The Dragon Queen opened her wings and got ready to go. "I told you I would be back in seven days."
"But not to make threats. I won’t come in this scary dragon shape that scares your kind, and I’ll come in my real form."
"You and I will talk to each other as equals. And if you still prove yourself worthy, then maybe I will willingly make the Spirit Bond that the prophecy says I should."
She started to get up, and the light from the evening sky hit her huge body. "You’ve worked hard for that, young hero."
"You stood up for what you believed in even when the odds were against you. That should be recognized."
"Wait," Rick yelled, his voice stronger now that Liora had healed him. "What about the people who died today?! What about the damage you’ve caused?!"
Sylvia stopped in the middle of her flight. "All deaths weigh on my mind, including theirs. I am old, young hero, but I still care."
"I made decisions today that I thought were necessary, and I still think they were necessary to get you to act. But now I know that threats don’t work on you."
"You respond to need."
"The damage will be fixed. I will send resources from my area to help with the rebuilding."
"I can at least do this to make up for today’s over-the-top show." Her voice became softer. "And for what it’s worth, I apologize for the pain I caused."
"I have been alone for too long, fighting threats that are too big for your kind to understand. I forgot what it means to care about each person’s life."
"Thanks for all your action... you’ve inspired me."
With that, the Dragon Queen rose into the night sky. But before she vanished into the clouds, Rick heard her voice one last time, and this time it was just for him.
"You smell like strength, kindness, and belief, young hero, those smells are hard to find in this world. I like them a lot."
"To you. Maybe the next time we meet, I’ll understand why fate brought us together. Get your strength back until then."
"You’ll need it for the hard times ahead. And, Rick Rolland, you should know this. Sylvia Flameheart is interested in you. That doesn’t happen easily."
Rick’s heart skipped a beat when he heard that last message. It wasn’t a command or a threat. It sounded a lot like excitement. It was like she was excited to see him again.
Then she was gone, disappearing into the clouds and leaving behind only silence and the ruins of a city. Rick fell against Carmilla’s boobs, completely worn out.
The evacuees around them started to come out of their hiding places, staring in shock and awe at the dead dragon. Healers ran to help the injured, and guards started to organize the cleanup.
Grand Magister Fredrich came closer, his face showing a mix of respect, worry, and thought. "You keep surprising me, Rick Rolland."
"You not only lived through an encounter with the Dragon Queen, but you also gained her respect. That’s never happened before."
Rick muttered, "Didn’t feel like respect... it felt like being judged like a pet."
"With dragons, those are usually the same thing," Fredrich said. "They only pay attention to beings they think are worth their time."
"It’s important that Sylvia is coming back as a human instead of demanding that you submit right away."
"You’ve caught her interest, and that could be the best or worst thing that could have happened."
Liora knelt next to Rick and kept using her healing magic on him. "You did a good job, Rick."
"Stupid, reckless, and almost suicidal, but it’s fine since you saved many lives today."
She stopped and looked into his amber eyes. "And it looks like you’ve won over a Dragon Queen."
"I’m not sure if I should say ’congratulations’ or ’sorry.’"
"Can I pick neither?" Rick asked in a weak voice.
Natasha snorted, which was the closest thing to laughing she could do. "Not enough time. The Dragon Queen said you smell lovely, and that’s basically saying you want to date someone in dragon culture."
"What?!" Rick’s eyes got bigger. "No! No way! She said she would burn the city!"
"And now she’s saying she’s sorry and promising to start over," Carmilla said, a small smile on her face even though she was worn out. "She’ll also come back as a human to talk to you as equals."
"I think you accidentally flirted with the strongest dragon in the world by being brave, Rick."
"That’s not how flirting works!"
"It is for dragons," Sebastian said as he appeared on Rick’s shoulder. "They value strength, bravery, and conviction above all else."
"You did all three in a very impressive way, and you didn’t just fight Sylvia’s wayward child."
"You showed that you were worth her time. Congratulations! You are now one of the few beings that the Dragon Queen finds interesting."
Rick groaned and put his hands over his face. "I almost fucking died... more than once. My body feels like it has been through a meat grinder. And you say I accidentally started dating a dragon?"
"Basically, yes," Sebastian said with a smile. "I like to call it destiny engineering, though."
"The prophecy says that you need to connect with the seven main powers. Sylvia is one of them. It’s wonderful that you got her interested in you by being a real hero instead of playing politics."
"I hate everything about this," Rick said, but his words didn’t really have any heat. He was too tired to be really angry.
The city started the long process of getting better around them. Healers took care of the hurt, builders looked at the damage, and families hugged each other with tears in their eyes. Rick watched everything happen and felt the weight of what had happened settle over him.
He had saved lives that day. He had saved real people and had stood up to a Dragon Queen without backing down. That was worth something, even if it meant dealing with the problems that would come up.
He could feel Carmilla’s steady support and Natasha’s quiet pride through the Spirit Bond. He could feel Liora’s protective warmth and approval through their connection.
He wasn’t the only one. No matter what happened next, he had people who would be there for him.
"Seven days," Rick said in a low voice. "Seven days from now, the Dragon Queen will be back."
"Then we have seven days to get ready," Carmilla said firmly. "To get better, to learn, and to be ready for whatever comes next!"
"Together," Natasha said, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Together," Liora said, and her presence through their spiritual link was a comforting weight.
Rick smiled at the three strong, mature women who had chosen to stand next to him. Even with everything that had happened, he was still worn out, scared, and unsure of the future.
"Yeah," he said. "Together."
The evening stars were starting to show up in the clear sky above them. A Dragon Queen got ready for their next meeting somewhere in the north.
Somewhere in the world, other powers heard about the hero who had fought a dragon and lived. Rick Rolland, a former gooner and unlikely hero, was at the center of it all as the prophecy came true and destiny moved forward.
He just needed to take a break for now. Tomorrow would bring new problems, new challenges, and probably more times when he would have to choose between doing the right thing and staying safe.
Rick was fine with that. Being a hero was hard work, scary, and sometimes meant accidentally flirting with dragon queens.
But it was better than dying alone in a gaming chair while watching porn MILFs videos