I lost track of time, but it was dark outside. And I was still dangling on the dragon’s hand. Or was it a paw? Thankfully, it eventually switched grips and grabbed me by its entire hand instead of just holding me by a single belt buckle. I couldn’t even believe it had the accuracy to aim for the buckle in the first place and not accidentally stab me in the back with its claw.

How did it even know I had a belt buckle? I couldn’t believe my pants didn’t rip while I was dangling. If I fell to my death because of ripped pants, that would’ve been sad and embarrassing. I’m not throwing you away, vibrant blue pants. You’re my god. G ain’t no god of mine.

After a while, I kind of accepted my fate. I mean, another death was nothing. My life as a death virgin was already over anyways. Who knows? Maybe I’ll enjoy death more than coming back to life only to be placed on a planet like Yellowrock. There were no humans, no exotic foods, no cool legendary swords or anything here. All I got was a dragon and rocks. Oh, and the pee water. I just hope that death is painless. Please be painless. I beg of you, Dr. G. You’re not my god though. I really hoped Dr. G couldn’t listen to my thoughts. Well, maybe just the death being painless part.

In the distance I saw a bunch of lights. It was perplexing. Those lights didn’t seem natural, more like artificial. But I didn’t know what kinds of bioluminescence was formed on Yellowrock. It could easily be bright, shiny man-eating coconuts on trees. Well, I guess it can’t be man-eating if there were no mans to be eaten.

The dragon started to slow down too, however. If this was the dragon’s destination, I actually started having some hope. These lights were arranged in an orderly fashion which would imply that the creatures living here could be intelligent. Or maybe this dragon was semi-intelligent? Dragons are usually intelligent in storybooks, right?

Before I could think of another stupid thought, the dragon let go. I let out a short yelp before landing on something soft and crunchy. The lights were bright enough for me to see that I landed in a pile of… bones?

“Oh, god!” I quickly escaped the pile and was up on my feet, ready to fight whatever was there. Looking a bit more closely, however, I realized these were fish bones? The skull was there, the tail was there, the long spine was there too. Looked like a fish. Smelled like a fish. Very pungent. As I turned around, I noticed the lights were sparkling with iridescence. Maybe fish scales?

Are these all fish? I tried to find the dragon that dropped me here, but it was gone without a sight. I couldn’t even figure out where I was, but this place was much more colorful than the rocks I’ve seen before. Everything was well arranged, and large amounts of fish bones and scales decorated the ground.

Suddenly exhausted, I sat next to the pile of fish bones. My mind was overwhelmed with new information. I couldn’t understand everything that was happening. There were no baby dragons ready to tear me apart and my former kidnapper was literally gone without a trace.

I was feeling a lot happier looking at these bright and colorful lights. The smell didn’t help though. Honestly, I still wasn’t entirely sure these were fish, but they really looked like dead fish carcasses.

Then I realized I was extremely hungry. I haven’t had food since… Oh, since I died. Maybe there were some leftover fish here somewhere. Hopefully not rotten. Do dragons eat fish then? Did that dragon not eat me because I wasn’t a fish?

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

I had to stop with the questions. I felt like the mental gymnastics I was doing thinking of all these questions was what was really eating away at my energy. I had to find some food before I ended up starving to death. I didn’t know which death would’ve been worse—starving or losing my pants in the air. Probably the pants.

I let out a short grunt and got up on my feet again. This was no time to dilly-dally. If I rested any longer, I might just end up dying before sunrise. I brushed off what seemed like a bunch of fish scales from my pants and decided to look around.

That was immediately cut short by a sight I couldn’t ignore. I stood in place, mouth agape like a dead fish. An enormous dragon with a white beard slowly stomped towards me. This was the second time today that a dragon walked up to me.

The scales shimmered under the lights surrounding it, and I could see the dragon had several necklaces and jewelries made of bones. I really hope those are fish bones… After all that flying, I was definitely not going to just die from an oversized trinket wearing lizard.

Knowing the color of my clothing, I assumed that I was already seen. It lurched forward on all four limbs, a typical European-styled dragon from folklore. It was about twice the size of the first dragon and was very white, almost pale. The color reminded me of Dr. G and it almost made me puke. Thank god I didn’t eat before I died. But a bit of laughter bubbled up from within me. A beard? On a dragon? The smile crept up my face as I clasped my hands tightly around my mouth. This was no laughing matter. I wasn’t going to lower my chances of survival by rudely laughing at its beard. Of course if it even understood what laughing was.

The white dragon stopped in front of me and peered down. “Ho, well, what a surprising sight.”

“Wow, a talking bearded dragon. That’s new,” I blurted out. “Oh, uh—”

The dragon merely laughed; the mountainous roars bellowed out like steady bass drum beats. “I appreciate the honesty,” he replied calmly. His voice was very soothing; it had a small bit of semblance to my grandfather. Probably because of the beard. He looked me up and down. “Why, you seem to be quite a bit less violent than those underwater barbarians.”

“Barbarians?” I asked.

The dragon looked towards his right. As I followed his gaze, I noticed water. A lot of water. Water as far as the eyes could see. An ocean? Really? After I named this place Yellowrock?

The dragon replied, eyes still resting towards the sea, “Why, it seems you’re much more pleasant than I had first imagined.” He turned back to face me. “You’re not one of those violent creatures. Perhaps a new evolution?” The dragon stared as if studying me. “Ho, well, no matter. My name is Merlovak. I am what the underwater barbarians may call a king of this realm. Now what is your name, child?”

Oh shoot, name? What was it that Dr. G said? Melvin? Mervin? Marvin? Or was it Merlin? No, of course not. Why would I be named after a fairy tale wizard? Marlin? Isn’t that a fish? Merlovak stared, waiting for an answer. Unable to withstand the pressure of the gaze, I blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Mel! Uh, yeah. That’s me! Mel.”

“Ho, Mel? Very simple isn’t it? What a lovely name you’ve got there, young Mel.”

“Yup. Thanks.” I just came up with it.

He paused for a moment as he seemed to reminisce. “Well, the day is quite late. Why don’t we get acquainted when the stars arise? Follow the coast; I have provided a humble abode, young Mel.” With a quick hearty laugh, Merlovak started flapping his wings as if readying to take flight.

“Thank you?” A house? I thought. My stomach growled. Ah, I really want some fish. Hopefully, not raw fish. I mean, I guess I’m down for sushi. Just maybe not salmonella…

Merlovak called back, “And we do have cooked fish waiting for you inside.” With that, he fled off into the night sky.

Is it just me or does it feel like he’s reading my mind? I thought. Eh, whatever. Food is food. I sauntered over with high hopes for the night.