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Scales and Honor: Darkened Skies

Chapter 17: Asset

It was drizzling, because of course it was. That was the first thing to greet the paladin when he was unwound from the sinfully warm embrace of his dragon's limbs and claws. He rubbed his eyes as he yawned, blinking away the grogginess to be presented with a dreary and grey filled sky peaking through the trees as it splattered it's wet and cold cargo all around them and pitter and pattered against piles of discarded leaves. He checked his gear to find it had thankfully not soaked through yet while listening to Veledar grumble about the droplets that were pelting his scales. “like little ice daggers."

“Just count yourself lucky the weather has been fairly agreeable thus far. Things could always be far worse. Lightning could be coursing through the sky right now. Count your blessings mate." He patted the dragon's scales and got a dismissive snort in response.

That's when the sky flashed. Lightning crackled overhead as if splitting the sky in twane with a brilliant flash that left green after images in his eyes. Arcturus winced as Veledar gave him a narrowed stare and thunder rumbled across the land.

“Cease your commentary Arc." Grumbled the dragon, “Before you say you're thankful for my wings and the gods disintegrate them out of spite." The red dragon nosed the human with a wrinkled snout before bounding off into the forest for his morning meal. He was about to call after him to be careful, but he knew he wouldn't listen. When his frilled tail disappeared into the underbrush Arcturus began his morning rituals with various stretches and reciting his oaths during them. He closed his eyes and took a lingering breath, knowing Veledar really wasn't that cross with him, if the sensation lingering in his heart was any indication. It was if the dragon was sending little warm sensations to his heart to let him know everything was okay. The human rubbed at his chest and took a deep breath. One that left his lungs all tingly at the cold morning air. He swished his sword through the air, focusing on his spells. Mouthing them out and feeling the magic ready itself within the core of his being. Like many coils being shoved deep into his chest waiting to be sprung.

The girls had congregated under what shelter they could find while they entered tranced or meditated for their own spells. They knew that it wasted an hour of the day each morning to gain them, but it was better than the alternative. It allowed them to be prepared for whatever danger lurked on the horizon. Arcturus made sure to prepare a myriad of spells. Some to heal, others to blind his enemies with his shield, and lastily he prepared the one to enchant his weapon and Veledar's claws for a time with elemental energy. It had been very effective against the metal dragon back in entis, and ever useful against the undead. It frankly was one of his most favored spells to use. Besides, he thought having flames billow off the blade was very neat. Though he didn't get to use every spell he prepared, it was always good rule of thumb to go out with a plan for anything. He was just about to slice the air with an extended arm when he noticed that he had drawn the attention of bright apricot eyes.

Voidwing was sitting on his hinds next to Nivra, flicking his tail gently across the ground as he shifted his weight back and forth. His eyes were scanning the human male up and down in silent contemplation before he glanced back to the calm looking princess. He seemed rather bored if there was a lack of a better word. From the expression on his beak to his talon digging into the earth. If he didn't have anything better to do, then maybe Arcturus would get a chance to get to know this black and white gryphon.

“Gryphon!" Arcturus called out the moment the apricot eyed bird made contact with him once more. “Voidwing was it?" He curled his hand when the gryphon nodded. “Come over here and join me then. I think the princess is in good hands this morning. Nothing better than stretches to unwind the muscles and prepare for the day ahead!"

Voidwing curled his head . Nivra gestured to Arcturus with her neck and gave the gryphon a reassuring pat on the shoulder. He rose up with a ruffling of his feathers, extending a wing and tested the rain with a little clack of his beak. With a departing nuzzle to the meditating princess he quickly bound from the tree and crossed the rain filled space between the trees. “You want me to join you in your…. stretches?" The gryphon asked, slinking underneath a nearby tree to avoid the worst of the rain.

“Well not exactly in my stretches. But you can be nearby and talk if you want. You looked bored over there with the princess while she focuses to gain her spells." He took a forceful step, sighing as he lashed out with his sword at the air.

“I have gotten used to that each morning. Will my own speech not interrupt your own preparations for spells?" The gryphon's ears splayed as he looked slightly away. “ I'd not want to throw you off."

“Nonsense." Arcturus waved to him, swooshing his blade horizontally through the air. “I can do both it seems. Besides…." The knight gave him a wink. “I'm just about done here anyway."

“You're wanting someone here makes me think you're used to having someone practice with you." Voidwing slunk out from the tree, wincing as the rain started to splatter against the fur of his head.

“The dragon." Arcturus side stepped as if to avoid a phantom stroke, pointing out towards where Veledar had departed. “He usually joins me in the morning…Its honestly starting to feel as though I need him here." He chuckled softly, warmly thinking about that bundle of scales and how he made his days better with his presence. “That damned sweet red bastard."

“Excuse me?"

“The dragon." Arcturus corrected as Voidwing composed himself with a flick of his tail.

“This will be good for us I imagine." Voidwing gestured to Nivra with his beak. The princess was shielding her book with a hand as the rain had started to increase its volume with another flash of lightning. “Princess as you said seems rather protected and busy. Might as well stretch and get to know you. Especially as we are chained to you, because of the dragon extorting our assistance."

“It wasn't extortion gryphon." Arcturus grinned as the bird stretched out his lion hinds and flicked his ever wetting tail on the air. “If I recall it was to make amends for our nations deeds against him."

“I suppose so." Voidwing grumbled, lashing out with his claws with a quick pounce.

“So, you're the princesses bodyguard?" Arcturus made sure to sweeten his voice. He wasn't entirely sure where to start so why not in the basic area of his profession? He rose a brow, switching his stance and imagining a rampaging orc before slicing off the things head with his blackened blade. The surface glew with a faint white light as his mind drifted to Bahamut and his spells. “I saw you several times I think in my travels to the castle."

“As did I." Voidwing replied, resetting his form. “Wanted to talk with you for awhile now and trade battle tactics. I read about some of the ones you and Skywing used during your time in the war. I especially liked the one with the earth elemental." Voidwing pounced again, flaring out his wings to backwing away and land where he started with a quick pleased chirp.

“Why didn't you? I never went over to you as it t'was not my place to speak to the royal bodyguard of the princess. And that she never summoned me over to talk when I did see you. So if you wished to speak,why didn't you? The princess seems fairly even-tempered all things considered."

“Nerves actually." The gryphon chuckled, his ears splaying as he looked away. He pounced again before Arcturus could reply to that. When the gryphon landed and strode back to his starting position he would not look the man in his eyes. It dawned Arcturus with the next stretch of his arm that the damned gryphon was shy.

“So, do you have any family left?"

Arcturus frowned as the gryphon realized his mistake with a smack to his own beak.

“Oh gods, I'm terribly sorry. I had forgotten about…I meant your biological family…No that's not right either…I meant your birth family." The black gryphon glanced away, nervously shifting his weight as the rain started to downpour.

“All gone." Arcturus sheathed his sword, taking in a deep breath filled with the heavy scent of damp earth. “Still some clan left but I'm the last Lund on the dragon hunter side of things."

“Do you miss the rest of the dragon hunter parts?" The question came innocently enough with a cocked head.

He sighed, “Not particularly. Father was an arse of most things and would not approve of my current friends, profession, or the choice in one I call my mate." He chuckled grimly to himself at the elder Lund's red face, shouting angrily away as Veledar grinned innocently over the human's shoulder. Arcturus glanced around to the rest of his scattered friends to see that they were picking up from their preparations. Only Nivra seemed to not be getting ready, instead copying down a spell from Shandalar's spell book with a rapidly moving quill, the other hand still acting as a shield. “Funny thing is though is that these people are starting to feel more real to me than the Lunds." He turned and smiled to Feku, who returned it with a shade of green coating her scales. “Can't imagine my days without them now. That's what they don't tell you about going on adventurers.

“Your mate." Voidwing said matter of factly, his head tilting to the other side with a flick of his tail. “How'd that even happen? You're so small and he's so…large..Not to mention the other parts of him."

He cut the gryphon off with a raise of his hand and a brief chuckle escaping his lips. He knew it was rather strange. “He can change his size on a whim and it's a long story. Short version is that I love the red dragon alright? Should be no surprise to one such as yourself. I imagine being in love with the princess of all things is no different. I would never had guessed that between you two three years ago when you were picked."

“Probably as shocked as I am to hear that the son of the fabled dragon hunting Lunds is in love with one of the many beasts his family helped murder. Its like a poetic justice."

“Trust me." Arcturus smiled as he opened his pack, making sure it was out of the rain. “The irony of the whole situation is not lost upon me." He grabbed a wooden bowl, letting the rain rinse it out for him before helping himself to some left-over stew from the night before. With a quick spell from Lyndis the brown liquid in the wooden container was now steaming. It's small wispy coils flowing over it to tease at Arcturus' face as he breathed in the pungent smell of spices. “Crimson and I have joked before that my family is rolling in their graves over our decision. The dragon loved the idea that he can take stabs at my family by loving me."

“You can't possibly hate your family that much. I mean they trained you to be an excellent fighter of all things!"

“True." Arcturus grumbled, sitting down beside one of the logs not consumed by the rain. The ground was starting to be damp, but he knew a spell from Lyndis would fix it. “But it was meant for a darker purpose than I use it for." He pulled out a wooden spoon, sipping away at the stew and cursing the skills he used each day by that horrid man.

Voidwing looked at him with sympathy, tail twitching softly as he grabbed his own bowl and with a similar method to Arcturus, was slurping down the morning meal.

“How about yourself?" Arcturus rose a brow, slurping away as the gryphon seemed honestly surprised by his interest.

“Nine brothers and sisters put together. Youngest out of the clutch if you can't tell."

He gave the gryphon a curiosity filed stare as he inspected every inch of his frame all the way back to his beak. There wasn't anything truly out of place. He had a beak, lion like ears, well build claws, good posture, and his sheath and balls were intact. “Is it because you have one paw being white while the others are black?"

“No." Voidwing looked away. “Its cause I'm the runt of the clutch. I'm smaller than my siblings, my parents, and most gryphons I come across."

“Runt?" Arcturus' felt rather his cheeks start to redden as the words sunk into his mind. He had never heard of something like that.

“So that's why you're so small! I knew it!" Krotos slunk over, eyes brimming with glee as he settled next to the mortified looking gryphon. “I knew it had to be something." Chuckled the blue and gryphon as he shook his beak free from droplets of water. “Just couldn't put my talons on it." Krotos' beak parted as he stared at Voidwing up and down, giving the black gryphon a smirk. “Anything else of yours that's smaller than usual hmmm?" He poked at Voidwing's shoulder with a talon, chest fluttering with laughter. “Awk Awk AWk."

“No." Voidwing shied away, any bluster that he had with the dragon all gone. Instead he looked meek, cautious, and just as small as his frame. “That is normal sized. It's only my stature that's small…Krotos was it? The city guard."

“That's right little wing." Krotos swelled up his chest, fluffing up his feathers as if to appear bigger. He looked rather pleased with himself. Infact he looked rather like Veledar in a way. Arcturus internally groaned that possibly the red dragon was a bad influence on the gryphon. “How'd you even become the princess's bodyguard anyway?" He leaned in, inspecting Voidwing's talons with his eyes. “You think they would want someone bigger…tougher looking..But look at you!" Krotos extended his claws and wings while gesturing to the smaller gryph. “Even your talons are way smaller than mine!"

“Careful Krotos." Arcturus replied smoothly as he watched Voidwing shy away from Krotos' inquisitive beak. He could practically feel the unease that was radiating off Voidwing. Like a thick miasma hanging in the air." He was chosen to be the princesses guard after all. He'd have to be a good fighter for that. He's showing great restraint right now and not smacking your beak down into the ground."

“Oh." The blue gryphon pulled back his beak and settling down onto his hinds with a tilted head. “Is that so human? How would he compare to you then? Why were you not chosen to be the future queens guard?"

“Honestly?" Arcturus sighed, setting his bowl down as Voidwing's beak snapped to him. He shifted his eyes between the pair of gryphons both expecting a great tale out of him. “I was busy during those years with Rothdell. If I recall Skywing did discuss our gryphon friend here." Arcturus gestured to Voidwing with a chuckle remembering the paperwork the tiger gryphon had to sift through about new recruits. “Said a gryphon that liked to gallop alongside horses was the top of his classes."

“You like running with horses?" Krotos gasped, locking onto Voidwing. “You're supposed to eat those! Not prance away with them!"

“You eat horses?" Arcturus pulled his head back with a slight laugh. “Those are our mounts!"

“Well we always got the sick or old ones." The blue gryphon rolled his eyes. “We never could eat the healthy ones. Question still stands though little wing." Krotos' eyes narrowed and made Voidwing shy away. “You enjoy running with them?"

“Its…most fun." Voidwing mumbled, his voice hardly louder than a whisper as he tapped his tail on the ground. He took a breath, ignoring the blue gryphon and instead looking into Arcturus' eyes. They looked surprised, shocked, and had a hint of happiness lingering in those apricot pools. “Skywing actually considered me?" He sounded hopeful, letting out a small chuckle. “I didn't know that!"

“Very much so. Though they snagged you for the princess before he ever got the chance to fill out the transfer request. Fate has a funny way of working doesn't it not?"

“I'd say human! You're in love with a red scaled bum rather than a beautiful and handsome gryphon such as myself!" Krotos squawked smugly, his own compliments making his crown feathers extend one by one. He placed a talon to his chest, giving the human a smirk and a wink as a wing extended to pull him.

“Still blue bird." Arcturus chuckled as he avoided the gryphon's wing and gesturing to Voidwing with a wave. “I'd be careful round this little one." He poked the mischievous blue bird on the beak with an extended finger. “He could probably lay you out on the ground without a second thought. Isn't that right Voidwing?"

“More or less in this case." The black gryphon said meekly, drawing an irritated squawk from Krotos' beak.

“Well…" The blue gryphon looked away, fluffing up his feathers as he snapped his beak at the air. “At least we have another gryphon our team of adventurers. Will do wonders for our image. Could you believe that the dragon has everyone convinced that they are better? The horror!"

“Shame that." Voidwing chuckled nervously as Arcturus rinsed his bowl with a quick extension into the downpouring sky. He stashed it away into his pack as Krotos went on and on about the morning rain and how it clung to his feathers something awful. The human tried to not laugh at how it made the gryphons look like a pair of drenched cats instead of the regal beings that he bragged they were. The knight tossed on his damp gambeson and reattached his armor pieces and tabard one by one and activated the runes on them. With a stitching of his brow he already longed for a dry cave to find or for the storm to stop its battering against them. That way one of his friends could dry out his clothes with but a touch, but alas he'd have to make do for now. With his helmet donned and everything collected he joined the others as they were putting the finishing touches on packing.

“Figures that it would keep storming." Veledar returned with a grumble, refolding his mighty wings against his back. The red dragon stared up to the sky as another flash of lightning lit up the sky in a brilliant streak of blue-white light. “Can't you do anything about this Merlia? Are you not the one with nature magic at your disposal?" Veledar tossed the dwarf a hardened stare with his tail swaying back and forth.

“Oh, Jus cause I can summon up wee vines and tentacles I can change da weather? Now I admit dat I blow some air and stuff but dat dun compare! How bout ye go fly up dere and beat da storm away wit yer wings? What ya tink o dat ya big red scaled bum?"

“That's ridiculous. I can't beat the storm away with my wings dwarf."

“Well I can't will dem away with me spells! Your idea is just as crazy! I'll not be standin here and being blamed for not doing nothing when yare jus as helpless as me!"

“Oh, dearest Merlia, we both know that isn't true." Veledar puffed out his chest. “I'm never truly helpless."

“Den change da weather why don't ya? I'm waiting on yer scaled bum ta get a move on!" The dwarf folded her arms across her chest, giving the dragon a challenging stare. One that he maintained for a moment before looking away with a snort.

“I think I'll hold off on it. I rather like the rain."

“Guess ya like walkin too?"

Veledar slunk away with a series of grumble and hisses, leaving the ranger chuckling to herself. “Damned lightning." The dragon groaned, casting the sky an annoyed look as the dragon sat beside Arcturus, curling his tail around them. “Why the gods waste their time with such a thing is beyond me. Cannot they know I wish to fly?"

“Well don't worry with Merlia. You can't get upset each time the sky doesn't agree with you." He placed a hand softly onto his dragon's scales.

“Hmmph." The dragon chuckled. “I certainly can. The day should stay at least well enough to fly. To do otherwise is utter madness."

“Then perhaps you should have asked that dryad creature how she was able to control the weather then my mate."

Veledar looked away with a playful swaying of his tail and rolling of his eyes. When he lowered himself, the paladin dragged over the dragon's harness and helped him get into it. “Couldn't wait to touch me, could you? The scaled dragon rumbled pleasingly as the man's hands met his scales once more.

“Oh, you know me. Can't keep them off you." He smiled, helping complete each strap until the family heirloom was secure to the dragon's limbs. The red curled his head around, offering the human a good nuzzle.

“Thank you mate. Next time lose the helmet so that I may kiss you."

“Thank me by carrying my shield." Arcturus laughed as he cupped the dragon's chin then pulled up the shield Veledar had given him. “And I shall remember that. We can be kissing later."

The red dragon wrinkled his snout, giving the human a narrowed but playful stare. “I knew you were up to something nepharious. Trying to get me to be a common place mule." He snorted, not moving as Arcturus fastened the shield with leather straps. “ You will be paying me back for such a deed later." The dragon grinned with his teeth, a low lust filled growl escaping his throat,

“You lewd thing." He laughed, playfully rubbing the dragon's scaled neck. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Nivra sitting and watching. Her eyes were transfixed onto Veledar at least to himself getting the dragon ready for the next leg of the journey. He knew it wouldn't be as much progress as simply flying over the mountain, but with the storm overhead they had to make at least some progress.

“He's just like a horse isn't he?" Nivra asked, placing a finger to her chin as her eyes followed Veledar's scales from his head to the very tip of his frilled tail.

“Hey!" Veledar growled, curling his tail around to wrinkle his snout at the princess. “I'm not some beast of burden that Arcturus could plunk his metal ass on!"

“He's a resplendent beast of burden." Arcturus grinned, nudging the dragon with a laugh.

“See Arcturus—Hey!" Veledar nosed at the human, nearly knocking him over with the force. “You're supposed to be on my side you silly armored buffoon!"

“I do believe you mean baboon." He smiled, earning himself another boop to the head from the dragon's wing membranes. Not enough to hurt mind you, but enough to have him smack at his love's wings. “Are you trying to smoosh me?"

“I think that's enough out of you before you embarrass me further in front of my latest minion."

“Minion?" Nivra rose a brow only for Veledar to grin wickedly and show off all his sharpened teeth.

Before the dragon could go into great lengths about the arrangement Arcturus figured he'd cut him off. It would save time and help better explain it better anyway. “I know how it sounds. Just go along with it. He means nothing by it. Its just this little joke of his. Just like he wants to charge us coin for him being here."

Veledar nudged at him with the top of his snout. “That isn't a joke my mate. I do fully intend to get every coin out of you little mortals if it's the last thing I do!" He pulled his neck back until it was in the shape of an S. “Little joke." The dragon grumbled, setting his narrowed eyes to the trees. “I thought you would be happy to have minions mate."

The knight padded over to the dragon's side, offering a hand to his shoulder as he looked up to the pretending to be hurting dragon. “You make it sound as though we're villains. Didn't you accuse Shandalar of the same thing?"

“Underlings then!" Veledar hisses, tapping his claw against the ground. “Does this meet your expectations better?" The dragon rolled his eyes, strolling off with a sway of his tail. The tip brushed against the human's leg and almost curled around it to pull him over. He saw it twitch as Veledar considered the idea.

“Perhaps you should stop showing off if you wish to appear regaler!" He called out, laughing as Veledar curled his head and stuck out his tongue.

“Oh, go get mounted Arcturus. And not in the good way!" The dragon snapped his snout back to the scattered rocks and sea of bark before strolling away with his head raised as he pretended to be offended.

“Is he going to be okay?" Nivra laughed nervously as if she were unsure if the dragon were being serious.

“It's just the way he is. You get used to it after a while. He's a good dragon deep down, but still a dragon. So proud, arrogant, narcissistic, and his ego is so un-naturally large that one of airships would be stressed to contain it."

“Are all dragons like that?" The princess motioned Voidwing over with a wave of her hand, who looked relieved to have a reason to leave Krotos behind as the blue bird followed him like a shadow. “Looks like you've made a friend Voidy!" She smiled happily, patting the irritated looking gryphon as he strode over.

“I wouldn't go that far." Grumbled the black and white gryphon as Nivra chuckled and scanned over his pockets and pouches on his own leather harness.

“That's right. I do ever forget that you dislike other gryphons."

“I don't dislike other gryphons." He snapped his beak on the air, glancing to Krotos who gave them all a smirk and a wink. “They always have a problem with me."

“On account of your size?" Arcturus slung his pack over his shoulder as the others finally finished up, Shandalar shrinking her magic carpet small enough to carry in her backpack.

“Yea." Voidwing said sheepishly, “Being the runt isn't exactly a thing to be proud of in gryphon society. They always expect you to be weaker, slower, sicklier." The black bird sighed as Veledar grumbled and took the lead as the others followed in a line behind him to walk along the uneven ground intertwined with roots and rocks. “Or they are so fascinated that I accomplish anything. I can tell that our blue gryphon over there falls into the second category. Voidwing's apricot eyes narrowed on Krotos' swaying rump.

Arcturus heard little tidbits as the blue gryphon and Merlia discussed the weather and if she could really control it with some spells. He sighed when the blue bird mixed an off-color comment about huffing and puffing and blowing Merlia down. The dwarf only laughed with a touch to the blue's yellow beak and telling him to be careful what he askes for. He shook his head and turned back to Voidwing, realizing he might have been quiet for too long.

“I'm not so sure about that…Him being like how you described." He smiled, thinking back to the moments he had shared with the blue gryphon. “If anything, I think he goes out of his way to make people feel better. If it's a hug, kind words, hell I've seen him offer to mate me with passion to help me feel better!

“He said that?" Nivra gasped, covering her mouth as her cheeks suddenly reddened. “That's so forward!" She turned to her bodyguard who had raised his wing to shield the pair from the sky's tears. “Can you imagine Voidwing? I never knew that!"

“How could you not?" Arcturus rose a brow. “You're not exactly young, and each gryphon I've come across has been fairly open in that regard." He eyed Voidwing's sudden nervous walk. Perhaps this one was vastly different?

“You can probably blame that on my father then." Nivra frowned, tapping the end of her staff against a rock petruding along the path. “Getting rid of anyone that tossed me a warm eye or little wink. I bet half of them were petrified that I was the princess and what sort of deeds my father could inflict upon them."

“Seems as though that plan of his didn't go so well did it." He gestured to the polite gryphon, who offered him a chirp. They turned when a loud rustling filled the air and Veledar moved aside a turned over tree with his draconic might.

“Wow.." Nivra gasped, watching the red's tail thrash against the ground as he tossed aside the tree easily. “He's quite strong, isn't he?"

“Yes, dragons can be. He's sort of special in that department. That's not just the affection talking either. That dragon has saved our arses more times than I would have imagined." He crossed his arms, warmly remembering the days he had already spent pressed up against that giant scaled mate of his. How the warmth had radiated into his bones and made him feel complete and secure.

“I bet he did tings ta yer butt ya didn't imagine either!" Merlia laughed, slapping her knee as Veledar curled his head to cast the amused dwarf a narrowed stare.

He gave the dwarf a grin, gesturing to Veledar with a finger. “Best be careful when you're uttering such phrases Merlia. My most handsome dragon is very protective of his paladin."

“He speaks truths once again little dwarf. I am intimately so." The dragon rumbled, a smile on his snout as his tail swayed back and forth over the rocks.

“I heard dat before you kite tailed iguana!" Merlia rose her fist and shook it before the dragon's snout. “Yer nip me again and I'll make sure da next arrow dat passes thru me bow hits you under the tail instead! Den we can be seein who be laughin den!"

“And you just joke with other like this all the time?" Nivra's eyes darted between the two as Veledar and Merlia burst out laughing and continuing along with an uttering of big red baby and get mounted.

“This isn't even the worst of it." Arcturus chuckled, “Little jabs and pokes are what friendship is built on."

“Doesn't seem too accurate." The woman's nose wrinkled. “You'd think it had the opposite effect." He turned to look at her, almost like she was pulling his leg. She had to be right? Then he remembered her words, and how her father had always sent her away to colleges or had her kept under lock and key. It occurred to him that she most likely didn't get out much.

“Just pay attention princess. I'm sure it will be most enlightening to you." He gestured to Voidwing with a wave who chirped happily at being included. “Same goes for your diligent bodyguard. Can't imagine being locked up all those years."

“Not locked away in the literal sense." Nivra looked up to the dripping branches overhead, her eyes staring past them out to the sky and onward to oblivion. “But yes…It was a prison. To be considered weak each day of life and told I couldn't help anyone." Nivra balled her right hand into a fist as she grit her teeth. “Even if I knew to the contrary." When she sighed her muscles relaxed, and she leaned up against Voidwing as the path started to increase its incline. Steps became harder as the dragon ahead grumbled again at being unable to fly. If to answer his complaint a flash of lightning consumed the sky, a crashing thunder soon following that shook the ground and silenced the forest. Even Voidwing jumped, splaying his ears and wincing his eyes.

Before Arcturus could offer some comforting words, Nivra was already there to hug around the gryph's neck and whisper soothing sounds into his trembling ears. Guess we all have something we're scared of. He shrugged, not expecting the princess's stalwart gryphon bodyguard to let something as simple as a little thunder or lightning scare him. Besides, it wasn't like he wasn't weak or anything. He did have to prove himself, that position didn't just fall into his feathers.

“So how did you exactly get the position of being her bodyguard Voidwing? Got a few moves that we have not seen before? I bet you could show our resident gryphon a thing or two."

The words seemed to distract the trembling gryphon from the sky as his tail flicked behind him. “I.." Voidwing tore his eyes from the dark clouds to the ground beneath his talons with his next deep breath. “I was chosen out of five different gryphons. Each one larger and much stronger than I."

“And they were gryphons because my father was worried about me birthing bastard children." Nivra scowled at the sky. She glared daggers as if the clouds contained the man she spoke of.

“They had us pair off and fight one another in single combat. I emerged victorious out of them all." Voidwing rose his head, a glimmer of pride shining in his eyes.

“Quite the accomplishment then." Arcturus smirked, watching as Veledar peeked back with his cerulean eyes narrowed into pleased slits. His frills fluttered softly with interest as the dragon tried to hide his growing curiosity. “Come a long way from being the gryphon that drinks milk through a straw."

“Who recorded that?" Voidwing gasped, nearly flaring up his wings but stopped himself at the last minute to keep shielding his princess from the rain. “Did they write down every little thing I did? Did they write about that one time I fell into cacti and had needles all in my balls?"

“What?" Arcturus' eyes widened in shock at the last one, a chuckle nearly escaping him of the mental image alone. “I…did not know that last one."

“Oh." Voidwing looked away bashfully. “Then forget that last one. It totally didn't happen….At all.."

“Sure." He glanced up to Veledar who was snickering something awful, his tail trembling with each step. “Think better of yourself Voidwing. You've earned it, if I do say so myself." He smiled as the gryphon perked up, a smile on his beak. That was until lightning crackled across the sky and he was shivering into Nivra's touch like a dog with splayed ears.

They marched along in the dreary weather as nature pelted them with torrents of cold rain and battered them with chilling wind. Though the storm tried to break their spirits it found their resolve like a great fortress. They continued with chittering teeth and hands clutched tight to anything warm that could be found. In Arcturus' case that meant that Veledar had taken a few paces back, letting Merlia lead them so he could be with the human he loved. Arcturus thanked his mate with kind words and a hug as he offered his wing as shelter. Though it was a sweet gesture he could not shake the feeling in his gut that the dragon was only doing so to compete with Voidwing in some unknown contest that he was sure only the red dragon had known about.

The wind howled a lone cry, sweeping through them and threatening to carry them into the sky, at least with Feku that was the case. The poor little kobold was forced to clutch Asterion for dear life as the winds thrashed and pulled all around them. When the gale started to pick up from that point they were forced to take shelter from the scattered branches and debris flying through the air. Shandalar had just the spell for that thankfully, quickly making a makeshift shelter out of rock and dirt by a clever application of the stone wall spell she was fond of using. So, it was they all huddled together in a makeshift cave of cream-colored stone. They sat and watched as the storm pelted everything outside in nature's fury. Arcturus was relieved when Lyndis had tapped his clothes, and with a mere spell they had been dried and warmed. It brought a sensation of bliss coursing through his veins as he sighed in content. He thanked the woman and scooched up closer to lean up against his laying down dragon as they watched the rain. Veledar rumbled approvingly and wrapped a forepaw around him and dragged him closer.

“Will you answer an inquiry for me? How is flight with you two?" Nivra slid over, taking a seat beside them with warm smile as Voidwing curled around her. “Is it anything like when I and Voidwing take to the sky?"

“Excuse me?" Veledar stared to her, pulling Arcturus a tad closer and staring right into the woman's eyes. “I was having a moment here with my paladin. Perhaps you could ask silly questions later." The dragon rolled his eyes, returning his attention to the rain with a grumble. “Honestly…Comparing gryphon riding to dragon riding? Might as well call Arcturus a gelatinous cube while we're at it."

While the dragon was going on about this little thing Arcturus put a hand to his chin. How to explain the intimacy and utter delight he felt course through him each time they flew? How his heart fluttered ever so wonderfully in his chest as the winds kissed his cheeks like a lover. How it filled him with such warmth and joy that he never wanted to stop?

“Very…Intimate. If you can imagine such a thing." When Nivra gave him a tilted head and raised brow he sighed. Perhaps he would need better words. “We also share a bond within our spirits. It allows us to transmit emotions and spells to one another among other things. So, while we're flying up there with our heads in the clouds I get to feel everything. Not just from me. But from him as well. The sun beating against his scales, the wind pushing up against his membranes, the happy feelings in my heart of flying with someone I love…So in very much a way we fly as one. Even now when we look up there to the sky I can feel the urge to get up there in the marrow of my bones." He chuckled, patting the red scaled forelimb as it tugged him tighter. 'it might not be as strong as his desire, but it's certainly there." He rubbed Veledar's snout when it was lowered to nuzzle at him affectionately. “The damned bastard has corrupted me something wonderful."

“You take to it so well." The dragon chuckled as the princess and her gryphon joined in with longful stares.

“That would certainly be a magnificent sensation to feel. It must be practically a breathtaking experience. I hope you feel grateful at being able to share the honor of such a thing…" She smiled warmly up at the dragon, placing a hand onto Voidwing's claw. “You make it sound like this crimson here is a wonderful gem that is to be treasured above all else."

“Funny you should say that little princess. For those words from my experience can also be used to describe my paladin here as well." Veledar rumbled happily, curling his tail around the knight and wiggling it softly over the ground.

“And once more you get the treat of seeing how my dragon goes out of his way to be sweet to me. You'd never imagine he was so ferocious and brave."

“Most brave." Veledar smirked, placing his head into Arcturus lap with a snort and gently tap of his tail on the stone. “And very ferocious. I am the pinnacle of dragon-ness"

Arcturus sighed, enjoying the closeness as he stroked the top of his mate's head and let the conversations of his friends become a dull white noise as he closed his eyes. They were talking about applications of magic as far as he could tell. Shandalar was going to lengths about this spell she had prepared called Acid fog. Something she had found while within Roselake from a kobold merchant.

They waited for the downpour and wind to die down some before leaving their magically created shelter. Though much to their dismay that did not stop the lightning that kept appearing in the sky every few minutes. Veledar complained through clenched teeth about how irritated he was, and how much he hated the weather. Arcturus sighed and reassured the dragon it would all be over soon. They continued along the path laden with moss covered rocks and roots jutting out from every angle. This Arcturus did not mind, but it was when the rocky path had begun to get muddy is when his mood began to sour. He hated the mud.

It took effort to wade around the stuff, and not always been successful. On one such occasion the human frowned as the ground tried it's best to eat his foot. He pulled it free with a slurp. “I'm fine." He gestured to Voidwing, who had been beside him and close enough to try and catch him from stumbling.

“How are you not sinking into the mud?" Krotos shrieked out as he trotted along through the mud slickened path, his royal blue feathers all tattered with trace amounts of sticky mud. He was eyeing Merlia like she was some sort of villain that needed to be done away with. Arcturus didn't get why until he glanced over the red-haired woman from head to boot. It was then that he noticed not a single trace amount of mud had graced her leather boots. In fact, she wasn't sinking into the mud at all!

“Wut? Ya mean me walk on water spell? I tought it might be a wee bit useful on account of da rain." The dwarf motioned to her boots. “Never have I seen cleaner boots!"

“What about the rest of us? We've been slodging through the mud and getting filthy!"

“I tought you liked being filthy?" She rose a brow, fighting off a chuckle as Krotos' feathers fluffed.

“I certainly do, but not like this!" He extended a wing to show off his splotched wings, something that looked to visibly cause him pain. He glanced back to the ranger with a sigh. “Can you at least give us some of that spell as well?"

“I concur." Veledar curled his neck around to stare at the arms crossed dwarf. “I am rather sick of sinking into the mud as well. I demand that you share this spell with the rest of us."

“Ya can't handle a wee bit of mud?"

“No." The dragon wiggled his tail.

“I would also like the spell." Arcturus wiggled his boot in the air. “I'd rather not become a permanent addition to the ground."

“Fine, fine!" Merlia tossed her hands at Veledar, then at Arcturus. “Ya can have da spell. But don't blame me when we need others at that level!" She was quick to preform the hand gestures. Forming a symbol that looked like a droplet of water that lingered in the air with glowing aquamarine light. Thanks to her and Feku, everyone had this walk on water spell placed upon them. This surprised Arcturus as the bard had followed the ranger's movements almost to the letter. Soon casting the spell like she had done it for years and years. She had been all smiles, poking people with her claws as she practically danced in the rain.

From that point on the mud no longer gave them any trouble. There was a small lingering sense like dejavu lingering in the air, but Arcturus paid it no mind. The only thing he was concerned with was that his boots no longer sank into the mud. They instead walked over the soaked earth as if it were solid ground, not a single bit yielding to his boots or dragon paws. It even put a stop to Krotos' bickering which was always a good thing in his opinion.

“See dere Arcturus?" Merlia strolled proudly beside him, placing a thumb to her leather armored chest. “Da spell has it's uses. Dere was this one time I twas sunbathing in the month of Friin Suun. Don't give me dat look. I like me a good soak in the da sun now and den. Just ask our blue balled gryphon over dere!"

“My balls are grey!" Krotos chirped back, swishing his tail aside to flash them his round orbs covered in sure enough, grey fur. “Take a gander you two and don't forget!"

“Put those focken things away!" Lyndis cupped a ball of water, flinging it with a finger to smack the gryphon square in the eggs.

“Hey! Be gentile they are sensitive!" The gryphon leaped ahead, his tail instantly lowering to protect his precious gems.

“Sorry Krotos. I thought with the way you kept on bleeding showing them you were dying for attention."

“Not that kind of attention girl! You can touch them if you wish, even fondle them. Just don't hurt them!"

“Anyway!" Merlia grumbled loudly as Krotos slunk his way towards Veledar to mention how dreary the sky was. The gryphon squawked in dismay when the dragon grinned and made a crack about him getting smacked in the eggs.

“So…Why does it work on mud?" Arcturus asked, no longer looking at his feet to confirm that yes he was not sinking into the mud.

“Ya got me dere! It jus does!" Merlia shrugged. “I tink someone explained it ta me long ago cause mud has water mixed into it.

“And about that time at the lake?" Nivra asked sweetly. “You got sidetracked."

“Oh righ! Da lake!" The ranger held up a finger. “Well we were on our way to an island in da middle of a darn lake. Wouldn't ya know dis finger twiddling wizard we brought wit us burned our only boat and our pajama wearin monk was near useless in da spell department." Her face brightened as her thumb once more graced her chest as a smile spread to her lips. “ Twas I, Merlia Gallogalar dat saved da day dere. Got us off dat spec o land witout a wee bit a trouble…If you dun count a fresh water shark wit tentacles an electric grip a problem…

“Wait…" Arcturus nearly stumbled along the path. He laughed at the sheer absurdity of the mental image. “You got to be pulling my leg…What does it have…Like octopus arms?"

“A sharktapus" Nivra said, placing a finger to her chin with a grin. “Octoshark…Electric..Bity fish." Nivra extended a finger with each name.

“We're not calling it those." He sighed as Merlia just laughed.

“It be a better name den fresh water shark. Also, more accurate too. Fer yer information Arc. It DOES have octopus tentacles. Dey shock prey ifn it gets its slimy mits onta ya. Now dun get me wrong, dere be a time and place for tentacles…But not dese ones."

“The shocker." Nivra clenched her fist.

“Um.what?" Arcturus turned as the wizard repeated what she said. “Yea I heard you..What was that?" He snickered as the rest of the group soon started to after.

“What's so funny? That's like it's special move right?"

“Oh lass. You be too good." Merlia leaved over towards the wizard, whispering something into her ear that made her turn redder than Veledar's scaled ass.

“I didn't know that was a thing!"

Arcturus burst out laughing with everyone else except Shandalar, who just seemed annoyed at their “immaturity." He left the two girls to start talking about other rare animals that the ranger had seen. He figured she was trying her hardest to steer the conversation away from what had just transpired. He laughed to himself as the dwarf went on about animals she had hunted, tamed, or apparently wrestled.

He took a breath of the chilly air, wishing he was back in the cave with the warmth of his clothes about him again. Instead he was faced with the ever wetting cloth as the rain continued its assault against his senses. His eyes lingered on the slow swaying of his dragon's tail as he led them up the mountain with his head raised proudly as it always was. From the red's horned head, he focused on the dark billowing clouds that had no end in sight. Another arc of lightning lit up the grey expanse as it raced across the sky.

“Can you believe that story?" Voidwing chuckled as the rain started to pick up once again.

The dragon curled his head around to peak at the pair, his eye going to Voidwing before he slowed his pace and started to walk along Arcturus with an extended wing. He smiled at the red, who returned the gesture with a low rumble and only rolled his eyes when Voidwing thanked him as well.

“I was simply trying to shield my paladin from the rain little kittybird. I could care less if you look like a cat tossed into the river."

He sighed in content as the slight pitter patter of water against his mate's wings brought comfort to him and spreading to his fingertips. He rose a gloved hand, resting it on the dragon's shoulder as the path started to become more uneven again.

“Thor must be mighty mad up dere to be tossin around all dem tunderbolts." Merlia laughed as another flash of lightning filled the sky with its brilliant light.

“Or his brother disguised himself as a horse to make him mate him again…and hes…pisssssed." Lyndis snarked, tossing the dwarf a grim.

“Dat only happened once ya half eared harpy! Da great Thor would neva be tricked like dat again!"

“I hope not." Veledar stuck out his tongue, making a hacking noise. “Who in their right mind would be attracted to horses of all things?"

“That would surprise ya dragon! In fact I knew a friend o mine that was mighty attracted to centaurs. Best o both worlds dey said!"

“Hmmph." Veledar rolled his eyes, gesturing to his snout with a wing talon. “Why have a half human horse when you can be enchanted by a dragon?"

“Oh is dat right?" Merlia's brow rose like the tide. “I'll be sure ta tell everyone around yer tail be open for business! I'm sure many folks be fightin ta get a chance to pound ya tail something good."

“Me first!" Krotos laughed heartily, holding up one of his wings.

“Not like that." The dragon hissed, snapping at the air playfully as Krotos bounded away to keep up his teasing jaunts. It was when the gryphon had mentioned how Veledar would moan and milk his double knots did the red dragon suddenly break from his position to give chase with a growl. “That's it kittybird! Wait until I get my claws on you!"

“I'm sure we won't have time for that!" Krotos laughed, sprinting away from the dragon with a swish of his tail and scattering rocks and dirt in his wake.

“And…there goes my umbrella." Arcturus sighed as the rain that had been halted seemed to return with a vengeance.

“Do they do this often? The playing around bit. They…are playing right?" Nivra tried to peak up the path on her tippy toes as concern dripped from her words.

“Should be fine. Since the pair are getting closer they like to push each other's buttons. First thing to learn about dragons is that there is more beneath the scales, the regalness, the strength or even ferocity."

“Like the ability to run around snapping playfully at your friends?"

“Yea." He sighed with a quick chuckle escaping his throat. “Crimson can get like this from time to time. It just so happens beneath those scales of his beats the heart of a kind lover who is not afraid to be cute from time to time. There has been plenty of times that the red bum has melted my heart."

“I'd hope so! Especially since you keep calling each other mates. That's sorta like being married yes?"

The man shrugged, wishing his helmet wasn't on so he could rub the back of his neck. It started to itch something awful. “It's saying that we want to spend the rest of lives together if you mean that."

“Won't that be difficult then. Considering the vast differences in lifespan. You will hardly be a drop in the life that is his! You'll die way before him."

He knew that was the case, they had talked about it at times but it still made him grumble and look away. He gave a depressed sigh as the path suddenly felt longer and his limbs more tired. The princess must have known she had said something wrong because she instantly apologized.

“I didn't mean to bring up bad thoughts on the subject! How absentminded of me! Once more, I'm terribly sorry Arcturus. I was merely pointing out a fact on the subject. Of course you know about it..How could you not?"

He held up his hand, silencing her as she began to ramble and talk in circles and look rather flustered each moment she was doing it. “No apologies are needed princess. It's an easy mistake to judge. While it's true our lives our…different. We agreed to enjoy the time we got, just like everyone else. He also doesn't' like to talk about it much. If you ask me it terrifies him to the very core of his being. One of the only things that actually does." He gestured to Voidwing with wave of his hand. “Surely you must be familiar on that topic as well, considering your choice of lovers."

“Right…" Nivra bit her lip, looking to the ground as if her feet were vastly more interesting than anything else around them. “When you put it like that…I never thought about it." She leaned up against the black gryph, sliding an arm around his neck. She pressed her cheek up against his wet fur as he extended a wing to shield them from the rain with a concerned chirp. “Love you soft paws."

He closed his mouth, figuring it be better if he did not poke and make the princesses heart ache even more. Besides, with the way they were talking back and forth about one another he doubted he would register to their ears anyway. He set his eyes to the dwindling trees ahead as the path seemed to widen enough for two dragons to walk side by side. Thankfully he didn't have to be an expert tracker to see the large gashes left behind by his dragon and Krotos in their little game of catch the kittybird. He laughed to himself hoping that they truly didn't find them in a rather compromising situation. Course the bloody gryphon would probably like that. Though when they usually started these chasing matches they made sure to come back every now and then to check up on them.

“Hey what's taking you two so long?' Arcturus shouted with a cheerly laugh as he led the rest of his companions up the slope. His hand snapped to his sword when gryphon and dragon came into focus. The pair stood with swaying tails, muscles tensed, and they were not alone.

Standing before the dragon who had his wings flared out threatening were five beings of tremendous size. They stood ten feet tall with loose fitting leathers that looked to be torn to rags with sections hanging off at weird spots. They were humanoid in shape with oily looking green skin that was covered in bumps with an assortment of red dots every now and then. Their ears were twisted together and pointed and bounced as they laughed with jagged yellow teeth. Their orange slitted eyes flicked towards Arcturus and company as they flexed their large oversized hands with onyx sharpened talons.

“What do we ave ere?" The lead creature chuckled, sounding unconcerned to be confronted with so many humanoids all in one space. He nudged his fellows like it was all a big joke. “You didn't mention ya brought friends of yers for us to play wit!"

Arcturus and the others drew their weapons with small hisses as the creatures growled and continued to laugh away.

“And dey brought little sticks to eat dem with!" One of the creatures cackled, the human skeletal bones around his neck bouncing with each breath. “Little toothpicks!"

“Now..Why don't you things just back away slowly before I have to introduce you to my claws." Veledar growled, “Or my friends decide to gut you open like a pig ready for the roast. I can assure you that we can make sure you get very well acquainted with the ground. Or do you forget that my flames can stop your regeneration troll?"

“That right?" The lead troll laughed. “Ya got us all figured out do ya? Listen to this lizard tell us about us Zufem" He nudged the troll closest to him with a nod. “Listen here ya red lizard. Only ting we need ta be considering is where to hang dose nice scales of yers in our cave. I tink they gonna look real sweet."

Though his friends fanned out Arcturus could feel his heart starting to beat a tad faster. He could feel it his gut something was off. The orcs while stupid had shown no fear for the dragon because of their numbers. This was different. If they were indeed trolls, then the fire comment should have at least given them pause. Especially when you considered there were nine of them. “Need any help Crimson?" He asked, tightening his grip on his sword as it started to radiate a small aura of cerulean light. “You seem to make friends everywhere we go!"

“Oh I was doing fine!" The dragon laughed loudly, eyes never leaving the menacing looking trolls. “That was until the gryphon here opened his beak and offered to have sex with these….gentlemen? Gentlewoman?" The dragon tilted his head to the side. “I never did stop to ask if they were female or male…course they are so ugly I couldn't tell.."

“I have literally done nothing wrong!" Krotos squawked indignantly, “Don't go pinning this on me because you thought you could handle them alone! And I did not offer to have sex with them!"

“Oi! Lyndis shouted, twirling her rapier in her hand as Arcturus took a warry step. “Don't know why ya seem so smug, but I don't really care! Leave us the fock alone and we won't have ta be stabbing ya faces or slicing off ya balls!. We kinda got really good at handling monsters like yerself on a regular basis! We even ploughed through an army of undead to get here ya know!"

“Yea!' Nivra called out, sticking her staff out in a threatening manner. “You'll get to see how they plough you!"

The lead troll just burst out laughing. “Want to rephrase that pumpkin?" They only laughed harder as the wizard's cheeks reddened in realization. “Thing is youse got onto our mountain. And ya see…nobody just roams around on our mountain without paying da price."

“What about da undead?" One of the trolls with a half-eaten ear asked, scratching his rear with his talons. “Dey didn't pay no fee…and dey took our bridge. How come dey didn't pay?"

“Cause" The lead troll rolled his eyes with a sigh. “Dey had a whole army. An I dun wanna end up all undeadified like dose guys and dis lot look easier by a far margin."

“Easy?" Veledar barred his teeth. “I don't know what magic has struck you with stupidity troll, but a dragon stands before you with his assembled force of highly trained mortals. You should be quivering in fear in this moment. Petrified with what we can do to you. Or if you're feeling rather risky you could go leave and take a bath, perhaps wash off that smell that lingers on you that's worse than a horse's ass."

“Why you dun go smelling horse's asses?" The troll from before asked, tilting his head to the side as his posture laxed. “Seems a rather odd ting fer a dragon to do. Unless dat be yer kink o course."

“I don't like to sniff horses' rears!"

“Just human paladins named Arcturus!" Merlia laughed.

“We are trying to intimidate them Merlia! Not make them laugh!"

“Ya coulda fooled me!" The dwarf's shoulders bounced, hiding her wary stare towards the creatures with another laugh.

“Enough!" Shandalar's voice came as loud as the thunder that shook the hills. “Before this conversation devolves into the state of mindless drivel I must protest. Now trolls.." The woman's brow narrowed into a cold stare. “Myself and my companions here are on an important quest that does not need to be delayed by the likes of you." She gestured to the dragon and then to the others while little curls of flames twisted around her finger tips. “We have the means to easily dispatch you should you try to attack us, and we have the strength of a dragon. I would think wisely before you wind up being a simple random encounter that lacked the brain cells required to understand the dire situation they have come across. The choice seems fairly cut and dry, come at us and you will be put down with spells and weapons."

“Dry?" The torn ear troll held up his palm, letting the rain splatter against the small valley. “Wat you talking bout knife ears? It can't be dry its bleedin rainin out!"

“You know what she meant!" Arcturus growled as Shandalar held her fingers to the bridge of her nose and let out a heavy sigh.

“OI!" The lead troll put up his hand, “Human…youse a human right? Can't tell cause da ting on ya 'ead." His orange eyes went from the human's armor to that of Veledar who had begun to slowly pace across the wet ground with a flicking tail. “You lot got sum fancy gear. Part wit some of dat and we will let ya go."

“Yer not getting me bow!" Merlia shook her fist. “Ya can have some of me arrows up yer backside ya hill skinned, rag wearin orange eyed pine tree! Ya can't even use our gear any way!"

“Youse be right about dat." The troll gestured to his pouches that lined his leather belt, then to the necklace of human bones that encircled his neck. “Consider us a collector of tings. You only make us want yer stuff more!"

“Dats it den!" Merlia unslung her bow with a hearty laugh. “I've been waiting all day fer a fight!" She knocked an arrow with a grin. “Which one of ya ugly bastards wants an arrow in da eye? Don't worry bout me runnin out I got plenty ta share!"

Just like that Arcturus watched the situation reach the boiling point and run over the pot. He sighed as the trolls let loose loud roars that loosed their spittle into the rain filled air. His grip on his sword tightened as white light flowed around the dark as midnight blade. The sound may have struck fear into the likes of lesser people from these towering figures but not them. With an uttering of the phrase for his strength band Arcturus' felt a flame spark inside of him as the light weight of his armor suddenly vanished. His next step carried the strength of a flame giant as he raised his sword and steeled his nerves for combat. When the creatures leapt at him he side stepped and cut a line into it's green hide. The being's claws cracked as it struck the stone, savoring the surprised look in the creature's eyes. Trolls are simple enough. They regenerate their body unless exposed to flames. He avoided the next ferocious strike as the other's joined in the fight.

Claws slashed through the air, arrows were loosed from Merlia's bow, Gryphon beaks tore into green hides with keening cries as the land cried and thundered around them. The trolls tried to rip into them as the ground broke and scattered in their wake but each one was deflected by shields, avoided by Lyndis acrobatics, or magical shields summoned by the likes of his friends or amulets their carried. If not for those he and his friends would have been in a much tighter spot as he took advantage of a troll distracted by a firebolt by Lyndis and sliced the creature's hand clean off with a flash of white light. He smirked when the vile thing recoiled, thankful to the gods that they could toss around so much magic that they could be considered a small army among themselves. With his next breath he uttered the phrase for elemental weapon, encasing his own blade in glorious white flames that shined through the dreary day and wrapped Veledar's claws in a red fire of their own. He sliced into the recoiling troll, taking its leg with his next strike and shouting out his victory over the creature as it slammed into the ground with a thud.

Victory was short lived as the thing snarled, it's limbs suddenly sprouting forth like weeds and reaching full size in a matter of seconds with a sickening slurp. The new appendages dripped a thick green ooze as the troll smirked, letting its jagged teeth be on full display as combat raged around it. Something wasn't right. Fire wasn't working.

“Aren't trolls weak against fire?" Veledar roared, his claws digging into one of the trolls as he pounced onto the thing with a thrashing tail. “This one seems immune to it!" The dragon dipped his head, trapping the troll's own in his maw before ripping it off with a mighty snarl. Within the span of a second the head had regrow and the trolls sharpened claws dug through the dragon's scales., splattering the ground in blood.

“Ai whats up wit dat?" Merlia let fly a fire arrow that struck the troll Veledar was entangled with right in the head. The wooden shaft glowing white before exploding in a firely blast that made the beast's head splatter in several directions before Veledar retreated with a growl. The quick dwarf bounded away from another one that had charged right through Krotos and Voidwing to try and lash at her with its gleaming talons. She cackled away, loosing an arrow into the thing's eye before tumbling away. “Ya should keep a better eye on tings ya quick growin bastard!" She rolled away from it's angry flailings. “Any ideas lads? I be all ears at dis point!"

Arcturus' boots touched the ground as the battle raged around them. Slicing them with swords wasn't doing much as the creature's wounds seemed to heal in a manner of moments. He knew they needed to find the troll's weakness before they were brought low and someone was hurt. He could see already that despite the regeneration these trolls never seemed to be losing their stamina. If this kept up, then they would exhaust themselves until their attackers eventually overcame them.

“Perhaps they are not standard trolls then? That might be the error in our thinking." Shandalar slid beside him with a calm voice, gesturing with her hands towards a large transparent yellow hand that lifted up a troll like a plaything and slammed it against an aging tree. While the trunk shattered with a crack the troll did not. “They seem to be rather resilient to most things." Her brow furrowed as the beast ripped free of her hand, only to be smashed down to the ground by a shimmering minotaur wielding a ghostly looking hammer. “Perhaps another element is required?"

“I've read about these!" Nivra exclaimed, bounding over as she avoided one of the beasts flailing limbs. It was pressed back by the combined effort of Voidwing and Krotos slashing at the troll's legs before a ball of fire slammed into its chest and sent it toppling over with a roar. The wizard wiped the water from her face.

“What have you read?" Arcturus pressed a hand to his chest, reciting the words for the spell bull's strength. It would boost his strength for a little bit, but more importantly also boost that of the dragon that was currently fighting off two of the green brutes with forceful strikes from his paws and tail.

“Thank you mate!" The red dragon roared, easily tossing aside the trolls that had leapt at him into rocks further up the path. While the hardened surfaces splintered and shattered apart, the trolls shook their heads and rose up as if nothing had happened. “Just stay down you stupid things!"

“I'd bloody listen to him!" Lyndis laughed, hiding her concern as four copies of her ran around a troll almost making the green humanoid's head spin off.

“I think they are infernal trolls." Nivra said, pointing out with her staff to the collective group. “They are a rare breed. But they do have the quirk that flames don't do what is required, but instead it's acid that you need. They also have regeneration qualities that are much stronger than the normal troll."

“Exactly!" Shandalar held up a hand already starting to draw a sigil in the air. “Do you have an acid spell my apprentice?"

“No." The wizard frowned, raising up her hands to wall several of the trolls with a prison of summoned ice.

“I have some." Arcturus held up his sword, focusing on the elemental sword spell from before, but instead of fire he thought of acid to coat his blade. Sure enough just like the flames, now a green shimmering liquid coated his blade and dripped softly onto the ground. He peaked up to see that the effect was duplicated to his dragon, having the intended effect as the dragon sliced deep into a troll with a snap of his jaws.

“You didn't regenerate that did you?" The dragon gasped, eyes glancing to his claws and letting out a trill. “Looks like my mate figured out your weakness!" Veledar grinned, tackling the surprised troll with a roar.

“Mind lending a hand?" Lyndis backflipped away from one of the trolls, it's claw smashing into the ground and scattering dirt and rock in little waves.

“No problem!" Arcturus charged at the one chasing after her and muttered the word for his band. With a surge of warmth, he lashed out with his glowing sword and claimed both of the creature's claws for the effort.

“Thanks clanky!" Lyndis gave him a salute as the troll backed away in horror at its missing body parts. The rogue flung a ball of fire into another one's face that had just smacked Krotos aside with a long swipe of its claw. “Oi ugly!" She roared, flipping the green humanoid the bird. “Why not pick on someone yer own size!"

When the trolls set its eyes on her, Arcturus twirled his blade and readied his stance. Though he did not see the lead troll that broke away from the others and lowered its shoulder towards him.

“I see what ya did there shiny!" The green monster struck Arcturus with the force of a stampeding bull, sending the knight flying backwards at an alarming rate towards the trees. Pain coursed through his right side, but that hardly mattered as the forest came rushing towards him in the manner of a seconds. His eyes winced, but the pain never came. He felt himself strike something, but it didn't hurt in the slightest. It was as if he had crashed into a giant pillow and fell to the soft ground. He opened his eyes to see that Feku was looking at him with a gleaming smile and a raised bow of her violin.

“Who asked ya ta pound our paladin like dat? Dat's da dragons job!" Merlia shouted, loosing a pair of arrows into that troll's eyes faster than Arcturus could push himself to a standing position. The beast roared its frustration and flailed wildly away before ripping out the arrows with a snarl.

“Are you okay>: Nivra came running over with concern flickering in her eyes.

“I think the little bard caught me with a feather fall." He groaned, feeling little sparks of pain course through his right arm. With a thought to Bahamut he touched the aching appendage with a glowing white hand. Warmth spread through him as the pain suddenly dulled and faded away with a manner of breaths. “Nothing that can't be fixed." He took a few steps realizing his sword no longer was glowing. The impact broke his concentration on the spell. “That was my last spell of that level. So I hope you or Shandalar there has something with acid. Or we might have to consider retreat." He grit his teeth as he watched the tired faces of his friends clash against the seemingly unending stamina of the trolls. The ones that he had sliced into had now regrown what limbs they had lost.

“I have the acid fog..but It's covered area is too much for this area. It will cover the trolls and ourselves" Shandalar practically danced over, her movements fluid as she flung out spell after spell from her extended two fingers.

“Can't you put holes in the spell like everything else?" He defensively stood as the wizard slid passed him.

“Not enough holes to cover all TEN of us. That is simply out of the scope of my abilities. If I cast the spell there is a good chance that we will be consumed by the very spell meant to save us."

“Then we coral them into an area to use it and stop the fog." Nivra folded one arm across her chest, watching as the others struggled to keep on their toes. One of her fingers began to twirl through her hair. “Does anyone have a spell to contain a fog? My walls can't stop it."

Silence lingered in the air between them as a troll went to slash at Krotos, it's blow being deflected by a shimmering blue light that sprung out of thin air. It looked like Gus was still looking out for the blue gryphon. Arcturus grit his teeth. “Merlia!" He suddenly exclaimed as the dwarf ran by shouting about stabbing the trolls in their balls. “She has a wall out of wind!"

“Perfect!" Nivra nearly jumped. “Can we use her to wrap the area around the trolls? That would stop the fog from escaping and burning us!"

“It will take some coordination on our part, but I think we can do such a thing." Shandalar smirked, giving a nod to the mage. “Nice thinking apprentice. MERLIA!"

“What elf?" The ranger rolled out of the way of a savage strike. “I'm be kinda busy!"

“We need you over right away!" The elf pointed a finger towards her throat, eyes briefly shutting before her voice suddenly came thundering from her. “My companions, coral them into a tight formation against one another. Do this with haste! It might be our only possible chance to defeat these cretons!"

“You heard the wizard!" Veledar snarled, smacking a troll on his ass. “Make them a pile!"

“Bloody right!" Lyndis forced one back with four beams of concentrated flames striking it square in the face and a forceful push from Voidwing smacking it in the chest with a flap of his wings.

“What ya need?" Merlia rolled away as Asterion grew to ten feet tall and kicked a troll hard enough in the chest with his hoof to send it sprawling backwards with a snarl.

Shandalar explained the plan as Arcturus charged the last two trolls that still stood their ground. He whispered the last charge of his band, leaping towards the smug creatures with a mighty yell. His sword smashed into the creature's torso but claws soon caught him. Despite his strength he lacked the mass to tumble it over. The troll grinned but it was very short-lived. Krotos screeched out a cry before adding his own bulk, sending the troll toppling over and loosening his grip enough for the paladin to free himself.

“Now!" Shandalar cried out, twirling her hands around to form the shape of a cloud that glew a sickly green in the air. From the ground of the trolls burst forth a sudden thick green cloud that enveloped all the trolls in the blink of an eye. For a moment Arcturus thought they were going to be enveloped despite him leaping away with everyone else, but to his relief the fog suddenly stopped as the winds surged and raged around the area.

Like a whirlwind had been summoned forth the ferocious, howling winds wrapped around the five trolls and thick green cloud like a coiling serpent. In-human screams came from within the enclosed area as the trolls no doubt were starting to melt away from the combined spells. Grim satisfaction filled his heart as his tired arm lowered his sword. No longer would those beasts plague the lands and injure innocent travelers. “It's over."He gasped, the air sweetly filling his lungs as the reminder of exhaustion started to creep into his limbs.

“Look at dem melt!" Merlia crossed her arms with a laugh. “Dis be a tale for da ages! Five infernal trolls taken down! It calls for a celebration I tink!" The dwarf spit a wad onto the turned-up earth. “Dats what ya git for trying ta bash our heads in! How many does that count fer dragon?"

“Five." Veledar grumbled, strolling over to Arcturus with a limp on his left hind.

“Are you okay?" Arcturus asked, his heart skipping a beat as he saw blood dripping down his mate's leg.

“Nothing that your tender touch can't heal." The red snarked, curling his head around as Arcturus rose his hands and pressed the glowing fingers to the crimson splattered wound. In an instant the gash sealed himself and the dragon's eyes closed in bliss. “So…good."

“I can tell." Arcturus breathed in deep, feeling what magic he worked on Veledar flow into him as well. In an instant the exhaustion that plagued him melted away, almost as easily as the blood being washed away by the rain. With a few tender licks and a kiss from his dragon they gathered around with the others sharing their words of encouragement.

“That was thrilling!" Nivra was beaming, eyes locking onto the pile of green gore that had once been the trolls. “Those things were terrifying and you bested them..All of you!"

“Don't forget yer help lass." Merlia gave her a wink, nudging Krotos who was staring in horror at the blood that coated his blue feathers. “Course now I could be usin a nap. Damn trolls took all out of me!"

“More so then the gryphon prostitutes?" Arcturus chuckled as Veledar's head rested on his shoulder, and Merlia tossed him a coy smile.

“Okay…probably on da same level of dat actually."

Asterion held up his hands after thanking Korde for a most thrilling battle. His hands started to radiate a warm white light that spread through the air like a swarm of insects.

“What are you doing there?" He asked Lyndis as the magic coursed around him, making the cold rain feel nonexistent as he tilted his head to the kneeling rogue.

“If the bloody things had anything on them it melted with the focken spell." She sighed, resting her limbs on her knees. “Not that I mind, but it would have been sodding great to get some kind of loot off this lot."

The paladin's eyes went to the overturned and practically shattered path. Stones littered every which way coated in blood and splintered trees. “I suppose Merlia could always track their trials back to their lair. She did mention being tired…Maybe we could hold up there for a bit to rest?" He glanced to the weary faces that were all still discussing the battle and talking about the green acid had finished off the lumbering trolls.

“Could be good….Merlia?" The rogue shot up, striding over to the ranger who was busy collecting her loosed arrows.

“Well look at you." Arcturus strode over to Nivra, who was leaning up against Voidwing and looking as though she could barely stand. “One day in and you're already an asset to the team." The knight nudged at Veledar when the dragon slunk on over to listen in. “Isn't that right Crimson?"

“It apparently seems that way." The dragon snorted, dragging the human over to Lyndis with a rumble. “And now let's see about this lair business. I could use with a rest and get this horrid taste of troll out of my mouth."

********

Thanks for reading along! Don't forget to vote and fav the story so people know to read it! If you want to leave a comment feel free to do so, let me know I'm not just hollering this story out into the void.

If you would like to support me in bringing these tales to life. You can purchase the first book here in both ppyshical and digital copies. It is a more edited form, has a prologue and epilogue featuring Skywing not seen online, and a bonus 36k word story called "One Good Deed." That features Arcturus at age twelve and a little adventure that helped shape him into the knight he is today!

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