014 - Farwell

*****

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

( Proverbs 17 : 17 )

*****

In the sea of clouds stood a solitary island, the highest mountain peak in the northern region that brushed against the heavens.

Ze hovered in the air, positioned above the clouds. His majestic wings flapped gracefully, carrying him closer to the peak. He landed near a frozen cave, cradling Ignite in his hand, who trembled in response to the bone-chilling cold. Placing Ignite against his chest, he allowed the darkness to embrace the newborn flame, offering it solace within its boundless depths. With Ignite secured, Ze took a determined step forward.

*Roar*

A mighty roar reverberated through the frozen cave, causing icicles to clink in a rhythmic cascade as they plummeted to the ground. Ze smiled at the ominous welcome. The individual he had come to meet seemed to have noticed his unexpected presence and wasn't particularly receptive.

*Roar*

Another resounding roar echoed, warning Ze against proceeding further. Undeterred, he took another step, for they say the third time is the charm.

*Roar*

The roar intensified with his advance. Roaring blue flames surged forth, freezing everything in their path. Ze calmly observed the flames and continued moving forward, undisturbed by their icy chill. The flames engulfed him as he pressed onward, yet their intensity gradually diminished. They had coated everything in frost, but they couldn't impede his determined march. Finally, he reached the end of the cave.

In the depths of the frozen darkness, a pair of piercing blue eyes radiated with brilliance. Ze gazed up at the majestic figure that reclined on its frosty throne.

'A dragon, (0o0)'

Ze smiled as he beheld the magnificent creature before him. Its scales shimmered even in the darkness, and its reptilian eyes observed him with both curiosity and caution. He had withstood the dragon's breath to reach this point.

"Yo, kid," Ze's voice broke the silence.

The dragon's eyes sharpened at his remark.

'Why are you calling it a kid? Can't you see? It's a massive dragon.'

"Nope, just a hatchling at the age of 30," Ze clarified.

Despite the dragon's imposing presence, it was still relatively small compared to the mature drakes. The dragon measured a mere 60 feet in length as it lay before him.

Ze activated his aura, causing his body to transform into a living golden flame, eternally ablaze. Shadows gathered in his hand, forming sturdy stick.

The dragon stood, prepared for battle. Its eyes honed in on Ze, its fangs glistening. It intended to send its unwelcome guest back to the soul stream. Ze acted swiftly, disappearing from his position and reappearing next to the dragon.

...

Ze smiled as the playful puff of flame danced around him. His mana imbued him with a reddish hue as it heated up. Ignite joyously feasted on his mana, refusing to be left alone. After the battle concluded, it promptly emerged from Ze's shadow.

*GRRR*

Ze glanced upward, taking in the cloudless blue sky. The cave he had entered was no longer visible; the entire mountain peak had been leveled, and the dragon lay before him, its face swollen. Gradually regaining consciousness, the dragon opened its eyes, squinting at the brightness of the sun. It shook its head to clear its foggy mind.

It took a moment for the dragon to fully regain its senses. As it surveyed its surroundings, its gaze landed upon Ze and Ignite, merrily engaged in play. Memories of their recent conflict surged back into its mind.

The dragon's eyes focused, attempting to rise, but only succeeding in staggering and collapsing.

Ze observed the dragon, and Ignite grew curious.

"Don't try to get up; I simply fried your nerves," Ze said as he approached.

Curious Ignite leaped from Ze's hand and landed on the dragon's head. Mist materialized as the flames made contact with the dragon's cold scales. Sensing the chill, Ignite wriggled its body. Ze gently placed his hand on the dragon's head, causing a golden light to envelop it, initiating the healing process. Its scales regained their vibrant colors, and the wounds sealed shut.

Sensing the restoration of its body and the return of its strength, the dragon's eyes sharpened, and it attempted to lift its head to attack.

Ze pressed his hand against the dragon's head, meeting its sharp gaze. The dragon felt the weight of his touch, and as it looked into his deep blue eyes, it sensed an endless depth and dominance. It realized that the human before it was not to be trifled with—it was like a rat under a cat's paw.

Ze smiled at the dragon, which had given up on the thought of fighting. If it were an adult dragon, it would have fought to the death without surrendering. For a strong and prideful dragon, submitting was a great shame.

With Ignite back by his side, Ze lifted his hand, releasing the pressure on the dragon and taking a step back to give it space. The dragon stood up, its gaze still fixed on Ze. Now that it was alive and not killed, it understood that the human before it had something else in mind.

"Let's make a deal, shall we?" Ze proposed with a business-like smile, resembling a CEO negotiating with a rival company. The dragon was taken aback by his smile—it seemed too trusting to be true.

*Grr* the dragon growled, expressing its skepticism.

"The deal is this: You come under my command, and in return, you get to keep your life and enjoy many benefits," Ze presented his offer.

*Grrr* the dragon growled again, indicating its displeasure. The deal seemed unfair, even with Ze's seemingly trustworthy smile.

"Well, if you don't agree, we can go through another session of negotiations," Ze smiled, this time not with trust but with menace.

The dragon felt it—refusing the deal would subject it to something unspeakable. Its body shuddered at the thought.

*Grrr* In understanding, the dragon bowed.

"You understand. Let's leave and have some food," Ze flashed a genuine smile that suited his age.

Ze turned towards the direction of the village, and his black wings materialized, so dark that no light could escape them. They merged into his shadow, and with a powerful flap, Ze shot up into the air at hyper speed. The dragon followed suit, spreading its majestic draconic wings and commanding the wind as it soared through the sky.

With a few more flaps of their wings, they arrived above the village. Ze dematerialized his wings, causing him to free fall. The dragon followed by tugging its wings, and they descended with a trailing presence, resembling meteors.

Ze materialized his wings once again, slowing his descent, and the dragon shadowed the earth with its wings. They both landed near the village smoothly. Ze turned his gaze towards the bewildered and panicked guards.

Ze approached the village, the dragon following closely behind.

"Yo," Ze waved as he reached the gate.

"Oh, it's a relief, it's Zeru," the guards sighed, visibly relieved.

Initial fright caused by the dragon's descent was soothed Zeru's presence.

"The chief is waiting for you," one of the guards informed Ze.

"Okay," Ze replied, crossing the guards and entering the village.

*Grr*

A growl came from behind. Ze turned to look at the dragon, which was looking at him while its wings trembled slightly. Ze understood the situation—the gate was too small for the dragon to enter comfortably. If it tried to come through in its current size, its massive body would cause problems.

"Come on, use transformation magic to change into a smaller form," Ze advised the dragon.

The dragon tilted its head in confusion. Although it could command mana and use magic attacks, it had no knowledge of transformation magic. Ze looked at the perplexed dragon.

"You don't know how?" Ze found himself even more puzzled. The dragons he knew were well-versed in magic, capable of devouring mana and breathing fire. They were like fish in water when it came to mana manipulation. Transformation magic was child's play compared to the vast amount of magic they possessed.

*Sigh*

A sigh escaped Ze as he contemplated the situation. He couldn't believe the predicament he was in. There was only one solution—he would have to either leave the dragon outside or teach it magic.

Ze walked towards the dragon, extending his hand. The dragon bowed its head as its head touched his hand. Blue lightning sparked around Ze's palm, and the lightning traveled to the dragon's head, connecting them.

Using his unique ability, Ze shared his knowledge with his new subordinate. The dragon's eyes glowed as the new information filled its mind.

Ze lowered his hand, having transferred all the knowledge. He snapped his fingers before leaving.

"Eat this," Ze said.

The drake's body floated out of the dragon's shadow.

The dragon's eyes flashed with surprise at the sight of the drake's body. Even though the drake was lower in the evolutionary tree, it was three times its size. It should have been at least as strong as an adult dragon when it lived. The dragon now saw Ze in a new light as he departed.

The dragon, not minding the human who was observing it with amazed eyes, dug into the drake.

Ze reached the chief's office without trouble, although people were still cautious of him.

*Knock*

He knocked, and the door soon opened.

The one who opened the door was Siena, the chief's daughter. Her eyes widened as she noticed Ze, who was standing at her height, and the reason was her father's story.

Ze walked in, pushing her aside. He went straight to the chief's office, leaving the shocked Siena at the door.

Ze opened the door to the chief's office with his trusty business smile.

The chief looked at the person who entered his office, feeling a chill as he noticed Ze's smile. He abruptly stood up, causing the chair he was sitting on to fall.

"Chief, I am here to collect the compensation," Ze said.

The chief couldn't recall the details of their previous deal before, but he was prepared this time.

"Give me some time. I will prepare the meal for you," the chief said with a slight bow.

"Okay, make sure to cook plenty. You have hundreds of varieties of meat," Ze replied, more like a warning.

"Yes," the chief answered.

Upon hearing the chief's response, Ze left the house to meet Hula. Hula, upon seeing him, was happy. Ze chatted with him while waiting for the food he had ordered. After an hour, the food arrived. They had cooked two whole beasts to perfection, tenderizing their muscles. The spiced dishes and the accompanying ingredients complemented the meat well.

Ze enjoyed his meal with Hula and his friends. They were all rolling on the floor after eating to their heart's content. Ze bid farewell to Hula and his mother.

The chief was waiting for him.

"The food was good," Ze said.

"Thank you. I wanted to meet you before you leave," the chief said.

"I have stayed here for three years; now I need to go back and make my debut," Ze replied.

They conversed as they made their way to the gate. The guards greeted them upon their arrival, causing their conversation to end.

Ze glanced to the side and noticed the blue dragon sleeping. Near it were the remaining parts of the drake, such as its scales, claws, and horns. Ze nodded in satisfaction. The dragon had used the magic he taught to disassemble the drake's body.

The chief took a step back upon seeing the sleeping dragon but quickly composed himself. He had witnessed too many unimaginable things in less than two days.

Ze turned to the chief.

"I will leave them with you. Don't cause trouble with them."

While the chief was confused by his words, Ze silently commanded the deadly monsters in his shadow to move toward the villagers.

Ze snapped his fingers, and the dragon sank into his shadow.

"Farewell," Zeru bid farewell.

"Farewell," The chief returned it.

His black wings took form, and he vanished without a sound.

*****