If I''m sure of one thing, one statement that will always remain true, it is that nothing ever plays out how I wish it did. My hand drifts through the darkness, and an inhospitable cold embraces me. How many years has it been since I made that promise? I can''t see a damn thing, and I''m not sure where I was before this. I can''t move, but even if I did I''m sure it wouldn''t make any difference. Even though I cannot see I can feel my hand stretched out in front of me, perhaps to block the wind which tries to blow me away. Am I the only person stuck in this overwhelming void? Will anyone make themselves clear, will anything make itself apparent? My pleas are answered, as the tiniest bit of light appears and grows before me. A hand reaches forth and takes hold of mine as if to free me from my imprisonment, and a voice all too familiar is heard throughout the endless space surrounding me.


    "Hey, are you going to lie trapped under a pile of rocks for the rest of your life?"


    A pile of rocks? I never knew a pile of rocks could feel like empty space.


    "Come on, I won''t remove the whole pile. Grab my hand and get out of there. You can sink into the piles of things near your home after this ''quest''. If that''s what you want your first action to be straight into retirement then I can''t stop you."


    I take hold of the hand that reached out to mine, and I am thrust into the light, and with the light come the memories of the last thirty years.


    "There you go. All nice and rockless, now can we get going? You''re the one who forced me out here today."


    "Well I had a whole plan for the day but that pile of rocks was extremely comfy. You should try laying down in it some time I''m sure you''ll agree."


    "You''d think getting slammed into that same pile wouldn''t help with the comfort factor, but if this is how you''d like to tell me you''re a masochist just know I''m here for you."


    Right, that gigantic dragon. I was so happy and ignorant before I remembered why we were here.


    "You were so excited to go after it too, something about how the coin promised to us would grant you your perfect life of luxury and lethargy. Did one hit change your mind?"


    I think it might''ve.


    Across the forest lay a dragon that stretched taller than the surrounding mountains. The red scales all over its back glistened in the sunlight, and its claws which had been stained red shortly before cast a harmful glare in my direction. The reptile brought its head up and took a large strained breath. Each movement was graceful and coordinated, as if even when fighting for its life it retained the elegance given to it by some higher being. How could any person gaze upon this creature and want to tie it down, to exploit it? How could you see such a pure representation of beauty and seek to remove it from this planet? My admiration was cut short by a breath of fire. My accomplice in what would have been the execution of this beast sprinted to the right, but I did not follow.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Did that pile of rocks also make you abandon your will to live?"


    "I think I''ll be fine."


    I knew that no prison would ever let its prized captive pass away so easily. A wall of chains emerged in front of me and blocked the flame coming my way, diverting it around the wall. These indestructible objects which were once given to me as a gift now bind me to this world, they force me to confront that which I''d rather avoid, maybe even that which I''d be better off avoiding, but they are indiscriminate. My partner reunites with me behind the chains as the fire rages on around us.


    "What are you pondering on? If you wanted to die I would be happy to end your life any other time but we''re on contract."


    "I think we shouldn''t kill the dragon."


    "What?"


    "What?"


    A long pause ensued before she finally spoke up again.


    "I heard what you said, I''m just trying to figure out whether you''ve lost your mind or embraced some pacifism after getting smacked in the head too hard."


    "Wouldn''t I be losing my mind either way?"


    "Maybe. Regardless, in no universe can we back out of a quest, especially not from someone who rules over an entire city-state."


    "When has authority ever stopped us before?"


    A high-pitched ring came from across the mountainscape, and the flames that surrounded ceased to be.


    "Sounds like someone''s got a dragon whistle. Now unless you''re all the way over there at the same time that you''re telling me all about the importance of contracts, I think you understand what this means."


    She glanced at me with disdain before turning towards where the sound came from and unsheathing her sword.


    "I suppose I shouldn''t have expected a lord to understand the importance of commitment."


    "Don''t worry, you''re learning."


    The wall of chains in front of us dissipated as quickly as it appeared, and ahead of us was a large-scale battle between what seemed to be an army of a couple hundred and the dragon we were tasked with killing.


    "It seems like they have a couple dozen mages among them, I know you''re a snob about combat so would you like to deal with them while I take on the soldiers?"


    "Whatever you say."


    "Oh, now we''re listening?"


    She dashes ahead into the group of them as I yell at the warriors grabbing their attention.


    "You''re not laying a hand on that dragon!"


    God that sounded bad. Now they all have to die.


    Well, they all had to die anyway. Breaking contract and leaving witnesses isn''t exactly the smartest choice.


    The chains tasked with my protection come out from behind me, and I guide them towards the crowds in front. Poor souls really, they''re just trying to make a living. The first chain pierces through the skulls of thirteen all gathered in a line, and their corpses fall to the ground when I retrieve the chain from their now useless heads. Another twenty of them charge at me only to be torn, sliced, and compressed by the chains that loom over me. The other soldiers fearing for their lives begin to flee, but they get taken from the ground and shoved into a hollow sphere where they will live out their final moments. The sphere begins to crush them, and slowly their screams no longer plague my ears.