Nikolai looked around again, and to his frustration, it was that same sea of grass dotted by cattails. What was not there included water, trees, crops, and worst of all, people. Without people, you can't create a functional economy, have any form of truly meaningful companionship, or sometimes survive. Of course, some folk liked to stay away from large congregations of people but even they had their inner circle of friends and significant others.
Now, there were potentially hundreds of reasons why human civilization hadn't sprung up in this place, like due to lacking the four basic elements of human life, nothing to eat, dogshit soil, tall grass full of itchy things, and being bone-drry. There were also no redeeming qualities to settle here that would stand out. So now, Nikolai puzzled, how do I leave this place?
It wasn't for lack of trying, despite moving a fair bit over the past couple of days nothing really changed. So Nikolai decided that he would bank his next couple of days going somewhere with a laundry list of resources; and it is a simple list indeed. He wanted:
1. Water
2. People.
These two things were easy to come by even in the most desolate regions of the world, and due to his experience with xianxia, he likely didn't have to worry about getting fucked over by the Sahara Desert or Antarctica. And better for his back and legs, he had nothing to pack with him. Again, he recited the draconic chant:
"Ancient blood, awaken within,
Bestow the gift of draconic skin.
Ancestral might, come forth through me,
Body transform, my soul be free.
Claws extend, wings unfurl wide,
Dragon unleashed, within me reside.
Command the breath-weapon, take to the sky,
Dragon's fury, now let it fly!"
Now, his goal was to fly up and scout the region. Nikolai flapped his wings again and again, eventually soaring through the air and banking right. The wind sheared at his scales as he pushed through the air. Pushing a rotation towards what he thought east, he stared down the horizon to find something, anything made by man.
His analysis came back as a failure, although the space was vast it was just the same as the rest. He looked another way, and for the millionth time looked upon a sea of green and yellow grass with the occasional reed. He turned again and feasted his eyes upon the same sight. It was as if light bended off one side and reflected towards the next over and over again.
Finally, Nikolai decided to go rest and deal with it tomorrow, as with this little sleep he may have not realized any village. He decided, this time, that he would not do the chant. Or try to find a way so that he doesn't need to do the chant, as the chant annoyed him quite a bit. He felt around his mind for any way to do this, and began by trying to imagine his human self.
There was Nikolai, in his ragged garments with his hair messy and dirty. The red of his shirt and blue of his pants contrasted with his pasty pinkish-yellow skin. His hair was the most basic shade of brown imaginable, and he lacked height. He was strong, but that was mostly due to his bulk instead of being strong. Upon further concentration, he still could not break the draconic will.
So he tried to peace his way out. After all, his dragon form was his combat form, or at least until he got strong enough to fight as a human. He thought of the calm night where hundreds of stars shined in the sky. The near-mythical American territory of Montana, Big Sky Country as they called it, had nothing on the beautiful skies of a pre-industrial society, a rural pre-industrial piece of land especially. But this only made him more tired.
But Nikolai was desperate. He needed to find a way out before he slept as a dragon. That would take enough caloric intake, when awoken and humanized, that he'd die of starvation. He thought about this world's societies, and how nice and trusting the people could be. Imagine a time of such little privacy. Surely, one would have to trust their neighbors when placed in a predicament like that.
But he only became more tired, and Nikolai thought that things had went from bad to worse. But before he thought again, he slumped over with a mighty crash. Out of the dragon came a less tired, but still quite hungry Nikolai.
A soft, quiet noise rang out clearly in the bushes. Whatever the noise was, it was most likely made by a frightened animal. Nikolai approached where he thought it had come from, and it took off away from him.
As he was about to try and re-dragon, he realized the animal was a small mammal which was not aggressive or fast. An animal like it's only way to survive in a world full of magical beasts and other dangers would be to have a powerful benefactor. As he observed closer, it was furry and had a little bit of muscle on it. If it were a carnivore, it must have been domesticated. Where there is domestication, there is people.
Nikolai took off after the creature, trying to maintain his pace. He was stuck in a never-ending game of tag, where the animal wouldn't slow due to fear and he wouldn't slow due to wanting to find its owner. Through the plain they dashed for a solid hour, until they dashed through a swamp instead.
It was just like the other place, but with stemmed vegetation and groundwater. A net negative in terms of how livable in was. Nikolai feared he was to be lead to a swamp cult or worse, but he needed people. And there was still that off-chance that they would escape, which seemed unlikely due to the creature's pace slowing.
The pair soon came to a more fertile looking land, and eventually Nikolai saw what had confirmed a civilization. Smoke! He considered the fact that the creature ran towards the smoke, which meant controlled fire, or a cooking fire. He finally decided to not come any closer, and began to approach on his own accord.
And before he could reach the smoke, he found a stone wall with a small gap. Something only the creature could fit through. Again, he picked up the pace and bolted to the next side of the square walls. This time, he saw a bamboo gate guarded by a soldier in a simple breastplate and helmet. He carried a short spear alongside a dagger, and began walking towards Nikolai.
"Halt! Who decides to walk into our city at this hour?" The guard bellowed.
"I, Nikolai. I come looking for an inn. I am a wary traveler who needs somewhere to stay, sir. Will you grant me entrance?" Nikolai's face was calm and stern. He could not botch this opportunity to get to civilization.
"Huh. Well, with what you wear I doubt you could could afford an inn! You are nothing. However, I suppose I can let you in. Don't always expect this kind of hospitality." The guard replied.
"Understood." Nikolai was calm again, not looking to upset the vain guardsman.
He pulled a lever and the gate slowly climbed up into the walls. Nikolai knew that he could set it on his foot at any time, so he dashed through and looked for a place to sleep.
His surroundings were many houses made of wood and bamboo, plus one larger building with an icon on it. The houses were arranged in neat rows of twenty-some and each had a set of two characters marking their address and owner. Though he could not read the characters, Nikolai just realized the guard understood him. So either he speaks Nikolai's tongue or the guard was prepared for travelers from a realm with a similar language.
If travelers come here from another realm, this means it must be close and on good terms with them.
Nikolai saw a house marked by the number "四" and "一", and walked up to the door. He was exhausted, and knocking on doors was something he did not feel like doing. Luckily for him, the owner opened the door before his fist touched it.
"Hello, stranger. I don't know why you come to my house, but you look like you need food. Come, and let us discuss things after." The man had a head full of long, black hair and a long-sleeved brown shirt.