I Guess I'm a Dragon Now (Part 1)

The Dragon and the Fairy

"Help! Please help me!" Ergen heard a voice cry out, though it seemed to be in a strangely high pitched tone. "Please!"

"We cannot interfere." Another voice spoke, and Ergen slowly opened his eyes to see the most of the animals had left the grove. He'd already been there for three days himself, and he was beginning to think that he'd finally found a place that he could call home. Though, he guessed that he would think differently if there were noisy neighbors such as this.

"Please! Sheera is an elf! She's one of the fae, so please help her!" The woman with the high pitched voice pleaded, and Ergen was surprised when he saw that it seemed as if the druid was speaking to nothing but a floating golden light. Though upon looking closer, he realized that there was a tiny woman in the middle of the light, being suspended in the air by two overly large wings for her that were each as brightly golden as her long hair. Though while the fairy may have been beautiful to some, she was smaller than even an ant to Ergen and she seemed to be distraught for some reason which completely ruined her complexion.

Moving his head so that he could look at the to people talking, Ergen yawned lazily he listened to the pair. While it was none of his business, this was the first conversation that he'd heard since he'd become a dragon, and it would most likely be the last for a while as well as he didn't plan on meeting any more people for some time. Sure, he felt lonely because he was always travelling alone, but that wasn't going to end any time soon if he judged his situation from his past experiences. Yes, the only one he could speak to was Echo, and he longed to see her again.

"Even if that is so, we cannot get involved in the invasion." The druid said regretfully. "If the forest seemed to be siding with Ligan, then they will attack us as well and the forest will be annihilated."

"But she's one of the forest folk. We can't abandon her!" The fairy cried, making Ergen feel severally uncomfortable as she started crying.

"The only thing we can do is reach out to the spirits of nature and pray that they watch over her." The druid continued. "You may plea to the spirits, but as a whole, we cannot help you."

"No..." The fairy fell to the ground with her voice sounding full of misery. And while Ergen did somewhat feel sorry for her, the grove's effect soon started to effect him again, making his eyes start to slowly close as he began to fall asleep again. However, he was woken back up by a moving light as the fairy picked herself off of the ground and quickly flew over towards a large bear that seemed scarred from years of battling.

"Please! Please help me save my friend!" The fairy begged the bear, though it didn't seem interested as the bear snorted at her and rolled over.

"Please! Just help me find the elven refugees and they'll help her. Just help me reach them!" The fairy pleaded to an albino stag next, though the creature showed the same reaction as it turned around and walked out of the grove. After that, the fairy did a complete circle around the grove, asking almost everything for help save for Ergen as it seemed as if she hadn't seen him. Although how he didn't know, though he soon lost that thought as she suddenly fell from the air and collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily as Ergen could tell that she was already exhausted. He couldn't use magic himself, but he guessed that it must have used stamina just like every other activity as the fairy panted on the ground, seeming to give up as she recovered.

"Someone- Anyone- Please-" The fairy asked in a hoarse whisper before she started crying. And while all of the other animals in the grove simply looked at her, Ergen grew more and more uncomfortable.

While he didn't knew the names of any of his friends or family from his past life, he still remembered his old habits now. He knew what his personality was like, and he also knew what bothered him. And Ergen could tell now that, not only in his last life, but apparently in this life as well... he couldn't resist helping a crying woman.

With the urge to get up and comfort her battling with the desire to stay and sleep in the grove battling in his mind, Ergen started to grow restless as he didn't know what to do. Though eventually the grove's desire lost and Ergen struggled to get up, causing several nearby rabbits that had gathered near him to scamper away as he stood and started walking over to the fairy. And now that he was standing over her, he realized just how tiny and fragile she must have been as she seemed almost like a tiny insect beneath him. And if she wasn't still glowing slightly, then he most likely wouldn't even have been able to even see where she'd landed.

"Am I to assume that you will help her?" The druid from before asked as Ergen looked at her. The only thing he could do to answer was nob before the woman surprisingly bowed shortly towards him. "Then I will thank you now. Even if we cannot help ourselves, this Sheera is still one of the forest folk... one of the fae's children. Thank you again, noble dragon, and know that the blessings of the fae go with you."

While Ergen was wondering just what the blessings of the fae were exactly, the druid walked beneath him and leaned down towards the crying fairy, who apparently hadn't even heard him approach. Although, he didn't know how seeing as he was at least the size of a building now and most likely just as heavy. She didn't stop crying until the druid scooped the fairy up in her hands and smiled at the small woman warmly.

"Your efforts prove fruitful, young fairy." The druid said as the fairy wiped her eyes. "You're sincerity seems to have won you a powerful guardian to aid you."

"A- (sniff) A guardian?" The fairy asked in confusion as she looked up at the druid.

"Look." The druid then looked up at Ergen's head, and the fairy turned around as well, apparently confused at first as she saw nothing but his feet before she looked up to see his head looking down at her.

"A- A frost dragon?! W- w- what's a frost dragon doing in Ligan?!" The fairy let out a stuttered yell of surprise with her eyes growing wide as she backed away on the druid's cupped hands.

"Why he is here may be the will of the fae, or a complete chance even." The druid responded. "Regardless, he seems to be intelligent and also also willing to help you."

"Help...?" The fairy asked almost to herself as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Though, she soon snapped out of it as she looked up at Ergen with new-found determination. "Please, my friend has been captured by the invading frost trolls! I- I don't know what they plan on doing to her, but she needs help! Please help me rescue her!"

Frost trolls? First it was orcs and now trolls... More than anything, Ergen wished that he could know the relationships between each of the races of this continent, or that he could speak so that he could ask. However, since she'd said that the trolls were invading, perhaps this would work out in his favor as well? After all, if he helped the humans and elves against a group of invading monsters, he could potentially become allies with them himself. And if he did that, it would be one more threat dealt with.

Lifting his front right claw, Ergen held it out similar to the druid's hands. And after looking at it as if she still couldn't believe what was happening, the fairy smiled brightly before leaping between the hands. And once she was on his claw, Ergen reached up and allowed the fairy to jump onto top of his head, knowing that it would probably be the safest place for her to ride seeing as she was still exhausted.

"I'm sorry, but I'll thank you later." The fairy suddenly sounded urgent as she laid down on Ergen's head. "But for now, please hurry! They could kill Sheera at any moment!"

Understanding how worried that the fairy must have been, Ergen didn't wait any longer as he nodded shortly towards the druid and she moved out of his way. And as soon as she moved, Ergen started walking forward out of the grove and back into the snow where the mist from before seemed to have cleared. However, once he was outside the fairy on top of Ergen's head started giving him directions in which ways to travel. And while he knew that he wouldn't find her friend without the directions, the fairy seemed to be naturally domineering as she would actually try to punch the top of his head whenever he accidentally messed up her directions. And after the third time of getting a punch that he couldn't even feel, Ergen sighed to himself, wondering just what he'd gotten himself into as the new pair headed off into the forest.