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Geppard awoke from his nap to the feeling of intense vibrations shaking the entire cavern. He shot up in bed, heart pounding, but as suddenly as they'd begun, they abruptly faded. He looked around, but couldn't see Adlier anywhere. The wolf called out tentatively. "A-Adlier? Is everything okay...?"

There was no response, but instead, an even stronger vibration filled the room, shaking Geppard to the bone. He flinched, hugging himself out of instinct, terrified that the cave was about to fall in. After a few minutes, it seemed to stop again. Geppard felt nauseous with worry, afraid to move from the safety of the dragon's warm bed. He looked around cautiously, knees drawn up to his chest; everything seemed to still be in place, though the air was filled with dust, and some gravel on the ground had gotten knocked loose from the ceiling... Peculiarly, none of it had landed on any of the furniture, and there was a wide, clean circle clear of debris around the bed. Finally, he heard footsteps scuffling down a hallway he swore hadn't been there when he went to sleep. A bright, green-tinged light began to emanate from it into the cavern. The wolf called out again, timidly. "Adlier? Is that you?"

Geppard smiled with relief when the dragon entered the bed chamber. Adlier was brushing specks of dust and rock from his formerly pristine robes. "Oh! You're awake! Thank goodness, you've been asleep for almost half a day... I was beginning to worry about you, but I checked your vitals, and you seemed fine. So, I, ah... Well, it'll be finished tomorrow. But I've made you a room!"

"Well, that's wonderful, but... what on earth were those vibrations? I was terrified, I thought the cave was collapsing!" Geppard's eyes were still wide, and his breathing was quick and shallow, though he was slowly getting it under control.

Adlier blanched. "I'm so sorry, you were sleeping so soundly... That was just my magic. It would take too long to carry all the stone out of here by hand, so I compressed it instead. It makes the walls of the caves and rooms in here much stronger, and then I don't have to worry about transporting all that stone away, but..." The dragon rubbed a clawed hand on the back of his head sheepishly. "But it does make an awful racket. I should've left a note for you in case you woke up, precious. I didn't mean to worry you..."

Having mostly recovered from his fright, the wolf managed a nebulous smile. "I-it's okay. No harm done. Um, is it normal for the ceiling to crumble like that? There's little rocks and dust everywhere."

"Oh, yes, that's normal." Adlier nodded sagely. "This cave is natural; I haven't reinforced it like the rooms I dug into the mountain. It's very sturdy, so I knew it could handle the stress. But I made sure to ward things I'd rather not get dirty and have to scrub... And, of course, you, my dear." The dragon smiled softly at Geppard and gave a slight bow.

The wolf felt his chest grow tight as his pulse quickened slightly. He keeps calling me "precious" and "dear"... I know I'm just important to his work, but does he even realize that to most people, he'd be flirting?_Shaking his head vigorously, the wolf stood up. "Well... I suppose everything's all right then. Thank you for explaining, and, uh... thank you for keeping me safe, again." Geppard blushed as he finished his sentence. Then, a pressure in his gut began to plague him. He squirmed a little and looked down at his feet. "Er, I hate to ask this, but... _Gods... I, ah, need to... relieve_myself..." The wolf's face flushed hot, from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. _Gods, this is awful...

Adlier blinked, confused, then a slow look of realization came over him. "What...? Oh... OH! Yes, of course, I'm such a fool! I can show you where the water closet is, of course. Come with me!"

Adlier wrapped his hand around Geppard's and led him down a long, dark hallway. "Sorry for not lighting it up, I used a lot of magic earlier, and well... I know where I'm going here. Just hold my hand, I won't let you run into anything, precious."

The wolf's heart pounded in his chest, his face hot and tingly again, but this time, not from embarrassment. Instead, he was feeling... What am I feeling? He wondered. I barely know this man, he kidnapped me, he stole me from my home... But he's already shown me magic, the one thing I was working on. He promised to teach me, and... he said he needs me... do I like being needed? They were moving at a fair clip, but true to Adlier's word, he never bumped into a wall or even so much as stubbed his toe. Geppard could swear like he knew where he was going already. Strange...

After several minutes, they came to a wooden door, through which a greenish-white light shone. "Go on in," Adlier said. "I'll wait around the corner until you've finished."

"Ah... thank you." The wolf replied. He opened the door, and what he saw momentarily took him aback.

The room was incredibly spacious, lit by stone sconces with floating orbs of light in each one. Intricate etched patterns covered the walls. A large, deep basin filled with steaming water occupied the center of the room, and a raised stone shelf filled with towels and soaps stood nearby. Another door was located at the back. Geppard opened it, and... Yes! He'd found what he needed so desperately.

Afterward, he washed his hands in the sink nearby, wondering how Adlier had gotten hot and cold running water in a mountain. Drying them on a marvelously soft, fluffy towel, he exited into the dark hallway again. "Adlier?" he called. "I'm finished." The wolf heard clawed feet on stone come around the corner, and the dragon's form slowly appeared, dimly lit by the light from the door.

Geppard could just barely see the dragon smiling at him. "Did you find everything all right? Here, take my hand again, dearest."

"O-oh, yes, I did. It's very nice in there. Was that a bath I saw?"

"Yes, it is! Would you like to take one today? I'd imagine you likely need one, it's been almost a day and a half since I... er, brought you here_..._"

"Ah, do I smell that bad? I'm so sorry..." Geppard brought his nose to his underarm and sniffed. Whew... I really do need a bath...

"N-no..." The dragon spoke slowly, hesitantly. "No, you don't smell bad at all." Then, murmuring so low Geppard almost didn't hear him, "Strong... not bad, but strong..."

The wolf froze, causing Adlier to stumble. "Wait... you can smell me?! Gods, why didn't you say something? Turn around, I'll bathe now, I'm so sorry, I-"

Two muscular, scaly arms wrapped around Geppard. The larger dragon rested his chin on top of the wolf's head. "I, uh, that is... you weren't supposed to hear that. Heh... But yes, I can smell you. We have very keen noses; even sharper than yours I'd wager. It's how I found you in the first place, you know... But I stand by what I said. You don't smell bad. It's just very... strong, now. But honestly, I do find it, ah.... rather pleasant..." Adlier's voice got smaller as he finished speaking, almost whispering at the end.

Geppard stood, frozen, uncertain of what he should do, or say, in this moment. His arms hung limply at his sides, and his face and chest felt hot and tingly again. Finally, he hugged the dragon back awkwardly, tentatively rubbing his hands along his toned back. "I'm not quite sure what to say to that... Thanks, I guess? I should still get cleaned up though..."

"We'll take care of it later tonight. I promise I'm not trying to stop you; there's just work to be done yet and you'll only get dirty again if you wash now. Besides, um... I don't think you have any extra clothes... I didn't look for any after I took you here, and I'm, well, a lot bigger than you are... I'll have to lend you one of my guest bathrobes, they're all I have on hand until we can clean your current outfit. "

"You... didn't think to bring any clothes for me? What in the _world_were you thinking?"

"H-honestly, dragons don't tend to wear clothes in their caves, it's really a formality only extended to other races, I-"

"I'm not walking around naked." Geppard glared at Adlier, though the effect was lost in the darkness. He shoved his way out of the extended hug. "That's barbaric. Besides, I don't want you to see... me."

Adlier sighed. "Well, we're going to have to bathe at some point. And honestly, magicking up water for two separate baths is difficult. I must put my foot down on this one; you can wear the bathrobe. I don't care, but we'll need to bathe together until we figure out if you can raise the water yourself. Your other option is to just... not bathe."

The wolf scoffed. "Ugh... fine. I suppose that makes sense... But let it be known that I do this under duress."

"Thaaat's the spirit." Adlier drawled sarcastically. "Now, can we please get moving? I want to show you your room, and perhaps teach you a little magic today."

At that, the wolf's ears perked right up. "Magic...? Okay, I'll admit, you've got my attention." This time, Geppard took the dragon's hand in his. "Lead on, oh great and glorious teacher!" The wolf's voice dripped heavily with sarcasm, but his tone was good-natured and playful.

Adlier chuckled at that. "You may not think I'm so great after I have you practicing for hours on end... Although with your dedication to your work, perhaps you might think so still anyway. Hah! Come along, then..."

The dragon wound back to the main room through the twisting passage, then snapped his fingers to conjure a light. He led the wolf down a much shorter hallway, which opened into...

Wow...

Geppard gawped at his room. The whole thing was almost as big as his old house. Admittedly, he was quite poor, so it hadn't been that big, but it was still awfully impressive. A raised circular stone platform was in the center with various pillows and a soft linen pad on top. Unlit stone sconces lined the walls. A stone desk and bench sat in the corner to the right, and a bookshelf was carved right into the wall. The floor was smooth and hard but had just enough texture that it wasn't slippery. And in the left wall was a small opening through which he could hear running water. But what impressed him most were the wall decorations. Gold inlay had been set into the walls in a repeating geometric pattern, catching the light from Adlier's summoned orb and sparkling like diamonds. The wolf gasped quietly. "This... you did all this, for me? This is... honestly, this is too much. I truly don't deserve this..."

The dragon wrapped an arm around Geppard. "Nonsense. I told you before, you are the most precious thing I've ever collected. And more than that, you are precious to me, personally... This is the very least I could do for you. In fact, I wondered if it might not be enough. Perhaps some gemstones in the walls to accent the filigree..."

"No! N-no, that's quite all right. I don't think I could take any more opulence. You know, I was a simple farmer before I started my studies. I really don't need much."

"Well, then... Get used to this, I suppose. Because while you stay here, you shall have the finest I can provide. And trust me, what I can provide is very fine indeed..." The dragon raised an eyebrow and winked.

Geppard looked down, suddenly unable to meet his gaze. He can't be this naïve, can he? He sighed and looked up again. "So, the room is lovely. But you said you were going to teach me magic?"

"Yes! We're actually going to start practicing right here. You saw the sconces in the washroom, yes? How they had lights in them?"

The wolf nodded silently.

"Well, since this is your room, I thought we'd start by lighting it up!" Adlier grinned ecstatically.

"Oh! Oh... we won't teach me how to defend myself?" Geppard sounded a little disappointed.

"Baby steps, precious, baby steps... Besides, even this can be used to defend yourself." The dragon flicked a finger, and the orb of light in his palm suddenly flashed to painful brightness. Geppard flinched, squinting against the powerful light, but as suddenly as it began, it dimmed to what it had been before. Adlier ruffled the wolf's hair with his other palm. "See?"

"Barely..." Geppard grumbled, rubbing his eyes. Once they adjusted again, he turned to Adlier. "So, what do I do?"

"First, you need to connect to your inner reservoir of magic. Close your eyes." The dragon watched as Geppard obeyed. "Good. Now, breathe deeply, slow, and steady. Imagine your mind sinking into your chest, deep down into your heart, and feel the pulse of the energy stored within. Concentrate on your heartbeat, it will guide you to the source of your power."

The wolf raised an eyebrow but kept his eyes shut. He did as instructed, slowing his breathing to a moderate and steady rhythm. Focusing as hard as he could, he homed in on the beating of his heart...

BA-BUMP... BA-BUMP... BA-BUMP...

As Geppard focused, he began to feel a heat in his chest, warm and somehow familiar. A white glow started to form behind his eyes, steady and powerful. It felt somehow... intimate, like hugging an old friend you haven't seen in years, but never forgot about. Dreamily, he opened his mouth. "Ahh..._I feel... something. It's _warm..."

Adlier blinked several times rapidly. "R-really? That's... unusual. It normally takes people much longer to get in tune with themselves. Well, we're ready for the next step. Keep your focus, feel that energy, and open your eyes. Slowly!"

Geppard cautiously opened his eyes as instructed, bringing the room back into focus... and almost shut them again immediately. Everything in the room was outlined with bright white light, shimmering almost painfully. He squinted, and eventually, his eyes adjusted to the light. "I... I can see the room, everything is glowing... It's so bright..."

The dragon nodded excitedly. "Good! You're using your mage sight already. It's different for every element; I had no idea what the Light element would look like, it's not well documented... All right, now. Look at a sconce and focus your energy on it. Imagine it flowing out of you and into the sconce, and shape it into a sphere. Then, just imagine it glowing, and you should have a light orb! I'll extinguish mine so you can adjust the light level to your liking." With a flick of his hand, Adlier did as he said, and put out his light. "Now, go on! Let's see what you can do!"

Geppard looked at the sconce on the ceiling over his bed. "Focus, huh...?" He glared at the fixture and began to will his energy to move from himself to the wall. To his surprise, it moved easily, as if it wanted_to do as he commanded. He could feel a ball of his energy hovering in the sconce in mere moments. _Huh. Well, now I just have to imagine it lit up... I wonder... The wolf concentrated again, and focused on the orb, willing it to glow, no brighter than a candle. Something dim, at first. I can always make it brighter later, I think... He glared at the orb. Briefly, the lights outlining his room went dim, and then...

POP!

The orb of light sprang into being, emitting a dim, flickering white glow above his bed, barely illuminating the room.

Adlier clapped. "There! Not bad for your first try! With enough practice, you'll be able to make even brighter lights, and more of them, too! Very impressive, I-"

"I intentionally made it dim."

The dragon blinked. "W-what did you say...?"

Geppard turned to face him. "I intentionally made it dim. I didn't want to blind us again, so I focused on making it like a candle. I think that's why it's flickering... Hang on." He turned his head back to the orb and focused again. It instantly got as bright as daylight, filling the room with a warm, steady, comforting glow. "Huh. This is really easy. I wonder..."

Geppard swiveled his head around the room, concentrating as hard as possible. Adlier felt a surge of magic within the wolf and began to panic. "Precious, stop, you're going to... WAIT, THAT'S TOO MUCH...!"

But it was too late. A series of rapid pops filled the air, as every sconce in the room lit up at once, equalizing the daylight all around them. Geppard crowed. "That's so easy! I can't believe I didn't see it before! What else can I try, I... ACK!"

The wolf fell to his knees, clutching his chest. His heart was beating at a vicious tempo, and he felt dizzy and light-headed. Cold sweat started to bead under his fur, drenching him instantly. "I-I-I... I can't breathe, I... h-help me..." The last thing he saw as he swooned and fell forward were two scaly arms throwing themselves out to catch him...

...

Slowly, Geppard awoke to the sounds of water lapping at his fur. His head was throbbing, and his veins felt like they were on fire. Everything hurt... He groaned and shifted, only to find something like two thick iron bars holding him in place. The wolf's eyes snapped open, reeling at the sudden sensory input. The light in the room was blinding, and he was forced to close his eyes again. Bile rose in his throat, and he swallowed hard against it. Just behind him, he heard a familiar voice. "Be still, precious... you used a lot of magic on your first day. You fool... But I'm just as much the fool for not thinking to warn you... I'm sorry..." The grip around his waist tightened. "I nearly lost you... oh, my precious..." Adlier whispered, almost mournfully.

Geppard groaned. "Wha... What happened to me?"

The dragon paused for a moment, then slowly began to explain. "Well... you know how I had you tap into your natural reservoir, right?" Geppard nodded cautiously. "So, your reservoir is vast. We know that from when I tested your element. But to channel magic through your body takes practice, it's like building a muscle. You have to start slowly, with just a little weight. Lighting one orb for a novice practitioner is like lifting a ten-pound weight. But you not only altered the spell by manually changing the intensity of the light, which is honestly very impressive, it's not something a beginner should be able to do..." His voice trailed off, and then Adlier cleared his throat. "Ahem! Sorry... but to continue, you altered the spell and powered all the sconces at once. Casting multiple spells at once is exponentially more difficult. There are twenty-one in your room. So, to give you an idea, you, a novice weightlifter, who has never lifted weights before, lifted a ten-pound weight, decided it was too easy, and went straight to a several thousand-pound_weight instead. It's honestly a miracle I'm here, you... _you could've died, and it would've been all my fault!" The dragon's voice cracked, and Geppard could swear he sounded on the verge of tears.

Unable to keep himself sitting up longer, the wolf resigned to leaning back against Adlier's chest. Mmm... he's warm... "Well, thank you, then. For saving me, that is. And don't beat yourself up about it, I lived... And it's my fault too, you tried to stop me. I didn't listen." Warm water lapped against him as he reclined. "By the way... where are we?"

"We're in the bath, precious. It was the safest place for me to take you, aside from -"

Geppard shifted around, feeling himself, and suddenly realized... "I'm naked?! Did you take off my clothes? You... you... _pervert!_Let me go this instant!" The wolf struggled against Adlier's strong arms, but to no avail. Strong though Geppard was, he was no match for an ancient dragon.

A suddenly stern voice rang out behind him, with the power of green magic behind it. "CEASE YOUR STRUGGLING, WOLF. BE STILL." Geppard instantly slumped backward again, every muscle in his body going slack. Adlier cleared his throat again. "Sorry, precious... You're much too weak to leave the spring right now. If you did, you might yet succumb to your injuries. I'm sorry, I know you're not accustomed to nudity, but please believe me that I've seen it all before..." Then, so quietly, the wolf couldn't hear him, "Though I'll admit, you are a fine specimen indeed..."

Geppard sighed. Slurring a bit from the artificial relaxation of the enchantment, he said. "Mmm... Sooo, you s-said... S-started to say... there was somewhere else we could've gone. Where...?"

Adlier shifted uncomfortably, and the wolf became suddenly aware of the dragon's crotch pressed against his backside. "Well, you see... To keep you whole, you needed constant healing. Taking you to the spring was one option, I have it enchanted... but I thought the other option would be more objectionable..." The dragon coughed awkwardly. "The other option would have been, well... a kiss..."

"What," Geppard said flatly. He still couldn't really move, so he threw all his expressiveness into his tone.

"It's not how I'd have preferred to go about it either! But I almost had no choice. You were so weak, I was afraid I wouldn't make it in time to save you. It was definitely an option."

"No, I meant, what in the world would a kiss have done for me?"

Adlier sighed. "Oh... well, that's less complicated. My healing magic is more powerful if a part of me is inside you. There are a few ways to accomplish this, and it has varying effectiveness based on what's been consumed. Hair and claw clippings are fairly weak, scales are slightly stronger, and bodily fluids are the strongest, with my blood being the most powerful of them all. You weren't bad enough that I needed to make you swallow blood, though, spit would've worked adequately..."

The wolf thought about this for a minute. "So, why didn't you just spit in my mouth? I still don't see why you would've needed to kiss me."

"Call me a romantic old fool? Besides, it works significantly better if the act is intimate, better still if it's mutual. Though that last part's not strictly needed... but it is preferable."

"I suppose... I can't say I entirely buy it. You keep calling me precious, you're overly familiar, you're sitting underneath me, naked... and don't think I haven't noticed you flirting with me." The spell had begun to lessen, and Geppard could sit up slightly. "You owe me an explanation. What's the deal between you and me? Why was I really taken?"

Adlier was silent for several minutes. Then, hesitantly, he spoke. "I... I told you, I needed you for my research, and your work caught my attention. I knew you had to have magical potential, and so I brought you here and -"

"Bullshit!" The wolf snarled. "If you just needed me for research, you wouldn't have to flirt with me or cuddle me naked in the bath! I'm sure this would've worked with our clothes on, thank you very much. So tell me the truth!" Geppard gasped as the room briefly lit up, lined with a familiar white fire.

"Did you just... hnng... You just enchanted me! How dare you -" Geppard felt the dragon twitch beneath him and grow warmer. "How_... marvelous!_" Adlier groaned. "Ugh... How did you manage that?"

Geppard frowned. "I... honestly don't know. I didn't know I could. But answer the question. Why. Am. I. Here?!"

The dragon grunted in pain. It seemed like he was struggling against the enchantment. Finally, he sighed and began to talk. "Your first enchantment, you cast on accident, and I can't break it. Of course... Fine. The truth? The truth is..." Adlier gulped audibly. "The truth is that you're my mate. There. I finally said it. Happy?"

Geppard sat in silence, letting this revelation stew for a moment. Then, with an air of forced calmness, he spoke. "What, exactly, do you mean, I'm your mate? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not a dragon, and I'm male. We're not precisely compatible, you know. Also, you still kidnapped me."

"You're not wrong. I don't understand it either. Dragons are only supposed to be attracted to other dragons, but... Look, I was seeking you out to talk about your research. All I had was a hunch that you might be a latent mage, but when I got to your house, you opened the door... You were radiant. We can sense when our mate is near, you know. There's an aura, and a particular smell... and they are invariably mages. From the moment I met you, I knew that against all odds, we were meant to be together. But it's supposed to be mutual, both parties similarly attracted to each other, and you... weren't. You didn't so much as give me a second glance. So, I panicked. I knocked you out and brought you here. I truly do need your help with my research. I haven't lied to you about anything. And you can believe that, because right now, thanks to you, I can't lie to you even though I very much wish I could!" Adlier snarled that last part with some uncharacteristic venom, and Geppard flinched. "So, I thought, while I had you here, I'd try to, I don't know, woo you. But it's hopeless. You ignore every advance I make, or worse, outright reject me. I barely convinced you to just bathe with me! And now I have you here, finally, and you're injured, you almost died, and I saved you, and instead of being grateful, or even just pleased with me, you... you... hate me..." Adlier's voice trailed off, growing despondent. It sounded like he was going to cry again.

"You... you don't understand what it's like. Finding our mate, it's... all-consuming, like a fire in our minds. Nothing is more important, not even life itself. It's a compulsion on the basest level, to... love, to cherish your destined one. And there's no feeling even close to similar; I am certain you are my mate. But you aren't even attracted to me... you don't even want me... and it hurts!" Adlier's claws dug into the wolf's chest, and he gasped in pain. The dragon quickly relaxed his hands. "Ah, precious... I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking. Look, I've taught you magic. You can likely figure out the rest yourself... If you want to leave, I'll take you back tomorrow. You... you'll never have to see or hear from me again..."

Geppard's heart leaped with a thrill. Freedom! I could go home! I could be done with all of this, I... But then, his heart sank low, deep into the pit of his stomach. But... do I want to leave him? He's been surprisingly kind... and I can understand why he didn't tell me about the "mate" thing. Other than that, he's been nothing but truthful, and I just confirmed it. Besides, when he's not trying so hard, he's kinda... well, quite sweet...

The wolf sighed and wrenched himself to an upright position. Twisting in the dragon's arms, he turned to face him. "Okay, so... I don't know how this whole 'mate' thing works... But you know, you're not... repulsive, when you're not trying so hard to impress me. Don't put yourself down so much, it's a definite turn-off. And... I thought you promised me a year. You made a vow. I clearly need more practice, and if I make a mistake at home, I could end up dead. This is the safest place for me to learn." Geppard wrapped an arm around Adlier's shoulder and awkwardly squeezed it. "And for the record... I wasn't disinterested in your advances; it was just... sudden, and I didn't know what you wanted. I can't say I feel the same, but... I will let you pursue me if that's what you want. No promises it'll go anywhere, but... yeah."

Adlier's eyes lit up. "Oh... Oh! Oh, precious, you have no idea how happy you've made me! I swear, I'll win you over yet! I'll try every day, dearest, for as long as it takes!"

The wolf rolled his eyes. "See, that's... a bit over the top. Tell you what. Maybe dial back the whole precious and _dearest_schtick?"

"O-oh... Well, I still have a great deal of affection for you. Did you really want me to call you by your name? It seems... disingenuous, somehow."

Geppard thought about this for a minute. "Well... I tell you what. Back home, my friends had a nickname for me; they called me Gepp. I'll let you call me that if you like."

"Gepp... Gepp." Adlier seemed to roll the name over on his tongue, savoring the taste of the word on his lips. "Yes... Gepp! Hah! So, ah... does this mean we're friends now?"

"You know what... sure. I think we can be friends. You saved my life, after all. It'd be awfully callous of me to deny you that familiarity."

"In that case, you can call me Adz! That was my egg-name before I came of age and was given my true name. It's meant to be used as a term of affection, but... It is shorter, and I don't really have a nickname for you to call me."

"Adz... you know, I like that." Gepp smiled, and squeezed the dragon again, causing him to chirp with pleasure. "But, I'm feeling much better. I think I'd like to dry off and lie down for a bit."

The dragon nodded and lifted the wolf clear of the bath. Gepp was impressed by his strength; he was smaller than the dragon, to be sure, but he was still a hefty 230 pounds, and Adz was carrying him like he was nothing. The dragon set him next to the shelves with the towels, and put a hand on his shoulder to ensure he was steady enough to stand. "Are you quite certain you're all right? You used that enchantment earlier, that's pretty advanced magic..."

Gepp shrugged. "I honestly feel fine. I was worried, but even though it was accidental, it was even easier than lighting that orb. It felt... natural."

"Hmm... perhaps that's a light specialty? Oh, what I wouldn't give for a book on light magic..." Adz handed him a thick, fluffy towel.

Gepp began drying off, his curiosity outweighing his naked shyness. "Do you not have one? You have so many books..."

Adz smoothed a towel along his scales, drying quickly. "Alas, I do not. Most of the texts were destroyed in a war between the Shadow mages and the Light several thousand years ago, and most of the mages either died or went into hiding afterward. Since then, there've been no known light mages, just a handful of shadows. And even they are self-taught... It's why I didn't know if I could teach you, I literally don't know what you can do."

Gepp draped his towel over a nearby rack and put his paw on the dragon's shoulder. "Well, we'll figure it out. Now, um... I really could use that bathrobe..."

Adz's laughter echoed through the bath-chamber. A robe was procured, and the dragon offered his arm to Gepp to lean on as he escorted the wolf to his bedroom. Gepp was surprised to see the lights were all still on until Adz explained that they use a minimal amount of mana to run, and he'd supercharged them when he lost control. The dragon estimated they'd run the better part of a year or two before they needed to be charged again. Gepp lay in the bed, and Adz gave him permission to dim the lights to sleep. He was about to head out of the room when the wolf called out to him.

"Adz...?"

"Yes, prec... I mean, Gepp?"

"W-well, I... I nearly died today, and I'm, um, rather shaken up about it, I guess. Would you... keep me company? Just until I fall asleep?"

The dragon's heart thumped in his chest. "Ah... I'd be delighted. Where would you like me?"

"Just sit next to me... and maybe... p-pet my ears?" Gepp stuttered and blushed.

Adz chuckled and went to sit next to the flustered wolf. He began to stroke the wolf's ears, and gently hummed a melody, a rich baritone that echoed on the high walls of the room.

Gepp slowly started to drift off. This... wow, this is nice... Maybe I could get used to this after all... Honestly, who wouldn't want to have a mythical creature fall in love with him? But... can I fall in love in return? I guess... I guess we'll find out...