Standing between the Dragon and the City, rain began to fall. The combination of my ice magic leaking out and the dragon's fire magic turned the weather. The Dragon looked at me. "You're human, but you smell strange, " the dragon said in a woman's voice. I smelled myself. "Do I smell? I thought I bathed last night," I said to her, and she squinted at me.
Then I asked, "Why are you attacking the Dragon Kingdom? Aren't you related to these people?" The dragon took a second look. She saw the Dragon Knights' guardians setting up for another attack. "I thought this place was a human Kingdom. The smell is everywhere." She said, looking back at me. "I am human, but as you can smell, we are a different breed."
I told her, and she saw my party beginning to close in. "Don't worry about them, they won't attack unless I do," I warned the Dragon, and she seemed to doubt my warning. "What brings you here, intruding upon my family's land?" She asked, and I told her about my party being summoned to this world from another. The dragon looked skeptical about the story. Until Princess Mayan and her Mother arrived to stop the dragon.
"Mighty Lipus, this man speaks truthfully. He was brought here by mistake. Please refrain from attacking him further, or we will be forced to intervene. He is a member of the Kingdom and a friend of the Royal Family." Queen Leeah said, bowing her head. The Dragon looked at me again, and she stood straight up. Then she turned into a small dragon woman. She looked almost like a blue version of Queen Leeah.
She was beautiful, but her aura scared me. She took a closer look at me and then looked at Princess Mayan. "He's a strong human; maybe he can…" She stopped talking and went over to Leeah. They are gathering again, bigger than before. They even have new heroes from another world." Lipus said she and Queen Leeah looked angry.
I looked around and saw everyone glaring at me. It was as if they assumed I was the cause of it. "My Lady, what is your request? From what I understand of the humans in this world, they are untrustworthy." I asked her, bowing my head to Queen Leeah. She stared at me for a moment. Then she told me, "Guard my city and protect my youngest daughter." She told me, and I nodded, preparing for what would come.
Days later, after that surprise attack. Lipus got to spend time with my party. She understood that my kids and I were truly not like the humans of the old days. We were more understanding and willing to learn about this world. Joan spent a lot of time with the Dragon. Telling her stories of our world. Of how it wasn't so different than this one. With the wars and chaos following the humans wherever they went.
Lipus seemed to enjoy her company. I was spending my time building my new training hall. After a couple of hours, I went to check on the Royal family.
After a week of hearing about the movements of the humans. I came across a training army of Elves and Demons. They were training to take on the human's magic. To what I understand, the combat magic that the humans had created was devastating. All they knew was to destroy anything not human. That's the one thing that I hated about my kind. Even in my old world, the humans did the same thing.
"Human spy, don't you leave?" Yelled a Demon man, I looked at Mayan, who came with me. We were on a venture out to the lake near the capital city of the Dragon Kingdom. The lake was about five miles away from home. The Demon looked over and saw Princess Mayan. He recognized who she was, then asked her. "Princess, are you this spy's captive?"
He asked her and she laughed. "No, you idiot, this is Adventurer Jack Hunt. He's my bodyguard. You'll not treat him like an animal." Mayan said to the soldier closest to us. He tried to grab me after she warned him to leave me alone. But his warning went out one ear and out the other.
He tried to move me, but got his hand knocked away by the Princess. The guy looked stunned that she did that. Then we heard, "Why are you maggots not preparing for the drills?" Said a very familiar voice. I looked to see that the former King Elven Xume was approaching us. Princess Mayan grabbed my hand and wanted to get away from him. He noticed that I was in the commotion, and then he saw Mayan. "Oh, Jack Hunt, I heard you were smitten with the Princess. Why are you both out here?" He asked having the soldier around us leave for training.
"Well, we came out here to get away from the city for a couple of hours. What are you doing with all of these soldiers?" I replied and ended with that Inquiry. With a dignified huff, he observed the party's somewhat ungainly progress across the valley, their destination the rather inviting expanse of green bordering the lake. I put two and two together, "Ah, you must be training for that possible war coming this way?"
I examined the drills they were about to do. The Elf nodded, "Yes, we got orders from the Demon Queen Rose and the Elven King Lio. They want us in tip-top shape when we meet with their armies at the summit." Xume explained to us the importance of this meeting. I looked at Mayan, "I think I should be present at this meeting." I told her, and she looked confused as to why. "I thought that you were going to protect my city?"
Mayan asked me, and I felt her worry. "I don't trust them one bit, the humans, I mean. From my knowledge of my kind, we harbor hate and love to conquer if we think we can. I'm just worried that they might pull out of the meeting." I told her and she agree'd then I told her. "Would rather I protect her with the others. Or stay here wondering what might happen?" I asked, and she had her mind made up. "Okay, then you go, but I want Joan and your party to be my guards."
She and I broke down the plan as Xume listened to us. He thought that our plan was a good one. Then he asked, "Jack, do you think the humans haven't changed?" I looked at him and smiled, "A tiger can't change its stripes unless it paints the gaps in. A tiger is still a tiger." Xume looked at me like I was crazy. "What does the even mean, Human?" He questioned, and I laughed, "It means evil doesn't change. They just pretend to be nice until they see an opening to attack."
I warned Xume, and he now understood what I was getting at. "What kind of training are you doing by the way?" I asked Xume, and he told me they were doing some magic combat training. Trying to merge magic and sword skills to create something devastating. "Do you mind if we watch?" I requested, and Xume nodded. I made a chair from my ice magic and sat with Mayan. We watched the soldiers run about.
Unleashing magic attacks that were hurting the casters as much as their opponents. One attack I saw was a blade of ice on a spear. It made it longer and weird to handle. The Demon woman who was welding it lost control of it. I had to step in and stop it. I caught it and dissolved the spell with my magic. The woman looked defeated, so I told her how to use magic. The way she was aiming for.
"Don't overthink it, it's not very difficult." I showed her what she was looking for with her spear. I created a huge blade on both ends. She looked shocked that I could use my magic like that. Mayan, I heard her laugh. "Mother was right about you, A scholar and a gentleman." I smiled as the Demon woman blushed. "Be slow with this magic and you'll be fine. Remember to let the magic energy flow freely. Don't stop it like everyone's been trying to."
I said, and Xume came up to put his input in, but stopped. "Jack's idea is correct; attempting his method could improve everyone's chances of understanding this newfound power." He told the troops, and I smiled. "Couldn't have said that any better. Maybe I can help here and there with this training. All of my kids can use this type of magic very effectively."
I said to Xume, and he wasn't shocked that my Partymates knew this magic too. But Xume ultimately agreed to have me help with training. So I went home after taking Mayan back and wrote down lessons for a week. To get everyone at least to the beginner's stage of combat magic. After a day of me in my office, Princess Mayan came by to check on me.
I was napping in my big chair near the window. I was overlooking the construction of my new training hall. I was having a good dream, I was dreaming of a quiet life with Mayan. I woke up to Mayan bringing me a cup of tea. I looked at my desk to see if I had finished the lessons. I did and had it all ready to hand over to Xume.
"Did you sleep well?" Princess Mayan asked me, and I shrugged. "I had the strangest dream. Not sure what it was about, but it made me feel nice," I said to her, telling her how it felt. She sat down on my bed and listened to me. Then I got the call to go with Queen Leeah.
I left and headed to the castle. I handed a messenger in the castle my lessons for Xume and the army he was forming. The man looked over at Mayan. "Please get this to General Xume of the Elven army training near the lake. Tell them that this is from Jack Hunt." She ordered, and the man grabbed the lessons and stuffed them in his bag. He bowed, then ran off like he wasn't even here.
Accompanying the Queen to the meeting was my duty, with twenty of her most trusted followers behind me. Consequently, she entrusted me with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of her soldiers. Mayan saw us leave for the meeting. She looked only at me, and I smiled at her. Making the Bratty Princess blush as I got back into the carriage.
Queen Leeah was drinking tea and watching me get worried. "She'll be fine, sir Jack. Your kids are in charge of her protection." She told me, and I shook my head. "No, I'm worried that Lucy is going to be a pest. She hates it when I'm gone too long." I said, worrying about my actual kid. Leeah covered her mouth, laughing at me. "Princess Mayan will be fine with that little one. She used to watch over her younger cousins back when she was little."
Queen Leeah told me, and I sat back in my seat. I rested my eyes for an hour, keeping my ears awake. The trip to the location of the meeting was half a carriage ride away. So when we arrived, it was dark. I stepped out and helped Leeah out of the carriage. Everyone looked at me, then at the Queen. Everyone bowed and grabbed their belongings. Well, except for mine, they let me carry my stuff.
Queen Leeah was going to say something, but I stopped her. Grabbing my sword and bag, I throw them both over my back. We went to our rooms. I set my bag down in the corner of the room in a weird position. After checking on the Queen and finding her guarded, she stopped me and instructed me to inspect the entire building.
I followed her order and checked every spot I could go. Then I heard people coming down the hall. It was a bunch of humans in royal attire. They all saw me walking by in my new formal sleeping attire. (Black silk pajamas, with a black cap.) I looked like a royal kid out for a stroll. A tall man (standing at least seven feet tall) came up to me. "Sir, what are you doing out of the servants' quarters?"
He asked, and the rich-looking man next to him took a look at me. He isn't he human who was sent to that Dragon Kingdom. Poor man became her Royal pain's plaything." He joked, and I left a bit of my ice magic hit the wall near my left. Cracking the glass window. "I am the summoned one from the Kingdom of Dragonus. And for your information, I am a friend of the Royal family and currently acting as their security detail." I said as respectfully as I could. The third person next to the rich guy was a tall blonde woman. (Wife of the rich guy?) I wondered, looking around at the three of them.
The big guy took my hand and saw my scars. Then squeezed my arm to check my muscle. "He's a threat, sir, if we don't get him under control. He'll thwart our plan to conquer this land, too." The guy said that he should have kept quiet about it. I pretended that I didn't hear him and watched the dumb conversation happening in front of me. It was like a bad sitcom on TV. They acted like their looking away, and them talking was as if I couldn't hear them.
I almost laughed, thinking about the Mayan. Then the woman who stopped arguing saw me smiling. "Sir, who are you?" The woman asked, and I told her. "I'm Jack Hunt. Why do you want to know?" I asked her and she shrugged. "We are here to meet with the three kings of this continent. Knowing one of the soldiers is a necessary part of it."
She told me, and I laughed, knowing why she had asked for my name. As I said goodnight to the three humans. I headed right over to the Queen. She was getting ready for bed. I told her about what I just heard from the humans. She looked shocked, then placed her right hand on my head. "Spirits of Dragonus bring forth the past and allow these memories to come forth!" Chanting a spell, she sought to view the human's conversation memory.
When she saw my memory, I could feel her anger build. Her long claws tore at my skin for a moment. "My Lady, please ease up on my head," I said to her, and she let go, smiling in embarrassment. I laughed a bit, then she asked. "What should we do?" I stood back and suggested that we let them show their colors. To also let the Queen of the Demons and the elven King in on the information.
Leeah agreed and sent a message to her allies. I headed right to bed and got up before anyone else. When I woke up, I heard loud pounding on my door. I got up, then I saw a couple of the human guards waiting for me. "Are you the human with Queen Leeah?" They asked, and I saw they had cuffs. "Yes, what's this about?" I answered back, and they brought up a scroll with a royal seal.
"We have found one of our guards beaten and bloody this morning. Allegations indicate that the individual responsible for guarding Queen Leeah is accountable for the incident. This situation is deemed unsatisfactory and necessitates an immediate, formal, and thorough investigation." He said, holding out his hands with the cuffs. I looked over and saw Leeah's door guards knock on her door.
The queue to let her know our trap had been set. I shook my head, "You are kidding me, right, after saying goodnight to the Duke and his wife. I came right here, you're going to have to force me to put those on." I threatened both guards then they reached for me. I heard Queen Leeah's door swing open. It crashed against the wall, cracking it and breaking the heavy wooden door. "Jack, please don't force this. We can question this female Guard at the meeting. Guards, seize him and get that so-called attacked human to the wake up the other Royals!" She commanded, and I went with her plan.
She took me into a room with the King of Elves and the Queen of the Demons. "Jack, these two are King Lio and Queen Rose. They are caught up in the details of what you witnessed last night." She said, introducing me to the King and Queen. They looked at me and I bowed my head. Queen Rose got closer to me and smelled my skin. "Ah, you have Princess Mayan's scent all over you. Are you two an item?" Queen Rose asked me, and I blushed.
"Quit teasing him, Rose, this man is in real trouble for the moment," Leeah said to Rose, and she backed away from me. "They have moved with him, hurting a female guard. I can inform you that he was resting in his room all night after we talked." She told the two rulers next to me about what just happened. Then she asked, "What do you want to do, Jack?" She asked me and I smiled, "Let's have you use your magic to show them. Show the humans how dumb they are. Show them that we knew about their plan."
I said that, and Leeah agreed to what I suggested to her. She then told everyone how she was going to catch the humans. An hour later, I put on my cuffs and we went to the meeting room. The meeting first started with treaty talks. I waiting in the hall with both Leeah's guards and the human guards. Then I heard the Duke say, "No, bring in the accused of battering a Guard of my esteemed personal security." He said with a smile, I felt the human guard hit my shoulder to move. I turned to him, and he looked spooked. But he told me to march.
I followed his order, and the Duke began his rant. "This man has been accused of beating and defacing the female guard protecting my wife. The woman said that the human protecting the Dragon Queen was the offender. I have seen the evidence and believe execution is a necessary course of action." He started with, and I felt my anger beginning to build up. I froze the air around me as Queen Leeah got up from her chair. She walked over to me, and I bowed my head.
"I've known Jack for two years. Ever since he came to our world from another world. He is kind, strong, and a very good father to his adopted daughter. He would never hurt anyone for no reason. He would hurt you to keep his loved ones safe. What I can tell you is 100% true about him. (Leeah places her hand on my head like last night. Then she starts the chant as a projection plays the memory she saw yesterday.)
It showed the conversation, and everyone heard what the Duke said. Then it showed me talking to Leeah about this plan. Then it showed me taking my shirt off and going to bed. Then it showed a quick dream of me with Mayan. I smiled as Leeah looked at me with a smile of her own. Then I woke up to the knock on the door. Leeah took her hand off and scolded the human diplomats.
"You accuse a trusted friend and hurt your own to start another war? If you think you're going to win, I bet you'll fail!" She yelled as I broke out of the cuffs and released the ice-cold air at the duke. He stumbled back, then he packed up with things and took off with all his guards. We waited until it was time to leave. I glanced at the three Rulers in conversation. They noticed me, and King Lio approached. I bowed, and he bowed back at me. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that today. But, with exposing a plot to take over our homes. You've saved us from calamity, thank you, Sir Jack Hunt."
He told me, and I shook his hand. After that, we headed back home. When I went through the front door of my home. I saw Mayan with Lucy. They were drawing pictures on the kitchen table. Then I saw Mayan's worried face. She told me she was getting stalked by a Duke from the Trade city to the south. I sat with her, and she seemed down. "I will not let him hurt you, my dear. You know that, right?" I said, placing my head on her forehead. She touched my face and smiled.