With his unceremonious dismissal, Victor ventured back into the city to search for the orphanage. Alas, neither Raghes nor Lothar had bothered to steer him in the right direction, rather letting the city guards pick up their slack. After asking a few people, Victor found himself in the southwestern quadrant, facing a jolly building decorated with children’s drawings.

Let’s see here, a garden covered in toys, painted wooden front… this must be it. If that guard was right, anyway.

With slow steps, he approached the double doors guarding the building. A look over his shoulder revealed nothing but unconcerned locals busy with their own lives. Victor gulped. The idea any ordinary person would accept dragons was a strange concept still. From myth to common sight within a few months; it must’ve been jarring. At least, for him it was.

Okay, here goes. This won’t end badly, this won’t end badly...

Victor was as gentle as possible with knocking on the door. Not long after knocking, the doors opened. Oddly enough, there wasn’t anyone there to greet him. Victor found it strange, until a voice came by his feet. “Hello, mister dragon.” It was a boy of some seven years, timid and big-eyed, staring up at the large horned head hovering above.

“Oh, hello,” Victor said. “I was wondering, is this the Dawnspring Orphanage?”

The boy shied away a step. “I don’t know, mister.”

Victor’s teeth scraped against his pointed tongue. “Okay, well, is there any chance there is someone I can speak to that does know these things? Like your, ehh, the caretakers, yes,” he said, before his teeth once again skirted by the tongue. As if a small child would know these things, come on Victor…

Given the awkward expression on the child’s face, Victor couldn’t have been far off. “Umm...”

“Oh, hello there!”

The awkward standoff was broken by a woman, who ordered the boy away from the door. From her simple hair and modest clothing, nothing about her truly caught Victor’s eye. An ordinary lady with a heart for children, it seemed like.

Once she had escorted the boy away, she returned to the red dragon at the doorstep. “Apologies for the crummy introduction, we’re a busy household. I suppose you are Victor?”

Victor nodded. “That is me, yes. I was asked to stop by here. I don’t know why, but apparently it was important enough for my father to deliver the message.”

The woman nodded. “That is indeed true. Please, follow me. Don’t be shy about making yourself feel at home, by the way.”

With an approving nod, Victor followed the caretaker indoors. Bright drawings covered the inside walls much like they did on the outside; a comforting warmth was present in every room of the building. Children ran around playing games with one another, all under the watchful eyes of the staff. Victor couldn’t help but smile a little. It was irresistible.

Even the smells were agreeable. The wood, the fireplace crackling a room over, it was like being home again. But there was also a familiar scent hanging about, one all too fresh on the mind. Yet the other scents served as its cover, alas. After three rooms, the woman raised a hand next to her mouth.

“Hey Cel, your friend is here!”

Upon turning the corner, a gasp escaped Victor’s throat. The purple dragoness from Frontier Harbour lay before him on a thick carpet, lounging by a fireplace with several children playing or napping by her side. “Victor! How nice it is to see you again!” she said, opening her wings in an inviting manner.

Victor was flabbergasted. “Wait, you are the one who asked for me? Why?” he said, then shook his head. What have I gotten myself into now…

Celesta chuckled. “No need to be so shy, you know. Come, there’s plenty of room here, and it’s nice and warm, too.” She pushed herself back across the grey carpet, careful to not stumble onto any of the children carelessly playing on around her. Victor eyed the void in the carpet for several seconds, before giving in.

“Alright. Is there anything else I can do for you, Cel?”

“Well Maggie, if it is okay with you, I’d like a little privacy here. Just to make it easier for him, that’s all. Is that okay with you?” Celesta replied. not the faintest shake or vibration visible. Victor’s eyes dawdled away towards the corner of the ceiling; it was the lone response he could think of.

The woman nodded. “Sure thing! Alright everyone, come with me, I’m afraid Miss Celesta has something to attend to, so we better not get in her way.”

The children responded with big-eyes and weak protests. “But I wanna play here!” one said. Alas for them, no fairy was there to grant their wishes, and they had to leave the room. Once everyone was gone, Celesta tapped Victor on his foreleg with one of her talons.

“Hey there. Are you feeling alright, Victor?”

The red dragon held his forelegs right before his vitals. “I’m fine. Why do you ask?” he said, still looking away to the dusty ceiling. They should really have a look at that. All that dust can’t be good for someone, let alone children… not that this’ll get me out of this mess.

Celesta’s throat rumbled. “Hmm, are you sure about that? Because I’m not getting that feeling from you, you know.”

“What do you mean?” Victor asked, feigning ignorance. It wasn’t going to help much, given that Celesta already saw through his supposed wellbeing. Still, the last thing he wished for was for someone to crack open his soul like a walnut. Alas, Celesta appeared to be doing just that.

“Well, when I met you in Frontier Harbour, and you told me your story, I couldn’t help but feel there was more to it. Something deeper. It’s not just about your friend, but… it was like you felt terrible in your own skin, if you understand what I mean. I could be wrong, but that is honestly what I'm thinking, and it made me worried about you. I don't like seeing someone feel so bad about themselves, you know.”

Victor remained silent for some time, before letting out a sigh. How did she know? “It’s true, I suppose. I haven’t been very happy with myself for some time now. And believe me, I’ve tried many times before, nothing has helped me all that much,” he said, scratching at the carpet.

The purple dragoness laid a paw on Victor’s. “But what has caused that? Surely it couldn’t have come out of nowhere, could it?”

“No, it didn’t,” Victor said, “it’s all because...”

The red dragon snapped shut. Here he was, caught in between a rock and a hard place. Would it truly be wise to admit everything so easily? Celesta appeared friendly enough, and honest about her intentions given her chosen path in life, yet Victor remained on edge. The idea of spilling his guts alone sent a melting sensation through his body. But Victor didn’t want to lie. Not to himself, nor to her. The blue eyes ahead watched on, patiently awaiting an answer.

“Yes,” Victor said, his voice shaking slightly. “It’s because of my… the change. Ever since it happened, there’s been this ugliness in the back of my mind, and I can’t get rid of it.” A sunken look materialized upon his snout, all by itself.

“Ugliness? But why, Victor? Shouldn’t you be a lot happier right now? I mean, that’s what Divinity’s Blessing did for me. And, everyone else I’ve met, for that matter,” Celesta said, lowering her head a little. “And yet, despite you accepting the blessing too, you’ve only gotten sadder.”

Victor shook his head. “I didn’t ever accept anything. It was forced onto me.”

Celesta gasped. “Forced? Divinity almighty Victor, I never heard of such a thing! Who could do something so cruel? Does your father know of this-”

The red dragon raised a claw before his face. “He doesn’t just know it. My father was the one who forced this on me to begin with.” A chill shot through the dragon’s spine, eliciting a jolt from his wings. Celesta shook her head.

“Lord Lothar himself… My goodness, and I struggled to wrap my head around him having a son at all. That’s crazy, Victor. Why would he do that to you? Did he even ask you beforehand?”

“No.” Victor hung his head low, struggling to find further will. Only the soft crackling of the fireplace lingered in his ears, it’s warmth spectrelike. Celesta used her talons to gently stroke him on the foreleg. It was a small gesture, but nevertheless one he appreciated.

“No, he did not. He said I had been poisoned, or was sick, I can't remember. And he said he had a cure for me. Something was off, but I went along with it. It was my father, after all, and I hadn't seen him in years. You could imagine my horror when I walked into that temple, surrounded by a horde of dragons chanting, and that massive altar front and center. When I was forced up those steps, and those enormous flames arose, I thought that was it for me.”

“Please continue.” One of Celesta’s facial muscles cringed.

“After stepping out of the fire, I wasn’t quite sure what happened. All I can remember was this incredible noise, before winding up in an enormous hall with a dead goat at my feet. Then, something within me just snapped. I don’t know if it was the eating sounds, or seeing my new hands, but I couldn’t take it anymore.”

Victor let out an exhausted sigh. Celesta eyed him with a gaze of disappointment, one mixed with enough sadness to see who it was directed towards.

“You know, I didn’t think those of my faith possessed such cruelty. We weren’t meant to be blind worshippers, like the Justitians, and yet...” She sighed. ”Why did your father do this? After all his wisdom, I honestly can’t believe it. It’s like he had become a different person when he found you.”

The red dragon raised his head back up. “I can’t say that he did it out of malice. Given what he has done to himself and others whenever I was in danger, I think that is clear enough. Maybe he genuinely believed I would accept this curse with open arms, for reasons I do not understand.”

Celesta shivered uncomfortably on the carpet, as if an old wound had reopened. Victor wanted to ask her, before turning back to his own words. Curse. That must’ve been a heavy blow for someone who has been practicing the Draconist religion for years.

“My apologies for saying it like that, but… that is honestly how I feel about it. I don’t want to be a dragon. I want my old body back, Celesta. You might not approve of that, but that is my honest intention.”

Celesta shook her head. “No, I can respect that. But, I wouldn’t hold my breath for it, if I were you. Little is known of the Draconist rituals and what makes them work, only that they work. From what I’ve heard, the reversing ritual requires a cold place. And a good priest willing to do it for you.”

Out of the blue, Victor jumped back to his feet. “There’s a first for everything, isn’t there?” he asked, the hearth shining in his eyes.

Surprised, Celesta too stood back up on all fours. “Wait, are you certain about this? You know it’ll be difficult-”

“I know. And I’m more than ready for it.”

Victor’s blunt response wrote the story to its conclusion. Even though he knew little about the road ahead, if it meant undoing the great mistake of his life, he was prepared. I’ll get my old body back alright, just wait and see.

“Hey, Victor… I was wondering, can I come with you?” Celesta said, her tail-tip twitching back and forth.

“Wait, you want to come with me? Why?”

“Given that you’d be entirely alone otherwise, and that you don’t know what you’re doing, I’d say you could use a hand, you know.” Celesta grinned.

Victor sighed out in dumbfounded relief. “Ugh, well then, I wouldn’t have any problems with you coming along. Do you have any idea where we should start searching?”

Celesta nodded, as she walked over to an empty wall opposite the fireplace. “According to what my father once told me, there’s an island off the northwest coast of Lokahn. It’s named Frontier Island. The winters there are about as cold as Lokahn can get, and if the rumors are true, there should be an old temple there. We can do the ritual there in secret, without any crazy fanatics there to get in our way.”

“Frontier Island? But how do we get there?” Victor pondered.

Marble white teeth revealed themselves on the purple snout. “Why yes there is, it’s this nifty invention called a boat. I believe you have seen them before.”

The red dragon groaned, prompting Celesta to cackle out loud. “Alright, alright, you got me there...” Ugh, how did I not see that one coming? “Anyway, do you think they’d let us just lend a ship to there? Or is there some sort of ferry service we can- Can you stop laughing already, please?”

Celesta suppressed her wheezes as best she could. “I’m, I’m sorry, Victor, you’re just too good, you know? Anyway, there should be a transport leaving the port or something, we can ask around a little, yes?”

Victor nodded, then turned to face the way out. “Alrighty then. I guess we can start asking around today. We’ll see what happens.” This is going to take forever, I can feel it...

* * *

“This place ought to do the trick. Prepare yourself, William.”

The blue dragon descended into a patch of woods, a lone piece of untamed nature amidst the farmlands surrounding Westedge. What few leaves remained would soon wither into the soil alongside their fallen brethren. The dragon’s passenger held on tight to the scaled neck, out of fear the winds would best him. The winds today had been frightful so far, and things didn’t seem to be improving. Even the slightest push backwards was enough to evoke a panicked response from William. After some time of nonstop turbulence, Raghes’ claws connected with the surface, where he lowered himself onto the leaves to allow William to climb off his back.

William’s first instinct was to observe the vast stretch of farmland, now obscured behind the trees. “Never thought it was possible to clear out so much land,” he said, his hair waving in the wind. The blue dragon stifled a chuckle.

“Hah. My friend, you ought to go out east once the war is over. If you find this surprising, wait until you have seen where I used to live,” Raghes said.

“Oh, I can imagine. But it’s odd how there’s still a few patches of trees around. And it’s strange how all that separates the farms and the woods is that little watery ditch, and how no one has expanded any further than that line.”

Raghes grunted. “That is by design, actually. These little patches are to prevent land disputes from coming up. Farmers are a bit fast and loose when it comes to their land. What's more, we’ve explicitly forbidden the mass clearance of the forest from that point onwards. Clearing the wilderness drives away the wild, after all. My brethren need to hunt regularly, and I’m afraid these fields do not sport any valid prey.”

“Valid prey? ” asked William, teeth scraping along his cheeks.

“Oh, a variety of things. Your typical game animals such as elk and deer of course, but also the predators such as bears, snowprowlers, that sort of thing. Snowprowlers especially, they’re rather reclusive beasts, but a fierce foe. But that is besides the point.”

A gust sped through the fields, reaching the small sanctuary at a rapid tempo. William’s blond hairs waved in the wind as the wind slid past like a knife, sending his skin bubbling. “Nrrgh, it’s getting cold. Why did we have to come all the way out here again, Raghes?”

The blue dragon draped a wing around the bowman, peering over his shoulder by instinct. “Ah yes,. I wanted to discuss something with you in utmost privacy, which unfortunately meant having to get out into the cold. Oh well, it’ll make you a little stronger. Now then. I believe you may have heard of our plans in the shrine, correct?”

William nodded. “Yes, the ‘eastwards push’, or something to that effect.”

“Correct. With our armies reinforced and rested, the time has come at last to push beyond these mountains. Our goal is to push the Justitians back from all lands west of the Stejer river, to the coast in the south. There is much ground to cover, and little in the way of cover. Every step eastwards will also mean a gradual thinning of the forest. What granted us victory at Westedge will be our doom now. The Justitian artillery will turn even the bravest dragon into mincemeat.”

“Uh huh. But what does this have to do with me, exactly?”

“That comes now.”

Raghes slowly lowered himself onto the ground, his wing now forcing William down towards the ground as well. “Remember, Western Lokahn is rather desolate. Some villages, a few towns, and the odd city, nestled like islands in an open sea. Now, those forests are going to be crawling with imperials waiting to ambush anything that moves. This is where your talents come in." Raghes tapped onto the crossbow attached to William's belt.”

William reached for the crossbow attached to his belt, and proceeded to hold it out in front of him. “How, exactly? You just said there won’t be a lot of open field combat.”

Raghes nodded. “Indeed I did, but this will not be your typical military campaign, my friend. Our strategy relies on a number of archer teams leading the way, ambushing imperial forces whenever they are found. In theory, the lack of sight will not be a problem, but a boon.”

Another cold wind riled up William’s skin, even with Raghes’ wing acting as a shield. “Okay... But why did you need to discuss this with me? I’m freezing.”

“Because I have an offer for you. We need leaders for these groups, and you would make for an excellent choice. You have a history with hunting, so navigating the wilderness should not be a problem. And you’re no stranger to firing bows, of course.”

“We need your help, Will.”

Raghes had thrown his gauntlet down before William’s feet, gazing peacefully in search of an answer. William bit on his lip. Deep down inside, he was anything but confident of his supposed leadership. Part of him believed it was all a fluke, a thin veneer before blood would be drawn. But did he truly have a choice? The blue dragon insisted on putting him at the helm of this new offensive. A dangerous offensive, whose true nature remained unknown. Alas, to anger a dragon would be a death sentence.

“Okay… I’ll do it.”

A smile appeared on the dragon’s snout, as he raised a claw up to William’s face. “Excellent, my friend! We have much work to do, but I have faith that we will emerge victorious in our endeavors. By the grace of Divinity, we will train our men as is needed. You and me, this will be a valuable cooperation, I can feel it. Can't you?” He stroked one of William’s cheeks with two talons.

“Yes,” William replied. But it didn’t help matters much. It wouldn’t be the first time he found himself unable to say no to a dragon. And the whispers on Westedge’s winds told many more similar stories.

“Alright, I think we’ve stayed out here long enough. Come, Will.”

With a timid nod, William climbed onto Raghes’ back, and folded his arms as the blue dragon took off. Beyond the eastwards cliffs, the forests of western Lokahn beckoned. The calm reigning over them would soon end.