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“Dragons can be found in the hearts of all men. In each of us is the craving for power and wealth that raises and topples nations. It is no exaggeration to say that all great men have had stronger Dragons than most hiding inside them. But just because someone is great, does not mean they are good."

-Anonymous Lord on his rise to power. Circa Year 232.

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Two men sat silently in a well-worn shop lined with shelves full of eclectic items on display. Along the walls and hanging from the roof were unlit oil lanterns. They didn't need the light from them because the sun's rays reflected off the snow outside and lit up the inside of the shop through its large windows. Sitting on matching wicker chairs, the men used a similar table to hold their drinks. Kramer, the new owner of the shop, pulled a vintage brandy out from under the building along with a sack of ingredients that Banyan left here. While Kramer was chugging the alcohol, Banyan was busy mixing the ingredients in the table using a mortar and pestle.

“So, this girlfriend of yours killed Finlay and his entourage?" The portly man asked.

“Yes."

“And that spell made her go completely bonkers, and now she's planning to kill the entire town?"

Banyan laid his tools on the table and looked up at him. “Yes, that's what I just said."

Kramer gazed at him for a moment, shrugged his shoulders, and took a large swig of his drink. Then he offered the bottle to him. Banyan shook his head, but Kramer persisted.

“Come on, lad. This may be the last drink you have before that nasty witch of yours guts you like a fish."

Reluctantly, Banyan grabbed the bottle and took a sip. He appraised the label and recognized it almost immediately.

“You know, I was saving this bottle for a special occasion. I'm probably not going to get a better moment to enjoy this."

Kramer hummed while he took another sip, then he adjusted his seat so he could lean forward.

“What's this stuff you're mixing? Gonna poison her?"

“Nothing so crude. It's an alchemical mixture that will theoretically allow me to disable her ritual. It only works if I can set it up before she activates it, so I'll have to deal with the first ritual more directly. Probably just have to destroy the crystal I gave her so she can't reuse it on the next one."

Banyan passed the bottle back to his partner and got back to work on the mixture. It was one-fourth copper and one-half gold. Then some animal fat to bind it, and some magical flame to finish it. Luckily, he could take the principles of the firebolt spell and modify it a little to allow a longer but lower-powered output. A constant gout of flame blazed from his fingertips and he drew a circle around the bowl until it turned a scarlet color.

Kramer whistled. “You could make a nice Crème brûlée with that trick of yours."

"Hmph. I hope to teach everyone to do stuff like this someday. Imagine if anyone could light a fire with their magic?"

“Sounds like every kid who pays attention in school could be an arsonist."

Banyan scoffed. “I won't argue with you about this. Besides, I'm done."

He held up the bowl of finished ingredients and began sifting it into a nearby bag. Once he used half of the bowl, he tied up the bag and dumped the rest into another bag. Finished with his portioning, he handed a bag to Kramer.

"This is for you. I have more than enough in this bag to do what I need to do. Can you do me a favor and walk to the south end of the village? About one hundred paces from the furthest building you should feel a tingling sensation when you pass by the runes. All you need to do is spread the ashes around at the pole and I can do the rest."

Kramer took the bag and held it aloft pinched between two fingers.

“Oh, and try not to drop it. The final mixture is sensitive and might explode pretty violently if it impacts anything."

Kramer flinched at this information but kept his hand steady. He placed his other hand under the bag and gently cradled it next to his body.

“And what will you do?"

“I will lay this dust on the other end of the circle, and then I will destroy the ritual in her home. I'm hoping that the blowback will put her in a better state of mind."

“And if it doesn't?"

His silence spoke louder than any direct answer could have. Kramer held out his hand toward Banyan.

“It's not often I meet another merchant who I like, let alone one who has morals. That you would sacrifice yourself to save these ungrateful people instead of fleeing or joining her in her madness says a lot about you. I wish you luck, Banyan of Timber Plains."

Banyan nodded and shook his hand. He had a firm grip that most likely contributed to his financial success. They say the first impression a person makes sticks with you forever, and handshakes are much more important than most people think.

“Don't be afraid to run if I fail. Someone else needs to know if she succeeds here."

Banyan turned toward the door but stopped when he saw a toolbox on the shelf. He rummaged through it and grabbed a hammer, pocketing it before heading out the front door. He hoped it would help him as a tool, and not a weapon.

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On his way to the cabin, Banyan did what he said he would and spread the dust at a key point of the ritual circle. He had enough dust left over to do it again if he wanted to. The snow had stopped ages ago, but the hills of alabaster powder remained fixed except for where his earlier footprints had disturbed it. The trail he and Saahira walked was already almost as thin as a deer trail since they were the only ones who used it. Now though, he was the only one who used it and it acquired a new layer of snow every day.

Under the shade of the massive forest surrounding it, Saahira's cabin looked like a creature lying in wait to ambush its prey. Making no attempt at stealth, he trudged up to the door and waited. When nothing happened, he carefully reached under his coat and pulled out a key. The lock released with a click and he pulled the door open, swiftly rushing inside.

“If she didn't open the door for me then that means she's not here. I need to act quickly!"

Banyan crouched down and threw the rug across the room, revealing the familiar trap door underneath. On the door's latch was a thick iron lock. Banyan grabbed it and cursed when he felt the familiar sensation of magic emanating from it. He examined the lock with his new senses and got a feeling for the runes placed on it. With a push of his will, Banyan let his magic into the lock and let it worm around the magical pathways. When it encompassed every nook, he quickly expanded it and destroyed the runes. A magical lock may be indestructible to physical trauma, but any mage could overwhelm something this small.

“Now is the time for physical violence." Banyan pulled out his hammer and smashed the lock once, then twice. Each clang of metal on metal sent harsh vibrations up his arms and rang powerfully inside the cottage. Finally, the heavy lock snapped at two points and Banyan tossed it aside. He grabbed the latch it was attached to and pulled the trap door open, using his other hand to support it until he threw it open with a loud thud.

The wooden stairs creaked at his intrusion into the hallowed cellar. Banyan trudged inside with minimal tact but slowed down when he noticed the horrendous green light bathing the room in its presence. Once he reached the bottom of the staircase, Banyan turned the corner and saw the ritual in all its glory. Atop the pedestal floated the source of his problems. A perfectly cut lime gemstone slowly spun, bathing the room in green light and magical energy. The familiar sensation of its putrid magic crawled up and down his spine. His eyes fell toward the floor and caught onto the glowing runes carved into the floor.

“Of course! It's so obvious how she put it together. Saahira's always been smart, but this is nothing like the ritual outside. I could do this pretty easily."

Banyan took a step toward the circle but froze in place when a voice purred behind him.

“Betrayal is its own circle of hell. You realize that don't you?"

Banyan spun around and his heart leaped out of his chest when he saw a gigantic Lynx gazing down at him. She took one large step toward him, pushing him toward the circle.

“Where the hell did you come from? I didn't sense any magic on you."

“A simple spell." Saahira waved a finger and her body briefly flashed with light. A wave of translucence passed over her and ended once it reached her feet. “It only works when I'm standing still, but that's fine if I'm waiting to ambush a conniving little rat such as yourself."

“What else do you expect me to do?! I know what you're planning. You can't just murder all of them because of what they might do!"

“And why can't I?" she poked his chest with her thick claw-tipped finger. “I have the power to do whatever I want with them, and soon I'll have the power to do anything I want period. Might makes right, little merchant. And I am very mighty. If you're right, then smite me. Destroy me and prove you're right and I'm wrong."

Saahira threw her arms into the air as if to say 'Well, what is it?'

“I can't believe it. What happened to the woman who wanted to save others? I remember you coming into my shop every single day and explaining all the interesting things you were going to do to help people. Whatever happened to those ideas?"

“They died the day those guards did. That naïve girl died the day I realized that innocent people are killed over such petty differences. I won't allow that to happen to me again."

Saahira took another step forward, pushing Banyan back until he was stepping on the green-glowing runes.

“I just need you to bleed onto the circle, then I can be rid of you forever. You could have joined me in godhood Banyan. Instead, you gave it up for them."

A bead of sweat rolled down Banyan's forehead and distracted him. Saahira capitalized on his hesitation and grabbed his wrist with incredible force. He felt like she was going to break and twist his hand off! Under the haze of pain, Banyan focused his energy and prepared to throw a firebolt in her face. It wasn't going to work though. He knew instinctively that it would only delay the inevitable. The real problem was the gem. That damned…

Banyan turned around as much as Saahira would allow him to and aimed his free hand at the gem. Saahira went to strike him with her claws, but an arrow of flames exploded out of his hand and struck the gem. The instant it made contact; the gem shattered in a furious emerald blast that threw them onto the floor. The energy inside the runes died, and the cellar went dark except for the light coming from out of the trapdoor. The chaos of their scuffle made the stillness that followed incredibly unsettling.

“Congratulations merchant. Your death will be slower and more painful now."

The familiar green light emanated between Saahira's fingers and suffused her form. From his position on the ground, she looked like a magical war god about to unleash her power.

"I-It's too late. Even if you kill me here, I've already destroyed the gem. You don't have any other catalysts to use for your ritual around the village, and I doubt anyone here would help you. I told Kramer everything. He'll have the King's men on you in no time once he learns you've killed me."

Pure fury radiated from her eyes, then her features softened, and she chuckled. It was deep and terrible, like a large drum beating against his ears.

“You think a tiny thing like that could hope to contain the power of a ritual that size? The plan was always to use my own body as the catalyst. I've been charging the ritual myself for the past month, and today is the day it's finally ready!"

Banyan sat up but froze when he heard the crackle between her fingers escalate. He was stuck. There were no spells he could conjure before she blasted him to cinders. His only hope was whatever he had on hand. A hammer in his robes? It would take too long to pull out. The bag of dust? Now there's a thought. Banyan made an obvious motion with his eyes and stared intently behind Saahira. The Lynx cautiously turned her head to follow his gaze. It wasn't much, but it gave him enough time to work with.

Banyan ripped the bag from his belt and threw it at her. Her reaction was quick, but the bag still hit her hand hard enough. The alchemical powder exploded into crimson flames right in her face. Banyan saw his chance and jumped to his feet, sprinting toward his freedom. His hearing was smothered by the sound of lightning hitting the cellar walls and barely missing him, while his eyes were temporarily blinded by the light from outside. Still, he leaped up the stairs and burst through the doorway without either of them.

Once he regained his senses, Banyan felt the bite of the cold wind on his face. Then he heard two sets of feet running across the snow. The giant Lynx was probably hot on his tail, though he didn't dare turn his head. He just had to keep running and pray for the best. Right now, he didn't have a plan beyond survive the next few minutes.

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The snow-capped village looked like a picturesque depiction of small-town life during winter. Every building had a perfectly even layer of white covering its roof. Windows were boarded up to preserve heat, and nobody bothered to stay outside longer than they had to. This was convenient for Banyan considering he didn't want anyone harmed during his pursuer's rampage. The snow, however, made it difficult to blend in thanks to the dark cloak wrapped around his body. Still, he swerved right at two buildings and ran between them into an alley. Instead of stopping to catch his breath, he pushed himself to the opposite edge of the building and hid behind it.

Heavy crunching announced the presence of his hunter, followed by her roar. “Banyan! I know you're hiding in this village somewhere! If you won't come out and fight me, then I'll destroy this place with you in it!"

Banyan didn't see it hiding behind the wooden wall, but he felt an immense magical power explode from her position. A tidal wave of mana flowed under his feet and encompassed the ritual circle. The runes on the edge spread inward until they covered the entire village. Their red light blazed under the snow, allowing anyone to see them clearly. A loud crackling sound came from behind him. He dared to look back at the main road and saw Saahira engulfed in red electricity that flowed up her feet from the circle. Another loud burst of lightning came from his left, and Banyan gasped at the sight of a gigantic pillar of crimson lightning flowing from the edge of the village up to the clouds. He turned his head again at the sound of another rising to meet the first, then another, and another, and another. Finally, he spun around to face the alley, and the very angry set of golden eyes lying at its end.

“There you are." She said with such impassivity she could be mistaken for someone about to squash an insect.

Unfortunately, Banyan hesitated and allowed the giant Lynx to dash toward him and close the gap between them. He took a hard right and ran toward the center of the village, barely avoiding being tackled by her immense weight. Behind him, the monster slipped on the snow trying to turn his way but managed to get a grip after landing on her hands and galloping on all fours.

“Running in a straight line will kill me. I need to sneak between buildings."

Ahead of him, he recognized the blacksmith's shack. Between that and another similar building lay a small alley for stacking firewood. Banyan aimed for it and squeezed between the wall and the stacked firewood. He hit his head on a few metal tools hanging on a rack above him. A set of tongs hit the dirt, but he forced himself to continue. Behind him, a powerful _ SLAM _ shook the roof back and forth and knocked dust, snow, and metal to the ground all around him. Banyan snuck a glance behind him and was shocked at the sight: Saahira was too large to fit into the crevice between the structures. She had grown even larger during their chase!

“I need to capitalize on this." Readying his spell, Banyan aimed his fingers at her head and concentrated. A flicker of light formed at the tip of his digits and he launched an arrow of flame that hit her in the shoulder. The flames exploded and left that part of her robe in tatters, but her fur was otherwise untouched.

“Pathetic!" She screamed at him, struggling against the timber blocking her path. “You call yourself a mage? You're nothing! You're-“

Saahira opened her mouth and light spilled out of it. Banyan felt the heat coming from it warm his skin, and he instinctively took a few steps back out from under the shed. The heat grew more intense, then a roar escaped her jaws, and a whirlwind of flames tore their way through the alley toward him. Banyan leaped aside and barely missed getting cooked. Still, the heat was so intense that when the pillar of flame passed, he felt like he was being cooked alive. He huddled in the snow and covered his head hoping to find respite from the heat. Eventually, it died down and left him lying in the cold snow. His back felt like it was on fire, but his front was chilled by the ground.

Banyan stood up and got a look at what was leftover. The blacksmith's building, his alcove, and the neighboring building were set ablaze. A column of black smoke rose above the village, obscuring his view of the lightning pillars behind it. Just as Banyan decided to move away from the burning buildings, the smoldering mess exploded and threw burning chunks into the air. What rose from the remains of the structure wasn't a Lynx. Her fur was falling out in chunks, with bright red scales replacing the skin underneath. Her ears were pulling back, and a black horn was growing out of the side of her skull.

“Banyan! You coward! Face me like a real man!" bellowed the monstrosity.

Deciding to do the opposite of whatever it suggested, Banyan spun around and ran down the main road. Luckily, the road had less snow covering it thanks to the village's daily traffic. Unluckily, the snow had turned into a slush that made running on it a challenge. He slipped but managed to stay on his feet. His muscles ached in protest; no doubt the ritual was starting to drain him. In a last-ditch effort to protect himself, Banyan used the momentum to turn around and prepare another firebolt. If she hadn't looked like a Dragon before, she certainly looked like one now. Standing in the middle of the road, it looked like a Dragon wearing a Lynx costume that was crumbling to dust. Her white fur was falling off in large patches and replaced with harsh reddened skin or scales.

“Nowhere to run now!"

The Dragon raised her scaled hands and spoke an incantation with her guttural voice. Banyan fired off his bolt and hit her in the chest, but it did nothing. She wasn't even distracted by the impact long enough to cancel her spell. Recognizing the danger, he jumped to the side right as she finished her chant. Instead of anything he could produce, Saahira summoned a fireball where he once stood.

Many people, especially the non-magically inclined, often confused the firebolt and fireball spells. A firebolt is a quick projectile that requires time before it reaches its intended target. It is much weaker than a fireball, but this gives it the benefit of being very energy efficient for the untrained mage. A fireball, on the other hand, is an instantaneous explosion of hellfire that will melt the flesh of any who are unlucky enough to be caught in its radius. Banyan barely managed to avoid being engulfed by her spell, but his leg was caught in it. He screamed out in pain as the flesh below his knee melted and fused with his trousers. The horrific sensations paralyzed him, and he had no choice but to lay in the large puddle of steaming water.

The ground beneath him shook with a rhythmic _ BOOM BOOM BOOM _ as the Dragon sauntered over to his prone form. Steam rose from her feet and covered her body. The light snowfall vaporized on contact with her body. A scaled hand larger than his own body grasped him and lifted him toward her face.

“Look at this mess. You could have made this easy for me and saved me the trouble. But now you have to die a slow and painful death. This isn't what I wanted for us, Banyan. We could have been gods, you and I. You had to throw it away for these disgusting creatures."

Banyan wasn't listening to the titan blasting his ears. He was trying to stay conscious long enough to come up with a plan, even during all this.

“Hey, you big ugly bitch! Drop that man this instant!"

“Kramer?"

Below them, the pudgy merchant stood dangerously close to the Dragon and carried a small bag in his hand. He wound up his arm and chucked it at her. The bag hit her square in the jaw and detonated with the force of a small bomb. Although it seemed to stun her, it didn't hurt her.

"Useless. Nothing we can do."

“Useless. Wait over there and die like the rest." Echoed Saahira.

A giant scaled leg quickly tapped the courageous merchant and sent him reeling. Banyan barely saw what happened, but Kramer was on the other side of the street and unconscious. The only other thing he noticed was something in his eye. He went to rub it out but stopped when he saw a layer of red dust covering his hand.

“Red dust… It didn't all explode?"

If the dust he threw was on Saahira's body, the catalyst for the ritual, and it was on the edge of the circle…

Banyan reached out with his hand and pulled at his magic one last time. He pushed it into the dust covering Saahira's hand and willed it to change the flow of the magic. A huge rush of energy filled him, and the Dragon screamed in agony. She dropped him from that incredible height and Banyan hit the ground feet first, breaking both his legs with a sickening crack. He almost blacked out from the pain but forced the magic into his broken bones, healing them almost instantly. Next, he used the gargantuan supply of magic to reshape his leg and make the burn disappear in an instant.

“This is powerful magic. Way beyond anything I've ever touched. I need to be careful."

Next to him, Saahira began to shrink, losing draconic features one-by-one until she looked less like a Dragon and more like a chimera. Finally, when she got down to her original size Banyan redirected the energies to return to their original owners. The rush of it all tempted him to draw in some more for himself, but he felt healthy enough. He threw the rest of it into the runes, causing them to overload and dissipate.

Above them, the crimson lightning curved into each other and formed a dome. The energies coalesced in the middle for a moment, then dispersed into the air. A final crack of lightning, and the world became deathly silent. Banyan turned to his left and saw the blazing inferno overtaking the few buildings near them. Luckily, the people thought ahead and didn't put many structures next to the blacksmith's house knowing it could burn down one day. A coughing fit drew his attention in the opposite direction. Kramer rested on his knees, clutching his chest. Banyan stumbled over to assist him, but the merchant waved him off.

“It looks like we did it, old man." He congratulated. “I would have died if not for you."

“It's a miracle he even made it that far before the spell drained him. Maybe being outside the circle when it activated made him last in the 'queue?'"

“Who are you hack! eck! calling old?" he paused, then turned up to him. “Is that true?"

“Every word."

“Well then! Does this mean I own the shop now?"

“Ah, we can discuss that after we deal with everything else. Best you don't associate with me after all this. It might make you look bad to the people."

“Hmm. Well, I can at least let you take some things with you before they run you out of town."

Banyan's head raced with ideas. Things like how to make a living with magic or use what little they had to even survive outside of civilization. His thoughts were interrupted by a muted sobbing. Saahira! He was so shocked by the entire situation he almost forgot about her. In a giant puddle of dirt and water lay a pathetic sight. The once giant monster was now a frail Lynx woman with patches of burned skin and scales. One of her hands and feet were still draconic, and a black horn jutted out the side of her head. Banyan took off his cloak and laid it on the ground. Next, he gathered her up in his arms and gently placed her in his dry cloak. Lifting her was difficult thanks to having his strength taken from him, but he managed to wrap her in his cloak and cradle her like a babe in his arms.

“It's okay, Saahira. You're safe now. That wasn't you, that was the magic."

The Lynx found the courage to look up at him and speak. “But I remember doing all of it! I remember trying to kill you and burning everything! Oh gods, I was going to kill everyone!"

“Relax. We'll have time to deal with this later. For now, please rest. I need your help with a future project before we leave. We can't stay here. I think the townsfolk will actually try to kill us now."

Saahira said nothing. Instead, she rested her head on his arm. Her horn poked his shoulder every time he took a step, but he was too focused to complain. The next few days were too important to slow down. Once they were on the road, then they could rest.

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“No, see? It says we go west for a few miles, then we go to this river and follow it for uh…" Banyan did some mental math and drew his finger along the blue mark on the parchment. “Two days! It should take us two days at this pace to reach Fort Erryn."

Sitting next to him was a petite Lynx woman completely enraptured by his explanation. Her brown fur had patches of her alabaster winter coat and bald spots from her recent transformation. It was growing in slowly, but he was happy to see it growing in at all. There were signs of crimson scales under the thinner parts of her coat. She covered herself with a modest dark gown which was perfect for the thawing winter. Dazzling golden eyes reflected the morning sun at him, and they shone with such life. Banyan had to use every ounce of willpower to stop himself from making a joke about her eyes and his map. On the side of her head sat a single black horn that extended upward and ended in a wicked point.

“I didn't realize a map and compass were so difficult to use. You didn't tell me there would be arithmetic!" she joked.

Banyan dramatically scoffed and looked up from his map. There might not have been snow on the ground, but the chill in the air was still proof they were only starting to leave winter. The bizarre couple sat together on the side of a dirt road, backs against a tree. Out on the road was a large, covered wagon with no horses attached to it. It was Saahira's greatest invention: a self-moving wagon that ran on magic. She came up with the basic mechanics during her time as a budding Dragon but never thought of the applications beyond how she could destroy her enemies with it. With this magic, they could eliminate physical labor forever! They could change the world!

“What are you thinking about?" she leaned over and tickled his face with her whiskers.

He grunted. “Oh, y'know. Thinking about saving the world."

"Oh? Is that all? First, you save the town, then you teach a master magician a new skill. Maybe you should learn to take a break."

“I already gave away my shop to Kramer after he saved my life. This is my life now. No breaks if I can use my time to save people. You burned down your home. This is our home now: The open road."

Saahira rolled her eyes and jumped into Banyan's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Break time, right now. Save the world tomorrow. In fact, what do you want to do tomorrow?"

“I want to use magic to help people. Let's show everyone that they can learn it and use it to help themselves."

Saahira's face broke into a grin, then a small chuckle escaped her lips, and finally, she began laughing like he had told her the best joke ever. Offended but not defeated, Banyan leaned forward and met her lips with his. The Lynx was caught off guard, but greedily accepted him and responded with her own assault of kisses. The couple sat under the tree for a while and basked in their love. Time stood still while their movements became more passionate. Banyan disengaged and drew in a deep breath. Saahira was breathing heavily like she had run a marathon. A smooth clawed hand slid across his cheek.

“Okay, maybe tomorrow I can spend time with you. Then I can save the world."

“Good answer."

“Now get up off me! I need your help to move the cart."

Saahira rolled her eyes and bounded off his lap. “The big Human man needs the little Lynx to help him push the cart. What's wrong Banyan, too much for you?"

Banyan hopped onto the wagon using the step built into the side, ignoring her playful jabs. He turned around and offered a hand to her, gently grabbed her draconic hand, and pulled her up to the front seat. The couple took their places at the front, and Banyan felt a tug at his magic coming from the wagon. Accepting it, a trickle of mana flowed into the vehicle causing it to move forward on its own.

“It may need a little from us now, but someday we can get it to run 100% on environmental mana. Once we manage that, we can do anything."

Guiding the wagon to the middle of the trail, Banyan looked to his left when Saahira grabbed his hand and held it tight. On her face, she held another bright smile that captured his heart.

“Off to adventure. Hopefully with fewer Dragons this time."

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