“And… done!”

The gardens have finally been finished, with a large collection of plants, produce and even a glasshouse for the more sensible specimens. Both Cedric and Umbravor looked on, chests stuffed with the pure sense of pride and accomplishment (without resorting to scummy tactics at that).

In that moment, the ancient dragon looked at the entrance to the gardens, waiting. When nothing came over, he sighed.

“What’s wrong, my lord?”

“I’m not your lord.” Umbravor sat by the bench he had carved just the previous day. “I just keep wondering when someone else will try and kill me again.”

“Ain’t it a good thing?”

“Well, yes. But still, guess I got used to it.”

“Guess the author didn’t enjoy we calling him out on it.” In that very moment, the sound of the new alarm rang. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

With reinvigorated light over his eyes, Umbravor sprang up. “Let’s go meet our visitors?”

Cedric, for a moment, thought Umbravor would at last show his true draconic form and they would fly over to meet whoever arrived. So, when Umbravor waved his hand and teleported them both to outside, he sulked a bit.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Even saying that, the way the young knight kicked a rock away indicated something was clearly wrong.

“Alright, first: Less telling, more showing, narrator.” Umbravor then looked at his… wait, what’s Cedric to him again? Friend, servant, toy? Also, fuck you! “Second: Just say what’s bothering you already so we can avoid several chapters of misunderstandings creating unneeded drama.”

“I wanted to fly while carried by a dragon.”

“Oh…” Umbravor looked pensive for a moment. “We can go back and redo the whole scene if you want.”

“Nah, I would fell hella bad if ya did it.”

“Stop ignoring us!” Said gigantic mountain of muscles of a woman holding a massive axe.

“Just a second, please.” Umbravor then turned to Cedric. “You never said you wanted to fly around. Or is it the dragon form you wanted to see?”

“…Both.”

“Hey, how dare you…”

Umbravor looked at them with such fury, his draconic features more pronounced, that every member of the party but the leader stepped back. “I’ll deal with you in just a moment!”

“Sorry, guess I should’ve said something, instead of just being mad.”

“I can place a spell on you later so you can fly as much as you like. How about that?”

“That sounds…”

The woman raised her weapon, releasing a bestial howl as she rushed ahead. Umbravor gave a sharp move with his arm and a puff of smoke covered her. Once it passed, only a massive frog existed where she once stood. And as a show of support and camaraderie, every other person started running away, leaving the poor amphibian behind.

“Why didn’t you teleported her away?”

Umbravor had a complete poker face as he looked grabbed the frog trying to run away. “I snapped.”

“Well, then turn her back so we can send her away.” That comment from Cedric had the dragon sweating buckets. “Wait, what’s wrong? You can turn her back, right?”

“Truth be told… transmutation is the one magic I’m an absolute negation at using.”

“…”

“I mean, people have different strengths and weaknesses, so you can’t exactly…”

“Ya keep the horns, tail and eyes cause ya can’t complete the transformation, ain't that right?”

“…” The frog croaked, struggling to get away from Umbravor’s grip. “Bodies are complex organisms, all right?”

And so, the ancient dragon acquired many transmutation tomes to avoid making such mistakes in the future. Also, the gardens got a small pond where the new tenant could relax until they figure out how to reverse the transformation.