Arland and Nury stepped out of the cobbler. She stopped and looked down at her new boots, tapping the toe against the stone, "These feel weird, Arland..."

"Hey, humans don't go without when outside, usually."

Nury sighed and looped her arm around Arland's, intertwining their fingers, "I know. It's just weird. I feel like my toes are trapped."

"And what a shame it is, for such sexy toes they are."

"Keep talking like that, and I just might have to make use of an alley before we get to the guild."

Arland grinned and led her through town, towards the guild hall.

They stepped through the door and Nury was awe-struck by the number of people around. She looked at him, "Is it always like this?"

Arland nodded, "It's pretty standard. There's a fair bit of adventurers, but you'll also see a few locals or merchants. Some are just looking for a job, while others are looking to hire an adventurer for a quest."

"Hello?" He called out, approaching the counter.

A pretty young girl stepped out, "Hello! You're new here, aren't you? How can I help you?"

"Beirut, the guildmaster in Gelala, gave me an S-rank quest. He told me to turn it in here to mark it as complete."

She tapped her chin thoughtfully, "I don't remember hearing about anything. Let me go ask the Branch Master..."

Arland nodded, "Let him know Arland, Leera's former pupil is here."

The girl nods and retreats into an office behind the counter. Nury looks up at him, "This teacher of yours... Her name must carry a lot of weight."

"Well, she has been adventuring for over fifty years. She's been all over the world. Just about everyone in the guild either knows her or knows of her."

Nury grinned, "And she chose you to train? That's sweet of her. If she hadn't, you likely wouldn't have come to rescue me from my boredom so soon."

Arland blushed before a deep, gruff voice boomed out from the back.

"Arland! Is that you?!" The Branch Master stepped out from behind the counter, his smile growing wider, "It's been a while. What brings you here today?"

Nury turned to see a hulking man dressed with a leather plate covering his heart and wearing a gold inlaid tunic, but otherwise, he seemed unremarkable. The only real thing of note was that he was missing his left hand.

Arland spread his arms, "Byrin! How've you been you old coot? I didn't realize you got promoted! Weren't you going to hunt that Stryx?"

Byrin pulled Arland into a hug, before pulling back, "My boy, that was over a year ago!"

"Ah, my bad! I must be getting senile in my old age. Wait, that's you."

"Listen here, you little shit. I may be down a hand, but I'll still kick your ass!"

Arland raised his fists and threw a couple of playful jabs, "Yeah, sure. I'd feel bad about kicking your ass, old man!"

Nury stood to the side, watching in earnest interest, as the pair joked around.

Eventually, though, Byrin turned towards her, "Ah, but where are my manners? Who might this beauty be? A dragonkin? Arland, you dog, I didn't know you had a thing for scales!"

Nury felt herself turn red as the man's words confused her. Unsure if she should be upset or not, she chose indignant. "Arland, must we deal with this brute? I'm sure you could turn in your quest just as easily in another hall..."

Byrin stopped and straightened up. He crossed his missing hand over his torso and lowered his head, "My apologies, Miss. Arland is a dear old friend. I intended no offense."

Arland grinned and nodded, "My apologies, Nury. This is Byrin. Leera and I worked with him a few times. It's no stretch to say that, next to Leera, he taught me the most. I wouldn't be where I am today without him. Hell, I'd likely be dead. Leera had her trysts and dumped me off on him to 'learn' on more than one occasion."

"Aye. Boyo, remember those hags?"

"Out near Trader's Hollow? How could I forget?"

"What's a hag? And what's so special about that time?" Nury asked, looking between the men.

They shared a look, then made their way to a table. Byrin began, "First off, a hag is a hybrid beast. A woman must be old, untouched, and have untapped magical potential. This combination turns them into a misshapen thing that attacks innocents. Sometimes their magic simply runs wild, other times they deliberately attack. It's always bad, and the only cure anyone's found has been solid steel."

"So couldn't we just arrange for a service that eliminates one of those? Have a service that fucks women that haven't turned."

Arland spoke up, "Wouldn't be too effective. Not all women that meet those requirements turn, and those that do, they could be any age, though the youngest I've heard of was fifty. The oldest was ninety."

Byrin took over, "And if you think that sounds bad, men that die never knowing a woman's touch run the risk of changing into a Lich - An undead spectre that roams the world seeking to right whatever wrongs it feels it perceived."

Nury furrowed her brow, "What do you mean, wrongs?"

Arland rested his elbows on the table, "It could be anything. If the man saw a man strike a woman in life, he'll hunt that man down in death, disregarding why. Leera and I hunted one after he killed a single father. The man had left his wife when he found she was abusing their kid. But the Lich didn't care. It hunted him and took his head, making the child's life worse by forcing him to live with the abusive mother. Sadly, our quest wasn't to rescue the child. Leera spoke with the lord of that land, but I sincerely doubt anything came of it."

After a long moment, Nury sensed she should change the subject, "You mentioned hags? Out near Hollow Traitor, I think it was?"

"Trader's Hollow," Byrin said, nodding. Arland here was, what boy, thirteen? Fourteen?"

"Twelve."

"Twelve. Twelve?! Leera sent you on that quest and you wasn't even a man yet?! Why I oughta freaking wring that witch's neck when I see her!" Byrin exclaimed.

Nury grinned and pressed, "And? He was twelve and did what?"

"Well, there I was, pinned by two hags. Another two advanced on Arland here, while a fifth worked some magic I hadn't seen before."

"It was just a Spiral Blade. Nothing too amazing, but she cast it insanely fast and-"

"'Ey boyo! You tellin' it or am I?"

"Sorry, go ahead."

Byrin grunted and turned back to the dragoness, "Anyhow, yes, she sent the spell my way. Arland here saw the spell and went into some form of trance. He slew one hag, darted forward, and deflected the spell with his sword, stabbed one of them I had been fighting, then turned and threw his sword at the one that cast the spell. In the time it took me to kill one, he slew four."

"Four? I count three." Nury said.

"The spell hit the other one that had backed him into a corner after he deflected it."

Arland grinned nervously, "I actually barely remember that. I doubt I could replicate it."

"Aye, you could. That's when I knew you were special, Lad. The first time I saw in you what Leera had seen all those years ago."

Nury looked at Arland with a new appreciation, "Wow. Four hags that had this man beat with only two? You've certainly grown into a fine swordsman, Arland. I doubt I'd be able to beat you if we had matched up earlier."

Byrin slapped the table with a resounding THUD, "Aye! I completely forgot! Ya come with a quest, kid?"

"First, I'm not a kid. and yes, I've laid the dragon."

"Excuse me...?"

Arland pulled out the rolled quest sheet, "The quest. S-Rank? I was to lay the dragon? I've completed it."

Byrin eyed Arland and took the sheet before unrolling it and quickly looking it over. He sighed and hung his head, "Aye, I suppose that counts..."

He looked up and around, "CASSIA! Why the fuck is this quest to lay the dragon?! We wanted it slain, not l-" He froze as he began to connect the dots. He slowly turned to look at the dragon girl with red wings, dark red horns, and a long red tail. The dragon features matched, but...

"It's you. The dragon that's been terrifying our lands for years."

Nury flashed a cute smile and waved her hand, "Hiya. I'm Nury, named by Arland years ago."

Byrin's face turned into a snarl, "You've terrorized my town for years. Why should we let you go free?!"

Arland spoke up, "Well, for one, I vouch for her. She's in my care now, and I'll be damned if I allow anyone to harm her. Secondly-"

Nury placed her hand gently on Arland's shoulder, "Calm yourself, Arland. Byrin, I kept to myself. Your people entered my cave and ran away in terror. Did any of them ever come back harmed by me? No."

"You stole their property!"

"So if someone breaks into your house, drops their coin purse and runs away, that means you stole it?"

Byrin considered her words for a moment. Nury drove the point home, "I've never harmed a human. Simply existing was deemed inconvenient to your kind. Dragons aren't mindless beasts. We're intelligent creatures, like you. We kill humans when they attack us. Which in turn drives more humans to attack us. Which means we must kill more to simply not be killed ourselves."

"But-"

Nury stood, her hands shaping into claws as she slammed them on the table, "SILENCE! WE DRAGONS REMEMBER THE WAR STARTING! WE KEEP RECORDS! YOUR KIND FOUND ONE OF US SLEEPING! HE OFFERED FOOD AND YOU SLAYED HIM RIGHT THEN AND THERE!"

Arland placed his hand over Nury's. She flinched, pulled her hand back then struck out, her eyes glowing a fierce red as her claws cut into Arland's cheek.

The moment it happened, she gasped and regained control of herself, going to his side, "ARLAND! BABY! Oh goddess, I'm so sorry, Arland!"

Arland looked up, blood pouring from four long, deep gashes between his eye and lip across his right cheek. He held his hand out beside Nury, "Stand down. I'm fine."

"What-"

"I won't! She attacked you! She's a rabid bitch!"

Nury looked up to see Byrin standing, sword drawn, its tip aimed at her heart.

Arland swept his arm to the side, pushing Nury behind him, "Byrin! Stand! Down! You started this! Nury would never intentionally harm me!"

Byrin's sword wavered for a moment. He circled the table, keeping his sword aimed at the winged girl, "Arland, she could snap and kill you at a moment's notice!"

Arland glared, "Then we cross blades. Winner decides her fate. That fair?"

Byrin nodded. Arland looked to Nury, "You okay with that?"

Nury felt tears welling up, "Please... You don't have to, Arland..."

He placed his hand on her shoulder, "But I do. By guild rules, a challenge has been issued. It must be resolved today, lest it fester and divide the guild."

Nury collapsed to her knees, "Then... fine... I accept my fate. Whichever it may be..."

Arland knelt in front of her, "I'm sorry."

She reached out and pulled him close, hugging him tightly. When she let go, she planted a soft kiss on his lips and whispered, "I love you, Arland."

"I love you too."

He stood and walked out to the courtyard, Byrin following close behind. Arland drew his sword and turned to face his long-time friend-turned-opponent.

"I won't go easy on you this time, Boy."

"Nor should you. You want to claim her head, you'll first need to claim mine."

They each lowered into a combat stance. Cassia, the receptionist stepped out. She pulled out a coin, centered it over her thumb, and flipped it between the fighters. Arland tensed up, keeping his eyes locked on Byrin's while the older man's eyes searched all of Arland for clues. The coin landed on the stone with a light tinking sound, and the fight began.