A Bond Greater than Friendship

My dreams were troubled. I was filled with worry over Rill, and my unconscious mind was still trying to process everything I had learned from Exziel. As a result, I drifted in and out of sleep, arguing with myself as I tried to figure out what to do about everything I had been told. Why choose me, Mariah? I’m not a hero. I can’t even keep my own friends safe, let alone fight a world-ending threat!

After an indeterminate amount of time, the more practical side of my nature kicked in, and I reasoned, There’s nothing I can do about it, especially not right now. Those two must have some sort of plan, and I’d wager Exziel will reveal it if I can ever meet with him again. The Domain, huh? I delved deep into my memories, sifting through everything that had happened since I came to this world in an attempt to figure out where I had heard the term before. Ah, that’s right! Jensen had mentioned it…along with saying that the world had gone mad. I’m not sure what he meant by that, but getting there might not be easy.

I struggled to rest for a long time, before I finally let out a low rumble, a groan as only a dragon could, and slowly opened my eyes to the light of day. Raising my head, the familiar tinkling of crystal echoed against the rock of the alcove as my molt broke apart, the shards bursting into twinkling motes that caught the light for an instant before disappearing forever. It was as I admired the sight that my eyes fell upon the emaciated form of Rill, who was lying sprawled out against the rocks to my side, a hand gently resting upon her stomach.

She smiled lethargically as my eyes met hers, and a wave of utter relief washed over me. Her cheeks were sunken and her expression weary, but she was alive.

“Good morning, Leo. Did you have bad dreams?” She asked in a weak voice, as though it were all she could do to force the words out.

I thought back through everything that had happened with Exziel, and shook my head. Rill winced in pain, and I hurriedly asked, “Forget about me for a moment. Are you okay? And how long were we unconscious?”

Holding her head with her free hand, she blinked and replied with a light chuckle, “Well, I’m alive, and I have you to thank for that. Everything hurts, but I guess I’m mostly just exhausted. As for how long we were out, I’m not entirely sure. A few days, maybe a week at most? I woke up yesterday, but this is as far as I managed to get.”

A week, huh? I wondered, and something in the back of my mind echoed, Actually, I feel pretty awful. It was Rill’s voice, and I asked, “Sorry, did you say something?”

She shook her head, and hesitantly responded, “N-no?”

Hmm, I must just be hearing things. “Have you eaten?”

“Not really,” she admitted, gesturing to a small pile of mushrooms beside her. 

I gritted my teeth against a sudden spike of pain behind my eyes that came out of nowhere. For now, I’ll put aside matters concerning my reincarnation. We need to recover our strength, and get out of here before Marik finds us. That has to be our priority.

I opened my mouth, ready to tell Rill that I would go find her something to eat, but paused as she tilted her head in confusion and wondered, “Reincarnation?”

We stared at each other for a while, before things suddenly clicked. Rill, can you…hear my thoughts?

Eyes wide with wonder, she slowly nodded, and her response came straight into my mind. It certainly seems so. Now, what’s this about reincarnation?

I sighed, impressed by how she had so easily glossed over the fact that we could now communicate telepathically. Well, I guess there’s no use hiding it anymore. At least I know I can trust her.

Of course you can trust me! We’re friends, aren’t we? You can tell me anything! Whatever you’re going through, we’ll face it together.

Not used to the idea of her being able to read my mind, I had not intended for her to hear the thought. Out loud, I said, “Alright, alright. The truth is…” She gaped as I explained everything to her; my past life, my meeting with Mariah, and everything that had happened up until that point. I even included my encounter with the dragonslayer, Alicia, which I had neglected to mention before.

When I was finished, she held her head and deliberated, “Wow Leo, that’s a lot to take in. I guess it explains why you feel so human, though. You actually kind of are one! Still, it’s strange being able to sense your thoughts and emotions. It’s like I can see your memories playing out inside my own head. Maybe I’m misinterpreting this, but it feels like you miss it, but at the same time, also don’t. I’m not quite sure I understand.”

I contemplated her words for a moment, before telling her, “I never really thought about it, but I guess you’re right. Earth was different, more…mundane. There was no magic there, no monsters. Just an endless, boring cycle. I always dreamed of other worlds like this one, where I could find adventure. But since being reborn here, it’s been one thing after another. Despite being reborn as a dragon, I feel like everything here is out to kill me and I’m powerless to stop them. First it was Andras, and this time…I really thought I was going to lose you too, Rill!”

She lowered her gaze, and for a moment a mix of different emotions swirled between the two of us, building off of each other until they finally settled. Rill wiped the tears from her eyes, and assured me with all the humor she could muster, “That’s sweet, Leo. But I wouldn’t let a little pinprick like this do me in!”

I smiled at the confidence she projected, our newly-formed bond telling me that she was aware of how close she had come to death. I gazed forlornly out at the sliver of blue sky I could see beyond the mouth of the alcove and mused, “You know, perhaps because of everything that’s happened, I’ve come to realize something. That no matter the world we live in, our lives are ultimately what we make of them, for better or worse. If I had simply agreed with Andras, maybe he would still be alive today. But I also would never have met you, or the others, and experienced everything I have up to now. I don’t regret how things have worked out, but I do wish I had realized this sooner. If I had, maybe Earth wouldn’t have been so boring, don’t you think?”

She regarded me for a few moments, her expression unreadable, and the emotions I could sense from her indiscernible. Eventually she merely nodded, and agreed, “You’re right, I think. After all, my life would have been pretty boring if I had never met you!”

“Ah,” I breathed, lowering my head, “But you’d probably be a lot safer, too. We had beaten the bandits so many times, I guess I became overconfident. Even though plenty of people warned me, even though I knew there were people out there like Alicia, I still thought I would be able to win any fight as long as I transformed, because I am a dragon. I was wrong, and because of it, so many innocent people lost their lives. Including, almost, the two of us.”

Rill listened in silence, before joking, “You know, this thoughtfulness really doesn’t suit you. My best friend is a giant, fire-breathing dragon; I can’t think of a safer place to be than right by your side, Leo! Besides, you did what you thought was right in the moment, and we all agreed to it, because none of us could stand to see those people suffer anymore. Sure, things turned sour. We should have been more cautious, more prepared. But from the moment we started down this path, there was no turning back. And I don’t think we did anything wrong. It’s because of you that I’m still here, and still kicking, if not quite as high at the moment. We’ll recover, we’ll get stronger, and next time…we’ll win!"

Her words did help to ease my guilt a little, and I barked a laugh at her confident grin. “Thanks, Rill. But that’s easier said than done. Personally, I never want to see that man again if I can help it. Seriously, he isn’t someone we can beat. Ever.”

“I might not be able to sense auras, but I noticed how you guys freaked out before you even saw him. Plus, I witnessed how he handled you during your fight.” She sighed, wincing again at the pain in her side. “Maybe you’re right. We need to get away from here. I just hope the others were able to make it out okay.”

“I’m sure they’re fine,” I assured her, “They’re smart, and capable. Maybe we’ll even meet again someday. For now, let’s focus on the matter at hand. How’s your wound?”

She regarded the bandaged lump on her side. “Whatever you did definitely helped a lot. I think it’s already starting to heal up, but right now I can barely move, and I don’t think I’ll be able to go anywhere for a while. Actually, now that you’re awake, could I get you to go out and gather a few things for me? If we can find some healing herbs and hanging moss, I can at least treat it properly.”

“Alright. Then in that case, I’ll be back in a little bit. With something to eat.” I reverted to my human form, and went out to explore the area around our makeshift camp, relishing the opportunity to stretch my legs.

Over the course of the next few days, Rill made remarkable progress in her recovery. I was able to find the plants she was looking for, the two of us using our telepathic bond to communicate while I was out and about, pictures of various herbs and flowers I had never seen flashing into my mind. At the same time, we struggled to keep our thoughts under control, trying to find a way to separate the thoughts and emotions we wished to broadcast from the ones we wanted to keep private. It was a process, but I was thankful to learn that it was possible.

During this time, I also made the two of us brand-new wooden swords, after conversing with Rill on the matter. This time, she recommended a wood with particularly strong grain, and once completed, I followed her instructions to wrap the hilts with the same thin, web-like moss she had used to dress her wound, making a solid, yet more supple, grip.

The new swords complete, we admired my work. Rill was not yet in any condition to practice, but she ran a hand along the length of the blade, commenting, “It feels different than the last one you made. It’s hard to describe, but it feels a lot stronger. Although, I’m sure you’ll still be able to break it.” She laughed, referencing how I had shattered my old one against Marik’s head.

Nearly a week passed before Rill was able to rise and walk again, albeit with very delicate steps. Her injury seemed to be healing properly, thanks in no small part to the care she had given to it. There was no telling how long it might take until she was in any condition to travel, but at least she was on course for a full recovery.

One day, I decided to venture out a bit further than usual as I hunted our supper, and a commotion from afar caught my ear.

The sound of steel clashing against steel.