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Malone Chapter 1

Cpl. Andrew Malone sat in the turret of his Humvee as his column drove through the sandy streets of an Afgan city. He looked over the balcony’s and roof tops, keeping his gun fixed straight ahead. Scanning for targets. Kids playing in the street corners and alleys gave the false sense of peace, something him and the other Marines had come to know all to well.

This was his second tour, he gained rank after the last tour, he also lost some good friends. This patrol he volunteered to take a private’s position in the turret seat of the lead Humvee. Rooftops and balcony’s, always the rooftops. He thought to himself, a phrase one of his sergeants last tour used. His finger near the trigger and his eyes blinking sweat from his eyes, the air was nearly 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

I can’t wait to leave this sandbox, this’ll be my last tour, then it’s back to being a regular joe. Maybe find a relationship or something to get invested in. He mused in his mind. Though suddenly the hair on his neck stood at end, his hands turned sweaty. He could sense it, something was going to happen.

With a sudden jolt the front of the Humvee lifted off the ground, everything went in slow motion. He clung to M2 browning, and the armor walls around him. The Humvee groaned and slowly fell back down slamming down on its front axels. The IED took the front wheels off and the front half of the engine was imbedded in the windshield and across the front of Andrew’s gunshield.

With ears ringing Malone fixed his gun on the building at the end of the road, a T junction they had been heading for. The windows suddenly turned to hell, muzzle flashes flaring across many of the windows, across all four stores.

Soldiers started disembarking the Humvees, Malone held down the trigger for two to three seconds at a time. The resounding thumping of .50 caliber rounds filled the air, the gun’s recoil thumping away into his arms.

_Always with IEDS! _Malone yelled in his head, his belt shortening rapidly until his gun stopped with a loud ‘CLUNK!’. He started cursing and tore the box from it’s holder and chunked it away leaning down to grab another. He found only one can, the rest strewn way in the back of the Humvee out of reach.

During the moments of his gun’s silence, the insurgents opened fire on his Humvee and the rest of the men through out the column. He stood back up in the turret and slammed the fresh can into the holder before dragging the belt into the gun. Slapping the cover down and cocking back the charging handle, his M2 roaring back to life. Blowing fist sized holes in the mud brick building, though the fire started to come from roof tops above him.

Though Malone didn’t realize this until after an Insurgent popped his head up three buildings down on his left and fired a lucky round into his shoulder. The AK round hit him hard enough to force him off the gun and slamming him into the armor panel behind him. Driving the breath from his lungs.

It felt as though a hot steel rod was being pushed into his shoulder. “I’m Hit!” Malone yelled out in pain, gritting his teeth as his breath finally came back.

In anger he yanked the M4 from the mount inside the turret’s armored ring, rising his weapon he let two well placed shots rip. Taking the insurgent in the upper torso, his shoulder screamed as his weapon recoiled against the wound.

The pain grew, and Malone could feel an odd liquid warmth slowly spreading down his chest and side soaking his desert uniform red with blood. The tans of Marpat-D turning crimson slowly, while he sank into the Humvee. One of his fireteam leaned into the door and grabbed him from the Humvee pulling him behind the vehicle.

“Jesus Malone, what are you doing getting yourself shot like that!” The man yelled as he applied pressure as he tore a bandage open with his teeth. Spitting the package away he shook the bandage free and applied it to Malone’s shoulder tightly.

During all this things suddenly went from bad to worse, as roofs above them suddenly exploded with weapons fire, rounds ripping through the Marines. Malone watched in utter horror as a hand grenade fell near them. He tried to grab the young private shove him behind the Humvee, to the other side. But the young man leapt on Malone dragging him down onto his side, his face pressed into the Man’s armor.

“NOO-“ Malone screamed into the plate carrier, only to be cut off by the force of the grenade exploding sending a wave of force and heat over the two marines. With ears ringing Malone pushed his fellow marine off him as the man was now limp, dead. The corporal reached for the dead soldier’s rifle. Pulling the M16 from the soldier’s 3-point sling, with the click of a buckle. He shouted out in rage and a war cry of fury that any Marine could let out in moments like these. come get me Fucker!

“Come on! Take me Motherfuckers!” He yelled and fired shots into two of the insurgents above, to focused on the retreating Humvees breaking out of the ambush. Malone fired his weapon until it went dry, His hand snatched another magazine from the ammo pouch on the dead man who still lay across his legs. They want a piece of a Devildog I’ll give it to em!

Deep down he knew he was going to die as he cramed a new mag into the rifle, but he knew he was going to die with his brothers. No marine could fell bad about that, it would be honorable to go out fighting like his brothers. With a fresh mag in his gun Malone slapped the mag release and fired on a few Insurgents trying to advance on him from an alleyway nearby letting training take over.

He suddenly turned at the sound of foot steps nearby, only to see a rifle butt rushing towards his face. He sloppily deflected it with his rifle, blood loss starting to get the better of him as he drew his pistol from his chest holster.

Malone fired a good few rounds into the man’s chest the Iraqi toppled over gurgling noisily, only for Malone to take a bullet to the chest from a man moving up the column of Humvees. A man of his 20s maybe, brandishing an SKS. Malone yelled out as his chest exploded in pain his plate took the round. He managed to get a few shots off. Two finding their mark, his 1911’s slide locked back, signaling the end of his life like the toll of bells.

Shit… empty…. Was the last though he had before he was stormed by three more insurgents all three firing away into him. His body armor crumbling after the first two shots, the rest piercing him like hot iron nails, his hands still grasping for the M16 in his lap as he slid to his side.

When the firing finished Malone was laying on his side looking up at the blue sky. He lips quivering with last pained breaths coughing up thick globs of blood, So, beautiful, I guess…. This is it. See you boys on the other side… He thought with a tear dripping from his cheek to the sand.

Darkness flooded over Malone stripping him of the feeling of his body, he felt cold then warm again raising, then coming to a halt. He soon found himself standing in a white world, he looked around he was sill dressed in battle gear. Just not so ridden with holes. He shivered at the thought, before clutching his chest.

He looked up and saw a door open, then jumped as loud slamming of a door echoed behind him. Turning Malone saw a wooden door closed behind him, an engraving of the marine Emblem of the top of the door frame. Then it slowly fading into nothingness. He looked back at the large open door and walked forward the sound of his boot echoing into nothingness, at the top if the stone door way was a dragon etched into the stone.

He stopped in front of the door looking into a hallway, with wooden walls and a wooden floor. where…. Where am I? He thought as he took one last look around the empty white world on last time, before finally stepping through the door.

He walked down the hallway only 4 meters long and rested his gloved hand on the round doorknob. With a deep breath he whispered, “Here goes nothing”.

Malone opened the door and entered what seemed like the antechamber of a massive stone palace. He looked around in awe at the white marble walls painted with the murals of great warriors. Knights in plate mail and dragons fighting undead hordes. Above his head he noticed a massive Fresco depicting a grand Dragon made of Silver Metal scales. His wings spread wide and shining down upon all sorts of races.

Some he noticed from movies like Lord of the Rings, with Elves, Dwarves, and humans of course, though as he followed it darkness soon spread over the people. A group of evil dragons rained over all creatures, one City though in the center stood like a beacon of hope. He walked along head looking straight back as he followed the mural.

Soldiers mained walls and kept dragons at bay with Cannon’s that fired bright red beams. But also, from the city came mages holding intricate golden boxes and each box held a crystal of different color. Which with the help of knights wielding magic and sword captured each one of the evil dragons that ruled over the mortal races. Lesser dragons of light and dark were killed by these knights. The fresco even showed some begging for their lives before hordes of men before being killed, while others went down killing innocent and soldier alike.

The wars between the nations of men and other races filled out the rest of the Fresco. Malone looked back down and found himself standing before an archway made of white granite. He looked down into the tunnel and saw nothing but darkness. I’ve come this far, no going back. Only forwards.

Malone strode into the tunnel and his boots echoed as they tapped on the stone. He walked for a good thirty seconds before oddly enough. The noise stopped and the sound of grass under his boots came, he reached down running a glove through the grass. Feeling wet dew soak through the cloth, light slowly started to grow around him.

Then the sounds of nature, soon he heard crickets and cicada. Malone stood and found himself standing in large forest, lightning bugs floating around. Bringing a smile to his face, just like Tennessee in the summer.

It was like home, pine and hard woods, the moon’s light dancing across the forest floor and stars peaking out between the leaves. Malone padded from the clearing he was in and found a game trail. He padded along, enough light coming from the moon to allow him to navigate. The path ended at the mouth of a cave.

The marine sighed feeling suddenly tired and worn out, everything from the ambush rushing back. Mixed emotions; grief, guilt, sadness, and anger.

I wonder if the others are okay, if they are someplace better. Maybe they found heaven, I got a feeling I made a wrong turn. Malone thought to himself as he walked into the cave. He found a smooth bowl like indention in the ground. He dropped his pack and realized he had all his expedition gear that was in the Humvee on him. Water, food, sleeping mat and all. He didn’t think about it too much as he just took the mat out and lay it in the bowl. Putting bag down and using it as a pillow he closed his eyes drifting off to sleep with his rifle across his legs.

---

Damryn awoke from a fitful sleep, he yawned and stretched like a cat his body shivering in a wave starting from his nose to tail tip. He slowly relaxed from the stretch and then yawned again, before he padded toward the entrance of his cave. Passing his piles of gold and trinkets, though his most prize treasure was a stack of books hidden inside a golden chest. He looked over his horde with happiness.

books, gold, shiny things, a human sleeping in the entrance…. The dragon thought casually still waking up only to double take on that last thought. His eyes fixated on the strange human sleeping in a slight bowl in the cave floor. oh gods, is he dragon slayer. I’ve never seen one like him, though why is he sleeping…? the dragon tilted his head.

Damryn slowly padded closer, eyes wide and his body low like he was stalking prey. He stretched his neck out looking over the human over with his golden eyes. I could just kill him… he’s sleeping, he wouldn’t put up a struggle. Then he wouldn’t be able to kill me. The dragon debated internally as he sat next to the sleeping human. He unsheathed a claw looking at it then to the man’s throat. Imagining slicing it and the human thrashing as he choked on his own blood. He shook the images from his head.

but why would a Dragon slayer sleep in my cave? he would have known I was here… where are the others and gryphons to bring me down. All I smell is this human, it… it can’t be a trick. Can it? the dragon shook his head again and snorted softly. Only one way to find out

The dragon sheathed his claw and with a deep breath he pounced the man, who gave out a startled cry. Damryn pressing down on his chest with a large paw pinning the human and growling loudly. The human’s reaction was like many put in this situation, pure panic. Though he was struggling with a long black oddly shaped thing, but the dragon was to close and it slapped against his scales harmlessly as the man tried to maneuver it.

Though he soon dropped and Damryn grinned as the man must have admitted defeat and opened his jaws to speak. “Goo-“ was all he got out before he roared loudly in pain, three quick loud bangs filled the air. Damryn’s ears rang as he stumbled back his chest burning with fiery pain.

“W-What magic is this!?!” Damyrn growled in shock as he looked down to see the blood welling out of three holes in his chest. The man was breathing heavily holding a smoking metal object, his eyes wide. “Answer me human!”

“BANG!” Damryn fliched as a loud snap cracked near his ear, followed by a warbling sound echoing down the cave behind him. The dragon lowering his body in fear, not knowing what was happening.

The human’s hands shook as he scrambled to a knee and held up his large black stick thing, pointing it at Damryn, who only let out a whimpering growl of pain. The human flicked a switch on the side of the black metal weapon. His eyes looked over the cowering Damryn, and slowly lowered his weapon.

All the man said was “You can speak?” his eyes filled with confusion and curiosity.

---

Malone heard nothing as large paws fell onto his chest pinning him to the stone floor, his eyes shot open seeing as pair of golden orbs glaring down at him with anger and… fear. The human at first thought he was staring into the cat like eyes of a cougar. But once he looked down quickly to bring his rifle up to shoot the cat, he realized he wasn’t dealing with a cat but a dragon.

ShitshitshitshitFUCK he quickly grabbed his pistol just as the dragon opened his green jaws to take what Malone thought was a bite out of his face, causing him to triple tap the creature in its cream-colored chest, 3 loud barks of his 1911 filled the air.

The dragon stumbled off him roaring in pain and Malone held his arms straight his shaking sights aimed at the beast’s head. If it came at him again he would fire.

“What Magic is-“ Was all he heard before pulling the trigger, his bullet missing and Malone watched the beast recoiled and crouch low with fear. Though he realized. Did it just try to talk?

He slid his pistol into its holster and raised his M4 clicking the selector to full-auto. As he stared down the holo-sight at the cowering dragon, his finger moved for the trigger. But then he heard that pathetic whimpering growl coming from the dragon. Malone realized that the creature had no fight left.

“You talk?” He asked inquisitively, making sure he hadn’t been mistaken.

The dragon glared at him with piercing angry eyes, “Of course I do, you stupid human.

“You going to eat me?” Malone asked boldly, the dragon snarled at him in response.

“You mortals taste horrible”

Malone sat back keeping his rifle ready and sighed, most people he shot didn’t get quippy back at him. Then again, most things died when having three .45 slugs lodged in their chest. “let me rephrase that, are you going to try to kill me?”

The green scaled dragon was silent and glared at him for a long moment before looking away and muttering a soft “No”.

Malone let go of his rifle and let it drop fully against his chest and started unhooking a pouch with a red cross across the front of it. He stood up and padded just out of the dragon’s reach, looking at the large beast’s chest wounds. His free hand still resting again the grip of his rifle ready for if anything got out of hand. He grimaced as he looked at the cream-colored chest scales starting to turn crimson with blood.

“Look I can help you, if you just tell me were I am” Malone said wanting to help, but also needing information.

The dragon tilted his head, cocked it back looking the strange human up and down. “You don’t know were you are? Are you a stupid human?”

Malone just sighed internally now its an insulting dragon lizard thing, great how much worse can this possibly get.

Malone was about to ask another question when another roar broke lose, and a dragon that looked extremely similar to the one laying on the floor except blue. it shot towards him with total rage in its eyes. Aaaand there’s the jinx.

He raised his rifle trying to level it with the oncoming dragon, his finger sliding for the trigger when a loud yell from the dragon came. “STOOP!!”

Malone felt the green dragon tackled him from behind, swatting the the rifle down and away. The long arm clattered across the floor and the blue came skidding to a halt as the green dragon snarled at the blue. “Stop both of you!”

Malone was uncomfortably pinned under the large green scaled beast, the warm patter of hot blood hitting his face made him blink with each drop. With annoyance he pulled an adhesive gauze patch from the pack still in his hand and tore open the package. Malone pressed it to the wound that was dripping on him and flinched back deeper under the green when the blue nearly struck him for putting the strange bandage on the green.

“What is the meaning of this Damyrn, he is not one of mother’s humans and your bleeding. Explain! before I kill this intruding Bramorian dog.” The blue dragon said with a spiteful snarl. Eyes blazing with hate and the need to murder.

Malone swallowed, and kept sticking bandages to the other two wounds before slipping out from the dragon. Wiping his face clean with pieces of gauze “I’m an American not whatever the hell you just called me.”

The blue dragon grinded his claws across the stone and through gritted hissed “If I hear one more word out of your mouth lesser mortal. I will gut you and leave you for the crows…”

Malone wasn’t prone to buckling under insults and he still had his pistol, and he held his hand at the ready. The green dragon moved between them and Malone slowly relaxed some still shifting his stance in nervousness ready to dodge and draw.

“Brother he would kill you first… Please just sit down.” The green dragon said in a tone that must have conveyed a seriousness to the Blue male. Who sat on his haunches head still low and glaring at the man. The green dragon sat and they both stared at Malone, and he paled in a sort of odd way.

“Go on human explain yourself for trespassing in our mother’s forest, nearly killing my brother.”

The blue dragon railed on, and Malone held up a hand. “I just appeared here, I am supposed to have died with my battle brothers in an ambush… I mean I did die…” He paused and shook his head “but I… Somehow ended up here. Dragons, I’ve never seen them before. Bramorians, never heard of them. I didn’t even know your brother was a thinking creature let alone a talking one. I thought I was being attacked, and I defended myself accordingly.” Malone spilled out with anger in his voice over being dumped in some strange war. Now sitting here explaining the impossible to the impossible, and it felt like circular thinking.

The blue dragon growled “You’re a lying… no good. SLAYER!” the blue snarled and had to be stopped by the wounded green again before he could rind Malone to bits.

“That’s enough Jaldrin! We take him to mother!” The blue stopped and smiled sitting back, it was a strange smile that made Malone shiver. Oh this can’t be good.

“Ohhhh human if you’ve lied at all, the Sapphire Queen will have you turned to stone. Stored away for a meal.” The blue dragon snarled with a grin before padding off into the woods, trees seemed to walk out of his path. The Green dragon looked at him expectantly and Malone picked up his ruck leaving his mat in the bowl. He walked with the dragon after retrieving his rifle, the green padded slower and grimaced with pain.

“If it makes you feel any better I’m sorry for shooting you.” Malone said only to get a look of annoyance from the dragon. “It’s nothing to a dragon.”

The two walked for maybe 15 minutes before reaching a large wall of trees which parted to reveal a court yard before a palace made of trees. As he walked he passed stone statures of men, elves, dwarves and other strange creatures. Everyone of them frozen in horror, it sent a shiver down Malone’s spine. Okay so if she doesn’t kill me I’ll be a lawn ornament, greaaaat. USMC Lawn Gnomes…

He watched as a pair of large doors swung open, a set that could easily fit the green if he was 3 times his size. The marine swallowed and tagged along behind the green now. “You better not be staring at my tail”

“Why would I do that?”

Malone only got a huff and the man just ignored it, maybe he’d learn it later. He kept a hand near an M67 grenade in its pouch on his hip. Better then going out as a stone shitty human garden Gnome.

After walking down, a long hallway a door seemed to appear out of no where in the wall, and Damyrn motioned with a paw. “In you go.”

Malone steeled him self and he padded into the massive room, mist covered the floor thickly almost half way up his lower leg. Giving the room a real evil vibe, which made him uneasy. Then as if appearing from the mist it’s self a light blue Dragon double the size of the two males appeared with massive wings spread wide.

“So, you are the one my son is speaking of who tried to slay my offspring.?” The dragon spoke with a silky female voice, which radiated power along with grace.

Malone rubbed the back of his head before removing his helmet to expose his extremely short blonde hair. He held it in his hands against his chest, “Yes ma’am, it was an accidental fire. I didn’t know your son was not a wild strange animal trying to attack me. I am not from your world I fear, I do not know anything of you or your kind. Or where I am for that matter.

The Sapphire Queen stood staring at him before letting out a loud snort and motioned for him to come stand before her. “Why don’t we confirm those stories and see if you truly tell the ruth”

Malone stepped closer and nodded, “How are you-“. He was cut off as she flicked a claw in a circle and magic shot forth. The human was brought to his knees as thousands of voices filled his head speaking in a hissing growling language, he could just barely see a pedestal with a large dish of water appearing from the mist, all three dragons looking into it.

“Now little human, you are strange indeed. I can see the future and yet even my third eye has been blind to this day. So lets peek into your mind and see who you truly are…” The Dragoness said with a hiss, she seemed strangely happy at this part.

Malone felt his mind move through the memories of much of his life quickly, he saw his youngest years and then soon his high school years followed by a few terrible relationships and then the Marine Corps. Though the longest and most detailed one was from the ambush to now. Malone felt tears dripping down his cheeks as he was forced to watch his brothers being gunned down one by one all over again. Reliving his own death all over again, he could almost feel the pain of death again.

Malone was on his hands and knees wiping his face with a gloved hand, he was angry but he didn’t show it. When he finally sat up after the invasion of his mind retreated, the two smaller dragons were looking at him with wide eyes. While the Sapphire Queen simply flicked her tail. “Andrew Malone you are to stay in my forest until I can determine your use or if you’re a threat. You better hope your useful human, I’m sure you’ve seen all my non-useful creatures before entering. You will stay with my youngest son Emerald Scholar.”

She motioned to the green, “If you harm him again I will kill slowly, dragging your death out for days if not weeks. With no end in sight.” She said before turning her back to them with a growl.

“Now leave I have much to look into on this matter.” She spoke, and a door way opened in the wall. “That includes you my children.”

The younger dragons left, and Malone had no really choice but to follow, when he found himself back outside in the warm sun he finally sighed. Something about that dragon made his heart turn to ice and he didn’t know why. He did notice the blue dragon was looking at him and frills spread wide in what had to be a face of curiosity. But he didn’t speak, he didn’t move.

It was instead Emerald Scholar who approached him, “Come mortal, let us get you food at the village” The green said while dragging the mortal part out as an obvious insult.

Malone nodded, brain too wrapped in thought about what just happened, him still being alive was yet again burning a hole through his heart, why did he live persay? What was the reason? how did this happen? Were all questions he just couldn’t answer but the one about living made him feel guilty.

After a few minutes of walking he spoke to the green. “by the way you called me mortal, I would have thought you would hate humans. Why would you have a village?”

The dragon tilted his head side to side, “They were my late father’s horde, he was a green dragon like me. Greens horde people and favor just as much as gold. He gave them to my mother when he passed, she looks over them now.”

“So… she owns them?” Malone asked, and the dragon simply nodded.

“My father rescued them or saved their loved one’s so in return for aid they live here away from war and starvation. Safe in our forest.” The green spoke.

“I will not be owned” He said sternly and looking at the dragon who smiled and laughed.

“I never thought of it, it’s to early you don’t owe me any favors mortal. But you might owe my mother.” Emerald Scholar said.

Kids came running along after the green dragon as they neared the village and around the blue dragon who was trailing them, Malone had felt his gaze on him the entire time. He chuckled as a few kids looked up at him, with wide eyes. He had his helmet on and it was obvious he was a warrior, but they stayed out of arms reach still scared of his strangeness. Some adults watched him with gazes of intrigue, some waved, and many others frowned.

The dragon motioned to a large building with an entrance big enough for a dragon, The green following him into the inn, the Emerald Inn as the sign he passed read.

“Strange” Malone said.

“Says the one who wears strange tan clothes and carries a loud magic stick.”

Malone stopped “Magic? No… it’s not magic those are lead bullets with a thin copper jacket inside you. Which you might want to get removed.”

The dragon snorted and looked at the rifle slung across the marine’s chest, the curved part was no longer in the bottom of it. “Seems pretty magical when you shot me with it, like one of the energy rifles of Bramor.”

“Fully propelled by chemical reaction, now are you going to get a doctor or something?” Malone said while pointing at the three bandages now heavy with dark dragon blood. The green was also limping a little more noticeably.

Emerald scholar rolled his eyes “Rosey! I could use your expert hands!” The dragon called out with a grin as they entered the Inn. The dragon had stressed the word Expert in a very awkward way that had Malone’s mind going to places it shouldn’t go.

A red-haired woman of maybe her 30s looked up from the counter she was cleaning, her face looked annoyed. “What in the gods above have you done to yourself!?!” she yelled. The Dragon pointed at Malone and the women shot him a glare.

“Well why are you going about injuring poor dragons!” Malone looked at the dragon who had a self-assured grin from cheek fin to cheek fin.

“What are you some Bramorian wanna be slayer?” she said looking him over and scoffing loudly.

Malone sighed and pinched his nose, “Emerald Scholar is it? What is a Bramorain because I really want to meet one, especially if I’m going to be compared to one every two minutes.”

“Emerald Scholar, yes. my name is only for friends, enemies, lovers, and other dragons. As for Bramor they are an empire that surrounds this forest. They hunt and kill any dragons in their empire. Good or bad, Wyrmling and old.” Emerald Scholar said before sitting on his haunches as the red-haired lady disappeared and re appeared with a plate full of instruments and clean cloth.

She padded up to the large dragon’s chest and looked at the bandages. Before slowly removing them and setting the blood laden gauze pads aside. “Now hold still you big baby.” She said sternly almost like a mother scolding a child.

Malone couldn’t help but chuckle at her words which only got him a sharp golden glare from the dragon, and he went silent.

He sat down in seat and looked around smelling food. His stomach rumbled but he didn’t ask for food. Better not, seems of poor manners.

His fingers drummed on his rifle’s side before he unhooked it and lay it across the table and started undoing his armor after setting his helmet down. Pulling the Coyote tan vest over his head and laying it on the table over his rifle. His back pack laying against a table leg. His helmet on the armor, he leaned back and sighed.

The dragon eyed him removing his armor, only to pull away growling as the women pulled away a chunk of lead. Laying it near the dragon on table next to him. It wasn’t long before she had the other 2 yanked from the dragon both with more growling snarls. She gave the Drake some sort of potion and the wounds started to slowly close. Much to Malone’s curiosity, though Rosey pulled him from his observation.

“What in gods above are these human, they are like arrow tips.”

“They are bullets” Malone said and pulled a cartridge from a mag in his vest holding it up for all to see. The 5.56 round was a sharp pointy tipped thing looking strange to both the human and dragon.

The dragon snorted and licked his paw like a cat, “Something so small could never hurt a mighty dragon.”

“No this one would have killed you, She would have been digging this from the inside of your spine.” Malone said flatly. “Please I do apologize for shooting you, but don’t under estimate that for fear. Marines do not fear, they kill.”

The human’s icy blue stared into the dragon’s golden Iris, and the too had a staring contest of sorts. Malone not seeing it has an act of dominance but searching the eyes for the feelings of the drake. Only to be broken from the gaze as the women’s hand hit the back of his head making him clack his teeth.

“Still sounding like a Bramorian” She said as she walked away with the bloody tray and returned in a few with food for both. A stew with freshly made bread on the side, a hot meal was all the soldier cared about as he started digging in. the dragon doing the same. Rosey sat back as Malone ate, she watched over him from were she stood leaning against the bar. She finally spoke after watching him nearly eat all his food.

“What’s a Marine?” Rosey asked him, eyeing the patch on his vest, the one that held his name and read Marines along with the symbol of the USMC in the center of the patch.

“A soldier”

“But what type of soldier?” She asked again, and Malone sat back with arms crossed. Before debating on what to say, and he out stretched his arms tapping his fingers across the wood surface of the table. He traced the lines in the wood sanded smooth.

“Our core focus is Amphibious assaults, though we go where we are told; forests, fields, cities jungles and deserts. All in the name of defending freedom, we are the first to enter in a campaign and the last to leave.” Malone said as he stared into his stew not really wanting to look back up.

I just can’t stop thinking about them, I hope they are someplace better. Why do I get to live again? no command and no home, am I soldier anymore? What do I fight for? He thought to himself.

“What is Bramor? I hear you guys calling me one of them, but I don’t know why.” He asked tapping the tip of the loose cartridge against the table top.

“It’s the nation that this little forest sits inside, once your past these trees your at their mercy. If this big guy went out there they’d have him behead for just wee bit of coin. Some hate dragons so much they would do it for free, call’n em’ the ultimate evil.” Rose spoke with such hate it made Malone raise an eyebrow. Though for once the green didn’t argue.

The marine nodded as she went on, “Plus they are the only ones with energy weapons, besides Seblia who just in the recent years has started building them. They build themselves large Fortresses in the mountain passes to the east. The boarder wars as they call em’ are getting deadlier by the day, they down any Bramorian airship that ventures near.” She smiled as she finished. “But you seem to have a heart unlike them.”

Malone nodded his thanks, “Thank you, I try to be moral soldier.” He said with a weak smile. He stood and put his vest on and picking up the rest of his gear.

“Emerald Scholar mind showing me where I’m sleeping?” Malone asked.

The dragon pulled his head from an empty woo bowl licking his green scaled snout clean, he nodded. “Just follow me mortal.”

“When are you going to call me something other mortal?”

“When you prove your pretty little self-worthy of my respect mortal.” The dragon gave a smirk.

“Ooooh I’m pretty now, why thank you, I always knew I was a handsome Devil Dog.” Malone chided before watching the dragon roll his eyes. So he has a sense of humor.

“No by dragon standards your absolutely ugly.” The Emerald said while rolling his eyes, as he took the lead. Maybe this an’t all that bad… could be worse. Brothers I hope you got some place safe.

Malone whistled Yankee Doodle, as they walked only to be smacked in the back by the large tail of the dragon next to him. The force threw him on his chest and the dragon roared with laughter, tail lashing happily. “What was that tune you were whistling?”

The dragon asked with curiosity and Malone rolled onto his back with a sigh, his gear heavy as he got to his feet. “It’s a song from my world, it’s a few hundred years old from when my country had a civil war.”

The dragon tilted his head and kept walking, Malone followed and was about to go back to whistling when the dragon spoke again. “Your country is hundreds of years old?”

“Over 200, we separated from the largest empire know to mankind through a revolution.”

The dragon looked Malone over and the human could tell the dragon was thinking but he didn’t speak as they neared the familiar cave. When they entered he looked around wondering where he would sleep tonight.

“Hey, Emerald where do I sleep?” Malone asked, and the dragon pointed back to where he left the bed roll, and the man shrugged. “Slept in worse places.”

“Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go practice some of my spells, I’ll be in the field out front.” The green drake said as he walked out the cave and Malone watched him pad out into the grassy meadow. It was nice having something new to watch as he cleaned his rifle. Normally it would have been the guys playing pranks on each other. Sports banter, and the dreaded who’s super hero was better than the other’s debate. But now it was just peaceful besides the sounds of spells and breaths of poison gas that the dragon would let loose on targets he was summoning.

Malone couldn’t help but chuckle at the few misses and go back to polishing the barrel of his M4 and reapplying oil to it before cleaning his sidearm. He had to keep his weapons clean and ready, not that he didn’t trust the Sapphire Queen. But she didn’t see humans as all that important if her courtyard was any indication. If he made a mistake it would be quickly acted on and he was sure of it. So better safe then sorry though deep down, he knew she would crush him like glass beneath an Abrams.

Malone was busy doing well, nothing after cleaning his gun, and he had nothing to do besides PT. He did his daily push ups and sit ups and as the sun was lowering he did a 3-mile run using the edge of the meadow as his track. The dragon not casting offensive spells any more, so it was safe to be orbiting his location. When Malone finished he took a bath in a nearby pearlescent spring, he had spotted from the field. The water wasn’t too cold, a good cool touch in the war weather.

There was even a deep spot that he could swim around in for a bit, when he returned clean and happy. The sun was beginning to set, Malone lay down for the night his internal clock already registering his normal time to hit the hay. Malone pulled his Wubby up and snuggled under the poncho liner for warmth.

“Night Emerald Scholar!” Malone called out and chuckled at the dragon’s grumbling acknowledgement, he lay back eyes closed his eyes relaxing. It had been a while since he could sleep without the fear of Mortars or the FOB maybe being attacked overnight.