“Dragons aren’t real. “ Marco spoke flatly while the entire band, horse included, were walking towards to the docks.

  Heracles shook his head confidently. “Marco, I don’t wanna like, question your smarts but dragons are real. I’ve seen them.”

  Ivy clapped Heracles on the shoulder causing the beetle to jolt. “Do you attempt to argue with a first-person witness? Dragons are real!”

  Marco pinched the bridge of his nose. “And being from the desert is it not possible Heracles understands something different to be a dragon? Happens pretty often with him.”

  Ivy chuckled defiantly. “Fine then, Heracles explain dragons to me. I’ll tell you if they’re the same.”

  Heracles nodded excitedly. “Okay! Well… we got loads of kinds. Sand dragons, ice dragons, haze dragons, uh… burny water dragons.”

  “Alright, let’s start with sand dragons? Winged? Horned? Maybe red or blue scales?” Ivy asked.

  “Uh, no. Nothing like that. They’re kinda like big purple snakes. With just a big ole mouth.” Heracles chirped thinking of them. “They were so tasty~.”

  “Alright…” Ivy changed her approach. “Yesenia! You’re a scholar of sorts! Tell Marco dragons are real.”

  “Dragons were real.” Yesenia nodded

  “Yes! Wait, were?”

  “They all died out a couple thousand years ago.” Yesenia explained.

  “But…” Ivy sulked

  “Lived on in bones and their close cousins wyverns, dragon turtles and hydras. It’s even possible those “sand dragons” are distant relatives of the true dragons.” Yesenia said with genuine reverence.

  Ivy crossed her arms and pouted. “They’re real... I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

  Marco turned and raised his voice a hair. “Can everybody just stop yappin about dragons.”

  “Ya folk here about the dragon?” A voice let out from just ahead on the path.

  Marco huffed in annoyance. Ivy saw standing before her a tall, heavy-set man. Well, tall in an awkward way. Around a third of his height was a long thick snake’s neck, which led up to the head of what Ivy recognized as a common Garter snake. His black tipped tongue probed the air, and his large round eyes lacked the slit pupils of most his brethren.

  Ivys pulse quickened. This was a Naga. A creature crafted by the traitor god for his evil deeds. Only Minotaur and Sphinx were more vile, one built for brutal war, the other designed to deliver a quick death. The Naga were The Snakes own deceivers. Once they toppled kingdoms from the shadows and manipulated brother to slay brother. Despite Ivys preconceived notions, this Naga did not seem their ilk. It would be difficult to manipulate much of anything wearing a bucket hat adorned with so many colorful fly hooks.

  The Naga reached a scaled hand out to Marco, who readily shook it. “It isn’t a dragon Ryba.”

  “Oh, you’re as much fun as a leaky boat sonny. Ya know I’m just yanking your chain.” Ryba gave a belly jiggling laugh, then surveyed the other three with Marco. “I know big ole Heracles but who’re the greenies?”

  Ivy bowed, less out of respect and more to avoid the gaze of the Naga. “Um…Ivy Elizabeth Alexandria Marie Humble, my good man. And this is Yesenia.” Yesenia gave a small wave then returned to not listening.

  Ryba gave an even heartier laugh. “Lot a names lass! I feel underdressed with just my two! Captain Ryba State, glad to meet ya.”

  “Well sir… if we count Captain, you’re up to three.” Ivy laughed nervously.

  “Right ya are! Marco where ya been hiding the new hires, wish I snagged this one for the docks.” Ryba turned and began walking towards the aforementioned docks.

  There were many docks within view and Marco knew many more outside of those. Each one having to be made for each of the many lakes and ponds here. This area of Apie Fields was called the Thousand Jewels. In truth there were only around sixty. But they were discovered by a very ambitious but easily distractable geographer, who set out to count them all himself. Took him nearly two days. Counting the same sixty-four lakes about sixteen times.

  “What can you tell us about this monster Ryba.” Marco started.

  Captain Ryba rubbed his chin and furrowed the spot where brows would be on a mammal. “Very little I’m sorry to say. See, none a my boys have gotten a good look at it. Up till last night we all figured it was vandals wrecking our boats. Thought it was those uh, crossbow kids been round for a time.”

  “But now you think it’s a dragon?” Marco asked with a bit of condescension.

  “Oh, we knows it’s a monster, maybe not a dragon but aint no man. Couple my boys forgot their poles when we packed up for home. They came back fast as they could, knew I’d have their hides if they lost my poles.” Ryba chuckled at that, but his joy waned at his new thought. “They didn’t expect somethin worse than ole Mr. State on the water.”

  “What did it look like?” Heracles blurted out.

  Marco turned to look disappointedly at Heracles, but Ryba laughed it off.

  “Sa’ll right Marco, boys excited.” Ryba pat Marco on the shoulder. “Boys didn’t get a good look at it. All they saw was a big ole beast with wings smashing up one a my boats.”

  “Lots of things have wings. Why are they telling the whole town it’s a dragon.” Marco asked flatly.

  Ryba laughed with returning vigor. “Kids said they worked with me too long tah not know what scales in the dark look like.”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  As they neared the dock Captain State was leading too, Heracles slowly fell behind. Ivy turned to see the big bug hesitating with every step. His black dot eyes were focused on the water of the lake, occasionally darting to Marco. When they did, Ivy could swear she heard stuttering noises of half begun words in her head.

  Ivy hung back to be in pace with the large man. “Is everything alright?”

  Heracles nodded vigorously. “Yup yeah, everything’s great. Just uh… Need to talk to Marco.”

  He bounded forward at his usual pace taking Marco by the arm. They had almost reached the docks.

  “Hey Marco! You all seem to have this under wraps, I’ll… examine the tree line! I- If that’s alright…” Heracles said.

  Marco nodded and gave Heracles a pat. “Alright, kid. Just don’t putter around, we’re working .”

  Heracles bolted for the tree line as fast as a gazelle in chase. Confused, Ivy trotted up to Marco just as he and Ryba set foot on the dock. Ryba was talking about the trials and tribulations this particular boat had underwent before being destroyed. Marco had already stopped listening.

  “Is Heracles alright?” Ivy asked in a whisper.

  Marco nodded and whispered back. “He don’t like water. Even creeks set him on edge.”

  Ivy looked back at Heracles who was in fact puttering around kicking rocks and looking into bushes. “Odd to think a warrior like him can be afraid of something as mundane as a lake.”

  “Well, he spent nineteen years in a desert. You do that and see how well you can swim.” Marco said.

  “Point taken. How long have you and Heracles been working together?”

  “Few months.” Marco said flatly.

  “A few- How old is Heracles?” Ivy asked slightly concerned.

  “Nineteen. I just said?”

  “Nineteen?!” Ivy gave up on the whispering now, Ryba hardly noticed.

  “Least that’s what I gathered. He said some stuff about being nineteen dry seasons old. I’m assuming those are once a year, he doesn’t give me much to go on.”

  “How in the world can someone be that big and be younger than even I?” Ivy looked at Heracles again who was failing to climb a tree.

  “Yep. Lots of young folk pretty strong these days.” Marco said.

  “Marco how old are you?” Ivy asked abruptly.

  “Thirty-six.” Marco responded.

  “Oh.” Ivy said

  “Oh? What do you mean oh?”

  “Nothing… I just… I had taken you for older.”

  “Wow.”

  Ivy turned her head. “Yesenia, how old are you dear?”

  “Ninety-one.” They responded.

  “Checks out.” Marco said.

  “How?!?” Ivy shouted.

  Yesenia gestured at their pointed ears. “I’m an elf. Did you not notice that?”

  “Well, no! Apologies but I don’t find myself spending much time examining my fellows’ ears.”

  “Here she is! My pride and joy! Well former pride and joy tills I fix her up.” Ryba called to the bickering three. He had a hand outstretched like a salesman showing off a nearly decimated boat, pulled up from the water onto the end of the dock.

  The boat had clearly seen better days, but it was theoretically seaworthy. Well, pond worthy. The lower hull remained untouched, only wooden planks above the water line were attacked. Attacked quite brutally. Deep gouges marked nearly every inch, most definitely made by long teeth or claws. The whole thing also stunk slightly of vinegar or some other sour fluid.

  Marco got to one knee examining the boat closely. Running his fingers along the deep grooves of assault.

  Ivy watched the woodsman work. “So… Captain State. Have you had run ins with beasts like this before?”

  Ryba shook his head. “Nope. We got the odd run in with kelpies and the maidens but, never nothin like this. Not something bound on just wreckin.”

  “Just wrecking?” Yesenia asked.

  “Now you’d think it wants to gobble us up but no. Thing don’t attack when anybody’s around. Don’t even think it’s eating fish. Bolted as soon as my boys saw it.” Ryba said.

  Yesenia furrowed their brow. “So it isn’t interested in hunting people.”

  Ivy gasped. “Maybe this dragon is on a personal vendetta! Captain have you ever broken an egg too large to be a birds? Stolen any gold from an unclaimed horde? Wronged a mysterious stranger?”

  Ryba laughed. “Wronged my fair share, doubt dragons would waste their time with ole Ryba though.”

  “You never know sir.” Ivy said

  “For the last bitten time, dragons aren’t real.” Marco said not pulling his gaze from the boat.

  Marco was now leaning over the side of the little dinghy examining a strange brackish puddle in the bottom. It was the poolings from several pin prick holes in the far back of the boat. If the boat hadn’t had fish in it at the time of the attack, this liquid was the source of the unpleasant smell. He ran two fingers through the puddle, coating them in odd sludge. Marco then sniffed the fingers like an expert blood hound, or a deranged human.

  His eyes squinted in concentration then, he outstretched a hand to Yesenia without looking. “Hand me a jar of tea.”

  Yesenia did as asked without a word.

  Marco, to Ivy’s bug-eyed shock and Yesenia’s mild enjoyment, stuck both sludge covered fingers into his mouth and consumed the fluid. The fool even had the gall to nod sagely as the entirely unknown boat liquid passed down his throat.

  Ivy and Ryba stood for a brief moment in absolute befuddlement. Yesenia took a few steps back and stood in academic curiosity. Marco just sat there on his knees like a stone; eyes closed like he was in deep meditation.

  Ryba was the first to speak. “Boy… Are ya… doin ok?”

  Marco nodded.

  “Is it… good?” Ivy asked genuinely.

  Marco shook his head.

  His eyes then closed tighter, and his jaw muscles locked. Before anyone could react Marco was doubled over. He clutched his stomach with one arm and in the other hand he gripped his jar with all his might. Ivy instinctively approached but wordlessly Marco raised his hand away from his stomach in a warding motion. She timidly took a few steps back.

  His entire body began to shiver as he started to sweat from the intensity of the pain. With shaking clammy hands Marco unscrewed the lid of the jar. An entirely mundane task, turned herculean under such conditions. The lid clattered to the wooden dock. Marco, with slow methodical movements even through the pain, raised the jar to his lips. Once it hit his throat he began chugging the tea like he had been without water for months.

  Ivy and Ryba could do nothing but stare.

  Marco gasped and heaved for air like a winded animal once all the tea was either in his stomach or drenching his shirt. His breathing gradually returned to normal and with one last deep inhale and slow exhale he rose to his feet. Pushed passed the baffled Ryba and Ivy. And handed Yesenia the empty jar.

  “Thanks.” Marco said.

  “My pleasure.” Yesenia responded.

  “It was poison!?!” Ivy’s shouted after Marco deemed Ryba had traveled far enough away to not be privy to their conversation. Her voice caused a flock of resting birds to take flight over the tree line, creating a rather cinematic shot. Too bad you didn’t see it.

  “It wasn’t poison. I never said that.” Marco said.

  “Venom, Poison, Same thing Marco! Don’t eat it!” Heracles bellowed in the minds of his three companions. Who had rejoined with him at the tree line after the soon to be remembered boat muck incident.

  “No, no he’s right poison and venom are very different.” Yesenia said.

  “Why are you on his side! He ate boat goo!” Ivy said exasperated.

  “It wasn’t boat goo. It’s the venom of whatever attacked the boat.” Marco protested.

  “So… the dragon makes boat goo?” Heracles asked.

  “Venom.” Yesenia and Marco said in unison.

  “This thing is venomous.” Ivy asked. “Are we absolutely sure it could not be a dragon?”

  “No historical dragons have ever possessed venom.” Yesenia said.

  “Maybe this ones just not the historical kind.” The bug offered.

  Marco sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. “You know scorpions, right?”

  “Of course I do!”

  “And they have stingers right.” Marco continued.

  “Yeah, pokey long butts.”

  “This venom came from a stinger.”

  “Okay cool.”

  “Are there any dragons with stingers?”

  “I… I don’t think so?”

  “Then do you understand this wasn’t dragon?”

  “Not really… but I trust you.” Heracles gave Marco a pat on the back.

  Ivy spoke up. “Fine it isn’t a fang bitten dragon. What is it then oh master of the wilds.”

  “I don’t know.” Marco said flatly.

  “Fantastic!” Ivy threw her hands up.

  “Nothing that lives in this area fits all the descriptions. Closest thing it sounds like is a Wyvern.” Marco said.

  “Then it’s a wyvern!” Ivy blurted.

  “No, it’s not.” Marco jabbed.

  “Why not?” Heracles asked. “They fly. They got scales. They got long pokey butts. They’re big but this could just be a baby. Maybe it flew down from the mountains.”

  “It isn’t a Wyvern.” Marco reiterated.

  “It fits everything you laid out. Why can’t you imagine it’s a-“ Ivy was cut off.

  “Didn’t taste right.” Marco said.

  The long pause that followed was broken by Yesenia’s quiet giggles.

  “You’re so dumb.” Yesenia said with a faint smile.

  Ivy held her face in her hands. “Fine. What is your plan Marco. I assume you have one already.”

  “I do. We’re going to hide in the tree line and wait for this thing come nightfall.” Marco said. “I can help you all mask your scents.”

  Heracles raised his hand.

  “Yes Heracles.” Marco looked at him like a tired parent.

  “What if it pokes us with its long pokey-“

  Marco interrupted him. “The venom took around a minute through the stomach. So, we’re gonna half that if it stings you. Everyone make sure to get tea into anyone who’s stung within thirty seconds.”

  The group all nodded in acceptance. Yesenia split off quickly, resting themself on a log and cracking open their tomb once more to pour over their writings. Heracles stuck near Marco, his eyes always drifting to the waters edge then darting away. Ivy clapped their hands then placed them on her hips.

  “Wonderful! I have been waiting to clash steel with a beast, seeing as my griffon was so rudely slain before I could fell it. I shall ready up Lily.” Ivy exited the group with a trot.

  Marco took a step and stopped Ivy with a firm hand on her elbow “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “Is what a good idea?” Ivy turned.

  Marco gestured at the large horse. “Maybe it would be safer if she was back at town.”

  “The only creature safer with Lily away is whatever is smashing boats.”

  “She’s a big ole target, and I don’t know if we need such a big unwieldy thing around while we hunt.” Marco said.

  Ivy smiled pleasantly. “I shall take your opinion into consideration. But the way I see it I would prefer to have a large, fully wieldy creature in the event this hunt is turned into a battle.”

  Marco relented. “Fine. But keep her deeper in the woods. Elks favor we won’t need to risk her.”

  “Quite the odd bit of caution from our resident venom drinker.” Ivy jabbed as she made her way to her loyal mount.

  Marco sighed as she left and muttered to himself. “Elk protect her…”

  Who is your favorite character so far