After Rox had finally woken up a few hours later, Kara explained the location and situation to him. He seemed just as eager as she was about getting the dragonoids to sign an eternal peace contract. It was not just a simple piece of paper, after all. Like magic contracts, it's enforced by the power of the gods. However, unlike normal contracts, it's specifically enforced by primordial gods. This meant a lot of things, but one of the largest differences is that it changes the race at its very core. It would mean that they could even cross-breed with other races involved, there might be half-dragonoids some day. That is, if Kara's party could succeed in this quest.

The two of them were invited to dine in the tent of Al' Kali. Joining them would also be Al' Aero and the referee of the fight, who's name was Ki' Beera. They were served grilled wyvern meat seasoned with herbs from the forest, a luxurious meal to most. As a drink, they were given a locally brewed ale, water for Kara. They all served themselves from a small buffet-style table near the back of the tent, then seated themselves around a table. The group had only known each other for a few hours, yet already they had grown to like one another through battle and mutual understanding. Conversation was flowing freely between everyone. It was quite the spectacle, no one would think that the mortal races could sit at a table to eat and laugh with monsters.

“So Al' Aero, what element do golden dragonoids have an affinity with? I know blue have lightning and red have fire, but I've never heard of a golden one before.” Inquired Kara, seeking knowledge, as usual.

After finishing what he was chewing, Al' Aero answered, “I have an affinity with air, although golden dragonoids can have an affinity for any element. Unlike others, who are born with their affinity, we choose ours after learning to harness our inner magic.” He tore into the meat of the wyvern with another bite of his sharp teeth, quickly devouring it before continuing. “We can't use any of our racial magic until then, but we make up for it by being more physically advanced.”

“What made you choose Air, then?” Rox asked.

The dragonoids around the table suddenly became somber. Clearly, that question was a landmine, but after a few seconds, Al' Aero answered. “Someone I looked up to was very proficient with it. I wanted to be like him, even though he was not one of us. I took the air element to pursue that. After I did, he took me in as an apprentice, trained me, then left. He grew very close to us, despite being an elf. So, when he left suddenly without saying goodbye, it left a hole with some of us. Even now, after a few hundred years, it's still fresh in our hearts.”

Rox flinched inwardly, kicking himself for opening old wounds. Kara, however, blinked and asked a simple question. “This might seem random, but what is the lifespan of the dragonoids? We don't have much information about your race since you only live here in the forest and prior to living here, simply fought everything you could find.” She was not polite, but all of the people the question were directed to laughed heartily.

“True, it would be difficult to find out how long another creature lived naturally if you were always trying to kill or not be killed by it.” Chuckled Al' Kali. “On average, we usually live for seven thousand years or so. Our bodies reach their prime after only two years from birth, then we stay in our prime until the day we die.”

“Wait, then when do you consider one of your species an adult?” Kara asked, only becoming more confused at the answer she got.

“Rather than being an 'adult', it would be more accurate to say we're considered a full warrior after our coming-of-age ceremony. Some of us never become full warriors in our entire lives since it requires us to prove ourselves against a worthy opponent.” Ki' Beera answered her this time. “It's part of the reason we settled here, in this forest. Giants make for worthy opponents for most of our aspiring warriors. As well as anyone who can hold their own against, or defeat, a giant.” She almost sounded like a teacher talking to her students, but she turned her head to look directly at Rox during the last line. “Especially if they know how to hold back.”

Al' Aero slapped the table and looked at Rox, “Holding back?! You, an elf, were able to match me in physical combat while holding back?!”

Rox shook his head furiously, “No! I did my best against you, I just didn't use my sword!”

This only seemed to make Al' Aero more upset, “So, I was not even worth drawing your weapon against?”

Al' Kali put a hand on his son's shoulder and calmed him down, “No, my son, that's not what he's saying. Surely you must see the unusual aura oozing from that sword. Ki' Beera is just trying to rile you up for her own amusement.”

Sure enough, when everyone looked to the sapphire dragonoid she had a bright grin on her face. “Well it's not entirely a lie, he's sealed, right?”

The tent was instantly loud again with challenges, demands for a rematch, as well as other drunken ideas. Kara merely watched on with a smile on her face as the other four enjoyed themselves like old friends. She was glad she had decided to open up this quest in moments like these. Even more, she hoped that she could share more moments like these if she kept going on this adventure. Maybe next time with the rest of her party, too.

It wasn't until the next day they received their rewards and the map that would lead them to the world-dungeon. The rewards were quite grand, as promised. With the exception of a wand for aqua made from a branch from the oldest tree in the forest, they also received a lot of high-grade materials for making new items. Rox was particularly excited about this since he had just lost his sword against the giant. However, they had enough to make something for each member of the party when they got back to town.

- - - -

“Hurry up, Feera! You’ve already held us up for one day, you're not doing it again.” Sheeron said, impatience in his voice. He stood near the exit of the Inn, both he and Toley were ready to leave. Feera, however, seemed to be taking her time getting ready. “If you're not ready within ten minutes, we are leaving without you.”

“Ah, I'm hurrying!” She replied frantically, not wanting to be left behind while throwing all of her necessities into her pack. Dried meat, rum, wine, mead, ale, water-skin and an assortment of other things were tossed in. She then picked up the pack and ran to the Inn's stairs, then jumped down the entire flight. “Ready!” The elf said, posing as she landed on her feet.

Both men were silent, but after a few moments, Toley broke the silence. “They jiggled.”

Sheeron slapped the back of Toley's head and spoke to Feera, “Finally. I hope Kara didn't have to deal with this the whole way here, too.”

“Hey, that's not fair. We made excellent time getting here and Rox even blew up an entire slave trader camp.” Feera said defensively.

Sheeron could only stare at her with dead eyes while he recalled hearing about the slaver camp being destroyed in the nearby forest. “Rox did that?”

“Yeah! He was all--” Feera proceeded to make crashing and explosion noises, even though she had not seen how he did it either. “Then he walked out of the flames with all the freed slaves.”

The two men could only look at her in disbelief. Not only at the fact that Rox had done such a thing but also at the ridiculous way that she had described the events.

With a deep sigh, Sheeron added that to his long list of 'things to worry about later'. “I can't deal with this right now, let's just go catch up with those two.”

The Inn door behind them suddenly burst open, at the entrance stood Kara and Rox. Kara glanced around at the group and flashed a triumphant smile, “Excellent! You're already good to travel, let's go, everyone. Welcome back, Sheeron and Toley.” She then turned heel and began walking out of town.

Rox looked at the group, they looked at him as well to search for answers. He simply shrugged and followed Kara. The rest of the group quickly followed, Sheeron standing beside Rox as they were walking so that he could speak quietly to him.

“You're not nearly as useless as I thought you were when we met. However, I have to ask. Who are you?” Sheeron said with a business-like tone. Not threatening, or serious, just the tone of a bodyguard doing his job.

Rox looked at the other man, then in front of them, thinking about how to answer that. He smiled and replied cheerfully, “My name is Rox Nihil and I'm an adventurer in the employ of Kara Aqua. Currently, there's nothing more or less to that. If that ever changes, you all will be the first to know.” His facial expression suddenly changed to a more serious one, “I will make sure she completes her goals, Sheeron. You have no need to worry about me. She is a light and I want her to shine brightly on the shadows of this world.”

Sheeron hesitated, Rox's words were cryptic and sounded like something out of a cliché fantasy novel. It made him wary, but he did not feel like Rox was lying. For now, he will trust him to keep Kara safe. If that ever changed, there was not much he could do about it, but he'd lay his life down to keep her safe no matter how strong the foe. Even if that foe were a monster like Rox.

“I'll trust you to keep to that, then.” Sheeron nodded his affirmation after a while. Rox did the same.

Toley overheard the exchange and wanted to talk to Rox about the owner of his dagger, but he decided that this was not the time. He's already waited years, he could wait a few more days.

“By the way,” Feera said out of the blue, with a childish tone, “where are we going?”

Kara stopped and faced them all, “We're going to go complete a world dungeon and make the dragonoids part of the eternal peace treaty!”

They could only stare at her in disbelief, not sure if she was joking. Seeing all of their faces, Rox could not help but start laughing.

This was how their first adventure together began. A ridiculous claim and a ridiculous goal, with someone laughing at all of it.