Territories

Okay, just stay calm and do like we planned... and this might just work...

Mai took aim and blasted her first magic water shots toward the big flying lizard, but her sense of scale was way off, as the water 'bolts' didn't get close, falling well short.

I missed the first salvo, that's alright... I hope...

Mai readied her next two blasts of water, perhaps aiding their trajectory with a little ice to their mix, before she readied the next volley.

Meanwhile the big dark-blue creature continued to glide down, in no particular hurry or worry at all, almost like Mai's attempts didn't matter one bit, or even registered as a threat at all.

A lot closer, Mai let loose her next two watery shots, which looked online, before barely skimming a fraction short.

Okay now I'm panicking, that dragon is either a lot bigger than I thought it would be, or he's coming down a lot closer now...

With only enough time for one last shaky go, Mai summoned her water again, with her nerves and let this last one go quickly.

It hit whatever bubble like barrier that totally surrounded the giant dragon, harmlessly splattering against it, but was plastered over enough to get a sense of its dimensions, and 'see' the air barrier.

[Pitiful!]

It roared, now only just overhead as Mai imagined her magic breaking spell in her mind and gave it her best in the giant's shadow.

[You think an insignificant peon can...]

A bubble of white 'popped', shattering all around the airborne creature.

[...wait - what!?]

Straight away, with one flap, it peeled away, backward up into the air, but there it was met with a different attack.

From Mai's right, a super hot fire, that Mai felt on her skin even from so far away, streamed out from the trees, as Nullawhy let loose her intense flames its direction.

It again shrieked as it dodged the concentrated flame blast, but it did have to dodge it.

[You use this thing as a distraction, how pitiful...]

Grasis redirected himself to face the perceived greater threat, as Nullawhy's head emerged from the leaves with her own defiant roar.

Sorry you're wrong; I'm the lure... and she's only the distraction...

A blur shot from the opposite side of the valley, streaking up from the foliage to strike the blue dragon's unguarded rear, in a bursting crack of sound.

There's our ace!

The bigger blue creature howled as it took the unseen blow, that at first hadn't seemed to deal any damage at all, till one wing failed to flap at all when it next tried to take another move.

Lygawa only slowed a little as she arched over high and dove again, again targeting the blue dragons back, and without the ability to turn properly in the air, she made another clashing impact.

This time the under fire dragon took a swipe, but failed to connect as Lygawa shot by, snapping the others thick tail near the base.

Like a broken kite, it flailed toward the ground, but not before copping a fire blast from the snipping red dragon below - this time making a good hit that singed and smouldered the others hard scales, and added further spin to its uncontrolled fall.

Then it struck the ground, thankfully at a good distance from Mai, shaking her off her feet like a violent earthquake, before twisting like a colossal sized beetle on its back, in both pain and vain.

Wriggling for a couple of moments, before surprisingly it quickly gave in, flopping what it could to the grassy ground.

[What do you wait for? Kill me now!]

It egged the two others, while Nullawhy cautiously stepped out into the open, Lygawa stayed hovering overhead.

But none made a move at making any kind of finishing move.

{Do you yield?}

Lygawa instead asked, practically dripping with extra smugness and satisfaction from above.

[You shame yourselves by using such human ways...]

{Ridicule these 'human ways' at your peril, as it was just one that broke your once impregnable defence...}

Lygawa circled overhead, like a hawk choosing what next to strike.

I really don't think it's wise to brag about my ability to a hurt and angry, but still capable dragon...

The broken and burnt blue dragon gave another go at rolling to its less damaged side, but was only partly successful.

[Then I... reluctantly admit - I am defeated...]

It flopped still with surrender.

{Then leave this place.}

[And never return!]

Nullawhy added in too.

{Then; give good heed to avoid or not provoke other humans too, or you'll be in a less reasonable state than this.}

Lygawa gave a final command, probably feeling it was something Mai might have wished for.

[It is foolish... but I will do as you wish.]

Grasis didn't sound happy at all, but managed to finally find his four feet, before starting to lumber off into the nearest trees, dragging his broken tail behind him.

Lygawa finally landed beside Mai, who remained seated in the grass, watching everything unfold, till the defeated dragon slunk out of sight.

Lygawa burst into her human form and slung to Mai's shoulders with absolute joy.

"We did it! You have no idea how much I longed for taking that brute down a peg, yes!"

Nullawhy likewise returned to her smaller form alongside them.

"And we couldn't have done it without you Mai!"

Lygawa plucked Mai to her feet and bounced about with victorious joy, while she still got over the shock of how easily everything went down.

I just helped defeat a huge, scary dragon...

"Now we go home, yes, and shall celebrate with a huge feast, yes, yes!"

Lygawa tugged her back toward the waiting but unknowing village.

"Come on; let's go help with the harvest... Lygawa?"

Mai knew the lazy dragon was feigning sleep, so walked over to prod her soft belly.

"Err... but that sounds like work though."

"It's a favor... if we help them get their crops off the fields, we get to use whatever is harvested, later on..."

Mai walked away, but continued to nag the lounging lizard-girl.

"Everyone who is able will be there, and if you don't appear, you'll make me look bad."

"How would me; being a lay-about, reflect badly on you?"

Mai slipped on her sturdiest boots.

"You live here, in my house..."

"Fine, let's get this over with then..."

She sighed, but pulled herself off the couch and meandered to the door Mai already waited at.

A week after their victory, and a hefty village party - that celebrated Nullawhy's effort of fending off the unseen beast, the annual harvest had come, and so it was time to help the big farm gather all their crops that were ready by the start of summer.

Joining most of the villagers, the younger pair was assigned to help pick the long beans, which had just ripened in the small field, and got about it with most of the younger kids doing the same task.

Merely plucking the dark-green pods off their stalks and throwing them into boxes was easy, and while some of the kids made a game of it, Lygawa soon joined them, throwing them from as far as possible, with smug success.

After a few hours, in the mild and pleasant conditions, Mai found she had started to sweat a little, especially after carrying the little full boxes back to the waiting wagon.

I must not be exercising enough, because I feel totally beat, but I've hardly done anything demanding...

Watching the little ones, and Lygawa, rush about amongst the plants, playing around a little more, Mai saw something she'd never expect of the dragon.

Lygawa suddenly stumbled, and only barely recovered in time, before standing back up and laughing her little mishap off, once she noticed she was being watched.

That was odd; I wouldn't have thought she'd get tired from this kind of work...

Mai walked over to find out if she wanted a drink, a little break or something else, when the silvery girl wobbled and fell to her knees, with a little look of unease and confusion.

Well that's not a good sign...

"Lygawa?"

"Uh, um... I feel like something is wrong... with me..."