New Acquaintances

I wasn't sure what Shiba meant by 'ability'.

You just had to think and speak, right?

"Mine helps me aim projectiles, but everyone has a different one for their personality. What's yours?"

"I don't know... I don't think I have one." I responded.

I don't think the magic here is the same as what I'm used to.

"Oh no, that would be silly, everyone has one! Think about what your strongest desire is, and then you can figure it out from there."

Or so he says, but I don't know what that is.

What is it that I want?

The only thing I've had to worry about was having a family, I just want to live long enough to enjoy a full family life without worry.

Maybe if I look at this haze covering my body differently, it could be some kind of protection?

What if I'm feeling weak from overusing all my energy on covering my whole body with a defense?

It doesn't feel like I'm covered in a shield, it just feels like I'm straight up losing all my Mana.

I just need to focus... Just imagine containing all of my Mana in my body.

I wasn't expecting much, but the haze goes away immediately.

I was able to reduce it to just a thin layer of purple coating my scales, but I wasn't able to completely stop it.

The feeling was incredible, it's like I was lethargic for years and suddenly had a burst of energy!

As I tested it out I discovered I could control where it was covering, but I wasn't that good at controlling it like that yet.

"Is this it?" I asked.

"It looks like a cool defense, but an ability usually has more uses than just one thing..." He said.

Is this not an ability? Wait, is the magic here different?

So why does it feel like I'm using Mana?

If I think about it carefully, what should happen when Mana mixes with some unfamiliar similar energy?

That must be what the haze around me is. I wasn't sure if that would help in defence, though.

Maybe if I focus on the energy of this world, I can imagine a barrier or shield.

I concentrated on it until a translucent red block materialized in front of me.

"I did it!" I cheered at my success while striking it to see that it really holds up.

"Great!" Shiba affirmed. "You should be able to control it better if you practice."

"Is this all? Let's hurry and go save your friend, then."

I wanted to get down to business right away.

The longer I spent the longer I'd have to be in this unfamiliar world without my friends.

"It'll take at least two days to get there, no need to be in such a rush-"

"Two days if you're traveling, maybe. But we're not going to be going slow like that. Hurry and get on!" I interrupted and gestured to get him on my back.

He seemed to think he shouldn't and I started thinking I was going to have to pull him up there myself until he finally got his stuff together and got on.

I was slammed with the memories of how much Ria loved being on my back the same way.

Just a little longer, I'll be back soon...

He seemed to like it too.

"This is fun! I didn't think I would ever be riding a dragon!"

"Just tell me which way to go and we're off!"

"That way!" He pointed and I took off quickly in that direction.

This world really looked like it was withered and about to die.

There wasn't a single living thing in sight that didn't look dangerous.

I flew and flew and there was nothing but the same environment for what felt like miles.

Eventually a loose collection of buildings came into view.

I tried to land as close as I could without being seen and managed quite well if I do say so myself.

The buildings were lavishly built huts, and close to the center was a large cage.

It could hardly even be called a prison.

Shiba really looked like he wanted to just rush in and get her out but I surrounded him with a wing and kept him still.

"No, think before you act!"

"I'll figure it out, let me go! I can do it myself!" He struggles and pushes to get out while I look for who is guarding it.

He gets more and more unruly until I practically have to step on him to keep him still.

"Stay still, you remind me of a certain little idiot." I demand until he shuts up and stops fighting me.

"That's better."

I wanted to wait for an opportunity to sneak in instead of trying to brute force my way in.

I no longer had any overwhelming magic advantage, so I didn't want to take any chances and end up losing in such an embarrassing way.

Keeping the desperate little puppy quiet was a challenge but eventually he mellowed out.

It takes a while before it happens, but eventually the time finally arrives-- I finally have a good opening!

As soon as the activity dies down, I quickly dash behind one of the larger huts and peek past it.

That's when I finally get a good view of the cage, with a small beastman inside.

The Ralei had more human appearance but were taller and had prominent horns on their heads, just like the former demon lord.

She was completely resigned to whatever they were going to do to her, some of them didn't even hesitate to poke sticks through the bars.

"Please. Just get it over with already!" She cries finally.

"Shut up, you pitiful animal! You don't have any say in what we do with you! Worthless Lupri..." One of the Ralei yell while banging on the metal.

The captive shrinks and doesn't say anything more.

It makes me so mad to watch something so mean.

I should wait, right? It would be a bad idea to make a big commotion that announces where I am to my enemies wouldn't it?

But I can't stand by to watch this for that long, and Shiba probably won't be able to stay under control that long either.

If I don't go in now then he definitely will.

It was getting hard to stay hidden when I'm so big and colorful anyway.

"We're under attack! It's a dragon!" Multiple voices yell as soon as I rush for the cage.

This was where I would get the answer... Can I fight without cheat spells?

A few of the quicker Ralei get over the shock and swing curved swords at whatever parts of me they can reach.

Trying to dodge can be pretty difficult when you're huge and easy to hit.

Those little swords don't look like they will hurt much, so I try to use my Mana to cover myself with that haze just to see if it works like I thought.

As their remarkably sharp swords make contact with the effects of the haze, they meet resistance and get deflected away.

Wow! That really helps but it still almost got through, so it's only safe to trust it for glancing blows.

"Move aside! Those swords won't do anything to it!" An older voice commands the ones trying to attack me.

Life would be so much easier right now if they would just continue coming at me in stupid ways.

A taller Ralei appears wielding a spear almost as long as his body.

"Foolish dragon! Not just any random dragon will get away with messing with us!"

Or so he says, but I'm going to mess them up big time, and get away with it too

I did promise to help the beastman they are oppressing.

And since my final enemy will end up being at the top of this strange world I'd rather have friends I can trust.

The Ralei covers his spear with an aura and suddenly it splits into another spear, which he launches at me at an impressive speed.

Surprised, I quickly create a barrier on front of me and the spear gets lodged almost halfway through it.

Ooh, I'm glad I got to practice this first.

He rushes past the blocked spear and tries to personally stab me with his own spear.

My combat sense still works a little, and I manage to grab it before it can connect.

I thought I had him, but he clones his weapon again and resumes his attack.

Fighting isn't my strong suit, I can't dodge and I don't have time to block this, I'll just have to tank it!

I try to move so I at least don't die, but just as the spear is about to reach me, an arrow flies in and strikes his arm.

Where did that come from?!

It came from the same direction I left Shiba, but a shot from that distance with a bow has to be almost impossible normally.

It's trivial to hold the Ralei down after he gets distracted, and the rest either try to attack me only to be overpowered or run away until the surroundings become deserted.

They all ran so fast I couldn't even give them the warning not to mess with my new friends again, so I have to settle for telling the one I caught instead, hopefully they get the message so I don't have to come back.

With the action subsided, all that's left is to get the victim out of that terrible cage.

She was shrinking more into the corner the closer I got, and I wasn't sure I could keep her from having a heart attack when I forced the cage open.

"I- I don't know what they did to anger you, dragon! I'm not with them, please spare me!" She begs.

This world really has low expectations when it comes to dragons.

I didn't know what to even say, but I didn't have to- Shiba came running to hug her and tried to console her into coming out and clearly he knew what needed to be said better than me.

"Shiba! Why are you here?! Did the dragon catch you?!"

"Please don't panic. It's hard to believe, but I made a friend!"

I backed up to give them space to come out, but I wasn't sure what to do next so I just awkwardly tried to say "Hi."

My greeting wasn't reciprocated with more than a whimper from behind Shiba.

"Oh come on, don't make that sound. I'm just a little big, that's all. You're gonna have to ride me home anyway."

"Are they really going to stop coming after us?" Shiba asked.

"Of course they will! Next time I won't be so nice!" I boasted and resumed trying to lure the former damsel in distress to get on my back already.

Finally she barely managed to crawl up there and started pitifully holding onto me.

I wasn't sure what this world had in store for me, but I know one thing for sure, and it's that I'm not dying in a place like this!