After an hour’s flight over the Origin Mountains, Frontier Harbour came into view. A desolate plain stretched from the siege camps to the damaged fortifications, surrounded by a ring of wooded hills and the seas. The scars of war were as clear as the day. Farms and fields lay in ruins, and the surrounding villages had been emptied of their residents.

As the two landed in the fields, the depth of the battle’s fingerprint grew. Road signs and fence posts lay scattered about in the torn grass, charred with a tinge of ash, lying lonely amidst the bodies of those who had perished. A few volunteers and a dragon or two were at work giving those unfortunate souls a final resting place. All around, the stench of ash held sway in the air. William shuddered.

“Vic, I don’t like being here.”

Victor licked his teeth, turning his head towards the passenger on his back. “Me neither, we should get out of here fast. But I’m not sure if the city’ll be any better.” Urk, I shouldn’t be thinking about this...

“How did all of this happen? Didn’t they promise no dead civilians? Look, right there.” William pointed towards the body of a peasant lying by the road.

“Let’s get out of here, I don’t want to spend another night awake.” Victor said, teeth scraping by his tongue.

At the city gates, two foot soldiers pulled the damaged gate aside. They were greeted by the sight of an eerily intact city. It was as if the city’s populace had all been abducted; nary a soul in sight across the wide, bumpy streets, barring a few locals browsing at a tiny market, or soldiers patrolling the streets.

William lowered himself off of Victor’s back. “Wow...”

The red dragon took a few steps forward, eyes darting between the stone buildings. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t this,” Victor said. He sniffed the air. A sigh of relief left his throat as he caught hold of life deeper into the city. “Looks like the army is still here, thank the gods. But where are all the civilians?”

“I don’t know, Vic. I really don’t like the look of this...”

Despite William’s reservations, they pushed on. The city wasn’t as depressing past the first glance, as other civilians crawled out of the woodworks. They all had sunken faces, and wore sober clothes, their scent revealing a dire need for a bath. Dragons herded them around like sheep, guiding them away from the cold with their wings. The air teemed of salt and soot; the lone sounds were footsteps echoing through the streets, and soldiers yelling in the distance.

Alas, the remaining civilians faced an ever worsening situation. Cold winds swept through the streets, chilling even the warmly clothed William down to the bone. No one wanted to talk, even when asked for directions. Their faces said all Victor and William needed to know. Only the patrols were talkative, pointing them towards the harbour further ahead.

Indeed, past the harbour warehouses arose the sound of a huge commotion. From the laughter and jovial growling, Victor knew they were on the right track. There, by the filled docks, man and dragon alike were enjoying the victory. Most soldiers cared little about the intricacies of day-to-day governance, after all.

“Hah, at this rate, we’ll be in the Citadel come the Spring!” said a dragoness as Victor and William passed by. Right afterwards, another dragon sparked up a large bonfire.

“The Spring? HA! We’ll have those imperial bastards run outta there by midwinter!”

“You all sure about that? We’ve been damn well taking our time with this little burg, that’s for sure.”

“Oh shut it, Paul. You’re always tryin’ to be pessimisic, or whatever that words called. Can’t you just celebrate for once? When this is all over, we’ll all get the blessing!”

The whole group roared into a cheer. After weeks of lumbering around in a cold camp, most were all too happy to dine on the ashes of a crumbled resistance. Most, besides the brown-scaled commander sitting alone by one of the piers, shaking his head.

“I think that’s who we’re looking for, Vic,” said William, pointing at the brown dragon. “Batharr, right?”

Victor nodded. “That’s right. My father introduced me to him once, and the smell and looks match, I’m sure of it. He’s pretty friendly, but I got the feeling that he likes his food a little too much.”

William crossed his arms. “I can see that. Besides, what kind of name is Batharr?”

Victor gulped. “Ehh, it’s one of those old dragon names, I believe. All the other dragons have names like that, too. My father always tries to call me Vykroz.” The red dragon shook his head. Why does he insist on that name? I never asked for it, yet he doesn’t take no for an answer, ugh…

“Let’s go. Best not to keep him waiting.”

Careful to not accidentally rip it apart, William took the parchment out of the wooden tube, before leading the way to the brown dragon. As the two approached, Batharr turned his gaze from the seas. “And you are?” he said, the bass in his voice causing his throat to rumble as he spoke.

William stepped back. “U-Uhm, I’m, uhh, W-William, sir.”

Batharr tilted his head. “William? I do not know of any William. Are you lost?”

“N-No,” stuttered William, his face matching Victor’s scales, “I-I”

A grumble rolled out of the brown dragon’s throat. “You are. For your information, you can receive a hot meal on the Salmon Square. That is where your fellow citizens are. Please, there is much on my plate, so if you do not mind-”

“Wait!” shouted Victor, his left wing extending itself around his companion. “We’re here to deliver orders from my fathe- Lord Lothar, I mean. My apologies.”

“Hmm.” Batharr raised a claw to his mouth. “Ah yes, you are the son of Lord Lothar! The apologies are mine, I should have known better. How are you?”

Victor almost choked on his own saliva. “Oh, uh, I’m good, thank you,” he said. Batharr’s posture and tone had changed within an instant; from dull and grumpy, to upbeat and cheery, as much as his vocal chords allowed it, anyway.

“Now then, let’s have a look at this news, shall we?”

Batharr accepted the parchment from William’s hands, and raised it to his eyes. He wasn’t the quietest reader; rumbling growls kept rolling out of his throat, with ever greater intensity and frequency the longer he went on. Overtime, the expression on his snout returned to that of the grumpy oaf Victor had known him as. Alas, it didn’t stop at grumpiness this time.

“Ugh, that old golden bastard...”

Victor rasped in a breath between his serrated teeth. “Err, excuse me?” He seems to be rather upset. What has my father written?

The brown dragon shook his head. “Apologies again, I shouldn’t say such things about Lord Lothar. Sorry, but there’s times when your father gets a bit out of touch, that is all. His devotion to Draconism is commendable, but it has a habit of blinding him from reality. ”

“Well, what are his orders?” asked William, having found the courage to speak to the giant beast. “Does he want you to attack something else now?”

Batharr shook his head, the scales on his thick neck clattering against one another. “No, all his orders are related to the civilians. None of them make any sense. Either he hasn’t understood my correspondence, or he is being willfully ignorant to the situation. It’s irritating to no end.”

“Uhm, could you give some examples?” said Victor. My father wouldn’t disrespect someone like that, I just know he wouldn’t! There has to be some mistake here…

Batharr’s throat vibrated. “Well, he wants me to hold a victory march, and rally the citizens to the Draconist cause. Have you looked around the city for yourself? Most citizens have evacuated, and those who are left need more convincing than a little spectacle, that’s for sure. The battle here has worn on these poor people. There are souls that must be healed, people that need homes, and bellies that must be filled. Until then, we can’t just do as we please! We have to set things right, We have to restore what those imperial MONSTERS broke!”

Victor and William both took a step back. Batharr watched on puzzled, before realizing what happened. “...Sorry. Anyway, all I ask for is your understanding, nothing more. Thank you for bringing this to me. If possible, would you have any problem with bringing back my response?”

“Not really,” said Victor, tail-tip twitching back and forth.

Batharr smiled. “Good to hear! I will think up a response within a day. You can stay here for the night. We’re not exactly short on room here, you know.” A growly laugh emerged from the brown dragon’s jaws. The two shared a chuckle with him, Victor’s more reminiscent of Batharr than William. “Now then, I suggest you two make yourself comfortable on Salmon Square. We could use some extra hands to aid the common folk.”

William nodded. “That sounds good to me.”

Victor however, licked at his lips. “I’m curious though, what are you going to do now, Batharr? Is there not something more urgent that you could use our help with?”

“No.” Batharr shook his head, then revealed his sharp teeth in a smug grin. “Our blood brothers are out hunting as we speak, and I wish to join them. I have heard such magnificent things about the sharks that live in these waters…oh Divinity, that scent is heavenly!” the brown dragon rubbed his belly. “My apologies, but I cannot contain myself any longer.” With a lick of his lips, the brown dragon took off over the harbour.

It wasn't until a silent moment later that either reacted with anything more than stares.“That, uh, was odd,” William said.

Victor’s tail fell towards the ground. You could say that again, Will... “Well, I’ve heard from my father about his... appetite, but this is something else. I guess if there’s anyone who’d eat sharks, it would be him.”

“Look, over there, he’s already found something.” William pointed to the brown shape in the distance as it skirted to the water level. Moments later, a fish hopelessly flopped about in its claws, before it was devoured whole.

“I think it’s better if we go now. I’d rather not see how he, uh, goes to town.” If only he knew how much that gets to me… “Shall we go and help the civilians now? Before someone forces us to, I mean? ”

“Sure.”

* * *

As the two left the harbour, the temperature dropped further. Lone civilians scurried in search of shelter, patrols sped up their pace, and the two stuck close to each other hoping to keep one another warm. The thuds of boots and clicks of claws became evermore frequent; Salmon Square wasn’t far.

Silence greeted them when they reached their destination. Although the square was filled to the brim, no one had the courtesy for even the slightest ‘hello’. Just stares from people huddled together for warmth, a serving of mushy soup in their hands. A few volunteers were at work in the crowd, offering aid wherever it was needed. At a small kiosk in what used to be a cheap eatery, several humans were busy eating a meagre soup. Not the most appetizing soup, by the smell.

After a minute aimless wandering about, the two were approached by a middle-aged woman wearing Draconist robes. “Blessed servants of Divinity, how can I be of service?”

“Oh, we were asked by the Commander if we could help out here,” Victor replied.

The woman clasped her hands together. “Ah, most pleasant to hear! We’re rather short on hands here. Please, follow me.”

After a brief introduction, both were tasked with helping manage the crowd. The two went at this together, since neither knew what to expect. Their tasks didn’t consist of much besides answering questions, of which the locals had many. Most weren’t all that complicated, whether it be asking for a second serving of soup, a blanket, or if Victor could start a little fire for them.

Some however, had far more on the mind. They’d explain what had transpired during the siege. Many had been former residents of the now devastated countryside, and had been forced to leave behind everything they couldn’t carry by the imperial forces. Their homes, their fields, their shrines: Everything had been set ablaze, forever lost to the annals of war.

Thereafter, they were forced into the city. In a fear mongering speech, the imperial baron announced that everyone would be evacuated over the coming weeks. None of the peasantry had much of it though, given it wasn’t dragons who had razed their homes to the ground. The citizens of Frontier Harbour itself however rushed to be among the first to be evacuated.

Oh gods, those poor, poor people... Why would anyone do such evil? I don’t understand, first me, now them...

After a while, Victor couldn’t bear to listen anymore. They all became so tedious on the ears, and reminded him of his own story. Of quiet Riverside, which too had been wiped from the map. Of the perpetrators, who had met a cruel fate before his eyes. It was all too much to bear. Shielding his snout with a foreleg, Victor wandered off to sulk alone, dragging his tail over the cobblestone path. His retreat didn’t go unnoticed.

“Hello? Are you alright?”

Victor drew his gaze from the ground. The soft and gentle voice of a dragoness called to him, her scales basked a light lavender, a curious twinkle in her blue eyes. Her tail swishing behind her, she approached.

“Uhm, yes, I’m fine,” Victor stuttered. A lie, and not one he was convinced of himself. It was all he could do to distract from the strange sense of familiarity he felt, despite never having met this individual before.

“Are you sure? You look rather under the weather,” the dragoness said, as she nudged Victor to the wall with her wing. “Did something happen just now?”

“I just… ” Victor paused to gulp. “It’s hard to hear everyone’s story, all the suffering they‘ve gone through, that’s all.” He leaned against the wall, shying his head away from the lavender dragoness. I don’t like where this is going.

The dragoness sat down as well, and placed a claw on his shoulder. “Hm, but someone like you should be capable of handling that. After what you’ve gone through, with your friend, I mean.”

A gasp shot out of Victor’s throat. “H-How did you?!” was all he could reply with. Overwhelmed, his breathing became ragged, and his wings pressed into his back, unwilling to budge an inch.

The dragoness chuckled. “Calm down, there is no need to be afraid. I’m not out to hurt you, or anything.”

Victor’s heart pounded against his ribcage. It was a sensation akin to being an ant under a magnifying glass. “But… how did you know?”

“Well, I’ve actually been a little curious about you for awhile. So I simply asked around a bit, and got to know a bit about you. Honestly, I wanted to introduce myself earlier, but things didn’t turn out well, I’m sorry,” the dragoness said, gently rubbing Victor’s shoulder with a claw, eyes watching ever so curious as to the red dragon’s next move.

Urk… No wonder I’ve always felt like I’m being watched, there actually was someone watching me the whole time! Victor gulped again, as he struggled to return the lavender dragon’s peaceful gaze. “Well, I don’t know who you are, but thanks, I guess.”

The dragoness nodded. “My name is Celesta. I’m Wraldin’s daughter, if that tells you anything. I don’t think it does, but it’s nice to meet you anyway.”

“Wraldin? The prison warden?”

Celesta chuckled. “You got it. My father and I received the blessing together, and we’ve both been helping out those poor souls in the imperial army. Setting them back on the correct path, that sort of thing. It's really joyous to me. But I wanted to know more about you, actually. About your friend, I mean. Is it true that he was an imperial Captain?”

Victor sighed. “Yes, that is true. But he wasn’t just a faceless captain, like you probably believe. He was my friend. No, he was more than that...” A tear slid down the red dragon’s snout. “You wouldn’t understand… I’ve known him for half of my life. He’s always been a good friend to me. Always cheered me up, always helped me out… and then I...”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” murmured Celesta, as she nudged Victor into a quiet alleyway, away from prying eyes. “I’ve heard a lot about what transpired from Commander Raghes. I cannot imagine how that must feel.”

Alas, empathy did little to still what had been awakened. The dreams, the echoes, the memories, they all returned to punish him. To betray those who loved him the most… nothing could ever be more insidious. No matter how agonizing and spirit breaking it was, a beast such as himself deserved so much more.

“You shouldn’t be doing this for me… ” Victor sobbed, “How could you ever forgive me, after what I did to h-him…”

Celesta laid a claw on Victor’s neck. “Victor,” she said, to the red’s surprise: it was the first time she had uttered his name. “You don’t have to feel this way about yourself.”

“B-but...”

“No, trust me. I don’t like seeing someone suffer so, I won’t allow it. Everyone deserves a shoulder to cry upon. And I’ll gladly offer you my own.” Celesta patted the blue-eyed dragon on the shoulder. “If you ever need me, I’ll be there for you. Got it?”

Victor sniffed. “Y-yes… I understand.”

It was then that an all too familiar scent crept into the alleyway. “Victor? Are you there? Um, who are you?”

The purple dragoness’s tail-tip twitched back and forth. “I’m Celesta. And you must be Victor’s friend, correct?” she said, a toothless grin on her snout. “Pleased to meet you.”

William bit his lip. “Oh, um, hello. What’s wrong with Victor?”

“He’s a bit ill, I think. Perhaps hearing about all the death and suffering from the locals did it. It’s okay though, everyone needs a break once in a while,” Celesta replied. “Do you want to say something yourself, Victor?”

Victor breathed in deep, before letting it all back out. Sometimes, there exists nothing as refreshing as a nice breath of fresh air. “Sorry, Will. I hate having to be such a burden on everyone, but,” he paused to shake his head, “Reality gets to me sometimes. To think that I still had everything in order just a few months ago, back home with my mother and little sister, and my friends, and now they’re… they’re all gone.”

William stroked the dragon over his sleek nose. “It’s okay, Vic. Be glad you’re still here, even after everything. I’m happy you’re here.”

After everything, a small smile grew at the corners of Victor’s mouth. “I’m glad to hear that.”

Rotten leaves swept past the two dragons, carried by a strong wind. The skies above had begun to darken; night would soon be upon Frontier Harbour. “It’s getting late. Come, you two, why don’t we help everyone settle in for the night?” Celesta said.

Victor gave a timid nod in reply. “Sure. But I’d like something to eat, too.”

Celesta laughed. “Of course, that was part of the plan. A dragon such as you needs to grow strong, after all.”

An hour later, after all the civilians in Salmon Square had been fed, Victor was treated to a meal of fish. Although he still had his doubts about eating a living being, it was acceptable enough. His taste buds didn't protest, that much was certain. Three fish vanished down his throat before he knew it, to William’s amusement. It was another confirmation that yes, it truly was Victor under all those scales.

With everyone else asleep, the two friends found a place to sleep by the other volunteers. Celesta was there too, and decided to lay down next to Victor. He didn’t know how to feel about it, and instead focused on keeping Willam warm under his wing. Just before sleep overtook him, Celesta gently tapped him on the tip of his tail with her own. A final comforting gesture, to face whatever dreams the night would bring.