Dragon Girl Challenge

There was a crackling of chaotic energy, and the cavern was swarmed with arcane might that Davin had never seen before.

Truly, chance was on his side.

He looked at the aftermath, awestruck. Never did he imagine he could actually manage to win. The battle left him bloodied, near dead, and in need of a new wardrobe, but he actually won.

“I did it!” Davin screamed loud enough that the sound bounced off the distant walls, and mounds of gold, “I defeated the dragon!”

A small voice was heard below his, “Not quite yet.”

Davin looked down just in time to see her eyes. He was blown off of his feet, a chocolate brown form pinning him to the ground.

It was a girl. An angry girl to be exact. She squeezed his neck with one hand, and the other arm lifted high above her head as if to bring it down and end him. Then she stopped, as if second guessing her attack.

Her eyes were smoldering, literally. The white orbs had pupils that seemed molten red.

“What magic is this?” The girl said as she looked at her hands, then pulled both hands in front of her face in confusion, “How can this be?”

It was the dragon. Davin tried to polymorph it, and the winds of chaos agreed. He felt power swell into him, and a spell that never should have worked, did. The plume of arcane power had shocked him, but he expected to be left with a squirrel to zap, not this. Maybe the wild currents of magic had other plans.

More pressing, he had a dragon on his chest, in the form of a nude girl.

The girl remembered he was there as soon as Davin went to move. As she lifted her arms again, he pushed her off and into the dirt of the cave floor. They both rolled to their feet, and Davin tried to conjure what arcane power he had left at his disposal.

“None shall defeat Kylazasta!” She shouted as she charged. While Davin was prepared for the monstrous power of a dragon, she was nothing more than a young girl, flailing her arms.

Davin backed away, and swatted her hands down.

“Face me,” The dragon shouted, “And know as soon as this conjuring ends, you will face my eternal wrath.”

Davin scratched his neck, “Can you at least get dressed first?”

“You fool,” Kylazasta said with her arms out wide, revealing all of her assets, from her developing breasts to her curly red hairs below, to the mage. “You’ll die doting on my form.”

She brought her arms forward as if to claw at him, and Davin put his hands forward in a show of peace.

“Okay,” He said, “Okay just stop.”

The girl’s eyes darted around the cavern and fell on a rock. She grabbed it, and held it ready to throw.

“No,” Davin said, “Don’t do it. Come now.”

Kylazasta threw the rock, and with a snap of chaotic energy, it reversed direction and struck her in the head.

When she came to, she was covered in a rough brown cover under the light of a lantern.

Kylazasta stirred, and Davin jumped up next to her. His hands began to motion wildly.

“Stay down,” He said, “You were hit on the head.”

The curly haired dragon girl rubbed the spot where the rock struck her, eyes focused on the blanket now bundled in her lap.

“You didn’t kill me,” She grumbled.

“Sort of hard to,” Davin said with a smile, “While you look like that.”

“Weakling!” She cried as she burst into a stance on all fours, her rear high in the air.

Davin backed up, but didn’t look afraid, “You’re a mere child, just stand down.”

“I’m beyond your years by multitudes,” Kylazasta said with venom, “You will learn to fear me.”

Davin looked puzzled, “Really?”

Kylazasta pounced, and the wild mage struck with the heft of his arm, knocking her to the dirt in one blow.

“If you’re supposed to be that old,” Davin said more to himself than to the dragon, “Then the odds of a spell like that holding you in its power for even this long…”

He trailed off as Kylazasta held her head, rolling in pain.

“When this hex fades,” The dragon said, “You will know true pain.”

“It may not,” Davin said matter of factly.

Kylazasta’s eyes turned up, “What?”

“I’ve polymorphed many a beast,” Davin said with a nod of his head, “No offense. But never has it lasted nearly this long. My powers are hard to control, but I’ve never been this fortunate.”

“Fortunate?” She screamed as she stood at full height, which barely came to his chin, “You have angered the eldest wyrm of the Black Wing of the East.”

She prodded a finger into his chest, and Davin tried to look away from her bare form, “You will be burned to ash and used to decorate my hoard, mortal.”

Davin used his hand as a blinder, “Please, that wasn’t exactly an impressive pile of gold back there. It might pay to get me back to the capital.”

The dragon girl snorted, and a smug smile spread across her face. Then she started to walk toward the exit of the caves.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Davin said, taking step behind her, “You’ve been plaguing this village for generations, I can’t just let you walk out of here.”

“I’m going to find someone to reverse this spell,” She said, a skip in her step.

Davin sped up, “And what? Tell them you are an ancient dragon, and you’ll pay them with your ankle high pile of coin?”

“Why not?” She said, “You fought through my many guardians for a chance at it.”

“Might not’ve if I knew the size of it,” He mumbled.

“What was that?” Kylazasta glared.

“I said, I came down to save the local village from your tyranny.”

She rolled her eyes and continued to the exit, “You humans will call just about anything tyranny. The dark reign of Galazhan, my mother, now that was tyranny. I just ate a few knights.”

“A regiment,” Davin corrected, “This year.”

Kylazasta smiled, “So hard to keep track.”

They neared the light to the outside now, and the dragon squinted against the light.

“More importantly,” Davin said, “How will you guarantee whoever you find to reverse the spell won’t just kill you and take your gold anyway?”

Kylazasta stopped, tripping over her human legs and falling into the dirt. She stood on wobbly legs, and turned back to Davin. Davin averted his eyes again.

“You make a good point, mortal.”

“I try.”

“So I’ll use you instead,” She said, “Can you reverse this magic?”

Davin laughed, a nervous chuckle that left him looking around for someone to save him, “Why would I?”

“Well,” Kylazasta said, “For one, that isn’t my hoard in there.”

Davin’s eyes lit up, “What?”

“This is,” She seemed to think of the proper words, “A home away from home. My true hoard is far from here, among the Crimson Rain mountains. Does that interest you?”

To his credit, Davin tried not to seem intrigued. It was about as hard as keeping his eyes away from the bosom of the exotic young woman in front of him.

“What if it did?” He said.

“You reverse the spell, I confer half my true hoard to you. Everyone comes out happy.”

Davin looked to the sky, and something in the winds of chance told him this plan would turn out satisfactory. Of course, those same winds told him that polymorphing the dragon was a grand idea.

“Two additions,” Davin said, “Small ones.”

“Be quick about it,” She replied, “I’m growing hungry and bored.”

“One, you never return to this cave,” He said with a raised finger.

“I hated it anyway,” She said her eyes looking off to the horizon.

“Two,” Davin took a deep breath, “You put on some clothing.”

“I’ve no time for this,” Kylazasta said as she turned to walk to the village.

Davin ran forward and swooped her up and over his shoulder.

“Fiend,” She screamed, pelting his back with weak punches “Put me down, we have come to agreement, have you no honor?”

-

Davin came out of the shop with two dresses in hand, both simple designs that would flow down far enough to cover her unmentionables. In his other hand were undergarments he hoped would fit.

“I decided to go with variety in case…” Davin looked around, and saw no sign of Kylazasta. His eyes went out further, watching the eyes of the villagers as they went about carrying wares here and there. They were all looking in one direction.

He followed their gaze, and saw Kylazasta standing further down the street, in front of a jewelers.

He ran to catch up with her. She had discarded the blanket onto the cobblestone halfway between him and her. He scooped it up and moved to her side.

She was staring intently through the display window, her nostrils flaring. Inside, the jeweler seemed caught in a trance. His tools still in hand, he was watching Kylazasta with disbelief.

All around him were villagers with a similar glance. Everyone was frozen in place.

Davin stood between the girl and the crowd, “I told you not to wander off.”

“I don’t take instructions from you,” She said as she put a finger to the glass window, “Nor will I ever.”

Davin took a deep breath, “Okay, but I brought you some clothing, so we can move without attracting attention.”

She turned on him, her eyes drilling into him, “Why shouldn’t I attract attention,” She said with her arms high in the air, “I am Kylazasta the destroyer!”

Davin grabbed her arms and pulled them down, “No, right now you are Kylazasta the vulnerable nude little girl.”

The dragon girl looked around, as if this was the first time she noticed the gathering crowd of eyes. Her expression didn’t change, except to grow more frustrated with the wild mage.

“Give me those garments,” She said as she snatched the dresses from him, “And don’t dare call me little.”

She looked at the two dresses, the noticed the shimmering rock on the breast of the white dress. She tossed the other one aside and pulled the white dress over her head. As the hem got down to her waist, she struggled to pull her head through.

“Confound this machined madness,” She grumbled.

Davin pulled her head through. Kylazasta let out a satisfied sigh, and for a brief moment she smiled at him. Then she looked down to her bosom, and noticed the missing rock.

“I’ve been fooled,” She growled.

“No,” Davin said calm, holding the sides of the dress and spinning it around on her body to face forward.

Kylazasta smiled again, and pulled her arms through, holding the neck of the dress out far enough to stare at the rock.

“Are you going to put on the rest?” He asked, holding her underwear.

She waved him away, and started walking down the street. The whole time her eyes stuck on the shiny stone.

“You know,” Davin said as he picked up the pace to walk beside her, “That’s just a common river…”

Her eyes shot up to meet his, and he stopped in place at the fury in her gaze. He held his arms up in peace. Kylazasta looked back at her rock, and went back to walking out of town.

-

“That isn’t how its done,” Davin said as Kylazasta bundled herself on the floor of the tent. She looked more like a human attempting to be a cat, with her arms folded under her, and her knees out to her sides, “Do you feel the least bit comfortable?”

“That is none of your concern,” She retorted.

He sighed, and pulled the blanket up to his waist. This was, without a doubt, the longest day in his life. It was hard to decide if a dragon’s hoard was worth the trouble. Especially when she acted like a 9 year old.

“You haven’t told me where we’re going,” Kylazasta said as she tried to find a comfortable way to place her head.

“That’s because I still don’t trust you not to run away.”

She laughed, though it was more like a prolonged snort, “Maybe you aren’t as stupid as you seem, chaos wizard.”

“Wild mage,” Davin corrected, “Get some sleep. We will get back on the road tomorrow.”

“What are we going to eat tomorrow?” Kylazasta asked.

Davin laid down on his side, “I’ve no idea. Rations. Is this important?”

“That’s always important,” She replied.

“Sleep, Kylazasta.”

The dragon girl yawned, “Kylazasta, the destroyer.”

Davin rolled his eyes, “Kylazasta the destroyer.”

The tent got quiet, besides the distant sound of the wind and the occasional scurrying creature.

“Chaos wizard?” Kylazasta whispered.

“Yes?”

“I change my mind, call me Kyla.”

Davin tried to mask his chuckle, “Goodnight, Kyla.”

His eyes closed, and he sank into sleep. But in the night, a pressure woke him up.

Davin’s eyes snapped open, and he saw Kyla’s eyes right before him. The pressure was the dragon girl, her whole body laying across his.

He took a deep breath, and the initial alarm faded away. Instead there was a new fear, the close and warm contact. Despite what she was beneath it all, now she was a young woman. Her cheeks were smooth, and her nose a soft button.

It wasn’t that he was uncomfortable around women, he just didn’t know the proper approach for women that were actually ancient evil reptiles.

He squirmed, hoping to shift her onto the floor next to him. At least then he could draw the blanket over them both.

Kyla’s eyes opened, and looked down at him.

“Don’t move,” She whispered, her voice sounding alert.

“Why are you here?” He whispered.

“The ground wasn’t comfortable,” She said, “Neither was your pack. This is better, this spot is warm.”

He wanted to shout, ‘of course it is!’ But he thought better of it.

Kyla shifted on her human bed, her hands resting on his chest, her knees straddling him. Davin struggled to forget that she was only wearing that dress. Why couldn’t she at least wear underpants?

“I like this angle,” She said, her eyes looking down her nose at him. She flared her nostrils at him, and he felt the heat of her breath on his face.

In a way, it was like when he first met her, with less scales.

“Sleep now, whatever your name is,” She said.

“Davin,” He whispered.

“Davin, sleep. You move too much.”

-

A week’s travel is hard with a dragon at your side. Even worse when you only had rations for one person. They stopped in a small town along the way, enough time to shop and make sure the roads were clear for travel.

Davin came out of a shop with a full bag, and a leg of chicken.

Kyla was seated on a bench. Her attentive eyes bouncing between the cityfolk that passed by.

“Here,” He said as he sat beside her.

She took the meat and bit into it without hesitation. It didn’t distract her from her observations. Her teeth dug in deep.

“Good?” He asked.

“Edible,” She said between mouthfuls.

Bits of meat were spread across her cheeks, and he wanted to help her wipe them away. A bite mark on his finger was a reminder why he shouldn’t touch her while she is eating.

“Finished,” She said as she tossed the cleaned bone aside, “Tell me something, Davin.”

He picked up the bone and disintegrated it in his hands, “What is it Kyla?”

“Is that typical?” She asked, pointing across the street.

It was another bench, and there was a couple there. A man dressed in fancy slacks, and a woman in a flourishing dress that probably cost as much as every piece of gear Davin carried. They were laughing, and the man seemed to be telling crude jokes. The woman occasionally blushed and looked away, before turning back and getting close enough for their lips to touch.

“Uhm,” Davin said, “Their courting each other.”

Kyla’s nostrils flared whenever the couple kissed, “Primitive.”

“How do dragons do it?” Davin asked.

Kyla gasped as if he had struck her, and her cheeks puffed out, “How dare you?”

She stood from the bench, and stomped away from him.

“It was a fair question,” He said as he followed after her, “You asked first.”

She stopped and crossed her arms, “You know good and well the questions are not equal.”

“How so?” He replied.

“Because I am Kylazasta the dreadful!” She shouted loud enough for anyone to hear, “You do not even imagine courting me, you dream of being melted under my gaze!”

Davin looked around, then raised an eyebrow, “You’re more like a brat who ate too much and needs a nap.”

Her eyes went wide, then she stepped forward and began to pull on the strap of his pack.

“What are you doing?” He cried out before letting her take it.

She slammed the pack to the ground where it crashed with the metallic clank of all the gear inside. She kneeled down in the street and began to throw the contents into the air.

“The dreadful!” She cried out as she launched a pole, “The destroyer!” She said as she stomped on a portable pot.

His mouth fell open, and for once he couldn’t control his frustration. “I’m a powerful mage, I could destroy you with a wave of my hand.”

Kyla threw a packet of bread in his face, it bounced off and hit her in the chest.

“I could turn you into a monkey with a thought!” He shouted.

“I fail to see what difference that would make!” She shouted back.

Then she dumped everything else onto the ground, and ran down the street.

“Kyla!” He shouted after her, “Where are you going?”

He piled everything back in the bag and ran in the direction he last saw her. The streets were winding, and despite the small size of the town, he couldn’t find her anywhere. He pondered trying to locate her mystically, but didn’t know if he had the means to.

Just when he was starting to worry, he heard a woman’s scream.

Davin ran down one street and turned into an alley. There he saw her, Kyla pushed against a wall by two men. One had a knife to her throat, and the other was playing lookout. Her dress was pulled up to her armpits, and if the bulge on the knife man was any indication, he was too late to end this without anyone coming to harm.

“Release me,” Kyla screamed, “You have no idea who I am.”

“Kylazasta the dark, was it?” The man laughed.

Davin felt the magic well up inside him, as if the gods of chance themselves were infuriated. His fists squeezed together, and he walked down the alleyway.

“‘Ey boy,” Said the lookout, a man nearly twice Davin’s size, “Nothing to see here. Get out.”

Davin’s mouth opened, and a burst of flame erupted in a red hot stream.

The man had just enough time to open his mouth and scream when the flames swarmed over him, turning a powerful blue on contact. He tried to run, then collapsed, and attempted to roll. Nothing was going to save him.

The other guy looked at his burning friend, and his eyes went so wide that Davin could see the flame reflected in his gaze. To his credit as an alley thug, he knew enough to pull Kyla in front of him as a hostage.

Kyla struggled against the man, but she knew enough not to push against the blade at her throat.

“You fucking wizards,” He said, “This doesn’t concern you.”

Davin whispered a word and motioned with his hand.

The man froze, and Davin walked over to Kyla, pulling the knife out of the man’s hand without him even moving. Then he pushed the thug over, his body petrified.

Kyla collapsed to her knees.

“Are you okay?” Davin said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Kyla shrugged him off, and he saw her shoulders shake with a sob. She shook her head, “I just want my body back.”

“We can leave,” He said, “I’m sorry this happened.”

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face, “This whole town should be razed to the ground.”

Davin looked at the men, one still burning, the other in silent agony.

“Lets get back on the road, Kyla.”

-

She was quiet the rest of the evening. They walked side by side on the road, with Kyla looking at the ground. She didn’t say a word to him, and he couldn’t so much as get her attention.

Davin set up their tent, and after he laid down, Kyla took her position on top of him. Her eyes closed, and at first Davin was sure she went straight to sleep. It would have been a relief, after the day she had.

“Mage Davin,” She said with her eyes shut.

“Yes?”

“Have you considered, I may never get my body back?” Her eyes opened, and those molten orbs watched him from above.

Davin had to look away, “It isn’t worth thinking about.”

She snorted, “After today, it is. It would leave me in an unthinkable situation.”

He looked back at Kyla, and her eyes were locked on his, “What is that?”

“You would be the more powerful between us.”

His first instinct was to say, ‘I always was’, but something told him it was best to hold his tongue. She was a head shorter than him, and walked as if she was as tall as a house. Pushing her around just caused problems.

Kyla swallowed, “If I was to hold this form forever, Davin, would you court me?”

Davin looked at the tip of the tent, and tried to keep himself distracted. Among questions he didn’t want to answer, this was high on the list. Polymorphed dragon girls were a step below oddly hairy bar wenches on the list of things to avoid taking between the sheets.

He looked back, and Kyla was watching him, unmoving.

The week hadn’t been the worst. He had to admit, she was unique.

“Of course, Kyla,” He said.

She moved up and kissed him on the lips. It was gentle, cute, and over before he could think further. Then she smiled, and closed her eyes.

That smile on her face, it made it all worth it. He chuckled.

“Don’t move,” She said.

-

“Can you even read that?” Davin asked as they walked the path.

It was another week’s time, and their trip was coming to an end. At this point, Kyla had a pack of her own, and carried a black tome in her hands.

She looked up at him, “It is in draconian, you idiot.”

Kyla turned the page, and Davin chuckled, “I knew that, I was just wondering when you started reading it.”

“Two days after we met,” She said, “I don’t sleep as long as you lazy humans.”

It was a book of arcane knowledge. Not that he needed one anymore. It was more of a souvenir from a past life. It did scare him that the disguised ancient dragon was looking into it, but he tried not to think about it.

“You humans perform your magic in such an odd way,” She said.

Davin looked ahead and saw smoke on the horizon, “We are almost there. I can see the town coming up.”

Kyla looked up, and her nostrils flared at the sight of smoke.

“We’re going to see my old master,” He said, “The man can dispel just about anything. Plus, he owes me. We can pay him, then be on our way.”

She looked up at him, and there was something in her face that Davin didn’t recognize. Then she looked back at the road.

They got further along, and Davin saw something that disturbed him. It was a body, charred to darkened meat, laying in the center of the road.

“Who would do this?” He whispered.

Kyla stood over the body, “Goblins.”

“Goblins? Here? They couldn’t take on a town of this size.”

Kyla looked back to the smoke.

“We need to hurry,” Davin said, “The Master could be in danger.”

He started to run, and Kyla followed behind. They beat a quick path. Soon the town came into view, and Davin slowed to a stop.

The walls of the great city had an elephant sized hole taken out of it. Through the gap they could see the city burning, the buildings rubble and cinders. There was nothing there to save, just remnants of the city that once was there.

“No,” Davin whispered, “Kyla.”

He looked over to her, but she seemed distracted. The dragon girl whispered a word and pointed her hands out, and an array of purplish bolts left her fingers. They arced through the sky, and struck a shadowed form peeking from behind a tree. The screams of a goblin echoed to the road.

Other goblins came piling out, elongated faces and knobbled ears. They held homemade spears toward the pair, and chittered as they got into position.

Davin’s mind was clouded, all he could think of was his old master, held down by goblins, tortured to death. Then Kyla, alone, forever, as a little girl.

“Get close,” Davin said as the goblins closed in.

Kyla moved to his side, “We’re surrounded, do something at any time.”

He chanted the words, they came to him by instinct. He didn’t know what spell to expect, but he could already feel the outcome in his heart.

“Please, Wild Mage,” Kyla whispered, eyeing the approaching goblins.

Davin shouted, and the world around them shuddered. An explosion of force move out, a black flame that spilled over the creatures and continued into the forest. The heat hit him, and he knew that each of them would be nothing but bones when he was done.

Goblins, what city fell to goblins?

The smoke cleared, and everything around him, from the road to the woods, was black ash.

Davin shook his head, “I’m so sorry, Kyla. I guess I couldn’t do it. We came all this way and, nothing.”

She looked up at him with a straight expression. He was used to it by now. It didn’t say what she was feeling, so much as it told you she was contemplative and in control.

Kyla grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him forward for a kiss. Their lips parted, and her tongue sunk deep past his. When she let go, Davin’s eyes were wide.

“I guess we better take you to that hoard,” She said before turning back to the road.

“What?” He said.

She shrugged, “You tried to keep your half of the deal. I owe you that much.”

Davin walked up beside her, his arms out pleading, “Kyla, don’t you get it, I failed you. I’m sorry, but you don’t owe me anything.”

Kyla turned on him, her nostrils flaring, “No,” She snapped, “The man who will court me will not snivel and beg. You demean us both. Kylazasta the devastating will only succumb to the most powerful man in the East. Now pull yourself together.”

He stood up straight, and felt his cheeks turning red. Succumb? What did she have in mind?

Davin opened his mouth, then closed it and reconsidered his words.

“You’re right, we should go get that hoard,” He said, “Then, we have to find out how a bunch of goblins got the best of an armored city. I think if we do that, we can find someone powerful enough to help us.”

Kyla smiled and raised her hand, “Yes!”

“Because I am…” He thought about it, “Davin the Powerful!”

“That is miserable,” She said, smiling at him, “But it will do for now.”