*Vezhan POV*

I open my eyes to yet another day in this place. I get up out of my bed and yawn. The dark, empty atmosphere of the place is something that I’ve gotten used to over the years. I walk through my empty room, putting on my leather vest and dusting myself off. Another day of waiting. Another day of patience.

I stretch my body and wings, and leave this creaky old room of mine. I whistle to myself as I walk out of my room and into the streets. It’s a place as dark and dreary as the cavern that surrounds it. I let out a sigh. I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing this beautiful town turn to such an empty and dead place.

At least I’m not alone in this place though! There’s only the two of us left here, but at the very least I am not left alone.

I walk north towards the center of the town. It’s not a very large one, being established more of a military encampment which then turned into its own town through decades of being in military use. I walk along the empty streets, which are lit only by the magical stones that power the emergency lights. It’s dark still, with them giving off only a little amount of light in this lightless cavern. None of the glowing plants from the other regions of the cave has gotten here yet. I don’t think they ever will, not unless a plant shoots their seeds all across the layer of white dust that surrounds the city.

The white dust, the end result of the battle. I let out another sigh. We failed that battle. Horribly, and now this is the fate that has befallen our little city.

I walk through the streets until I end up in front of a big mansion, the estate of our esteemed elder, Hacian. I walk through the gates, and along the path to the house. It’s a slightly depressing sight to see. The luscious and beautiful plants of the mansion have all turned into dust, a fate that was shared with almost all parts of this city.

It’s a sad sight, really, but I hold my head up. One day, the elder and I will be able to leave this place. I smile faintly, one day.

I walk the path around the house until I see little shack next to the tall building. I walk towards the small shack and open the door. It creaks, the joints getting worse over the years. The door opens and I walk through.

The house is lit by one of the emergency lights, which provides enough brightness to see Elder Hacian sitting down in the same spot that he has always been in. For, er, months now I think.

“Hey, Hacian.” I greet.

There’s no response from the old human sitting on the floor. He’s been like this for a long, long time now. I’m used to it though.

“I’m just here just to say hi.” I know that he won’t respond, no matter what I say. He’s been dead silent like this. I feel bad for him. I know what and how he feels. This whole entire situation must be even worse for him than it is for me.

I close my eyes. On the outside, I maintain a regular appearance. I can’t control everything though, and I let some aberrations slip through. My eyes betray how I feel, so I simply close them. Elder Hacian can see and notice everything, and I don’t want him to know if I’ve lost hope.

“Well, have a good morning, as always.” I say with a smile, and then leave.

Crushing loneliness, hopelessness. My eyes shake and water over. Seeing him, his guilt, it makes me feel even worse.

I can feel my shaking hands reach for the article around my neck: a rare, magical pendant. The keepsake of Avelia, who gave me it before she escaped from the town before the battle was lost.

“Mark my words Vezhan, I will return, with so many soldiers it’ll make this whole damn cavern shake. So don’t you dare give up. Please.” She said the last words with tears in her eyes as she fled away from the town.

Thinking about her fills me with hope. It’s been a long while since she made that promise, but it’s a promise that I would wait an eternity for. My shaking hands that clutch around the magical pendant lessen in intensity, until it eventually calms down entirely.

I let out a big sigh, and smile. Don’t worry Avelia, I won’t give up now.

And I keep walking to the walls.

It’s dusty and dreary – that’s okay. I can deal with this. I walk to the armory of the town, a decayed and damaged building. I walk through the door frame and into the building. There isn’t a door as it has probably been blown up or something during the attack by the Demon King’s forces. I walk up to the lockers and retrieve my bow.

Magically enchanted, this bow retains its good as new look despite being a couple of years old by now. It’s lasted me this long, and I don’t think it’ll be failing me anytime soon.

With a sigh, I continue to walk to the edge of the town, towards its battered and damaged walls. Time to make my rounds around the place.

There’s no point to it really, but there really isn’t a point to doing much else in this place. I guess being a hunter is really getting to me. I chuckle at the thought of it. Avelia would tease me for being so job focused.

And so, I went around the nearby area, scouting out for the lost souls and killing them. It stings my heart, to kill the souls of my fallen brethren, but it’s the least I can do. The curse has hit them too, so they’ll always come back again as those pitiful abominations, doomed to relieve their demise over and over again.

They have a tendency to kill any living being around them and convert the people it kills into one of them, but they aren’t powerful enough to do anything to me or the Elder.

I keep shooting at them, all of their wailing stops when the arrow hits them, and they become silent. Occasionally, one would smile, as their torturous fate would be paused for at least until they come back again.

I sigh, heart heavy from doing this time and time again. I keep at it though, even though they come back always. My friends, brothers and sisters…

Suddenly, I see a strange sight. In my vision is a strange looking figure, and upon closer inspection, it’s a monster.

Ah, okay. It’s just another monster. Sometimes they would come out of curiosity, but they usually leave as there isn’t anything for them to eat. Strangely though, this monster has gotten so far as to actually move inside the barrier curse. Is it just hungry then? I look at it and see the monster standing still.

I look away. Eh, whatever. It’ll probably move back anyways when it realizes that it can’t eat this cursed ground. I continue to walk forward, looking for another fallen soul. I take one step and suddenly, I hear a scream. My head turns to look in the direction of the monster.

What? Monsters don’t scream, not unless they’re nearly dead. Instead, that weird monster is just sitting there for some reason, the crawling dead latched onto him. Was I mistaken? Is that really someone from the outside!?

I quickly dash using my skills. I even utilize my wings to grant me a boost to my jump speed. As a drake, it’s inconvenient to be down here as I can’t really see well, even with my night vision skill. That means I can’t use my wings or I’ll run into some rocks. The most I can do is just run as fast as I can.

I ready my bow and aim it at the fallen. I activate my spell.

Spirit Arrow: Thunder Type.

The user summons a magically manifested arrow, imbued with thunder energy. Its speed and attack is greater with the energy, but has low impact.

The magically conjured arrow shoots out of my bow with great speed, killing the fallen instantly. I quickly dash towards the person on the ground.

“By the Almighty, are you alright?”

The strange person stairs at me. I finally get a good enough look at him.

“A monster?”

I frown. It really is a monster. I feel a bit worse inside, both at my disappointment and my embarrassment from my inability to discern between people and monster.

It continues to stare at me. Is… there something wrong? Why isn’t it attacking? It gives off a… strange feeling.

I feel my scales filling with heat and embarrassment. But, there isn’t anyone to really judge me for this right? What if it… understands speech?

“You seem to be very much different from the others though. Can you understand me?”

Ugh. I’m stupid. I’m trying to talk with monsters.

Strangely enough, the black monster nods. My eyes bulge at the unexpected response.

…WHAT.

“Almighty ones… What a peculiar thing you are.”

I think… am I really going crazy? But it can talk though right!?

Is it a nice monster!?

I feel a bit shaky inside. What is wrong with me? Why am I doing this?

I let out a grin and extend a hand. “Hello, the name’s Vezhan.” I have to grin to hide my embarrassment. “How’s it to ya?”

It looks at me. Wait, does it not know what a handshake is? I tremble as I pull my hand back. Suddenly though, the monster grabs on and shakes it gently.

“My name is Aaron. Nice to meet you.”, Aaron says.

… Oh man… Is this for real?

A monster, that can talk. An elevating feeling lifts my stomach. A monster, but also a person I can talk to.

No way. This situation.

It’s so unbelievable.

I laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. You know what? I don’t care if he’s a monster! He seems nice enough!

“Glad to meet you too, pal.” I say. Aaron just nods in response and keeps staring at me. What are you staring at me for! You’re the weird one!

I wonder if it has ever seen a town before. I call out to it. “C’mon, weird monster. I know a safer place than here. Follow me?”, I question.

The monsters gives me a thumbs up. Ohoho! So he knows that as well! I wonder where he learned all of this!

And so, we travel back to the town. I think I can skip my daily rounds for a situation as exceptional as this. I wonder who this “Aaron” is like? Why is he so… not like a monster?

“You know, you’re actually quite an odd one really.”, I say. Aaron looks at me. “You don’t really seem bloodthirsty like the others. Why though?”

Aaron ponders for a moment, trying to think of a response. So person-like!

Finally, it looks at me and responds in a stoic and emotionless tone. “I care more about the magic than the killing.”

You care more about magic? Why? Is it not something that any monster or person could use at will? What a weird monster, to be interested in something like that.

“So that’s the secret? Magic?”

"It's no secret really, I'm just obsessed with magic."

This man… is he some sort of crazy person?

“Pft… what are you talking about even?”

Aaron looks shocked for a moment.

“What I’m talking about?” He smirks. “I’m talking about this.”

The monster begins to conjure up some weird spell I’ve never heard of before. My hunter training makes me clench my bow in caution. I step back a little, but the monster doesn’t seem to be stopping.

It conjures up something, and then it breaks. I see a whole mist radiate out from him, and suddenly, the scenery changes. It’s slightly transparent, but I can clearly see the result of this monster’s magic.

Snow falls on me. My mouth is agape in awe.

It’s like I’m in a whole new world different than mine. A sight like this, from a monster.

Just who is this monster?

I look at Aaron, and he stands there with a faint smile.

“Nice trick you got there, strange monster. I know someone who’d love to experience that spell of yours.”

I grin, thinking about Avelia. She was born in the north, where it snowed. I’ve never experienced it, but I have heard descriptions of it.

It’s not a substitute for real life, sure, but it comes pretty damn close.

The monster responds. “Thanks.” It comes out a little soft. This dude sounds so…

So socially awkward!

It’s kinda weird, and I can’t expect a monster to be very experienced in talking to others, but still. It reminds me of a friend of mine who would always act shy around new people. Shy as he was, he was a very good individual to confide into. It’s like he was some therapist.

Thinking about him fills me with a little sense of sadness and loss. That war spared little from its wrath. He died protecting his comrades, I was told.

My time with him is a sad, yet sweet memory. I will never forget him.

And so, we continue to walk. Over the endless plain of this white dust, we see finally see the town in the distance. I pick up speed, excited to talk and show the Elder my new buddy. Near the walls, Aaron asks a question out of nowhere.

“Who are you?”

I tilt my head in confusion. I’ve said that my name is Vezhan, have I not?

Aaron continues to elaborate further. “I’ve never seen anyone like you. And you have wings and scales. I haven’t seen any other monsters in this cavern that’s like you.”

This monster has knowledge in such strange places. He’s never heard of a drake, yet knows handshakes? You’ve been born in a cave right? Why do you know of these things in the first place.

Er, how do I explain this. Do I treat him as if he’s some kid? How old is he anyway? How do you define… drake?

“I’m a drake. We have scales and wings and can fly. We look like dragons, but we really don’t act anything like them.” I take a pause to think. “Do you even know what a dragon is?”

The monster responds. “Yes. Or at least I think. Big flying scaly monsters right?”

I stifle a laugh. Really? A monster referring to another monster as a monster?

No. This is too weird. Something isn’t adding up here. Well actually, a lot of things aren’t adding up, but this one especially.

Hmm. I guess that could be figured out once Elder Hacian sees him. He’ll probably know what to do. He’s way smarter than me. We continue to have a conversation as we walk towards my city.

“Yeah. That’s pretty much on the point.”

“Oh. I see. Is that commonly confused or something? You being like dragons.”

“Oh yeah. All. The. Time. Especially the northern ones, who’ve never seen a drake before.” I chuckle, thinking back to Avelia when she first met me. Hmph, typical humans.

“Wow, are drakes not commonly known then?”

“No, it’s not that. They just never really bothered to learn much about other races. The northern humans, I mean. I don’t really blame them for it. The drakes are just a subset of the overarching demi race.”

“The demi race?”

“Hmm, so you know how drakes get compared to dragons right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, think of it like cats being compared to Fesians, or crocodiles being compared to Vekeans. There’s a lot of them, and in a lot of places. None in the north though, which is mostly just a bunch of humans, you know them right?”

“Mmhm.”

“Hmm. Weird one you are. Yeah, there’s basically just a bunch of humans north, with the winter races like faeries or giants in the coldest parts. In other places, you have the dwarves and elves and the like – I’ll tell you about them later. But yeah, it’s mostly just us in the more normal regions here. Or normal to us, actually.”

We both walk forward, and we arrive in front of the gates.

“Oh look, we’re here.” I say with a heavy voice. The walls in all of its beauty.

Except ruined, and broken beyond its original form. It used to stand tall. Used to…

I look at my weird monster friend. “Welcome to my city, Evestio.”