Year 79; End of the worm wars; Day 100

  Spirit of Leaves and Wind released the arrow to the breeze, trusting it to find its mark. It soared straight and struck the eye of the new spawned monster, which collapsed lifeless beside its kin. Arrows whistled through the air as the other keepers unleashed their volleys, felling every creature that dared threaten the eggs or her slumbering friend.

  “Friend,” she whispered, tasting the word as if it were a rare fruit. It meant that even those beyond her kin could find a place in her heart. Isaac had become one of these precious few, having ended the war with his strength and resolve. As one of the chosen, she was sent to his home. Alda the High One had asked them, but truly, most were eager to explore the world, and a destination only sweetened the journey.

  Yet they had a purpose: to aid Isaac however they could, and already their help had proven vital. The world was shifting, perhaps not for the better. Mana surged higher each day, birthing new monsters. The High One called it a return to the times of change. a time before she had been in this world.

  Her kin-friend and mentor alone remembered such ancient days. She shook her head; he was not the restless adventurer, choosing instead to remain with the High One. Still, time spent with the scaled and fiery one promised a welcome return to something like normalcy.

  Isaac of Fire possessed wonders and wisdom beyond imagining. Whenever they gathered with Heart of Tree and Bark, laughter spilled forth, especially as her kin struggled to unwind or dream up new ideas.

  Spirit of Leaves and Wind refocused on the battlefield, her gaze sweeping over the fallen monsters as she counted each lifeless shape. Her jaw tightened; this one had been bigger than the last. Still, the mana in the air stayed thick, a silent warning gnawing at her mind.

  She had found another companion, too. From the gloom, a Cat of Shadows slipped forth, gliding on silent paws, her fur black as midnight. Though just a kit, she brimmed with cunning. Spirit of Leaves and Wind caught the spark in her friend’s eyes—already, the young hunter had found their next quarry.

  Their first meeting with the shadow cub at Green Haven had been strange, but after that, the cub refused to leave her side. Spirit of Leaves and Wind had to admit, she enjoyed the mischievous cat’s company.

  She cupped her hand to her mouth and whispered, letting the wind carry her message to the others. Now, they would follow her to the next hunt.

  Year 79; End of the worm wars; Day 234

  Isaac awoke feeling as if he could conquer the world. This time, the rest had sunk deep into his bones.

  Even his inner clock agreed—he had slept for over two hundred days. His gaze drifted to the eggs—

  ‘Holy moly,’ Isaac nearly leapt back from the eggs—they had grown huge, each one pulsing with a fierce magical glow. ‘Shit, I’m going to be a dad soon.’ The realization slammed into him, though as a dragon, not much could knock him off his feet.

  The weight of it was lighter than he expected. ‘I guess I’ve accepted it,’ he mused.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  As Isaac watched over the eggs, he could hear the tiny heartbeats within, each one rhythmic and in sync with his own.

  He stood there, lost in bliss for who knows how long. But as a force of nature, duty always called him back.

  Dragon Nourishment: 150

  Damn.

  It had been ages since it had dropped so low.

  As he stood, Isaac realized his dragon nap had put his reserves to good use. He felt stronger and healthier than ever.

  ‘Sleeping builds muscle?!’ That was something he would have killed for as a human.

  On his way out, Isaac began locking the place down. He and a few of the elves had rigged stone walls above the corridor to his main chamber, making them easy to raise or lower—if you knew the trick.

  As he lowered the final barrier, Isaac was met by a group of weary elves, Spirit of Leaves and Wind among them. He already knew what troubled them. His magic senses had picked it up the moment he left the cave.

  The motes of magic in the air nearly vibrated. If not for his aura and the elves’ natural attunement, Isaac could almost imagine a monster spawning right beside them.

  But Isaac saw the real problem waiting at their doorstep.

  A horde of monsters was circling the cliff—his home.

  Isaac wasn’t too worried. He glanced at the elves, realizing most were here to gain experience, not just protect him. Alda must have known these elves would learn the most from him, and he would learn from them too. He grinned, flashing his dragon teeth. “Do you need assistance, my friend?” His dragon grin should have unsettled them, but Spirit of Leaves and Wind only looked pleased. “Yes, Isaac of Fire and Scale. That would be very much appreciated.”

  Isaac spread his wings and soared into the sky. The air trembled with the force of his magic, and true fire rained down on the horde of—“FROGS!?”

  Will of Mountain and Stone was among the youngest of his kind. He leaned on his bonded partner, Enduring Grass of the Green, herself young and already a famed worm-slayer. How she never tired, he could not fathom.

  He, too, had been a seedling when the High One descended. Back then, she was the brightest beacon in his world, just as Heart of Tree and Bark had been in his youth. But after the worm war, they forged a new pact with the Bringer of True Flame.

  Isaac of true flame and scale.

  The scaled one hadn’t seemed impressive at first, just a hulking, scaly creature. But Will of Mountain and Stone had never witnessed the fire that slew the worm mother. He had been too busy driving out the worm invaders from his own home, avenging his kin.

  But he respected the Dragon as the high one called it. An apt name... or he would have thought so until he saw the fire spread, the bringer of true fire was bringing down on hordes of Frogs that were running up the hills.

  "FROGS!?"

  The Bringer of True Flame’s cry echoed in his ears and across the mountain valley. Will of Mountain and Stone felt it deep in his bones.

  The hatred radiating from Isaac was unmistakable. Will of Mountain and Stone saw that Isaac’s fury matched the hatred he and his kin held for the worms.

  The magic Isaac conjured and the fire he commanded gave Will of Mountain and Stone pause. At last, he understood why he and his kin had been sent to Isaac of True Fire.

  He could become their destruction—or their greatest blessing.