The descent from Frostspire Peak was slower than the climb, partly because the snow had turned to slush under the sudden thaw of Veyra’s presence, partly because neither of them were in a hurry.

  They walked side by side, boots crunching through melting drifts. Veyra’s horns caught the late-afternoon sun like polished ruby; her crimson hair swayed with each step, and every now and then she flexed her shoulders as if remembering the weight of wings she no longer wore. Alex kept stealing glances - trying and failing to be subtle.

  *You’re staring,* the author noted dryly. *Ain’t nobody ever tell you it ain’t polite to stare?*

  *I’m appreciating the view. Sue me.* He quickly quipped back.

  *Hey, if it wasn’t for my authorly intervention, you’d still be in fisticuffs with an angry, out of control dragon.* Author fired back.

  *What? You want a medal for Author of the Year?* Alex’s quick draw was quicker. *Not my fault that you’ve written her so damn beautiful, put a sock in it.*

  *Wow, you really are head over heels for her,* he chuckled, joking around at Alex’s visible crush on Veyra. *Try to think with your head and not your dick.*

  *Haha,* Alex mockingly laughed back. *I’ll keep that in mind. No promises.*

  *Mhmm.* And with that, Alex’s mind was once more silent.

  Veyra caught him looking this time and arched a brow, fangs glinting in a half-smile. “You keep glancing over,” she said, slight blush on her cheeks. “Is there something on my face?”

  Alex rubbed the back of his neck. “Just… still processing the whole ‘dragon to gorgeous woman’ transition. It’s the first I’ve ever seen one if I’m being honest.”

  She laughed, low, warm, like embers shifting in a hearth. “In Kharzad, there a more like me – Draconoids with the power to walk the earth freely while also shifting to our beast form, to reach the heavens and back. Though it is much harder to conceal our power while in beast mode. Our magic, our mana, it overflows with so much life.”

  “I couldn’t help but notice that,” Alex recalled his first encounter with the mage back at Valthar, how he overpowered the mage as soon as his power was unlocked. “My first encounter with magic was when I first got here. Soon as I was able to figure out how to use it, I completely overwhelmed Valthar’s court mage. And that was by accident.”

  “I can tell you’re an individual with such tremendous power,” she chuckled, amused at his humbleness. “That’s the reason why, in my beast form, I couldn’t help but challenge you. Even with that stupid collar, my instinct for battle momentarily won.” Her demeanor quickly changed, from a smile to her expression now hailing a frown.

  Alex nodded, falling into step beside her again. “Must’ve been hell. Being forced to burn everything you were supposed to protect.”

  Veyra’s expression was still low, then softened as she looked at him. “I truly am grateful about our encounter, Alex. For years, I cried for help. For years, I’ve tried to fight back, at my own dark infused rampage. Nothing helped me. No challenger had ever dared try. No challenger, until you came along. Your presence shifted my instincts from mindless destruction, to battle weary. If it were not for you, your light magic that finally overcame the dark of the collar, I might’ve stayed in that form, forever.”

  She stopped mid in her tracks, Alex followed. He looked back at her, seeing her face, how she tried to fight back her tears as she wholeheartedly thanked him. For his efforts. He gave her the most reassuring smile, one that smiled as brightly as the afternoon sun above them. “Then I’m glad I was able to help you. Truly am grateful for your kind words.” All the animosity he’s felt ever since he’s been in Aetherra, all the heads that turned away from him, with fear, with disgust, Alex did not care about that because for the first time, someone had finally appreciated his power, his worth.

  Veyra’s tail wagged, like a dog excited, happy to be next to a human that she could proudly walk with. And so they did, continued down their steep path on the side of the mountain. “So Alex, you know a little about me, tell me about yourself. How does an Otherworlder like yourself become an adventurer?”

  Alex thought about it for the moment. Then his eyes met the horizon, where the castle he destroyed, still haunting him. He pointed, Veyra looked in that direction. “See that? That was, emphasizes on was, Valthar’s capital.”

  “I remember, from up here you can see everything, and I saw the moment it collapsed,” even in her beast form, she can still recollect every event that was visible from the mountain. Alex’s arrival was one of those. “The magic that day that was released, I thought those Valthar idiots had summoned a demon lord, or worse. I saw the castle destroyed, the dust that build up around the surrounding area. So that was your doing then? Glad karma finally bit back on those idiots.”

  “Yeah, it was me. Sorry to disappoint you on not being the demon lord,” Alex scratched his cheek, laughing at her small thrown jab at him being something else. “They had summoned me. I refused to join those genocidal maniacs, they refused my refusal. The rest was history, as you can see.”

  Veyra’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “You are… refreshingly honest. Most humans would boast about be a kingslayer. Or hide behind false humility.”

  “I couldn’t hide, even if I tried, after I did what I needed to, to prevent needless deaths and war, the nobles decided my face was pretty enough to go on a poster – a wanted poster,” Alex raised his arms behind his head. “There was no point in pretending what I did, even when I still walk around the place.”

  “I see.”

  The smoke rising from the chimney, the light that flickered at the window as the sun was settling. They finally made it down the mountainside, where the inn was. In the same crossroads it was at. **The Frosted Heart,** that was the name of it. Alex and Veyra made their way in.

  Alex greeted the innkeeper once again. “Hey, I’m back and I brought a friend.”

  He took one glance at her, cleaning the mugs he had by the counter. “Well she’s a pretty find, even with those horns sticking outta her,” he smirked. “Do you need an extra room? Or are you - ”

  Alex slammed the some gold crowns at his counter, not letting him finish his sentence. “Yes, an extra room is perfect boss.”

  “Alright, she can take the room next to yours, take the stairs, all the way on the far right, back,” he gladly took the gold. “The bath is included with your stay if you need to soak up some warmth after being out in the cold all day.”

  Veyra nodded. “Thank you. And I will take you up on that offer of the bath. Dragon scales do not itch, but this form… appreciates hot water.”

  “Dragon?” The innkeeper muttered. “You know what, I’m not gonna ask, the gold speaks louder than my curiosity.”

  “Thank you for your discretion boss,” Alex thanked him. He walked towards the room with Veyra, showing her where they stayed. “Here we are. I’m going to go back and have him prepare us some food.”

  “That sounds wonderful, I haven’t had a hearty meal in quite awhile.” Veyra responded.

  Alex still saw how worn out and torn her clothes are, his cheeks blushed with pink. “If you need fresh clothing, I have some spare clothing in my bag in my room. Feel free to use them.”

  Veyra looked down at her own clothes, not truly realizing how much of her curved body was revealing. Torn in ways where skin showed much more where they shouldn’t. Her tail wagged, not in excitement, but in embarrassment. Then she realized why Alex kept staring back at her during their climb down. “I – I will.” She responded about the spare clothes.

  After Alex handed her his bag, he went back, placed his order along with Veyra’s and sat by the table nearest the warmth of the fire place. He felt his face warm despite the cold. *Smooth,* the author deadpanned.

  *I forget you see what I see,* Alex rolled his eyes, knowing the author is about his teasing with that introduction. *No. Shut up over there.*

  *I swear, I really wasn’t going to say anything.* He tried to hide his laughter, badly too.

  “I can hear it in your voice.* Alex grunted, now even more annoyed with that laughter that the author couldn’t conceal.

  After a good minute of laughter coming from his mind, like a laugh track in a sitcom, author finally composed himself. *Surprised you didn’t just share the room, wink, wink.*

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  *I’m an adult, not a growing hormonal teenager for crying out loud,* a vein, nearly popping, had grown on Alex’s forehead. His annoyance level was definitely at it’s peak. *Now do you have anything of worth to say, or are you gonna continue to annoy me like a teenage girl?*

  *Hey, I’m just trying to be a good wingman for my buddy, you can at least be grateful, or act grateful, for my attempt,* yep, teenage girl it was. *Anyways, try not to fumble this one. The readers like a good waifu.*

  Alex thought about for a moment. Then he responded. *I can’t promise anything, I’ll try not to embarrass myself.*

  *That’s the spirit.* As soon as he left his mind blank again, Veyra had finally made her appearance after her bath.

  She wore spare green tunic he bought the first time he was able to afford it after doing a bunch of miscellaneous quests. She also wore brown shorts that accompanied the tunic. A green cap and she can probably go out and save Zelda. “Hey.” Veyra greeted as her hair was still on the wet side, her horns shiny like her smile.

  Just in time, as the innkeeper brought out their food. A beef stew, dry bread and a mulled mug full of wine, for the two.

  Veyra’s appetite showed, gulping down her food like a beast. She is a beast. So much so, she asked for a plate of seconds before Alex could finish his first. Surprisingly though, Alex didn’t mind it, he couldn’t help but find the way she eats adorable.

  She can see his gaze on her and realized her pacing. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how un-Lady like it was for me to eat like a savage.” She apologized.

  Alex smiled. “Don’t be. You were out there in beast mode for so long, I’m not surprised you’d have an empty stomach. Don’t let me stop you, eat,” he grabbed one of the napkins and wiped a bit of stew that lingered on the side of Veyra’s lip. “I like a lady who can chow down, it shows that are comfortable with who they are with.”

  Her ruby eyes met his, her heart skipped a beat with that last comment. With that last action. She was speechless.

  “Come on now, eat up before the food gets cold.”

  After awhile, they had finished their food, tummies filled up with their delight. Veyra was the first to break their silence. “So Alex, tell me where you’re from. How is the other side?”

  Alex leaned back, cradling his mug. The firelight played across his face as he spoke, voice quieter than usual.

  “The city I lived in - Chicago… it’s alive in a way this world isn’t. Skyscrapers that touch the clouds - some of them look like they’re trying to stab the sky. The CTA train rattles overhead, shaking windows at 2 a.m. Lake Michigan on one side, cold and endless, and the skyline on the other, all glass and steel reflecting the sunset like fire. In the summer the air smells like hot dogs and sunscreen and exhaust. In the winter the wind cuts through you like a knife, but the city lights make everything glow anyway. People everywhere - rushing, yelling, laughing, arguing. It’s chaotic. Loud. Beautiful in a broken sort of way.”

  Veyra listened, crimson eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made the room feel smaller. A soft gleam had entered them - fascinated, almost mesmerized, as if she could see the city through his words. “And you?” she asked softly. “What did you do there?”

  Alex took a slow sip of his leftover wine. “I was a cop. Chicago PD. Patrol mostly, later detective work. Spent a lot of nights walking beats in the South Side, breaking up fights, taking statements, trying to talk people down before things got worse. Last thing I remember… I was chasing down two suspects that were involved in drug trafficking. I caught both of them but one of them ambushed me and gave me a good wack in the head. Then everything went white. Next thing I know, I’m face-down on marble in a summoning circle.”

  He looked down at his hands, flexing them once. “Funny thing is, I spent years trying to stop violence before it started. Then I get here and the first thing I do is end a kingdom to stop a bigger war. Feels like the universe has a sick sense of humor.”

  Veyra reached across the table, her warm fingers covering his. The touch was gentle, grounding. “You were a guardian,” she said. “Even there. Just in a different shape.”

  Alex met her gaze. Those crimson eyes held him, deep, steady, gleaming with something that felt dangerously close to wonder. He couldn’t look away. Neither could she.

  The moment stretched, quiet and warm, until the inn’s front door slammed open.

  Four bounty hunters - leather-clad, weapons drawn, spilled into the common room. The leader, a scarred orc with a notched axe, grinned. “The Butcher of Valthar.” He looked at Alex. “When I heard you ventured out of the kingdom, I knew your head was fair game.”

  Alex sighed, already standing. “Torvald warned me about you guys. You really picked a bad time to ruin my party.”

  “Killing the Kingslayer, that has a nice ring to it on my resume.” Another one of the bounty hunter’s chimed in.

  “Who’s that?” Another looked at Veyra, her sharp gaze was deadly.

  “Dunno, but it doesn’t matter, both their heads are mine.” The bounty hunters got closer. The innkeeper hid behind his counter.

  “She looks familiar, but why?” The same one who looked at Veyra said, almost faintly remembering who she was but couldn’t quite place her where.

  Veyra rose slowly behind him, crimson eyes glowing faintly. “Step aside, Alex,” she said softly. “Let me handle this.”

  He glanced at her. “You sure?”

  Her smile was all fangs and fire. “Very.”

  The fight lasted less than twenty seconds.

  The first hunter lunged - axe high. Veyra moved like liquid flame, sidestepping and driving her palm into his chest. Ribs cracked audibly; he flew backward through a table and landed in a heap of splintered wood. “I REMEMBER NOW! YOU’RE THE CRIMSON TERROR!” Were his last words before passing out.

  The other three hesitated, as the words of their comrades echoed in their heads. “That’s her? The Crimson Terror?!” One of them added, trembling on his boots.

  “A-Are we biting more than we can chew!?” Another stuttered.

  Even with that slight hesitation, they still attempted their attack.

  The second swung a sword. Veyra caught the blade bare-handed, metal glowing red where her fingers touched it - then twisted. The sword snapped. She backhanded him across the face; his jaw dislocated with a pop. He dropped, gurgling.

  The third tried to flank with a crossbow. Veyra exhaled - a thin stream of flame that melted the bolt mid-flight and set his cloak ablaze. He screamed, rolling on the floor. She stomped once; his knee bent backward. He stopped moving.

  “Are you sure you can defeat me? Alone without your goons here?” Veyra couldn’t help but smirk, almost toying with who seemed to be the leader of this bounty group.

  “Tch. YOU DON’T SCARE ME!” The leader roared, charging with axe raised. Veyra met him head-on, caught the haft mid-swing, and yanked him forward. Her knee met his gut - air exploded from his lungs. She finished with an uppercut that lifted him off his feet and sent him crashing into the bar. Bottles shattered. He slid down, unconscious.

  And then, silence.

  Veyra turned to Alex, breathing steady, not a hair out of place.

  He stared at her. “That was… efficient.”

  She stepped closer, crimson eyes locked on his, soft now, vulnerable in a way they hadn’t been before. “I told you,” she said quietly, “I do not leave debts unpaid. But this is not about debt anymore.”

  She reached up, fingers brushing his cheek - warm, almost reverent. Alex leaned into the touch without thinking. “I pledge my allegiance to you, Alex,” she whispered. “Not because you freed me. Not because you are strong. Because being near you feels… right. Like the fire in me recognizes the fire in you. I want to stand beside you. Fight with you. Know you. Not as a guardian, not as a Butcher, but as someone who wants to be with you.”

  Alex’s throat tightened. He covered her hand with his own, holding it against his face. “I don’t want a pledge of service,” he said softly. “I want… you. Just you. I like the way you laugh at my stupid jokes. I like how you tore into that stew like it was the best thing you’d ever tasted. I like how you look at me, like I’m worth seeing. I’ve been alone since I got here. I don’t want to be alone anymore. Not if it’s with you.”

  Veyra’s eyes shimmered, something raw and bright flickering behind the crimson. “Then we are not alone,” she said.

  She leaned in slowly. Their foreheads touched - warm skin against warm skin. No kiss. Just the quiet press of contact, breaths mingling, hearts beating in the small space between them. It was intimate in the gentlest way: two people choosing each other in the middle of a wrecked inn, surrounded by unconscious bounty hunters and spilled wine.

  *…I feel like I’m interrupting something important,* the author thought quietly. *What did I miss?*

  *I told you I got this,* Alex replied, not moving. *Go write a grocery list or something.*

  The author wisely went silent.

  Veyra smiled against his forehead. “Tomorrow,” she murmured, “we return to Valthar. Together.”

  “Together.” Alex agreed.

  The next morning they left at dawn, hand in hand, saying their goodbyes to the innkeeper, continuously apologizing for their wreckage.

  The walk back was quicker than the walk forward. By midday they reached Valthar’s gates. Guards paled at the sight of Alex and paled further at the horned woman beside him, but no one dared stop them.

  The guild hall was quieter than usual. Torvald looked up from the counter as they entered. His good eye widened. “YOU’RE BACK!? AND YOU BROUGHT THE CRIMSON TERROR!?”

  Veyra smiled sweetly. “Yes. He did.”

  Alex slid the completed quest scroll across the counter. “We may have ran into some trouble as well, damn bounty hunters couldn’t help but be so eager to try us. They had a nice nap after she was done with them.” Alex weakly smiled.

  Torvald stared at the scroll, then at Veyra, then back at Alex. “I didn’t think you’d actually be able to beat the dragon, let alone let it be your companion now...”

  “I figured who ever tried to pit me against her, was a noble who probably thought we’d take each other out, two birds one stone,” Alex couldn’t help but laugh. Veyra followed with her own. “Too bad that didn’t work out as planned.”

  Torvald exhaled, even the thought of the two being a mighty duo shivered down his spine. He gulped, taking the scroll with him. “I – I see, I’ll make sure your payment is processed. Can’t make any promises on the whole bounty and quest, if I’m being honest.”

  “No worries,” Alex smiled, an expression that was ominous to Torvald. “I figured that was going to be the case. You tell whoever set this up, to back off before I do to him what I did to the king.” His demeanor, it was all but dark, leaning in closer to the guildmaster. His aura, that alone was intimidating the air, even the rest of the Adventurers at the guild can feel it as they trembled, cowering behind the mugs of beer they held. “Understood?”

  “Y-Yes!” Scared, Torvald couldn’t help but agree with Alex’s demands.

  “Now, with that business taken care off, I would like to officially form a party with Lady Veyra here.” The shift in the mood quickly changed, Veyra smiled as she was amused with the show Alex put on.

  “Understood, just talk to the receptionist and she’ll get you settled.” Torvald diverted the attention to the bunny beast receptionist.

  She quickly took out some documents, officially branding the two into a party together. Alex signed his name. Veyra signed beside it elegant, flowing script. Torvald stamped them both, the seal of approval. “Party officially formed. Congratulations. Try not to destroy the city.”

  Alex smirked, glancing at Veyra. “No promises.” She laughed, warm, bright, real.

  And as they walked out into the afternoon sun, shoulder to shoulder, the Otherworlder who was the Kingslayer of Valthar and the strongest Draconoid, the Crimson Terror of Kharzad. The weight on Alex’s shoulders felt, for the first time, a little lighter.

  Because he wasn’t carrying it alone anymore.