A fire crackled cheerfully in its place as a man and a woman took their seats hand in hand. The inn was bustling as it was the busiest time of night. A variety of travelers sat around the room chatting over their meals. Lithely making her way over, a serving girl came up with a smile.

"Anything I could get for you? We have some lamb stew set over a fire now."

"We'll each take a bowl of the stew and a slice of bread, if you have any." The woman smiled fondly at the girl, and the two watched as she made her way to the kitchen. "Anything interesting, Andy?"

The man, Andy, had a far-away look on his face. She knew he was asking the other mages in the town if they had any information. After a moment, Andy nodded. "Yes, it seems that there is someone in town who might be able to help. We should head over after," he paused in his speech as the girl came back laden with food. Sh-e placed the food before them and they thanked her in turn. "As I was saying, we should head over after we eat."

"Hmm..." Stirring her soup, she seemed to be off in her own world now.

"Is something wrong?" When she didn't respond, he squeezed her hand. "Sabrina?"

"I'm just hoping that this one is actually trying to help."

"Well, there's only one way to know, right? I know there have been a few close calls, but we've come this far."

"That's true." Finally raising her spoon to her mouth, Sabrina let the soup's warmth spread through her.

They ate in silence, finishing their meal quickly and placing their payment on the bar as they left. After a few buildings, they took a turn off the main street and headed toward a home with a dim light shining through the window. There was a slight squeeze on the hand for reassurance from Andy as he slightly pulled Sabrina up the steps to the door. One firm knock later, they heard a scrape of a chair against the floor as someone stood. The door swung open easily.

A young woman stood before them, a twinkle of intellect in her eyes. "I was expecting someone a bit older with the way you spoke. Anyway, come on in you two." There was a pot of coffee ready-made on the table, and their host poured three mugs before taking a seat. "So, your looking for a cure, correct?"

Sabrina shifted slightly. "Yes, I don't want to keep relying on Andy like this." A slight frown showed on Andy's face, but it was quickly concealed before his companion noticed.

"I see," the woman paused to take a drink of her coffee, "but the question is how far you're willing to go for this cure."

"What do you mean?"

There was a book to the side, and the woman grabbed it. "There is record of a mushroom said to cure any ailment, no matter the severity. The problem is, it's in the deep forest."

Sabrina closed her mouth from any response she might have made, considering this. The forest was one of the most dangerous places she knew, depending on how deep one went. They stretched between plains of land that most people lived in. It was said that the thicker the trees were, the more dangerous the monsters living within. Accounts of small dragons and packs of trolls were more common than not, and the few that had gone even deeper could tell of more frightening beasts, if they came back alive.

"How deep into the forest do you mean?" Andy seemed unfazed by the woman's revelation.

"See, this is where I'm going to stop, unless you're willing to give something in return for my information." She leaned forward. "I'm a curious person, as most mages are, so I want to know more about this disease. Is it really so bad that she'll die without you healing her? From what you've said, there isn't a cure, but could one be made? This is something I want to know."

"What do you want from us exactly?"

The mage was all smiles as she replied. "Just some more information on this mystery disease. Blood samples, a description of how it felt before the final attack, and a bit of observation. Give me these three things, and I will gladly divulge where and when you should set out on your quest."

Sabrina paled at the last item on her request, but didn't flat-out deny the offer. Looking at her closely, Andy saw her struggle and remained silent. It wasn't his place to decide. "I will," she hesitated, steeling herself, "I'll agree to your terms."

They started with the simpler requests, yet the feeling of dread didn't leave the pit of Sabrina's stomach. Finally, it was time for the last of the list. Andy smiled encouragement before slowly letting go of her hand.

Immediately, Sabrina's heart beat erratically, slower for a few moments before speeding up much to rapidly for her to even keep standing. Small beads of sweat formed on her brow, yet she felt incredibly cold. Vision blurred before becoming crisper, the dim light seeming to blind her. Nothing was steady, and she couldn't even control her breaths. In comparison to the state of her body, her mind was relatively clear.

Andy was near her, trying to restrain himself from healing her. The woman mage was beside him, probably scribbling notes onto her paper. Her brain stalled as did her heart, but only for a moment before pumping blood through her veins with enough force to make her lose any train of thought. Panic welled inside Sabrina. What if Andy decided that she wasn't worth the trouble anymore? What if he and the woman were laughing at her now? It would be so lonely, so cold, to die like that. It was cold. The cold pervaded her senses before she felt a gentle warmth flowing over her.

Vision returned to her and she focused on the concerned eyes of Andy. Relieved, she shut her eyes in exhaustion. Seeing that she had fallen asleep, Andy looked up at the female mage.

"Your requests are fulfilled, now give us the information," Andy said, no trace of warmth in his voice.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was a week since the two had passed through the village, and they now stood before the imposing bulk of the forests that covered 70 percent of the planet. Somewhere in the densest part, they should find a mushroom to solve their problem. A slight movement from Andy and they both entered. Barely a minute had passed before they heard the rustling and fluttering movement of the creatures that lived there.

Birds fled as they walked by nests and rats scurried into their holes. Nothing seemed out of the normal as they continued the trek into shifting wall of endless green and brown.

"Even though it's alive with creatures, there really is a silence about the forest."

Andy nodded agreement. "I think as we get deeper in, the silence will be deeper."

Those words proved true as the day progressed. Though they were nowhere near the more dangerous parts, it was obvious that there were predators about. Animals were more cautious and sparse, well hidden in branches and roots. As the light that filtered through the canopy darkened, the two set about making camp.

Clearing a small space of the twigs and undergrowth, they ringed it with rocks and built up a fire. A nearby tree had a root sticking up, and they removed most of the objects there for a sleeping place. A meal of a rabbit, that they caught earlier in the day, was quickly prepared and just as speedily eaten. They both lay down, taking turns sleeping as the other kept watch.

The next morning came uneventfully, and they gathered their small packs and Sabrina strapped her sword to her waist while Andy assured the fire was out. It wouldn't do to have to worry about a forest fire behind them as they made their way deeper in.

"I imagine it will get a lot more dangerous from here on," Andy said.

Nodding and looking about, Sabrina responded. "We haven't encountered anything yet, but the creatures will probably start getting more aggressive."

"Make sure to protect me when that happens," though said jokingly, Andy probably meant it more than it seemed.

"A great mage needs a simple lady knight to protect him?"

"'Simple' might not be the best way to describe you."

Sabrina shrugged. "Whatever you want to believe." Andy grinned at her, and she returned it easily. The smiles disappeared when they heard a sound between a howl and a growl echoed around them. Subtly, she eased her sword out of its scabbard, holding it lightly in her hand. Andy released her hand, instead placing his palm against her shoulder to give her more freedom.

Eyes shone from the darkness, a deep blue that most definitely wasn't just a reflection of the dim light. To the left and right, but for some reason not in front of or behind them. As on figure emerged from the forest, Sabrina baulked a little before regaining her composure. It looked almost identical to a wolf, but had a tail that seemed coated in a liquid and a mouth large enough to eat a small dog in a single bite.

From the trees to her left, while she was distracted by the one on the right, another of the creatures lunged out. However, there was two of them, and so Andy immediately put pressure on her shoulder, a signal to turn the other way. As Sabrina did so, her sword flashed a out as a sliver disk, separating the creatures head from its body. Thinking she was distracted, the first lashed out with its tail but another signal from Andy had her ducking and stabbing the animal in the ruffle of fur on the neck.

Three other sets of eyes watched this from the forest, and growls followed the death of the two pack members. All three came into view at nearly the same moment. On to her right, and the other two on the left. Her peripheral vision warned her of the attack before Andy could, and she pulled him forward and they both rolled clear as all three launched their tails forward at once.

"Should we run?" It was Andy, studying the three creatures that were now in front of the two.

"No, there is no way we could outrun them. Look at their hind legs, they're definitely accustomed to running." He did look, and it was as Sabrina said. The muscle there was well defined, but flexible enough for there to be no problems in a sprint.

Rather than remain on the defensive, Sabrina launched her own attack, aiming for the one in the middle. It fell as the sword sliced the neck, and she followed the attack with a thrust at the one to the right. A crackling sounded behind her, and lightning struck the last creature a moment before it lunged forward with teeth bared.

All five dead around them, the pair relaxed slightly. They shared a glance before Sabrina began to walk off. "We shouldn't stick around, the scent of blood is going to attract other animals, and there's no telling what."

* * * * * * * * * *

They had been in the forest for near a week now, sometimes running from creatures and other times dispatching them in a neat manner. The light that streamed through was only enough for everything to be vaguely visible, but what the sun didn't provide the foliage seemed to. Glowing moss and flowers seemed to be everywhere, providing an eerie light that augmented the silence to create an overall unsettling air.

Both dropped lightly to the ground now. They had taken to sleeping in the trees, though that didn't stop all animals from reaching them. Whatever the reason may be however, it seemed those creatures in the trees were weaker than those on the ground.

"We should be getting close, according to what that woman said," Andy whispered. Not knowing what could detect them, they spoke in hushed voices, trying to keep a low profile.

"I hope so, there's no way we can survive in this mess for much longer." Both were covered in cuts and bruises, not to mention being sleep deprived to the point that sleep was nothing but a fantasy.

Shuffling through the trees, it seemed they had only traveled for an hour before they saw a fairly large mushroom ahead, faintly glowing and speckled with purple here and there. The only problem was that it was in the middle of a clearing. As the two had quickly discovered, any clearing in this forest was the nest of a creature that was large, and consequently dangerous. More often than not, that creature was a... the massive roar from a corner of the clearing confirmed that this was a dragon's nest.

It circled the clearing, coming into view so the two were able to see what they were up against. A long lizard-like body had spines running down it, ending at a barbed tail. Long ears stood up straight atop all three of the heads.

From the research of several travelers that had the misfortune of meeting these fearsome creatures, it was known that adults had anywhere from three to seven heads, depending on their age. From the few moments of triumph over the beasts, it seemed only one head had a brain, the others solely decoys to prolong the life during a fight. The only way to kill the beast was to damage the brain, so the first thing they needed to do was determine which head to go after.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Let's get going." Sabrina carefully placed her feet, making sure not to snap a twig. The two had decided to wait until the dragon fell asleep before launching their attack, and they now decided that there was no time like the present.

Behind her, she should feel Andy following in her footsteps. "We need to try and get the actual head the first time."

Easier said than done, in the hours they had waited for the dragon to settle down and sleep, not once had they been able to see any difference between the heads. Sabrina only nodded, not losing focus as they were now less than ten feet from the sleeping beast. The three heads lay curled around the mushroom, serving as the ultimate barrier.

They studied the dragon closer, seeing if they could see any difference up close. Neither could see anything special. Shrugging minimally, Sabrina decided to take the one-third chance. Her sword rose, and then fell on one of the heads of the beast. It pierce through and immediately they could tell it was the wrong one. Its huge form rose, shaking off the stab as if it was nothing, and indeed it was to the dragon. Hastily retrieving her weapon before the dragon could take it with, they both moved back several paces. The dragon eyed them angrily, not enjoying that they disturbed its nap.

Andy watched as one of the massive claws drew back, ready to swipe and easily mutilate them. Just as exactly that would have happened, Sabrina tackled him, and they both fell to the ground. He could see the claws slice through air just a few inches over their heads. Sabrina was standing now, and Andy hastily did the same.

If they could discern the target head, it would at least give them a chance. It was a fifty-fifty chance now, and neither knew if they should get close enough to take that chance. They both dodged to the right as jaws tried to close around them.

"There's only one way this is going to end at this rate," Sabrina said tensely. It was only a matter of time before the dragon managed to land a hit; they couldn't dodge forever.

Andy followed her easily as the charged one of the heads. He steered her to the right slightly as the tail lashed out to try and bat them away. It thudded into the earth with sickening force, but they kept running. He heard the whistle of Sabrina's blade as it went for a killing stroke. The blade bit deep into the skull, surely damaging the brain if it was there, but it wasn't.

Roars of triumph echoed around the clearing, and Andy realized, nearly too late, that the barbed tail was coming at them once more. In a moment of desperation, he shoved Sabrina clear of the massive force, at the same time launching a bolt of lightning at the dragon. The barbed end caught him on the shoulder and he went flying, stopping only when he slammed into a tree. He fell unconscious, his arm and shoulder wrecked and laying at an odd angle.

Through intense pain, Sabrina heard the dragon's pained roar. Somehow, she found the strength to stand, interposing herself between Andy and the beast. The yellow eyes that turned toward her were full of rage. It was apparent which was the real head now, but with her state she was lucky to be standing. Her heart pounded painfully, and she started to fall to the earth. Taking a small step, she regained her balance. Her sword rose protectively. There was no way for her to make it out of this forest alive now, but she should at least give Andy the small chance.

Sabrina pushed the pain from her mind, forcing her body to take a step forward, even as every cell in her body tried to disobey her. A gleam of something akin to amusement played in the dragon's eyes as he watched the weak resistance that the woman offered. Without warning, Sabrina sank to her knees, clutching at her chest with breaths heaving out of her.

Infinitely slowly, the dragon opened his jaws, ready to put the girl out of her misery. The jaws almost closed around her, but then she was on one knee. Sword in hand, she thrust upward, mustering any strength left in her body. The blade glinted from the top of the beast's skull. A massive shudder ran through its body. Then, like and earthquake, the dragon toppled over, dead. Sabrina did the same, not far away from the same fate. Her hand reached out, as if to grab at the glowing mushroom the came in and out of focus.

* * * * * * * * * *

Andy opened his eyes to excruciating pain blossoming from his shoulder. He almost grabbed it fiercely with his other hand, but pure will and reason told him that wasn't a good idea and stopped the hand. Looking at it, he saw the mutilated flesh. Changing his line of sight, he saw the massive form of the dragon in front of him, the limpness telling him that it was, somehow, dead.

Suddenly, his thoughts were crystal clear. "Sabrina!" He looked around in panic. Ignoring his pain he rose to his feet. "Sabrina, where are you?" Looking around wildly, he caught a pile of color unusual for the forest. He rushed over.

His good hand gripped her arm. She was so cold. Focusing, he tried to see if she was even still alive, and to his surprise she was, if only barely. The mending tendrils of his magic did what they could, but he could tell it wouldn't be enough. Then, his eyes landed on the reason they had come here in the first place.

Any ailment, no matter the severity.

It was her only hope, but he couldn't move her in his current state, and leaving her was impossible in hers. Three feet, that was what separated the two and the longed-for cure. Not knowing if it would work, yet out of options, he kept his leg in contact with her hand as he reached for the mushroom. The magic running from him to her weakened, but it kept her heart beating.

Taking the mushroom in his hand, he could feel the latent magic inside. It was strange, a magic amplifier like this appearing in nature. It was more powerful than anything he had ever held. Refocusing on Sabrina, he placed the mushroom against her skin, channeling his own power through the mushroom, feeling it become exponentially more powerful.

The healing power increased instantly, not only curing the symptoms, but driving out the black poison of disease. He felt a recoil of the magic he used, and glancing over briefly he saw his shoulder mending and snapping into a normal angle. Sabrina's condition steadied, so Andy heaved a sigh of relief. After a few more moments of seeking out and destroying all traces of the disease, he hovered over her, hand habitually resting on her arm and sending the healing waves through her.

Hesitantly, he drew his hand back, wondering if she was truly healed. As he did so, her eyes opened, but it was obvious she felt no pain. Her eyes focused on Andy, and she sat up straight, too quickly for Andy to react. Heads crashed together and both recoiled in pain.

Sabrina was the first to recover. "Andy! You're okay!"

"Though my head is pounding now." He gave her a wry smile rubbing his forehead lightly.

Looking down, she finally realized she didn't feel the sensation of Andy's hand in hers. In fact, he wasn't touching her, but there was no pain. "Did..." She hesitated, moving her arms and taking a deep breath, "did the mushroom really work?"

Andy's smile lost it's teasing air, and was a genuine grin. "You're healed completely now."

Tears welled in her eyes, but instead of breaking out in a sob, a gasp escaped her. A threatening growl came from the edge of the clearing. Now wasn't the time or place to be sobbing in relief. Strangely, a grin came to her face.

"Now that I'm unbidden, I can show you how easy this should have been." Her sword whistled in small arcs at her side as she stood and walked forward.

"I'll help out, now that my magic isn't being focused elsewhere." The two grinned, and strode forward.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was nearly three months later, and a couple strode down the street hand-in-hand. The woman had her hand resting on a small bump forming on her stomach. A sword bounced lightly at her hip and her companion sent a slight spark through her palm. She smirked slightly as they continued on their path.

* * * * * * * * * *

Short story final for my creative writing class, I originally had this idea planned as a novel, and really felt I couldn't go as far in depth about this world. I will probably come back to this. Anyway, hope you liked it, and let me know!

-Nicky~