Wind howled over the whisper of death as I glided through the air astride my scaled beast. Darkness was slowly taken over by the rise of the sun, its blood-red rays bathing the stilled battlefield below me. Carnage was all that I could describe with what I beheld. I could not bring myself to look away.

The air was thick with the stench of sweat and blood, I could almost taste it. Mounds of bodies reached for the heavens that their spiritual counterparts now resided. Weapons no longer being used for their creation, cast aside by will or by fear mattered not as they glinted with the light of the coming day.

Life outside this mass grave knew not of the horrors that this land now possessed, the stories these people once held, and the history they now were apart of. Wars had a way of distorting life that leaves the ones alive to blame for those who took up arms despite the opposing cries for them to reconsider. Even the children knew to not blame the living for the dead's choices.

I signaled for another pass. I had to make sure not a soul was trapped down there to succumb to the suffocating stench of death and despair. With powerful wings, the air fell victim to coercion, lifting me higher while tugging at my loose hair and billowing cloak. I could feel the large beast beneath me hesitate to fulfill my wish for another sweep, but his oath to me held him accountable and therefore his thoughts obsolete.

Dragons.

The once highly respected and widely feared kings and queens of the sky were now susceptible to the deals and offers of crafty peddlers and ageless warlocks, such as myself. Their prosperity submitted to their fabled charm of being hoarders of glittering gold and precious jewels. Greed plagued their kind as they fought unbeknownst to us and our spectating. For years, we watched them fall from their domain, the sky growing ever clearer as they diminished right before our eyes.

But we did nothing.

Nothing but ready our sly magic and cunning propositions. We were not unwise as our generations developed and more and more Dragons became dependent on us and our gold and jewels to sustain their ever growing greed. Dragon tamers, riders, and entertainers quickly popped up around settlements and amongst the greatest halls of the neighboring kingdoms. It did not take long for both human and Dragon to find themselves in common company with each other. It did not take long for the humans to be the kings and queens of the sky; our patience and planning not going without reward.

I just so happened to strike gold with my Dragon. I was never one to stay in one place for very long, so it came as no surprise when I found myself atop one of those beasts after helping him escape a terrible tamer whilst I was stuck in a town that held me captive for a crime I did not commit. He was young and seeing as we needed each other it was only fitting to create an Oath to our names.

I knew not his name for he was not my pet, nor my friend. And I was not about to learn of it. We were in a partnership if you will. A strict association that shan't last long enough to form any sort of bond or reap more than the reward both parties had agreed to. A relationship that will last for no longer than this war that now laid still below us. It would all end up being better for it, come the time we part ways or if one of us died.

But we were not bonded for long. A fortnight later and I left him after we attempted to stop a raid of Dragons from destroying a village. But we were too small for the powerful Dragons and their formidable size. Instead, we were forced to retreat, bandaging our severe wounds in order to stay away death.

Death. Something that I could not seem to shake. As a warlock I was asked for and sought after by many war leaders and Kings, considering the fact that there were to be all of twelve fully trained warlocks still alive and roaming this way and that. I, myself, was no different.

I was camping all but on the doorstep of the kingdom Elbaf having made sure I was a safe distance from their neighboring Kingdom of Bayfell. Bayfellians were less than human, being known for causing wars and ending lives just for the sake of doing something with the seething anger and contention they refused to remedy with other means of destructive behavior. I always wondered how fast a forest could be felled for a new village and finer homes if they were left in charge and to their own devices with nothing more than axes.

Elbaf, knowing the nature of the Bayfellians, drew in upon themselves to save what they had left of their repeatedly targeted settlement. Over time, they had mastered the ways of sanctuary and defense, only to leave their offense lacking in ways no Kingdom could ever survive if prevailed upon to attack. Therefore they needed help.

They needed magic.

Three days after I took refuge at the edge of Elbaf forest a small group of soldiers in suits of armor like pools of water reflecting the sky came out to retrieve me. But I knew of their cause, for I am not young in years as my body may portray. Even the Dragons find my length of life on this earth a bit unnerving. Better yet I feel nor show any signs of digressing far enough to leave my own body collapsed and useless.

However, all my years of fighting, learning, casting spells, and counseling could not prepare me for what I was therefore introduced upon my arrival inside Elbaf. A Dragon stood in the middle of the castle grounds, his golden scales lighting the room despite it being near dusk. It was my Dragon, the one I parted with so long ago, but bigger and older.

Upon seeing me, he reared and opened his mighty jaw, nearly toppling over the castle walls around him. He remembered me. His wings were like shimmering waves of gold, the membrane thin but deceptively durable. His four clawed legs were nearly the size of tree trunks, several layers of scales making them strong and ideal for attacking. I knew not if he was fire-breathing, but by the sudden warmth of the room once I entered provided me with enough information to assume he was of the fire-breathing kind. Spikes rode along his back near where his wings met his large frame. His underbelly looked unusually rough like it had been scratched then healed several times over. Then I came upon the horns on his head. The right side was long and polished. The left was bare and scarred.

He was a banished Fire Breather. He was indeed to be feared. I was told banished Dragons were known to speak, having grown intellectually over the years then ostracized by their own kind. Dragons were common but sensible ones were not. Neither were warlocks. To have one of each together, it was truly an advantage to those that beheld such a pair, let alone possessed one. Yet another feature that linked us in ways I wished not to acknowledge. He shook his head and growled deep within his chest, holding my gaze with ice blue eyes that made my skin crawl.

Soldiers quivered and reached for their weapons, but the king called for peace, which was quickly granted. Nevertheless, I did not dare take my eyes off the golden beast that I assumed they would want me to align myself with. I made a note to require a higher sum of payment than I found myself usually requesting. As for the Dragon, I knew not of his reason for being with the Elbafians but it seems our purpose was now, once again, one in the same.

With a flurry of activity and in an alarmingly short amount of time, I was implored to aid the Elbafians in their fight with Bayfell whilst alongside the Dragon. We were to instill fear in the hearts of the Bayfell armies, to distract them from their duty to fight. If it were not the Bayfellians we were to fight, I would not have been so keen to readily accept. But I was in need of a place to stay and some reasonably good food for once.

So for the next three days, I stood with the Dragon, attacking when necessary, staying with the king as mascots, and flying high like watchers of their fates. Elbaf blue clashed with the dark suits of Bayfell, like leaves falling from trees into puddles of reflective water at the start of winter. After three days, the armies of both kingdoms were spent.

But their fates were already decided.

On the night of the third day, it became too quiet. Too still. Too thick with an unseen tension that made it almost difficult to breathe. But the Dragon knew. Without warning, he took me between his teeth and tossed be upon his back mere seconds before he took off into the sky. Without protest from me, he hid us in a tree a good distance from the battle. Just as I was about to ask him what he planned to do next, the tight feeling returned.

Three large black Dragons suddenly came swooping around a mountain of trees, coming upon the battle and letting their flames aglow. The beating of their wings disturbed the trees, giving an unsatisfactory warning of the impending doom for the people below. I could feel the heat from their flames from where I sat perched on the Dragon's back. Cries of warning, fear, and pain filled the sky in answer to the waves of red-hot flames that baptized them in death. We could do nothing but watch as both Bayfell and Elbaf soldiers alike were incinerated within seconds of the dark Dragons' arrival.

Just as fast as they came, the three Dragons vanished. Their roars of victory a mocking laugh at the quiet stillness that now occupied the once deafening battlefield. My Dragon and I remained hidden for a stretch of time until my Dragon was sure it was safe to retreat back to the Elbaf kingdom, unsure as to where else to go.

Therefore we found ourselves searching for survivors among the sea of charred remains. Alas, there were none. And we were not capricious with our searching. The golden Dragon looked back at me as if to ask permission. With a slight nod, I granted him leadership to lead us to Elbaf. As ironic as it would be to return and be the ones to tell the people that their great leader, their men, husbands, brothers, sons were dead when it was us who were chosen to protect them, we had a duty to fulfill for we were not self serving individuals during another's plight.

But, as it were, the Fates had something else in store for us, for as we were about to depart there was a devastating cry. But it was not of a man. It wasn't even human. The golden Dragon suddenly veered off, heading in the direction of such a heartstopping cry. I knew not what it was but I found myself trusting the Dragon as he flew, conscious of his act to save me from the same fate of a smoldering grave.

The cries grew weaker as we approached. There, past a cave at the top of a felled mountain, there was a glint of sun-stroked scales. Gently my Dragon entered it, his stout frame blocking the entrance. But the sun was not barred from entering. Light streamed in from a sizable hole in the ceiling, tumbled rocks and fallen cave wall gave the clear impression that there was an attack of no small means.

I dismounted from the golden Dragon and retrieved my staff to illuminate the area that was still darkened. It was clear this was a home but had only recently been attacked. There were claw marks scattered across the dusty ground, fresh blood splattered in various areas of muddy goop. A nest off to the side, large enough to fit two Dragons, was disturbed and hardly recognizable.

A soft cry echoed through the cave. I turned to the Dragon as he perked up, the scales on his head slightly pluming. I turned back down the cave, wondering closer to the large circle of light from the broken cave ceiling. Quickly it became apparent that this cave was no cave at all but a tunnel that lead to the top where we saw the glint of scales. Disposing of my staff behind my back, I used the light from the hole to guide me through. The Dragon followed closely behind, his wings scraping the tunnel walls.

There was a turn to the left then a turn to the right before I suddenly saw light coming from the other end. I quickened my steps, coming to find myself upon an old outlook tower, it's stone walls crumbled and weathered. The air was stale, like we had arrived after a lightning strike. The golden Dragon soon joined me, pushing past me as he suddenly raced forward. Startled, I moved to the side, wary of his next movements. But it was another cry, this time heartbreakingly pitiful, that drew my attention. I followed my Dragon and came to stop at his leg to see another Dragon seemingly tossed to the side. But this one was different.

She was female, evident from her smaller frame and narrower face yet wider wingspan. Her scales were of a burnt orange, complementing the early morning sky. She was a Wind Dragon, who were known to be smaller than most any other Dragon known on the Earth. My Dragon towered over her as she laid there curled up in on herself, her wings a delicate blanket over her trembling body. My eyes traveled over her as she no longer let out cries but instead whimpered like a wounded dog.

That was when I noticed her blood. Silver pools lay at her tail and feet like mirrors of past sins staring up at us. Her neck dripped with the shining substance as she lifted her head as far as she dared. Shaking, she looked over her shoulder and up at the top of a fallen tower. Our eyes followed her gaze and my heart dropped as my hands became cold.

A slightly larger, gray Wind Dragon lay sprawled motionless amongst rubble and torn branches. This must have been her mate. His shining gray scales glinted silver as the sun rose higher in the sky. His tale and wings drooped over the side of the crumbling tower as his blood dripped from their tips. Following the tear-like streaks, my eyes beheld a sight I did not wish to ever see in my lifetime.

At the base of the tower there laid the colorful remains of shattered Dragon eggs, half a dozen at least. Not wishing my eyes to tarry there any longer, I closed them to the horrors of a fallen new generation of Wind Dragons. With so few Dragons alive and humble enough to mate and take root, I found myself mourning for these destructive beasts. A it seemed, not all Dragons wished for even the mated pairs to delve into parenthood and further the line of such gentle Dragons as these Wind Dragons were. It was clearly safe to assume those three black Dragons were practicing before they played executioner with the lives of those soldiers.

Sudden movement next to me made me open my eyes. The golden Dragon had approached the female, assuming he too no longer wished to see the grotesque remanence of her once perfect family. I watched with furrowed brows as my Dragon lowered his head to hers, their foreheads touching. The soon-to-be mother leaned into his touch, the last of her life fleeting with every breath like birds leaving the nest to fly in the sky where they belonged.

To my amazement, they began to glow a warm soft yellow.

First the golden Dragon, starting in his middle that then grew up his neck and down his wings then through his head to the mother. Her head shown but it did not reach down her neck like the golden Dragon. Instead, she seemed to breathe easier, her wings relaxing around her resting body like a burial shroud. A gentle hum rumbled from my Dragon as he stood perfectly still, the glowing now pulsating with his strong heartbeat. I knew not what was happening. I dared not ask and disrupt what looked to be a merciful exchange of energy.

But my eyes were drawn away from their heads as the wing closest to me started to rustle. I stood transfixed as her wing pulled back to reveal fully intact Dragon eggs. Dragon Pearls as us warlocks called them, for they were just that. Oblong and shining, ranging in soft pearl colors of pink, white, blue, and sometimes black. Rare and valuable all the same. A true sight to behold when granted the opportunity.

There lay three of them, two white and one pink, nestled against their mother's ever growing cold body. The female lifted her wing higher as if granting me passage to retrieve them. Without hesitation, I picked them up, their surfaces pleasantly warm to the touch. They were no bigger than my head but weighted surprisingly less than I had initially perceived. One by one, I placed them by a charred fallen tree where they laid in the remainder of its soft leaves.

I then turned to the Dragons, their heads still touching. But with a final sigh, the female relaxed fully, her head dropping from the golden Dragon, coming to rest on her front paws. Her yellow eyes flitted to her remaining eggs then came up, holding my gaze for barely a moment before closing for her last restful sleep.

The golden dragon then came up to me, his head dropping down so his muzzle nudged the three little pearls. He let out a huff, rustling the leaves around them and turned to me. He searched my face before he then bowed. Without looking at me, he spoke, the ground rattling with loose rocks and pebbles.

"Warlock, I wish to extend a greater oath to thee than that that now bonds us in circumstance and deed." His head rose as he moved to laid on the ground, his paws crossed before him while he looked to the Dragon Pearls. "We have been entrusted with a task no Dragon and Warlock have ever been jointly asked to accomplish."

I glanced at the Dragon Pearls then returned his bow. "As it seems, we have. But pray forgive me, I have never once raised children."

The golden dragon sneered, a smile as I chose to see it. "Narry a human has ever succeeded in the task. But I shall not leave thee to squander in uncertainty."

"A relief, no less." I shrugged off my cloak, twisting and tying it into a sack carrier of a sort. I did not look up as I started to fill the crude bag with dry leaves. "Was she in pain?"

The ground rumbled as the Dragon let out a deep growl. "Those dark wraiths, a disgrace to the Dragon kind, were ruthless and merciless. Trouble thyself no more Wise Warlock, she rests now with her mate and little ones."

I gently picked up the Dragon Pearls, each settling snugly in the sack amongst the leaves.

"What are we to do with them?"

We were no longer bound by the oath made by the Elbaf king. We were free to do as we wished. The Dragon reached out with a claw, capturing the Pearls in his paw with a delicate grip.

"They shall be our new apprentices."

"Surely, ye jest."

The Dragon leaned forward, his nose nearly touching my head, his breath hot on my skin. "I do not jest, oh great Warlock," he retreated, ruffling his wings, "ye have lost thine faith in the Dragons just as I have lost hope in my future. But fear not, both shall be restored before too long."

"What, pray tell, shall they be our new pupils for? Hope?"

The Dragon held his palm open as he stared at the Dragon Pearls. "Perhaps. Perhaps apprentices of sentient wisdom."

I held my staff now that my cloak was otherwise occupied. "I know of a place we may reside that will be safe for the pupils. However, it is not a short journey."

The Dragon stood, his body shifting to compensate for the lack of using the paw that now held the Dragon Pearls.

"Apprentices. And I am not a weak Dragon."

I nodded, my mind still not at ease with the idea of rearing up three Wind Dragons alongside a golden Fire Breather. I stared up at him, his golden scales nearly blinding with the morning sun. His blue eyes peered into my soul as I struggled to refrain from arguing for the name of the small ones. With a sigh and a shake of my head, I strode forward, climbing up one of his legs to place myself on his strong back.

"What shall I call thee, oh strong Dragon?"

He unfurled his wings, the movement sending dust and leaves skittering about. He crouched then turned his long neck to look at me.

"Ignimis. And what shall I address thee, wise Warlock?"

"Gareth Tulmane," I leaned forward, "I trust ye will do right by us both and address them as our pupils."

Ignimis chuckled, or what seemed to be before he turned back to look forward. "It shall be good for our apprentices to know opposition and to whom to turn to as their rightful master."

"Now thine humor escapes thee. They shall never favor thee over my magic."

Ignimis crouched lower, his tail swishing. "Oh, ye of little faith."

Without warning, Ignimis took off, making me rush to take hold of his scales. With a new purpose, I contemplated my position in this sudden turn of events. Humans never worked well with Dragons, let alone warlocks. But as it seemed, I had no choice in the matter. A dying mother's last wish was for her remaining children to be cared for and raised well. Who am I to deny her only hope of success as a mother?

I turned to the sun, closing my eyes against its brightness as I took a deep breath of morning air. With this sun came death but a new future all at once. I have become the first human and warlock to side with a Dragon. May my patience be never-ending. May our good fortune hold strong. And may the death that wandered freely, find it can never belong.