Danico clapped his hands together excitedly and said “Alright, time to harvest the dragon!” Danico liked the unique scale color of the dragon and thought it would look really good as a vest or scarf. Tanya, his tailor, would be delighted to receive another opportunity to work with dragon scales again.

But the dragon began to disintegrate and turn into ash before he could even touch the dark scales. 

“Wait, wait, wait!” Danico said in a panic as he summoned his cursed sword to peel the scales off the beast. “Come on, give me at least one scale! Help me out here!” Danico said and gave Mikhail a dagger.

Despite the sharp sword in his hand, he still struggled to pierce the dragon skin. He wondered if it would be easier if he knew how to activate the dormant energy in the sword. He thought about letting Mikhail give it a swing, but the chance his royal highness might completely destroy the dragon corpse was high and he’d rather not test his luck either. Plus, it is an evil sword. It might corrupt the prince too and begin attacking him instead and Danico is far too tired to fight anyone.

In the end, Danico only managed to cut two of the iridescent scales before the dragon completely vanished into ashes and dust. Mikhail got one. 

Danico sighed.

“I was hoping to harvest the scales too,” Mikhail said. “It would have made for great armor.”

“This might be an after effect of the bow’s power,” Danico pointed out. “Usually dragons would leave carcasses, otherwise we’d never have weapons and armors made of dragon hide and scales.”

He looked at the two scales he managed to salvage and thought what he could do with it. Would it be enough for a vest or scarf? Maybe he should have it fashioned as jewelry instead.

Mikhail handed over the single scale he managed to rip off the dragon to Danico, along with the bow that turned into a bracelet. “Here. It’s too powerful of a weapon just to give to me.”

Danico happily accepted the scale, but raised an eyebrow at the bracelet, “No it’s alright. I can’t take it back anyway since it’s bonded to you. And it’s not like I can use it! I can’t pull back the bow string of a shortbow, much less that of a longbow.”

Danico touched the bracelet and was shocked with a spark of lightning. The bracelet fell to the ground as Danico whipped his hand around dramatically, as if he hadn’t already been healed. 

Mikhail picked it up with surprise clear in his eyes. However, he was still apprehensive to receive such a weapon for free. Even if Danico said it was a reward before, he did nothing to deserve it. 

“I see you still don’t want the weapon,” Danico said. “How about this, we’ll trade. I get this dragon scale of yours and you can keep that bracelet. How does that sound?”

“But I just gave you the scale? It’s not exactly a trade if I give it willingly…” It still didn’t sound fair to Mikhail. The bard didn’t care that he was trading his family heirloom for a single dragon scale, but Danico looked at him with bright expectant eyes and all he could do was sigh and nod.

Just as he was about to speak, a bright glow enveloped them both and the warmth of power flowed through him.

“What’s happening?!” Mikhail asked in surprise.

“Oh, this must be the first time you’ve achieved this,” Danico explained. “In that case, congratulations Prince Mikhail, on becoming a dragon slayer.”

Mikhail looked at Danico with raised eyebrows. “Having the title of dragon slayer does not explain why we’re glowing.”

Danico laughed. “Pray tell, my dear prince, but when was the last time anyone here has slain a dragon?”

“Dragons aren’t exactly abundant and mostly lay dormant, but I’d say five centuries ago? Back when my great-great-something grandfather was but a hedge knight, he slayed a dragon and created the Kingdom of Märchen.”

Danico looked at him curiously, “I’ve never met anyone who had the blood of a dragon slayer before, I wonder if you have some sort of dormant ability?”

“If I did, it would have been great if it showed itself during the earlier trials,” Mikhail said bitterly.

“Well, I can’t argue with that,” Danico said, nodding his head wisely. “You were down right useless until now.”

“You didn’t have to say that out loud,” Mikhail said, aggrieved. If he hadn’t grown so fond of this pretty bard he would have him beheaded for his audacity to insult a member of the royal family. It wasn’t just any member of the royal family either, the bard was insulting the crown prince. “So, why exactly are we glowing?”

“Oh, right, let me explain,” Danico said. “You see, some places have dragons and every time they're killed, the world will grant the slayer a blessing. Of course the power of the blessing would depend on how much that person helped in battling the dragon! Imagine if there was a whole army with us fighting against the dragon and everyone got the same reward despite not doing as much as the people at the front line? People would think it’s unfair, right?”

Mikhail nodded in understanding. It could also be dangerous to the kingdom if several people received massive powers. The nobility would feel threatened and think the peasantry will start a revolution and the neighboring kingdoms would demand the awarded people to be sent to them as peace treaties or they would unite against them for battle and an all out war could ignite.

It was a dreadful future to think about and he was grateful the world was wise and fair. Perhaps this was also why the fairies were dwindling them down so only a handful of people had a chance to fight the dragon. 

“Since it’s just the both of us, we should get some really awesome skills! Come test out what kind of blessing you received!”

The bard waved his arm around excitedly and a splash of acid was flung away. The green acid melted through the ground until it left nothing but scorched earth. “Oh!” He said excitedly, “Exactly what I wanted!”

Mikhail copied the movement, but nothing happened. 

Danico laughed, “Add some magic to it, silly!”

A little bit embarrassed that he didn’t think of that earlier, he added a tiny bit of magic and flung his arm out. A whip of black vines was flung away from him and to the nearest tree where it clung to the bark. He looked at his hand in wonder. The vines were still connected with his palm. The thorns were as sharp and pointy as ever, but it did not hurt him one bit. He clenched his hand around the vines and tugged. The tree was uprooted.

Danico whistled and moved to touch the thorn, but Mikhail cut off his magic and banished it before teh bard could examine it.

“Do you want to die?” Mikhail asked. “Why would you reach out for the thorns? They could be poisonous!”

Danico shrugged. “Yeah, I wanted to see if they are.”

“You’re insane, you could fall in eternal slumber if you did.”

“You could always create an antidote,” Danico pointed out. “Since it’s going to be your poison now.”

The bard stretched his limbs as darkness descended upon them once more. He recalled the giant fireball on top of the tower and smiled at Mikhail.

“I guess this is it. It was nice adventuring with you,” Danico said, floating up gently with the usage of his gravity magic.

“You’re leaving already?” The prince asked. “Wouldn’t you want to see the princess and try a chance at waking her?”

“No, I’m not interested in saving her,” Danico said. He’s only ever been interested in fighting the dragon. Saving princesses has never been a part of his story.

Before he could leave, the prince grabbed his hand. “Wait,” he said.

Danico looked at him expectantly.

With his other hand, Mikhail manifested a small gift for Danico with his new power. He wanted to give the bard something to remember him by. Something unique that will remind him of the times they spent with each other. Of the nights that passed in a tent with only the sound of a lullaby in the air and of the battle against the dragon.

The bard pressed his lips together as he took the present from the prince. It was like velvet to the touch and the color of spring. “Your highness, why are you giving me a cabbage?”

“What? It’s a rose! A green rose in full bloom!” Mikhail said, insulted.

“Are you sure? It looks like a cabbage to me,” Danico said. “Also, why green?”

Mikhail pouted and with a slight blush muttered, “It’s the same color as your eyes.”

Danico laughed loud and clear.

“Hey! If you don’t want it then give it back!” Mikhail reached out to snatch the flower away from him when Danico flew up with the rose in hand.

“Who said you can take it back?” The bard said. “I happen to like it.”