Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was early in the morning when the witch first stepped outside their quaint little cottage. The sun was barely rising over the rolling hills. Hues of pink, orange and purple fluttered over the cloudless skies, greeting the world to a new day. (Name) had a lot to do today. It was the start of monster mating season so many adventurers, mercenaries and merchants will be all over the lands either killing the beasts or selling their parts. That’s where their little occupation came into play. They were a witch who owned a potions and crystal shop. Traditional medicine wasn’t always effective enough in healing folks so one had to turn to the older ways of healing through magic and potions.

First on the chopping block, quite literally, was chopping wood. Now, could they simply use a little magic and have the work done with a snap of their fingers? Yes. But compliancy like that left one vulnerable. The witch had been alive long enough to know that magic couldn’t solve every problem. Having a healthy and strong body also helped with wielding magic. So, they got to work and chopped wood with their handy axe. For the better part of an hour, they chopped small logs into various pieces and thicknesses. Some smaller for kindling ang starting fires, some bigger for those long nights to keep the hearth ablaze all night long.

Wiping the thin sheen of sweat from their brow, they looked at their axe head and cursed under their breath. No wonder chopping today seemed a little more difficult. The blade had started to dull heavily and was in need of a sharpening. Glancing back at their home, they took account of the sun in the sky and pondered for a moment.

“It’s a little earlier than I wanted to but I’m sure I can head into town early. Caleb is usually an early riser so I can leave it with him and do my errands during then,” The witch talked to themselves, nodding in agreement before they started to pack for their journey to town. They grabbed their large bag off the hook by the door and carried it further into their home that doubled as their shop.

“Ok so Zayne said he needed more herbs, so I’ll make sure to pack those. I already have the axe, oh shit right, my coin purse!” they exclaimed, quickly running to their bedroom near the back of the building to find their purse. It was just a simple purse, wind red in color and with an embroidered crow on it. The witch had acquired it some years ago when a group of traveling merchants had come through the town, trying to sell the last bit of their wares before going home.

With everything they needed, (Name) finally was able to make their trek to town. They flipped their homemade sign on the door to closed, locked the door and started walking. Normally, they would have thrown on their cloak to provide some protection to the crisp morning air, but with their oncoming work out and their chores from earlier, their body was plenty warm enough to handle the walk. Besides, it would be warm enough by the time they returned that lugging the cloak around would just turn into a hassle.

The witch smiled as they walked down the winding road, taking in the scenery and sounds. Much of the wildlife was bustling around them, waking like the rest of the countryside. A pair of squirrels played tag in the trees. A doe and their fawn jumped across a farmer’s field, having slept in the tall crop before heading out for the day. Birds flew in the skies, singing and gossiping to whoever would listen. It was days like this that reminded the witch as to why they lived a decent way out of the town. It was peaceful and quiet. Safe and serene. No nosey neighbors poking their head where it didn’t belong or people who believed in nasty rumors. Rumors like “Witches were monsters who cursed anyone who looked at them wrong.” It was silly really. If such magic existed, the witch would have used it long ago. They had a small list of those who had wronged them and a good curse or two would have been the perfect lesson to learn. Alas, such spells were only afforded to monsters made of black magic. By then, a witch or wizard was already too far gone, being more monster than human. Black magic was the true curse, corrupting a being from the inside out. There was no return once the first spell was cast.

Soon, the town had come into sight. Bloomshore was a small town, around 2 thousand people and not far from the country’s capital, called Linkon. The country was called Philos and it bordered the neighboring country of Lemuria. It was more dated compared to the large city center, with a more country way of operation. The townsfolks still made due however and life was peaceful. (Name) passed through the “gate” leading into town. Truly, it was just a simple wooden archway, the town’s name carved into the wooden plaque nailed to its top. The town was slowly coming alive as people began to stir from their slumber. They would soon interact with the town but first thing first, visiting the blacksmith of the town.

The sound of metal hitting metal and black smoke invaded their senses as they got closer to the shop, a smile on their face. Just as they guessed, Caleb was awake and right at work. With quiet footsteps, they snuck up to one of the wooden posts in the mostly open-air shop.

“Knock, knock. Is the shop open for business?” The witched called out, moving into Caleb’s line of sight. The blacksmith halted in his movements and looked up, a thousand-watt smile forming on his face. His chestnut brown hair stuck to his forehead due to the sweat and heat but his sparkling violet eyes showed no sign of such fatigue. They shimmered like amethysts in a freshly broken geode. Setting down his current project, which looked to be a sword, the lumbering man faced his new visitor.

“(Name)! It’s so good to see you! What brings you to my shop so early in the morning? You never usually come this early” Caleb said, glove covered hand moving to wipe the sweat from his brow. In the process, a large black soot mark formed in its wake. Stifling a giggle, the witch didn’t have the heart to point it out.

“I need you to sharpen my axe again if you have time. Chopping wood was a little rough this morning and with winter ever approaching, I need to make sure I have enough to last,” they said, pulling the tool from the bag on their back and handing it to the tradesman. Caleb tossed the object over in his hands, inspecting the blade and handle with calculating eyes.

“I absolutely can but if I’m being honest, it may just be better to get a new axe entirely. The blade is fairly worn from multiple sharpening’s and it runs the risk of snapping. The handle is also weathered and weak. I’m surprised it didn’t splinter on you this morning,” the blacksmith confessed, handing the axe back to them. The witch frowned as they looked down at the weapon. They didn’t have money for a new axe, especially one that wouldn’t be too heavy. Most standard axes were too top heavy for them to wield safely.
Seeing the worry on his customers face, Caleb smiled. “I just so happen to have some spare axe heads and wood ready for the making. Its taking up too much room in my shop. How about you take one off my hands for say…the price of an axe sharpening. Sound like a deal?” he asked, smiling at then. The relief was clear on the spellcaster’s face as they smiled right back.

“That sounds like a steal of a deal. How long would it take you to make?” (Name) asked, digging through their bag to find their coin purse. They trusted Caleb’s craftsman ship so they had no worries about paying in advance. Unlike most who would try to swindle them for a higher price, Caleb was an honest and sweet man.

“Give me about an hour or two and I should have one sharp and ready. I can even add your initials on it so everyone knows it’s yours for sure,” he teased, smiling and holding out his hand when they deposited the correct coin into his palm. The witch rolled their eyes but couldn’t help but smile. Always the jokester he was.

“Thank you very much Caleb. I’ll be back in about an hour or so. I have a few errands to run so I must be off for now,” they said, slowly turning on their heels. With a quick wave over their shoulder, they were off to their next destination.

The witch hadn’t had breakfast yet so the towns bakery was sound more enticing by the second. But they also needed to visit the towns doctor and that was…an experience to say the least. Dr. Zayne was a kind enough man; more quiet than anything. He was a man of science though and didn’t always look…favorably to those who used magic. Zayne most likely saw it as something unnatural, the ways of magic slowly dying out of the world. While the doctor had never been outright mean or vicious, his indifference was palpable. Their relationship was strictly on of business. The witch provided him with medicinal herbs he struggled to acquire and in return, the man didn’t stone them like some had tried in the past.

“Lets just get this over with,” they muttered to themselves as the witch made their way to the doctor’s office. It was a decent sized building in the middle of town and not far away from the church. While most centers of healing operated out of a church or adventures guild, Zayne had decided to have his own building. (Name) had never bothered asking, but they always noticed how the doctor’s eyes seemed to darken at the mention of the country’s god, Astra. Maybe the man just didn’t have faith in things he couldn’t see with his own eyes.

Once they reached the building, they gave a small knock and waited for someone to answer the door. It wasn’t two minutes before the door was opened and the witch sighed in relief when they saw the other doctor, Greyson. Greyson was always more accepting of their magical background, some would even say fascinated.

“Good morning, Dr. Greyson. I have some-“

“Greyson, who is it?” came a smooth timber from inside. The witch froze and sighed. So much for just handing them off to Greyson and running.

Coming around the corner was Dr. Zayne himself. Shimmering black hair and hazel green eyes, the young man was something of a beauty in the town. Many women and men alike would fawn over him. The witch also recalled someone had actually tried to propose to the doctor one time but was quickly shot down.

“Oh. Hello (Name). What brings you here so early in the morning?” Zayne asked, polite as ever. The witch chuckled nervously, unable to form any words. Greyson, seeing this, chuckled.

“They seemed to be stopping by to deliver more goods. While you two talk, I’ll go grab the money,” He said, flashing them a smile before leaving them alone with Zayne. They begged with their eyes for Greyson not to leave but it was no use. The man had already left them to the preverbal wolf.

“Oh, that is very nice of you. What do you have with you?” Zayne asked, eyes glancing at their bag with interest. They sighed and pulled off their bag, digging around until they pulled out a small pouch of the herbs.

“I remember you saying that you were low on milk thistle, Feverfew and chamomile last time I was in town. I figured since I had some extra, I would drop some off while I ran errands this morning,” they explained, handing him the pouch. The doctor took the small package and nodded in thanks. The air was awkward between them, neither knowing what to say as they waited for Greyson to return. The witch began to fiddle with their hands nervously, praying they could just leave already. Zayne looked down at their hands then and his eyes squinted in concern. Without a word, the doctor spun around and headed off to do something.

Utterly confused, they just stood there. What was that about? The witch wasn’t given much time to think on it because soon, Greyson had returned with a small coin purse of money.

“Here is your payment kind witch,” the secondary doctor said, smiling. They were about to return the kind words when Zayne reappeared, a small container in hand. He held out the object to them.

“A salve for your hands,” he explained, glancing down at their hands again. “Those new tattoos don’t look too good. This will help heal them better,” Zayne said, placing the container in their hands. They stood there stunned at the random gesture.

The witch wasn’t like most of their kind. Most spellcasters would have all their spells in a protected grimoire, locked away somewhere safe. Using memorization and repetition to utilize their spells. (Name) was different. Sure, they still had their own grimoire but most of their spells were tattooed into their skin. It was a more painful way to go about things but it was more secure. No risk of paper getting wet, burned or torn. Plus, tattoos also just looked cool.

“T-Thank you,” they stuttered out their thanks. Zayne nodded and they swore there was a faint hint of a smile on the man’s lips. After saying their quick goodbyes, (Name) left the doctors office and started their way to the bakery. They were simply starving by this point.

The closer they got to the bakery, the more their stomach rumbled. The air was positively delicious and they could feel their mouth begin to water. The sound of the bell from the door signaled their entry as they headed to the counter. The lead baker, Tara, was floating around behind the counter, taking stock and adding baked goods as needed. Smiling, they waved to catch the woman’s attention. Tara’s head snapped up and a bright smile formed on their face. She bounced over to the counter, all sunshine and rainbows.

“Oh hello (Name!) good morning,” she chirped cheerfully, giving her their undivided attention. “What can I get you this morning? It’s been so long since you’ve been in town. I missed seeing your face,”

“And I’ve missed you too. My little shop is keeping me busy enough though so I don’t get out much. Especially with monster mating season round the corner,”

“Oh right, its that time of year again. How many mercenaries do you think the town will hire this year? Maybe that cute blonde from before will come around again,” Tara said, giving them a wink. At the teasing, the spellcaster blushed and rolled their eyes. Tara always had jokes.

“Maybe but its not like its any concern of yours. Don’t think I didn’t notice the new flowers sitting on the counter top, Tara,” they shot right back, smirking more the darker Tara’s cheeks got. It was no secret that the florist in town, Jeremiah, had a sweet spot for Tara. The man had been trying to court her for months now and for some reason, the young woman never gave him a straight answer.

“It’s not- he’s just being nice,” she excused, looking away shyly.

“Tara, if he gets any nicer, the man is going to be groveling at your feet,” the witch snorted. Tara just gawked at them before the witch continued. “Seriously, give him a chance. I can tell you like him too. The Autumn Festival coming up may be a good time to see things out,” they reasoned, giving her an encouraging smile. Tara pouted for a moment but they could tell that she was seriously considering their words.

After a spell, Tara sighed. “Alright fine! BUT-“ she said, pointing her finger at the witch, “If he turns me down, you have to come with me instead,”

“Deal,” they agreed, grinning. Tara rolled her eyes and smiled. After that, they were quick to order something, just a loaf of bread and a few sweet treats. The two continued to chat for a little while longer before it was starting to be time for them to go fetch their axe. After paying, they bid Tara farewell and headed their way back to Caleb’s shop.

He was done exactly on time. The blacksmith clearly used their old axe as a guide when making their new one because it fit perfectly in their hands. It wasn’t too heavy and easy to swing. After many thanks, the witch had officially run all their errands and was ready to go back home. With the sun high in the sky, the gentle rays warmed their face and skin.

The walk home aways seemed to feel longer than the trip into town. As they continued down the road, a caw was heard overhead. Looking up, the witch smiled as they saw one of their oldest friends. A black crow was circling above their head, screaming to get their attention. (Name) held out their arm so the bird could have somewhere to perch. The crow saw it was being paid attention too and swooped down to land.

“Hello sweet boy. How are you doing today Memphis?” they cooed, using two fingers to run along the birds back, petting him. The crow fluttered at the sweet affection, cooing lowly before it shook it’s head, like it just remembered why it was getting the witches attention in the first place. Taking flight, the bird continued to caw at them, flying away before coming back and cawing again.

“What’s wrong boy? Do you want me to follow you?” they asked, confused. That seemed to be the correct answer because Memphis drove for their head before pulling up and flying off in a direction. The witch ran after the bird, their confusion only growing. The crow, in all the years they had known it, had never done something this strange. As they continued to run, they noticed it was the same direction as their house. Worry started to build in the spellcasters gut as they ran faster, praying nothing was wrong with their home.

Memphis continued to guide them from the skies, cawing once and landing in a near by tree when it was clear that it wasn’t much farther ahead. The witch kept running, bobbing and weaving between bushes and branches until they stopped outside their house. What they saw made their heart drop.

Laying in front of their doorstep was an injured creature. Now, they were no stranger to injured animals. They had healed many wounded wildlife that stumbled into their front yard. Deer, horned rabbits, cats. That wasn’t unfamiliar, no. Those they could handle. What they couldn’t handle however, was a winged lizard. A species of monster that, while looking similar to dragons, were much smaller but still just as deadly. Having a poisonous breath weapon versus the normal fire or ice that dragons had. The poor thing had multiple gashes and deep wounds all over it’s body and it looked like something had clawed its wings to shreds. If they didn’t act soon, it was going to die.

Chapter Text

The witch stood there stunned. A winged lizard had somehow found its way into their neck of the woods, got itself mauled and was now dying on their doorstep. Shallow breaths could be seen from the creature as it laid there bleeding. Their mind was racing as they contemplated on what to do. On one hand, they did want to help the lizard. No animal deserved to suffer like that ever. But on the other hand, if they got too close and spooked it, the lizard could turn on them out of fear. Spraying them with its poison, they could seriously get hurt. Not all winged lizards had the same type of poison because it was largely affected by their diet. If (Name) didn’t have the right antidote, they were as good as dead.

A loud caw from above made them jump in surprise as they look up at Memphis, looking between them and the lizard.

“What am I supposed to do? If I scare it, it sprays me and then I’m dead,” they screamed back at the bird, glaring as the crow cawed at them again. “I don’t see you offering any solutions! Again, what part of “it sprays me and I die” do you not get?” the witch hissed, glancing back at the poor creature. Memphis cawed at them again, this time, flying down to land mere feet in front of it. When the lizard didn’t react, the black crow cawed again.

“If I die, I’m plucking you like a chicken,” they whispered but moved forward towards the injured creature. Their footsteps were slow and cautious, every crunch of the gravel beneath their feet making them flinch. Yet still, the lizard remained unmoving. Painfully slow, the spellcaster reached out and touched the lizard’s back foot.

(Name) had never been the greatest at healing spells. They were the most physically demanding spell and most of the time, required physical touch for them to work. They found making potions much easier and with a little extra work, could make something on equal level to a high tier spell. So, the spells they did have were very low level.

“Please work,” they whispered, thinking deep in their mind for the right language and spell before mumbling it. Closing their eyes, they called on as much magic that was required and activated the spell, pushing it from their fingers. As they opened their eyes, relief washed over them when they saw some of the wounds begin to start closing and the bleeding had stopped. The lizard was now in a manageable state.

“Oh, thank Astra,” the witch sighed, even more relieved when it appeared that the creature had passed out from exhaustion., the pain too great for its little body. Memphis cawed from beside them, softer this time, like he was thanking them for what they had done. They smiled and pet the small bird before getting a proper look at the lizard. It definitely looked like a normal winged lizard. The little beasts either had black or navy colored scales and an array of eye colors. Claws that could rival daggers and a wingspan of around 3 feet. It was the first time they had seen one in real life. Normally, they hung around the coasts of Lemuria, hiding in cliffs edges. It was rare to see one so far inland.

Gently rolling the creature over, the witch may have discovered the reason as to why. Imbedded into the center of its chest was a large diamond shaped ruby. It looked forced there and rather painful. (Name) couldn’t help but feel their heart break for the poor lizard. It wasn’t unlike humans to experiment on animals, but to see it, was another thing entirely. This little guy was probably a run-away experiment that had just gotten a taste of freedom, only to be mauled from either other wildlife or an adventurer that happened across it.

No sooner had the thought entered their mind did the little witch hear some distant voices shouting and they were getting closer. Panic flooded them as they thought of what to do. If it was the cruel bastard who was torturing this creature, like hell they were going to give it back. But if it was a hunter who needed it for a catch, that was going to be another problem. The voices were getting even closer now and with little options, they decided to hide it in their shop. They bundled the little lizard in their arms and grunted at it’s unexcepted weight.

“Fucking hell, are you made of solid lead?” they hissed, opening the door to their home before setting it down on the floor and closing it. They would have to deal with it later. It was just in time too because as the door closed, there was rustling from the bushes around them. The spellcaster turned to see what has ended up in their yard and internally sighed when they saw two familiar faces.

Adventurers Xavier and Simone emerged from the bushes, looking around for something. The witch had run into them before during the last Autumn Festival. Every time the festival holds a fun sparring competition to see who is the strongest. Xavier and Simone won first and second place respectfully. They must have been in the area early this year working since the festival wasn’t for a good two months yet. The witch caught eyes with Xavier and they waved.

“Good day you two. What brings you this way?” they called out, walking towards them. “I’m sorry but the shop is going to be closed for the day. It’s potion making day,” they said, putting on an air of relaxed and comfortable.

Xavier nodded and scanned the area. “You didn’t happen to see a winged lizard come through here, did you?” his feather soft voice asked, putting his sword back on his hip when he determined there was no immediate threat in the area. Simone followed suit shortly after.

Shaking their head, they raised an eyebrow. “A winged lizard? I’d be more stunned if I did. They don’t live anywhere near these parts,”

“I know right? We were so shocked to see one!” Simone pipped up, an excited smile on her face. “Could you imagine how much the guild would pay for one? It even had a bright red gem in its chest!”

“A gem?” they asked innocently, pretending they had no idea that the lizard they were looking for was laying unconscious in their house.

“Yes,” Xavier confirmed, looking at them a little too closely. The witch felt his calculating gaze as they tried to not crack. If they were caught lying or better yet, hiding the beast, it would bring serious trouble their way. Unable to look at him, they kept their focus on Simone.

“Sounds like the poor thing was an experiment made free. I hope it can be put out of its misery soon,” the witch said, holding their hands together against their torso. It was an awkward moment of silence before Xavier shifted in his stance.

“Well, we will be off then. If you do see anything, please let us know. You can contact us at the guild,” the blonde mercenary said. Simone bid her own version of a goodbye before the two left in a random direction. The witch stood there in their front yard for a good few minutes, making sure they couldn’t hear footsteps or chatter anymore before they sighed in relief. Determining the coast was clear, they turned around and made their way into the house to deal with their newest problem. Memphis flew from a tree branch and perched on their shoulder, talons gently digging into to prevent them from falling off.

As they closed the door behind them, the witch’s eyes immediately dropped to the problem laying in the middle of their floor. Its breathing had seemed to even out now that it was partly healed and not fighting for its life. With a deep sigh, they looked around to see where exactly they could operate and work on properly fixing up the little lizard. The front was out of the question. It was nothing but their counter, cash box and the back wall lined with all their wares they sold. Into the back was the solution then. (Name) moved to pick up the creature again, getting a better grip this time now that they knew how much the little guy weighed. They flipped open the little fake counter door that led to the back rooms and waddled their way back.

In the center of the room was their island where they usually poured all their made potions into bottles to take out to the front. To the left was their wall of ingredients, housing all their herbs, rare animal parts (ethically sourced of course), bottles and combining agents. Opposite to that was their large table, housing their grinding wheel, mortar and pestle and weight scale. It also had a blank space to hold containers for transporting recently grinded product. Since it had been a few days since they had made potions, the island was clear. That was going to be their operating table. The witch set the lizard down on the island before looking around for spare bandages and ointment. Seeing none near by, they went back to the front. Memphis left their shoulder before then, going to perch on the table near the grinding wheel.

(Name) searched their wall and found spare bandages, ointment and were about to head back when they glanced at the door. Wanting to be safer than sorry, they walked over and locked the door, making sure the sign said closed. They didn’t need Xavier or anyone else coming back and accidentally catching them. They even closed the curtains in the front room for added measure.

The spellcaster entered back into their potion room only to hear a deep snarl. Snapping their head up, they noticed the lizard was awake. And very pissed. Frozen in place, they kept eye contact with the frightened beast as they slowly bent down to drop the items in their arms. The lizard kept its gaze pinned on them, puffing out its wings to look more intimidating.

“Easy now,” they whispered, not flinching when it hissed in their direction. “I just want to help you ok? That’s all,” they said, taking a cautious step forward. When the lizard didn’t spray them, they took another step forward.

“That’s it. Good little lizard. I’m just going to help,” they said, getting closer and closer to it. The fear was clear in the creatures’ eyes. The witch was now within touching distance and had not been sprayed or bit yet which was a very good sign. Despite the creature not understanding human language, it seemed to vaguely understand that they meant no harm. They very, very slowly moved their hand until they were able to touch one of its legs again. Since they probably wouldn’t get a chance to grab the ointment without spooking it, (Name) decided to try another healing spell again. They softly said the spell, words on their body lighting up once again as they healed the little lizard further. More of its wounds had started to close and some even closed completely. It was a good sign and the little beast seemed to understand as the threatening posture wavered slightly. Wings went down but it still watched them like a hawk.

“Good. Good, see? I’m just trying to help. I won’t hurt you little one I promise,” they said softly, bordering on using a baby voice. The lizard didn’t move but decided to lay down instead. Either from exhaustion or feeling the least bit safe, it was unclear. The witch smiled at it and backed away, heading back towards the items they dropped. They picked up the bandages and ointment before coming back to their injured patient.

“I’m going to put these on you, ok? It will help you feel better. You want to sniff them?” they asked, holding the items to its face. The lizard gave them a tentative sniff and when it determined that it wasn’t a threat, it looked away. The witch always found that talking to an animal, even if they couldn’t understand helped immensely when it came to treating them. The tone of voice was everything and helped breech the communication barrier.

Since it’s one leg was closest, they reached out to apply some ointment to the wounds, helping it to not scar or cause mobility damage down the line. The second the cold ointment touched the lizard however, it jumped. Whipping around, the creature reached out and nipped at their fingers, growling as a warning. The witch jumped back in shock but glared at it.

“Hey, I’m trying to help. No need to nip at me you little shit,” they shot back, lightly flicking its nose. The lizard barked and shook its head, not excepting such a response. They sighed and held out the ointment again, letting it sniff it once more.

“This will help you feel better. I know it’s cold but I can’t do anything about it. Let me help you,” they tried again, going back to their soft tone as they put a small dab on their finger, reaching out slowly again. This time, the lizard let it happen, though it growled the entire time. The entire thing reminded them of a feral kitten, confused from a gentle touch for the first time. With no more accidental nips, the witch was able to get the lizard all wrapped up and comfortable. The lizard had passed out again shortly after, clearly still very exhausted.

“Rest well little one,” The spellcaster said, smiling as they pet down the sleeping lizard’s body. They scurried around to get it some water and dried meat for when it woke up before they decided to just work on some potions. They stayed as quiet as they possibly could while their new guest slept.

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The air in his lungs burned as he ran, which was humiliating enough itself. Sylus, the dragon, never ran. He was an all powerful being who could topple nations if he so chose. Yet, here he was, running like a scared rabbit through the woods.

“Those fucking humans,” he hissed. The human’s had got the jump on him. He was simply resting in a near by cave, lounging and catching up on some sleep when he felt himself being stabbed. It was a bloody fight from there. He had clawed up a few of them, their guts flying from their torsos as they choked on their own blood. He had even gotten an arm or two from a few others in the party before he took off to the skies, getting away from them. The dragon flew for a good several miles before he landed again, this time in an unfamiliar area. There were more trees and plant life than where he had come from. Though he was only safe for a moment before his vison went white with pain. He felt the fibers in his wings turn to shreds as something attacked him. Sylus spun around, growling viciously at whatever or whoever was so bold as to attack him. His attackers jumped from his reach as he snarled. Both appeared to be hunters. One was a man, blonde and holding a bloody sword while the other was a dark-haired woman. Clearly the man was going to be his first victim. The dragon took a step only to stumble as pain radiated in his chest.

‘Why now of all fucking times?’ he thought angrily as the corruption in his chest pulsated with pain. It also meant he couldn’t hold his form for much longer. Deciding to take the gamble before he could be attacked again, he let out a large plume of fire, making his attackers jump and duck away from him. In the moment of confusion, he transformed into a smaller, lizard like form and ran. Which brought him to the present, where he was still on the run. The humans were not letting up and in his weakened state, he had taken further damage. None of this would have happened if he hadn’t stopped to rest in the first place. If only he didn’t need sleep in that moment.

‘I need to find…place…hide,’ he thought as his felt his blood loss start to affect his vision. The sound of the humans had faded somewhat, so he must have been far enough away. As Sylus continued to run, he burst through the bushes and came across a random house in the woods. With his blurred vision, it seemed to be abandoned. If he could just get inside. On trembling legs, he willed himself to get closer. If he could hide and rest, he would heal up in no time. Unfortunately, his legs gave out part way through, the pain and exhaustion too great. Laying there, panting, his eyes began to close as he lost consciousness. The last thing he heard was a crow cawing in the distance.

Some time had clearly past when he awoke because he was in an entirely different place. Looking around, he noticed walls of things, some human tools and a crow sitting on the table that held the human tools. Blinking, he stared at the crow as recognition formed.

“Mephisto? What are you doing here?” he asked, confused. Mephisto was a small black crow he had made friends with a decade ago. Not wanting to lose his only friend, he used a magic spell to tie the little bird’s soul to his, granting him essentially an immortal life. However, about two years ago, the little crow had disappeared from his territory and he hadn’t been able to find him since.

“What are y- “but Sylus’s sentence was cut short when he heard movement. Immediately his scales shivered, spinning his head in the direction of the noise. A threat was near and he had, had enough of his fair share of wounds today. Walking through a doorway was a little human. They wore a simple tunic shirt and pants, both different shades of brown and flat shoes. Clearly very poor by human standards if their attire was anything to go by. But he had been fooled before. All humans were a threat. He snarled a warning at the human and grinned in satisfaction when they froze in fear. This only stopped the human for a moment though. They dropped whatever they were holding and kept looking at him. The human then tried to calm him down, saying they wanted to help. Help? Him? Why? It didn’t make sense. He was about to growl another warning when Mephisto cawed from behind him, telling him to trust this human. Sylus had half a mind to look at his feathered friend like the bird had grown a second head. How the fuck did Mephisto know this human was good? Is this where he had been all this time?

The little human continued to talk slow and gentle to him, like he was a frightened and scared animal. That’s when he noticed the markings littering their hands and neck. Spells, in an ancient draconic language no less. He was dealing with a witch! More alarm bells went off in his head as he watched the witchling like a hawk. If they made one wrong move, he was going to roast them where they stood.

When the witch praised him, he noticed they were slowly reaching out to touch him. Despite his better judgement, he let it happen. Clearly, this human could have hurt him by now if they truly wanted to but they hadn’t. Then they touched his leg before whispering a healing spell. He felt a warm energy wash over him as their magic healed his aching wounds. Their magic felt soft and kind but also weak. He was far from fully healed but it had helped.

More praise tumbled from their lips as they turned to grab the items they had dropped. Deeming that the witch was not a current threat, Sylus decided to lay down and rest. The witch was not going to hurt him and after some rest, he could flee and go back on his mission. It was after he felt something cold touch his scales that he jumped. On reflex, he reached out and nipped at the witches fingers, hissing. How dare they touch him with something so cold! But the little witch wasn’t having it and hit him on the nose! The absolute audacity of this witchling.

“The second I can I’m going to have you’re throat in my teeth,” he snarled, knowing full well that the witch couldn’t understand him. It just sounded like growling. The witch fully bandaged him and soon, he felt himself getting sleepy again. The many nights of flying and then the few bloodied battles he had were now catching up to him. The only reason he didn’t fully fight the pulls of sleep was because his crow friend was there. If his little birdy trusted this human, they couldn’t be too bad…right?

***********************************************************

It was the middle of the night when the witch woke up to Memphis cawing like crazy. They opened their eyes and when they saw a stranger’s face inches from theirs, they immediately attacked. Spells lit up on their body as they shot magic out at the stranger in their house, sending the intruder flying across the room. The witched jumped out of their bed, enacting a barrier spell to trap the person in the spot they landed.

“Who are you? Why are you in my house?” they demanded, magic humming at the tips of their fingers, as they focused on the intruder. It appeared to be a man but not entirely. Jagged black horns rose from the center of his white haired head and long, black tipped claws covered his hands. He was incredibly tall, seeming to stand at about 7 feet tall and…was that a tail? What in the hell was he? The spellcaster once again demanded to know who the “man” was.

“I see the witchling has a little fire in them. How amusing,” came a smooth timber from the man as he stood up, seemingly unaffected by being thrown into a wall. His tailed flicked behind him, seeming to help with his center of gravity as blood red eyes locked on to them, glowing in the darkened room.

“Y-You’re a demon,” the witch hissed, steadying their stance, fully prepared for a fight.

“A demon? Don’t insult me,” the being snarled, eyes narrowing into a glare. “I am much more powerful than those insignificant creatures and live 3 times as long. A demon, honestly,” he sighed, rolling his head to crack his neck. The air of absolute ease was very unnerving. Like he knew he had complete control over the entire situation and that the witch was prey, rather than the other way around.

“If you’re not a demon, what are you then?”

“Why don’t you see for yourself? After all, you seemed to speak my language fairly well when you were uttering those spells of yours earlier,” the being said, taking a few steps forward to enter the moonlight that shown into the room. As soon as the moonlight hit his face, the witch gasped. He was a dragon, and a very old one at that. Legend had it that only ancient dragons could have a more human like form. A gift that came with age and years of perfecting their own brand of magic. Fear started to bubble in their gut slightly. They were no where near strong enough to fight even a baby dragon, let alone one that could be easily be one thousand years old.

“You’re-“

“Yes, a dragon. One who has had a very long day and very little patience,” the dragon said, his tone darkening slightly. “so I suggest, if you know what’s good for you, you-“ but his sentence was cut short when the giant ruby crystal in the middle of his chest (how did they miss that before?) started to glow and pulse, flipping between a harsh red and an angry purple color. The dragon dropped to a knee as he grunted, clearly in pain.

The witch stood there, watching it all. What the hell could have happened to him to cause such a reaction? Since when did dragon’s have gems in their chests? (Name) moved to take a step forward when a caw broke the night air. Both the dragon and them turned to look at Memphis, perched on the stand they built by the window.

“Memphis, come here. Come to me,” they called urgently. The last thing they needed was the dragon deciding he needed a quick meal to regain some energy. Memphis flew to their shoulder but its eyes remained on the dragon, who was seeming to recover from its random bout of pain.

“That’s not his name,” he hissed, white hair sticking to his forehead slightly as a light sheen of sweat started to form.

Confused by the sentence, their guard dropped for a moment. “I’m sorry what?”

“The crow. His name isn’t Memphis. Its Mephisto. I would know. I named him,” the dragon said, voice sounding a little laboured but mostly back to normal by the end. The spellcaster raised an eyebrow as they took a chance to glance at their little bird friend who they had come to befriend over the past two years. When “Mephisto” looked away, almost looking sheepish, if a bird could look as such, their mouth dropped in shock.

“Are you kidding me? This whole time I’ve been calling you the wrong name and you just let me? What the heck Mephisto?” the witch scolded the bird, poking him in his little chest lightly. The crow gave an apologetic caw before lightly holding their finger in its beak. A version of his apology.

“And I even used my speak with animal’s spell too. Honestly,” they huffed, shaking their head at Mephisto. A laugh caught their attention from the other room and they suddenly remembered that a dangerous creature was standing in their room in the middle of the night.

“So, I take it you were the “winged lizard” I helped heal earlier today?” the witch asked, already knowing the answer.

“How very observant. Yes, that was me. Do you expect me to thank you?” the dragon said back, voice full of sarcasm.

“No but I also didn’t expect to be nearly killed for it either. Without me, you would have been dead on my doorstep. If I hadn’t hid you and healed you, those hunters who were after you would have finished you off. The least I expect is to keep my life,” the witch snapped back, glaring at the dragon. This must have looked amusing to the ancient being because he was smirking at them.

“You are a rather bold human. Not many would be brave enough to stand up to a dragon, let alone talk back,” he said, his tone almost sounding…impressed?

“So, what happens now? I don’t intend to die and I highly doubt your fully healed enough to go looking for another fight,” (Name) wagered, letting magic hum at their finger tips again just in case. The dragon hummed as he looked down from their hands to their face.

“Unfortunately, you are right. I still need to heal myself some more but make no mistake little witchling, even as injured as I am, I could end your pathetic existence with the snap of my fingers,” he warned, his tone growing dark again. It served as a warning. A threat that dared them to call his bluff.

The witch swallowed hard, their throat going tight. Adrenaline was flooding their veins as the two were stuck in a stand still, neither willing to back down. It was utter silence for a heartbeat before the dragon sighed again.

“The only reason I won’t kill you where you stand is because Mephisto vouched for your character. So, you are still breathing thanks to that little crow on your shoulder,” the dragon said, wincing again when it seemed another wave of pain coursed through him.

“Fortunately for you, I am running out of time. I cannot maintain this form for much longer so for now, lets call a truce. I won’t kill you and you don’t kill me. Deal?” he grunted, holding out a shaking, clawed hand. The witch stared at his hand like it would burn them and for all they knew, it very well could. But they knew deals with beings such as dragon’s followed a deep unknown law that no mortal could ever hope to understand. By shaking his hand, they could at least live to see another day for now. With a deep inhale and exhale, the witch took a few steps forward and gripped the dragon’s claw in theirs, giving it a stiff shake.

“You have yourself a deal,” they vowed, looking into the deep ruby eyes as they did so. A sly smirk formed on the dragons’ lips before he shrunk down and changed forms, going back to the winged lizard shape they had originally found him in. The “lizard” then looked up at the witch before turning and waddling its way back to the little basket under their desk. It was a makeshift cat bed they had acquired years ago when they considered getting a cat, only they never did. Who knew it would come in handy to house an injured ancient dragon one day?

With a sigh, they turned to Mephisto on their shoulder and looked at him. Millions of questions were jumbling through their mind but the answers to those questions would have to wait. For now, they needed sleep and to think about what they were going to do now that they had a dragon staying in their home.

“Just what am I going to do Mephisto? What am I going to do?”

Chapter Text

When the morning light peeked through the curtains, the witch groaned, flipping the blanket over their head to be enveloped in darkness once again. Normally, they were a semi-morning person. However, due to last nights events and a certain someone waking them up in the middle of the night, they lacked their usual gumption. A small caw near their head was determined to not let them sleep in because heaven forbid that happened. Flipping the blanket back off, they glared at their feathered friend.

“You’re lucky you’re cute. Otherwise, I’d pluck you like a fucking chicken,” (Name) hissed their usual threat with no real malice. Mephisto hopped in place, cawing again but softer this time, moving to nudge his head against their outstretched palm when the witch reached out to give him head scratches.

“Yes, yes you are my handsome little birdy,” they chuckled, giving one more scratch before they gave a deep stretch and laid in bed like a limp fish before they jumped out of bed. It was like the little stretch was a hidden energy booster, bringing them back to life. Looking to the side, they took a glance to see if the uninvited guest was still around. The shock was clear when they saw the same sleeping form they had seen last night, curled up on the cat bed.

“Well shit. I currently have a dragon sleeping in my house,” they whispered, looking back at Mephisto on the bed, “I have a dragon in my house,” they whispered again because the sentence itself was wild. How many people could say that while still being left alive?

“Alright well let’s let him sleep while we go make some breakfast. Come on, step up,” The spellcaster said, holding out their hand sideways for the crow to step on to. When he did, they guided him up to their shoulder where Mephisto stepped off and together, the two made their way downstairs. Walking through their potion room, they entered through the back door which led to their kitchen.

It was spacious enough with a cooking hearth along one wall. Opposite that was their small kitchen table with two chairs. Beyond that was a long kitchen counter with cupboards above and below for storage. In the middle of the storage was their sink where they could clean up after every meal, or potion accident if they got the calculations wrong. Right near the door for the room was a small pantry where they could store dried goods and next to that was a specially build box. It housed 4 medium sized magic crystals that, when magic was imbued into it, would help keep things in it cool and preserve food for longer. It was made after a rather difficult time of trying to keep special potion ingredients cool when not in use. After some time, the witch discovered it worked well for food too and had taken to using it to hold food like meat and other items. It was an item they had decided to keep to themselves. A little secret like this never hurt no one right?

“Alright what do I want to eat?” the witch muttered to themselves as they looked in to their pantry and cooling box. Bacon, eggs and bread seemed to jump out at them and with a nod of their head, they decided that was going to be their meal of choice. They grabbed a few eggs, a few strips of bacon and a frying pan off the wall. With a little fire magic, they got the hearth roaring to life as they set their pan down and got to making breakfast. The witches home soon started to smell amazing as their stomach rumbled. Once the food was all done, they grabbed a plate and then sat down to eat. Their small moment of piece was short lived however when they heard lumbering footsteps from above. Their guest had awoken.

In the daylight, it was much easier to see more of his impressive details. In what could be described as a semi-human form, his lower half was completely covered in scales. His feet were more talon like, showing he was anything but human and he had claws to match. A thick black tail swished behind him to help keep his balance as he descended the stairs, the tip looking as sharp as a dagger. The dragon’s chest was mostly bare, showing impressive muscle and a large red gem in the center of his chest. The gem however, looked…infected almost. Like it wasn’t entirely supposed to be there. Black scales covered his shoulders, back and around his cheeks, framing his face. Majestic was the best word to describe such a being.

“Good morning,” the witch called out, catching his attention. Ruby red eyes snapped in their direction, like he seemed to forget they existed and where in their house to begin with. They couldn’t help but snort at his reaction.

“Is something amusing?” the dragon asked, his tail flicking in irritation. The witch cleared their throat before responding.

“A little. You look confused that I’m existing in my own home,” they said, stabbing some eggs on to their fork as they looked at him.

“I just didn’t assume the host would be awake this early,”

“Well, I have to be if I want to open my shop on time,”

This caused him to raise an eyebrow. “You-“

“I’m not even going to let you finish that sentence. I refuse to believe a dragon, especially one as old as you, wouldn’t believe I could own a shop. Besides, you literally walked past my inventory before entering the kitchen,” the witch quipped, eating their eggs as they rolled their eyes. “There is more food if you’d like. Plates are in that cupboard and utensils are in that drawer,”

The dragon looked offended at being called old but didn’t say anything about it as he grabbed himself some food before sitting down in the free chair. All of his movements were awkward, like he wasn’t used to such mundane actions. The witch continued to eat, seemingly unaffected by their newest guest.

“You seem…rather calm about having a dragon in your abode,” he commented, simply playing with the food on his plate while he waited for the response.

(Name) rolled their eyes. “We literally live in a world full of magic. I can use magic. Is it so bizarre to imagine a dragon could be in my house? Sure, its shocking but not out of the realm of possibility,”

“I could kill you. Burn your home to the ground,”

“And yet, I still stand along with my home. I have a feeling if you truly wanted me dead, that would have happened last night after I sent you flying into a wall,” the witch teased, a small smirk on their lips. This caused the dragon to chuckle a little.

“That is very true,”

“How are you feeling by the way?” they asked, “I sent you flying pretty hard and after nearly dying last night, I’m sure it hurt a little,”

“I am fine, little witchling. Your little magic is not nearly strong enough to hurt someone like me,” the dragon proclaimed, overly arrogant. The witch was going to retort but chose against it. He had no idea what they were capable of. Could they kill him? No, but some damage could be done, even if it was a little.

“So, you got a name scaly?” they asked instead, getting up from the table to deposit their dirty dishes in the sink. It could be a chore for later.

“Scaly? Really?” the dragon asked, his deep voice giving away the smirk they could feel behind their back.

“Well, I have to call you something other than “Hey you” and like hell I’m going to be calling you something like lord dragon. I’d prefer just your name, if possible,”

“Lord Dragon? I quite like that,” he chuckled, his laugh sounding like music.

“Name. what is it? I’m (Name) by the way,” the spellcaster said, turning and leaning against their kitchen sink. The dragon sat there, picking at the food some more for a moment as he seemed to contemplate answering them.

“While my name is too difficult for the human tongue to pronounce, you may call me Sylus,” Sylus said, finally taking a bite of the food. “This could also use some more seasoning witchling,”

(Name) couldn’t have held back the laughter even if they tried. It was just so unexpected that they couldn’t help but laugh. A dragon, complaining that food lacked seasoning? Who would have guessed.

“Ok while you finish eating, I’m going to go up front and get the shop ready for opening. We can discuss some things after,” they said, leaving Sylus to his own devices. Mephisto hopped off their shoulder then, deciding to stay with his dragon friend while (Name) was busy.

***********************************************************************************************************

Sylus watched the witch leave out the room, so many questions buzzing through his mind. How were they just “ok” with this? How was there no fear? No shock? Was he losing his edge? Maybe the witch just wasn’t normal. At the sound of a caw, his attention got directed to his feathered friend.

“Hello to you too, you little traitor,” Sylus teased, thrumming his claws on the table as he looked at Mephisto. “You disappear on me for two whole years and this is where I find you? Being a witch’s pet?”

Mephisto hung his head as he gave a small coo, clearly feeling guilty. Sylus smiled fondly at the crow before he pulled the bird near, giving him a small kiss on the top of his head.

“All is forgiven my friend. Tell me, what have you been up to while you were away?” he asked. Like the floodgates were opened, Mephisto went on a whole gossip spree, telling the dragon all about the adventures and experiences he had had with the witch. Sylus listened to everything, a smile never leaving his face. He chimed in with the odd “Oh really now?” or “please, continue” to keep his friend talking. Two years in his long life wouldn’t seem like much, but when a treasured part of you was missing, even five minutes could feel like a lifetime. The two must have been reminiscing for a while because the next thing he heard was footsteps above him. The witch must have gone to get dressed for their work day.

“Have they been treating you well?” Sylus asked, using a claw to scratch under the bird’s beak, getting a fluttery coo from Mephisto. Taking his coo as a yes, Sylus’s attention was directed to the door when the witchling walked back into the kitchen, trading their pajamas for day clothes. To him they didn’t look much different however.

“Alright, so we need to talk about some things,” they announced, hands on their hips as they looked at him. Sylus simply raised an eyebrow, signaling for them to continue.

“First off, are you planning to stay here or are you leaving?”

“I could be persuaded to stay,” he mused, smirking. Truthfully, he should be jumping ship. He was healed enough to fend for himself and he needed to continue to hunt for a way to free himself from his…corruption. But the witchling was amusing him greatly so far and who knows, maybe they could help him. Very few witches used draconic as their language choice for magic, with most picking elvish. Their magic may be the key to fixing everything.

“Ok I will take that as a yes. Next question: are you stable enough to use a glamor?”

“Mentally or physically?”

“Ha Ha very funny. Answer the question,”

“No, I’m unable to for long periods of time,”

“Ok I will have to use one then that’s fine. What are your thoughts on becoming a big cat?”

“Better than a mutt,”

“Wonderful. Lastly, what’s the deal with the red gem in your chest?”

This caused Sylus to narrow his eyes slightly. “Why do you want to know?”

“Calm your scales, I’m not going to harvest it from your chest or anything,” the witch said, waving him off. “I just…noticed it pulsed last night and well it looks infected. I’m just worried your in pain or something,”

He relaxed only slightly, leaning back in the chair. “I assure you I am fine. No need to worry your pretty little head, sweetie,”

“Fine, suit yourself. But if things do change, let me know. I may be able to help, ok?” (Name) offered with a small smile before they clapped their hands together. “Alright, time to become a sweet kitty cat Sylus. Turn back into your winged lizard form,”

Sylus chuckled as he stood from the chair, towering over them, even at a distance. “So bossy,” he teased but did as he was asked, turning into the form that took the least amount of magic or strain on his body. If he was at a normal state, this would have been the hardest form to keep but ever since...the incident, it had become his easiest. The world around him grew as his size shrunk and he waddled up to them, looking up at the witch expectedly.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

(Name) watched as Sylus walked up to them as they considered what type of cat to change him too. Most house cats were rather small, even the males, so they even debated on turning him into a fox. He was about the right size, if still a little bigger but it would be more believable. That’s when they remembered a specific cat breed that was known for being very large.

“Oh, that’s perfect,” they cheered, smiling when Sylus’s tilted his head in confusion. Instead of answering him, they called upon their magic, the correct spell lighting up under their clothes and let the magic loose, attaching to their desired target. Soon, the outwardly appearance of Sylus changed into a large black Maine Coon cat. The witch smiled at their handy work and grabbed a mirror from the wall, showing the dragon their handy work.

“Pretty good huh? This way, you can join me out from without anyone getting suspicious. Most folks around here aren’t up to my magical level so we should be safe from anyone seeing through the disguise. Just don’t get hurt. Otherwise, the magic will fade,” the witch instructed, smiling when they got a nod of understanding. That’s when they noticed a small issue and frowned.

“Shit. The gem in your chest is still showing. How odd…umm, oh wait! I have an idea,” they gushed before bolting upstairs. Looking around wildly in their room, they made a noise of triumph when they saw the item they wanted. The spellcaster was about to head back down when their eyes caught the cat bed under their desk. They grabbed it too and headed back downstairs. Sylus has perched himself on a chair as he watched them expectedly. They swore the dragon raised an eyebrow, as much as a cat’s body would allow.

“Ok so the cat bed is so you have a place to sit comfortably during the day if you want,” they explained before pulling out the red bandana from the basket. “And this, is to hide your gem,” they said, wrapping the cloth around his front to cover them. They grinned even more when it helped hide the faint glow as well. It was the perfect disguise.

“Who’s ready to see me run my shop?”

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Having Sylus sit on the counter during work was interesting. They expected him to act out at least once or nip at folks but he simply just sat there. Watching folks enter and exit like a hawk. Clearly the dragon also loved the attention because he would purr whenever one of the guests pet him. It was honestly pretty adorable. If any of their guests knew they were, in fact, petting a dragon under that mirage, (Name) was sure they would all die of a heart attack. It was around mid day when a new adventurer walked in and the sound of a low yowl caught their attention. For some reason, Sylus was on edge and when they looked up, they soon discovered why. Xavier had just walked through the door. The witch looked from the blonde to Sylus and their eyebrows shot up when they saw his cat body arched high as he kept yowling, ruby eyes blazing with anger. The witch saw his body twitch and they jumped before Sylus even had a chance, pinning the cat to the countertop. Xavier jumped in shock, taking a step back at the scene unfolding before him.

“You have a cat?” he asked, watching the large cat stare at him with bloody murder. He was sure that if the store owner wasn’t holding the raging beast, the large cat would have clawed his face off.

“Yes,” the witch grunted, huffing as they continued to hold the wiggling cat. “He showed up the other day, shortly after you left and he just wouldn’t leave me alone,” they said, bopping Sylus on the nose as they glared at him. “He hadn’t been like this all day and I’m really wishing he would behave again,” the witch hissed, putting emphasis near the end of their sentence to drive it home. Sylus growled in against the countertop as he wiggled one more time but when he realized he couldn’t break free, he went lax in the witch’s arms and resigned to his fate. (Name) sighed in relief as Sylus gave up and shot Xavier an apologetic smile.

“Sorry I’m going to put him in the back quick and then I’ll-“ but they didn’t get the chance to finish their sentence before Sylus was scrambling into their arms, his claws digging into their shoulder, preventing him from leaving. The witch gawked at him as they tried to pull him away from them again but it was no use.

“Sylus, are you going to behave?” they asked, looking at his little cat face when they managed to pull him away enough. Crimson eyes looked up at them and blinked, suddenly acting all innocent. The spellcaster sighed and set the cat dragon back down in the cat bed, pointing a finger in his face.

“Behave. Or you go in the back got it?” they warned, eyes narrowing at the beast. When they simply got a meow back and no other reaction, they sighed again before turning back to Xavier, who stayed silent and watched everything.

“I’m so sorry about that Xavier. How can I help you? What are you looking for?” the witch asked, full customer service persona out in full swing. Xavier took a cautious step towards the counter and when all he got was a muted growl, the mercenary for hire assumed he was safe.

“Do you have anything to guard against winged lizard poison?” the blonde asked, turning all his attention on to (Name) as he decided to ignore the newest addition to the shop.

“Still haven’t found the little guy I take it huh? I can offer you a few kinds of antidotes but unless I know what the lizard ate, I won’t know what specific kind will save you. Between you and I, I would suggest maybe not hunting it. I’m sure the little guy will find it’s way home on its own,”

Xavier nodded, seeming to consider their words. “I will keep that in mind. Do you have any mid grade and high tier healing potions? Simone and I just got hired for a job near the border,” he said, a darkness flashing over his face.

The witch raised an eyebrow but turned to grab said items, grabbing three of each. “I have more if you need, but may I ask what this job is about?”

Xavier opened and closed his mouth, like he was debating on speaking before he finally decided to tell the shop owner the details.

“We are heading to Neun. Word has reached the guild that a few adventurers were attacked the other day and some are speculating it was a dragon,” Xavier confessed, asking for 3 more high tier potions. The witch tried to hide their shock the best they could and they didn’t dare look at Sylus. Obviously, that was a story they would be needing to get later.

“Oh really? That sounds awful. Those poor families,” the witch said, voice full of genuine sympathy. It was never easy losing a loved one.

“Yes, so the lord of Neun has made a request for most adventurers near the area to come and hunt the monster down. Simone and I got drafted,” Xavier concluded, handing over a small coin pouch to pay for his required items.

“That sounds like it could be a long mission. Are you sure you’re going to make it back in time for the Autumn Festival?”

A smile tugged at Xavier’s lips. “I think we will. Will you be sad if I don’t show?”

The witch couldn’t help but smile back, their cheeks growing a tinge pink. “Maybe I will. We can’t have the reigning champion not fight for his title after all,”

Xavier laughed, his soft voice and laughter filling the space. “Then I will make sure I come back in time. To hold my title of course,” he smiled at the witch, packing away his new wares in a bag he had over his shoulder.

“Oh, are you heading into town tonight?” the blonde asked, looking up at the witch. When (Name) simply raised their eyebrow in question, Xavier continued. “The famous bard, Rafayel, is in town. I heard he is at the Luck Foot tavern tonight,”

“Oh no way! I think I will have to go have a visit then. It’s been a while since I have seen one of his legendary performances,” the witch chimed, excitement building. It had been ages since they had seen the traveling bard and it was a perfect excuse to go out and check on him. The blonde was about to speak again when suddenly, his vision was blocked by a cat. Sylus sat in front of the witch, his tail flicking in irritation as he mean-mugged the mercenary.

“I think that is my cue to leave,” he said, smiling when the cat meowed at him, as if he understood and agreed. The witch rolled their eyes at Sylus’s antics and walked around the counter.

“I’ll walk you out. After missing the other day, I’m all out of things to sell so I have to make more potions,” (Name) giggled, guiding Xavier to the door. After a quick goodbye, they closed and locked the door before turning around to look at Sylus.

“WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?”

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Sylus sat on the counter in his newly disguised form, watching the little witchling guide the hunter out of the shop. The blonde fucker was beyond lucky he was still partly injured and in hiding, otherwise he would have killed him where he stood. As soon as the door was closed, the witch was yelling at him.

“WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?” The witch screeched at him, looking at him like he had lost his mind. Sylus simply meowed, as if he said he couldn’t talk in his form. With a groan of frustration, the witch mumbled under their breath and removed the spell on him, dropping the glamour. Feeling the magic removed from his body, he changed formed, growing to his half human form.

“Which part sweetie? You’re going to have to be more specific,” he said, his tone bored. He didn’t do a thing wrong. That hunter attacked him. He was well within his right to fight back and he had unfinished business clearly.

“Are you trying to blow your cover? I told you that you couldn’t get hurt or else the glamour would drop! Why did you think it was a good idea to try and get into a fucking fight you overgrown lizard!” the witchling hissed, running their hands over their face in frustration.

“I’ll have you know that he attacked me first. I was minding my business when those other hunters attacked too. Sleeping in fact. How am I in the wrong?” Sylus demanded, standing taller as he looked down at them.

“That’s another thing! You killed people. And now every hunter within a 200-kilometer radius is going to be hunting you. What were you thinking?”

Anger churned in his gut as he stomped up to the spellcaster, glaring down at them. “I was defending myself,” he snarled, a small plume of smoke releasing from between his teeth. “How would you like it if you were sleeping and suddenly got awoke by a sword stabbing you in the ribs. Remember little witchling, I am not human. I don’t play by your petty human rules. I was attacked, so I attacked back. It’s not my fault they were so weak they died from one swipe of my claws,” Sylus said, his chest puffing as they both glared at each other. A sick twist of satisfaction bubbled inside him when he saw guilt flash across (Name’s) face, his words registering. After all, the first thing they did last night when he got too close was attack.

“I’m sorry,” the witchling conceded, taking a step back as they did so. Sylus relaxed his posture as well.

“Good. It’s good to see some humans stills see reason,” he huffed, the two of them now standing there awkwardly.

“I’ve got some things to do out back. You are welcome to join me if you’d like,” the witch said after a moment before heading through the house. Sylus debated on staying inside before he followed shortly after. His curiosity was too great and there wasn’t much he could do inside anyways, since this wasn’t his home.

Following the sounds, he discovered the little witch outside and walking over to an axe. As he surveyed the yard, he noticed a small shed and an odd patch of trees missing from the surrounding woods. Clearly, this is where the spellcaster chopped firewood. The dragon just stood and watched as (Name) began to chop wood, splitting what was needed and carrying it over to the shed, where he saw it housed many different shapes of logs.

“Why not just use magic?” he asked after a moment, causing them to pause before they swung. They stood there and leaned the axe handle against their leg, putting their hands on their hips.

“Because I will become complacent. Magic can’t always solve everything. If, for some reason, I’m in a situation where my magic is locked off or taken from me, I still need to be able to fight. To survive. Can’t do that if I’m physically weak,” they explained, giving a shrug like it was the most obvious answer ever as they went back to chopping wood.

The dragon sat with that information for a moment, mulling it over in his mind. This human had fascinated him more as time went on. They were very unlike most magical humans he had met in the past. Most tried to kill him on sight. This one had chosen to heal him instead. Most would have easily sold him out or harvest parts of him for their spells and potions. This one made no indication of even having such thoughts. They were a unique anomaly. Considering their physical strength, it was also a unique trait. Most humans of magical nature relied too heavily on such things and always made the easiest targets for overwhelming monsters like himself. This witchling refused to be such a target.

A lazy smile formed on his lips as he sauntered closer to the hard-working witch. “So, what is a bard?” he asked, the comment from the hunter earlier piquing his interest. Huffing and puffing, the witch decided to stop their task for a moment and humor him.

“A performer. Usually someone who tells fantastical stories and legends or sings songs full of heroics and romance,” they answered him, their own smile forming. “Why? Is the scary dragon curious about seeing such a performance?”
He chuckled. “Maybe I am. Would you be willing to take me if I asked?”

“Sure, why not,”

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The moon was just cresting the skies when the witch and Sylus entered the town. Using a different glamour spell (which included clothes), the witch was able to create a convincing human form for Sylus. It was similar to his half dragon form, just missing all the scaly parts. He also shrunk a little in height, sitting at around six foot two inches, versus his usual seven-foot-tall form. They insisted he wore a cloak as well, just in case someone had seen his form before. As the two continued to venture into the town, it got more bustling the closer they got to the Luck Foot tavern. One of the few local bars in town, but it also happened to be the biggest, which made it the prime spot for traveling performers. Before they entered, the witch turned to him, putting a hand on Sylus’s chest to stop him.

“Alright, promise me you’ll behave. No fights, no arguing and no killing. Got it?” They demanded, looking up at him. Sylus smirked down at them and nodded.

“Paladin’s honor,” He purred, holding a hand over his heart. (Name) rolled their eyes before they turned around and entered along with him. Inside looked like any standard tavern. Front and center, near the back of the building was the bar, manned by the owner, Thomas. Several tables sat near left side and center of the space while a small stage was off to the right, housing a small square, dancing area for when music got really lively. Two ever revolving doors were situated on either side of the bar, hiding the kitchen behind them as staff bustled in and out while serving patrons. The witch guided Sylus up to the bar as they smiled widely.

“Good evening Mr. Thomas. How are you this fine evening?” they asked, leaning against the bar top as Sylus slid to stand next to them. Thomas was a young man, around his early to mid 30’s with a wife and little girl. He took over the place after the last owner had passed from old age and had been running it ever since.

Thomas looked at them and groaned, dropping the customer service persona when he saw a fellow business owner. “Don’t even get me started,” he groaned, rubbing his hand across his face. “With the festival so close, everyone is on a high and becoming rowdy. I already had to kick out three people,” he huffed, glancing at the stage like it personally offended him. “And don’t even get me started on Rafayel. He’s refusing to come out of his little performance room until he looks just so,”

“Isn’t that just your office?”

“Yes. Yes, it is,”

The witch giggled and smiled, sheepishly hiding their smile behind their hand when Thomas sent them a mild glare.

“If I get him out of your office, will that earn me a few free rounds?” they bargained, tilting their head to the side playfully. Thomas narrowed his eyes at them but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.

“Three rounds for you and your new friend if you can get him out within the next thirty minutes,” he said, glancing at Sylus. “Speaking of which, who is this? A new friend?”

The witch nodded. “Yes, this is S-…” but they stopped before they said his name. They couldn’t very well call him Sylus because they made the foolish mistake of calling their new “cat” by the same name. Introducing a mysterious new friend with the same name would raise too much suspicion. So, that meant (Name) had to think of a new name on the spot. Something they were downright terrible at.

“Skye. This is my new friend Skye. An adventurer I made friends with on one of my herb hunting journeys,” the witch quickly spit out, pointedly ignoring the smirk and raised eyebrow that formed on Sylus’s face. “He stopped by for an unexpected visit so he’s staying with me for a bit,” they concluded, smiling in hoped that their little lie was bought. Unexpectedly, Sylus chimed in.

“Hello, I’m Skye. (Name) here has been telling me all about their little hometown in the letter’s we’ve shared and I must say, I find this place quite charming. Thomas, was it?” He asked, holding out his hand to shake. The bartender grabbed it and gave a firm shake, all suspicion melting away with the dragon’s assistance.

“Glad to have you, Skye. I hope your stay isn’t too short. We have our annual Autumn Festival in around two months and the entire town comes alive for it. It’s definitely worth the wait. Who knows, maybe you can even enter the swordsmanship competition. You able to hold a sword?” Thomas asked, intrigued himself at the prospect of a new challenger for the event.

The dragons smirk grew, pearly whites gleaming in the tavern light. “I may have dabbled a little,” he said nonchalantly. Thomas grinned at the admission.

“Perfect. Well, we can talk more later. Right now, you two need to go get the diva of a performer out from my office. I’ll have your drinks ready for when you get back,” the tavern owner said with a smile, waving them off. The witch nodded and together, the two made their way towards the one side door on the other side of the stage. Sylus was rather close behind them as he leaned down to whisper in their ear.

“Skye huh?” He teased, the smirk now a permeant fixture to his face. The spellcaster rolled their eyes as their cheeks heated with embarrassment.

“Well, I couldn’t very well call you Sylus. That’s the name of my new cat remember?” they hissed back, ignoring the snicker from the dragon behind them.

“Its cute, sweetie. I don’t mind,” Sylus said just as they arrived at the door. The witch decided to ignore his comment in favor of knocking on the door, calling out to the man inside. A few seconds later, the door opened.

Inside stood a man with lavender colored locks and amethyst eyes. He was almost as tall as Sylus and just as beautiful. Slender face, soft lips and a cute nose. Some would say he looked nearly ethereal. Like a mystical nymph of the ocean, delicate and forbidden. A pout was in his face but it flashed away the second his eyes landed on (Name).

“Hey cutie! I didn’t know you were in town to see my show,” he all but purred, smiling at them. The witch smiled back, a comfortable air settling around them.

“It’s good to see you too Raf. Having issues with getting ready I hear?”

The bard groaned. “Oh, don’t even get me started. My mask got ruined on the way here. You know I can’t perform without it,” he grumbled, heading back into his “dressing room” to show them the mask. True to his words, it was broken. Cracked clearly in half and with some serious wear and tear. Half the gems and crystals covering it were broken off, much of the paint was chipped or scratched off, one fin was completely missing and to top it all off, the beautiful ribbon used to tie it in place was no where to be seen.

“Fucking hell, Rafayel what happened? Did the coachman run it over with the damn carriage?” they gasped, holding the broken mask delicately in their hands. It was devastating to see such beautiful work destroyed.

“He might as well have. I can’t go on stage with that. My reputation would be ruined,” the bard huffed, his signature pout back on his lips. While the witch continued to inspect the mask, that’s when Raf’s attention turned to the figure behind them. He openly looked him up and down.

“Are you cheating on me now too cutie? I’m just suffering one heart break after another tonight,” Rafayel said dramatically, turning his hand on to their forehead in a “oh whoa is me” sort of pose. The witch just rolled their eyes and snorted.

“Such a diva. No Raf, I didn’t cheat as you so jokingly put it. This is my friend Skye. I met him on one of my herbs scavenging journey’s,” they replayed the lie, not looking up as a proper restoration spell popping into their mind as they finished looking over the mask.

“Skye, a pleasure,” Sylus said, just as smooth as when he introduced himself to Thomas. Sylus held out his hand for the performer to shake. Rafayel simply looked at the hand before ignoring him, turning his attention back to the witch.

“So, can you fix it cutie?” he asked, looking at them hopefully. The witch nodded with a smile and called upon their magic, mending what was once broken and returning it to its former glory. In a few short seconds, the once broken mask had new life breathed into it. They handed off the mask to the purple haired bard.

“Thanks cutie. You’re a real, life saver. I can go perform now to my hearts content,” Rafayel chimed, giving them a playful wink before it seemed like the man suddenly remembered something.

“Oh wait, before that, do you think you could give me a little extra juice?” he asked, pulling out a necklace from beneath his shirt. It was a simple white sea shell on the outside, but once it was flipped over, a whole kaleidoscope of colors were visible. It was truly nature’s wonder. (Name) happily agreed and used some more magic, pushing it into the shell necklace.

“Perfect. I’ll be sure to dedicate a song to the beautiful spellcaster who stole this siren’s heart,” Rafayel teased before he was off to the stage, ready to perform for the tavern. The witch and Sylus hung by the door for a bit, the witch leaning against the nearby wall.

“Are you alright?” Sylus asked, noticing their face was looking a little pale.

“Oh yeah, I’ll be fine,” they said, smiling weakly, “just used a little too much magic today. That last spell always takes a lot out of me,” they confessed, closing their eyes as they focused on breathing and gaining some of their energy back. Sylus glanced back to the stage, the tavern in full swing.

“What was that spell for anyway? What’s his deal?”

“Oh, Raf is a siren,”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“A siren. You know, mythical creature of the sea, singing sailors and other lifeforms to their doom. The necklace has magic in it that helps him traverse on land without drying out or hurting himself,” the witch answered, again like it was the most obvious answer. “I discovered it a few years ago by accident when he was having a freak out in this very office. It’s why he wears the mask too. Whenever he sings, the scales on his face show and glow. The magic keeps them at bay when he’s not singing,”

Even with the explanation, the shock in the dragon’s eyes was very clear. Sylus kept a schooled face as always but his eyes gave him away. The witch opened one eye and smirked at him.

“Not going to underestimate me anymore, are you?” they teased him, finally gaining some color back in their face. Sylus hummed in amusement and nodded.

“Color me impressed, little witchling,” he said, holding his hand out to them. “Now why don’t we get those drinks?”

The rest of the night was rather enjoyable. They had a few drinks, curtesy if Thomas and the bargain from earlier, and the witch even got to dance a little. Tara had showed up at once point and pulled them on to the floor for a dance or two. That little moment ended though when Jerimiah came around, asking Tara for a dance. The witch encouraged their friend, laughing and smiling with everyone as the night grew. Even Sylus seemed to be having fun, the smirk on his face seeming to show flashes of a genuine smile when he thought no one was looking. When the moon was high in the sky, the two left the tavern, the music gently fading as they grew further and further away from the town.

“Oh, that was a lot of fun. I needed a night like that,” the witch giggled, possibly a little drunk from their drinks. They may or may not have stolen a few sips from Sylus’s drinks when he wasn’t looking. “Did you have fun? I hope you had fun,”

“I had fun, I promise, little witchling,” he said, catching their arm when they tripped on a large stone. The witch giggled more and smiled up at the dragon. The moonlight lit up his face, causing his eyes to be more vibrant, giving him an other-worldly look.

“You are pretty interesting Sylus. You know that?”

“Am I now? Well, it just so happens that I find you pretty interesting as well, little witchling,”

More fits of giggles. “Good. I hope you stay around for a while. I think we could be good friends. Besides Mephisto, I haven’t had a real friend in a long time,”

Sylus hummed in acknowledgement, looking down at (Name). Their eyes were fluttering closed as their legs started to feel heavy. Gosh were they tired all of a sudden. Abruptly, they were no longer walking as their head fell against a solid chest.

“Rest (Name), I’ll get us home,” was the last thing the witch heard before they fell asleep, the gentle sway lulling them off to dream land.

Chapter Text

-a month and a half later-

The witch stood in their potions room, inspecting all their wares and ingredients. The Autumn Festival was in just a few days and they had to make sure everything was ready. Just like every year, they had a stall rented where they could sell more of their things. Sure, they had their shop but not everyone was always willing to travel into the middle of the woods for a few crystals and a health potion; especially since Dr. Zayne was much closer. This allowed them to easily sell to the townsfolk and make a rather large profit while doing so. The only issue was carrying enough product to sell, but this year, they had an unexpected helper.

“What are you thinking about so hard little witchling?” came the smooth voice of Sylus from upstairs, his large form lumbering downstairs. He was in his half dragon form and the two had discovered that over time, that the witch using magic on him helped ease the pain in his chest. It also allowed him to hold his other forms for much longer. The spellcaster still didn’t know why he had a gem in his chest or why it pulsed purple that first night but they figured they would learn eventually. After all, it had been a month and a half and he was still staying around for some unknown reason. The witch liked to think it was because they made excellent company.

“I’m trying to figure out how much stuff I should bring and if I need more of certain items,” they muttered to themselves, not looking at him as they kept scanning their items and muttering to themselves.

“I could always gather a few more crystals. Lapis lazuli always sells well, some more citrine, oh and some red jasper may be good too,” they continued when they felt a presence behind them. Cranking their head up, they saw Sylus looking over them, glancing at their items for sale. His body was close, his chest mere inches from their back.

“I thought you already sold these here at the shop. Why are you keeping these back here and not taking them out front?” the dragon asked, his silvery eyebrow arching in interest.

“I told you; I’m taking these to the Autumn Festival to sell. It’s how I make a little extra coin and how I can sell to some of the townsfolk who don’t want to make the trek all the way out here,” the witch sighed, turning on their heels to go look at their herbs and potions wall next. Most of their potions were stocked up well and they even had some extra they could sell to Dr. Zayne again.

“I have been hearing a lot about this “Autumn Festival” but I still don’t know what it is. Mind explaining it to me?” Sylus asked, leaning one hip against the island and crossed his arms across his chest. In the middle of the room, he watched the witch flutter around their work space. Not stopping for a second, the witch rattled on.

“The Autumn Festival is a festival where we celebrate that year’s harvest, the change of seasons and celebrate another year of the god Astra’s blessings. Folks usually have stalls to sell wares like I’m going to have and there is food, dancing and the biggest event is the swordsmanship competition. Mercenaries, knights and even commoners can enter and all fight for a large prize. It’s usually some coin involved and a basket full of parts of the harvest. It’s personally my favorite part,” the spellcaster said, stopping as they seemed to reminisce. Their eyes glossed over as memories of past events seems to flash in their mind. Children, running and playing peacefully through the streets, the smells of rich food and everyone’s smiling faces and the sound of steel clanking against steel as brave men and women fought against each other in a heated competition.

“Sounds interesting,” the dragon said, narrowing his eyes when it seemed like the witch was fading away from him, going to a place he couldn’t reach. He walked up to them and lightly tapped their shoulder, bringing them back to reality.

The witch shook their head and turned to face him with a smile. “If you want to come along, I’m sure you’d have a wonderful time. Plus, if I’m being honest, I could use some extra muscle hauling everything down,” they admitted, bouncing on the tips of their toes as they looked up at him. Sylus smirked down at them, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, I see how it is. You just need my muscle. That’s all I’m good for, huh?”

“You know for a fact that’s not why I said that. You know what, I change my mind. Don’t come. Just sit here while I go have fun,” the witch laughed, rolling their eyes as they glanced at their crystals again. Lapis lazuli was definitely their lowest on stock and it always sold well. Making up their mind, (Name) decided that they were going to go grab more from their secret harvesting spot. They walked over to the wall and grabbed their crystal collecting bag and their pick axe and some other smaller tools for harvesting. The bag was a large cloth bag covered in dust and had definitely seen better days. Despite it’s worn look, the threads held true and faithfully continued to do it’s duty. The dragon watched all of this wordlessly as confusion grew on his face.

“Where are you going?” he asked, taking some steps after the witch as they walked outside. The witch smiled at him as they did a double check to make sure they had everything they needed.

“I’m going to go harvest some more crystals to sell. I’m low on lapis lazuli and it always sells well so I want to make sure I have enough prepared,” they said. Mephisto cawed from a near by tree, his morning hunt for food long done.

“Would you like to come with me?”

“To…harvest crystals?”

“Yes. You obviously don’t have to but it may be rather boring here alone. I’m going to be gone all day,”

“By yourself?”

The witch rolled their eyes at this. “Yes, by myself Sylus. I do it all the time and can do plenty to protect myself if that’s what your worried about,” they teased, a playful smile on their lips. “And if you’re that worried, you can just join me. Come get your delicate claws a little dirty,”

Sylus narrowed his eyes at that comment. “I am not delicate,” was all he said before he walked up to them. His tailed swished in irritation, giving him away. The witch snickered even more and held out their hand to him.

“Hold my hand,” they said, looking at Mephisto then. “You’re on guard duty handsome boy. Protect this place well,” they smiled and started reciting the incantation once Sylus grabbed their hand. A magic circle bloomed underneath their feet, a deep emerald green in color as the magic swirled around them. The two began to hover in the air for a moment before they disappeared in the blink of an eye. No longer in front of the quaint little workshop but now in front of a decently large cave. A river ran through the center of it and it looked dark and gloomy. The witch let go of Sylus’s hand as they made a sweeping motion with their arm.

“Tada! This is where we will get some more crystals,” they said, making their way into the cave entrance. They were careful of the slippery rocks near the edges and grinned when they heard Sylus follow behind them. The two moved silently, being careful not to slip or fall. When things started to get darker, the witch tossed out a small light spell, helping light the way so they could travel much easier. The air felt moist and damp but not stuffy. It smelt more like fresh rain and moss, an earthy tone to it. A comforting scent to the witch really. After a little more exploring into the cave, the little ball of light floated higher and higher, lighting up the large cavern they entered. Dead center was a small body of water, the odd drip from the rocky ceiling landing in the pool below. Near the very edges of the cave system were small patches of moss, adding some color to the rather grey and blue area. Covering all the walls however was Lapis Lazuli. The crystals poking in and out of the rock, encircling the entire area. It was a truly impressive crystal deposit.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Sylus followed the witchling into the cave, a strange sensation churning in his gut. Something about this cave felt oddly familiar but there was no way that could be the case. That was hundreds of years ago and sure, it was near the nest where he grew up but it just couldn’t have been that place. He refused to believe it was so.

“Well, isn’t this impressive?” he whispered, looking up and around as he took in all the crystals around the cave.

“I know right? I stumbled upon it a few years ago. It was around where I found Mephisto actually,” the witch confessed, making their way to a section of the wall, east of the pond in the middle of the room.

This piqued his interest as he turned to them, following behind. “Oh really? How did you come across my feathered friend?”

“I found him on the ground, hurt. It looked like he was attacked by something, so I healed him and brought him home with me. After a couple weeks, I set him free but he just never left. Never would I have imagined he was the friend of a dragon,” the witch giggled, pulling out one of their tools as they began to pick at the wall, mining for their desired crystals. Sylus moved to their side and simply watched them for a while, his eyes scanning their every move.

‘I guess Mephisto and I share that in common,’ he thought to himself, turning to sit with his back against the cave wall, listening to the witchling mine. Sylus, at this point, could have left a month ago. He was healed enough, even his wings were in a useable state. But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to. There was something about this witch that was silently tugging him closer. Not to mention, their magic made him feel…better. That was the most puzzling thing. The dragon had tried everything imaginable to fix the corruption slowly poisoning his body. An after effect of the deal he had once struck and failed to uphold his end of the bargain. Sure, healing potions had helped for a time, after all, he wouldn’t have lived this long without them. But nothing was like the little witchlings magic. It was soft and feather light but also warm. There but not intrusive when used.

“How did you learn magic?” the question tumbled from his lips; his normal filter gone under the relaxing air in the cave.

“My grandmother taught me in the beginning. I was young but she unfortunately passed early. I was around…12 when she died. After that, it was entirely self taught. I used it for any means necessary to survive. Got brought on hunting raids to make a living until I could do it on my own. After a while I decided it wasn’t how I wanted to live so I made my shop. Been doing it ever since,” they said, cursing at a particularly difficult crystal stuck in the wall. Sylus smiled as he reached out with a clawed hand, using one finger to easily pull the large crystals out of its rocky prison. A smile lit up on the witchling’s face.

“Thanks Sylus,”

“It was no trouble,” he said, turning his eyes away to look around the cave some more. He let the information sit in his head as he looked around. The witchling had been on their own for a decent amount of time it seemed, just like he had been. Left to face the cruel world alone and fight for the right to survive. He did find it odd that it was their grandmother taking care of them, not a word of their parents but then again, he avoided humans on purpose. Their customs and way of life had escaped his knowledge for many years. The tinking sound of the pick axe hitting rock was the only sound in the cave as he continued to look.

Even without the light, he could see just fine. Being a mythical and powerful dragon definitely had its perks and being able to see in the dark or dim light was one of them. His ruby red eyes scanned the walls when they stumbled upon something odd. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on that spot and gasped. There was no way. Without a second thought, he jumped to his feet and brought out his wings. Ignoring the pain in his back, he took off and flew to the spot, hovering in the air as he inspected the wall. His eyes weren’t playing tricks on him and a faint, bittersweet smile graced his lips. On the wall, in scribbled writing, was his name, along with some of his sibling’s names as well. Memories came flooding back as he remembered exactly why this place felt familiar. This was place was a large watering hole him and his siblings used to play in.

“Sylus, everything ok?” called (Name) from down below, crystals long forgotten as the witch watched on with concern. Sylus looked down at them and nodded.

“Everything is fine little witchling. Just discovered why this place felt so familiar,” he called down to them flying down to land right in front of them. He grinned more when he saw they didn’t back away from him either.

“This place used to look very different when I was a young hatchling. My siblings and I used to go swimming in this place. It used to be fully under water and one day, we all made a bet to see who could swim the farthest down and write our names on the wall. I just found my name again,” he mused, smiling down at them. The spellcaster smiled right back and their eyes follow the direction of where his name was.

“Oh, how cool! I never would have imagined this place used to be a large pool but I guess it makes sense given the center huh? How time sure does fly,”

“How time does fly, little witchling,” he said, looking around the cave again when he remembered something about this particular place. A smirk formed on his lips as he looked down at the witch.

“Get rid of your little lights. I want to show you something about this place,” he said, pointing to their little glowing lights. Without a moment’s hesitation, the witch did as he asked, plunging them into pure darkness. Sylus took a step forward and grabbed their hand, making sure they wouldn’t stumble around in the dark.

“Just wait,” he whispered in to the dark, squeezing their hand as they both waited on bated breath. It was slow at first but soon, the entire cave began to glow. Little sparkles of glowing rock lit up all around the cave, bathing them in a greenish teal light. It was as mesmerizing as he first remembered. His eldest brother was the first to discover natures spectacle.

“Oh, my stars,” the witch whispered, their eyes sparkling under the faint glow as they looked all around, their hand never leaving his. “This is beautiful. How did you know about this?” they asked, taking a step in one direction as their other hand was out stretched to the glowing rocks. Sylus let himself be dragged along, smiling at their utter joy radiating from their body.

“My brother, Orruryn, found it. He had snuck out of the nest one night to go play and found this when the pool was glowing. He showed us shortly after,” he said, memories of that first night filling his mind. It was one of the last good memories he had of his siblings. Before he ruined everything that is.

“Thank you for sharing this with me Sylus. I had been coming here for years but had no idea. This is truly amazing! Thank you,” the little witchling said, turning to smile at him. Something about their smile under the glowing light made his breath catch in his throat. His heart seemed to stutter for a moment but he chose to ignore it. Instead, he simply smiled back.

“You’re welcome, little witchling,”

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The first day of the festival had arrived. It was early in the morning when the witch and the dragon ventured into town, arms loaded with goodies to sell. The witch had placed their usual glamour on Sylus so he could come with them without freaking anyone out. Having to remind themselves to call him Skye instead of Sylus was going to be a struggle but they would manage. By the time they got to the town, most of the early morning merchants were also setting up their designated stalls. The two walked down the street to their designated booth and the witch set down their bags, sighing in relief.

“It never gets easier each year,” they huffed with a laugh, pulling out some items and setting them up on the table. Sylus stood next to them, setting down his own bag of things as he looked up and down the street.

“So, when does this festival truly start?” he asked, sitting down on one of the chairs provided.

“In about an hour or so. That’s when most of the townsfolk come out, buy some of the things they want and then everyone waits around for the start of the swordsmanship competition. It depends on how many enter, but each year more and more enter so they have to start it earlier and earlier each year. When I first started coming to this, the competition was only about 2 days and it was usually the last two. Now, it’s usually 4 days, with the first entire day being sign up and the game masters setting up a bracket to post later,” they said, sitting down in their spare seat as they waited for folks to show up. It was a warm morning, the sunlight providing a gentle heat. Birds chirped from nearby buildings and slowly the town was waking up to the festivities.

“And where would one “sign up” for this swordsmanship competition?” he asked, smirking.

“You’re seriously going to join?”

“Well, I did make a deal with Mr. Thomas and I’m a man of my word,”

“That was drunken drabble,”

“I’m a man of my word,” Sylus repeated, smirking wider when the witch just shook their head.

“It opens at around noon right out front of the church grounds. Its close enough to Zayne’s clinic and there is a large open pasture behind the church so that’s where they have it,” (Name) explained, chuckling to themselves. For once, poor Xavier may have a run for his money. While they didn’t know how good Sylus was with a sword, he was still a dragon with impressive strength. Anyone going against him would have a fight of their life.

Suddenly, two giggling voices caught their attention as they looked down the street. Luke and Keiran were twins and the towns little trouble makers. The boys constantly tried to play pranks on everyone they could get their hands on. The festival was their prime hunting ground with new people and faces galore. The two were much older than 14 and gave their poor mother heart attacks daily.

“Luke, Keiran, what are you up to this morning?” the witch asked, their tone dropping a little. It took on an older sibling tone, warning them that they were being watched. The twins jumped in unison, spinning to look at the witch.

“Nothing!” Luke instantly said, tiny hands zipping behind their back, clearly hiding something.

“Yeah, we weren’t doing anything,” Keiran added, giving an innocent smile as his red hair shimmered in the sunlight.

The witch raised an eyebrow as they smirked. “You boys wouldn’t lie to a witch, would you?” they asked, standing from their chair as they looked down at the two from across the table. Both boys lost their smiles.

“W-What happens if you lie to w-witch?” Keiran asked, shifting from one leg to another. Luke nodded along, just as curious and worried.

“If you lie to a witch,” they whispered, leaning down to make it seem like it was a deadly secret, “You’ll grow vines out of your ears and your skin turns bright pink,” the witch hissed playfully, snickering when the twins gasped, fear clear on their face.

“We were going to put frogs in old lady Kendel’s punch,” Luke blurted, grunting when Keiran slapped his chest for confessing so easily.

“Hand over the frogs boys. Or else I’ll also tell your mother,” The witch said, holding out their hand expectedly to the two boys. As if right on cue, the boy’s mother was heard down the street, calling for the two rascals. The witch wiggled their fingers expectedly at them, smirking when the boys’ mother was getting closer and closer.

“Don’t tell on us,” Luke begged softly as he handed over a small, wiggling bag of frogs. The twins then took off running, back to laughing as they ran away from their mother’s ire. (Name) chuckled as they held the bag in their hands, using a small teleportation spell on the poor creatures inside, freeing them to a nearby pond outside the town. After a moment, they sat back down and looked at Sylus, who had watched the whole interaction.

“Interesting little bunch,” he said after a moment.

“They are harmless. They like to play pranks but sometimes they get a little out of hand,” the witch said with a fond smile. “Their mother, Riley, had them dropped on her doorstep one spring morning and she had been raising them ever since. They are sweet kids truly,”

“Seems like it. Frogs in punch huh? I think snakes may have been a better choice personally,” he said, a smirk of his own on his lips. The spellcaster rolled their eyes, lightly slapping his chest.

After that small interaction, things started to become lively. Everyone was out and about, enjoying the festival in all its glory. Many folks came by their stall specifically, buying everything from crystals to potions to some small jewelry pieces they made. It was a new item they were trying, each gem in the pieces having a specific one-time spell inside. They sold like hot cakes so it was a good item to add for next time. Caleb stopped by first, teasing them about their craftsmanship of the jewelry, but ended it by saying he could make them some delicate pieces if they ever wanted to commission him. He was also the first of many to ask about “Skye”. They recited the usual cover story and it was believed each time thankfully. Some of the old ladies in town began to whisper amongst themselves, glancing at both Sylus and them with knowing smiles. (Name) chose to ignore those looks, pretending their cheeks didn’t redden in the slightest.

Zayne and Greyson stopped by also, grabbing the extra herbs for sale. Zayne was ever the professional, stiff and cold around the edges but (Name) had known him enough now to see through it. He was just a little awkward and shy. Greyson was a perfect mediator, flowing the pleasant conversation until they both decided to leave. Something about a sweets stall down the way that the icy doctor was dying to try. The red tipped ears didn’t escape the witch’s line of sight when the two left. Rafayel stopped by around noon, praising their wares to the high heavens like the performer he was. It helped gather another small crowd of customers who bought up some more. As a thank you, the witch gave him a few crystals and a bracelet for free. While the siren insisted on paying, the spellcaster refused, threatening jokingly that if he didn’t take the gift, they’d mess with his mask personally. This got the bard to instantly back off but say his appreciation nonetheless. Thomas and his wife also stopped by; his little girl held on his hip as they scanned the items for sale. The witch put on a small little lightshow for the girl, grinning widely when her little windchime like laughter filled the air. The young couple bought a few items before going on their way, the daughter begging to get some food and sweets from some stalls down the way.

Throughout all the exchanges, Sylus never once left their side. Multiple times, they tried to get him to leave. To go explore the festival and have fun but each time he refused. After a time, they stopped trying to pressure him and they were glad they did. They had run into a few rowdy and difficult customers, trying to intimidate them into selling for cheaper than items were worth and each time, Sylus stepped in and helped. It was like having a scary guard dog for added protection and they would be lying if they said they didn’t appreciate every second of it. (Name) could absolutely hold their own, but the extra help was genuinely appreciated.

It was around late afternoon when most of their wares were sold for the day. They were packing up their remaining bags when they looked at Sylus.

“Would you like to explore the festival with me?” they asked, smiling sweetly at him. “You’ve been stuck with me all day and I think its only right you get to explore the event you’ve been hearing about for the past two months,” the witch said, holding out their hand to him. Sylus looked down at their hand before a soft smile graced his lips, unlike his usual smirk. It made their heart skip a beat but the witch chose to ignore it once again.

“Lead the way, little witchling,” he said, reaching for their hand. Together, the two began to explore the festival. Before they got too distracted however, the two headed toward the church to sign Sylus up for the competition. He signed up under a name he refused to tell the witch, but they just assumed it was Skye, as everyone had come to now know him by. After that was taken care of, the two began to enjoy the festivities. (Name) played the excellent guide, pointing out each stall and its wares. With their now full coin purse, the witch bought him some food and treats as they continued to explore, laughing at some of his odd reactions. Watching Sylus enjoy the festival was a real treat. It was obvious he wasn’t too familiar with humans or their many cultures so sometimes his face would scrunch up in disgust at some things and his eye widen at others. The witch couldn’t remember the last time they had so much fun during the Autumn Festival.

The two had, at one point, stumbled upon a jewelry stand. This one was definitely more well crafted than their little trinkets, years of hard work and a love for the craft clear in every piece. The spellcaster’s eyes instantly got glued to a small ruby red broach, a crow curved around its design. They couldn’t help but think of Mephisto as they saw it and insisted they buy it for Sylus. The dragon complied; on the condition, he could get something in return. When they agreed, Sylus pointed to a rather unique necklace. It was bronze in color, making it look weathered and old and it was in the shape of a key. Instead of a decorative handle, it had a dragon skull head on the end, held together by a beautiful small silvery chain. The witch said nothing as they paid for the items with a smile. Everyone had their own taste and who were they to judge. They were stunned however when Sylus told them to turn around.

“I thought the necklace was for yourself,” they said, confused.

“I said I would agree if I could also get an item. I never said who it was for, witchling,” he chuckled, clipping the necklace around their neck. A small pout formed on their lips as they looked up at him.

“Well thank you. It was very sweet of you and you didn’t have to,” they said, demanding they then be allowed to pin his new broach on him. The silvery dragon complied without question, saying a word of thanks when it was fastened to his shirt. After that, they continued to enjoy the first day of the festival, laughing and smiling as they both continued to explore. The sun was starting to set when they finally sat down again, sitting on one of the benches just outside the town square. A giant pillar of wood was being stacked in the middle. A grand fire was going to be lit while music played and folks danced around to end off the night.

“Today was a lot of fun,” the witch sighed, content as they let their feet rest. Sylus sat next to them, a smile of his own gracing his features as he watched the sun set slowly.

“It was rather fun indeed. Thank you for showing me this,” he said, smiling as he looked at them. There was that genuine smile again, making their heart stutter. The witch blushed faintly as they looked up at the sky, it shifting from oranges and reds to pinks and purples.

“You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it,” they whispered, closing their eyes as a gentle breeze wisped by. The music had started after that and soon, everyone was dancing around to the music, embers and laughter floating on the wind. (Name) felt a light tap on their shoulder then and turned to see who was trying to get their attention.

“Xavier!” they beamed, smiling at the mercenary. “You made it back in time! How did the mission go?” they asked, scooting closer to Sylus so they could make room for him. The blonde grinned and sat down, full attention on the witch.

“It was alright. Thankfully no one got hurt but we also couldn’t find the dragon. It seems like it left Neun some time ago so now our search is widening. Simone and I came back to hunt around this area for any clues. But how are you? I’m sorry I missed your stall earlier,”

“Oh, its no big deal. I’ll be open tomorrow as well so you can stop by first thing in the morning. Did you get to sign up for the competition?”

“I did but for some reason, I couldn’t use my normal name,” the blonde said, his eyebrows scrunching up in confusion. The witch tilted their head in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you know how I use the name Lumiere?” the witch nodded.

“Well, someone was already entered with that name. I’m not sure who but I’m hoping I can have a talk with them once I find out who. For now, I’m just under Xavier,” the blonde hunter said. It took everything in the witch to not whip around and look at Sylus. Instead, they slowly turned to look at him and when they saw the shit eating grin on the dragon’s face, they glared.

‘You fucking didn’t’ they mouthed, looking at him stunned.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, sweetie,’ the dragon had the gall to mouth back, giving (Name) their answer. Xavier watched the interaction, his attention finally landing on the man behind them. His eyes instantly narrowed, his guard up.

“(Name), who is this?” he asked, looking the man up and down.

“Oh, this is my friend Skye. I’ve met him during one of my herb expeditions,” they explained. Normally, everyone else seemed to take this and run with it. However, Xavier didn’t seem to buy it.

“Oh, really now? Where are you from Skye?” Xavier asked.

“I’m from between Lemuria and Neun. Small town you’ve never heard of. I met (Name) during a trip to Lemuria and we’ve been friends ever since,” Sylus lied easily, his signature smirk back on his lips.

“Funny, I’ve never heard them mention you even once,”

“I think we both can agree that our little witchling is rather private. You must not be very trustworthy for them to divulge such information,”

The witch spun on him then and slapped his chest, glaring at him. “Hey, don’t you dare put words in my mouth. Apologize right now,” they scolded the dragon. Sylus chuckled and rubbed his chest where they hit him.

“Alright, alright, I’m sorry little witchling. I’ll behave. Paladin’s honor,”

“I’m sorry too,” Xavier said, hanging his head like a scolded puppy, “I shouldn’t have egged him on,” the witch turned to the blonde then and smiled softly.

“You did nothing wrong Xavier. It’s the menace behind me who’s stirring up trouble,” they huffed, their eyes narrowing when all they heard behind them was laughter. Xavier smiled and nodded.

“Actually, the main reason I came over was because I had a question for you,” the mercenary said, standing up as he held out his hand to them. “Would you honor me with a dance?” he asked, a gentle smile on his lips. The witch smiled at him, their reddened cheeks hidden from the light of the fire.

“I would love to but-“

“Go on, witchling,” Sylus cut them off, smiling. “Go have fun. I can keep myself entertained well enough,’

“Are you sure?” they asked softly, looking into his eyes for any hidden emotions. When they found none and got a simple nod, they smiled and jumped up, taking Xavier’s hand. The music was at a medium pace as the two bounced around on the gravel dancefloor. Other couples danced around them, laughter and giggles mixed in with the tune. As they spun, the witch even caught sight of Dr. Zayne dancing with someone, a fair person with green hair. It was charming to see the doctor let loose a little. After another spin, they also caught sight of the twin boys dancing with their mother near the edge of the dancefloor, cute smiles on everyone’s faces. Xavier was a good dance partner. His frame was steady but fluid. The blonde seemed to treat the dance like it was a battle and one wrong step led to death. (Name) couldn’t help but giggle at the mans focused face. Near the end of the song, they felt another tap on their shoulder. Turning, they saw Sylus.

“May I ask for another dance?” he asked, holding out his own hand to them. They gave a quick glance to Xavier and when the blonde backed away, the witch easily took the dragons hand, ready for the next dance. This song was slower than the others, having a more elegant sound. Like dancing on moonlight. It seemed to only call out to those in love because soon, the dancefloor was filled with only couples. The witch felt a blush burn brighter on their cheeks and it grew when Sylus placed his large hand on their back.

“Just follow my lead,” he whispered into their ear, guiding them effortlessly across the ground. The witch felt like they were floating as the two danced. They couldn’t even say they were a bad dancer because every time they stumbled, Sylus was there redirecting them and making it feel flawless.

“I didn’t know you could dance,” they whispered, looking up at him. The orange flicker of the firelight cast a beautiful glow on his face as the dragon smiled down at them.

“I think you’ll find, little witchling-,” he purred, gently dipping them during the song. His large hand held just behind their knee while the other was secured tightly around their back. The witches arms were tightly around his neck, a small gasp escaping their lips. He held them there, eyes locked on to one another as they hovered in space, breathing each others air. Slowly, he pulled them back up, holding the witch close to his chest, his one hand sliding up their thigh before returning to their back.

“That I am full of surprises,” he breathed, sounding as breathless as they felt. The two stood there, huffing and puffing as the dance came to an end. They were only jolted back to reality by the sound of clapping. The two jumped apart, seeing everyone’s eyes on them as they all clapped around them. The spellcaster blushed at the sudden attention and looked up at Sylus. It could have just been the lights playing a trick on their eyes, but they could have sworn they saw his cheeks turn a faint pink as well.

“Why don’t we head off the dancefloor. The next song is about to start,” he said, holding out his arm for them to take, his normal persona sliding into place.

“Okay,” the witch said with a smile and together, the two went to sit on a bench, enjoying the rest of the first night of the Autumn Festival.

Chapter Text

It was the start of the second day of the Autumn Festival and the witch was both excited and nervous. Excited because today was the swordsmanship competition and they were beyond elated to watch everyone battle. They were nervous however because Sylus had insisted on competing and that meant he could potentially get hurt. Their glamour would only hold for so long and if he got injured, it was game over. His true identity would be revealed and cause the town to unravel into utter chaos. Which is why, about 2 weeks ago, they started making him a special necklace. It had on it an extra strong glamour spell that would withstand damage if he did get hurt. But things like that took time, weaving and layering spells on a certain object to achieve the desired effect. The necklace had a simple wire cage design and the gem of choice was lapis lazuli, requested by the dragon himself. The two had a bit of a giggle fit when Sylus tried putting it on himself, only to have the jewelry get stuck on his horns. While it looked rather cute dangling between his horns, it needed to be secured properly for it to work.

So, there they were, both walking back into town to enjoy the second day of the festival. After a quick stop by the stall to drop off their things, the two ventured towards the church to see the bracket posting. A large wood board was hammered into the ground near the front of the church with the bracket posted, names scribbled on it with decent writing. The witch searched the board, looking for Sylus’s name before they shook their head, yesterday’s events returning to them. The scaly creature had decided to take Xavier’s alias name for some unknown reason.

“I still don’t know why you didn’t just use your own name,” they mumbled as they continued to look at the board. It looked like Sylus was on the opposite side of the bracket to Xavier, so it was very possible that the two of them could battle at the very end.

“Because I needed to get my revenge somehow. You refuse to let me scratch him up at your little shop so I have to fight in other ways,” chuckled the dragon, smirking down at the witch beside him.

“Yes, because he is a nice person and its not his fault some dragon decided to murder a bunch of adventurers. He was only doing his job,” the witch barked, rolling their eyes at him before they focused on who his first match would be. To their surprise, it was Thomas, the bartender.

“Oh, your first match will be with Thomas, how fun. Normally he doesn’t enter all that often because his wife gets, understandably, worried,” they said, looking at more of the board to see who else entered. Simone and Xavier were obviously on the board, being crowd favorites and there were many names the witch didn’t recognize. One surprising entry though was Caleb. Usually, the blacksmith was in charge of making the swords for the competition rather than competing himself so it was a welcomed surprise.

“Oh, the bartender? No wonder he was asking about me entering again the other day,” Sylus smirked, a twinkle of genuine excitement in his eyes. The witch smiled at his joy before turning to him again.

“You’re wearing the necklace, right?” they asked.

“Yes, little witchling. Save and sound around my neck,” the dragon confirmed, sticking his hand into his shirt to reveal the necklace. It shimmered in the sunlight and looked very beautiful.

“Ok good. You can’t lose it,” they said, unable to hide the worry from their eyes. This had disaster written all over it and they couldn’t help but worry. While they weren’t too scared of him now, they were once or at the very least, worried. He was still a creature of legend and had the power and magic to prove it. If the town discovered he was right under their noses? The spellcaster shook their head to toss the thought from their head.

Sylus smiled at them. “Your worry is cute but things will be just fine. If anything, you should be worried about the other humans, much less me. After all, it’s your magical necklace I’m wearing. Didn’t you say there was no one as strong as you in this village? Have faith in your abilities and mine,” he soothed. (Name) nodded, his words washing over them. He was right. Their magic was strong and so was he. They had nothing to worry about.

“Alright. Well, I need to get back to my stall and sell for the day. I wish you the best and hopefully I can catch the later half of the day’s matches,” they said with a smile before they scurried off. Everything was going to be fine.

It was noon by the time everything was sold, which was much quicker than yesterday. It was most likely due to the matches later. Everyone wanted to get most of their shopping done so they could watch the spectacle for later, which freed the witch up to join as well. The witch had put their last bag into their carrying bag before a tall shadow grew behind them. Turning, they smiled when their favorite siren stood just on the other side of their stand.

“Raf! It’s so nice to see you again. I apologize but I have nothing more to sell today. You’ll have to catch me earlier like the day before,” they smiled, giving him their full attention. Rafayel smiled and waved them off.

“That’s not why I came here. I was just off to see the rest of the swordsmanship contest,” he said, holding out his elbow to them, “And I was hoping you’d join me and watch together with me. We can cheer on your friend Skye together,”

The witch smiled and nodded enthusiastically, scooting around their stall before they looped their arm with their friends. The two walked down the town’s streets, casually looking at everyone enjoying themselves. Children ran in the streets laughing, delicious smells filled the air and everyone seemed beyond happy. The harvest was plentiful and the town was safe. Couldn’t ask for better than that.

The benches surrounding the wooden outdoor arena were only one set high, most choosing to stand around the wooden circle and cheer wildly. The up close and personal experience being more sought after. The two made their way to a bench and sat together, watching the current match. It looked like it was Simone was battling some random knight, but based on the man’s uniform, he looked to be from the country of Lemuria.

“So,” Raf started, crossing his legs as he leaned forward, resting his chin on the palm of his hand that was resting on his knee, “When were you going to tell me you had a dragon staying at your house?” he whispered, giving them a knowing side eyed smirk. The witch paled ever so slightly but kept their eyes glued to the fight.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” they replied, their jaw clenching as they tried not to look around. Heaven forbid someone heard the two of them. They took so many precautions to have it so that no one found out about Sylus and here this bard was, trying to unravel all that.

“Oh please, I knew the second he entered the bar all those nights ago,” Rafayel said, rolling his eyes as he smirked. “He doesn’t exactly do a good job of hiding his magic, even with your glamour cutie. Magical creature recognizes magical creature,” he teased, smiling as the crowd bloomed with cheers, the fight being over with Simone as the obvious victor. A few volunteers scurried out the carry away the loser, making sure he got the medical attention he needed as the rest of the arena got ready for the next fight. The witch fiddled nervously with their fingers as they watched the topic of their conversation enter the arena. Sylus was about to start his fight with Thomas.

“Worry not (Name), your secret and his are safe with me,” the siren said behind his hand, his pearly purple eyes sparkling at them. “It would be pretty hypocritical of me to tattle on him, when even I use your magic to survive,”

The witch physically deflated and let out a breath they didn’t realize they were holding. “Thank you,” they whispered, finally looking at him. Rafayel smiled back and nudged their shoulder playfully.

“So out with it, cutie. How did a little forest witch like you come across a beast of legend?”

“Would you believe me if I said he appeared bleeding on my doorstep?”

“Probably actually. Seems like something that would happen to him. I take it his name isn’t Skye either?”

“Nope but that’s not my place to share. That you’ll have to ask him yourself,” the spellcaster teased right back, smiling as the bell rang for the start of the match. They cheered loudly for Sylus, excited to see the outcome.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The match against Thomas was a lot of fun for the dragon. The bartender could definitely hold his own and if he was anyone else, the young man would have given him a run for his money. But in the end, the competitive side to him demanded the win and with as minimal damage as possible, he got Thomas to yield. The crowd went absolutely wild, cheering both his borrowed name and for Thomas. Holding his hand out to the light brunette, he helped Thomas to his feet.

“Fuck I really thought I had a chance this year,” the bartender grunted as he rose, smiling at him.

“You put up an excellent fight. It was just unfortunate that your opponent was me,” Sylus chuckled, the two of them walking off the arena in one piece. Scanning the crowd, his eyes caught sight if the little witchling watching, cheering for him wildly.

“Got yourself a little cheerleader I see,” Thomas mused, a sly smile on his face. Sylus glanced back at the witch and a small smile twitched on his lips.

“I guess I do,” the dragon said, standing and watching the next fight with Thomas by his side. It looked like it was finally Xavier’s turn and Sylus couldn’t help but feel his veins thrum with excitement. The blonde adventurer had to win. He needed a proper opponent to end this multi-day battle and feel satisfied. Besides, he also wanted to rub it in the bastard’s face when he won, even if Xavier didn’t realize who he was truly fighting. A familiar voice cheered extra loud as Xavier began his fight and something stirred in him as he watched the witchling cheer. It must have showed on his face because soon, Thomas was laughing next to him.

“Down boy. If looks could kill, I swear,” the man laughed, smiling even more.

“What are you talking about?” Sylus asked, confusion on his face now.

“No need to be jealous. It’s just a competition,”

Sylus was still confused, his dragon mind unable to process what this silly human was talking about. How was he jealous? He had no reason to be jealous. It didn’t make sense. But the more he thought about it, the more pieces started to fall into place. Maybe he was starting to cherish the little witchling more than he realized. After all, he had learned so many new things since being in their orbit and even he could admit they were nice company. Much better than most humans he had encountered in the past.

“I will choose to ignore your words,” was all Sylus could say as he watched the fight instead. Thomas chuckled from beside him but didn’t say much more. Xavier’s fight didn’t last long, the blonde mercenary was clearly a seasoned fighter. His opponent didn’t stand a chance. The crowd once again erupted into cheers when Xavier won and the two locked eyes from across the way. Sylus simply smirked at him, grinning more when he got a glare in return.

“You just enjoy stirring the pot, don’t you?” Thomas quipped beside him.

Sylus just smiled. “Whatever do you mean?’

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It was the next day of fights and Sylus was raring to go. He had already had a few smaller fights to grow his way up the tournament paper and his next fight he was really excited for. Caleb was his opponent now and the crowd was wild. It was the semi-final match, getting him one step closer to his fight with Xavier. Normally, there would have been an extra day of fighting but most of the matches had been over much too quickly, this year’s select few contestants being insanely strong. The witchling was in the crowd again, not having anything to sell today, standing right next to the siren bard. The announcer announced his fake name of Lumiere as he entered the ring. It was still hilarious to see some of the crowd’s reactions to his obviously wrong name. They had associated the name with the blonde mercenary so seeing his silvery face instantly brought on confusion. It amused him even more to see how pissed Xavier actually got. Just like he wanted.

Caleb was announced next and the two were in the arena, swords at the ready. The blacksmith twirled the sword with his wrist, feeling the weight and balance of it before he held it with two hands in front of himself. He squared off against Sylus, pearly purple eyes shining.

“You won’t go easy on me, right?” Caleb called out jokingly. Sylus grinned.

“Wouldn’t dream of such disrespect,” he countered. There was a moment of silence before the bell went off, signaling the start of their fight. The two began to circle one another, eyeing each other like prey as they waited for the first one to strike. Caleb was the first to jump, swinging his sword high as he moved to strike from above. Sylus parried it with ease before jumping to the side, getting in his own sword slash before the blacksmith dodged with ease.

“Who knew you could be such a fighter?” Sylus quipped, attacking once more only to be parried as well.

“Can’t work with weapons and the like all day and not be able to hold my own. That’s just silly, isn’t it?” Caleb teased back, a wide grin on his face. The dragon also smiled back, his blood pumping. He had forgotten the last time he had such fun in a battle where his life wasn’t entirely on the line. The thrill of it all to be challenged and pushed to the limit. The two continued to exchange blows, steel clinking and clashing in the air as the two fought. Hundreds of voices cheered from the sidelines, some shouting for the preferred favorite while others booed at the one they hoped would lose.

Time was starting to drag out as their battle continued, both huffing and puffing. Caleb was giving the dragon more run for his money than he had ever thought possible. Red eyes scanned his fellow fighter’s body, searching for any opening possible. Just then, he saw his chance. There was a slight divot in the ground. If he could just get Caleb to walk back into it, the man would surely lose his footing and then he could strike. Raising his sword, Sylus began to attack relentlessly, swing after swing, leaving Caleb only enough room to guard. The blacksmith grunted at the sudden attack, looking for a way out as he continued to be pushed back. The plan had worked as Caleb stumbled on the divot, falling on to his ass. Sylus was on him in a second, sword pointed at the man’s throat.

“Yield,” Sylus growled, chest huffing and puffing as he smiled down at him. His tone held no malice in his words, rather a profound respect. Not many could say they went toe to toe with a dragon and survive to tell the tale.

Caleb sat on the ground and chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender as the match came to a close. The crowd exploded with cheers, the battle keeping everyone on their toes. It was a decently close match and could have been anyone’s game. Sylus held out his hand to help Caleb off the ground as the two walked together out of the arena. Seeing a scurried body through the crowd, the dragon smiled when he saw his- the little spellcaster approach.

“That fight was amazing!” (Name) gushed, positively beaming. “Congrats, Skye. You made it to the finals!”

“Did you really doubt I wouldn’t?” the silvery dragon mused, smiling as he pat Caleb’s back in a “job well done” sort of manner.

“Not even for a second,” the witch said confidently. Their confidence in him made him stumble slightly, the faintest of blushed dusting his cheeks. Thomas’s words from yesterday had creeped back into his mind and he felt his heart skip a beat. Maybe this little witch was starting to become more important to him than he realized. He shook his head to clear his thoughts before he put his signature smirk back on his face.

“Thank you,” was all he could manage to say before he had to look away. Emotions were a funny thing. The audience was a welcomed distraction though because again, the last semi-final battle was about to start. The two hunters who had chased him to the witch’s home were now about to face off. Oh, the irony of the three of them being in the top 3 places. Simone, the woman, was bouncing on her feet as she squared off against Xavier. The blonde adventurer had his own sword in hand, having a much calmer and more collected pose as they both waited for the bell. Once it rang, the ringing of the bell was replaced by the ring of metal as swords clashed hard. Watching these two fight was different from most of the battles. The experience was evident in their moves, like seasoned fighters who were used to putting their lives on the line daily. Xavier looked like he was barely breaking a sweat as he continued to fight Simone, seemingly floating just above the ground as he moved.

“I will say, the blonde can fight,” Rafayel pipped up from beside them, the little trio standing on the sidelines as they watched. Caleb had ventured off to the doctor’s station to get a small check up from his fight with Sylus, saying he may have pulled something and wanted to get it checked out.

“Right? His fights are always so amazing. It would be neat to see him fight monsters and such while he’s on a mission,” the spellcaster added, a mile wide smile on their face.

“It will be fun to knock him down a peg when I win,” Sylus said, cocky and confident as ever. The witch rolled their eyes at him and poked his side.

“Careful now. All that winning may have gone to your head,” they teased, smiling up at him. Sylus just smiled back before watching the fight again. The bell rang, signaling the fight was over as Simone lay on her back, huffing and puffing with Xavier standing over her, the clear winner. The black-haired woman cursed at the loss but her own smile was ever present. Xavier helped her up and together, the two made their way toward the small trio, waiting at the sidelines.

“I will get you one of these years, I swear it!” Simone declared as she laughed, leaning on her opponent for support.

“I look forward to it,” Xavier said with a smile of his own, looking up at everyone.

“Your fight was amazing Xavier,” the witch praised, grinning from ear to ear.

“Thank you. I think I did so well because I had you cheering me on,” he said smoothly, smiling at them. The witch instantly blushed before looking away, flustered. Sylus’s eyes narrowed at the blonde, an ugly feeling burning in his gut. He absolutely did not like that and he was sure he’d have an answer for it later as to why.

“Well, it looks like it’s you and I for the last round huh?” He said instead, taking a step closer to the witch as he did so. Xavier looked him up and down before smirking himself.

“It seems that way. A shame you’re going to lose,”

“Oh, really? Careful now, over-confidence isn’t a good look,”

“Alright, alright. That’s enough for now children. Save the actual fighting for later,” Rafayel chimed in, glancing between the two of them. The air was tense for a moment before both men looked away, conceding. The arena was getting cleaned up for the last battle as a brief intermission was being held. Xavier nodded and bid them farewell as he helped Simone over to Zayne to get her and himself checked out. That just left himself, the witch and Rafayel.

“Nervous for your last fight?” the purple haired merfolk asked, listening to the crowd with a low buzz as they waited with excitement for the last fight.

“Not at all. I don’t see him giving me any issues in the slightest,” Sylus said, grinning down at (Name) when they looked up at him with worry.

“Something on your mind little witchling?” he asked.

The witch glanced between Rafayel and him, a sort of silent ask to be left alone. Rolling his eyes, Rafayel started to walk backwards.

“Fine, fine I’ll leave. You’ll know where to find me when the battle starts, cutie,” was all he said before he disappeared into the crowd once more. The spellcaster turned back to him then, the worry still on their face.

“Can I see your necklace please? I want to add a little more magic to it just in case,” they said quietly. Silently, he did as they asked and pulled out the necklace they had made for him. The witch whispered another spell to enchant the jewelry even further. He was sure that if it had any more magic, the crystal would break. Seeming satisfied, they let out a breath before looking back at him.

“Promise me you’ll be safe?” they asked softly, fiddling with their hands nervously.

“I’ll be just fine,” he reassured with a gentle tone, “what has you so worried? It’s not like we are going to fight to the death,” he joked. Mostly.

“I’m not worried about you holding your own. I fully know you are more than capable. I…I just don’t want your secret to be revealed. I know how…iffy your relationship with most humans is. I would just hate to see the town turn on you when you’ve seemed to be enjoying your time here,”

Sylus couldn’t help but smile at their concern. Most wouldn’t worry in the slightest about a dragon or their wellbeing. He was an all-powerful creature of legend! So what if some humans hurt his feelings? But they cared and it warmed a part of his scaly heart. Truthfully, for the first time in a long time, he was enjoying being around humans again. This witch had shown him so many wonderful things over the course of only a few short months and this town was also a huge part of it. So, having that shattered, those memories tarnished, would be soul crushing indeed.

“Thank you, witchling but I will be fine,” he said softly, using one finger to tilt their chin up and look into his eyes. “I have your magical necklace after all and I trust you and your magic. Do you trust me?”

The witch wordlessly nodded, their fiddling stopping finally.

“Then we both have nothing to worry about,” he reassured, smiling. “Now, just wish me luck like everyone else so we can celebrate when I win after,” he chuckled, dropping his hand from under their face. The witch smiled at him and nodded, standing up a little straighter.

“Good luck Sylus. I believe in you,” they whispered before running off back to sit with Raf. The arena was now ready and the crowd was waiting on baited breath for the last fight to start. The announcer stood on his little tower ready to start the match.

“In this corner, the rookie who swept the board with a borrowed name and shrouded in mystery, welcome for the last time, LUMIERE!” He bellowed, sending the crowd into wild cheers as he entered the arena. Deciding to be cheeky, he waved to the crowd, enjoying the little show he was putting on.

“And in the other corner, you know him, you love him, our reigning champion XAVIER!” With this, the crowd erupted into louder applause, clearly having a favorite. It was fine though because soon, the town would have a new champion. The announcer rattled off something about a fair fight and all that as Xavier entered but he drowned it out. His eyes were glued to only the hunter before him. He was a dragon on a mission and he was ready to take down his newest prey. The two said nothing but sized one another up as they waited for the bell to ring. It was silent for almost too long before it rang and the fight was now on.

Xavier attacked first, moving a little quicker than expected, as the blonde moved to drive his sword into his ribs. Sylus quickly moved to the side as he parried the attack, grinning. This bastard could play innocent all he wanted but Sylus knew a predator when he saw one. Without missing a beat, Xavier attacked again, this time going for a wide sweep to keep Sylus at a distance. The silvery dragon huffed as he swirled his sword in his hand. Two could play this game. Sylus chose to attack then, strong and hard as he laid swinging blow after swinging blow against his opponent, pushing him back. Raw power versus calculated jabs.

“Come now, is that all you got?” he taunted, smiling when the crowd roared more. Xavier said nothing but he did glare at him, his eyes narrowing in irritation. Instead, the blonde made a quick dart to the side and jabbed again. But this time, it was on Sylus’s open side and the dragon couldn’t fully move out of the way. The blade sliced open his shirt and part of his skin, leaving a sizable, bleeding gash along his ribs. It wasn’t insanely deep but it was definitely enough to make him uncomfortable. If he was a normal human, a move like that may have done him in.

“Come now, is that all you’ve got?” Xavier mocked back, smirking himself as the crowd gasped. These games were no stranger to blood or wounds but seeing one of the two power houses of this season bleed so early was definitely a shock. Sylus snarled at him as he held his side before glaring. This was the second time now this fucker had drawn his blood and like hell he was going to let that stand. Instead of using brute force like last time, he decided to throw the hunter off and instead, copied his own fighting style. With nearly inhuman speed, he darted forward and jabbed at Xavier, only instead of his ribs like the blonde had, Sylus went for his face. Sword met cheek and sliced through, leaving a more sizeable, bleeding gash. The audience gasped louder this time as Xavier bounced back, creating some distance. Blood ran down the human’s neck, bleeding into his shirt as the gash on his cheek bled.

“Now we are even,” the dragon snarled proudly, swinging his sword to rid it of the blood as the two stood there panting. Now, he had finally gotten the adventurer back somewhat for the pain he had caused him, even if he didn’t know it fully. The cheers of the crowd was their song as they took a moment to each catch their breath and calculate their next move. Xavier moved to brush his sleeve against his wounded cheek, stopping some of the bleeding.

The two jumped back in again shortly after, exchanging blow after blow as the crowd went wild. This was the most drawn out and intense fight they had scene in years and were enjoying every second of it. Metal tanged against metal and grunts filled the air as they fought. It was like watching two wild animals fight for territory, driven by instinct and a need for survival. All good things had to come to an end however and this battle was nearing its end. The two had gotten a few more slashed at one another during that time. Xavier had a bleeding arm now and most likely a twisted ankle. Sylus was sporting a stabbed thigh that was bleeding heavily and a gash in his shoulder. The witch’s gasp was the loudest when that happen and he was truly surprised they didn’t hop into the arena and heal them then, they sounded so scared.

Swaying slightly, Sylus held his sword in front of him strongly, refusing to show any weakness. Xavier seemed to have the same idea because his form showed no signs of an opening. The announcer didn’t dare stop the fight, even if both participants looked like they needed medical attention.

“Let’s end this,” Sylus panted, taking a step towards Xavier. The fight had gone on long enough and he wanted it to be over. Xavier took a step back to match his advance and suddenly, his vision blurred just slightly. Sylus closed his eyes and shook his head to clear his vision but that proved to be his vital mistake. Using the opportunity, Xavier bolted forward and knocked Sylus prone on his back, sword immediately at his throat.

“Yield,” Xavier ordered, pushing the sword forward even more as the tip just barely touched his throat. Sylus glared up at him as he growled. He was about to roll away and continue fighting when he heard a voice. Looking to the side, he saw the witch looking utterly terrified for him. Knuckles white as they gripped the arena wall edge, fear overriding every feature. Something stirred in him and he found himself going limp. He didn’t ever want to see a look like that on their face ever again. Looking up at Xavier, he closed his eyes as he let his head fall to the ground.

“I yield,” he said, effectively ending the match. With the announcer proclaiming the results for all to hear, the swordsmanship competition had finally come to an end. The reigning champion had held on to his title, but not without a hell of a fight. Townsfolk and onlookers flooded the arena to celebrate the two men but a few people ran just a little faster.

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The witch bolted as soon as the words left Sylus’s lips. Watching him get paler and paler without being able to do anything was destroying their nervous system. Simone wasn’t far behind them, having joined in watching the match as soon as they got the OK from Dr. Zayne. With a hard thud, the witch dropped to their knees and instantly threw out a healing spell on Sylus who was bleeding horrendously. Their hands shook as they continued to pump out healing spells. When a hand suddenly grabbed theirs, they looked to see Sylus smiling at them weakly.

“I’m fine little witchling. I’ve had worse before you know this,” he said through wheezed breath. The witch would find out later, after they had calmed down that he was heavily playing up just how injured he was.

“Shut up! Just shut up and let me-” they gasped, trying to calm down. They could do this. Everything was going to be fine and Dr. Zayne was on his way. In the middle of their worry, Sylus gripped their hands tighter and snapped them out of their panic.

“Hey…hey I’m ok. I promised you, didn’t I? Look, my wounds are healing thanks to you,” he reassured them, pointing out his bleeding wounds and how they weren’t nearly as bad. Taking a few deep breaths, they nodded and sighed. He was going to be ok.

“You’re ok,” they whispered, holding his hand back just as tightly.

Sylus smiled back at them. “I am ok thanks to you,”

(Name) smiled and nodded as they leaned their head on his non-injured shoulder. Simone was feeding Xavier a healing potion on the sideline as the crowd went wild around them. Cheering and applauding the amazing show.

“I’m sorry you didn’t win. You were really close. It was a good fight,” the witch praised as they pulled up to smile down at him, still holding his hands tightly in theirs. Sylus weakly shrugged as he played it off before he winced. The gash in his shoulder was a harsh reminder that all his injuries still weren’t 100% healed.

“Well, I couldn’t go full out on him now. That just wouldn’t be fair to the poor human,” he joked, smiling. The witch giggled as well, rolling their eyes playfully.

“Oh yeah sure because that’s why you lost,” they said sarcastically, “Still, it’s a shame you didn’t. I’m sure that would have been a fun new experience just like how the autumn festival was all new to you as well. Especially winning the prize!”

Sylus smiled up at him, one of those soft, genuine smiles he rarely showed as he pulled one hand away to cup their cheek.

“You have given me the greatest gift of all, so worry not, little witchling,” he said softly, the air hanging comfortably between them. Shouts from outside the crowd caused people to shuffle around as Dr. Zayne and Dr. Greyson wiggled their way through the crowd.

“SILENCE! Everyone, make way immediately. We need to attend to the fighters and we can’t with everyone hovering around,” Zayne’s voice boomed, clearing away some of the townsfolk. Others seemed to get the picture and soon, the large crowd lessened as folks cleared out, heading to the town center where the celebration would be happening. Zayne looked between the two injured men before looking at both Simone and the witch.

“You’ve done well to heal them up for now. Help us get them to my center and we can take proper care of them then,” he directed. With a quick glance at Sylus, the witch began to help him up as them and Simone helped the two injured warriors to the doctors clinic to be healed up.

Chapter Text

The small group made their way to Dr. Zayne’s clinic which was thankfully close to the church. Greyson took Simone and Xavier to another room while Zayne checked out Sylus in a different room. The witch stood close by as Dr. Zayne examined him, inspecting the several wounds and cleaning them where they needed. Luckily, with the spellcasters overuse of magic, no stitches were needed.

“Well, this can be solved one of two ways,” Zayne said, taking a step back after he inspected everything. “I can either give you some bandages and something for the pain or (Name) here can give you a few more healing spells or potions and heal you up no problem,” he said, looking at the witch then with that faint smile.

“I think I’ll just take a few more healing spells if you don’t mind Doc,” Sylus said with a stiff smile, still clearly in some level of pain. The man nodded and excused himself to see his other patients, but not before saying that they could use the room for as long as they needed.

The witch instantly moved to stand in front of Sylus then, whispering out some more healing spells that enveloped his entire body. The slash along his ribs and the wound in his thigh were closing nicely but the wound in his shoulder was giving them some trouble. Xavier had gotten him good during that fight and they were honestly surprised the dragon’s shoulder was still functional.

“Never do that bullshit again,” (Name) hissed quietly, putting all their focus onto his damaged shoulder as their hands hovered over the wound and another healing spell floated out of their fingertips. They subconsciously moved to stand in between his legs to get a closer look at his shoulder, worry etched in the features of their face.

“Never do what again little witchling? I’ve done a lot of things,” the dragon teased, his eyes glued to their face as he watched them heal him.

“You know exactly what you overgrown lizard! That was just some bullshit dick measuring contest. It was not worth getting yourself hurt over!”

Sylus rolled his eyes. “I told you, I-”

The witch’s hand shot out and grabbed his jaw, yanking his face down to be eye level with them.

“I don’t fucking care right now,” they hissed, holding him in place as they decided to give him a piece of their mind. Their worry and fear had twisted into misplaced anger and his teasing was the unfortunate trigger.

“I don’t care what you or your stupid lizard pride thinks at all. Do you have any idea how worried I was seeing one of my friends get torn up, all because he decided to have a stupid dick measuring contest? I was fucking terrified watching your fight, Sylus. Scared that either of you would get hurt, scared my magic would faulter. Scared one of you would get too heated and kill the other. I saw you on deaths door once and I refused to see that happen again. Especially when it was for a stupid reason,” they finished, letting go of his jaw as they stood their huffing and puffing. They had always been a bit of an emotional person and tended to cry when angry. So, it only pissed them off even more when they felt the tell-tale signs of tears welling up in their eyes. They probably looked dramatic right now, after all, it was just a swordsmanship competition. But no one had stopped the fight. No one moved an inch when things seemed to tip toe between safe and out of hand. It was terrifying to watch.

Sylus felt that strange sensation churn in his gut again when the witch mentioned being worried about their “friend” and his chest instinctively puffed up.

“Look, just because the blonde-”

“I was talking about you, asshole!” the witch cut him off, a stray tear falling down their cheek as they slapped his chest in anger. The spellcaster brushed away their tear as they took in a deep breath to calm themselves down. Emotions could be stupid and frustrating sometimes.

“I was worried about you. Yes, Xavier is my friend but I was talking about you. I was worried about you, not him,” they said, rubbing their eyes to stop any more stray tears before glaring at him again, except this time it held much less malice.

“So don’t ever do that again. I was worried half to death,” the witch said, a finality in their tone as they went back to healing him, his shoulder looking more normal thankfully. Sylus stayed silent as he seemed to fully register their words. It was quiet for a few moments before he spoke up.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, reaching out with one hand to poke their hip and get the witch’s attention. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I had no idea it scared you that much and I’m sorry. I can’t promise I won’t slip up and do it again, but I’ll try to do better for the future. Will you forgive me?” the dragon asked, lowering his head to be eye level with them. His ruby red eyes held no humor or jokes, just honest remorse. The witch sniffled once, looking right back at him before nodding a little. Sylus smiled at that, playfully poking their cheek.

“Good. I would hate to be the cause for tears again on such a pretty face,” he said smoothly, smiling. The witch instantly turned red, spinning away as Sylus laughed behind them.

“Just get dressed. I’ll wait for you outside,” the spellcaster rushed out before they left the clinic, doing their best to calm the blush in their cheeks. Sylus had always been playful and snarky, it seemed to be his personality, but it was rare for comments like that to be directed at them. So, it caught them off guard when it was directed at them this time.

Sylus joined them soon after, fully dressed now and together, the two made their way to the center of town where the celebration and the ending of the Autumn Festival was happening. The sun was just starting to set again. Streaks of orange, red and purple danced across the sky in ribbons of color as night started to approach. A small 3 tier stand was placed in front of that nights ready to burn wood pile. Simone, Xavier and Sylus were all called up and placed on their respective places, each being handed a bundle of flowers and cheers, the loudest of cheers being reserved for the champion. After that little ceremony was done, the fire was lit as the festivals last dance was going to round out the night. People sang, laughed and danced, their pure joy floating to the heavens and coating the town like a barrier. Nothing could ruin this moment of serenity, of peace. It was utter elation.

The witch danced with several people that night. Simone stole them for a dance or two before they were twirled away to dance with Tara and Jerimiah, the three of them dancing in a silly little circle. Luke and Kieran stole their attention next, bouncing and giggling with them as their mother sat on the sidelines, resting her aching feet. Zayne was the biggest twist when the stiff doctor asked for a small dance, the night sky was a sparkling navy blue by this point. Rafayel, Caleb and Xavier made sure to get in their own dances too, not wanting to feel left out from the party. After their last dance, they seemed to float back to a bench where Sylus sat, watching everything. They giggled as they sat down, smiling brightly at him.

“Tonight was fun! Why haven’t you danced yet?” they asked, their voice light and airy as joy buzzed in their veins. Or maybe it was the adrenaline of the night, one couldn’t be too sure.

“I was having enough fun just watching you enjoy yourself,” Sylus answered, smiling at them. The witch sighed in content and lean their head against his non-injured shoulder, smiling.

“I’m glad you’re here Sylus,” they whispered his real name, smiling up at him. “I’m glad you stumbled into my life and I’m glad I can call you my friend,”

Sylus hummed in agreement, wrapping his arm around their shoulder, watching the fire before he looked down at them. “I’m glad I did too,” he said softly and together, the two of them sat in silence, enjoying watching the people around them. As the night went on, the fire began to dwindle and an excited hush fell upon those who were still out and celebrating. The air felt charged, almost like there was one more thing to wait for.

“What is going on?” Sylus asked, curious.

“They are going to start the fireworks soon. Its beautiful,” the witch whispered back, their own excitement evident. Sylus was about to ask what a firework was before the air exploded with loud bangs and colorful lights. The star filled sky erupted with a kaleidoscope of colors, every color of the rainbow filling the night sky.

The witch was about to ask Sylus what he thought when they felt strong arms wrap around them. In an instantly, they were being carried through the streets, the town center quickly fading from view. As soon as they entered a dark enough street, Sylus changed, his half dragon form hidden in the black of night as he flew them out of the town, far away.

“Wait, Sylus what’s wrong? Put me down! SYLUS!” The spellcaster screeched, panic filling them when they saw how high up they were truly flying. The crescent moon seemed much closer all of a sudden before it began to fade, showing they were descending once again. As soon as their feet touched the ground, they backed away from Sylus, beyond confused.

“Run,” was all the dragon said, looking utterly panicked. (Name) frowned as they stepped towards him.

“Sylus, what’s wrong? Why are you so scared?”

“Did you not see what was happening? Someone was attacking the town. I had to get us away,”

“Attacking? Sylus, what are you talking about?”

“The loud booming and the colors! It was obviously spells! I’ve been around enough humans to recognize magic when I see it,”

It took a second for his words to fully register before the witch was doubled over, laughing. Sylus stood near them, still looking worried and now confused as to why the witchling was laughing at him. After a little more laughter, the witch wiped away a tear from their eye and smiled at him.

“Sylus, no one is under attack. Those were the fireworks,” they reassured him, smiling at the scaly creature. The dragon still looked confused, jumping slightly when another loud boom of the fireworks fully registered.

“Sylus, that is what fireworks are. The loud sounds are them blowing up and the colors in the sky are the pretty imaged they leave behind. I know it seems like magic but its not. Look,” they said softly, pointing down towards the town. It seemed like in Sylus’s panicked state; he flew them almost all the way home. They were on a nice high hill a few hundred feet away from the shop, giving them a beautiful view of the town from high up.

Another few fireworks lit up the sky, being big enough to light up their portion of the night sky. Nothing but cheers and screams of joy were heard from the town as the two watched on.

“We are safe I promise. Thank you for saving me though,” they teased him lightly, nudging his side with their shoulder. A blush heavily coated Sylus’s face when he realized that he freaked out over nothing and he sat on the grassy hill, very obviously pouting.

“I’m sorry I didn’t warn you properly,” the witch said as they sat beside him, leaning against his side. “If I had known you didn’t know what fireworks were, I would have explained before they started. I just assumed you knew after being alive for so long,”

Sylus said nothing and just looked away, his tail swishing in irritation. The witch couldn’t help but snicker as they smiled, looking up at the colorful sky.

“They are beautiful to look at once you give them a chance. Go on, try watching them,” they encouraged, staring up into the night sky as more fireworks went off. The witch didn’t see it because they were too focused but Sylus did eventually look up and watch the fireworks. But not before looking at them first, the array of colors lighting their face and sparkling in their eyes. The dragon stared as he continued to watch joy light up on the witch’s face.

“Yeah…yeah they are pretty beautiful,” he whispered out, smiling softly. The two sat there on the hill then for the rest of the evening, enjoying the fireworks until there was no more. Replacing the fireworks however was natures version of a light show. Stars shimmered and gleamed in the night sky as the two sat and stargazed instead, not quite ready to head home for the night.

“By the way, we forgot my bags in the town at my stall,”

“…fuck,”

“Hahaha,”

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Life had returned to normal at this point, the festival days behind them. The shop had gained a few more customers, like it did every year after the festival and life was peaceful. Sylus stayed in his newly appointed cat form most days, sunbathing on the counter as he watched folks enter and exit the shop. But after the festival, he had decided to use his more human form instead, pretending to be Skye and helping around the shop. The witch could have sworn that more women started to show up after that change but it could have just been a coincidence.

During one particularly warm fall day since summer was still refusing to fully leave, the witch was inside their potions room. Working on making more potions for the next day so that they could continue to sell and make a living. They stood at their wheel, grinding up a specific herb when they glanced out to the back yard through their window. Winter was going to be around the corner and the last thing they wanted was to have to chop more during the icy season. It was so difficult to drag fallen trees through snow. Trying to chop wood with frozen limbs was a troubling feat also. Best to get it all done before the weather changed.

They felt a presence behind their back as Sylus looked out the window from behind them, his chin hovering above their head.

“What’s on your mind, little witchling?” he asked, following their eyes to look outside.

“I’m wondering how much more wood I need chopped and if I should chop some more today,” they said, tapping their fingers on their work bench as they contemplated.

“I could always do it for you,” Sylus offered.

“Would you? Really?” they asked, spinning to look up at him. They were fairly close at this point, nearly chest to chest and the witch tried not to think about it too hard.

“Sure, why not. I could use the exercise,” he said simply before smiling. “Leave it to me. You stay in and work on your potions, witchling,” and then the dragon was out the back door, getting ready to chop fire wood. (Name) smiled and continued to work, enjoying the fact that two of their most needed things were getting done at once. Mephisto cawed beside them on his perch, apparently sharing the sentiment. Time flew by as the two worked away. Sylus chopping wood in the backyard and the witch inside, brewing potions like a classic witch. It was about mid afternoon when they stopped for the day, content with the amount they made. They should be good for several days. They could still hear Sylus in the back chopping wood.

“I should probably bring him a drink,” they said before heading to the kitchen. There, they whipped up a couple glasses of fresh lemonade before they headed to the backyard to give him his glass. Mephisto flew with them, fluttering out the door once it was open and landing on a nearby tree branch. The witch was looking down, watching where they stepped before they looked up and their breathe caught in their throat.

There was Sylus, diligently chopping wood and oh boy did he look good doing it. A light sheen of sweat covered his shirtless body as he chopped away, grunting and huffing from the hard labour. A decent wood pile was stacked high next to him, ready to be carried over to their existing, covered wood stock. The witched eyes continued to drink in the dragon’s beautiful physique. They would be an absolute liar if they said Sylus wasn’t attractive. They had eyes for Astra’s sake. He was gorgeous, even while working up a sweat and they felt a soft shift in their strange relationship ever since the Autumn Festival. Sylus seemed to be just a little more playful during every conversation. A little more helpful whenever they needed something. A little more protective when a particularly rude customer walked in. It wasn’t unwelcomed but it was different. New. Something the witch was getting used to with each blushing red face they got from his actions or words.

Mephisto cawed from the tree, catching both their attention as the witch jumped, the ice clinking in the glasses. Sylus set down the axe next to him as he wiped away the sweat from his brow and he smirked. His eyes immediately locked on to the witch, only vaguely glancing at the glasses before holding the witch’s stare again.

“See something you like?” he all but purred, smirking even more when the witch felt their face get darker. The spellcaster couldn’t respond, seemingly frozen on the spot. After all, what could they say? ‘Oh, sorry I was just oogling at your sexy, sweaty body?’ because that would go over just swimmingly.

Sylus suddenly moved forward, sauntering his way over to them like a panther on the prowl. It was slow and calculated, his eyes holding them in place. The witch stood there, unable to move as he reached them, his smirk widening.

“Yes, no, maybe so?” he openly teased, waiting for the witch to respond. When not even a peep could escape them, Sylus chuckled, a deep rumble before he plucked one glass from their hands.

“Thanks for this. I needed it,” he said as he took a sip. (Name) was finally in control of their body again as they nodded and stutter out a response, grabbing their glass with two hands now.

They weren’t entirely sure if the thanks was about the drink or them.

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“Sylus, when I said I wanted horned rabbit for dinner, I meant I still needed the rabbit! What am I supposed to do with this?” the witch squeaked, holding up what could best be described as horned charcoal. Sylus had decided to help them go hunting as they needed to prepare some foods for the winter ahead. Jerky meat, preserved or canned foods, everything. Winters were harsh in this part of the world and the more prepared the better.

“Looks fine to me. A little extra crispy never hurt no one,” the dragon said dismissively, lazily picking out something from his teeth before he grinned.

“Crispy? Sylus I’m not even sure this little guy has even his bones left. You all but cremated him,” the witch sighed, rolling their eyes as they tossed the poor barbecued creature into a nearby bush. They had got an iron antler deer for bigger game that the witch could make some stews with or sausages with and now were on the hunt for smaller game. With the dragon burning everything in sight though, it was turning into a much harder task.

“I need a break,” the spellcaster huffed, sitting on a nearby rock as they took a sip of water from their canteen. The shift in weather was definitely evident now. Days grew shorter and nights grew colder. Much of the tree’s were starting to change colors and flowers were all but dead. While some trees still clung to green life, most weren’t as fortunate.

“Who knew you could get so tired out after a few spells,” Sylus teased as he sat next to them, being in his half dragon form. Since they were alone in the woods, there was no reason to hide or wear his glamour necklace, which he had seemed to grow fond of from how often he wore it.

“Certain spells I’m not great at, or that require a lot of magic tuckers me out. I haven’t had much time to practice with running the shop and taking care of your scaly butt,” the witch shot back, smirking themselves.

“Oh yes, because I’m the reason you’ve gotten weak,”

“Absolutely. All your fault,” they giggled before something flashed out of the corner of their eye. Looking around, they gasped when they saw a few fruit trees still standing deeper in the forest. Most of the fruit was rather high up, refusing to succumb to gravities pull and they looked juicy.

“Sylus look! Apples! Help me grab some,” (Name) said with joy, bouncing to their feet as they ran over to the tree. Some of the fallen fruit laid beneath the tree, picked at from nearby wildlife or rotting untouched. They made sure to avoid stepping in such fruits as they got close. They heard Sylus stomp his way over, his wings pulled in on his back to be careful of all the trees.

“Can you grab me some? I can make something delicious with them when we get home!” they gushed excitedly, looking at him with a beaming smile. They could make a number of things truly but there was one thing in particular that they wanted to make.

“How many-“

“All of them. Grab as many as you can and toss them down. Then we can go home and I’ll show you what I can make with them,” they said, nearly vibrating at this point. The witch loved to bake. It was like making a strange potion you could eat and a lot more fun and far less dangerous if you got the calculations wrong.

Sylus just rolled his eyes but did as they asked, choosing to climb up the tree versus flying. Together, they gathered as many fruits as possible, with Sylus tossing the fruit down towards the witch and the witch catching it in either their hands or a bag they brought originally for smaller game. Once all the fruit was gone from the tree, they gathered up the deer before making their way home.

Sylus got his first taste of an apple pie that night and it was safe to say the dragon now had developed a sweet tooth.

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It was early evening and both Sylus and the witch were huddled inside. (Name) was currently cooking dinner when there was a soft clink on one of their outside windows. Then came another one shortly after. Sylus stood up from his spot in front of the hearth, looking towards the door.

“Sounds like we have some visitors,” he commented, his eyes narrowing when he heard another tink followed by muffled snickering. The witch stopped what they were doing and listened before sighing.

“I see it’s finally that time of year again,” they said, relaxed and unbothered. Sylus raised an eyebrow at them before the witch giggled.

“Some of the local town kids do this every year around this time. They try to do things around my house or yard to spook me or get a rise out of me so I’ll scare them and chase them off. It’s all harmless for the most part. The worst I usually have to deal with is the odd broken window by accident or my house being covered in splattered eggs. Nothing major,” they waved it off as they put a lid on the simmering stew, looking out one of the windows. It seemed to be around 12 kids this year, their biggest group yet as they all hid poorly in the bushes. The years first hint of snow had finally arrived and faint footprints were covering the ground.

“Oh really? How to you get them to stop?” the dragon asked curiously, a grin of his own forming.

“Usually, I put up on a glamour and change myself into some sort of monster and run out to scare them away. They all scream but the smiles on their faces tell me they enjoy it. It normally only lasts this one day. Why do you ask?”

“Have they ever seen a dragon before?” he asked and before the witch could even say anything, the dragon was heading towards the back entrance, ready to give the kids a scare. The spellcaster laughed from inside their home and quickly ran to the front door to get a perfect view. A few boys and girls were still huddled in the bushes, whispering about what they should do next. Just before one of them was ready to act, a loud roar filled the space and all the kids froze. Crawling over their back fence and coming from around the house was Sylus, in his full dragon form. It was the first time (Name) had ever seen it and boy was it a sight to behold. He was much larger than they thought, with dark black scales gleaming in the night air. Ruby red eyes and the throbbing crystal in his chest were the only pop of color on the massive beast. Sylus spread his wings wide as he roared again, this time not as loud when he saw how scared the kids were the first time. This was meant to be in good fun after all and not to traumatize them. The dragon moved even closer, stomping with slightly exaggerated movements as he opened his jaws wide and clamped down with an audible snap. The kids screamed and giggled before one of them shouted to run away. Together, the small group ran away, hooting and hollering as another year of messing with the witch ended successfully for them.

The witch exited the house then, smiling up at Sylus. His large head turned to their direction and he huffed, lowering himself to lay on the cold ground with his legs under him, much like a loafing cat would. The witch circled around him as they looked at his true form for the first time. He was absolutely stunning. Powerful, thick muscle rippled over his entire form that was hidden under armor like scales. Large leathery wings laid on his back pulled in but were ready to take flight at a moments notice. One new thing that didn’t show in his half form enough was the spikes on him. A thin line of hard scaled spikes trailed down his spine for added protection. The witch circled back to stand in front of his face, smiling.

“So, this is your true form huh?” they asked, even though the answer was obvious. Still, he answered them with a small nod, blinking at them slowly as he watched their every move. With slow hands, they reached out to touch his face, leaving room for Sylus to pull away if he so chose. When he didn’t, the witch smiled and gently pet his face, admiring him openly.

“You truly are a sight to behold,” they whispered, smiling at him. If dragons could blush, (Name) was sure he would be. Instead, the dragon before them looked away with his eyes, huffing in annoyance at their words. He refused to move from under their touch. The witch giggled at his response and rested their forehead against his snout. They stood like that for a moment, the cold air curling around them as they just existed in the moment. However, it had to come to an end soon because it was freezing outside.

“Alright I’m cold now. Change back and come inside, ok? I’m sure dinner is just about ready,” they said with a smile before they slowly backed away, heading inside to escape the cold. Sylus joined them shortly after and together, they had a wonderful evening.

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Winter had finally arrived. With it, it brought on frigid cold snow and bone chilling winds. The witch had no idea that with only one blizzardy night, things would change forever.

Chapter Text

Winter had finally arrived and was in full swing. Snow had fully coated the ground now, growing deeper as time went on. The shop wasn’t necessarily closed by this point but business absolutely had slowed down. Traveling during winter was always tricky and a big risk, especially if it was blizzarding. So, the witch had to find other ways to fill their time. They still diligently kept at their potions because anyone could arrive at any time but demand had slowed for sure. Today was one such day where they didn’t have much to do.

The sunlight was just starting to peak into their room when they woke up, stretching from under their covers. The air outside the blanket was a tad cold and the thought of leaving their warm cocoon sounded taxing and much too difficult. They groaned from under their covers, wishing for sleep to capture them once more. Life refused to listen to them however and soon, light pin pricks and a gentle weight plopped on top of them. Mephisto cawed from on top of them, even going as far as to peck at their blankets and try to pry them off. While most birds migrated during the winter months, Mephisto chose not too and usually stayed by their side.

“Alright I’m up, I’m up,” they sighed, flipping off their covers as the cool breeze attacked their skin, sending goosebumps cascading over their skin. The crow squawked in shock as he got swept up under the blankets, not moving fast enough. This caused the witch to giggle before freeing their feathered friend.

“This is what you get for waking me up too early,” they teased, petting his little head before setting him on their shoulder. As (Name) slid to the edge of the bed, they looked down to make sure they didn’t step on Sylus. After he chose to stay in his glamoured form during the day or half dragon form when they were alone, the cat bed was no longer necessary. So, the dragon decided to have it next to their bed and that’s where he would sleep. The spellcaster offered many times to conjure up his own bed in the room, after all, there was plenty of pace in their upstairs loft room but he refused, saying the cat bed was comfortable enough. It wasn’t worth fighting too much over anymore.

Being careful where they stepped, the witch left the comfort of their bed and picked up the cat bed as they carried Sylus downstairs with them. They placed the cat bed on a chair in front of the hearth as they stoked the fire again, letting the house warm up from its cooled temperature over night. It was a little routine they had built during the winter months. The witch would wake up, carry both Mephisto and Sylus downstairs to warm up as they cooked breakfast for all of them and they started the day. They floated around their kitchen, gathering everything they would need to make a warm, hearty meal before they started cooking on the hearth. They slid Sylus to the side, allowing them easier access to cook and rolled their eyes when they got a gurgled growl in response.

“Oh, calm down you scaly bugger. You can feel the heat just fine but I need to cook properly. Do you not want breakfast?” they quipped with a smile, grinning more when all the small lizard body could do was huff in response. Soon, the house was full of delicious smells, signaling the breakfast was only a few short minutes away. This caused the dragon to jump off the cat bed and switch forms mid air into his half dragon form. (Name) smiled at him as they put several eggs on a plate.

“Welcome to the land of the living. Glad to have you with us,” they joked, throwing some bacon into the sizzling pan. Sylus nodded, yawning as he scratched his belly, sleep still not fully shaken from his frame.

“You know, soon you’re going to have to come downstairs on your own. It’s getting a little hard to lift you in that cat bed,”

Sylus instantly stood up taller as he glared down at the witch. “Are you calling me fat?” he snarled, his tail flicking angrily.

“No, no. Not at all. I’m just getting a little weak since you’ve been chopping all the wood for me. My arms can’t keep up,” they said a little too smoothly. It was a moment later before they quietly added, “besides, I prefer the term ‘healthy’ instead,” they snickered, laughing as they jumped out of the way of his swinging tail. Sylus rolled his eyes and mimicked the word healthy with plenty of sarcasm before he started to set the table.

After breakfast was ready, they both ate in peace, each taking turns to feed Mephisto who very happily took in any scraps of food he was given. Sylus offered to wash dishes this time while the witch dried and put away. They still remembered the first time the dragon had tried to do such a delicate and mundane task. It was even funnier to see his lumbering 7 foot tall frame hunched over their smaller sink, something akin to more their height. After many broken plates and a few bent utensils, he finally got the hang of it and it was smooth sailing ever since. It didn’t stop them from teasing him about it from time to time though.

“Witchling, I have a request,” Sylus said suddenly after all the dishes had been cleaned. He was wiping his clawed hands off on a dish towel as he faced them.

“Oh? And what is this request?” they asked curiously.

“Teach me how to bake. I want to make that pie we made a while ago when we found all those apples,” the silvery dragon said. The witch couldn’t help but giggle when Sylus licked his lips at the memory, very obviously craving the fruity dessert.

“Alright I can absolutely teach you. But it’s going to be a little different because we are going to be using some of the canned apple preserves I made instead of fresh like before. Are you still up for the challenge?” they asked, beaming up at him. Ruby red eyes sparkled as Sylus nodded.

“Ok but I need you to wear this,” (Name) said as they held up their apron. It wasn’t anything fancy or frilly, just a simple black apron. The dragon raised a silvery eyebrow.

“Why?”

“Because otherwise you will get flour and such all over you,” they said, handing him the apron. Sylus still seemed confused but listened anyways and they couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous he looked. It was obviously several sizes too small but it covered as much as needed.

“Just show me how to make the pie,” he barked, a faint tint of pink in his cheeks and the witch complied while doing their best to hide their giggles. Together, the two made the pie. The witch showed him step by step on how to make the pie crust. From measuring the ingredients to how to crumble in the cold butter and even the par baking of the crust. Sylus didn’t get nearly as much flour on him as the witch thought he would, so they may or may not have poked his cheek with a flour covered finger and lost it laughing at his face. Instead of using a fork to poke small holes in the bottom of the crust, Sylus simply used a claw and poked away. He said it was more efficient. The witch just thought it added a unique charm to the pie. While the crust was baking a little in the hearth, the two cleaned up some of the dishes and Sylus grabbed the canned apple pie filling. He poured it in while the witch got the top crust ready and soon, the pie was fully assembled and, in the hearth, baking away.

The two sat in front of the hearth as the pie baked and Mephisto flew to perch on (Name’s) lap, asking for pets. They smiled and obviously obliged, giving the crow all the affection he wanted. That’s when a thought entered their mind as they looked to the dragon beside them.

“Sylus, you mentioned before that Mephisto used to hang around you right? That you named him? How long ago was that?” they asked, curious. Even after living together for as long as they had, there was still a lot the witch didn’t know about him. From the glaringly obvious crystal embedded in his chest to even their shared bird friend. Being stuck together in a house was a good as time as any to get to know more about one another.

“Hmm, I can’t fully remember but if I had to guess, I would say it’s at least been about 200 years,” he said, smiling when Mephisto cooed at him, hopping over to the dragon at that point and nuzzling under his chin. The witch sat there and fully registered what he said before gasping.

“What? 200 years? That’s impossible!”

“Not when I tied his soul to mine,” he answered simply, using a claw to gently pet along the crow’s body, “He was my only friend for a very long time and I didn’t want to lose him. So, with his permission, I asked if he wanted to stay with me forever. He said yes and we have been inseparable ever since. Well, up until he disappeared for two years when he started staying with you,” he finished. He said it like it was the most normal thing to do but even the witch didn’t have that strong of magic. It was just another intense reminder of how powerful and legendary of a creature he truly was.

“But I thought you had siblings?” the witch asked.

“I did. But…they passed a long time ago,” he said and his tone turned cold towards the end. Clearly it was still a raw subject, even after all these years. The spellcaster couldn’t help but press however, too curious.

“How did they die?”

“No, witchling. Drop it,”

“But I want to know. I’m just trying to learn more-”

“WITCHLING,” he growled, his eyes flashing to ruby red slits as he looked up at them. “I said, no,” faint wafts of smoke spilled from his mouth as he looked away. The witch flinched at his sudden outburst but didn’t press any further. Clearly that was a piece of history they weren’t allowed to know, even as his friend. He blinked a few times, most likely trying to get his anger under control and his eyes back to normal. After a tense moment, the dragon looked back at them, his eyes returning to their normal ruby red size.

“I’m sorry,” the witch apologized softly, playing with their fingers nervously. They didn’t mean to push his buttons or upset him. They just wanted to know more. To see who Sylus really was and to know him.

“All is forgiven, little witchling,” Sylus huffed, inhaling and exhaling deeply before continuing. “Just know that my siblings did not meet a kind end. It is not something I wished to talk about currently and may not for a long time. But maybe…. maybe in the future I will be able to tell you,” He offered. It was a compromise. An olive branch saying ‘just not right now’ and that he still needed some time. The witch knew they shouldn’t pry but the question pulled from them before they could hold it back.

“Does it have anything to do with crystal in your chest?” they asked, pressing just one last time. Sylus didn’t lash out this time but his eyes narrowed just slightly.

“Maybe. Now no more questions, witchling. Not today, please,” he pleaded, still looking pained from the earlier, uneasy questions. (Name) felt guilt hit their core as they nodded in agreement. Clearly, they pushed the boundary too far and would need to wait for
him to open up on his own. After a moment of quiet, the witch stood up and smiled.

“Well, emotions can be a bitch anyways. Now I think the pie is nearly done so why don’t you and I eat our feelings instead? Sound like a plan?” they asked with an apologetic smile, holding out their hand to him as a peace offering. No more questions today and for now, they could just go back to fun. Sylus smiled as he reached out and shook their hand.

“Sounds good to me. Let’s see how well of a teacher you are and if this pie tastes as good as it smells,”

- - - - - - - - - -

The winds howled outside, knocking into the house with a fierce intensity. If the witch wasn’t so confident in their foundation, they were almost positive the house would have been destroyed by now. As they went to add more wood to the hearth, they felt nothing touch their hand. Looking, they noticed that they were unfortunately out of wood in the house. Cursing under their breath, they threw on winter clothes and quickly went out the back to their wood pile. Wind and snow assaulted their face as they trudged through the snowy hellscape. They gathered as much wood as they could when they noticed their over stock was now empty. The witch hadn’t gathered enough during the summer and fall months and would need to venture out and chop down another tree or two.

“Fuck me,” they hissed into the wind before running back as fast as they could to the house to avoid the frozen outside. The second they were inside, Sylus was right next to them and taking the wood logs from their hands.

“Why didn’t you tell me we were out of wood? I could have gone outside,” he scolded lightly, brushing some snow from their hair. The witch smiled and shed the winter coat before hanging it up and walking over to the hearth.

“Because last time you went outside, you got sick and whined up a storm,” they chuckled, holding their hands up to the heat to warm them. Sylus stood next to them, relishing in the heat as well as he put away the firewood.

“I did not get sick,”

“Tell that to your sniffling body a few weeks ago,”

“It wasn’t that bad,”

“Yeah sure,” the witch rolled their eyes and laughed when Sylus flicked their butt with his tail. “You are such a rascal,” the witch mused before they sat down in one of the chairs, only to bounce right back up when they heard their shop door open. They quickly made their way to their store front, surprised to see both Zayne and Xavier.

“What brings you two all the way out here in the middle of such a storm?” they asked, shivering a little when the cold air swirled around the space from the once opened door. Both men brushed off the plenty of snow that gathered on their bundled-up bodies. The weather looked like it was getting worse by the second.

“Well, I needed to see if you had anymore herbs I could buy off of you,” Zayne said, looking past them to nod at Sylus when he entered the room, his glamour in place. “Some kids around Bloomshore are getting sick due to the weather and my clinic has been a little busier than past years,” the dark-haired doctor explained, glancing at his companion.

“I came to check on you and also request some healing potions. I have another mission in a few days when this storm passes,” the blonde said, ignoring Sylus next to the witch.

“Well, that is very sweet of you. We are doing well but I have to go out and chop some more wood soon. We are on our last few logs,” the witch said with a smile. “Skye, would you get Xavier his potions while I help out the doctor?” they asked, turning to head back into their herb room.

“Gladly,” the silvery dragon said, smirking at the blonde mercenary who glared back.

“What, you have to make (Name) chop wood? Can’t you do it yourself?” Xavier pipped up, smirking when it clearly rubbed Sylus the wrong way.

“See, I would but I have to help out people like you while they are busy since you lot keep trying to take up their time,” the dragon shot back, smirking himself when the blonde’s smile dropped.

The witch yelled over their shoulder at them not to fight, which caused the doctor to laugh beside them. Those two could honestly behave like bickering children sometimes and it only got worse after the Autumn festival all those months ago. The witch grabbed a small bag and gathered as much herbs as they could spare without catching themselves in a bind. They came back out to see Xavier and Sylus just glaring at one another and the witch decided to just ignore them.

“Here you go doctor. I hope this helps and I tried to give you as much as I could. Anymore and I myself will be in a bind. Hopefully no one else gets too sick,” they said, handing him over his bundle. Zayne gave his famous micro smile and handed over his payment and a curt nod.

“You know,” the spellcaster started, “if you ever need, I could come down and use some healing magic one day. I know it’s not your favorite thing but it may help,”

Zayne shook his head immediately, this time smiling a little wider. “While I appreciate your help, truly, I would hate to see you weather this storm. It’s only supposed to get worse as the day goes on, which is why we got here so early. It’s best you stay inside where its warm and safe. Thank you again for this,” he replied before he started to get bundled up again, looking to see if Xavier was ready. The blonde hunter nodded after his glaring match was done and together, the two left with a quick goodbye and wishes of staying warm.

The second the door was closed, the witch turned on their heels to head back to their kitchen. Sylus was close behind them, eager to get back to the warmest part of the home. Outside, the winter storm grew colder and angrier, snow pelting against the house with heavy thuds.

- *-* *-* *-* *-* *-* *-* *-

“No,”

“What do you mean no? Sylus, we need wood,”

“Exactly, so let me go out and get it,”

“No. You got sick last time and I’ve dealt with this before. I did this before you showed up and I can still do it now. Besides, I’m trusting you to look after my shop while I’m away, ok?” the witch tried to reason with him, but he wasn’t having it. It was days later and they were only down to about 2 or 3 logs and with it getting colder and colder each day, it would maybe last them another day at best. The little witch was trying to fight him on who was going to go out.

“It’s your shop. It makes more sense for you to stay inside while I go into the woods,” he tried again, his gut churning with anxiety. Something about today felt wrong to him. The thought of having the spellcaster leave his sight was too much and he was fighting tooth and nail. Maybe it was the strange feelings he was developing for them or maybe it was because he saw them as part of him; part of his hoard. Dragons never let anyone or anything take from their hoard.

The little witch walked up to him with that too bright smile and lightly patted his chest in a soothing manner. It did anything but soothe him. In fact, it only made his worry grow.

“Please let me do this. I won’t even go too terribly far and I’m trusting my home to you. Protect it please? For me?” they begged softly and Sylus felt himself crumble then. It was the too sweet words and the puppy dog look that pulled him under and he gave in.

“Fine. But one tree. That’s it. When the storm passes then we can both go out and get more. Understood?” he said, reaching out to gently hold their face between his clawed hands. The witchling just smiled and nodded between his hands before pulling away and slipping from his grasp.

“I’ll be back soon I promise! Stay warm and guard the house until I get back,” they said cheerfully before they left out the back door. Sylus watched nervously out the window as he saw them pick up the axe and then trudge off into the woods, disappearing from sight. The dragon huffed out a breath of air, shaking his nerves from his body as he decided to busy himself instead. A distraction would do him some good. He spent the next several hours working around the house. From organizing the shops stock, to even restocking things they were low on. He even did some laundry and did some house chores he had watched the witchling do while he was in his lizard form. After that was all done, the dragon had nothing left to do but wait. Since it was winter, the days were shorter and they got much to dark, much too quickly for his liking.

The witch still hadn’t returned and he was starting to get nervous.

“They should be back by now,” he growled, pacing in front of the back door window. Mephisto perched on the kitchen counter as he cawed next to him, agreeing. It was only one tree and they had promised not to go far. Just why weren’t they back yet? Did they go for a larger tree? Were they having trouble dragging it back? Did something attack them? At that last thought, Sylus decided he had had enough waiting. He was going outside and he was going to find the witch and bring them home, with or without the firewood.

“Mephisto, stay inside and guard the house. I’m going to look for them,” he said and smiled when his feathered friend nodded in agreement, flapping his little wings in a sort of salute. Taking in the last breath of warm air, Sylus swung the door open and braved the blizzardy outside, determined to find his little witch. Snow and ice instantly pelted against his draconic body and he spread his wings wide in retaliation before wrapping them around him as a means of attempting to keep warm. The blizzard was making things hard to see and that only built on his worry. He knew he had a bad feeling about today and he was cursing himself for ever letting his little witch out of his sight.

Large taloned feet trudged through the snow as he followed the witchling’s footsteps. Even the tracks were starting to fill in from how wildly the snow was blowing and it only made him move faster. He started calling out to them, looking around for any signs of them. The sky was growing darker by the second as he kept searching and he was finding nothing.

“Come on, where are you?” he hissed, marching further and further into the woods. The dragon was definitely too far from home now and it solidified to him that something had gone wrong. As he pushed forward, alarm bells blared in his head when he saw traces of blood in the snow.

“WITCHLING!” he hollered into the air, praying they were somewhere near by. He couldn’t tell if it was their blood or the blood of another monster that maybe attacked them, but either way, it wasn’t good. Sylus started to move even faster through the snow now, demanding his legs to move faster. Night had finally arrived now, coating the forest in darkness. Thankfully he was a dragon and could see just fine in the dark but when he wasn’t able to find the witch, his anxiety just continued to grow.

Suddenly, he came across a large animal. From the crimson snow around it, it was clearly dead and he felt his blood run cold. It was an ice bear. A powerful monster that usually lived closer to the mountains and never traveled this far down. It must have gotten confused with the sudden storm. Sylus prayed that the witch hadn’t met their end from this beast. He searched the ground around the dead animal, inspecting its wounds and frozen blood. There was no sign of the witch thankfully but it didn’t ease all his worries. The monster clearly had a scuffle with something and he was placing his bets on the witch. Which meant they were somewhere near by.

The dragon saw faint tracks leading away from the dead animal and he hunted them down, praying to every god that existed that the witch was alright. The cut down tree was what he found first and together; the pieces of the puzzle started to form. Clearly, the witch went deep into the woods to try and find a bigger tree. The ice bear came upon then, attacked and now the witch was somewhere in this forest, either hiding from the storm or worse. He tried not to think too hard about the latter.

Sylus moved past the fallen tree, hoping the witch was just hiding from him and not hurt. He continued to call out to them, searching desperately. The snow continued to fall and the blizzard raged on. The dragon was starting to lose hope. Just then, in the distance, he saw a small mound of snow. It didn’t look properly formed like a normal drift would and buried in the snow, not far from the mound, was the witch’s axe. Sylus felt his blood run cold once again as he quickly made his way towards the mound.

‘No, no, no! Please be ok,’ he thought desperately, cursing as he struggled to move through the deep snow. As he got closer, he saw faint tuffs of green and brown. It looked like clothes, hidden in the snow. Then he saw hair and blood.

“(NAME!)” he screamed and the dragon took off running.

Chapter Text

The witch trudged through the snow, axe over their shoulder. They were determined to get a tree as quickly as possible. But the blizzard was definitely working against them and it was difficult to see. The witch pressed on though, hoping to get a larger tree so it would last them longer. After a few minutes of walking, they found a decent tree. The wind picked up then, blowing wind and snow straight through them. It was chilling them to the bone. With stiff limbs, they began to chip at the tree, thankful that the exercise was warming them up partly. They swung and swung and swung, getting deeper into the tree. The spellcaster kept an eye out on the tree, making sure it wouldn’t accidentally fall on them during chopping.

Suddenly, there was a loud growl behind them, enough to cut through the howling winds. The witch spun in their heels and saw something they shouldn’t have. An ice bear was in front of them. Something that was normally only seen in the mountains, which was miles away, was now a mere few feet from them. The days long snow storm had probably confused it and it traveled too far from home.

“Shit,” the witch cursed, holding the axe in their hands in front of them like one would a sword. This monster was definitely older and battle warn if the large scar over its eye was any indication. The closer they looked, the more scars they saw, each telling their own story. Ice Bears normally got their name for two reasons. The first was the most obvious, being that they lived deep in the mountains, surrounded by snow and ice. The other was the random clusters of ice that surrounded their bodies. It could be used as weapons, allowing the animals to stab or batter enemies with said ice as well as let them use minimal ice magic. The only reason more of these things weren’t on a hunter’s bounty list daily was because they stayed hidden away, avoiding humans or even other creatures of possible.

The bear snarled again, roaring low but loudly at them. The bellow shook the witch to their core. If they didn’t play their cards right, this thing would end up with a magical new meal instead. The witch took a step to the side, still keeping their eyes glued to the bear as they thought of what spell would be best to use. Truthfully, getting near it’s flank and slicing at one of it’s legs to render it immobile would be their best bet. But (Name) was never good at close combat so ranged magic would be their only option. Fire would be best in this instance but with the raging storm around them, it would make things difficult. Ice was all but useless so that left one other option they were confident in.

Wind.

The witch quickly started casting the spell, using the axe as a makeshift wand to help better channel as they threw out wind blades. The magic sliced at the bear, causing it to roar in fury before charging at them. The witch cursed and rolled to the side, narrowly missing the swipe of its large claws as the bear continued to attack. The two exchanged blows as they danced around one another, fighting for survival. The witch tossed out another spell, getting a decent gash along the bears chest as they huffed and puffed, trying to catch their breath. They felt their magic starting to lessen and it was getting to dangerous levels. If they didn’t end this soon, they wouldn’t have enough magic to get home or protect themselves if something else decided to attack. Unfortunately, stopping was their fatal mistake. With the snow blowing and pelting their face, they struggled to see and felt the bears powerful paw before they saw it. Claws nicked their side as the bear sent them flying into a nearby tree, their body giving a sickening crack from the force. The spellcasters mouth opened in a silent gasp as they crumbled to the ground, their entire body radiating nothing but pain. They felt blood seep from multiple places around them but with how disoriented they were, they couldn’t pinpoint too exactly where. The ice bear was almost on them at this point, feeling it’s lumbering presence close. The witch had no choice but to use every last bit of magic they had. It was either that, or become bear food.

Pooling the magic at their fingertips, the witch channeled all the anger they could as they shot out a fireball, screaming the draconic spell from deep in their chest. The fire spewed from them, burning a sizeable hole through the bear itself, rendering it dead instantly. The witch laid in the snow, gasping as relief washed over them. They weren’t dead. Not yet. They had survived. Now, they just had to get up, finish chopping the tree and get home. The witch gritted their teeth as they rose to their feet, their entire body screaming in protest. Maybe they should have brought Sylus along after all. But it was too late to ponder about what ifs. They were out of magic, in the middle of a blizzard and needed to get home before something else tried to decide they were lunch.

Looking around, they saw the tree several feet away, blown apart near the base. While using wind magic, they must have got turned around without noticing and accidentally hit the tree. Or maybe it was the blast from the fireball. Things were so hard to see right now. Their axe was even further down the forest, having been flung away when the bear rocked their shit.

“After this, I’m never going outside again,” the witch wheezed to themselves, their chest aching with every breath. Hopefully they didn’t have any broken ribs. Those were always a bitch to heal, even with potions and magic. With limping steps, the witch slowly inched their way towards their axe. They had to get this home. There was no way Sylus or Mephisto could survive in this cold, let alone them. They needed this tree and axe. The witch kept blinking as they continued to move forward. At least it felt like they were going forward. Wait, when did the world turn sideways?

At some point, they had collapsed, again. They were now unable to move, at the mercy of the unforgivable snowstorm. They grunted as they tried to move but to no avail. Their body was shutting down.

‘Fuck….Sylus is going to be worried,’ they thought as they felt their eyes close, the world going dark.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When they opened their eyes again, they were confused. Besides the fact that they most certainly should have been dead, they found themselves alive. Not well but alive. The first thing they saw was a rocky, dirt ceiling. This was very clearly not their home, so it begged the question as to where they were. Secondly, there was light in this place which meant someone was near them and had lit a fire. The witch sighed and winced, finding out that breathing was definitely hard.

‘Shit, I definitely have a cracked rib or two,’ they thought as they did their best to breathe properly. Whoever, or whatever was in the cave heard their change in breathing and rushed over immediately. (Name) breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Sylus was in the cave with them.

“Hi,” they whispered, smiling. The witch was met with a scowl and narrowed eyes.

“Don’t “hi” me. Do you have any idea how worried I was? How I found you?” Sylus hissed, clawed hands hovering over their frame. His hands were clearly shaking, obviously worried.

“I’ll be fine. Nothing a few healing potions can’t fix. Or food. Using some healing magic would help,” they witch reassured, feeling within themselves if any magic had returned to them. Some had but it wasn’t enough quite yet for a spell.

“Witchling,” the dragon growled the nickname like a warning.

“I’ll be fine after some more rest. Are you ok though? It mustn’t have been easy trying to find me in that storm,”

Sylus looked at them like they had grown a second head. “Have you seen the state of yourself? And you’re asking how I am?” he said, a clear tone of resignation in his voice. After a beat of silence, he sighed.

“Yes, I am fine, little witchling. Much better than you currently, that I can assure you,” he sighed, using a clawed finger to run down the side of their cheek. “But enough about me. How are you feeling? Is there anything I can do?”

“Could be better. I think I got a few cracked ribs. After some more rest I can use magic to heal myself,” the witch wheezed, wincing again when they breathed too deeply. Sylus frowned but nodded, running a clawed finger down their cheek again.

“Rest, little witchling. I’ll keep us safe in the meantime,” he reassured them. The last thing the witch saw before sleep pulled them under was his smiling face.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - -

Several hours later, the witch awoke again. Feeling more of their magic return to them, the first thing they did was cast a healing spell on themselves. Sighing in relief once they could properly breathe again, the witch looked around the cave before slowly sitting up. Sylus was sitting next to the fire, adding more logs before he looked up.

“You’re awake,” he said, his voice showing nothing but relief.

“I am. Thank you for saving me,” the witch smiled, noticing their winter clothes were hung up on sticks, being close to the fire to dry. That means he carefully undressed them to keep them as dry and warm as possible by getting their wet clothes off.

“Your clothes should be dry now if you feel the need to change. After all, we won’t be going anywhere for a while,” Sylus said after he placed the last log in the fire. The dragon rose to his feet then, moving to walk over to them as he held their face gently in his claws.

“Are you alright?” he asked softly, looking them over with worried eyes. The witch reached up and held his hands over their face, smiling.

“Yes, I am fine now. Promise. That healing spell helped a bunch. Again, thank you for saving me,”

Sylus nodded as he closed his eyes and leaned down to press his forehead against theirs. “Never, ever, scare me like that again,” he begged, giving their face a slight squeeze to emphasize his point. The witch nodded and together, they stayed like that for a moment, just relishing in the fact that they were both safe. The witch opened their mouth to speak but they got cut off.

“If you thank me one more time, I will throw you back out into the snow storm,” Sylus hissed, pulling away with narrowed eyes. His eyes held a softness though, showing he wasn’t really angry. The witch giggled and smiled at him, getting a proper look at their surroundings.

“How did you find this place?’ they asked, looking around. It was a normal cave, nothing fancy as far as caves went but it was big enough to hold both of them comfortably. A large boulder was placed near the front of the cave, half blocking the exit. It was enough to let continuous air flow in and still keep them warm. Through the faint opening, the storm raged on, sounding like a feral beast howling for its next meal.

“After finding you almost buried in the snow, I picked you up and tried to go home,” Sylus started, stepping away to add another log to the fire. It burned and crackled, giving the cave more light as the fire grew from the added fuel. “I even went as far as to change forms. The storm was just too rough, even for my eyes so I tried to find anything I could to give us shelter. After traveling for a bit, I stumbled upon this place and got us in. I used the tree you chopped down to build a fire and we have been in here ever since. Also dragged that bear nearby in case we need food. Nice shot, by the way,” Sylus chuckled, smiling at them. The witch smiled at him.

“I told you, don’t underestimate me,” they joked, memories flashing back to how they first met and how the witch said the same thing before. Curiosity nipped at their heels as (Name) found themselves walking toward the cave exit. They just wanted to see how bad the storm really was. A loud, dangerous growl reverberated against the cave walls, stopping them in their tracks. The spellcaster turned around, wide eyed to see Sylus glaring at them, his eyes slitted and angry.

“Don’t you dare. I just saved you from that wintery hellscape and I’m not going to let you get yourself nearly killed again,” the dragon snarled, his tail flickering slowly, like he was ready to pounce at them if they didn’t obey. Again, the witch tried to speak but the words died in their throat.

“Sit,” Sylus hissed, pointing to a seat next to him. Deciding it wasn’t worth the fight, the witch moved to sit right next to him, leaning their head on his arm. The witch felt the dragon’s tail curl around them protectively, laying next to their legs and they smiled.

“I’m not going to run away, Sylus. I’ll be a good little witchling,” they giggled, using the nickname the mythical lizard seemed so fond of.

“That remains to be seen after I just saw you try to walk back out into the storm,”

“I was just curious about how bad it really was. Storms are cool to me. By the way, how long have we been in here?”

The silvery dragon sighed, rolling his eyes at them before he looked back at the rolling fire. “A few hours. It’s dark now but morning should be rolling around soon. Hopefully the weather changes by then and we can go back,” he explained and the witch nodded. The two sat in silence then before a question popped into the witch’s mind.

“Hey Sylus, do you have a hoard?” (Name) asked, looking up at him with sparkling curiosity.

“I do….most dragons do. Why do you ask?”

“What’s in your hoard? Would you ever show me? How big is your hoard?”

Sylus chuckled at the million questions being thrown his way as he smirked down at them. “Ever the curious little thing. You know seeing a dragon’s hoard is what some people consider a death sentence, little witchling,”

The witch scoffed. “Ok but it’s you we are talking about. You’re too nice,”

“That’s because I consider you part of my hoard, little witchling,”

“WAIT. People can be considered part of your hoard?” they gasped, utterly fascinated. They remembered reading in books about dragons for years. Their habits, where they usually lived, the magical powers they had. Never once, did the witch imagine that people could be part of a dragon’s hoard.

“Indeed. Dragon’s can hoard many things. It’s not always just gold and gems. Is that what you thought I hoarded?” the witch gave a sheepish nod in response. “While I do hoard that, it’s not everything in my hoard. Those closest to me or beings I consider precious are also part of my hoard,”

“Like Mephisto!” the witch chimed.

“Like Mephisto,” he agreed. “My…my siblings also were part of my hoard. Before they passed,” Sylus said, a somber tone filling the cave. The witch frowned, feeling for him. He had only talked about his sibling one other time and it was during the lapis lazuli cave.

“Sylus, what happened to your siblings?” the witch asked softly, knowing they were edging into sensitive territory. But they wanted to know. They wanted to know more about him. What he likes, what he thinks. All of it. The witch reached out and gently grabbed his hand, holding it in theirs. His clawed hand twitched, the daggers he called fingers glowing in the firelight, before he squeezed their hand back. He took a deep breath before he exhaled.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“I had three siblings,” he started, his grip on their hand tightening, “Orruryn was my older brother, the one I mentioned in the cave. Then I had an older sister, Neris and a little sister, Sothina. The four of us grew up in the mountains near the city of Neun with my parents. They were old as far as dragons were concerned so…they didn’t live much longer after Sothina was born,” the memory of his parents passing washed over him but it didn’t hurt nearly as bad. After all, Orruryn and Neris had taken on the parental rolls for them after that and he saw them as more of his parents than his real parents.

“So, for a while, it was us four against the world. For a few centuries, we built our hoards, did anything we wanted and we were happy. But, when Sothina started to get bigger than me, the teasing started. I was the runt believe it or not. So, resentment started to build in me. I wanted to be bigger. Stronger. More powerful so I could put them all in their place. So, I went to find help,” Sylus continued to explain his past, the crystal in his chest throbbing painfully. The constant reminder of his biggest and most regretful mistake.

“I snuck out one night and decided to find help. I heard stories of certain humans or demons being able to grant wishes. So, I searched for one until I found her. I still remember her face to this day. Short black hair that had just enough curls. Shimmering blue eyes and enough personality to put any god to shame,” he chuckled, remembering the spitfire of a witch. If he hadn’t been so young, dumb and desperate, maybe they could have been decent friends.

“Her name was Lyra. She was a powerful witch and when I stood before her, we decided to make a deal. She would give me all the power and magic I needed to transform, but in exchange, I had to marry her,” he saw the witchling scrunch up their face at that detail and he couldn’t help but laugh. That was about the same reaction he had when he was younger. Him? Marriage? Crazy indeed.

“I know but let me finish with the story. I of course agreed immediately. After all, as long as I got what I wanted, I didn’t really need to marry her. I’ll admit I wasn’t the nicest kid back then. So, Lyra performed her magic and I changed. I got bigger, my muscles grew and I felt like I could conquer the world. So, I took off as soon as I got what I wanted and flew back to my siblings. This was the start of my mistake. My siblings were of course very confused, after all, I just seemed to spring up out of nowhere but they accepted it. Considered it a late bloom for dragon kind. Orruryn challenged me in a feat of strength and for the first time in decades, I had won. Her magic had worked and I had truly changed. But that change had consequences,” he said, his hand going to touch the throbbing crystal in his chest again. He hadn’t even gotten to the most painful part of the story yet.

“I started to crave fighting more. Using my power. Making those around me submit. Until I eventually snapped. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much, but when I came too, I was surrounded by pools of blood and….my siblings dead around me. The power I had so desperately wanted, resulted in me killing my only family,” the confession tumbled from his lips and once again, the clawing feeling of regret weighed him down. It was his fault all this happened. He had killed his family and there wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t hate himself for it. The little witchling reached out to him, putting their small hand on his face and making him look at them. He didn’t even realize he had looked away.

“I’m so sorry, Sylus. I can’t even begin to imagine how awful that must have been. I’m sorry,” they whispered, like speaking too loud would only shatter him further. The dragon smiled down at them and he found himself nuzzling into their touch slightly.

“Thank you, little witchling. But I’m not quite done. Will you still listen to me for a little longer?” he asked them. He needed to tell them everything. The full truth on how he had become the way he had and the sins he committed. When the witch nodded at him, dropping their hands from his face, he continued.

“After I realized what I had done, I screamed with rage and sorrow. It was my fault they had died but, in that moment, it wasn’t myself I was blaming. It was Lyra. After all, if she hadn’t given me this power, my siblings wouldn’t be dead. So, I took off and flew back to where I had last seen her. I confronted her, my body still cover in the blood of my family, as I screamed at her. Cursed her for what she had done and blamed her for my family’s death. Lyra stood there, calmly taking in everything before saying it wasn’t her fault. After all, she didn’t attack my siblings. I did it. but I was hurt and angry so I told her the deal was off. This got her attention and she was far from pleased. Before I could fly away, she cursed me. Said that the power I had would slowly corrupt me and kill me from the inside out unless I married her or now, one of her descendants. But I refused to believe her and took off anyways. Mid flight, the crystal formed in my chest and I’ve been dealing with it ever since. It’s been killing me slowly and for the first little while, I tried everything to get rid of it because I was arrogant and thought I had learned my lesson. Now…now I’m just looking for a way to remove it so I can die in peace,” he finished his story, feeling raw and open. He hadn’t even shared this much of his past with Mephisto but here he was, spilling it to the little witch who had stole his heart. Oh, the irony of it all.

“So now, I’m simply looking for a way to die as a dragon. I refused to fall to this curse and perish as some mutated thing. If I die as a dragon, I can at least meet my siblings again and apologize for everything I did wrong,” Sylus finished. Now his story was out in the open. His biggest secret. The little witchling had heard it all. Now, were they going to stay or abandon him out of fear?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The witch sat there and processed everything Sylus had told them. His story was incredibly tragic. The thought of killing anyone, let alone family, was heart wrenching. But he wanted to die? That somehow, hurt more than anything else. (Name) couldn’t imagine Sylus not being in their life anymore and the thought that he was actively trying to leave scared them.

“No,” they blurted out in a panic, looking up at him as they held his hands tightly.

“No? Witchling, what do you mean?” Sylus asked with an arched brow.

“No. No, you’re not allowed to die. I refuse. You can’t just drop into my life, tell me your tragic backstory and then decide you’re just going to die. NO!” they snapped back, a swell of confusing emotions building inside them.

“Witchling-”

“No. You don’t get to fall into my life, get me to care for you and then just decide to die. Not after I saved you. Not after spending month enjoying your presence and making wonderful memories. I’m not letting you die Sylus,” the witch vowed, holding his hands tighter as they stared straight into his eyes, determination burning.

“We are going to find a way to remove this curse and corruption together. You can’t leave Mephisto and I behind. We still have so many things to see and do. I still have so many things I want to do with you. Please…. Please don’t die on me. Not yet,” the witch all but begged. Their world had changed ever since he had joined it and it had been for the better. They didn’t want to lose someone they cared about so soon after meeting them. Not after they started to…

“Sylus, please stay with me,” (Name) asked once more when he still hadn’t said anything. They let go of his hands then and hugged him, clinging to his scaly back. The dragon sat there, arms held out wide in shock before the witch slowly felt him hug them back, squeezing just as tight. Sylus buried his face in their neck and the two sat there for a moment before he spoke.

“I will stay,” he whispered into their ear. “I’m sorry that I scared you. We can stay together and figure it out,”

The witch deflated in his arms, releasing a breath they didn’t know they were holding and nodded, smiling. They continued to hug for a moment longer before the witch pulled back and smiled up at him.

“Good. Now, since we are stuck here for probably a while longer, would you mind telling me stories about your siblings? I would love to hear more about them,” the witch asked. They had hoped that maybe talking about his siblings in a better light might ease more of the pain and guilt he clearly still held onto. It seemed to do the trick because a fond smile formed on the dragons’ lips.

“Fine, but only if you tell me more about your past in return. I distinctly remember you mentioning a grandmother of some kind,” Sylus said, his smile growing. Like new life had been breathed into him.

“Deal,” the witch beamed.

For the next several hours, the two talked. Sylus, sharing stories about him and his siblings and all their crazy adventures, including the one about the lapis lazuli cave. The spellcaster also shared stories of them and their grandma. How she taught them magic, the different recipes they would bake together and even the times they went to the Autumn Festival together. The air in the cave went from somber to heartfelt and joyous, the two reminiscing on tender memories and shared histories. The two had talked for so long that the sun was starting to set, fading light peaking its way into the cave. The storm outside raged on however, keeping them both trapped inside. At the sound of the witch’s gurgling stomach, Sylus laughed. It was clearly time for food.

“I’ll go outside and bring in some of that bear. We can roast it on the fire. With how cold it is outside, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the meat is even still frozen,” he said, rising to his feet. The witch watched him head towards the exit to grab some food as they stayed by the fire, their mind drifting elsewhere. Sylus had a curse. His curse was corrupting him from the inside and slowly killing him. It definitely explained why he couldn’t use certain forms for long but it didn’t explain how their magic seemed to ease it. The spellcaster would have to look into it more, but for now, they just chalked it up to them being a witch. After all, his curse came from a witch. Maybe their magic was helping heal part of it. One way or another, they were going to save him, even if they died trying.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The fire was nothing but ember at this point as smoke swirled from the ash. The witch was asleep, curled up next to the dragon who was promptly curled around them. The two had fallen asleep some time after eating, the storm showing no sign of slowing down. A slight breeze blew into the cave, causing the witch to whine in their sleep, snuggling closer to their source of warmth. Their arms tightened around their “pillow”, a content smile on their face. Suddenly, small pinpricks poked their shoulder as a weight settled on them. It took their sleepy brain a few moments to wake up but that almost felt like.

“Mephisto?” The witch called out, sleep heavy in their voice. They shifted slightly, feeling arms around their waist as they cracked open an eye. A gentle caw met their ears, followed by flapping of wings. The witch cranked their neck and opened both eyes, meeting a familiar feathered beak.

“Mephisto!” The witch exclaimed, bolting upright and knocking the arms further down. This stirred the slumbering dragon next to them as he slowly woke up too.

“How did you get here sweet boy? Are you ok?” they asked, holding out their hand to the crow when he got sent flying by accident. The crow perched on their hand, cooing and chirping softly as he inched up their arm instead, moving to rub his head against their cheek.

“Oh, I missed you too. I’m sorry I was gone for so long. I got caught in the storm and Sylus here saved me. But how did you find us?” they asked again, glancing at the cave entrance. Snow was no longer falling and it looked like a storm hadn’t been blowing only a few hours prior. It looked to be a rather bright and pleasant day now.

“He found us because of our bond. Since we share part of a soul, he will always be able to find me. He just has to follow where he feels my heart is,” Sylus answered, sitting up with a yawn before he reached out and pet the crow’s head, his chest close to the witch’s side. The dragon smiled at his feathered friend before looking at the cave exit himself.

“Clearly the storm has finally stopped. I think we can go home now,” he said with a smile, looking down at the witch with a fond expression. (Name) felt themselves blush as they looked away, focusing on giving Mephisto attention instead. Sylus laughed before leaning forward, kissing the side of their head. The witch squeaked in shock, only blushing harder.

“Come on, little witchling, lets go home,” he said, standing up as he held out their hand to him. The witch nodded and grabbed his hand. Together, the three of them ventured back home. Sylus, in his dragon form carrying the witch and Mephisto on his back and the chopped tree in his claws.

Chapter Text

The sun rose high in the sky, covering the grassy plain with a gentle heat. Sylus stretched, waking his sleeping body before he opened his eyes and looked around. Orruyrn and Neris were near the top of the nest, tails intertwined much like they did in their earlier years. Sothina was fast asleep by his back, sprawled out like a starfish and snoring. It sounded like boulders tumbling down a mountainside. He rolled his green eyes and looked towards the entrance to their cave. The plains beyond swayed with a gentle breeze and he couldn’t help but be excited. Today, they were going to explore some place new. Apparently, his older brother and sister had found it and were excited to show him and Sothina.

There was a small shift in movement and Sylus turned to see Orruryn waking up, along with Neris. Orruryn was the oldest out of the four siblings, with long white hair and emerald green eyes like him. His white scales framed his strong face, making him look much older than he was. He was also the family’s protector, ever since his parents passed away. At the thought of his parents, his heart clenched a little. It had happened after Sothina was born. Apparently, his mom just got too sick and ended up passing away. His father died shortly after of a broken heart, unable to live without his life mate. Part of him blamed Sothina for his mothers passing but a bigger part knew it wasn’t her fault. It was a parent’s job to do anything for their children, even giving up their own life. That was what you did when you loved someone; you did anything you could for them.

“Morning Orruryn,” He called out, rubbing his eyes as he stood up, walking over to his brother to sit next to him. Sothina stirred in her sleep from the loss of a body and he couldn’t help but snicker.

“Morning little one,” Orruryn said, sleep making his deep timber even deeper as the older dragon reached out and ruffled his hair. Sylus preened under the touch, smiling. His older brother was his favorite person in the world. He always looked up to him and wanted to be just like him when he got older.

“You’re up early,” Neris commented, smiling at him. “I figured Sothina would have beat you too it,” her purple eyes shimmered in the light, full of teasing. She had short black hair, with black scales to match. She was only about 100 years younger than Orruryn, and could be pretty bossy. They would always but heads but he still loved her deep down. She looked the most like their late father while Orruryn looked the most like their mother. Sothina and himself were the perfect blend of both.

“I can get up early too if I want,” Sylus barked back at her, glaring at his older sister. Neris simply rolled her eyes and said “yeah sure” before getting up and giving a full body stretch. Then, with her long legs, she walked towards the cave exit and looked around, her wings shaking behind her.

“I’m going to go get breakfast. Make sure Sothina wakes up Orruryn,” she asked before taking off, changing into her true dragon form while doing so. The oldest sibling nodded and walked over to the youngest, gently shaking her shoulders.

“Sothina. Come on, little one. It’s time to wake up,” he called out. Sylus waddled to the other side of his sleeping sibling before leaning down.

“HEY, WAKE UP,” he shouted directly in her ear. Sothina bolted upright, looking panicked and alert. He started laughing at her expression while Orruryn glared at him.

“Sylus, that wasn’t very nice,” the eldest dragon sibling scolded before looking Sothina over.

“Sylus, you’re a big meanie,” whined Sothina, her eyes welling with fake tears. She had one green eye and one purple eye and bright white hair. The lightest out of all three of them, but with one black streak near the front of her face. The baby of the group crawled into her oldest brother’s arms, sniffling into his neck.

“Yeah, well you are just a big baby,” he snapped back, green eyes glaring at her.

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Alright, that’s enough you two,” Orruryn said, looking between the two. “If you two keep this up, Neris and I won’t take you two to the new place we found,”

“NO!” they both screamed in unison, Sothina’s tears magically disappearing at the mention of not going out. Orruryn chuckled and smiled at the two of them.

“Then behave. Once Neris is back with breakfast, then we can head out. How does that sound?” The two nodded in agreement, vowing to be on their best behavior.

Wait, wasn’t this when we went to the lapis lazuli cave

- - - - -

Sylus was perched on top of a rock, fuming. The teasing never stopped with his siblings and it was really starting to get to him. So, what if Sothina had gotten bigger? He was older and size wasn’t everything. He was still powerful in his own right. The wind blew past him, blowing some leaves around him and he decided enough was enough. Pulling open his wings, he turned into his dragon form and took off, searching for the nearest demon or witch. He had read in the scrolls, given to him by his parents, that certain demons or even human witches could grant anyone their wish. Him and his siblings still hadn’t fully harnessed their own magic yet so his own magic wasn’t an option. Otherwise, he would have made himself bigger and more powerful long ago. It’s not his fault he was considered the runt.

Landscapes flew past him from below as he continued his hunt, his slitted eyes scouring the ground for any signs of life. When nothing but wildlife and plants met his view, he growled and kept flying. Praying that something would come by soon. Luck was on his side though because soon, he came across a human. He didn’t know how to tell a witch apart from a human but thankfully, he didn’t have too. With a fluid motion, he saw the witch move her hand and suddenly, the plants beneath her finger tips sprung to life.

‘Found one,’ he thought to himself as he landed in the forest near by. He changed to his half human form and with stealthy steps, he crept closer and closer. He hid in the bushes as he observed her. She had short black hair like his sister Neris but hers was more curled. Looking more like ringlets versus Neris’ wavy texture. Bright, ocean blue eyes shimmered with pride as she looked at the plant she had imbued magic into. It looked to be a flower of some kind. It was rather pretty.

The witch then plucked the flower she had just bloomed, spinning it in her fingers as she admired it. The more Sylus looked, the more he realized, that he had landed in this witch’s garden. Rows of flowers, herbs and other plants covered the large open area surrounded by forest. A small, shabby looking house was beyond the plant life and it looked like a quaint little home.

“You can come out of hiding now. I know you’re there,” the witch called out, her voice sounding like windchimes. It was delicate and soft. Sylus stiffened in his hiding spot, afraid to move. Surely, he hadn’t been caught that easily. There was no way. She must be bluffing.

“I can see your horns over the bushes, dragon,” she called out again, this time, locking eyes with him. Sylus cursed under his breath before he rose from his not so hidden, hiding spot. He puffed up his chest, standing as tall as he could. He needed to be intimidating so he could get what he wanted. The witch’s eyes openly looked him up and down as he stood in front of her before she smirked.

“So, what brings a beast like yourself into my neck of the woods?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

“Can you grant wishes?” the silvery dragon asked, crossing his arms across his chest. Black scales covered his body, except for most of his chest and torso. The witch raised an eyebrow and her smirk widened.

“Possibly. What kind of wish are you talking about? All magic has a price I hope you know,” she said, looking him up and down again, clearly evaluating if she could handle him.

“I need a spell to make me bigger and stronger. More powerful,” Sylus said, straight to the point.

“Sure, I can. That’s the easy part. But what are you willing to pay? I’m Lyra, by the way,” the little witch said, holding out their hand. Sylus simply looked at her hand and ignored it.

“I’m willing to pay anything,” He answered instead, dropping his arms. “So, will you help me or not?”

Lyra raised an eyebrow and scoffed. “Alright scaly, take it down a notch. You have way too much attitude for such a tiny body,”

That was the wrong thing to say. Sylus snarled and jumped forward; his claws drawn as he moved to attack the impudent little witch. But his claws seemed to hit a barrier, preventing him from getting close. Lyra stood in a dome of gold, protected from his relentless attacks.

“Jeez, no wonder you want a spell to make yourself bigger. Clearly someone is a little sensitive,” Lyra snickered, dropping the dome once it seemed like Sylus had calmed down.

Wait this isn’t right. I never attacked her when we first met!

Feeling the magic wash over him, he grinned. The power thrumming under his skin was amazing as he flew in the sky, back to his siblings. They were going to be so surprised! He was about as tall as Orruryn now with maybe even more muscle. No more would Neris call him a small fry or Sothina, teasing him about being older but smaller. No more would Orruryn look at him with pity at the cards he was dealt. He changed his fate. Sylus was now the dragon he strived to be, inside and out. The second he landed, he called out to his older brother, a smile on his face. Orruryn turned with a smile but stopped, his eyes going wide as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth. The world seemed to distort then, fading from the familiar cave to a sort of reddish hell. It was nothing but a sea of blood. Sylus whimpered at the sight and felt his blood run cold when he saw it was his arm through his big brother’s chest.

No. No this isn’t right! I didn’t mean to! I didn’t want to hurt him!

Orruryn’s eyes grew dull as the life faded from him as he slid off Sylus’s arm with a sickening splash. Neris was next to him, dead. One of her eyes was missing, leaving behind just an empty, bleeding socket. Her left arm was torn to shreds while her right was completely missing, lost somewhere in the carnage. As he spun, he saw little Sothina, her lower half gone as she crawled to him, her tears mixing with her blood.

“Brother…why?” she sobbed with a ghastly whine, a large chunk missing from her neck. Sylus tried to scream as he backed away but all that left his lips was laughter. Something so sinister and evil, that he wasn’t even entirely sure it was him anymore. He looked down to see his claws stained red with the blood of his family. He did this. He killed them and it was all his fault.

“You just had to ask for my help,” Came the voice of Lyra from behind him. Sylus spun around, her ghostly visage haunting him. Her head was barely attached to her neck, hanging for dear life by some flappy skin. By all accounts, she shouldn’t have been able to talk, but the witch pressed on, tormenting him further.

“You did this Sylus. You killed us all. This is all your fault. You’re nothing but a monster,” she cackled, blue eyes rolling into the back of her head, showing nothing but the whites of her eyes. His dead siblings murmured the word murderer repeatedly, rolling their broken bodies to face him. Again, Sylus tried everything to scream but all that came out was laughter. Sick, twisted laughter as his body shook.

“They are next you know,” Lyra whispered, raising a boney finger to point behind him. “You will kill them too. You already did,”

Sylus spun on his heels then and what he saw made his world go completely silent. Lying there, with their chest torn open, was (Name). Rib bones were missing and their guts were splayed all around them, the witchling’s once vibrant eyes faded dark; lifeless. Sylus took a shaky step forward before he full on sprinted, tears pouring from his eyes.

“No, no, NO!” the dragon bellowed, pain tearing through his body. Sylus dropped to his knees next to them as he picked up their body, holding his witch in his arms. A bloody claw reached out to touch their cold face as he made them look at him. Their head flopped limply in his hands, any force of life long gone. There was no saving them. He had killed again and this time, the price was too great.

“NOOO!” Sylus screamed, bolting up from the floor as he looked around in utter panic. No longer was he in the hellscape of his nightmare but back home. He was safe in the witch’s house, currently sleeping on the floor over a broken cat bed. At the sound of rustling, his head snapped in the direction of the sound. His eyes locked on the witch, who looked confused and startled.

“Sylus?” they called out to him, their voice soft with sleep.

* * * * *

The witch startled awake at the sound of someone screaming. Shooting upright, they turned to look and saw it was from Sylus. He looked so panicked and sad, his red eyes on high alert. They called out to him softly and his head snapped in their direction, a look of pure terror on his face. The dragon whimpered from his spot on the ground as he started to mutter apologies, one arm reaching across his chest to his shoulder. His claws dug in and drew blood as he continued to apologize, still not out of his nightmare clearly. (Name) stumbled from the bed, their legs getting caught in the sheets as they swore and fought to quickly free themselves. Once free, they quickly crawled over to him, pulling his hand from his shoulder. They took his face in their hands and made him look at them.

“Hey, hey what’s wrong?” the witch asked quietly, trying to pull him out from whatever nightmare he was clearly still having. They called for him a few more times before his eyes began to come into focus, the apologies no longer spilling from his lips.

“(Name?)” Sylus asked, truly looking at them for the first time since he woke up. No longer was this the strong and snarky dragon they had come to know but something different. Something smaller. He looked like a scared little boy who had just lost the thing he deemed most precious. The witch nodded and couldn’t help but smile at him though, their thumbs caressing his cheeks. That was the first time they heard him say their name.

“Yeah, it’s me,”

“You’re alive?” Sylus said, almost like he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes. Yes, I’m alive Sylus. Feel my heartbeat,” they said, grabbing one of his hands to guide it to their chest so he could feel their heart. Sylus looked down at his hand and the witch could tell by his face that he felt it. Their steady and alive heartbeat, beating in their chest.

“You’re alive,” Sylus repeated, but this time it was nothing but pure relief. The spellcaster nodded and smiled at him.

“Yes. I’m here. It’s ok,” they reassured him, pulling the dragon close. Their arms wrapped around his neck as they pulled his face into the crook of their neck, their hands petting his head reassuringly. Sylus instantly snaked his arms around their torso, pulling him into their lap as he hugged them tightly. It was borderline painful but the witch didn’t care. Sylus needed them right now and that was all that mattered. The witch’s knees sat on either side of his hips as the two hugged, letting Sylus center back into reality and escape whatever awful nightmare had clearly plagued him. The witch whispered out a healing spell to help stop the bleeding of his shoulder as they held him. The two sat there for about five minutes before the dragon raised his head, looking back to his normal self, just more tired.

“Are you back with me?” the witch asked, their hands going back to his cheeks as they looked at him. Sylus closed his eyes and nodded into their touch, relishing in their warmth.

“Yes. I’m sorry,” Sylus apologized, opening his eyes as he looked at them again.

“Glad to have you back,” they whispered, ignoring his apology that wasn’t needed. He had nothing to apologise for. “Is it something you want to talk about?”

Sylus sighed and nodded. “I…I had a nightmare,” he answered.

“Yeah, I assumed as much. Pretty bad one from the looks of it,” the witch said, noting that his arms still were wrapped tightly around them. When Sylus stayed silent, the witch gave him an empathetic smile.

“Sylus, come sleep with me,” they said. This seemed to get his attention because his eyes locked with theirs, turning into his famous slits before going wide.

“Witchling, did you just hear yourself?” he asked, his voice tightening. At the sudden realization, the witch went bright red and started shaking their head wildly.

“Oh, Astra no! I didn’t mean it like that!” the spellcaster squawked, blushing even more as they waved their hands in front of their face, very embarrassed.

“I meant like, literally sleep,” they explained, still red in the face. “You look like you don’t want to be alone right now. Like you think I’ll disappear from under your fingertips,” they said, some of the red fading by the end of their explanation. Sylus gave a sleepy smile and gave a breathy chuckle.

“That sounds like a good idea,” he said, a little bit of his normal personality sliding back into place. The witch tapped his shoulder, silently asking him to remove his arms from around their waist. Once he did, the two stood up and walked over to the witch’s king size bed. The witch held his hand the entire time as they crawled into bed pulling him with. Both witch and dragon got comfortable under the covers, the witch trying not to laugh when Sylus’s tail very obviously hung off the edge.

“And here I thought my bed was too big sometimes,” they giggled, looking at him as they faced each other. Sylus laughed also, giving their hand a squeeze. The two of them still held hands as they rested between them on the bed.

“To be fair, most beds are too small for a dragon, little witchling,” he smirked, feeling himself wiggle his toes that peaked out from under the blanket. (Name) giggled because he was definitely not wrong. Most beds were not designed to hold dragons or any other large mythical being for that matter. The air hung between them as they both started to relax, coming down from their abrupt awakening. Their hands still held together, the two just laid there, existing.

“Feeling better?” (Name) asked after a while, giving his hands a squeeze. Sylus nodded but not before grunting when his horns hit the headboard. This caused the witch to openly cackle, laughing at the absurdity of it all. They rolled to their back as they continued to laugh, smiling when they heard Sylus laugh along with them.

“You think hitting my horns on the headboard is funny huh?” he asked, smirking as he leaned up on one elbow. The witch nodded, giggling still.

“Yes,” they said around fits of laughter, glancing at him. “Because it just goes to show that dragons really don’t fit in human beds,” the witch continued to giggle, smiling at Sylus. The dragon smirked, his ruby red eyes sparkling before he pounced, moving to hover over them. His hands caged them in, sitting on either side of their head as he looked down at them.

“Still think it’s funny?” he asked, the mood changing just slightly. The witch’s laughter died down a little, but the odd snicker still escaped their lips.

“Yes,” they replied, noticing the change in the air. The two just stared at one another, simply breathing. The witch would be a fool if they didn’t notice the change in feelings between the two of them. Their relationship had morphed over the months of being together, seemingly escalating after the cave. It had shifted from friends to something muddy. Like neither of them were quite sure what label to put on it or if they should confess unspoken words that lingered in their hearts. Sylus started to lean down closer to them, the shadows of night trying to hide his face. With how close he had gotten though, not even the dead of night could hide away his beautiful face from them.

“Still think it’s funny, little witchling?” he asked, his voice a pitch lower. The witch couldn’t bring themselves to speak so they just nodded instead. It was like he had sucked all the air from their lungs, rendering them speechless. Sylus smirked as he looked down at them, his eyes flickering to their lips repeatedly. It was very obvious what he wanted to do but the chains of hesitation still held him back.

“If you want to kiss me,” (Name) whispered, “then just kiss me,”

That seemed to be all the permission Sylus needed. The dragon leaned down, connecting their lips together in a kiss. It was soft at first, like he was afraid of hurting them. But after a few more pecks, it was more demanding. Hungrier. The witch reached up and wrapped their arms around his neck, pulling him down more. Sylus followed with ease, resting his body against theirs as they continued to kiss. His hips slotted easily between theirs as he grunted, the one hand caging them in, gripped the sheets with a hunger. The witch let out a meek moan, feeling their head start to spin. They were kissing Sylus. The dragon who had stumbled into their life seven months ago was now kissing them and it felt amazing. His lips were soft but firm and not leaving theirs for a second. Hearing him moan into their mouth was another experience entirely and they weren’t quite sure they wanted him to stop. But they needed too. They needed to breathe.

Pulling away, the witch put a hand on his chest and pushed, breaking the kiss. Both started panting from the heated kiss turned make out session as air re-entered their lungs. Sylus stayed hovered over them, looking like he was close to diving back in for more. But his restraint held out as he stayed in place. His hands however where a different story. Looking to the side, the witch saw one of his clawed hands was in the bed. Dagger-like fingers had torn through the bed like butter. He pulled his hand out, leaving five sizable holes in the bed.

“Oops,” the dragon said sheepishly, a pink tinge to his cheeks. The witch was sure their face was just as red as they let out a breathy laugh.

“It’s fine. Nothing a little magic can’t fix,” they said, smiling up at him. Their eyes glanced at his lips again and they felt their face go red. Just remembering how his kiss felt had them wanting him to do it again. But the witch knew if they kissed again, neither of them would be getting back to sleep, which they desperately needed.

“I think we should go to sleep now,” (Name) whispered, gently pushing Sylus off of them. The dragon went without a fight, flopping to lay next to them. The witch wasn’t getting away that easily however. Sylus reached out for them, pulling them till their back was flush against his chest.

“Yes. Let’s sleep,” he agreed, whispering into their ear. He kissed their shoulder before he curled around them more, his tail pulling up on to the bed and completely encircling the witch with him. The spellcaster found themselves blushing at their new sleeping position but they couldn’t be too mad. They were the safest they could be and his body heat would sooth anyone into slumber. Feeling themselves start to get sleepy, they rested their own arm against his on their waist and closed their eyes.

“Goodnight, Sylus,”

“Goodnight, (Name),”

Chapter Text

Spring was finally starting to arrive. The snow was melting in patches, showing the greenery beneath that was trying to fight its way through. Birds were starting to come back around the area, chirping their morning songs. Wildlife was scurrying about, fighting for the first chance at food that wasn’t buried under feet of snow anymore. The world felt like it was waking up and in the most tender way possible.

Sunlight beamed into the witch’s bedroom, warming their face like a gentle kiss. They stirred from their slumber, trying to stretch away the remnants of their sleep. A strong pair of arms around their torso however was making it rather difficult. (Name) couldn’t help but smile at the predicament though, nothing beat waking up to dragon snuggles each morning. Ever since the kiss they shared a few weeks ago, their relationship had changed even further. Any time he could, Sylus was showering them in kisses. It was like he couldn’t get enough, like the chains holding him back had been unlocked. Not that they minded all that much, they were just as willing to return the favor. Sylus was also more openly affectionate. An arm around their shoulder or waist while they sat and enjoyed a fire near the hearth. A hand, sliding along their back if he moved past them in his glamoured form in front of customers. His tail looping around their wrist if they strayed too far during a walk. It was nice and new and wonderful. By most standards, they would be considered in a relationship by that point. But neither had said the words, “I love you,” to one another. So, a tiny, very human part of the witch’s mind shivered with anxiety, wondering if they truly were…together or if they were just using one another to pass the time.

Sylus stirred more, wrapping his arms tighter around the witch. His face shifted from their shoulder to their hip as the witch sat up. The dragon grumbled his displeasure at being moved too early in the morning, playfully biting their love handle in retaliation. The spellcaster yelped but not before laughing, running their fingers through his silvery hair to sooth him. This caused Sylus to nearly purr with affection as he smiled.

“Good morning, (Name),” he called out, rolling his head to keep the witch’s hand in his hair. That was another big change after their shared kiss. Sylus started using their name more often. Witchling was definitely still the preferred term of choice but hearing him call their name always sent shivers down their spine in the best way possible.

“Morning sleepy head,” the witch teased, using their nails to lightly scratch his scalp. That did a number on Sylus, as the dragon moaned softly pushing further into their hand. The witch couldn’t help but laugh. It was like watching a cat purr loudly and press up for more pets. Absolutely adorable.

“Think you could release me? I have to get up and open the shop soon,” (Name) said softly, gently moving to try and pry his arms from around their waist. In overt disagreement, Sylus squeezed tighter, clearly refusing to let them leave his presence.

“Or we could just close the shop for the day. I like the sound of that much better,” Sylus said smirking in their hip. He wasn’t going to win today though, not if they had anything to say about it.

“But if I don’t open the shop, I can’t feed you, Mephisto, or myself,”

“I can hunt for us easy enough, and with it being spring, you’ll have your garden back,”

Fuck. He had a point.

“But I’ll be sad if I can’t. I like to work and run my shop. You don’t want me to be sad right?” the witch knew it was a low blow but they couldn’t help it. They had to fight dirty sometimes. Sylus rose from the bed, narrowing his eyes at then before he smirked.

“Fine, you win. But you must pay the price,” he then leaned down and captured their lips with his. The witch giggled into his mouth before returning the kiss. Their one hand moved to thread through the hairs on the nape of his neck, pulling him closer. Sylus growled softly, sliding his hand to their lower back before abruptly tugging them close. The witch yelped in surprise but moaned shortly after, relishing in the feeling of Sylus nibbling at their lower lip. The two of them slowly sunk back into the mattress, never halting for even a second. Entranced by Sylus’s alluring and dominating presence, the witch slowly began to succumb to his soft lips, forgetting what plan they had initially made.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang against their front door from below, along with some hushed voices. The banging continued before a loud, familiar voice shouted from outside.

“(Name!) I know your home cutie! Open up!” Rafayel called, his trained voice bellowing loud enough to reach the second floor. Another voice was trying to shush him and it sounded like Caleb. Sylus snarled into their neck as he pulled away.

“I’m going to fillet him,” Sylus hissed, pulling back before the witch could even ask. (Name) laughed loudly before hopping off the bed once they were free from their dragon cage. Sylus followed shortly after, pulling on his glamour necklace. The witch got dressed quickly, making sure to shoo Sylus downstairs beforehand. Someone had to let Rafayel in before he knocked down the door. With light footsteps, the witch made their way downstairs and to the front of their shop. There Sylus was letting in their uninvited guests.

“Caleb, Rafayel, good morning. What brings the two of you here so early?” the witch asked, pointedly looking at Caleb. The blacksmith rarely made it out this way, so seeing him definitely took the witch by surprise.

“I wanted to stop by and grab the odd healing potion just in case, since you’re going to be gone for a while,” Caleb said. Confused, the witch and Sylus both raised their brows at Caleb’s statement.

“What are you talking about, Caleb? I’m not going anywhere,” they exclaimed, even more confused than before.

“But Rafayel said-” and in that moment, in unison the three of them turned their head towards Rafayel. Dawning an innocent smile, he tilted his head, attempting to act cute in hopes to bring levity to his purposeful slip of the tongue.

“I’m going somewhere now, am I?” The spellcaster contended the crafty siren, putting both hands on their hips as they stared him vexatiously in the eyes only to be met by an exaggerated smile and nod.

“Yes. Because I need to go back to Lemuria and I know you’ve wanted to visit again so I figured we could just go on a vacation,” he remarked, purplish blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “You really can’t expect me to travel without my witchy bodyguard, do you?”

The witch felt Sylus take a step closer, his chest right against their back. It took everything in them not to smack the dragon but they refrained, simply reaching back to poke his hip instead. This got his attention but it unfortunately didn’t escape Raf’s prying eyes. Instantly, his eyebrows shot up before an all-knowing smirk grew meanwhile Caleb was all too caught up with being upset at the merman and his improper handling of their exchange. (Name) was in for a world of questioning after, they just knew it.

“Hmm, well then. Before we discuss our trip, why don’t you help out Caleb, (Name) and Skye and I here will have a nice chat here in the back,” Rafayel said, moving before anyone could argue. The witch was no stranger to seeing their friendly siren use his powers and his voice was subtle enough that it never gave him away. If his demeanor wasn’t commanding enough, his voice absolutely was. Caleb and the witch watched as the bard grabbed Sylus’s wrist and all but dragged him to the back room, where the witch made all their potions. They rolled their eyes at his antics before turning to Caleb.

“How can I help you?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Can I help you?” Sylus sneered, doing everything he could not to growl at the siren. It was one thing to have the witch order him around but another thing entirely for this merfolk. Undoubtedly, Rafayel was an individual of an acquired taste and let’s just say, Sylus never liked the taste of fish much. Could he be civil? Yes. Still didn’t mean he liked the merman all that much.

“So, when were the two of you going to tell me you started courting?” Rafayel preened instead, getting straight to the point. Amythest eyes stared hard at the dragon, daring him to attempt to say anything less than the truth.

“I was unaware that such matters concerned you,” Sylus replied, all mock and arrogance.

“It concerns me when it’s one of my close friends and someone I care for deeply,” Rafayel shot back. While the merman was definitely a few inches shorter than Sylus, even in his glamoured form, he seemed to make up for the lack of height with a feisty bite of sass and pride. His purple eyes started to glow blue as Rafayel stood tall and poised before the dragon.

“I frankly don’t care whether you two are together or not. If I’m being honest, I would much rather you than that stiff doctor or worse, the blonde mercenary,” Raf said, taking a bold step towards Sylus. Sylus sensed a formidable challenge radiating from the merman as both mythical beasts stood their ground.

“But if I EVER find out you hurt them, and break their heart,” he continued, a seasoned smile on his face. The siren leaned up close, his voice dropping an octave, “No one will ever be able to find your body. Not even the gods, old or new,” Rafayel snarled the warning, grinning when Sylus snarled right back.

“I. Would. Rather. Die,” Sylus hissed back, punctuating every single word. “Then ever hurt (Name) and that, you can be certain,” How dare this measly, nosy fish confront and question his feelings! He hadn’t the slightest clue how either of them felt or how much the witch truly meant to him. In all his years of being alive, no one had stirred his soul as much as they had. No one had ever captured his heart ever and this beautiful little witchling did it with only a smile and a tender touch. He had decided to live for (Name) for Astra’s sake. They had disrupted his life enough that he had changed his vow to die. To part from the world and beg his sibling’s forgiveness. His little witchling had started to feel like home. That was something he had long since thought he no longer deserved.

“Perfect. Then we won’t have an issue at all,” Rafayel beamed but the dragon could see behind those glowing blue eyes and shimmering scales. They screamed “I’ll believe it when I see it” and Sylus didn’t blame him. But he also didn’t have to prove anything to this part time land walker. He knew how much he cared and he knew the witch felt the same. Right?

Just then, the back curtain brushed open and in walked (Name), looking between the two of them with calculating eyes. Their arms were folded across their chest as they looked between the two of them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Alright. Out with it. What did I miss?” the spellcaster asked. While the witch didn’t hear everything, they could recognize a “shovel” talk when they vaguely heard one. While it was endearing, it was not necessary. The energy in the room was palpable and intense enough that even a well sharpened axe wouldn’t cut all the way through; forget the butterknife.

“Nothing! “Skye” and I were just having a talk,” the siren jeered and they could tell, even without the motion, that air quotes were being put around the fake name. There was nothing they could get past their friend. The witch pinched the bridge of their nose as they exhaled.

“Oh yeah. Sure. Just a talk. That’s why Caleb nearly bolted as soon as he got what he wanted. I could nearly hear everything from up front you two! Just a talk my ass,” the witch hissed, glaring between the two of them. Both men had nothing to say as they just stood there, shuffling their feet. (Name) sighed again before turning their focus onto Raf. They might as well put beast tamer on their list of jobs at this point.

“So, we are going to Lemuria huh?” they asked instead, sarcasm dripping off their tongue as they moved to sit on one of the stools they had put into their work room. Rafayel gleamed at the change of subject along with his energy returning to his usual bright and charming persona.

“Yes. You and I can head out to Lemuria for a few weeks and I can show you around my old stomping grounds. I know how much you loved it last time and to be honest, I miss home. I wanted you to come with me, cutie,” As the siren slowly rested his elbows upon the wooden countertop, his twinkling eyes returned back to their normal hue. Shortly after, Sylus moved to stand next to the witch, a guarded glare set in place. The two had gotten along wonderfully over the past few months, so it was a shock to see the hostility, but a shovel talk would do that to anyone.

“Raf, as much as I would love to, I can’t just close my shop for weeks on end again. Especially with how busy I’ve been getting now that its spring season. Tell you what, I’ll teleport you home so you don’t have to make the travel by foot or carriage,” the witch offered instead, leaning slightly against Sylus when he stood next to them.

“Who said anything about closing the shop? Leave big, scaly dragon here to run the shop. He’s been around long enough by this point and watched you that he can run it while we are gone. Win win,” Raf said with a grin, smirking directly at Sylus. A loud growl burst through the air then as Sylus took a step towards Rafayel. The spellcaster jumped to their feet, standing between the two as they put their hands on Sylus’s chest, holding him back. Yep, definitely adding beast tamer to the list.

“No. Sylus, stop. Raf, if you keep instigating, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” the witch snapped, giving Sylus more of a push before he finally listened and backed off, choosing to lean against their grinding wheel table instead. Rafayel snickered from his spot before holding his hands up in a surrender type motion when he got his own glare from the witch.

“So, big and scaly isn’t named Skye after all huh?” the siren said, smirking as he dropped his hands. The witch cursed to themselves, kicking their own ass mentally at the slip up. It was not their information to give out and they had just slipped his name out by accident.

“Sylus, I’m sorry,” the witch apologized, looking up at him. Sylus smiled down at them instead, shaking his head.

“It’s alright, little witchling. Besides, I have a feeling our fishy friend here knew for a long time already,” the dragon said as he glanced sideways at the siren. Pearly whites were all they saw in return as Raf grinned.

“Well, might as well take off the glamour if that’s the case. He already knows and we both can trust that he won’t snitch. I’ll go close the shop to make sure no one else shows up. Oh, and in the meantime, do try not to kill each other while I’m gone,” the witch said sternly, rising to their feet.

“Oh please. We’re not children,” Rafayel refuted, waving them off as the two beasts watched the witch leave. Behind them, they heard a faint bickering but the witch rolled their eyes. Children, the both of them. After flipping the signs and closing the curtains for good measure, they quickly arrived back to see Sylus in his normal dragon form and Rafayel let out a low whistle.

“That is one nasty curse you got there,” the merman commented, his face cringing at the remark. This caught the witch’s attention as they walked a little faster.

“Rafayel, what are you talking about? How do you know he’s cursed?” they asked, looking at Sylus who also looked just as surprised. Rafayel looked away from the dragon before turning to the witch, a more serious tone forming.

“(Name), sirens are known for curses, bewitching voices and luring folks to their deaths. It’s our specialty and I recognize that kind of magic anywhere,” he said, turning his head back to Sylus once again. The air in the room shifted and Raf sighed. “Clearly you made a deal with someone and decided to withhold your end of the bargain, am I correct?” Sylus nodded.

“Rafayel, do you know of a way that we can heal him?” (Name) asked, reaching out to grab the sleeve of Raf’s arm. Ever since Sylus had told them about his curse in the cave, they had been wracking their brain for a method to remove and cure it. Sifting through memories of their grandmother’s teachings and scouring the home library of every tome, scroll and anthology at their disposal. But with no avail, they still were left dumbfounded as to what could remedy this dastard curse.

“I won’t. But some of the old libraries in Lemuria may have some things. Some book or scroll on this type of curse. It’s a different kind of magic. Darker. To be honest, I’m surprised big bad dragon here is still standing and not dead in a ditch,” Rafayel said, glancing at them. The witch knew it was bad but hearing it voiced out loud wasn’t easing their worry in the slightest. Sylus seemed to sense their worry as he came up next to them and kissed the top of their head.

“I’m fine, little witchling. I’m not dead yet and I don’t plan on dying any time soon. Not anymore,” the dragon vowed, giving them another kiss to help reassure them.

“Yet being the key word,” Rafayel emphasized. “Cutie, you may have to close the shop down. I think it would be best of both of you came to Lemuria and did some digging. Depending on the curse and how long he’s had it, anything could be possible,” Rafayel said, a look of apprehension forming on his face. Almost like Sylus had suddenly become an hourglass, which sands of time had nearly run out. Which may have been the case but it still didn’t mean that they liked the implication.

After a long pause of reflection, the witch looked to Rafayel with intent. “How soon should we leave then?” Sounding a little curter than intended. Rafayel caught this and smiled, his expression turning apologetic.

“I would say in a week at the latest. I could go back and tell everyone in town so you don’t have to worry about losing customers while you are gone. Let you two get things sorted before we take off?” Sylus and the witch shared a look before the witch nodded.

“Alright then. I’ll see you two in a week’s time,”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

The week flew by faster than either of them had expected, especially when they assumed it would move at a snail’s pace. The shop had become busy during that time, folks wanting to buy last minute things as a “just in case”, since the witch was going to be gone for an unknown amount of time. (Name) hoped for only a few weeks at best, but if they were going to find the answers they needed, they were prepared to be gone as long as necessary. True to his word, Rafayel came back after a week, carrying a small, maroon colored bag, that held all his things. The three of them stood in the witch’s kitchen, ready to head out the back door. While they had originally offered to teleport them one at a time, both men adamantly refused, saying the witch needed to reserve their magic instead. The solution was that Sylus would change into his true form for as long as possible and fly them on his back. This way, the witch could save their magic for healing him when his magic worked against him.

The witch pulled their hands off Sylus’s chest after giving him another healing spell in preparation for the flight, a sigh of relief forming when they saw his crystal fade just ever so slightly before turning back to its normal, angry hue. Last night’s memories were still vivid in their mind as they ended the healing spell. It wasn’t the first time they had dealt with a nightmare of Sylus’s, but it was the first time they had seen him be so…violent. It was like they couldn’t reach him at all, no matter how much they screamed and shouted. After he finally snapped out of it, he explained that it happened from time to time. A side effect of fighting his curse. Apparently, it would constantly scream at him to use his power that he gained and he had only regained his senses when they used healing magic on him.

“This damn curse…I had gotten so used to your other spells that I had forgotten how long it’s been since we used a healing spell,” the dragon sighed, exhaling the pent-up pain of the ruby jewel gouged in his chest. (Name) had decided after last night to give him the odd healing spell randomly to help stave things off. Sylus smiled down at them, reaching out to grab their hands before he kissed their knuckles, bringing them back to reality.

“I will be fine little witchling. I promise to only go as far as needed. I won’t push myself and worry you,” he vowed, addressing their unvoiced worry that was festering in their gut.

“Promise?” they asked instead, squeezing his hands right back. The dragon nodded and smiled, ignoring Rafayel’s fake barfing noises in the background. The witch couldn’t help but giggle at the antics, smiling when Mephisto perched on their shoulder. Sylus took him off before the witch could do anything though, making the little crow look at him.

“Hey, that’s cheating. You know they would never be able to say no to you,” He chided, smirking when the crow ducked his head. “Stay here and guard our home, ok? We will be back before you know it. I promise,” Mephisto cawed in retaliation before nodding, staying perched on Sylus’s hand as all three of them ventured outside of the witch’s shop, into the backyard. The crow flew from his hand, circled above them and cawed some more before flying to the front of the house, likely making sure to “stand guard” of the witch’s home.

After that, Sylus transformed and (Name) and Rafayel crawled on, bags in the dragon’s claws as they took off. A scream of excitement tore from their lips as they took to the skies. It was absolutely thrilling. Raf didn’t seem to share the sentiment however, screaming as he tightened his grip around their torso.

“I am meant to be in the water, not the air!” he screeched, hiding his face in their back as the witch cackled, holding out their arms as they enjoyed the flight. It felt so free. For the next several hours, they flew in the air, traveling over multiple landscapes, seeing several towns or cities. They even flew near the country’s capital, a trip that would normally take the witch a month via carriage, done in a few hours. Flying via dragon was impressive to say the least. The trio also stayed high in the sky to avoid any hope of being sighted.

It still took the three of them a few days to reach the country of Lemuria however. The three of them stopped outside a city near the border, allowing Sylus to change into his part dragon form before he put on his glamour necklace. Lemuria wasn’t a big country but it was long. Covering most of the lands boarders and controlling around 90% of the world’s exports. The capital of the country was called Luminis and had a king and queen of their own, much like Philos. With the siren’s help, the small trio ended up hitching a ride in a carriage the rest of the way. This would allow them to blend in, just in case. Their destination was the capital and the ride was mostly silent and the trip itself took a few hours.

The city was large and bustling, a far cry different from the usual small town that the witch and Sylus had grown accustom too. Rafayel looked like he would much rather be elsewhere himself, even if it was his home town, as they discovered on the carriage ride. The three made it towards an inn and got rooms situated for the next few weeks. The plan was to split into two groups. Raf would ago around town, spinning his tales and gathering information while Sylus and the witch would head to the cities libraries and find information that way. Each night, they would gather back at the inn and converse about their findings.

That’s how the next few weeks carried out. (Name) sat in the library for hours, hunched over books, scrolls and tapestries of anything they could find on curses and darker magics. It was something their grandmother adamantly was against so thankfully, they never dabbled in such magic. However, they were now starting to regret it partly, even with all the chaos that kind of magic would have introduced into their life. They were as clueless as a newborn and had even resorted to reading works of fiction; anything for the faintest hope of finding a clue on how to break the curse. Everything they found though was all stating the same obvious thing. One had to either just fulfill their part of the deal that caused the curse or kill the caster. Since there was no possible way that Lyra was still alive, even with using dark magic to prolong their life, Sylus was out of options. It was either get with one of Lyra’s descendants or succumb to the curse. The spellcaster hated both options but refused to give up. There had to be something out there. Some answer or loop hole hidden beneath decades of words and magic.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sylus, during all of this, had never strayed far from their side. Flipping over the same books and scrolls, double checking anything the witch’s tired eyes may have missed. He stayed up for hours, talking with Rafayel over his hunt when the witch had fallen asleep from utter exhaustion. It had warmed his heart immensely to see the person he had grown to adore try so hard for him. It made every bit of lacking information hurt just a little but more. If the three of them didn’t find anything soon, Sylus would have to start a whole different kind of hunt that would leave to possibly another dead end. The dragon had no guarantee that Lyra even had any descendants, let alone living ones. Obviously one existed or else his curse would have been long gone, but where would one even begin to look for that sort of thing?

“How does a country as old as this have no information on witches or curses?” Rafayel hissed as he flopped down on his bed, glaring angrily up at the ceiling. Sylus hummed in agreeance, running his clawed hands gently through the witch’s hair as they slept peacefully beside him. It was another day of failed attempts and everyone was starting to feel it. The witch tossed and turned next to him, whimpering in their sleep. Sylus felt his heart tug as he continued to pet their head, sighing in relief when it helped calm them. At the ruffling of sheets, Sylus looked up to see Rafayel partly sat up and leaning on his elbows as the two locked eyes.

“Why don’t the two of you take a break tomorrow?” the siren said, a soft smile forming on his face. “(Name) clearly needs it and honestly, I think we all do. We’ve been here for a good while and found nothing. One day to just relax and maybe explore the city, or even the country couldn’t hurt. You never know what the odd cave may hold or a stray island off the coast,” he said, flopping down on to his back once again.

Sylus glanced down at the witch before he smiled. “I think that’s the best idea you’ve had since I met you,” the dragon said, a teasing smile on his lips. He could feel the eyeroll from the merman’s bed and snickered.

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry this happened,” Rafayel said, apologetic and genuine. For once, it wasn’t a performance or a jab at him. Sylus felt the truth in his words and it settled something deep in his chest.

“Thanks. I’m not giving up just yet but…thank you,” Sylus returned, the air growing silent.

“Rafayel, promise me one thing,”

“No. But I will hear you out regardless,”

“Promise me…if we can’t fix this, if I die, protect them please. Don’t leave them alone,” Sylus said instead, ignoring the merman’s obvious attempt at a joke. A hard look formed on Raf’s face before he turned his back on the dragon, pulling the bed covers up under his chin.

“No. No I won’t because you promise me you wouldn’t hurt them and dying would do that. So, no I won’t promise that and instead, focus on staying alive, you scaly pea brain. Now shut up and go to bed,” the siren barked, but Sylus could hear the strain in his voice. While they didn’t always get along, they had a mutual interest in (Name) and their happiness. That was enough to have them get along and vaguely be called friends. It was almost endearing to see the merman get choked up at the thought of losing him. Almost. These weeks being so close to him had definitely turned his perceptions of the siren.

“Goodnight Rafayel,” Sylus said instead, sinking down into the bed and curling around his little witchling, letting the gentle tug of sleep pull him under.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“YAHOO!” the witch screamed at the top of their lungs, cackling as they flew high in the sky. This was a feeling that would never get old. After some talking, Sylus had decided to take them out and have a bit of a break. After weeks of no answers, a change of scenery and fun was definitely needed. They were sure if they saw another scroll, they would have puked up paper by that point. After spending a few hours around the city, Sylus decided it was time to escape and explore the countryside. What better way to do that than flying in the sky? So here the witch was, on his back as he flew high in the air and enjoying the wind whip through their hair. They felt Sylus shake under them, almost like he was laughing in his dragon form. It caused the pack on their back to shift with them as they giggled.

“This is amazing! You are amazing,” they shouted so he could hear as they took in the land. To their left was a mixture of grassy plains and small clusters of forests before it led to the city and coastal beaches. To their right was the wide-open sea, stretching as far as their eyes allowed, with multitudes of islands scattered throughout the waters. One island in particular caught their eye. It almost looked like an oddly shaped donut, with one side slightly higher than the other. A large body of water was in the center and from this high up, it was unclear if it held the ocean below or its own fresh water, built up over centuries.

“Let’s go there. I want to see what that water is all about,” they screamed, pointing downwards to the island. Sylus huffed in answer, a small plum of black smoke puffing from his nostrils as he descended towards the island. As they got closer, nearby birds took to the skies, escaping the obvious predator descending upon them. Sylus’s body gave a solid thud as he landed on the small beachy area, allowing the witch to slide off his back. They readjusted their pack as they landed, taking in the island around them. It was definitely much bigger now, the distance from above playing tricks on their eyes. Sylus changed forms behind them, turning to his half dragon form. (Name) spun to face him, reaching to hold his hand as they smiled.

“Come on, lets go explore! If we find a nice spot, we can sit down and relax before having something to eat,” they chimed happily, using very little force to tug Sylus along. The dragon was willing to go anywhere they wanted. The two hiked through the woods, the sea breeze keeping them cool under the blazing sun that peeked through the tree’s canopy. Sylus would point out any stray wildlife that scurried across the floor or in the trees and it caused the spellcaster to squeal with joy. A little more hiking had finally brought them to what the witch was after. The center of the island.

A large “lake” was in the dead center and from the looks of it, it seemed to have a few stray rivers leading out of it, most likely getting its water supply from the surrounding ocean. The thing that made the witch gasp however was the gorgeous waterfall that sat in the center of the “lake.” The tumbling water had a sort of turquoise colored tint to it as it fell to the body of water below.

“Oh, this is beautiful,” they gasped, smiling widely. It was the first genuine smile they had since they started hunting for a way to remove their dragon’s curse. Sylus hummed behind them, wrapping his arms around their waist.

“It truly is. Reminds me of what the lapis cave looked like before it became a cave. You think there is a bottom to this or just pure ocean?” he asked, grinning himself. The witch shrugged their shoulders before a devious grin formed.

“Why don’t we find out?” they said, wiggling out of his arms before they tossed their bag to the side. Sylus caught it before it hit the ground, but it was no use because what he saw made it tumble out of his hands anyways. The witch had removed their clothes, leaving them in nothing but their undergarments as they jumped into the water, coming up with a splash after.

“Join me, Sylus. The water feels amazing,” they purred, leaning to float on their back as they splayed out, giggling away. Their eyes closed as they enjoyed the feeling of the cool water on their skin. It was silent for a moment and when the witch opened their eyes again, they saw a large black shadow before water splashed all around them. The silvery dragon had cannon-balled into the water, dousing them. They sputtered on the spot, laughter spilling from them as they watched Sylus come up for air. He popped up right in front of them, his carmine eyes sparkling with hunger.

“Gotcha,” he growled, pulling their form close. (Name) instantly wrapped their arms around his neck as they smiled.

“I wasn’t aware I had any reason to run away. Maybe I wanted to get caught,” they said back before pulling him down for a kiss. The salt from the water bit at their tongue as their lips collided, slowly replacing that taste with Sylus instead. He tasted like smoke and spice and not even the ocean water could hide away his natural smell. Amber, with a hint of mountain air. It smelt like home and it was both addicting and comforting.

After kissing for a little bit, the two enjoyed their time in the oceanic lake. Sylus did confirm that there was indeed a bottom but alas, there were no crystals or hidden treasures. Just some “dumb fish” as the dragon put it. It almost felt like a playful jab about a certain friend of theirs but they decided not to comment on it. They had a few races in the water, (Name) losing each time horribly. Sylus wouldn’t even pretend to let them win once, the bugger. This did not cause the witch to pout what so ever. Sylus just decided to be cute and suck up on his own, that’s all. After someone had a grumbling stomach, the two of them decided it was time to eat something and the witch decided that behind the waterfall was the perfect spot. The spellcaster had no idea if the waterfall had anything behind it or if it was just solid rock, so they were pleasantly surprised to see a rather large cave behind it. With much cooler air and a very pretty view, the two snuck behind and had lunch. Using Sylus’s wing as cover from the water, they ran inside and set up a small picnic area. Blanket, fresh foods from the city earlier that day and a beautiful waterfall to keep them company. It couldn’t have been better even if the witch tried.

They leaned against his side, watching the water fall shimmering with the sunlight. The two had finished eating a while ago and were now just enjoying the waterfall before them, taking turns pointing at the stray fish that fell from it. The dragon’s tail was curled around their side, the tip being dangerously close to tickling the bottoms of their feet.

“This is amazing. Thank you for this Sylus. This is another wonderful memory that I’ll cherish forever with you,” they confessed, their cheeks turning pink. Sylus kissed the side of their head, their damp hair wetting his lips again. His one clawed hand sat on their hip, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on their bare skin. It was another reminder of just how exposed they were. This was the most skin they had ever shown around the dragon before and they liked it. He made them feel safe and comfortable. Plus, all their tattoos looked amazing, even if they were their spells.

“You’re welcome. For you, (Name) I would do anything,” the dragon whispered back, his breath ghosting near their ear. It caused a delightful shiver to run down their spine and their chest to tighten. The witch pulled in their legs before rising to their knees and looking at him. The soft blanket beneath them saved the spellcasters knees from being torn from the rock as they turned to face him. Sylus tilted his head to the side in a questioning manner as he waited for the witch to speak.

“Sylus, I love you,” the confession burst from their lips, their heart racing. They don’t know when it happened, but it was undeniable at this point. They had fallen for the sarcastic and sweet dragon. Maybe it was when they watched the fireworks after the Autumn Festival, or when they first taught him how to make something as simple as an apple pie. They could have fallen for him when he came to rescue them from the blizzard or maybe it was any other of the multiple memories they shared. Either way, (Name) was in love with him and they refused to let him go.

The dragon’s eyes went wide in shock before turning soft as he smiled at them, his hand reaching from their hip to their face. It looked like he had been waiting an eternity for them to utter such sweet words. The witch let out a shaky breath at his touch, staring into his glowing orbs, waiting for his answer.

“I love you too, (Name),” he said, gently pulling them forward before he captured their lips once more. The witch’s hands fell to his chest, being mindful of the crystal, as they were pulled towards him and they couldn’t help but smile. He loved them too. He loved them back.

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“I love you,” they mumbled against his lips again, inching closer. The position was a tad uncomfortable so they decided to make a move. Lifting one knee up, they swung their leg over the other side of his hips, effectively straddling the dragon’s lap. This was very well received if the growl that tore from him was anything to go by.

“Careful, little witchling. You are playing a dangerous game,” Sylus said, panting as he pulled away from the kiss. The witch couldn’t help but whine at the loss as their hands snaked from his chest to his neck, trying to pull him closer.

“I trust you. Please. Sylus, I want you,” (Name) all but begged, kissing him again and doing their best to show him just how ok they were with everything. That earned them another growl as Sylus’s hands grabbed their hips, pulling them flush with him. This earned a giggle of excitement from the witch as they kissed his cheek this time.

“I’m all yours,” they whispered, kissing down the dragon’s neck. They alternated kissing his bare neck and the start of his scales, smiling when Sylus held his head back, giving them more access to him. The witch’s lips found their way to his Adam’s apple, giving it a gentle nibble before kissing it. This got a small moan from the beast beneath them and God did he sound sexy.

Sylus’s hands squeezed their hips, being mindful of his claws before the witch was suddenly on their back, the soft blanket under them. Sylus growled again from above them as he started kissing on their neck, leaving his own little nibbles in his wake. The witch moaned at his kisses, opening their legs more when they felt Sylus move his way closer. They expected his scales to scratch and slice at their tender flesh but that wasn’t the case at all. Large hands felt over their body, like Sylus was committing every inch of them to memory as he continued to kiss their neck. His kisses began to travel lower, becoming longer the closer he got to their chest. Ruby eyes met theirs as he silently asked if this was still ok. The spellcaster knew that if they wanted, Sylus would stop at any second, but that was the absolute last thing they wanted right now.

“I’m yours,” they repeated with panted breaths, grinning with victory when it caused a desired reaction. Using a single claw, Sylus slid a finger between the front of their undergarment and cut it off, letting their bra fall freely off and leaving their chest exposed. Nipples hardened from the cool cave air as the dragon hovered over them, admiring them openly.

“You are beautiful,” he purred before he leaned down and began to kiss down their chest again. One hand slid from their hips to cup their left breast, massaging it with rough hands while his mouth found their other. He kissed around their nipple, teasing them before he captured it between his lips, his sharp teeth nipping at the bud. This got a gasp from the witch before they moaned loudly, their hips jumping in shock and their back arching into his lips. It tickled a little but more than anything, it felt good. It wasn’t the first time they had explored their body or with someone else, but having it done by Sylus was an even greater experience.

“More please,” the witch begged, their hands moving to his hair as they tugged on the strands near his neck, urging him to take more. Kiss more. Suck more. Sylus complied with ease, sucking at their breasts harder while his other hand continued to play. Fingers teased and tugged at their nipples, sending delicious sparks of pain through them. The dragon grinded down his hips against them, earning another loud moan from (Name.) They felt their body start to warm.

After he seemed satisfied, Sylus removed his mouth from their breast. It was effectively covered in enough kiss marks and bites to be considered tended too. Soft lips traveled down their body then, Sylus paying attention to every part of them. The closer he got to their underwear, the hotter the witch felt. Every nerve in their body was alive, acutely aware of the dragon before them. Sylus brought his hands to their hips, lifting them off the blanket before he tugged down their underwear, leaving them entirely naked, in all their tattooed glory. Red eye flashed to slits before the silvery beast grinned, sliding down so his face was level with their core.

He kissed down their navel, getting closer to their core before he kissed their lips, his tongue flicking out to give a lick. The witch moaned at the feeling, their hands moving to hold his horns. Sylus grinned as he licked again, this time pushing his tongue deeper, moaning himself. His clawed hands moved to hold their thighs, pinning them in place as he continued to lick and play with their pussy. His tongue played with their sensitive nub, moaning more as he continued to taste them. The witch twitched their hips up, aching to meet his mouth. It felt so good and they wanted more.

“Sylus,” the witch moaned his name like a prayer that was finally answered, tugging on his horns to urge him to take more. Sylus listened as he continued to lick and suck, eating them out. His tongue dove deeper, mapping them out. He licked, sucked and rolled his tongue all in their sex, relishing in the moans he received. The witch could feel him grinning in their core. They felt their hips try to thrust into his mouth, craving more.

“Greedy, aren’t we?” Sylus teased, pulling back as he licked his lips. The witch could feel their skin was starting to flush as they panted. Instead of giving him an answer, they simply pulled on his horns, yanking his face right back where it belonged. Yes, they were greedy. Yes, they wanted him and if he kept stopping like this, as sweet as it was, they just might scream. Sylus got the message loud and clear as he went back to playing with their sex. Sliding one hand from their thighs, he used some magic to change his clawed fingers to his more human fingers. Didn’t need to stab their tender insides and make them bleed.

Long and thick fingers entered their core as the witch felt their back arch a little off the blanket. With Sylus paying so much attention to their clit and now adding fingers, it would be a matter of minutes before they exploded. Another wave of heat rushed down their abdomen as they continued to moan. A second finger was added shortly after and the spellcaster could feel themselves being stretched. The sensation supplied their mind with the wonderful image of stretching around his rod and they felt themselves squeeze around his fingers. His hand pumped in and out of them at a steady pace, building up the tension.

“Sylus please. Please, I’m going to cum,” (Name) said, their voice shaky as they felt themselves getting close. Sylus pulled his mouth off of them and moved to kiss them, his hand still thrusting inside. The kiss was hot and they could taste themselves on his lips.

“Then cum. Cum for me, little witchling,” Sylus purred in their ear, kissing along their jaw and down their neck as his hand picked up the pace, a third finger being added. The stretch was even better than before and the witch felt themselves come undone. They came with a loud moan, their hands reaching to hold his wrist in a death grip as they rid out their high. (Name) laid there, panting and sensitive. Sylus continued to pepper their neck in kisses as a low rumble vibrated from his throat. After they had caught their breath again, they grabbed the dragons face and pulled him down for another kiss. They didn’t think they would ever get tired of kissing him.

“Before we continue, I need to do something,” the witch said, their hand sliding between their bodies and laying just above their navel. They whispered a spell and a small intricate looking tattoo formed. It was black in color and looked almost tribal as it spread across their lower body.

“While I do love you, babies is a conversation for another day and time,” they giggled. Sylus huffed and smiled, leaning down to kiss them again.

“That is just fine with me,” he said, readjusting his stance between their thighs. This allowed the witch to look down and see Sylus’s cock. A few more pliable looking scales moved away as a slit was revealed. From it, his shaft slid out. It was redder than the normal pink of a human one and shaped differently. The top was more pointed but still round enough and ribbed muscle lined the underside of it. It bobbed from the slitted sheath, and it was big. Nothing crazy that would go beyond reason, but it was definitely bigger than they were used to. They must have had a look on their face because Sylus frowned.

“Are you sure, (Name)?” Sylus asked, cupping their cheek to make them look at him. (Name) chuckled and nodded, grabbing his hand to kiss his palm.

“Yes, very, very sure. I just think it will be a tight fit so, go slow,” they said, smiling. They pulled their legs out wider, allowed him to rest against them and the witch got a full feel of him. His cock rubbed against their core and oh the underside was a unique feeling. The witch thrust up their hips to keep rubbing against him and beamed when Sylus closed his eyes and moaned. Good to know it felt good.

“I need you to fuck me, Sylus,” the spellcaster pressed, placing their hand on top of his shaft. It trapped him between their folds and hand, allowing him to feel with each shallow thrust. The dragon moaned loudly, his voice bouncing around the cave walls as he gave a particularly rough thrust, jolting the witch’s hand away by accident. Sylus leaned over them then, his hands caging them in on either side of their head. His large frame encompassed them as he stared into their eyes, a soft and gentle look on his face.

“I love you,” he whispered and kissed them quickly before he put one hand on his cock, lining himself up with their hole. It was slow and he even pulled out a bit before pushing in again, allowing the witch to stretch and allow him in. The witch gasped and moaned as he entered them, biting their lip. He felt so much better than they had imagined and he filled them out entirely.

“Ngh, Sylus,” (Name) moaned, their hands going to his forearms. The dragon grinned above them, slowly pumping his hips. They had started to adjust to his size by this point and it was really feeling good. The dragon’s hips kept pumping, filling them fully each time.

“That’s it little witchling. Tell me how you feel. Tell me what you want,”

“Faster,” they begged, moving their hips to meet his. Sylus rumbled from above them, moving one hand to grip their hip as he complied. He picked up his pace, his cock sliding in and out with better ease. The witch kept moaning, their filthy sounds carving themselves into the cave walls. Sylus was moaning and grunting himself, his one clawed hand scraping against the rock near their head.

“Fuck, you feel heavenly (Name),” Sylus moaned in their ear, planting some more kisses along their neck. The witch felt another orgasm building and from the look on Sylus’s face, he was getting close as well. They grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss as their legs wrapped around his hips. The two clung to each other, hips against hips and skin slapping against skin.

He continued to fuck them and he thrust even faster, his climax was near. The witch moaned into his mouth before pulling away as they screamed his name, back arching off the blanket. Their walls squeezed around him as they came and they heard him grunt before he too came, mumbling their name into their neck as he gave a few more pumps of his hips. Sylus held himself up on shaky arms as the two stayed connected, panting as they road out their high.

The spellcaster smiled up at him, hands holding his face as their thumbs caressed his cheeks. Ruby red eyes smiled back as the dragon leaned down and kissed their forehead before he pulled out and laid next to them. The two lovers laid on the blanket as the cave air cooled them off, relishing in the moment they just shared.

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The fly back to the inn was uneventful but pleasant. Rafayel made sure to tease the both of them about “finally” getting together but still congratulated them all the same. After a few red faces and smirks, the three got down to discussing what to do next. It was obvious that their hunt for a way to break the curse wasn’t happening. So, the next move would be to try and find a living descendant of Lyra’s and go from there. The witch and Sylus decided it was time to head home if that was the case. The two could start their search for a descendent around their area. Rafayel was going to stay in Luminis and do some more hunting and would send a letter if he had any findings.

This time, the duo did teleport home, but not without a full day of travel from Sylus in his dragon form. The man was insistent on not letting them use all their magic when he could carry some of the burden. With a flash of magic, the spellcaster and the dragon dropped into the forest near the witch’s house. They walked hand in hand, entering from the back garden. But something was off. Herbs that they had used for potions were all stomped on or ripped from the ground. Even some salt was poured on patches of their garden, rendering the ground unusable. A small chair and table in the yard was smashed and broken. It looked like someone had purposely destroyed their property. It made them worry what state the front of their house was in and if any of this damage carried into their home.

“What the fuck happened?” (Name) whispered, confused beyond belief. Nothing like this had ever happened to them before. Not when their grandmother lived here, nor when they took over the place and made it their own. Sure, some folks may not have liked them but no one had ever shown such blatant hostility like this before. If they were not liked, they were simply just left alone.

“I’m not sure but we will find out,” Sylus said, looking around the area with narrowed eyes. He was clearly just as upset as they were. There was a faint coo that caught both their attention and the witch sobbed at the sight. Mephisto was laying on the back doorstep, seriously injured. It looked like he had been bleeding in several places and his wings were clearly broken. Someone had hurt their sweet bird.

“MEPHISTO!” they exclaimed, running up to the poor crow. They applied several healing spells until they had no more magic and with gentle hands, cradled the bird in their arms. Sylus came up behind them and growled lowly, a truly monstrous sound pulling from his throat. They could feel how pissed he was and truthfully, (Name) was inclined to not stop him if he decided to rampage. Hurting this innocent bird was taking things way too far.

Mephisto cawed softly in their arms, shaking slightly. The spellcaster peppered his head in kisses and praised him for protecting their home. He had done so well and suffered because of it. Sylus pulled the bird from their hands and whispered some magic of his own, helping heal the bird completely.

“Good boy. You did such a good job. Rest now, old friend,” the dragon said, turning to the witch, a fire blazing in his eyes. They returned the look, their own fire brewing. Someone had attacked their home while they were away and they were going to find out who. Something had happened while they were away and they were going to get answers, one way or another.