I awoke to the sound of the humming on insects and the chatter of birds. The elf Olvia and I had been travelling together for a few months now, though I didn't really know where we were going. I never really asked. I rose and began the same routine as every day, wake up, look around to see Olvia had already been awake for hours. Pack our meager possessions and break hard bread with her. We sat by the remains on last night's fire, both enjoying the sounds of the nature around us. 

     We had been making our way through the forest for around a week and a half. Making our way from one village to the next, and camping whenever night fell. But as I began to regain my strength, curiosity slowly returned to me as the days passed on. Where were we going? And why did she take me on? I was a human, not only that but my time with the dragon had left me deformed, and hideous to look upon. I didn't make much sense that a beautiful woman, an elf warrior no less would even bother with me.

     So, even though I'll admit that I had come to treasure our routine and mutually kept silence, I had to understand what was happening. "Olvia?" I rasped. She started, looking surprised that I had addressed her. "Yes Roan?" Even though her tone was stiff I could sense some unease. Like a talk that was too long avoided had finally come to bear. "Where are we going?" I asked, putting the hard tack down next to me. "I am returning home, to the elven settlement of Hanasselegh."She replied. "And why did you take me along? We have been side by side for a few months now I know. But I haven't figured out why you have been helping me." At this remark, she looked on with a hint of a sad smile on her face.

     "You were a part of one of the first villages the dragon ravaged were you not?" She asked. "Yes." I replied, scratching at the bandages covering my neck. "We didn't even know there was a dragon in the valley until he and his minions where upon us." She then looked at me, the same sad smile marring those perfect features of hers. "The human villages were not the only ones to suffer from the dragon's hordes. The hobgoblins he had sent out to raid would kill elven patrols on sight. And many of our settlements fell during the years you were imprisoned." She explained. "That was what sparked the humans and elves of Urasan to strike back. And what eventually led to your liberation. Though we didn't expect to find what we did in his lair. We didn't expect to find you." 

    At this I stiffened a bit. But she continued. "We found the mass graves. Saw what had become of the people brought there. After the dragon had been defeated we began to see what he really came to our country side for. But all we found in that keep. Was you." I turned to find she was looking directly at me now. "The humans in our force wanted to kill you and erase the last of what they deemed "Touched by the dragon", but that was cruel and unjust." With this last statement that sad smile of hers fell, replaced with a carefully practiced emotionless visage. 

     "I do not know what has been done to you. But seeing you as you where when we first brought you back into the light, I could immediately tell that you no longer belong to the world of man." She paused, looking at me. It seems though we barely spoke these last few months, she had given some thought into what she wanted to say to me. "So you vouched for me?" I asked. She nodded, and turned back to looking on into the woods. "It is clear that you have no life to return to amongst your former kin. And I am unsure of how humans approach their magics. But the elves of Hanasselegh have druids, and grove keepers. They are healers, and have lived for many human lifetimes. They may have an idea of what should be done about you." She explained.

     I looked off into the trees then. Our comfortable silence gradually seeping in to fill the space our conversation had made. I at least know now where we are going, but this raises more questions as well. No longer human? I look down at my bandaged arms, and even now I can make out the fain blueness of the scales through the gossamer fabric. Can this even be healed?