Dragon Hunter

Chapter 62: Cold Waters

Cooper frowned as he looked out at the unsettled gray waves of the northwestern Atlantic. Even in summer, the ocean that separated Newfoundland from mainland Europe was cold and uninviting. Back in technology's heyday, they'd just fly across. Now ... well, now they would have to take a boat across. At least, until Saddahk finished mapping the planet for magical leylines and they could just form a dragon gate to wherever they needed to go.

He looked down as that thought passed through his mind. Maybe it was just as well that they needed to take a boat. Forming a dragon gate with the planet crawling with imps would just throw up a flare and announce that they were there, operating outside of imperial oversight. Which meant they were with a dragon that wasn't allied, or subservient to the Empire. Which might just warrant an investigation by imperial assets.

All things considered, that was the very last thing he wanted happening right now. While he was more than willing to kill more dragons, he didn't need the imperials to be wise to the fact he was hunting for the Crown. Especially since Kennedy had yet to show up and inform them of such.

"Man, this is so fucked up," Morgan muttered as she stepped close to his right. "You and me, hunting dragons with a bunch of dark elves."

"Never in a million years, eh?" Cooper asked with a lopsided grin as he looked over at her. Returning his look with a brow lifted, Morgan abruptly snorted when she realized he was being facetious.

"Never," she said, a hint of a grin on her own lips. Then she gave him a quick look over.

"Weird clothes, rocking swords and a crossbow instead of your Sig and Glock, and able to speak dark elf and dragon. Looks like you've had your D&D moment."

Cooper chuckled dryly.

"And then some," he said wryly.

"Good thing it suits you. The rogue adventurer look," Morgan said, her grin widening.

"Thanks, I think." Cooper sobered and looked back out over the ocean. "I know for you it's only been like a half hour since I stepped through that gate with Keth and the rest of his paladins to begin the quest for the Crown. But for me, it's been almost four months, spent mostly in the Garden fighting imperial dragons in an attempt to save the Noriquien and earn a portal back to my universe."

He sighed and barely resisted the urge to rub his face.

"I've seen some shit, Morgan. And I've done some shit." He looked back at her. "And the only way it didn't make me go insane to experience it was to focus on finding the Crown and getting back to save what's left of Humanity."

"That's a helluva burden, Coop," Morgan said, her expression sympathetic. "You shouldn't have taken it on by yourself."

Cooper snorted.

"Yeah? You see anybody else running around, killing dragons with single shots from a fifty cal that I could share it with?"

"Well, no. But you know what I mean," Morgan said. Cooper sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, I do." He looked back out over the uneasy waves. "Not sure if it was because I was mentally ready and willing to do whatever it took to save us humans, but the spell the Confederacy cast picked me to be the dragon hunter. Nobody else."

"True." She gave him a nudge. "But you got me now." Morgan then snorted a laugh and jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

"And you have them. A Sidhe elf from a long dead civilization, a dark elf priestess, a dark elf wizard and a badass dark elf warrior. Not to mention, a Primal silver dragon running around in wereform, bending reality to his will. All ready and willing, to use your words, to help you carry that burden and find the Crown. Hopefully before the imperial spy you left stuck in time for a month, shows up and tried to take it from you."