Dog’s wide eyes watched the flying circus. Andy the amazing Alicanto performed aerial loops around the deadly stone dragon. Each time the monster lunged Wendy the Wolpertinger pounced on its back allowing Brian to attack once more.

Dog found the airborne display thrilling to behold.

Melly however didn’t. She was far too busy dealing with the annoying ones below. Nuecus had taken over at the helm directing the ship towards the castle while Melly pointed her arrows over the edge. Her aim was surprisingly accurate. After leveling her archery to such a degree, she was now able to fire multiple arrows at once. Somehow, they all found their gemstone target.

After a particularly impressive shot, whale clapped his flippers on his belly.

“Well done, Melly!” he said, cheering her on.

Unfortunately, Melly was far too focused to pay attention to the praise. She continued to fire volley after volley down at the stone warriors below. Her goal was to thin the crowd just enough for them to stop using each other as towers.

Dog frowned. “What’s that?”

Something was wrong. He could feel a sharp pain inside his stomach. Just as suddenly as the pain had come it was gone.

Dog’s vision flickered as time slowed to a crawl. The world somehow brightened and his senses heightened tenfold.

Dog gasped.

He could see each and every strand of hair on Melly’s head as it blew in the wind, count every feather on the soaring Alicanto in the distance and even feel the water vapours in the air.

With time stopped, Melly looked frozen in place, aiming her bow while the aerial combatants beyond defied gravity in the sky.

What’s going on? Dog wondered. The world is acting very silly!

“Um, hello?” said a voice. It emanated from within Dog’s chest, vibrating with each syllable.

In that moment the frozen time righted itself allowing Melly to finally loose the arrows she had been aiming.

“Good morning!” Dog said his regular catch phrase.

“Oh, it’s you!” said the voice. “It’s been ages. How’ve you been old friend?”

Dog was confused. Did he know this person? He somehow recognised the voice but wasn’t exactly sure who it was. Even with all his senses past their limits, his memory had failed him.

“Who are you?” he asked. “And why does everything look crazy?”

“Oh, that will fade in a second...” The voice paused distracted. Somehow, Dog could sense that whoever he was speaking with was currently observing the situation.

Suddenly a sharp cracking sound tore Dogs attention from the voice. Brian had smashed his club on a scale on the Dragons chest revealing a gigantic gem heart. Melly was watching as well and cheered at the hunter’s accomplishment.

But the minor victory was short lived.

As soon as the heart was revealed, the dragon stopped chasing Andy and hovered in the air. Before they could react, the dragon let out a mighty roar.

To their horror both the animal companions were struck by the auditory attack, knocking them out.

“No!” shouted Melly.

They watched helplessly as the hunters fell out of sight.

The dragon looked down at its helpless prey and was about to swoop down to finish them off when Melly rushed forwards and with her bow she shouted.

“Aimed shot!”

The arrow screamed as it tore through the air. Its shaft vibrated violently from the immense pressure forcing the arrowhead to reach the impossibly distant target.

Pah-ting!

The arrow struck the gem but didn’t make a single scratch. Yet, the attack was successful. Her goal was to gain its attention and that objective had been met. The dragon turned from the fallen hunters and focus on the ship.

“Dog!” said the voice. “Listen closely for I will say this only once.”

“What?”

“I said listen closely for I will say this only once.”

“Uh, okay!” said Dog.

The voice sounded amused then continued, “The lady with the bow will need your help now. She has the mark and you, are the perfect candidate.”

Dog listened closely, watching the Dragon as it flapped its wings once then dove towards the magical ship. Suddenly Dog felt a warm sensation on his flipper. Looking down he found an odd decorative symbol in dark ink.

“Listen to your instincts and do what you think is right!” the voice said.

Dog closed his eyes and nodded. “I completely trust you, strange voice from my tummy!”

The Dragon swooped low below the ship and veered up, colliding with its hull. Melly screamed as she was sent flying up and over the edge.

What was she thinking? Trying to take on a colossal dragon one on one. For some reason her body reacted before she could think.

Melly screamed as she tumbled towards her death.

This was it. She was about to die.

Then a strange sight above caught her attention. With the world spiralling out of control, it was hard for her to understand what she was seeing. Maybe a tiny glimmer of hope?

Dog the magical whale was hurtling towards her. His watery cage had turned to vapor and now a blue magical aura radiated around him like a blazing inferno.

Dog dove past then caught her.

How is this possible? She thought flabbergasted. What happened to him?

Dog had turned back into his original size and looked, different. His body was longer, sleeker, and slightly darker. A tattoo was now etched on one of his four flippers.

Wait four flippers? Melly’s surprise was only matched by her confusion.

Dog’s eyes were keener and smile wider. The happy whale was as cheerful as ever.

“Good morning!” said Dog.

“Holy crap!” Melly said. “I’m sorry, I mean hello!”

“Melly said a naughty word.”

She grinned at the whale and repeated, “Sorry.”

Dog then eyed the dragon as it zoomed past the ship.

“That stony lizard is more naughty!”

Melly laughed. “Shall we teach it a lesson?”

She had to grab on as whale nodded furiously. A jet of water sprayed out of Dog's mouth like a cannon. The pressure was so immense that it tore apart a random building below.

“Woah!” Melly said. Her confidence was building.

She shifted her legs and found the balance she needed then shouted, “Go boy go!”

Dog flicked his tail, propelling them forwards. The aura that covered Dog now included Melly in its magic. It was warm and tingled slightly, protecting them both from the roar of the dragon.

A mighty stone jaw opened, sending a jet of red fire their way. Dog swooped down and dodged the blast. The buildings underneath were not so lucky. Explosions hurtled debris into the air and shredded the soldiers below.

“We need to get it away from our ship!” she shouted through the wailing of the oncoming wind.

“Good idea!”

Dog flew high into the air far beyond the reach of the ship. The stone dragon raced close behind and sent another jet of fire towards them.

This time dog turned around and sent his own jet of water back at the dragon.

Two jets of power one water the other fire collided in the centre, bursting into a massive cloud of steam. Melly laughed as the fading sunlight formed an enormous rainbow from the explosion. The Dragon unphased, flapped its wings and soared higher and reached out with its sharp talons.

“Oh no you don’t!” Melly shouted then aimed her bow towards the dragon’s eyes.

The two shots hit their mark, blinding the beast instantly.

Dog veered to the side narrowly missing the claws. The beast roared, not in pain but in frustration. It had lost its prey.

“Dog, can you focus your water into a super fine point?” she asked. “Like a super thin jet?”

The flying whale spun in the air over the dragon’s head then took a short moment to think.

“I think so!” Dog replied. “Where do you want me to squirt it?”

Melly chuckled. “Where else? Its heart!”

Dog performed a barrel roll then dove to get underneath the beast.

The dragon’s wings flapped, trying to find its prey. The only sound it could determine came from the cannons of the ship far below. With a mighty roar it gathered energy in its maw for one final attack.

“Now!” Melly shouted.

Dog opening his mouth as a spear of water shot towards the glowing red heart. It struck the crystal surface, ripping the gemstone apart like a pick through ice.

Raw magic power poured from the cracks in the heart then exploded in a shower of red shards. The dragons’ limbs froze and its weight fell.

Dog banked to the side, watching the dragon as it fell to its doom.

“Naughty lizard!”