Spring, 1424

After an hour of searching, Jayna found a small rock shelter, barely large enough to completely fit Mera and herself in. The dragon seemed weak, so the young rebel decided against asking her companion to blow a fire. Instead, a few strikes of her flint on iron pyrite created a small flame atop the charcloth she had laid atop some kindling she found around the chamber.

“There! Guess I’m a bit of a dragon myself.” The Arcadian exclaimed quietly as she fed tinder to the growing flames.

Mera crumpled to the ground and huddled warily in a ball around the small campfire.

“Apologies Jayna Durham. I am not as youthful or strong a warrior as I once was.” The wyrm muttered.

“Don’t worry about it. I am glad you joined our cause.”

“Do you? I have followed you out of loyalty and respect to my old friend, but I cannot see how this revolution of yours could turn out well.”

Jayna fell quiet, but then leaned over to stroke the great dragon on the snout.

“Mera. It must and it will succeed. History is on our side.”

The dragon slowly nodded.

“Forgive me, but sometimes I just feel despondent. I remember when I was like you, hopeful, eager to change the world, naïve. Couldn't understand why the older generation could not work together.” Mera sighed. “I would love to have that feeling again.”

The dragon seemed to deflate a little.

“People never change. Things never change. I am one hundred and forty, and I am still fighting the same fights. All that's changed is the loss of friends and family.”

Jayna smacked Mera on the nose. For a second the wyrm froze in shock, that shock turned to anger.

“The hell girl?”

“All that age and you are still a fool. Things improve eventually. And you’ve improved it, though don't realize it. You protected Stanton for seventy years through bandits, rebellion and war. You've saved Nalbin from the Other Men. You made peace between the dragons and the gryphons. You have lived long, and sired lovely children who have a caring father. You have had decades for bliss with your wife. Good and ill, you have had a long, fulfilling life. I am glad that you were friends with my grandbaba, and I am glad you are friends with me, but I swear if grandbaba had heard this shit you just said he would have also beaten some sense into you!”

Mera was silent for a long time, his eyes boring into Jayna's soul. The Arcadian leader flinched, but stared back defiantly. Then the dragon slowly nodded.

“Thank you Jayna. You are right. Us old guard, we have too much baggage from our lives; we can no longer even see the sky. I just hope my luck rubs off for you.”

“You have. Before you, no matter how close, how hard we tried, we were never able to win. Now we have some victories. Now the cause persists, even in the midst of the worst storms. I’m glad for your skill in fighting, and I am glad for your advice. I didn’t mean it when I said you were only great once, Mera. You are a hero, you are a living legend, and I can see why.” Jayna sat down beside the old dragon and began to softly rub his inflamed joints.

The dragon laid his head beside her.

“I'm glad.” He finally said.

For a long time the two huddled quietly as the cave warmed up, with only the sound of the fire crackling as the two figures mutually enjoyed their silent presence.

Jayna finally spoke again. “Can you tell me about grandbaba?”

The dragon smiled. “Ah, he was a good man. There could be no one more loyal or steadfast to his friends and true to his values. When we first met it was a major annoyance; Logan first tried to kill me, and even when I captured him he kept clinging onto his old ideas- betrayed me as soon as he got back to town.”

“My grandfather-a backstabber?”

“Well I have to say he learned quickly from there. Came back, saved my ass from the fire quite a few times. He was imaginative, getting us into and out of bad situations in a blink of an eye. As true and loyal a friend as they come, despite what the Heavens threw at us. He helped me rescue my people during the Great War, and tried to help me enact my vengeance, even after in I burned Stanton to the ground in my fury. I regret how things ended between us.”

“Well, that's all in the past now. Now you're helping do good things again.”

The dragon slowly nodded. “That's good. That's good. Unlike me, Logan Durham always tried to do good. Even when he was wrong. Even when it cost him. I respect that greatly.” He turned to his human companion and smiled.

“You remind me a lot of your grandfather, Jayna. Headstrong, aggressive, but creative and loyal to friends. You'll do well.”

Then as if overwhelmed by the conversation, Mera rested his head again and closed his eyes. Jayna laid on the dragon’s side.

“Thank you, Meratezatgh.” The Arcadian finally said. “That means a lot.”

Jayna was answered by gentle snoring. Having warmed up and relaxed, the dragon had drifted off to sleep. The Arcadian smiled at that and gently rubbed the old wyrm’s neck, before taking her own rest as well.

***

The great wyrm was back in his cave, atop Mount Rubinox, when a familiar voice roused him.

“Mera!” The dragon looked up in shock. A familiar human stood smiling at the entrance.

“Logan?” The wyrm asked, before shaking his head. “This is a dream; you’re dead.”

The Forester of Stanton looked around and shrugged.

“Aye. So I am.”

“I’m sorry about what happened, Logan. There had just been so much pain.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I understand. What is done is done.” The Forester laughed as he dramatically waved his arm in an arc. “I absolve you of your guilt.”

The dragon chuckled as well. “I appreciate that. So are you here to only hear about my contrition?”

“Nah. Why would I be interested in that?” Logan jumped up to an indention atop a worn stalagmite just large enough to act as a seat, “I just visited to give you a warning, old friend.” The hunter grew serious as he sat there, eye to eye with Mera. “There are merciless forces you are facing equipped with powerful new technologies. I’m sorry, but much suffering is going to come.”

The dragon nodded. “I had expected as much. Can you tell what will happen?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Will my children and grandchildren survive me?”

“Yes.”

“Well then I have nothing to fear. Just hope I could help your granddaughter like I helped you.

“Thank you. I hope you can forgive me for my mistakes as well.”

“I think I can, now. So much anger for so long…” The dragon shook his head, before walking over and sitting beside his old Forester companion. “How are you, old friend?”

“Eh, same old, same old…. things are a lot easier being dead.”

---

The Corries- Lowlands of Holland

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