I AM BENJAMIN

" She spoke to my mother and my mother introduced her to me. If you don't trust me then....I don't care." Bartimus said looking seriously at the woman.

"What is your name? Pretend that your mother is a friend of mine." she said with a mischievous grin.

Bartimus smiled at the woman's cunning behavior despite her old age. He didn't want to talk to her longer than needed. If he kept on talking to her she might use his words against him just as she was doing now and he might end up revealing his true identity.

"I am Benjamin, kind lady. Has your curiosity been met?" he said with a slight bow,"I would also like to ask you something, if you don't mind."

"Ask dear my dear Ben. Your mother would be proud that you made a new friend of your own accord." she said starting to walk.

"Are you a witch or perhaps a very, very old woman in a younger old woman's body?"

"Same difference?" she said chuckling.

Bartimus stopped walking and watched her back. So she knew who he was. She stopped walking and turned to look at him. Her eyes were no longer those of a human. They had turned blood red and he recognized her. Three years ago she had killed his master and only friend.

'"I will never meet with a woman if that is what it takes to keep my friend with me."

"Wouldn't you want to see me as a human, Vladimir? It would be lovely for you to teach me how to walk, don't you agree?" said Bartimus.

His friend laughed at the thought of teaching a grown man how to walk. He stopped laughing when Bartimus looked out the cave entrance. Vladimir had left the palace to spend time with his dragon that didn't like being in place that was far from nature. The dragon got up and walked out of the cave opening. Vladimir was about to follow when a strong wind causes by Bartimus pushed him further into the dark cave. The caves entrance was closed by a rock that appeared out of nowhere and merged with the caves walls. Vladimir sat obediently as this wasn't the first time they had been attacked and he was used to it by now. The fire Bartimus had made to keep him warm begun to flicker like a small candle burning out.

Vladimir felt something was amiss because there were no wind currents inside the cave. He picked up the sword he had placed beside the fire and removed it from it's sheath. He didn't even have the chance to turn when a tongue of fire wiped him and pushed him to the wall. The fire felt solid on his body but it burnt his left hand. He was accustomed to using his left hand to wield his sword so he was at a disadvantage. He looked at the source of the fire, a young woman dressed in black. She had a smile on her face but it wasn't a friendly one at all. He picked up the sword in his right hand this time and aimed it at her. Her smile broadened and the fire flickered again.

Bartimus who was outside felt his master's gear and opened the entrance of the cave to check on him. When he looked inside, there was a woman covered in blood. Her eyes were as red as the blood on her body. She had a look of satisfaction like someone who had a pleasant meal with loved ones. Vladimir was lying unconscious by the fire; most of him. His lower body was gone while a pool of blood spread around his limp body. He wasn't dead yet and Bartimus knew. It wouldn't be long before he breathed his last and this angered Bartimus.He looked at the woman again and saw how she put one of Vladimir's toes into her mouth. He shot fire at her but she disappeared into thin air as she screamed. He let out a cry of anguish and pain as his dear friend took his last breath.'

Bartimus' mind come back to the present where the woman he had searched for stood before his eyes. He wouldn't let her get away this time.

"Where is Selene?" he asked.

His eyes turned completely black and the ground he stood on sank about half a meter. The witch was startled for a moment but she put on a smile to mask her shock.

"I see you can still us your powers, Bartimus. Maybe I should have eaten your master completely."

"Oh, was I supposed to not fight. What do you do when you devour a dragon's master?"

"I gain control of the dragon's abilities but you.... you're different."

She stared at him half afraid and half amused. Had she made a mistake when she cast the spell? She whistled and her grandson came running to her on all fours like and animal. She place her hand at the top of his head and punctured it with a sharp nail. The boys eyes rolled back and turned black just like Bartimus'. The witch moved away while Bartimus watched the boy.

His flesh started to tear and from the wounds a thick grey liquid flowed out. The liquid hardened and become scales. The scales also broke apart and released the same liquid and hardened to form stronger scales that were impossible to penetrate with even a sword fashioned to kill a dragon. At the end of his transformation, the boy had become a grotesque imagery of a dragon. The creature had fifteen heads in total; each with a different color and different horns.

"Is this your collection of dragons over the past century?" Bartimus asked mockingly.

He squared his shoulders and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they had become bright blue which was a color a dragon's eyes turned when they were protecting there master. The witch didn't miss the change and immediately scanned the area for Selene. She inhaled deeply trying to pin point the fear that wafted in the air. She was certain it wasn't her own fear and it certainly wasn't Bartimus'.