Mash followed Fate’s gaze upward, though he hadn’t detected anything within his domain yet. However, he could see what she did. A tiny white spec that he thought was just part of the clouds, moved irregularly. It grew slowly as it descended, and Mash could eventually make out the outline. Wings, a tail, and a long neck revealed the creature to be what he expected.

[Ythass is there too.]

Priscilla’s message made him search the skies, and he saw another smaller spec approaching too. It circled the larger one, spiraling around it like a gnat. Mash watched them and waited. The others joined him as they caught on to what he was looking at. Once they got close enough to make out completely, Mash finally got to see the kind of dragon he wanted to. He could feel a power within the creature that could rival the aspects, and he knew that he finally met a real dragon.

Well, a dragon that wasn’t undead, young, or weakened. Toroken had been the closest thing to a real dragon he had ever seen, and even he had been little better than a shadow of his former self. Mash could see that now as the large white dragon entered his domain. This dragon was a being of power made manifest, and Mash could feel the touch of an element about her. It was something he hadn’t been able to detect in Toroken or Ythass. This was a being of light. Not in the sense of justice or goodness but of light in its primal nature. That very light which filled the sky, which could illuminate even the darkest corners of the world. He felt that light within the dragon, radiating from her with such power.

As the dragon got even closer, Mash could make out blue eyes that glowed softly with a hidden light. Her scales were white or silver, or some blend of the two, and they were just as unblemished as Ythass’s scales were. The difference here was in their size. This dragon was easily bigger than Toroken, even bigger than Mash had been earlier. She was so big that she couldn’t quite land perfectly on the island, and her tail splashed into the ocean in the distance. The dragon glanced down at him, her head was as big as a small castle, and her gaze was domineering as her presence.

Ythass landed a moment later. She seemed small in comparison to the other dragons.

[My mother has come herself. She is old.]

Mash didn’t need to be told that, but he gave Ythass a subtle nod as he waited for her mother to say or do something. She seemed content to just stand and look down at them. Was she waiting for something? Apparently, she was, because Toroken slowly rose upon his feet and dipped his whole body forward in a kind of half bow. It was basically just a nod. That seemed enough though.

“Toroken, what has happened here?”

Her voice was deep, and her words seemed vast. His whole domain could feel them, and he felt like he would be able to hear them halfway across the world. This close to her, he felt like each word was somehow resonating with him. Toroken replied, though his voice didn’t carry the same weight behind it.

“I have returned to life. Brought back through, Mash’s skill.”

He spoke and Mash felt it when Ythass’s mother’s gaze turned to him. Her blue eyes sparkled, and he felt an ephemeral pressure fall on him. And oddly, he felt like the dragon didn’t like him for some reason. Mash decided to leave the talking to Toroken for the moment. Ythass’s mother stared at Mash for a moment longer, then she turned back to Toroken and gave him a similar look. After a few moments, she spoke.

“No, not returned, but renewed.”

The dragon seemed content with that explanation, but it just grated on Mash’s nerves. The way that Toroken nodded in understanding only made it more annoying, and he decided to try a comment.

“Could you explain what that means for the rest of us... please?”

Mash realized that a comment like that wasn’t exactly polite and tried to salvage it in the end. Every other person was giving him a type of look for that comment, but he ignored it and met the dragon’s gaze. It was difficult considering the size difference, and he found himself staring into a single eye. Odder was the fact that neither of them needed to blink in a traditional sense. Like the dragon, Mash had a secondary, transparent eyelid for flying and the like. The outermost eyelid was simply used when he wanted to sleep, rest, or pretend. This meant that they just sat there staring at one another for a few moments before the Dragon deigned to answer his question.

“You are even younger than I had first felt. But yes, what you have done isn’t revival, but rebirth. You have given them a new life, a fresh start, to make changes as they see fit. In a way, it is a more incredible gift than a simple revival, and yet it is less too. They have lost all that they had earned in their life, but in return, they can now hone their powers as they see fit. You gave them the opportunity to change, the freedom of it.”

When the dragon spoke of his aspects, she said it with clear intention. Each time she spoke a word that represented her icon, Mash felt it react to the word. He felt it too. The urge to call them out and to challenge whatever power the dragon represented. He was surprised by that feeling, and he didn’t let it out. He focused on the dragon’s words and thought it made sense. Toroken responded simply to the proclamation.

“I will grow once again. But perhaps, not here.”

Toroken spoke and glanced in Mash’s direction with the statement. Mash raised an eyebrow, unsure what the dragon wanted.

“I would like to live in your world if you would allow it.”

Toroken caught Mash’s question before he got the chance to ask it. Mash didn’t hesitate and nodded. He wanted to add conditions and ask if Toroken could protect the people there, but he couldn’t make the demand. His words got stuck as if they had been taken by something invisible. The touch of his aspect was rough, and he still couldn’t adjust to it properly. Although, to his surprise, it was Ythass’s mother that spoke.

“Toroken will not jeopardize your world in any way. He has always been too kind for his own good, and even should he grow in power, he would never grow violent or cruel.”

Mash was surprised by the kind words of the dragon. It wasn’t like he really knew her, but he somewhat believed that dragons would be too arrogant for comments like that. The stories and speculations of the creatures were clearly even more exaggerated than he initially thought. Mash spoke up.

“Wait, that’s not the issue. I have no control over my world. I mean that literally, one of my aspects prevents me from doing anything controlling. The world still does change when I do though. At least that’s what’s happened so far. Oh, and there are people there already. They are really peaceful though.”

Mash couldn’t make the comment he wanted to about the balance of power and how it would change with someone like Toroken. He would probably still accept the dragon, but he wanted some assurances. Yet, he couldn’t ask for them directly. It seemed like any hint that he wanted a promise or equivalent from Toroken was out of the question. Thankfully, he wasn’t alone, and his friends had a good idea of what he was thinking. Lisa walked up to Mash, and he nodded at her.

“If I may speak. Mash can’t do anything to stop any of you from just conquering his world, short of killing you. Toroken, Valeria, and your people if they do go will all likely be more powerful than the inhabitants already present there.”

Lisa spoke, and she had chosen to revert a little to a more formal speech. She was clearly acting deferential to the dragons, which Mash couldn’t fault. They were terrifying beings, and Mash was surprised to see Lisa talk in front of them. The simple fact that she could stand and talk here made her usual timidity even more odd. The dragons regarded the statement as did Valeria. Valeria spoke up.

“I can watch over my people easily enough but is there anything we can do other than give you a verbal promise? It sounds like Mash’s nature will stop anything more than that.”

This was the problem that Mash was burdened with. Valeria summed it up in that single comment. In the end, anything Mash did or decided upon would be entirely on him. On whether or not he could or couldn’t trust someone. It was something he was decidedly bad at. Seeing Mash’s hesitation, Luke approached and rested a hand on his shoulder. Mash turned to face him and saw a familiar expression. One of pain and uncertainty. Luke had worn a similar expression many times.

“They are good people. They might make mistakes, we all do, but I trust them. If they betray that trust, then the fault will be mine, not yours.”

Luke spoke with a soft certainty. Mash searched his face and saw his friend again. That was enough for him, and he nodded.

“Okay.”

If there was anyone Mash could trust, it was his friends, and he still considered Luke among them. He wouldn’t be the one to give up on his friends. That resolve built in him. He nodded at Valeria and Toroken who both seemed to be aware of the trust placed on them. Toroken stood a little straighter, Valeria’s ears were stiff as if to show that she was listening attentively. Mash looked at her and then at everyone, that was one matter settled. Ythass’s mother was still here too, so Mash decided to ask the question he had held back on before.

“Can we fight?”

He spoke, turning to face Ythass’s mother directly. In his domain, he saw the way that Ythass twitched at the comment. Several others turned to him in complete disbelief. Jill’s mouth hung open, and Red was obviously trying not to look in his general direction. Lisa, Toroken, Valeria, and the black-furred beastman from before were smiling though. They either shared his desire for a good fight or were just amused by his antics. Ythass's mother looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. Then, she laughed. The dragon’s laugh was like the rumbling of a storm. Mash wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.