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nCRACKLE! Arad woke up to a sudden shaking, “What is going on?” He gasped. Aella quickly sat up, “It’s coming from the forest,” She said, looking out.

n“Get changed quickly,” Arad said, rushing to wear his armor.

nCRACKLE! The ground started to shake violently, “This sounds bad,” Arad rushed out, meeting Jack and Lydia on the way, “What is going on?” Jack asked.

n“I don’t know. Aella said it’s coming from the forest,” Arad replied as they ran out. ROAAARR! An earth-shaking roar rumbled across the sky, shaking the building.

n“This sound,” Arad gasped, “A large monster?” They rushed across the street, seeing Aclott charging forward with his sword drawn, “Alcott!” Arad shouted.

n“Stay away!” Alcott shouted back, “This is a dragon. You will die!”

n“A dragon?” Jack and Lydia stared at each other, “Come! We should help evacuate the city,” Merida shouted at them from the back, “Don’t stand in Alcott’s way,”

nArad stared at her and then looked at the forest, “This scent, I know it,” He mumbled, and Aella glared at him. THUD! Arad rushed behind Alcott, “Wait for me!” Aella chased him.

n“You two! Come back!” Lydia shouted, but they didn’t listen.

n***

n“Arad, what did you mean?” Aella asked as she managed to catch Arad.

n“That dragon, It might have been one that I met before,” He said, glaring at the dust above the forest, “It seemed more social talking with me as a dragon. We could reach an understanding.”

n“That thing is a monster! How likely it’s to listen?” Aella stared at him.

n“Better than trying to fight it,” Arad looked back at her, “I’m surprised it didn’t blast the village by mistake,”

nDragons are strong, arrogant, and proud.

nArad did know it since the last time he saw it. Adult dragons aren’t supposed to be fought like monsters but dealt with like natural disasters.

nCRACK! BAM! Suddenly, they saw a body fly into the sky with a couple of trees. It was Hank.

nBAM! Alcott leaped from a tree, catching him mid-air, and they landed on the ground. “What is happening?” Alcott asked, but Hank pushed him to the side.

n“That **ing Lizard is mine,” He growled, gripping his wood axe tighter than before.

nAlcott started at him, catching the bestial scent on his body. ^It’s faint, but it’s there,^

nCRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The trees collapsed as a gigantic green-winged lizard walked out, glaring at them with red eyes, “Human, you dare lay your hands on my toys?” The dragon growled, slowly walking forward.

n“Lower your claws,” Alcott shouted, “This doesn’t need to end with blood!”

nBoth the dragon and Hank glared at Alcott, “This human killed one of my toys and one of my kind. It will only end with blood, Meditator.”

n“This **ing lizard suddenly plunged into my house. It almost hurt my wife!” Hank glared at the dragon, “I’m going to skin it for a bag,” He pointed his axe at the dragon.

n“This is your fault, **ing human! Where is the corpse of my kind!” The dragon glared at him, enraged.

n“I told you **ing bird-brain, I didn’t kill any dragon like you,” Hank growled, running forward with his axe.

nCLANG! The dragon swung his claw, smacking him away with ease, “You don’t even deserve my breath,”

n“Calm down! I can help you find your lost kind,” Alcott blocked the dragon’s second strike with his sword, “I’m here to help, so at least listen for a moment,”

nThe dragon stared at him, “Meditator! I know my manners, and that’s the only reason the village still stands.” The dragon glared at him, “One blast of my poison breath and life here would be plagued,”

nRed dragons use fire, while green dragons use poison. Massive creatures immune to all manners of poisons and diseases while boasting the strongest venom in the world inside their veins.

n“The man says he killed no dragon! Calm down and use your nose. I bet you will find something,” Alcott pushed the dragon’s claw away.

nThe dragon snorted, “I already searched…Oh!” It froze, looking at Arad, “I smell him rushing here,”

n“You **ing leather bag!” Hank growled, “Told you I didn’t kill any dragon!”

nAlcott sighed, “See, just calm down,” He said, and the dragon glared at him, “You were right, Meditator.” It growled.

n“Don’t give me that!” Hank growled, swinging his axe at the dragon. CLANG! The scales stopped the attack. “This **er smashed my house,”

nAlcott looked at him, “Dragons are quick to lose themselves in rage,”

nArad and Aella emerged from the trees, and the dragon stared at them, “You’re alive, wyrmling.”

n“Wait! You were talking about Arad?” Alcott glared at the dragon.

n“Yeah,” The dragon smiled, “Are you keeping an eye on him, Meditator?”

n“Alcott!” Aella shouted, and Arad rushed toward the dragon. “You’re attacking the place?”

n“Nah!” The dragon shook its head, “I was looking for you.” It then looked at Hank, “I feared that hairy meatball had killed,”

nThe dragon looked down at Arad, “You got me worried,”

n“Why did you even come here? Were you watching me?” Arad growled, and the dragon looked away.

n“N-no…” The dragon shook his head and then looked at Hank, “I will get some kobolds to rebuild your house,”

nAlcott approached the dragon, “Care to tell me your name?”

nThe dragon smiled, “The name is Claug. Claugiyliamatar.” The dragon said, lifting its head and neck in pride.

n“The Drakaina of crypt forest? I heard you never get out of your lair?” Alcott stared at the dragon, confused.

n“Even a house lady like myself needs to take a walk,” The dragon smiled.

n“This thing is a woman?” Hank stared at them.

n“Dragons looked the same in their draconic form. Males are called dragons, and females are drakaina.” Alcott explained, “Claugiyliamatar of crypt forest, she is an ancient drakaina. Her claims of plaguing the whole villages weren’t in vain.”

nHank snorted, putting his axe on his hip, “This bitch is all talks,”

nAlcott glared at him, “Claugiyliamatar caused many plagues in the past. Pissing her off is enough to curse a whole kingdom into suffering.”

nClaug looked at Arad, smiling, “Would you come with me to my lair? This place is dangerous.”

nArad looked back at her, “Are you the one who sent the griffon?”

nClaug looked away, “N-no…I certainly didn’t plan anything.”

n“Why are you interested in Arad?” Aella growled at her.

nClaug looked at her with a smile, sniffing her, “I see, that is new,” Claug nodded, “I don’t mind you bringing your lady with you. But aren’t you a bit too young for those things?”

n“Mind your own business!” Arad growled at her, and she snorted, “I knew your kind would be interesting,” She smiled.

n“You didn’t answer my question!” Aella glared at her.

n“We kill rival wyrmlings before they grow or take them under our wing. I just chose the latter since this kid is pretty rare,” Claug replied, staring at Arad, “I saw a braking of his kind before, and she was scary, several times my size. I wonder what a dragon would look like since they grow bigger.”

nAlcott looked at Arad, “Male dragons are usually bigger and stronger physically, while the females, the drakaina, are more intuned with magic.”

nClaug stared at him, “That’s but a myth, baseless human speculation.” She stared at him, “After all, I’m…” She stopped, looking away. 𝒷𝓭ℴ𝓋𝓵.𝒸ℴ𝓶

n^Yeah, if I remember correctly, Claugiyliamatar is a failure with magic.^ Arad scratched his chin. He almost stepped on a dragon’s tail.

nClaug turned away, spreading her wings, “Meditator, remember those words!” she growled, “If anything were to happen to Arad, I would personally come back to curse this godforsaken land.”

nWith a single flap of her wings, the dragon flew up. Suddenly disappearing as she used her camouflage skills to blend with the blue sky.

nArad looked at Alcott. “You know her?”

n“That’s my question. When did you meet Claug?” He sighed.

n“Right after Aella and I were attacked by the bandits,” Arad said, looking at Aella, “When you left me to transform.”

n“I’m going back home,” Hank sighed, “My wife should be worried,”

nCLANG! Alcott pulled his sword, pointing it at Hanks back, “Stop right there,”

nHank looked back at him, “Is there something else you need? Meditator?” Reaching for his axe.

n“I have a wife to return to as well,” Alcott smiled, approaching Hank, “How about we end this here once and for all, alpha.”

n“What nonsense are you spitting?” Hank growled at him.

nArad and Aella got confused, “He’s right. What are you talking about?” Arad stared at Alcott.

n“He’s your progenitor. I can smell the wet dog in him. His scent was also present in the church last night. You’re the one who made the noise, right?” Alcott approached Hank.

n“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He pulled his axe, “But I don’t care who I kill,”

n“Want to kill an armored fighter?” Alcott smiled.

n“It doesn’t matter if you’re thick as a tree. My axe can always chop through!” Hank smiled, “I’m no wolf, dragon bastard!”

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