Meera whirled on Thulir, as the ground beneath them rumbled. "What the hell did you do?"

The grin didn't vanish from his face. "Called on a friend."

Meera wanted to toss him from the shield and make off on her own. The plan was to sneak through the dragons' territory. Not to invite them to her. The trees shook and shifted as a dragon burst through the foliage.

The dragon wasn't the biggest she had seen, but it was perhaps the most beautiful. It had rainbow colored scales that shimmered in the evening sun. It was almost like she was a rainbow in dragon form. Even its form was slender and graceful. It was so breathtaking that Meera nearly forgot about the fangs and the claws.

[Shimmering Dragon – Level 811]

"Thulir," the dragon spoke in a feminine voice. "Why do you wake me from my slumber?" Then she paused mid-flight as her eyes turned to Meera. "What is she doing here? Why do you bring her to our doorstep?"

"Drania," Thulir said, spreading his arms wide. "I know she and your kin don't have a pleasant history, but there is something of grave importance that she needs your help with. May we please talk in private, as a favor to me?"

The dragon considered it. From where Meera stood, it looked more like the dragon was thinking whether she should unleash her fiery breath or not. After a long moment, the dragon motioned to the forest below and dived for the forest floor. Despite her size, she didn't crush any trees as she dropped to the ground.

Meera released a breath that she didn't know she was holding.

"See, told you she was a friend," Thulir said.

"Well, let's hope that your friendship counts for something."

Then followed the dragon, who had created enough of an opening for them. The trees were mammoth-sized here that they towered over the dragon, which must've stood at least thirty feet high, if not close to it.

There were a couple of trees that were tilted and had smashed into other trees, but none had toppled over. The female dragon waited patiently for Meera to land. However, her expression was anything but patient. Faint wisps of smoke escaped her nostrils, and Meera was prepared to raise more Mirror Tower Shields at any second.

If this was how a friendly dragon reacted to her presence, Meera could only wonder what would've happened if she had happened upon an unfriendly dragon. Thankfully, the dragon didn't shoot anything at Meera as she and Thulir landed.

Thulir hopped off the tower shield and promptly bowed. "Oh, wise Drania Glowmoon. I thank thee for conversing with us. If you could please do us the service of creating a prism cone so we can—"

"No," Drania cut him off. "The fact that I'm just meeting with her could be enough for Ignis to exile me. No matter my standing in his court."

Meera noted that she had become so taboo that just talking with her was enough to get exiled.

Thulir's smile didn't vanish from his face. "No worries, Drania. It's just that it was for your protection. But you know best." He motioned to Meera. "It's best you tell her."

Meera looked the dragon in the eye. "I need an audience with Ignis Sunbreath."

The dragon's emerald eyes widened at once. "You what?"

She looked around as if the trees themselves were listening in on their conversation. Immediately, a bright light flashed from the dragon, and a prismatic cone appeared all around them. It was like they were inside a glass cone. It went through the trees and around them, but didn't cut them at all. It shone for a brief second, and then it was as if nothing was there.

Thulir gave the dragon a 'I told you so' look, but she ignored him and focused on Meera.

"Do you have a death wish?" The dragon asked.

"Not exactly," Meera replied.

"Then why would you come here?" Drania snapped. "Ignis forbade you from coming back to the Wiryar forest, but you disregarded that and showed up at our very doorstep. If any dragon finds you or, let alone, smells you, you will not see tomorrow's dawn."

Meera smiled. "I know that, but I have no other choice. If I knew of another place where dragons dwelled so abundantly, I would've gone there. Besides, he won't kill me."

Drania squinted her eyes, and a guttural growl came through her throat. "I want to kill you, and save us all the bother of whatever trouble you've brought this time."

"Then take me as your prisoner," Meera replied. "Say that you found me snooping around in the forest and defeated me, and brought me to him to face justice."

Thulir rubbed his scruffy beard. "Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea."

The dragon gave the Keeper a look that said it was his fault that she was caught up in this mess.

"And if I do not do that?" Drania asked.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Then I'll just fly myself to the Krathor mountains and find the first dragon that I can find and put this same proposition to them. Eventually, I will find my way to him."

"Good riddance," Drania sighed. "Do that, then."

The cone around them shimmered once more as it came down. The dragon flapped her wings and was about to fly off when Thulir spoke up. He was convinced to get this dragon to help her. Meera wondered if there was something he was getting out of it for being the middleman.

"Of course, then that dragon would get the credit of bringing the one who knows the secret of the archdragons," Thulir said. "Come, Meera, I have other dragon friends."

Drania stopped flapping her wings at once. "You lie."

"Search her heart and find the truth of her words," Thulir said.

"Look into my eyes," Drania commanded.

"Can she read my mind?" Meera asked Thulir.

He shook his head. "More like she will know if you're telling the truth."

"And if you're lying, then your soul will burn out from inside your body," Drania added.

"Great," Meera commented. Your information better be correct, Dara.

She looked into the dragon's emerald eyes, which were changing colors one by one. It was a hypnotizing effect. One second, they were green, then they were jade, then faded to yellow, and burst into red. The intensity of the colors and the speed at which they changed sped up by the moment.

"Do you know the secret of the archdragons?" Drania asked.

"If you mean, how a dragon evolves into an archdragon, then yes, I do."

The colors sped up even faster, so much so that Meera lost all other senses. Her whole world became those eyes and those colors. It was like she was having the worst psychedelic trip. She wanted to shut her eyes and stop this assault of colors, but try as she might, she couldn't. It was as if the dragon had cast a spell on her, so that all she could do was stare into those eyes. Then, as abruptly as the effect had started, it stopped. Meera rocked forward and was nearly driven to her knees. She huffed, and the others were talking, but it was all a blur. She found Thulir helping her stand, and a light steam coming off her body. She was returning to her body slowly but surely.

"Meera, are you okay?" Thulir asked, but his voice was coming from far away, like an echo in the wind.

She stared at his face, not sure how to respond. She didn't know if she could respond. Even though she was no longer staring into the dragon's eyes, the aftereffect of all that color was still playing games with her vision. It was as if the rest of the world didn't have any colors like they were muted beyond measure.

"Drink this!" Thulir was shouting, but to her, it might as well have been coming from miles away.

He pushed a wooden bottle to her lips. Her brain wasn't in control. He could have even given her poison, and she would be in no position to refuse. She drank the foul-tasting liquid and almost gagged right away, but Thulir kept forcing it down her throat until she could drink no more.

She pushed the bottle away and coughed violently. She thought she would throw up, but Thulir slammed a hand down on her mouth.

"Don't throw up, if you want to keep your senses!" He cried.

Meera pushed his hand away and swallowed, keeping whatever it was he had made her drink inside her. With a start, she realized the world was fine again. The colors felt normal again, her hearing was back, and though all she could taste was that foul liquid, at least that was back as well.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Meera snapped at the dragon.

"Did he not tell you that this would happen?" Drani asked.

Meera turned on the Keeper, who chuckled. "If I had, you would've never gone through with it. It was a good thing, I brought the Canterworm juice or the effect would've been permanent."

"The what juice?" Meera almost doubled over again.

"Here you keep the rest," Thulir said, handing her the bottle. "Where you're going, they might make you do this test again."

Meera looked between the two of them and finally rested her eyes on the dragon. "So, you'll take me to Ignis."

"We talked over the details," Thulir said, patting her shoulder. "She'll take you to see her king and make sure that he'll, at the very least, hear you out before passing judgment."

Drania flapped her wings. "You best keep up, human."

Meera dropped the wooden bottle in her Hoard Belt, even though she wanted to chuck it as far as she could manage. She nodded to Thulir. "Thanks for your help."

"The chance to see the birth of a new archdragon," he said, with childish giddiness. "Oh, how the others will be so jealous."

"How will you even know where it will be happening?"

"Oh, I'll know." He winked.

Meera snorted and blasted off into the air, trailing after the shimmering dragon. Even though the dragon had just left moments ago, she was already halfway to the mountains. Meera had never seen anything fly so fast. She poured Mana into Mirror Blast and took off at full speed. She must've broken the sound barrier or been close to it. The tiny mirrors that made her armor trailed behind her to catch up. She felt the cold wind biting into her skin, but she had no choice.

By the time she finally made it to the dragon, other dragons had noticed her. They stared, hovering in place, but didn't approach, but she was sure they were more than perplexed at the human trying to catch up to a dragon.

"Slow down!" Meera roared over the rushing wind.

Drania didn't even bother acknowledging her. They flew at top speed to the top of the highest peak. The cold worsened as they climbed higher. She would've been fine if all her armor had covered her entirely, but having to keep up with the dragon would surely give her frostbite. Nothing she couldn't fix, but it was still; she preferred not to get frostbite in the first place.

It was closer to the snowy top that the dragons really took notice of her. They spoke their tongue that sounded like they were gargling rocks. Most had smoke billowing out of their mouths, and she feared that they would attack at any time, but thankfully, none did. Some flew beside Drania, and they too strained to keep up with the rainbow dragon.

They must've been asking her about Meera, but Drania gave them a curt response and focused on her flight up the mountain. The dragons fell away and let them pass without incident.

Then, finally, Drania crested the peak and stopped, almost abruptly, spreading out her wings. She shone so brightly that it nearly blinded Meera. She stopped in place and had to turn off Mirrorbound Sight. She clamped her eyes shut and saw big white spots dancing in her vision. For the first time, she didn't even know how long she couldn't see in all directions. Even still, the dragon was shining so brightly that she might as well be the sun at high noon.

Then another dragon roared so loud that Meera's eardrums shattered.

She had forgotten what it was like to be around these creatures. She activated her newly formed skill, The Great Renewal. The effect wasn't much different than Greater Vitalize, but it looked like her healing speed had increased, so there was something. After all, she had gained some levels from that fusion.

When she didn't hear any more roars, she tentatively opened her eyes, and Drania had stopped glowing like the sun. So, she activated Mirrorbound Sight once again and nearly trembled in terror. The whole mountaintop was alive with dragons, and they were all staring at her, but they were nothing in comparison to their king.

Seated upon a throne of bones was none other than the most majestic dragon she had ever seen. His tiger-striped body brought forth nothing but awe and terror—the king of this mighty horde. The one who could reduce the world of man to ash if he so wished, and currently, Meera held his undivided attention.

"I told you never to return, Meera," said Ignis, as flames ignited behind his teeth.

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