Chương 52: How to Claim Your Dragon

Moeldywn gazed stoically at the stunned children gaping at her and tried her hardest to keep her face from betraying the war of emotions roiling inside her. She was a lot like them, once upon a time, in ways she did, and did not, like to admit. Certainly, she could see one very obvious similarity connecting them right there on the surface: these people were truly mediocre at best. Even the [Mage], who was little more than a child taking her first steps into adulthood.

But then again, perhaps it was unfair to compare one average [Mage] to the inexhaustible reserves of the White Witch. Or maybe it was justified, since there was a strong possibility this young girl might also inherit a fraction of the dragon's power. After all, when the dragon first came to her, she was less than an afterthought to the whims of the world. Moeldywn schooled her face into something she hoped resembled a warm, welcoming smile.

She had been shocked speechless earlier when a servant came running into her room, breathlessly rambling incoherently about gnomes and cookies. It only took a fraction of a moment to put the pieces together, and it seemed, against all odds, their hairbrained scheme to lure Meliastraza into the castle worked! Moeldywn had rushed from her office with all haste and hadn't put the thought necessary into keeping her appearance up.

She felt out of breath and disheveled, and she knew her neutral expression made her come off cold, aloof, somewhat haughty or self-important, and mostly disinterested. The Visitors had a word for it, but she couldn't quite remember the acronym. The word wasn't incredibly relevant, because it wasn't that face she wanted to show these children. If they were, as she assumed, marked by the dragon, they were to be her new extended family, and she did not want their first impression of her to be the infamous White Witch.

"Ah, but where are my manners?" Moeldywn sighed after realizing she had been staring too long and that nobody else wanted to introduce themselves. She could forgive their lack of manners. If they had the faintest idea of who she was, they were right to be afraid. Most citizens in her kingdom trembled when confronted with her aura.

"These gardens are nice, but perhaps I should take us to someplace more comfortable." The adventurers nodded numbly but otherwise didn't move. Moeldywn repressed the urge to sigh. At least they were compliant; she could work with that. With a flick of her free hand, she gathered up the necessary mana to weave into a [Mass Teleport]. Crossing the palace was easy when she didn't lower herself to common travel like walking.

The spell was complex, but Moeldywn was the single most gifted human [Mage] on the planet, and after the requisite seconds of cast time… it fizzled. She stared blankly at her hand, the magic simply… voided out. It didn't fail; she felt the mana depleting from her reserves, but it was as if somebody simply said no, and that was that. A quick glance at a system prompt told her all she needed to know. [Unauthorized Teleportation has been denied by Meliastraza Obsidianheart.] This time, Moeldywn did let out an audible groan. Her first impression was not even close to how she envisioned it.

"Meliastraza, do you mind?" she asked the bundle of gnome-dragon clinging tightly to her side, giving her a little shake.

"Mmm? Oh. Sorry. Try again." Moeldywn knew that powerful casters could negate or cancel opposing magics or spells cast by other [Mages]; she had done it herself, but it had been decades since anybody resisted something of hers. She gathered up the mana once more and this time it went off flawlessly. The world went dark around them, as if they were standing in a sea of stars, and then, with a gasp from her companions, they were standing in a different garden entirely.

It was a calm patio with multiple soft chaises overlooking some flowering bushes and a single, neatly trimmed tree. Moeldywn sat down on one of the lounges and motioned for the others to take the one next to her. She tried setting her passenger down, but the gnome didn't seem capable of letting go right now. Fine. Moeldywn hitched the small dragon up higher on her shoulder so she wasn't getting stabbed by her massive horns and flipped the large, squishy tail over her lap so it wasn't trying to drag her down.

With nothing better to do, Moeldywn's free hand began stroking the long, glossy, pink-and-black hair bunched into a pigtail and rubbing Meliastraza's back. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she thought she felt the deep, rumbling vibrations of a draconic purr. … half the kingdom already feared her and thought the persona of the White Witch was evil. Why shouldn't she have some sort of feline-adjacent creature to stroke idly as she plotted her dastardly deeds? Madness. Moeldywn shook her head.

Meliastraza was so much more than a familiar or pet, and none of that mattered anyway. But her mind was doing anything it could to avoid the inevitable conversation she was supposed to be having once the gnome came to her senses. And in the meantime, there was the small matter of the party of adventurers who were looking at her with even wider eyes and pale faces since she whisked them away with a wave of her hand. … did this count as kidnapping? Surely not.

Moeldywn closed her eyes as one of the adventurers, the [Hunter], looked like she was finally working up the courage to speak.

"Y-you…you're the…."

"Go ahead and say it," Moeldywn sighed. As much as she disliked her most infamous persona, it was given to her for good reason. She never would have been able to hold onto her throne (and her life) if she weren't such a monster with magic.

"The White Witch," the [Mage] finished for her. Moeldywn raised an eyebrow. The way the young Barnes girl said it, her voice filled with awe and wonder instead of dread or fear, was intriguing.

"Indeed, I am," Moeldywn sighed, "Among many other things. I have several names and titles. But I haven't yet heard yours? I understand this isn't the usual engagement you might find yourselves in, but I hoped we could start things off a bit more…civil."

"I'm so sorry, your majesty!" the [Mage] practically wailed. Moeldywn resisted the urge to correct her. In fact, if what she thought she knew about this group was true, she was looking to try a different approach.

"It's your highness," she said instinctively, unable to stop, "But please, don't worry about formalities, not between us. I have a feeling something connects us deeper than you might think, and in the meantime, you can call me by my name."

"Princess Melody," came a sleepy voice from her shoulder. She couldn't stop the roll of her eyes this time. Of course, the dragon was paying attention, no matter how lethargic or needy she might act. To the dragon, Moeldywn supposed she might always be a princess, which was actually very high praise (in a weird, twisted sort of way explicable only to other dragons). The funny part was that Meliastraza still couldn't say her name correctly, even after all these years.

"Moeldywn," she regally corrected her. Moeldywn felt the dragon on her shoulder squirm and go still with thought.

"Maweldawin?" The ex-princess said nothing.

"Moledalin?" The gnome paused, concentration palpable.

"Mweldyine?" The small bundle of chaos tensed, and Moeldywn could feel a not-inconsiderable amount of magic being channeled.

"Mueldewen." Moeldywn sighed and patted the tired dragon on the back. She tried, she really did.

"Mo-el-dy-wn," she supplied helpfully, saying it very slowly, clearly, with as little accent as she could manage. She made sure to pause on each syllable to emphasize pronunciation.

"Meldy-win," the gnome said triumphantly.

"Close enough," Moeldywn sighed, though she couldn't stop her grin from forming.

"How is it that you still can't pronounce my name? You know more languages than any man alive and yet you fail to say my name correctly, every single time."

"It's hard!" Meliastraza grumped.

"Proper names are hard! They don't follow the rules of grammar! Imma keep callin' you Melody!" And then she went limp, flopped against Melody's shoulder, having spoken her piece. Melody turned to the stunned youth, who looked like they might faint.

"The dragon has spoken," Melody said regally with a twitch of her lips.

"You may call me Melody." The others shared a look between themselves, appearing very dubious and doubtful, but in the end, they nodded one by one. What choice did they have? Not much.

"If that's how it's gonna be," she heard the [Hunter] mumble under her breath before steadying herself, "I'm Jessica. This is Y'cennia, that's Ellesea, and he's Alastair." It was a… oh, who was she kidding? This girl was not going to make a name for herself in any social circles due to her presentation skills. The introduction was laughable and inadequate, but Melody herself asked for it, and she wouldn't trade it right now for anything.

It was refreshing to be surrounded by genuine people for once, even if they were stumbling over their own feet. She decided to play with them a little bit.

"Oh, I know." She watched the confidence melt away faster than it came, and Melody realized, perhaps, she was teasing the poor children a little too much.

"Be at ease," she tried to calm them.

"Of my many titles, the self-imposed responsibility as the kingdom's spymaster is one. If I didn't keep abreast of the most pressing issues, what good would I be?"

"With all due respect," the [Paladin] said, indeed respectfully, "We're a bunch of nobodies. Surely you've got better things to waste your time on than looking into us?"

"You're not wrong," Melody admitted easily enough.

"By yourselves, none of you would ever be interesting enough to come across my desk." She paused, gauging their reactions. She was being curt and she knew it, but she was never one to mince words for the sake of fragile egos.

"Before you get upset, it's better to not become 'interesting' in that regard. It would have been better for you if you could have remained blissfully ignorant, shrouded in mediocrity, than the fate that rests upon you now," she sighed with the patience and understanding of somebody who has lived a long life. Melody looked at them and she could see the confusion on their faces.

"Why am I telling you all of this, you ask? Simple. We're connected, whether we like it or not, by this dragon."

"What do you mean?" the [Paladin] asked. She could see Alastair wasn't an unintelligent man, and the question stemmed from a desire to go beyond the obvious.

"Surely you've noticed," Melody began. She wanted to draw something out of them, and it would be better if they offered it of their own accord. The chances that they weren't touched by the dragon in some personal way seemed far too slim, and intimate things like her own special title weren't things she should pry by force.

"You've been in her company non-stop for weeks now. Don't look so surprised; everybody in the kingdom probably heard that roar of triumph she let out. From there, it was only a day or two before she appeared in Hammerfall, and records from the Adventurer's Guild put you four there with her. You've been traveling with her ever since. Night and day, not a second spent apart. Tell me, is that normal?" The gnome draped over her shoulder fidgeted, but Melody pacified her with some more soothing rubs.

The young group in front of her shared a look and shook their heads.

"Anyone else might have taken at least a day off," Melody continued.

"But Meliastraza is not'anybody'. She is a dragon. And you have been claimed." Melody watched their faces carefully for any sort of reaction, and her suspicions were confirmed. What she saw was not confusion, surprise, or even outrage, but resigned acceptance of a fact that had already been established. But, as they remained silent, she decided to offer a goodwill token of her own.

"As once was I." Melody waved her free hand in front of her, manifesting her system screen and displaying her title. She spun it around in front of her so the youth could see. It was, as always, unreadable if one did not know the gnomish tongue, but she could explain it to them if they wished.

[Crown Jewel] You are the most precious treasure of a terrifying beast who has claimed you for her own. Woe be unto those who try and separate a dragon from her hoard, even death itself.

The four adventurers stared at her title with open wonder, and to Melody's surprise, a bit of recognition. The catkin was the first to make a similar gesture, manifesting a system screen of her own, and she was quickly mirrored by her companions.

[Diamond in the Rough] A cherished, untapped treasure of a terrifying beast claimed for her own. Woe be unto those who try and separate a dragon from her hoard, even death itself.

Melody leaned back on her lounge and continued to run her hands through the delightfully fluffy hair. As she expected. The group had system titles of their own. The fact that they were only [Diamonds in the Rough] while she was a [Crown Jewel] did not escape her, but she wasn't going to gloat about it. Much. At least not now, before she knew them better. And now that she did know they had been claimed, they likely had much, much more time available to them than they ever dreamed possible.

"What does it mean…? To be claimed?" the [Paladin] asked. Alastair was likely thinking of his vows to his deity, possibly worried about complications. The only complications she could foresee arising would be if whatever god or goddess he served demanded some sort of self-sacrifice. There, Meliastraza would take issue with, but otherwise, the dragon was far too relaxed with her treasures. At least in comparison to every other dragon Melody had ever investigated.

"To be claimed by a dragon…?" Melody mused aloud, mostly for their benefit.

"It is almost exactly as it sounds. As a scion of a noble house might claim inheritance, or a [Weaponmaster] might claim proficiency with a sword. Or," she dropped her playful smile and looked each one of them in the eye so they could read her serious intent, "As one might claim ownership over a pet." She watched them pale slightly, and truthfully, Melody did want to scare them a little bit.

Not because they had anything to fear from Meliastraza, in that regard, they were unfathomably lucky, but they needed to know how dire the world was in which they now dipped their toes. As much as she did not care to think about it, dragons were a sort of higher power, set above the common man.

"Make no mistake," she continued, "When a dragon claims you, you are theirs. No exception, no compromise. You can only hope that you've been taken by a benevolent benefactor." And they were. Melody's own storehouses full of gifts were proof of that. But if it had been any other dragon, even the Dragon King himself, things would be much more bleak. Not that Melody had ever heard of any other dragon granting system titles, but it was possible for a servant or retainer to be granted an unusual class by the system.

"Oh, don't worry," Melody waved a hand after seeing the catkin's ears flatten.

"Dragons are so few and far between that being claimed by a dragon is a very rare occurrence, and on the occasion it does happen, it's usually over many years. I feel you four are a bit of outliers in that regard. In 'normal' circumstances, as rare as they are, you could think of the relationship between the dragon and the claimed as closer to something like a contract that a [Summoner] or [Warlock] might employ. There are benefits, indeed, but the lesser is bound to the greater.

It is why, in a common draconic house, you will see a great deal of mortal servants who never leave their master's employ."

"But what about black dragons?" the [Hunter] asked.

"I thought black dragons were all about death and destruction. Why would they claim a human?"

"True, in the case of black dragons, those they take on as minions tend more to be thralls than any sort of servant or companion. Mostly, they are living husks, shells of what they once were. Only the lucky retain their minds, living out their days in a twisted nightmare of reality where up is down and left is right, and if they ever awaken from the dream, they often wish they hadn't." Melody could see why that might be a valid concern for the group if they'd come across descriptions of Meliastraza's true form.

Especially if they knew her real class. This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Need I remind you all that Meliastraza is not a black dragon herself? She is an obsidian dragon. And technically, she is not just a dragon, but the dragon. The Archdragon, the only one of her kind. Do not attempt to attribute anything she is or does as normal." Dawning comprehension washed over the group as some of their fears eased, but they still looked a little troubled. Especially the [Hunter], and now that she was growing more comfortable, Melody could see that she was one to voice her doubts.

"But I thought you said dragons claiming people was rare?" Jessica asked.

"How would you know all this?" Melody gave the girl a wry smile.

"Would it surprise you to learn that I am the kingdom's foremost expert on draconic lore? I have, after all, been searching for my dragon for over a century."

"That's not the first time that you've called Lady Meliastraza 'your dragon'," Y'cennia mentioned meekly.

"How can she be yours if she claimed you?"

"Ahh," Melody smiled, glad to be done with the dark and depressing thoughts.

"But you see, it goes both ways. You could choose to think of yourselves as her prisoner, if you so wished." Meliastraza fidgeted again, so Melody patted her consolingly on the back. She knew the dragon would never stoop so low.

"And in truth, most servants do. Thralls would, if they had the freedom of thought, but most don't. You are neither thralls nor servants, but treasure. I find Meliastraza unique in that she does not value gold and jewels as highly as is a dragon's wont."

"Have you seen her vault?" Jessica snarked. Melody turned a sharp eye toward her and raised a brow in speculation.

"Have you?" The girl twisted uncomfortably and nodded quickly.

"Yes."

"Interesting," Melody mused. Very interesting. She would have to press Meliastraza on that. She would love to see what was in the dragon's vault. But, at the moment, irrelevant.

"Instead, know that being claimed by one provides you with certain…perks, shall we say? Some obvious and many more, not so." Melody saw their eyes light up and almost laughed. True adventurers, the lot of them, focusing on the benefits.

"Some, I assume, might have already manifested. Gear, money, physical things…Meliastraza is not wanting for material wealth." She turned to Jessica.

"If you've seen her vault, you know this." She glanced at the others.

"Make use of this. Don't be shy; allow yourselves to be pampered. You are treasures now, remember, the system itself has declared it. You will be protected. So long as Meliastraza is present, you have nothing to fear." So long as she is present, Melody sighed inwardly.

"Do not concern yourselves with how it might feel in the moment to rely on something far greater than yourselves. How it might feel like begging at best or… cheating, at worst. Remind yourselves that a dragon is not normal. They are not Human. Their thoughts are not Human. And now, you are no longer 'normal.' In some regards, it could be argued that you are no longer wholly Human, though I feel that might be hyperbole.

And in the end, if these words sound hollow and flat, remind yourself of this: she cheated first." The others looked stunned to hear the vitriol in Melody's voice, and Meliastraza herself tensed up. Melody let out a long, cathartic laugh.

"Oh, did you think I got to where I was on my own power alone? If I were not dragon-touched, I would have perished long ago. Did you not find my appearance quite alarming? I am, as you know, quite old. I have come to terms with my near-eternal youth and my wellspring of power, but it has not always been easy. Many sleepless nights have left me cursing the gods above, the hells below, and everything in between wishing I knew what was happening to me. My dragon was not here, and I had no idea what she had done.

Do not make the same mistake of inaction I once made: cling to her as tightly as she clings to you." Even as she spoke, the dragon did not want to be released, as if proving her point. Melody shook her head. As amusing and pleasant as this was, as she introduced herself to her new extended family, she was stalling, and she knew it. Now that Meliastraza was in her arms, she finally had the opportunity to ask her all the questions she had demanded answers to so many years ago, and had always been left wanting.

But this was a private conversation not meant for any other ears, no matter how privileged.

"Well then," she sighed, and addressed them each by name.

"Alastair. Jessica. Y'cennia. Ellesea. It has been my great pleasure meeting you all, and I assure you we will have plenty of time to talk at length later, but for now, I need a moment alone with my dragon. I've been told you only recently returned to Horizon. It would be my pleasure to host you in my private estates. On this, I'll brook no argument. Feel free to relax, and if you have any needs or wants, anything at all, let my staff know, and you will be well cared for. Until we meet again."

Before any of them could speak up, Melody raised a hand and waved it lazily, teleporting them across the palace to her own residence, a mansion where she lived alone, far removed from the infighting plaguing her poor family. She turned her attention to the gnome in her arms, resting her cheek against the top of her head.

"So," she whispered.

"You've finally returned." Her voice was small and sounded just as frail and insecure as it had nearly a century ago, when she was a child and knew little of the cruel harshness of the world.

"Welcome home."

Home.

Melia waited until the last echoes of her friends' surprised gasps faded from the empty courtyard. They were safe. More than just reading the spell which Melody masterfully crafted and knowing the destination was a mansion nearly half a mile away, Melia trusted the princess.

Home.

She reluctantly peeled back the fingers that she consciously made sure weren't digging painfully into the princess' arm and side. The last thing Melia wanted was to hurt her, but she was having trouble letting go. Was this what ultra-stingy, rich people felt like when someone asked if they wanted to donate to charity? Or somebody who wanted to brag about owning a series one shiny Charizard, but didn't want to take it out of a safety deposit box even though it was in a sealed protector?

Home.

But what was really giving Melia paralyzing indecision was the inexplicable jolt of feelings she didn't understand that hit her square in the chest when Moeldywn said those fateful two words.

Welcome home. Melia was home.

It wasn't her first home, but that didn't make this one any less real. She'd never forget her family, her parents and Brandy and her brother, but that life she lived back on earth was half a life at best. Cursed at worst, doomed to failure. And here, in a place that shouldn't exist, she found she finally belonged. And she could feel, touch, and be held. By somebody who was so much more than ones and zeroes. Or an unknown quantity of polygons.

Melia had, of course, listened to everything the princess had said to her team, and honestly, she didn't know what to do with half of it. Mostly because it was so true. Melia knew she wasn't Human, in fact she didn't always feel Human. While being held in someone's arms, whether it was Ellesea, or Jessica, or even Y'cennia or Melody, she almost felt like something else. Almost like some sort of pet.

Which she wasn't, obviously, but all desire to move or exert any sort of energy fled her as she became a lazy lump of love-receptacle, be it in the form of gentle pats on the head or back, or a calming rhythm as she was bumped up and down on a hip, or sprawled across a lap like a fat old cat. She was at peace, her treasures were safe, and nothing else in the world mattered. And she was also somehow a gigantic, horrifying dragon? A monster in all but system classification?

With senses and biology radically different from anything else with two arms and legs? Moeldywn was right. She was very much the only one of her kind. And the terrifying part was… how warmly the princess welcomed her with open arms. Melia allowed herself to be set down on the opposite side of the lounge so Moeldywn could get a good look at her. Both girls, human and gnome, princess and dragon, stared at each other deeply, drinking in their forms and burning the image into their minds.

The princess looked exactly like Melia imagined a princess should, from her dress to her hair to her very fair skin. She was older than she had been in the game, and like Jonathan at the bank or Penny in her restaurant, Moeldywn seemed even more resistant to the march of time. Part of that, Melia was sure, was due to her high level. In the game, she was a paltry level 5, which most children were, and now she was 1372.

Her class was something called a [White Witch], which Melia assumed was very advanced and very magical, backed up by all the mana she was constantly cycling and Melia occasionally snacked on. And part of that, if Melia understood the conversation she just overheard properly, was due somehow to Melia's influence and meddling. Moeldywn, too, had a system title, and Melia was disturbed to learn how accurate it was. Of all the npcs she doted on in the game, this princess was clearly her favorite.

And, as she had come to learn, that had tangible consequences in this world. All of those repeatable daily quests she had done for that [Cooking] npc? Turned a forgettable orphan girl into the owner of the most prestigious restaurant in the city and a powerful rank 9 [Chef] of her own. The hours, maybe days, Melia had sat in the princess' private instance regaling her with silly stories of her exploits and the comical blunders of her and her friends? Raising that reputation to exalted?

The world seemed to take that as some sort of transcending imprint to transform somebody who was once inconsequential into possibly the most powerful mortal caster alive. A title, Melia was struggling to deconstruct, which once belonged to her own [Mage] character. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? She didn't really know the girl sitting in front of her… did she? Except she kind of did. Melia had read through all the npc's text lines and all the developers' lore.

Everything from a childhood illness that nearly killed her to the princess' favorite flavor of scones. Her father was the king. Her brothers were supposed to inherit the throne. And yet, from what Melia understood, it seemed things did not proceed as originally planned. Due to Melia's influence, she had hijacked the plot. But the story she knew was a hundred years old. She had a lot of ground to cover.

"Princess," Melia eventually mumbled, unable to think of what to say. The girl snapped out of her own thoughts, where she had been equally absorbed.

"Queen," she corrected gently, and Melia was blindsided by how natural the conversation felt. It didn't feel like she was talking to an npc, but a friend she hadn't seen for years. Like they both went off to college and didn't run into each other until years later at a coffee shop, where they reminisced about their lives and complained about their jobs.

"When all the threats were gone and the Visitors left…we weren't as secure as we once thought. My family was plagued by insurgents and assassins, but in the end, I survived. I found my love…and eventually lost him. I had a child, who succeeded us, and now his child sits on the throne. Very few people in the street would recognize me for who I am, though most would fear me if I don't conceal my aura."

"I…am sorry," Melia did feel genuinely sad. She knew all too well the pain of losing family, and even if it was the natural course of life, she didn't wish that sadness on anyone.

"I should have been there." Perhaps it was an empty regret with unfulfillable remorse. Before she woke up, she never could have known an entire world existed in this game, nor that a character she loved lived a long, fulfilling life. But it tore at her heart all the same.

"It is…in the past," Moeldywn said with a tight voice. She looked at Melia longingly.

"Where were you? Where did you go?"

"I died," Melia said simply. She didn't know how to explain how she got reborn, but she wouldn't lie about her death. Not to this very important person of hers.

"But how?" Moeldywn asked. Melia took a deep breath.

"I was a Visitor, you know."

"Yes, I know." Melia blinked up at her.

"You did?" Moeldywn smiled gently.

"Of course. All those heroes of old were Visitors. You were no exception. You told me yourself, don't you remember? Though the gods would not permit me to understand the details of your original world, it always made sense to me that they would need a powerful soul to inhabit their greatest weapon."

"Weapon?" Melia asked. Moeldywn looked at her peculiarly.

"Your class? [Destroyer of Worlds]? I dearly hope you have not returned to enact any latent orders that might have gone unfulfilled."

"Oh," Melia scoffed. Somehow, the princess knowing about her class didn't surprise her.

"I'm on no mission from the gods. I have no idea what they have planned. If it includes me, they've left me out. I'm grateful they brought me back, but they haven't given me so much as a hello." Melia sighed.

"As I said: I died. I…don't know if I'm who you really think I am," Melia said in a hushed voice. The words were hard for her to say, and she was surprised she managed to mutter them.

"What do you mean?" Moeldywn asked with an infuriatingly knowing smile.

"Are you not an Archdragon who disguises herself as a tiny gnome that goes around both searching for and causing plenty of trouble? Are you not a [Mage], a [Warrior], practically any [Crafter] imaginable, and probably a whole host of other classes a normal person would be jealous to achieve? Are you not the insufferable idiot who decided it would be a good idea to befriend a princess with giant bears?"

"Oh!" Melia gasped. She reached into her inventory… where she had her emergency stash of "daily quest items" she made in bulk, months in advance, so she didn't have to bother crafting them every day. Yep. One 5-star [Teddy Bear]. She pulled it out in triumph, surprised to find that the real thing in real life was… slightly larger than she imagined it to be. Her smile faltered slightly as she placed it on the ground and noticed how it towered over both of them as they were seated.

Moeldywn was rubbing her temples like she had a headache.

"Do you…not want it?" Melia asked nervously.

"Of course I want it," Moeldywn hissed and quickly swiped her arm forward. The bear instantly disappeared into her inventory, and Melia didn't miss the way the girl's cheeks reddened slightly as she tried to hide her blush.

"That is entirely besides the point."

"My old body was frail," Melia admitted.

"On the other side." To her shock, Melody nodded along.

"Perhaps it was ill-equipped to handle the soul of an Archdragon." Melia jerked her head back. That…was not something she would have ever considered. She didn't think it was true, but if that's how this world explained her presence here, she wouldn't fight it.

"Perhaps," was all she said.

"But why a hundred years?" Melody asked, "One day, you simply…vanished. Never to be seen again. Not long after, maybe a year or two, other Visitors began vanishing too. Nobody knows why for sure; it's believed the gods' plan for them ran its course."

"Everybody else disappeared, too?" Melia asked. That would explain why she hadn't seen or heard of any other players.

"Indeed," Melody sighed.

"I suppose you wouldn't know that. What was the last thing you remembered?" Melia didn't have to try hard to recall. Most of the time, she tried not to think about it.

"I was practicing for our next skit," she said.

"We were supposed to have another mock battle between the heroes and the 'big bad dragon'." Melia thought back wistfully about her role-playing friends. She hoped they went on to bigger and better things. After a moment, Melia realized the princess was silent.

"Meliastraza," she said hesitantly, "What do you mean… skit and mock battles?"

"Eh?" Of all the things Melody would be confused about, Melia was sure it wouldn't be this. Regaling the captive princess about her role-playing escapades had been a staple of their meetings.

"I'm sure I've told you about those. I'd sit up in that old mansion and they'd come attack me and I'd beat them and send them off!" Moeldywn groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"Meliastraza, you lovable oaf, they were trying to kill you. How is it that you can see so much good in Humanity if you're supposed to be the one charged with ending it if everything goes wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Melia asked, very confused.

"Those were plays! We were acting out! Many of those people were my friends!"

"Then you need to find better friends," Moeldywn scolded her sharply, making her recoil.

"The 'heroes' descent into madness' is well documented. There are plays written about it, Meliastraza. It's a pity they were never finished; it would have been Cromwell's crowning work." Cromwell. The [Bard]. Kyle, the brain behind the entire script. Melia ran through in her head what she knew of the story and she felt her spirit plummet. Did this world… not know it had been an act? That those people were playing around? That they were all friends? Or maybe… she was wrong.

That was how it had been when the world was a game, but did whatever power knit this world into place from a million different pieces take those acted words at face value? Her stomach felt like a pit. Did that mean that she really had killed so many of them? She closed her eyes to fight back the tears. She didn't want to be a monster.

"At least that would explain your absence," Melody eventually sighed.

"Perhaps the last attack was more severe than anybody ever knew. The [Bard] himself never wrote another line about your saga, and some say he became a shell of a man before he eventually vanished. To think that the mightiest heroes the world has ever known tried…and failed…to kill the [Destroyer of Worlds]."

Melia sat back and digested this new revelation. She would need a lot more time to process all of this, but her mind was already putting the pieces together, and her gut told her they made a bleak but relevant picture. In the coming weeks, she needed to find out more. The two sat in relative peace and quiet as each simply basked in the other's presence. Melody, that the overpowered little cuddle-monster finally returned; and Melia, the idle princess she used to /hug was an actual living being.

And yet, despite the fact that she had made an utter fool of herself in the ancient past, neither Melia nor the princess seemed to care. Mostly.

"So, tell me," Moeldywn smirked, her smile finally returning.

"Now that you're well and truly back, how long do I have until my kingdom burns down in fire? What pranks have you pulled that surely won't escalate into Armageddon?"

"Pranks?" Melia laughed, appalled.

"You wound me! I pull no pranks!" Moeldywn stared down at her patiently until Melia squirmed.

"Okay, so I might have run into Penny and given her a new recipe with a transformative effect!" Melia found herself admitting like she was being judged by a disappointed parent.

"And I put a magic garden into the abbey at Abbyton, and I enchanted a couple of [Moai], and I might build a fancy greenhouse and a well, and I'm thinking about putting in an Aetherline-""Celestara, save me," Moeldywn sighed.

"Gods, why have you smitten me with such catastrophe? How have I sinned or erred from your ways?"

"You're being dramatic," Melia pouted, and Moeldywn cracked a smile.

"Maybe." Then she became serious again, though not as sad as before. She took on what Melia thought of as her regal persona, what she might try to use to address important matters of the state. She sat up straight.

"Meliastraza," she began formally, "I'm not the only one waiting impatiently for your return. There are others. They will find you in time, I'm sure, and if they knew you were sitting here, in this place, right now, they'd come running. But before they do, there's something you need to know. Eluna Brandywine has reappeared." At first, the profound and dire way in which Moeldywn said the name did not have the desired effect. Melia tilted her head in confusion for a split second until it finally clicked. Brandywine.

Brandy. Brandy was here. For a split second, overjoyed euphoria flooded Melia's system as she imagined getting the chance to see her very best friend one more time. But it crashed as soon as it came, harder and faster as it plummeted from the atmosphere, burying itself six feet in the dirt. Pure, unfiltered dread coursed through her veins like ice. If she were here… did she die, too? Melia shook her head so hard the momentum of her heavy horns nearly gave her whiplash.

That was not a thought she was willing to entertain. But at the same time, she needed to know.

"Moeldywn," Melia said slowly, taking time to pronounce the difficult name correctly.

"This isn't a safe topic to tease me with. If that… she really is… if this person really is Brandy, I need to know. If this is a joke, if somebody is trying to mess with me, I… I don't know what I'll do." Moeldywn swallowed a bit of saliva as she stared intently at the dragon in disguise. Melia's eyes were fully draconic, her tail thrashed behind her, and the fingers on each hand had reverted into razor sharp claws that were currently slicing her lounge to shreds.

Flames licked ceaselessly at her lips, and Moeldywn could easily imagine some poor soul getting reduced to ribbons before being burned to ash. Along with the rest of the castle and her entire kingdom.

"It is no joke," she said seriously.

"I've had my best people look into it." Moeldywn paused with an annoyed look.

"I've had your best people look into it. Your [Retainers] are very impatient to return to you." Melia nodded absently, but it wasn't clear if she really heard the words. Moeldywn closed her eyes and rose from the lounge.

"I see. I believe they would understand if you delayed their return a little bit to see Ms. Brandywine with your own eyes. Let us go; I'll lead the way."