As the hours passed by, it was a new day for Simon, as soon as Camille notice him waking up, she closed her eyes pretending she was sleeping. Simon didn't take notice of her, as he began to stretch out and walk around looking for something to eat and drink, as he yesterday didn't find anything and didn't have the chance to.
'Those days in poverty pay their worth, as I can endure this amount of famine. But better off I found something before It gets worse.'
With this thought, he began to wander around all over the nest, but it ended with him finding nothing but gold, jewels, some kind of crystals and precious stones alongside varios weapons, armors and leather rags.
'So many precious things but nothing to eat, the irony'
He started to walk forward to Camille while trying to keep his guts in calm, then he began to poke her mouth while asking.
"Sorry for waking you up, but there's nothing here to ate and drink, I've been starving since yesterday, do you know where I can find something?"
He was somewhat ashamed, he said to her yesterday that he will try to not be a nuisance, but here he was.
Camille pretends to awake while say to him with an annoyed voice "How noisy! Follow the path you saw yesterday and down below the mountain you will see a lake that is surrounded by trees with fruits, just try to not be eaten by the beasts though." With something that resembles a giggle, Camille said to Simon. Who without thinking too much. Began to walk to towards the palace exit.
"Hey I'm serious when I say that you can be eaten, those beasts will not dare to be close my nest but that doesn't prevent them to hunt you near the lake" Camille shout to him with some concern.
'That fool! He doesn't have a chance even against a forest mouse, what an annoying human.' Seeing that Simon did go without taking any measure for his safety or asking her. Camille began to become restless. Still, she decided to keep an eye on him.
"I'll be back again in a few minutes, don't worry. Even if something happens I will only need to shout you for help" With that saying Simon walked to the exit while seeing the surrounding details.
Now that he was looking around with a good amount of light, h could clearly see a resemblance that makes him remember greek architecture with mixed of others. He feels it was just right for this place, even if it was a Dragon nest.
Still, what welcomed when he was finally outside the cave was a terrific but beautiful scene, a large forest with plentiful colors was extending until the eyes could meet. He calculated that he probably was a few thousand meters above the ground.
'Still, the view here is incredible. Although I'm worried for the time it would take me to get down.' As he was thinking this he noticed a clearly well built path going down below in zigzag. With the naked eyes he could measure is wide enough to be able for a vehicle to pass on it.
Walking near the start of the path, he could see how it start to become dangerous, as the slope was quite steep.
Breathing loudly, he started to walk on it, carefully. As he began to analyze himself, he remembered to ask that God for a gift. Yesterday when he was watching the sunset he tried countless ways to see if something change in his body.
He tried multiple mental orders that he often saw in works of fiction but none of them seemed to work. While he asked for a spiritual space that can archive all his knowledge, he also asked for being more handsome. He didn't have a chance to see if there's was a change in his body or face, as he found himself in a strange place. Even though he saw some inexplicable things, he wasn't in place to start thinking about them.
'What I know is that air here is breathable, at least for the time being. Also, there's more oxygen in the atmosphere, I'm not facing any kind of problem related to high altitudes and it seemed that my brain in continuously working properly, so I can start assuming that creatures here are significantly taller and humongous than me. Even humans probably are taller than me.' Simon began to enlist in his head all the things that he could observe since he appeared here.
Why he said that creatures here a more tall probably? Well, even on earth that was something that happened during the times of dinosaurs, as there was a lot more of oxygen in the atmosphere, enabling the living beings during that age to have their heights.
Continuing to list the things, one of the first things he noticed was that gravity here is completely different compared to earth, here gravity was 1.2x times compared to earth, he didn't know how bad this was for him in long term, but the benefits probably will be that he can become stronger, although his growth time ended a few years ago.
Another was the moon's, he knew the importance of said satellite on Earth, now he was wondering how would affect having two of them on this planet.
Third and most noticeable, there was a fucking dragon existing on this place, so he could assume that he would encounter many creatures that back on earth, many would consider impossible.
"Well, I guess if the Dragon didn't kill me it means something good, always in this kind of world sentient dragons are rare. So maybe I can ask her for teaching me a few things, I could exchange that for things that I know. Just think about being thousands of years without nothing to do, I'm starting to become restless without music to listen, I can't image how she's doing" He murmured to himself while trying to think of ways to improve his current situation.
It was a few minutes since Simon began to walk, and although he was still a few thousands meter below the ground, he was close enough to see the details in the terrain below. He could clearly see the lake that was like a mirror showcasing the sky and the trees on its border.
Said trees that stunned him.
'God, look those trees, they're taller than skyscrapers, sure enough, my theory was right' He thought to himself, those trees had the same height or even a little bit taller than the sequoias. However they variety was astounding for him, as he couldn't pinpoint more that three that looked from the same species.
Near two hours laters, he was started to struggle with the vegetation on the path, although since an hour he started to notice the abundance of nature growing on the mountain as he was getting nearer the ground, it wasn't as annoying as now.
'I don't want to think about how annoying would be there, gosh, if only I could have a machete' He lamented on his head as he tried to not stumble with the dense foliage on the ground. He didn't wanted to fall from this height.
'The good thing is, I can clearly tell that there's only a few couple minutes more until I'm down there' He cheered himself, as getting down from the mountain was quite time consuming. More if you take into account the hunger and thirstiness he was feeling.
It took him near another hour to walk down with great speed the last kilometer from the mountain, near the end of the path his breath was struggling as his legs started to feel a little bit numb from the effort, not only his legs has too take care of not bending and stumbling in the slope path, but also has to carry with it his slightly more heavy weight.
Now down below he was struggling even more with the dense vegetation, there were some scratches in his body as the plants were spiky and sharp.
Finally, he was in front of a calm lake, the water was crystal clear, and all his surrounding were filled with trees and high bushes. He felt small being there, but nonetheless he was quite relaxed after reaching this point.
He took a handful of water and started to drink, he couldn't care less if the water was bad for his health as the thirstiness was killing him. Finally satiate he raised his head and turned around to see the huge mountain on his back.
Back on earth he went to places like the Aconcagua and the Alphs, so he was quite familiar with the sight of large mountain chains.
Still, this one quite stunned him, as the body of this one was a couple of dozen of kilometers wide or that is what he could see. Green and lush vegetation was covering the first kilometers of the mountain, as higher started to become less dense while nearing the place of Camille's nest and palace was barren from any sort of vegetation. Still what surprised him the most was the mountain top, as it was from quite the distance of Camille's nest.
'Are you telling me that I descended this huge thing in just a couple of hours?' He asked himself in disbelief.
Although he knew that the solely reason for this feat was due to not having any troubles with his body and breathing during the way, as normally one needed to accustom his body to different heights.
There was also the well built path, that enable him to not worry too much from his way down. Saving him a lot of time.
'Still, i don't want to think about the pain in the ass that it would be to climb into that place again.' He thought to himself while lamenting his current situation.
Quickly taking glances to his surrounding he tried to search for any kind of fruit or thing that seemed edible, as the hunger was killing him.
However, something perturbing quickly make him frown, he didn't found any beast nor animal, and it was strangely silent since go down to this place. Not even birds were singing.
His guts were telling him that something wasn't right.
'Please, don't tell me it's a beast or something worse...'
And sure enough. without him notice somebody was at his back, he felt something cold pointing his neck.
Simon body quickly started to sweat as his heartbeat increased wild. His body quickly got into the fight or flight stance as the adrenaline was starting to running into his system, quickly increasing his senses.
His head started to think of various ways to get out of this situation while. However he quickly focused on the sudden hoarse voice talking him.
"Who are you and what are you doing here? Didn't you know what dwells in this place?"
Hearing the voice and words, Simon quickly took notice that it didn't seem hostile. Although it was currently pointing him, the person was kind enough to warn him of the danger.
Taking a sharp breath he tried to calm himself 'ooh shit, here we go again' Simon thought.
Slowly putting his hands up, he began to talk with a calm tone.
"Please put down whatever you pointing me, I'm just dying of thirst and I wanted to eat something, I didn't know that this is a dangerous place, pardon me if I intrude your place" Without flinching his eyes to lie, Simon said to the person.
Hearing his words and noticing that he didn't seemed dangerous, the tall and muscular man clad in black leather armor put down his spear while he said to him
"It's not me who lives here, and this is not my place, a wrathful dragon lives in the mountain, we are an adventurers team who was sent to attack him. I suggest you leave this place immediately, the moment we start to battle this place will be most likely destroyed." With a monotonous voice, the person kindly warned him.
'Holy shit!!! oh shit, oh shit, this guy is crazy enough to want hunt Camille!' With his head quickly throw in disarray, Simon found himself tongue tied.
Seeing the youngster in front of him nervous, the man smiled as he said to him "Here, take this, is a pellet that could help you with your hunger. Now hurry up and leave."
With that saying and without a further glance to Simon he walked without noise to the bushes after throwing a red colored pellet towards Simon, who was unable to catch it mid-air.
'Shit, there are people hunting Camille? whaaa, fuck if I stayed there I would probably end up dead. But that guy really gives me creeps, I'm sure he's not alone so I should be careful' He tried to look around in search for the person but he was unable to catch anything, still he quickly took a glance at the pellet on the floor.
He heard what he said but he was fearful to eat it.
Simon didn't think too much and gulped down the pellet, then he cupped his hand and began to drink hastily until he was satisfied.
'The hell should I do? I feel bad about Camille, she wasn't bad with me and was kind enough to let me sleep on her night and pass the night, also the chat with her wasn't bad ... I can't lie, I just wanted to see if she has a sexy human form.' He tried to calm his head with silly thought, although worry could clearly be seen on his face.
He stood on his place, thinking in what to do. He didn't know if Camille was aware of these people.
After a few seconds deliberating, Simon stand up and decided to walk back to the mountain, he could probably gain more staying with Camille than going to a human town. He doesn't have the physic of a human in this world, he saw that man.
There was also the most important thing, he didn't have any information of this world, who knows? He could end up dying outside this forest in the hands of whatever monster could roam, or worse, ended up death by bandits or whatever may roam outside this place.
There was also the thing that even if he is lucky enough to survive until he reached a human settlement, he didn't know how he would adapt himself, would his body would be able to compete against normal people on this world? In the case that he was unable to work as and adventurer or his knowledge was useless, he didn't know if he could take any job out there. He didn't want to become a beggar.
With that in mind, he began to run-up to the mountain.
With a large path in front of him.
'Now that I see this thing, would I be able to run this mountain until the nest? For all I know I would be able to breathe, but the strain to run up a mountain with a more heavy body... I'm not sure if my body would handle the strain.' Breathing loudly, he gulped down as he thought to himself.
However, he steel his resolve, as, worst case scenario, he would faint on the road, or so he thought.
...
Camille was watching Simon with her astral view all this time, quickly scanning his surrounding every time, this was one of the many abilities she posses.
Although she didn't wanted to admit, the human was a good material to chat while spending her time, and it was a long time ago since she met and chatted with another person that wasn't her friend.
However, a few minutes later she saw group of human adventurers getting near to Simon, first encircling him, while latter letting one of their members get near to him, noticing that he didn't noticed them.
She was ready to act in the slightly movement that showed mortal danger towards Simon.
"How annoying, that bastard even sent a group of adventurers. But it is a surprise itself that they made their way to here. They don't seem to be hurt in any way. I wonder what kind of weapons they would bring to me?" She said to herself, as she knew where these people were coming from. The recent human noble was most likely the reason, as it wasn't common that adventurers end on this place. Being the last group years ago.
With a proud and mocking expression, Camille began to change her body. The enormous body that could easily reach the hundred of meters, changed to one of a dozen meters. Slightly smaller than the one that was in front of Simon. She then began to set fire in her surroundings. Quickly forming a path along the hallway that had the sculptures.
With all ready, she said in a rare language.
"ZON DUK AVKHAD"
BOOOOM.
As if her voice carried a powerful enchantment, the dust flew away, the near death trees of the lair were disintegrated, the clouds in the sky were dispersed quickly, a sonic boom followed by a wall of blue mist enclose the human adventurer's group that was ascending the mountain at great speed. Who without time to take measures, started to fade, as if they were ashes. With only two of them who could stand the powerful attack.
"GOD DAMN, THAT WAS A FUCKING VOICE ONLY, THAT MAN SAID THAT IT WAS A YOUNG A WEAK DRAGON, WHAT THE FUCK WE JUST LOST UBAR AND LOTHGAR!" The man who talked with Simon shout as he was surrounded by a dim light.
"LARSON, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE, WE CANNOT FACE THAT DRAGON WITH JUST US. LET THE GUILD HANDLE THIS" His companion shouted at him while he was also surrounded by a dim light.
Meanwhile Larsson, was looking with determination to the mountain, breathing in, he glared at his companion while shouting "IVAR, JUST GO YOURSELF AND TELL THEM, I HAVE TO FACE THAT FUCKING DRAGON, FOR THEM, FOR OUR VILLAGE!" when he ended talking to Ivar, he began to slowly push forward.
The force that the shout carried feel it like a mountain was pushing him down. If he was not surrounded by the light, the winds would have cut down his skins until bones were left.
He remembered once a man says he witnessed the battle between an adult dragon against an old man in robes. The man says that he saw how the old man faced the dragon's words, then his roars and finally his magic and physical prowess with his bare fist. The man said that the old man was flying and a holy light surrounded him. That was the first time in his life that he heard about a combat style different from the adventurers and mages.
Now that he was facing just a dragon word, he was struggling with all his self. He couldn't even think how that man could carry the full of a dragon power with his bare fist and body.
'The Anuniminas blessing will end in a few minutes, this is all I have to revenge him, just a little bit more'
With his will force, Larson advanced steadily. While Ivar watched this with a pained expression, he knew that he had to tell the guild of the danger laying in the forest. Even if that mean to let his friend and companion walk to his death.
Larsson quickly dissapeared from his friend field of view, while making advance by sheer force against the mana outbreak that was pushing him from his objective, and his perseverance payed him. He finally saw the entrance, without further thinking he began to run to the nest, following the trail. When his feet first landed the lair, a scorching heat welcomed him, a dim red light was illuminating the whole palace cave.
As he was struggling with the intense heat and the suffocation as there was no oxygen to breathe, he finally saw it. Those reptile and violet eyes looking at him intently, covered between the lights and shadows. Then it's body was revealed. A black-purple scale body, with terrifying claws and teeth's.
He himself used to think that he was brave, that few things could scare him, and that those things don't exist here.
But now he could feel it, the fear of just breath loud in front of this beast. The fear that nothing he could do would work against this beast.
He saw in those eyes the despise to him, and he accepted it.
He knew at that moment why you must never face a dragon. Because in this precise moment, he couldn't even move a finger. There was a knot in his throat, he wanted to cry just because he knows that he would never accomplish his revenge.
He was just a human and no matter how much power he has gained through his life, it would never be enough against a dragon.
He fell into his knees, as he saw the dragon opening its mouth, as it was smiling, then, just with a poke of his enormous claw, his body left his head. The last thing he saw was how the world was turning left as he was falling, with darkness taking his field of view. To never see anything again.
.
.
.
"That was lame, he couldn't even fight *sigh* I just hoped that he could give me a good show" Camille looked at the human body, then with a thought of her, all his belongings appears in her claw.
His robes, armor, weapons and a guild card was resting on her claw, dwarfing in comparison to the claw. The body keep laying in the ground began to disintegrate.
Camille used again her astral view as she saw the other adventurer run away, quickly jumping from the path, not even noticing a tired Simon running up. Seeing this, she was too lazy to do something about it. She changed her view to Simon who was trying to come to her nest, but it was so slow that it will probably take a few hours. She giggled at the view of him, then she whispered a few words and Simon appeared in front of her.
As he was running with his hands in front of him to move some of the brushes that was on the path, he didn't notice the change in his environment as he smashed against Camille's body. Failing to the ground.
He then shouted.
"OH GOD IM MELTING FOR FUCK SAKE, WHAT IS WRONG? AAAAARGH-" He couldn't open his eyes as the heat dry his eyes and makes painful to him while he began to suffocate as there was no longer oxygen in the nest, his lungs also were hurting like hell.
'I am dying again? But how? I was running a second ago'
Then he heard Camille's voice.
"Don't worry, you will be fine."
With a wisp of her tail, the heat was gone and a vortex formed, bringing air from outside.
But then again, Simon was still suffocating, as now the air was being pulled out in the vortex, he himself slowly moving towards it.
It was like that for one minute, that it was enough for Simon to pass out.
'He's so fragile, if he goes outside like this he would be bullied or killed. Where the hell such being could come from? How is that they weren't subdued? '
Camille didn't worry too much about him, as she felt he was still alive, although with serious burns on his body.
In the meantime, she was seeing what the adventurer bring to her.
"Just chain mails and a mithril spear, what a waste." With disdain, she threw away the belonging of the former adventurer and closed her eyes. She began to take a glance at her astral view of her mountain.
The beasts were a bit fearful as they heard her words spread through all the place. The beared monkeys who lived in the underground of the mountain became a little restless, she took a moment to look into all of them as they were quite large in numbers, nearing 400.000, but then there was nothing much damage done in the place luckily.
With that, she opened her eyes as she saw Simon waking up. "You're weak," She said with a mocking smile.
As the first thing to hear after a painful near-death experience, he says to her with an angry voice "Thanks for the compliment, as I'm not a dragon, it was pretty pleasant to feel your body burn and get suffocated. Don't know if you are knowledgeable about how that feels, OUCH-" He shouted a little bit as moving his lips and eyes was a terrible act in his current circumstances, he then began to move a little as his entire body was burnt, it was not that bad as not feeling any piece of it. But it was really painful, he didn't want to see himself as he was sure that he looked like a roasted lamb.
"I know how pain feels, don't suppose things just out of the blur, you might offend someone you can't afford." Camille then opened one of her claws and a white light lit up.
"Touch this, it would help you with your injuries. You're welcome." When Simon saw the light he felt the air being purer and his lungs feeling better.
He struggled to get near as every little movement was an agony for his current body, he felt a few blisters exploding, making him bit his tongue just to not scream. And when he touched her claw, his entire body began to heal, at fasting rate. The first thing he noticed was how his burned hand started to regenerate tissue while a pleasant feeling spread through his body, dimming the pain.
' This feels amazing, how useful can this be.' He thought to himself with eyes closed.
Simon let himself drown in the warm feeling across his body.
"I see that you don't have any notion about magic, you could easily make a spell to protect yourself before." Camille interrupted the peaceful moment as she began to intend to inquire about him.
"Yup, you can say that I am a country bumpkin that doesn't have notion of magic" Simon answered to her nonchalantly. His eyes then lit up and asked her with a change on his tone.
"Yesterday I said that I would leave this place today. But seeing that guy before and how you used magic, mind you if I can stay here learning a few things from you? I mean you're a Dragon and there's no better teacher out there." He asked her while still laying in the ground, now with both eyes looking at her imposing figure in front of him.
"How shameless, do you think that you can afford to be able to learn from me? I see that you don't seem to know what is your situation right now, you barged into my nest, just like those guys before. I didn't do the same as I saw you were not a near treat, but why should I let you live in my place and teach you my knowledge?." With a clear dissatisfied voice, Camille said to Simon.
He became silent as he searched for the best words he can tell. His gut was telling he cannot afford to lose this chance.
"Well, you're right about those things. But you see, I don't have anywhere to go, I have no money with me. I don't know if I can work in one of those towns or cities. Probably I'll be scum. BUT, I have knowledge that you may be interested in. Also, don't you find boring living here alone? I may not be the best company, but I'm sure that I could entertain you with my stories." With resolution, Simon's voice out.
"Hoo, I see that you're confident. I don't see any use in whatever your knowledge maybe, but yes, it's pretty boring here. I'm going to test you first, then I'll see if you can learn something. When my friend's come again, you're going to leave with her, she would take care of you. That's all, take it or leave."
"I'll accept!" Without thinking further, Simon shouted.
The dragoness body moves a little as she began to take her normal length. Then she said.
"I hope you don't disappoint me."
"Sure I will not" With a bright smile he stand up after feeling healthy again, and walked away as he didn't eat anything but that pellet until now.
"Don't mind if I'm starting to farm outside and bring some animals right?" He asked her while smiling.
"Just try to not be noisy." Then Camille moved further deep in the nest, leaving Simon sight.
He walked towards the nest entrance while thinking 'I hope this life could get better' There was a small hope in his heart, that maybe now he would start doing things right. His first goals was making for himself a few lands to play something and gather food to sustain himself, as Camille didn't seem to need anything to eat.
With a bright smile, he put both feets outside the cave, taking a glance at the forest below, he said with a strident tone "Let's do it!".