alright, Ignis. Friends help each other!’

Friends? The word was foreign to Ignis; and not because she didn’t know its meaning.

***

After having seen trees for so long, the group finally came to a clearing. Ignis could see the forest’s lake which now seemed humongous. The lake, which she sometimes drank from, had always been huge, but it was even more so when perceived from her small human form.

‘Men,’ Fervor announced, ‘we’ve found a landmark. We’re one step closer to getting out of here!’

Morale was raised, Ignis could tell from the cheer.

Ignis loomed over the clear peaceful water. She was reflected there on the lake; what she saw wasn’t a dragon, but a human with bladed horns. That was rather sad.

‘It’s alright, Ignis,’ Alicia patted her on the back. ‘We’ll get your dragon form back. I promise.’

‘… Yeah.’

‘That’s the spirit. Let’s continue our jou—’

Swish!

In an instant, a tentacle emerged from the lake, wrapped Alicia, and dragged her into the depths.

‘A kraken has stolen the young miss!’ shouted one of the knights.

Ignis knew what a kraken was, a humongous creature of the sea which was many times the size of the horned bear—and far more dangerous. That wasn’t a creature that Ignis could fight against, not in human form.

Knowing that such creature lurked inside the lake and could also swipe Ignis, she should be running. Why should she be here?

Her instinct told her to run, she wanted to run, but…

‘No one steals my friend away from me!’

Thus, she jumped into the lake.