Fate of the Marked

How to bring down a Dragon

The rain fell steadily, pattering against the invisible dome of the shield spell hovering above our heads. The four of us walked side by side along the muddy road, our boots squelching in the wet earth as we left Velbridge far behind. It had been a few hours, and the sky was already dimming, heavy clouds turning the evening into an early night.

Kael, of course, was the first to break the silence.

"So," he began, glancing around the group, his voice full of that familiar, irrepressible cheer. "What's the plan if we meet a dragon on the road? You know, just... hypothetically."

Bram let out a low chuckle, his hammer shifting on his shoulder as he gave Kael a sideways look. "Kid, if we meet a dragon on the road, the plan is simple. We run."

Kael blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Run? But you're, like, the big guy with the hammer! Aren't you supposed to... you know, fight?"

Bram shrugged. "A dragon out in the open? Not unless you've got a death wish. You pick your fights, kid. In case you didn't notice, we're a bit outmatched in size and firepower."

Kael frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the answer. "I thought the whole point was to kill the dragon, not run from it."

I smirked, not bothering to hide my amusement. "You'll learn, Kael. Survival first, glory second. If Bram's running, trust me—you should too."

Kael looked at me, his expression somewhere between skeptical and incredulous. "You really think I can't handle it?"

"I think," I said, tilting my head, "you'd make a nice snack for a dragon. Quick and bite-sized."

Bram let out a loud laugh, slapping his knee. Even Lyara chuckled softly, though she gave Kael a more sympathetic smile.

Kael groaned, running a hand through his damp hair. "You guys are brutal."

"That's the job," Lyara said gently, her voice calm and measured. "Dragons aren't like bandits or rival adventurers. They don't care about tactics or fairness. They're raw power and instinct. It's not about whether we can fight them—it's about when we choose to fight them."

Kael seemed to mull that over for a moment before muttering, "Still sounds like running to me."

"You'll get used to it," Bram said with a grin, adjusting his hammer. "Or you won't, and you'll end up crispy."

I snorted, hiding my laugh behind a cough as Kael gave Bram a mock glare.

Lyara, ever the voice of reason, spoke up again. "It's why we work as a team," she said, glancing at each of us. "Every one of us brings something unique to the fight. Bram's strength, Thalia's magic, my support... and you, Kael, have agility and speed. Together, we can do this."

Kael perked up at the compliment, his grin returning full force. "See? Someone gets it."

"Don't let it go to your head," I said, rolling my eyes. "You're still the rookie here."

"Rookie with potential," he shot back, winking at Lyara. "You heard her."

Bram shook his head, his voice rumbling with amusement. "This kid's gonna be the death of me."

"Not if you keep running," Kael quipped, earning another round of laughter from Bram.

As we trudged on, the road stretching out endlessly before us, the banter made the dreary weather feel a little less miserable. For a moment, the looming danger of our mission felt far away.

The rain continued to patter on the shield above us as we trudged along the muddy road. My curiosity finally got the better of me, and I glanced over at Kael, his usually cheerful face unusually quiet as he walked a few steps ahead.