Vernon roared and crashed to the ground like a meteor. His knees bent and absorbed the impact; the soldiers he landed on screamed and scattered.

“Sera, we should leave now,” he said as he swiped his tail and knocked over a company of a dozen soldiers. Sera was surrounded by burning buildings and clouds of ash hung in the air. Soldiers encircled the town, trembling as they watched the two dragons. Sera snorted and flew up into the air, breathing a frigid air filled with icicles at the soldiers one last time. Vernon spread his wings and leapt after Sera.

“They’re starting to respond now; it’ll be dangerous if we continue,” Vernon said, “Grimmoldesser’s already heading back.” Sera didn’t respond, but she continued to fly south; blood dripped from her body and a few scales were missing. Below them, the plain’s previous green and brown appearance had transformed into a sea of ashes and scorched earth.

###################################################################

“Dustin, why don’t they kill all the dragons?” Tafel asked.

“That’s impossible,” Dustin said.

“But why? Couldn’t we kill them if every SSS adventurer went?” she asked.

“Dragons aren't stupid,” he replied. “They’d just fly over and burn our capitals to the ground while the adventurers are still traveling through the wilderness trying to get back. There’s not that many groups strong enough to fight against a dragon. Besides, everything in the wilderness is hostile towards us. It wouldn’t be easy to get to the dragons with a large group.”

“What if we teleport?”

“Too much mana,” Dustin said and shook his head, “believe me, the adventurer’s guild has thought about it many times.”

“But-“

“No buts; besides, the dragons keep the scary things in check,” Dustin said.

“Aren’t the dragons the scary things though?” Tafel asked while tilting her head.

“Nah, dragons usually don’t bother us; it’s only in the past few years they’ve been acting up,” he replied. “Something must’ve made them angry.”

Tafel nodded. “Never make a dragon angry,” she said then paused and asked, “What’s the scary thing then?”

“Maybe you’ll find out when you’re older,” Dustin said with a smile as he ruffled her hair.

###################################################################

“I don’t like this,” Vur yelled as he dodged a mandible that was as thick as a tree. “Make it stop.”

Lindyss smiled as she sat on the edge of a thirty-foot deep circular pit with Snuffles sitting in her lap. The moon was bright and shined on a figure shaped like an ant chasing a speck of black in the pit. Countless ant corpses littered the floor. Lindyss yelled down, “Watch out, there’s another one behind you.” A pair of mandibles sprung out of the sand and moved towards the speck.

Snuffles snuffled and looked up at Lindyss. “Don’t worry, he’ll be fine,” she said as she rubbed his head. A few seconds later, the ant pounced on the speck and the speck disappeared.

“Oh, it looks like he got eaten,” she said. “I guess I spoke too soon.” She placed Snuffles down and stretched before jumping into the pit.

A few minutes later, a naked boy covered with slime was crying on the top of the cliff. Lindyss looked down at Vur and asked, “Do you see why you need a weapon now?”

Vur shot her a dirty look and wiped the snot off his face with the back of his hand. Earlier that night Lindyss told Vur about weapons and Vur claimed he didn’t need one saying, “I can blow up anything with magic.” He was covered with honey and thrown into the first antlion pit they found.

“That wasn’t fair,” he said. “There were too many of them. I ran out of mana.”

Lindyss laughed. “Fair doesn’t matter if you’re dead,” she replied. Vur frowned, but didn’t say anything.

“Go take a bath; you smell like stomach juices,” Lindyss said and pinched her nose.

Half an hour later, Vur smelled better and was lying down after eating a giant scorpion. “Where do I get a weapon?” Vur asked.

“Oh? The mighty dragon needs one now?” Lindyss asked with a smile that showed her fangs. “What changed your mind?”

Vur pouted. “You were right,” he said.

Lindyss pat his head. “Of course I was right. I’m always right,” she said and took out a dagger. “You can have this.”

Vur took the red dagger and ran his fingers over the runes etched on the side. “Most blue mages use swords, but you’re kinda minute,” Lindyss said. “Its name is Lust.”

Vur looked at her and asked, “Where should I keep it?”

“In your pants.”