The Dragon Who Called Him Stupid

The darkness moved.

Ares remained frozen.

His heartbeat thundered inside his chest as his eyes remained fixed on the place where the sound had come from.

The exact place.

The exact same corner of the chamber.

The exact same shadows.

The exact same spot where a dragon had slept ten years ago.

Slowly, Ares rose to his feet.

The ancient hall had become eerily silent.

No wind.

No insects.

No sound beyond his own breathing.

He cautiously stepped forward.

One step.

Then another.

His hand instinctively moved toward the sword hanging at his side.

The darkness ahead remained motionless.

Ares narrowed his eyes.

Nothing.

There was nothing there.

The corner appeared empty.

The shadows seemed no different from any other shadow inside the ruined castle.

For several moments, he stood there examining every inch of the chamber.

Nothing.

Eventually, he let out a long breath.

Perhaps he was imagining things.

Perhaps grief had finally caught up to him.

Perhaps—

Ares turned around.

And began walking back toward the entrance.

Then a voice whispered directly beside his ear.

"So."

Ares nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Here you are once again."

His sword was halfway out of its sheath before he spun around.

"What the—"

The words died in his throat.

Because this time...

He saw it.

The dragon.

Not hidden.

Not sleeping.

Not vanishing.

Not a childhood illusion.

A dragon.

A real dragon.

It sat exactly where it had sat ten years ago.

Massive.

Ancient.

Majestic.

Its enormous body occupied nearly half the chamber.

Dark scales covered its body like polished armor.

Golden eyes glowed softly within the darkness.

The creature's folded wings looked large enough to cover entire buildings.

Each breath it took seemed powerful enough to shake the air itself.

Ares could only stare.

The memories of that childhood afternoon flooded back instantly.

The stones.

The giant door.

The sleeping beast.

Lila insisting there was nothing there.

For ten years he had questioned himself.

Wondered whether it had been real.

Wondered whether he had imagined everything.

Now he had his answer.

No.

The dragon existed.

And it was staring directly at him.

The dragon tilted its head.

Then spoke.

"When you were a child..."

Its deep voice echoed through the hall.

"...you were unbelievably stupid."

Ares blinked.

"What?"

The dragon sighed dramatically.

"You threw rocks at me."

Ares stared.

The dragon stared back.

"You threw."

A pause.

"Rocks."

Another pause.

"At a dragon."

Ares opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

"I was twelve."

"That is not helping your argument."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Ares almost laughed.

Almost.

The dragon continued.

"Do you have any idea how ridiculous that was?"

"You were sleeping."

"I was pretending."

Ares frowned.

"What?"

The dragon nodded confidently.

"I was curious."

"You looked tiny."

"I wanted to see what you would do."

Ares looked horrified.

"So you watched me throw rocks at you?"

"Several rocks."

"And you did nothing?"

The dragon looked offended.

"I threw one back."

"..."

"..."

"You did."

The memory suddenly returned.

The stone floating from his hand.

Ares pointed at the dragon.

"That was you!"

"Obviously."

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then unexpectedly...

Ares laughed.

A genuine laugh.

Small.

Weak.

But real.

The dragon observed him quietly.

The laughter didn't last long.

The sadness eventually returned.

It always did.

Ares lowered his gaze.

The dragon noticed immediately.

"You have changed."

The king's smile disappeared.

"So have you."

"No."

The dragon replied.

"I am exactly the same."

Ares looked up.

Unfortunately, the dragon was right.

It looked almost identical to the creature he had seen ten years ago.

Ancient.

Timeless.

Untouched by the passing years.

Unlike him.

Ares slowly sat on the cold stone floor.

The dragon remained silent.

Waiting.

For reasons Ares could not explain...

Words began pouring out.

He told the dragon everything.

The war.

His father's death.

Loid's execution.

Ryuk's disappearance.

The burden of the throne.

The accusations from Resu and Shashaya.

The loneliness.

The exhaustion.

The guilt.

Everything.

Hours seemed to pass.

The dragon never interrupted.

Never judged.

Never mocked him.

It simply listened.

When Ares finally finished, the hall became silent once more.

The dragon's golden eyes remained fixed on him.

"You carry too much."

Ares laughed bitterly.

"I am king."

"A poor excuse."

Ares blinked.

The dragon continued.

"Kings are not meant to carry everything alone."

"Then who carries it with them?"

The dragon immediately answered.

"Those who choose to stay."

The words lingered in the air.

Ares found himself strangely comforted.

It was ridiculous.

He had known this creature for less than a day.

Yet speaking to it felt easier than speaking to most humans.

Then another thought crossed his mind.

A troubling thought.

Ares slowly narrowed his eyes.

"Wait."

The dragon tilted its head.

"How do you know all this?"

The dragon smiled.

A very dragon-like smile.

Which was somehow more concerning than comforting.

"I know many things."

"How?"

"I simply do."

Ares frowned.

"That is not an answer."

"It is the only answer you are getting."

"You're suspicious."

"I am ancient."

"That's not better."

"It is for me."

Ares rubbed his forehead.

Somehow talking to this dragon was exhausting.

The dragon looked pleased with itself.

Then suddenly it spoke.

"I will help you."

Ares blinked.

"What?"

"I will help solve your problems."

The king stared at him.

"Why?"

The dragon shrugged.

"As entertainment."

"Entertainment?"

"You are surprisingly dramatic."

Ares looked offended.

The dragon looked delighted.

Then it continued.

"Of course, I require payment."

Ares groaned.

"There it is."

"I need food."

"Fair."

"A place to stay."

Ares nodded.

"Reasonable."

"And various necessities."

Ares sighed.

"I can arrange that."

The dragon smiled.

Then Ares looked at the dragon's enormous body.

Then at the ruined castle.

Then back at the dragon.

A long silence followed.

Finally—

"How exactly am I supposed to feed a dragon your size?"

The dragon paused.

That was apparently a good question.

For several moments, it genuinely appeared to be thinking.

Then its eyes brightened.

"I have an idea."

Ares immediately became nervous.

The dragon leaned forward.

"Can you provide those things for one human?"

Ares blinked.

"Uh..."

The question seemed oddly specific.

"Yes?"

The dragon's smile widened.

"WONDERFUL."

Ares did not like that smile.

Not one bit.

The air inside the chamber suddenly changed.

The shadows trembled.

Ancient energy stirred within the ruins.

Golden light began flowing between the dragon's scales.

The stone floor vibrated.

The dragon slowly rose to its full height.

Ares instinctively stepped backward.

The creature's golden eyes seemed brighter than the stars themselves.

Its enormous wings unfolded.

The chamber shook.

The ancient magic surrounding the beast grew stronger and stronger.

Ares could feel power pouring from it like a raging ocean.

Then the dragon spoke.

"Then one human it shall be."

The golden light exploded across the chamber.

And before Ares could understand what was happening—

Everything disappeared into brilliance.

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