"Henry, do you think the other adventurers are gonna want to help me build homes for the people of Plainshold?"

  "Many will doubt your intentions, but many more see through the lies of the Guild's leadership. Though the world thinks it is so, we do not stand as one. Throughout the years, many cracks have grown in the honor of the Guild. Your actions, though I do not condone all of them, struck a fierce blow to the integrity of the leadership. The Guild is shattering from within, and the shards have been sent flying. At this time, there are three factions that I know of."

  It's hard to pay attention to his rambling with the gentle scent of wood carving permeating the air. It's so soothing and I'm gonna need to import some logs of this wood to create scent bricks. Ooh! That's a great idea. I could have all sorts of scented wood to scratch and create my own little basking room with just what I like.

  My important planning is interrupted by a guffaw, and turning an eye toward Henry reveals a smiling giant staring at me. I'm getting the impression that he's about to say something silly, and without hesitation, he chortles and talks gibberish about me not paying attention, just like Raya said. With an assertive nudge, I correct his nonsense.

  "I am paying attention. The guild is made up of a bunch of people with different motivations. I made a mess of things for them, so now they're splintering into factions, most likely three or more. The outlaws, the people who don't want to make an enemy of things like me, and those who believe blessed people stand above other life. And you and Sarah are part of the group that doesn't want to make things like me enemies."

  "I do not believe I mentioned such details. Is this the wisdom of a Dragon?"

  More like the wisdom of my old dungeon master. Nobody knows that but me, so wisdom of this dragon it is!

  The breakdown of the factions isn't exactly a difficult conclusion to reach. I've met the people who scoff at Raya and treat her as a mere obstacle. And I've met people who aren't just interested in murdering everything around them, like Turgai. And it just makes sense that there would be a corrupt group. There's always a corrupt group.

  "Henry, I think we should pay attention to the outlaw faction. I feel like the two other groups are less likely to associate with unsavory types like the undead jerk with his cultists."

  His smile changes to a thoughtful expression as I talk. I'm not sure what he's thinking, but I hope I'm not about to get a lot of work. Just to make sure he knows, I bring up the fact that I can smell the magic influencing the cultists, and if he suspects anyone, he can bring them to me and I'll sniff 'em out.

  "These are dark times... The Undead King of the South marches upon the lands and reports of death working in the North grow more numerous. The Guild has to stop making enemies if we are to survive... The people of the Gods are strong, but as we fall, the kingdom of death grows stronger, and we cannot win a battle of attrition against such a foe. But only a fool would send an army to fight a Dragon and for that reason, I ask that you forgive our sins, Kira, as we shall forgive yours, so that we may stand together for the sake of the living."

  Geez, this got somber all of a sudden. If they want to fight the undead, it does seem like I would be a perfect ally, considering both my venom and my flames. I'm confident that I could destroy a lot of them with very little effort. I hope that isn't overconfidence, but we'll find out sometime in the future.

  At the very least, I have a score to settle for the cultists almost killing Lauren and generally being a threat to my people. I'm not sure how to go about fighting back, though. Showing up and engulfing the area in flames seems a little reckless, and if they have archers, or worse, nets, then I could be in trouble.

  I'm getting closer and closer to wanting to go home and snooze on my gold. It's been too long since I've had some proper hoard sleep. I wonder what Joras is doing with all the mucus and whatnot he has Lauren and Raya collect. It had better be valuable and he had better have my share ready. If he cheats me again by spending my money on things for me, he's gonna be coated in saliva for the next century.

  A pat on my arm brings my attention back to Henry, and with a stoic expression, he looks me in the eye.

  "I, too, feel the anger rise within at the thought of those unholy creatures roaming the lands. But it is our duty as warriors to temper our fury and let it simmer so that we may unleash it upon our enemies in service of those who cannot stand against evil."

  I may have been growling a little at the notion of my money being spent, but I'm not gonna tell him that he misread me.

  As we relax in the calm and cool night, minding our own business, the sounds of horses draw closer. Looking up reveals more of those city soldiers, three of them, and this time, they don't appear to be ready for battle. I'm gonna have to tell Raya about how I didn't start a conflict! She's gonna be proud of me!

  The sensation of Henry pushing against me to stand up makes it clear that he has been roused by my movement. It doesn't take long for him to assert that they are here to deliver news of the supplies.

  "Henry, do you know how they knew I was coming? I should be hidden against the darkness, but they rode out to greet us even as I kept my distance."

  He's staring at me as if I just asked a very dumb question. I don't appreciate that, so he's getting a puff of smoke. He's a lot better at dispersing the cloud of smoke than Lauren and Raya are. Those giant hands do come in handy.

  "Anyone touched by magic would merely need to feel for magic to sense your approach. You exude such powerful magic that Sarah complains of headaches when near you. It is no different from my predicting a boulder falling toward me as it slams against the cliff face."

  So I'm magically loud. I might have to look into that, so I can be quieter. I have snuck up on people before, so I'm sure it can be done. I guess it makes sense, though. With how much magic I use to fly, and how visible it is with my magic eyes, it should be pretty clear to anyone watching with their own magic eyes... Dang it! It makes sense that he would look at me like that. The fact that I hadn't considered the option doesn't mean the question was stupid!

  The riders keep their distance, and the lead guy dismounts and approaches on foot. He doesn't smell afraid at all as he keeps an eye on both Henry and me. Clearing his throat, he stands up as straight as he can and focuses his sight on me.

  "By command of the Captain of the Guard on behalf of the Guild, I bring an invitation for Henry of the Guild and Kira the Dragon. The goods have been gathered at the expense of the Guild. You may collect them at the eastern gate, and the wagon is marked with a red talon."

  Oh, they better not start that crap up again. At least he didn't call me Kiranot...

  We will need to travel all the way to the other side of the city, and for that, flying is definitely faster. Nudging Henry, I suggest as much, but the delightful scent of fear makes it obvious that he isn't quite up for it.

  "So, do you want to go around or through the town, Henry?"

  As I ask my simple question, the speaker grows nervous. I don't think the possibility of me going into the city was a consideration on his part, but this city is big! It's built for a lot of traffic, and that makes it dragon-accessible!

  "I have never been one to steer away from trouble. And it would not be a terrible idea to introduce you to people within the city as we get to work letting the people grow accustomed to your presence."

  The two companion riders don't have much of a reaction aside from looking at each other, but the speaker does not seem to approve of the idea at all. He's just struggling to say so, but that's a him problem.

  So with that settled, we're off! Henry's long stride is fantastic as he can somewhat keep up with my actual walking speed. The speaker scrambles to mount up and follow as he shouts orders to his two friends.

  Now that I think about it, the topic of cultists and the undead has been brought up, so I should keep a nostril out for any suspicious scents. Approaching one of the riders, his horse grows nervous and whinnies, but it doesn't have anything to be afraid of. I haven't seen a cultist horse yet, so I have no reason to suspect it.

  Giving him a good sniff reveals only that he should bathe a little more. His scent consists of sweat, fear, dirt, and a little urine. Repeating the process with the other rider doesn't differ. We might have to talk to the captain about giving these people some more time off so they can bathe properly.

  That leaves the speaker, but he was close enough that I would've been able to smell his cultist scent if he had been one. Maybe they aren't as ingrained in this place as they are up north. I can't grow complacent, though.

  For now, we're heading toward the main road. The speaker rides ahead as his two friends keep us company. It's pretty obvious that they're keeping an eye on me, but I don't mind, as long as they don't get in my way.

  The moment we reach the road, I'm reminded why I usually stay off the roads. My claws dig into the soil with ease and rip up the compacted dirt. Back on the grass I go, it's soft and nice, so no big loss.

  Looking behind me, I spot a few merchants halting their wagons as they create some more distance between us, but the ones ahead don't have such luck.

  "Henry, how come the merchants are out this late? Isn't that risky with the wolves and possible bandit attacks?"

  "It is as you say, yet camping poses a greater risk than traveling through the night when they are this close to the city. As they near the city, safety grows with the Guild patrolling for beasts and bandits."

  I guess it would be easy jobs for the adventurers to hunt around a big and safe city. The looming gate ahead does look like it would be difficult to sneak past, and the line of merchants outside seems to indicate that they are in favor of a little night travel.

  From the looks of it, a heavy portcullis protects the gateway in case of attacks, and stone infused with magic makes up the rest of the fortification. There are even murder holes littered throughout the construction. The closer we get, the more sounds emerge from nervous animals and muttering people, but we're getting in line like regular people.

  I have no choice but to step onto the road, so the city will just have to pay for it, since they didn't make a dragon path. Rather than focusing on that, I'm gonna focus on the scents of food and spices wafting through the air. They're making me want to inspect the wagons around us to find the source. I'd love a taste of whatever it is because it smells delicious!

  "Kira, I must advise you not to stare at the locals with such intensity, especially as you seem unable to contain your drool."

  Henry brings up a reasonable note, and I should work on that. It's not my fault, though. I'm not the one who brought fancy spices here. Keeping my nose keen as I move my head around brings me closer to the source of the scent. I don't quite have it locked in, but I'm gonna continue searching.

  With delicate steps, I move through the gaps between wagons as best I can, only bumping a few of them, but causing no damage, as far as I know.

  "What has caught your attention, Kira?"

  "I don't know. Something smells delicious, though. Like a sweet, fruity smell, and I wanna try tasting it."

  Instead of telling me to control myself, Henry starts ordering people to make room and for anyone carrying fruit to raise their hands. A few people do raise their hands, but they're in the wrong direction.

  Up ahead, there's a very nervous trader, and I'm confident that he's carrying the source of the smell. As we approach, it becomes apparent that he also has other secrets, given the obvious stench of a cultist. Ooh! Now I don't have to feel bad about confiscating his wares for my belly!

  His wagon is covered in a tarp, and a quick bite and a rip are all it takes to remove it, revealing the contents below. It's just cuts of meat and they smell like cuts of meat... This isn't what I expected.

  The wagon shakes as Henry steps up onto it, his weight pressing the front down and nearly smacking me with the back of it. A steadying claw is all it takes to bring balance to it, but he needs to be careful.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "The wagon is shallow... Kira, what is the scent that you tracked?"

  "Fruity, sweet, and sort of like.-"

  "Death. The scent of death can be mistaken for fruity, as it carries a sweetness to it."

  That wasn't what I was going to say. I wanted to say it was sort of like cherry, maybe a little nutty, but he seems convinced as he steps onto the bed of the wagon and starts throwing the meat onto the ground. That's wasteful, and I'm sure nobody will mind if I grab a snack or two.

  Wasting no time, he starts ripping up the boards making up the floor while calling for the guards to arrest the trader. As he makes his way into a compartment below the bed, he pulls out another tarp and, as he opens it, a carcass of some dead person falls to the ground.

  Orders among the guards start flying as one takes the lead, ordering another to bring the captain. As they arrest the trader, he commands yet another guard to bring out a ledger, which he's quick to start going through. I can't decide whether to look over his shoulder or sneak a few more cuts of meat. They aren't what I was looking for, but they are delicious.

  As the guards scramble to get the situation under control, Henry breaks the wagon some more, finding two more corpses. It seems the trader cultist was smuggling corpses into town for some reason.

  "They're rising! They're undead!"

  Judging by the shouting guard's exclamation, it seems the trader cultist was smuggling in undead. Swallowing the meat I took, I get ready to watch what they're doing, since I'm curious how they handle a situation like this. I haven't had much opportunity to watch how people fight in this world, and I'm curious. At least not fighting things that aren't me.

  I already know how Henry fights, but he's quick to take the lead in combat, grabbing hold of one of the undead and slamming it against another. The result is two corpses sent flying away from the main road, landing several meters away. At least they shouldn't be able to attack the traders from there.

  Henry's expression doesn't match his fondness for fighting. Rather than the smile and concentrated look he has when fighting me, his brow is now furrowed into an intense glare.

  "Kira, do you have any way to destroy these monsters? Without Sarah, I cannot defeat them."

  Oh, I might have to look into that. If Sarah has some sort of anti-undead magic, it might be worth it to have her teach it to someone who likes me. For now, I'm gonna help Henry, though. He bunched up two of the undead nicely, and they're smaller and less frost-attuned than Frosty was, so I think they could be susceptible to fire.

  Approaching the two scrambling carcasses as they manage to get up, I focus my magic into my belly and unleash a concentrated, magically empowered flame. Either my assertion was correct, or my flame is stronger since fighting Frosty. I hope for both.

  The delicious scent of cooking meat fills the air as the area in front of me turns blackened. Stopping my flames reveals that the two corpses are no more, reduced to ash in the wind as the only evidence of their existence is the scorched earth left behind by my flames.

  It's a shame that I can't eat them, but I don't think people would be too tolerant of that right now. If I want to make friends, I'm gonna have to make some concessions, and not eating people might be one of them.

  Looking back at Henry, he's holding the last corpse in his hands in front of him as it struggles to get free and fight him. Good luck with that, corpse, Henry has ridiculously strong hands!

  Getting a good look at the corpse makes something seem odd, and letting some more magic into my eyes makes it apparent that it is much more magically powerful than the people around it. It's almost shiny, glowing pale yellow. The feeling of it is the opposite of Fenja, the troll lady.

  Where hers felt like it belonged, this feels like an invasion violating the area. As I stare at it, it continues to struggle in Henry's hands. I'm not sure what his plan is here, but- Ooh! He threw a snack! As the treat flies toward me, I clamp down on it with my jaws. My teeth snap it in half, and the delicious flavor fills my mouth as I swallow half of it.

  Ignoring the gasps, I snatch up the other half, making short work of it before licking my lips clean.

  Dang it! He tricked me! I was supposed to not eat people and here he is, feeding me people... I'll allow it on account of it being delicious. Giving him a forceful nudge, I tell him that I was trying to be on my best behavior, and here he is tempting me with treats and undermining my efforts.

  "You do not appear to be offended, but I apologize. My intent was for it to land a safe distance from these fine folks for you to burn. Yet, the job has been completed."

  "I'm not offended, but I'm trying to make a good impression. Do you think these people are going to overlook what I did?"

  Instead of addressing my points, he just laughs as he starts talking to the guards. They seem to be discussing the ledgers and how often the trader has come and gone, which business he belongs to, and what to do from here.

  The non-cultist traders seem to be keeping some distance, but they don't appear scared outside of a healthy amount of fear. Well, I don't know their customs, and I have more meat on the ground to keep me busy.

  "Guild member, the meat being eaten by the Dragon has been paid for by a shopkeeper, could you stop it from eating any more?"

  "I cannot. Though she understands you, and you may make such a request of her."

  "... It will be considered payment for defense of Esfjord..."

  Ooh! That sounds like I got paid! That's another job well done, and payment received. Point to Kira! I'm great at this adventuring business. Before I have a chance to figure out how to pat myself on the back, bells sound through the city. Rather than act, everyone freezes as the bells ring out. From the concentrated looks, the guards seem to be paying attention to the rhythm.

  As the bells become quiet, the guards start talking. They bring up the numbers six, four, six, and two, talking about fires in the merchant quarter. Nudging Henry about it, he explains that it's a city alarm to inform guards of emergencies. It turns out that this one means a fire has broken out and all guards and adventurers have to go there. Which means Henry as well.

  "What do you want me to do? Wait here?"

  "No, I believe this is the cultist's plan starting. As they have been discovered, the guards would have begun a search for earlier deliveries, and with that, they must act or watch their plans fall apart."

  "Wanna fly with me?"

  "I do not, but an escort is necessary as the Guild may misinterpret your presence in light of the fire."

  Without hesitation, he grabs a nearby guard around the waist, holding him up as I lower my head. And with a gleeful smile, Henry tells the guard to hold on tight, placing him behind my horns. With a powerful beat of my wings, we take off into the sky, circling around. The guard does appear to be holding on, since I can hear his screaming quite well.

  Flying over the city reveals most houses to be built of timber frames with brick in the gaps, and a shimmer to them, indicating that the construction materials might contain some sort of enchantment. I would imagine that bricks and thick timber would be resistant to flames, so it's a little odd that the alarm would be for fire, but maybe they don't have one for an internal undead attack.

  The whole place is lit up with lanterns holding magic within them, creating a beautiful weave of light and dark in a labyrinthine tapestry.

  The city is a lot bigger from up here than when I flew toward it. I don't have time to consider perspective, though. As we fly, the merchant quarter comes into view and I'm sure this is the spot, given the number of armor-clad people scrambling to get civilians out of the area. The area is open, with booths and wagons dotting the place, and big enough for me to circle around.

  The adventurers and guards have set up in a defensive formation, creating pathways for regular people to flee through. Behind them, more adventurers set up what looks like support tents as people dressed in robes scramble to bring in tables and chairs from nearby buildings. With how many are running between each other, it's difficult to get a count of how many there are, but with the guards and adventurers, I'd say a couple of hundred.

  As they get ready to fight, the adventurers organize into waves of shields and a variety of melee weapons, like swords and spiked maces. Behind the shield wall, there are lines of spears, archers, and mages. All ready to unleash hell upon the enemy. A few corpses have begun scrambling out of nearby buildings, but those bastards aren't dumb. They've taken up shields and weapons of their own, ready to meet the adventurers.

  Before long, we've got two defensive lines holding off on attacking as they stare each other down. The sweet scent of death permeates the area, playing games with my reason as I want to eat them.

  The guard sitting on me appears to have calmed down or run out of breath. At the very least, he isn't screaming anymore. I'm not sure how to approach this, since I'd rather not be caught between two groups who would rather see me dead, but... The answer is kinda obvious now that I think about it... I'm a freakin' dragon, why do I care about landing?

  With how big the merchant's quarter is, I can do a fly-by and...

  "Hey, guard person. How flammable is this city?"

  "What?! You cannot mean to burn down the city!"

  "Of course not! Just tell me how flammable it is!"

  Instead of giving a simple answer, he starts rattling off timber treatments, creosote, and enchantments carved into the wood and bricks. All of which serve to make the structures resistant to weather and temperature. It sounds like the buildings are resistant to fire, so a fly-by is on the table!

  Swooping down, I take hold of my magic and push it into my belly. The fires within burn brighter, and as I pass over the first few undead, I unleash my flames, scorching the hordes below.

  Commanding shouts from below order the living to hold their position as I finish my flyby. Looking back at my handiwork, the formation of undead appears broken against the soot-covered cobblestone. But it doesn't take long before more start scrambling out.

  Circling around, the crowd cheers as I prepare for another fly-by. From what I can tell, none of the buildings have caught fire, so that's a plus! I didn't even need the guard to introduce me and make a first impression, I've done that all on my own! Another point to Kira!

  There's a barrage of magic striking me as I fly over the crowd of adventurers, but as I look down to see what the hell they're doing, I don't see any projectiles or the like, and I'm not hurt in any way that I can tell, so I think I can ignore it. They just seem to be adding to my magical reserves, so I don't mind that. The first flyby did take a significant chunk of magic.

  Shouts about the magic not working fly around, leading the commander to call for all mages to stop casting on me and focus on the front line. Whatever it is, it is helpful to give me a little boost.

  Flying toward the undead, it becomes obvious that my first flyby had quite the effect. Their defensive line has large gaps, and a lot of the still-standing undead are missing limbs, with obvious burns covering their bodies.

  Readying myself for another go, I focus my magic as I did before. They scramble around as I fly toward them, breaking formation and a few seeking refuge in the buildings. It's a shame that I care about property damage, otherwise, I could've just collapsed a building onto them. Nevertheless, I have a fly-by to complete!

  Unleashing my flames as I fly again, I make quick work of most of the formation. Before I complete it, the sensation of blades cutting into the membranes of my wings makes it obvious that the bastards know how to set traps and adapt.

  Turning my head backward after stopping my flames, I see a dozen undead scrambling to cut my wings. A few are working their way to the other side of me, which is a huge problem. Before I have a chance to react, my flight is cut short as I crash into the cobblestone. At least I squished several undead, but this is not how I prefer to fight. How the heck does my flight even work? It's magic, but my wings are susceptible to sabotage. Just let me fly with magic, dang it!

  I don't have time to ponder stupid things like that, the undead are closing in and swarming around me. As I get up, magic and arrows pelt the area, showing no regard for my presence, yet somehow manage to not hit me. Well, if the undead want me grounded, they can have a taste of my teeth and claws!

  As I start defensively chewing, the adventurer commander starts barking orders, sending in the melee fighters against the undead. Before I know it, I'm surrounded and crowded by both the living and the dead. At least only one of them is attacking me.

  The adventurers are quick to utilize the fact that the dead bastards are hyper-focused on me to cut them into pieces. Shimmering blades coated in magic cut through carcasses, the adventurers working in a cohesive unit, swapping out fighters as the enchantments grow weaker. Always keeping the front empowered.

  I can feel the undead wedging blades under my scales, revealing tender flesh underneath to cut into. I empower myself in every way I know how as I continue fighting, but they keep cutting into me and even slicing deep enough to dislodge some scales. These fuckers know how to fight dragons.

  Building my magic again, I prepare for-

  "Flames!"

  Yeah, that. Commander Shouty is right, I'm about to burn some bastards. Unleashing my flames in front of me, I bathe the area in front of me in bright white fire, leaving a glimmering sheen on the blackened cobblestones.

  The sounds of blade on blade combat from behind me remind me of the guard I'm carrying. It seems he has found himself in a bit of trouble. Rather than leave him to it, I tell him to walk onto my face, so he can create some distance between him and whatever he's fighting.

  He does as I tell him, and as he steps onto my snout, the undead follow him. Utilizing my agile tongue, I snake it upward and wrap it around the undead before dragging them into my mouth. A quick chew and that's another delicious enemy down.

  Using my tongue again, I pick up the guard and place him behind friendly lines, so that he's not in quite as much danger. I appreciate that none of the spear wielders jab me as I lean my head over them. Instead, they meet any falling undead with their weapons, impaling corpses left and right as mages behind get to work incinerating the enemy.

  Standing as tall as I can with a wider stance than I usually have, I give my body a good shake to dislodge any undead stuck to me. The sound of flesh meeting stone makes it clear that I have a decent amount stuck to me. Since I've cleared most from my back, I feel that it's safe to move, so taking a few steps over the frontline, I get behind the adventurer shields and ready my flames again.

  The commander is quick to shout, calling for all the shield wielders to turtle up as my flames pass overhead, scorching swaths of undead. From the looks of it, the enemy forces are running out of dragon fodder. I'm sure there are still some inside the buildings, but I can't check up on that. Instead, I'll use the glory that is my long neck to pick off some more from the safety of the shield wall.

  Geez, I'm getting tired. I might have used a little too much magic. Eating undead does replenish it, but not enough to counteract what I've spent on flames. It might be time to leave the rest to the adventurers. It's their job, after all.

  As I move further into the safe zone created by the guards and adventurers, it becomes obvious that the mood is quite jolly, which I find odd, considering this is an attack on their city. I can't deal with that right now, though, I'm tired and I deserve a lie down.

  Watching the people work together is quite beautiful. It looks like everyone knows what needs to be done and they're just doing it without complaint. Casters and archers pelt the remaining undead with projectiles as young kids run back and forth with arrows and potions. The situation is a lot less dire than it was before, and a few mages make jokes about how they'll be knocked out for a week from magic exhaustion.

  As the night progresses, the sounds of combat dim with the crowd dispersing. I haven't seen Henry around, so I'm gonna assume he has somewhere else to be. Taking a moment to focus on myself, I look inward and my lake of magic is looking somewhat lacking.

  By my estimate, I might have used up eighty percent of what I can hold. Geez, I need to experiment to see how much magic my flames actually need in order to destroy the undead, rather than just throwing a lot of magic at them.

  Drawing a little more magic, I prepare for a spike of pain as I funnel it into my regenerative abilities, using just enough to seal the wounds so I won't bleed out. I've got bald spots here and there on my body, where the undead has managed to cut away my scales, and geez, I am not looking forward to healing that...

  I'm just gonna let future Kira worry about that and instead focus on how I didn't burn the city down. In fact, I'm gonna give myself at least seven points for that. Good job, Kira!