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Volume 3 of Reincarnated as a Familiar will release in audiobook format in just a little over a week. once again tells the ongoing tale of Astria in her new life as a Familiar! I’ve included a short sample of Jennifer’s performance below so you can check it out. Don’t worry, there aren’t any spoilers.

You can preorder a copy now either at or directly from the

After failing to save the enslaved magical creatures, Lesti and Astria redouble their training efforts. Now joined by Aurelia and Fang, they continue to unlock new ways of using magic. However, a critical challenge lies just around the corner, the spring tournament. Lesti will have to win if she is to have any chance of taking the lordship of her homeland.

At the same time, Astria spots a girl with unique powers at the academy. But she runs away screaming before she can even learn her name. Will Astria and Lesti be able to prepare for the spring tournament and uncover the girl’s secret?

Find out as the adventure full of magic, battles, and familiars continues!

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That’s right. It’s announcement time! It’s been a bit longer than expected but Reincarnated as a Familiar volume 3 is releasing on March 12th, 2021. The kindle version is available for pre-order on Amazon right now. I’m hoping to have the paperback published a day or two before this date to allow for shipping time. An announcement will be sent out when it goes live.

I hope you’re all looking forward to Astria and Lesti’s latest adventure. This volume was a ton of fun to write and I’m pretty happy with how it came out. Check out the description below for more information about the story.

Not everyone is a cat person.

After failing to save the enslaved magical creatures, Lesti and Astria redouble their training efforts. Now joined by Aurelia and Fang, they continue to unlock new ways of using magic. However, a critical challenge lies just around the corner, the spring tournament. Lesti will have to win if she is to have any chance of taking the lordship of her homeland.

At the same time, Astria spots a girl with unique powers at the academy. But she runs away screaming before she can even learn her name. Will Astria and Lesti be able to prepare for the spring tournament and uncover the girl’s secret?

Find out as the adventure full of magic, battles, and familiars continues!

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That’s right! To celebrate the release of the first next week. I’m giving away a 3-month subscription to Audible, worth $45. There’s no purchase necessary to win. All you have to do is sign in with one of the methods listed in the widget below and perform any one of the actions to be entered to win. The more actions you perform, the more chances you have to win. You have until the end of October 20th U.S. Pacific Time to enter. The winner will be drawn automatically once the deadline has passed and will be contacted via email. Good luck, everyone!

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That’s right, just like the title says, the Reincarnated as a Familiar audiobook releases in just a few weeks on October 20th. The series is being published by starting with a publisher’s pack containing both volumes 1 and 2 exclusively on Audible. I’ve been super excited, waiting to announce this to everyone. I wasn’t expecting to be able to release Reincarnated as a Familiar in an audiobook format. It’s expensive to hire a good narrator and I simply didn’t have the resources to do it myself. Now, thanks to Podium Audio, I get to hear my own story read by along with the rest of you!

As some of you may know, I read my story out loud to myself as part of my editing process. I do this to make sure that the text flows nicely and is easy to read. Still, I often find myself changing my tone and manner of speech to match the scene in my head. It brings a smile to my face each time I catch myself doing it. Now, I finally get the chance to hear how a professional views and reads those same scenes. It’s super exciting!

I hope you all are just as pumped as I am! The Reincarnated as a Familiar audiobook releases in just a few weeks and I’m hoping to really pull out all the stops to try and make this a success. Expect some fun things in the coming weeks, including giveaways, discounts, and more. Until then, you can preorder a copy now either at or directly from the .

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Reincarnated as a Familiar Volume 2 officially released in both and formats on Amazon. You can pick up the ebook for $4.99 or read it for free with Kindle Unlimited. The paperback version is available for $11.99. In the coming weeks, depending on how fast Amazon delivers my author copies, I’ll be putting up a listing for signed copies of volume 2, so keep an eye out for that if you’re interested. I hope everyone enjoys this latest release!

After their close call with the archdemon Thel’al, Astria and Lesti are finally given permission to leave the academy grounds. Eager to get out into the city, they head to the market. Almost immediately, they hear whispers of strange happenings in the city. Unable to ignore the problem, they begin to investigate on their own.

Meanwhile, back at the academy, Lesti finds herself in a new class. In fact, it’s the top class in her year! With a unique chance to make friends, she doesn’t waste any time. However, Astria has her concerns. The girl she befriends, Aurelia, is acting suspiciously. Will Astria safely navigate Thel’al’s schemes and find the secret behind Aurelia’s actions, or will her curiosity spell doom for the Astral Cat? Find out as the adventure, full of magic, friendship, and fangs, continues!

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Saara made her way up the cleanly polished stairs of the upper district of Rockwell, the great oasis. The harsh sun beat down on her exposed skin, prompting her to move more quickly. While easy to move about in, the ceremonial outfit she wore offered little protection from the harsh desert sun. Thankfully, the chamber that she was given to change into her ceremonial garb wasn’t far from the source, so she wasn’t likely to get burned.

As she rushed up the last few steps, she glanced over at the aqueducts leading to the lower parts of the city. Typically, they would be filled to the brim with fresh water drawn up from the earth below, but they were currently only filled halfway. She grimaced as she reached the top of the stairs and walked up to the guard standing just under the edge of the large pavilion. He looked at her with a worried expression but gave her a sharp salute anyway.

“Ma’am, we’ve been expecting you. Councilman Sadi is waiting for you inside,�� Saara nodded briefly and made to move past him quickly, but he held up a hand to stop her as she hesitantly glanced back over his shoulder and whispered to her, “Mind yourself in there. It seems the council is rather upset that they have had to call you again so soon. I don’t think they’ll do anything rash, but better safe than sorry.��

Saara smiled at the kind man before moving quickly past him, “Thank you. I’ll keep your warning in mind.��

Once under cover of the pavilion, the temperature of the air seemed to drop dramatically. The shade of the large marble structure combined with the massive pool of water that flowed up from the stone below saw to that. Yet, the coolness of the air did nothing to improve Saara’s mood. The simple reason was that the massive pool was already half empty, despite her being here just a month ago.

Standing by the pool was Councilman Sadi, wearing a rather grim expression. He stared into the water as if searching it for some sort of answer until he heard Saara’s footsteps approaching him from behind. Turning around, he looked at her with an annoyed grimace, “Saara, care to explain what’s going on. I understand that there can be some fluctuations in how long the ritual lasts, but a month seems far too short.��

Saara crossed her arm over her chest and gave a quick yet graceful bow. Despite Sadi’s hostility, she understood why he might be upset. In the several hundred year history of Rockwell, the source had never drained this quickly after the drawing ritual. The quickest it had ever been recorded reaching this level after a ritual was 5 months. 

“I’m sorry, Councilman, but I don’t have any answers for you. There were no issues with last month’s ritual as far as I could tell.��

“Well clearly something went wrong,�� He suddenly shouted at her, “You are aware that the delegation from Crystalis will be visiting our city soon, don’t you? We intentionally timed their visit shortly after the drawing ritual so that they could see the great oasis in its full splendor. Negotiations will suffer if they see this miserable mess.��

As he finished his sentence, he waved a hand toward the half-empty pool. Yet, despite his protests, there was little that Saara could do to soothe his rage. The ritual she had performed just a month ago had drawn the water from the earth deep below as it was intended to. If it had disappeared so quickly, then something must be using it more rapidly than usual. Still, she didn’t think that Sadi would listen to such an explanation given his current mood, so she offered him the only solution she could.

“Councilman, I suggest that we perform the ritual once more. It may be that the water continues to drain just as quickly, but it should last until after the delegation has left.��

“Very well. In the meantime, I will ask the council to investigate the reason for the excess usage of water,�� Sadi narrowed his eyes at her as he read between the lines, “Though I am aware of no leaks in the aqueducts.��

Saara let out a heavy sigh. It seemed that no matter what she said, he intended to pin all of the blame on her and the ritual. Still, if he was right and there were no leaks, she wondered what was using the water so quickly. 

Shaking her head, she set that problem aside for a moment and stepped closer to the edge of the water, “Please step back while I perform the ritual, Councilman Sadi.��

“Very well,�� Sadi stepped back, clearly annoyed at being ordered around by someone, “Try not to mess it up with time.��

Saara ignored his rude comment and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. A moment later, she began to move. Starting off slowly, she took great care in placing her feet and hands in the correct position as she expanded her senses, searching for the familiar sensations of the great source of water below. Then, as she began to feel it deep in the ground beneath her, she sped up, moving faster and faster.

Her slow, rhythmic steps quickly became a heated dance. Each time her feet hit the stone floor below her, she felt the source below her. Then, with each fluid movement of her hands, she worked to pull part of the source up toward her. She had performed this dance, this ritual, hundreds of times. It was as natural as breathing to her. Saara would dance, and the water would flow. That was what always happened.

Yet, today, something was different. She could sense the source below, but no matter how much she pulled, the water would not flow. For the first time ever, Saara found herself straining, focusing as hard as possible as she continued to reach out to the source below. Faster and faster she danced, her fluid motions from before gained a fierce, sharp quality that they usually lacked. 

As the ritual neared its end, she began to put more and more force into each movement, until finally, the last step came. Digging deep, she pulled harder than she ever had before. Deep below, something finally gave, and the ground rumbled. A moment later, a massive pillar of water exploded up out of the pool, spraying the entire area. Saara collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily.

As the pool settled, Councilman Sadi walked over to her, a smug grin on his face, “Well, that was quite the show you put on there, nothing like the ritual you performed before. I guess it really was your lazine-��

Saara reached up and grabbed the man by the collar, pulling his face down close to hers, “Assemble the council immediately. I need to speak to them.��

At first, Sadi only stared back at her incredulously, but she didn’t let her gaze waver. This was too important for her to yield. The strength of her gaze broke through whatever arrogant thoughts he might have been having, “V-very well, I will call them. Meet me in the council chambers in an hour.��

Without another word, he rushed off, seemingly eager to get as far away from Saara as possible. Saara, on the other hand, spent a long while staring at the water, trying her best to convince herself that she had only been imagining things. Yet, no matter how much she wanted to fool herself, she knew that wasn’t the case. Standing up, she rushed off toward the council chambers. 

Something needed to be done, or else all the water would be gone. She had felt it deep underground as she had reached out to the source and pulled. Something else had been there and that something else had pulled back.

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I walked through the snow, the wind chilling me to my core. The world around me was blinding white from the blizzard, and my old bones ached with every step. It was strange. When I left on my final walk, the night had been clear, and the stars had shown brightly above. This storm had come out of nowhere as if to consume the last of my feeble life. 

Frostbite and exhaustion should have taken me long ago. Still, despite the cold and the blinding snow, my feet kept moving more forward, each step taking me deeper into the storm. At some point, I would collapse, and my final walk would end. I was prepared for that, honored even. Not many of my people lived long enough to experience this. Still, I hoped it would end soon. I was tired. 

Just as that thought crossed my mind, a shape began to form in the snow ahead of me. I stopped staring at the storm hesitantly. Then, the massive shape of one of the great spirits of the wild, the Wolf, took shape before. My hesitation switched to awe and wonder as I was confronted by the closest thing my people had to a god.

However, that wasn’t the end of it. Three more shapes began to form in the storm. Soon, the four great spirits of the wild were all arrayed before me. On my far left was the Stag, embodiment of kindness and empathy. Next to it stood the Bear, representing power and endurance. Beside it stood the aforementioned Wolf, the symbol of guardianship and loyalty. Lastly, on my far right, stood Owl, reigning over wisdom and intuition. 

Wolf was the first to speak to me, “Hunter of the north, here at the end of your days, I look back on your life and see a father, a mentor, and a leader. When your people struggled or strayed from the path, you showed them the way, never giving up on them. I would offer you a place in my pack.��

I stared back at Wolf, stunned by its offer. My people had many legends about what happened to us after our final walk. Almost all said that we would join the great spirits, become one of them. Yet, I had never believed them. Not after I had found my grandfather’s body in the snow after his walk, his body frozen by the cold.  I had never told anyone what I had seen. It would have shaken their faith to the core as it had mine. 

Yet, Wolf wasn’t the only one who would speak to me. The booming voice of Bear echoed in my head next, “Brave warrior of the north,, over the years, you people have faced many threats, and it was always you who stood on the front lines. Your strength on the battlefield has earned you a place at my side.��

Memories of battles with bandits and soldiers from the kingdom to the south flashed through my mind at Bear’s words. Time and time again, I fought, leading the charge. It was true that I brought my people many victories, but those had come at a cost. Many people that I thought of as friends had died fighting by my side. Even now, I considered it more luck than anything else that I was alive.

Next to speak was Stag, “Truly, you were a great warrior, son of the north. Yet, such prowess fades with time and legends of your battles will fade into nothingness. However, the kindness that you have shown others will carry on for time unending. Where others would have sought conflict with other tribes, you saw that they shared the same struggles as your people and shared with them where you could. The bonds you have built will light to a brighter future for the people of the north. Such an achievement shows that you belong in my herd.��

The faces of the friends I had made in other tribes flashed through my mind. For many years, we had fought each other for the sparse resources available to us in the frigid north. It was true that we were joined together now as one people, but that was no success of my own. Anything I had shared with them was only out of necessity. If the kingdom to the south had never laid claim to our lands, our people would never have come together. It was only because they did that we were one now.

The last of the great spirits to speak to me was Owl, “Your kindness may have brought your people together, wise elder of the north. However, it was your guidance in your later years that will hold them together. Many would have held to the traditions of old, unable to adjust to the changing times. Yet, you chose to change with them and abandoned the migratory lifestyle you had always known. The new way of life you have given your people will allow them to navigate the coming storms. Such wisdom must be part of my parliament.��

Memories of the years of traveling the frozen north, our lives in tune with the land flashed through my mind. Those days were long gone now. Adapting the magic of the people from the kingdom, we had formed the grand lodges, no longer needing to wander in search of food, allowing our people to prosper. Yet, our connection with the land and the spirits had weakened, especially amongst the younger generations. Even now, I wondered how many people would take their final walk like this.

Once again, Wolf spoke to me, “Now, you have heard from us all. It is rare for one to be welcomed by more than one spirit. However, when they are, we leave the choice to them. Make your choice, spirit of the north.��

I looked to each of the spirits before me, considering what each of them said before making my choice. Finally, after a long moment, I took a breath and let them know my decision, “Great spirits of the north, it would be an honor to walk beside any of you. Yet, I fear the honor you have bestowed upon me is too great. For many years, I have lacked faith in you. I have made many choices that have led my people away from you. How can I possibly walk beside you knowing that?��

“You speak the truth,�� Owl’s voice responded in my head, “Yet, that is exactly why we wish for you to join us.��

“I don’t understand,�� I looked at them in confusion, “Why would you want me to join you if I have led my people away from you?��

“Even now, our power fades, overshadowed by your own,�� Wolf spoke to me frankly, “In time, we will be forgotten, but you will be remembered for ages to come. By bringing you into our fold, we hope to thrive along with you.��

Wolf’s words surprised me. If what he said was true, then whatever spirits I didn’t choose would fade into history, forgotten by my people. Was that really okay? Was I really the right person to make such a heavy choice? I mulled these questions over in my mind for some time, unable to answer. Then, like lightning, it struck me, I wouldn’t choose at all.

“Great spirits, if you will fade without me, then why not tie your stories to mine?�� I looked across each of the four spirits,�� Become part of my family, and I will ensure that none of you are forgotten.��

“I see, so you would make us a part of your pack to protect us,�� Wolf’s voice echoed through my mind, “Your loyalty is impressive. Very well, I will place myself under your protection.��

Stag was the next to follow, “Despite your doubts, you would show us kindness where you needed offer none. I will gladly join your herd.��

“The path you have chosen will take great strength. Many will lean on you in the days to come,�� Bear’s voice rumbled like thunder in my head, “I will walk beside you and offer you support.��

Owl was the last to speak, “Where we would choose to sacrifice our comrades, you would again choose a different way. I would be honored to continue seeing your wisdom as part of your parliament.��

“Great spirits,�� I lowered my head to them one last time, “Thank you, I will not let you down. I will continue to grow all of our stories together.��

Finally, all four of their voices echoed in my head, “Then rise, great spirit of the north!��

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Geralt looked around in awe at the towering maze of purple crystals around him. Their sharp angular forms reflected and distorted the world around them, creating something like a hall of mirrors. Each and every one of them hummed with powerful magics. They were so powerful, in fact,  that he could feel them despite the magical protection that the caravan had. It was indeed a wondrous place, full of many mysteries. Being heavily involved in magical research, Geralt was truly grateful that he was getting a chance to see it.

“First time going through the crystal pass?�� The old man driving the lead wagon smiled at him wryly.

Geralt tore his gaze away from the scenery to look at the man, sheepishly, “Yeah. Is it that obvious?��

“Very. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about though,�� The man turned his gaze back to the road ahead, “Everyone has the same reaction the first time they see it. It has a strange beauty about it. Just make sure that this place doesn’t draw you in too deeply, or you’ll never escape.”��

“Draw me in?�� He looked over the man curiously. Certainly, the maze of crystals was beautiful, but it wasn’t to the level of being enchanting.

“The maze calls some people. Shows them something they want to see to lure them in,�� The man’s gaze grew distant as if he was recalling something. However, he shook his head a moment later as if dispelling some sort of illusion, “Either way, just make sure you don’t enter the maze. Stay on the main path. No matter what.��

“R-right. I’ll be sure to do that,�� Geralt looked back towards the crystal jungle to his right, a new sense of apprehension and fear that he hadn’t felt before stirring in his chest. However, that feeling disappeared almost as quickly as it had begun to form, along with the old man’s warnings.

***

Later that day, the caravan stopped for lunch in a wide clearing. There were several stops like this along the path where the crystals had been cleared out, and travelers could rest easy. Geralt sat a short distance away from the other groups, watching the crystal maze and jotting down notes on his research pad. 

His interest in the crystals which had only been passing at first had quickly grown into something more akin to obsession as he had watched them for hours on end. Each and every time he looked, he noticed something different about them. The way they reflected their surroundings, the way the magical energies ebbed and flowed through them, there was so much that could be learned simply by observing them. 

Geralt looked back up after jotting down another quick note and froze, “Was that a crystal drake?��

There weren’t many creatures that made the crystal mountains there home due to the overwhelming amount of magic. The crystal drakes were a rare exception. They made their nests amongst the maze of crystals and hunted the smaller magical creatures that called this place their home. It was exceptionally rare to see one outside of breeding season when they would flock to the plains below to find partners. 

Geralt looked into the forest of crystal, looking for signs of the reflection that he had seen. Just as he was about to give up, he saw it again. The figure of a limping crystal drake flashed briefly on the crystals in front of him.

“Is it injured?�� Geralt asked no one in particular.

Setting the pad down, he stood up and slowly walked toward the maze of crystals, watching for more signs of the drake. For some reason, his focus felt heightened. He was able to see the reflections more clearly now. Where they had been distorted before, they were crystal clear now, allowing him to see the drake slowly limping amongst the maze. 

Then, their eyes met. The gaze appeared to be calling him, asking him for help. He hesitated for a moment, the faint echo something in the back of his mind telling him not to go, but the drake’s pleading gaze quickly washed the feeling from his mind. His mind made up, he prepared to take the next step into the crystal maze beyond the clearing.

Just then, a heavy hand clapped down on his shoulder, pulling him back, forcefully, “Blast it all, I warned you about this.��

Wheeling around in anger, Geralt came face to face with the old driver he had spoken to early in the day, “Why are you stopping me? That drake is hurt. It’s asking for my help. I have to go to it.��

Geralt started to try and shake the old man off, but before he could, the old man smacked him hard, right across the face. The blow was strong enough that he almost lost consciousness. For a minute, he stood there, stunned. Then, as his brain slowly recovered from the shock of the blow, his anger bubbled up.

“What in the world did you do that for?�� he shouted angrily at the old driver.

However, the old driver didn’t look at him, but at the crystal maze beyond, “That should have done the trick. Look at it again.��

Confused and still a little dazed after the slap, Geralt turned and followed the man’s gaze. The crystal drake he had seen before was gone along with the strange clarity of the crystals. Everything was once again distorted.

“Wait, but how?�� Geralt stared out at the crystals for a moment, trying to understand what had happened, 

The old man put his arm around his shoulder and turned him away, “Come on, it’s best if you don’t look at them for a while. Come sit with us.��

Geralt obediently followed after the old driver, still trying to process what was going on. In the end, he couldn’t resist taking one last look back over his shoulder. When he did, he once again saw the flicker of those pleading eyes calling out to him. For some reason, though, they sent a shiver down his spine this time. 

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Azel slowly closed the door to the crew quarters behind him. Beneath his feet, the deck rocked gently in time with waves lapping against the docks. The chilly night breeze brushed against his skin and filled his nose with the familiar scent of the sea. He paused for a moment, waiting for his eyes to adjust before quietly making his way toward the dock. As he passed by the guard at the bottom, he slipped him a silver coin, ensuring that his venture out into the town wouldn’t be reported. 

Once clear of the docks, he slipped into the backstreets of the small port city. The place was rather small, and he couldn’t risk walking the main roads and running into the boss. Guided by only the light of the stars and moon above and the occasional stray lantern hung outside a seedy bar, he made his way toward his destination. It was a path he knew all too well, having traveled it time and again in the last two years.

Eventually, he slipped outside the town and into the tropical jungle beyond. A small trail used mostly by the locals led up the hill toward the top of the nearby cliff. Trudging up the slope in the dark, Azel’s heart beat wildly in his chest. Yet, it wasn’t the climb or the fear of what might lurk in the dark that made his heart pound. It was what awaited him at the top.

As he reached the end of his climb, he saw her standing at the top of the cliff, staring out at the ocean and the Isle of Dragons beyond. Even after all this time, the sight of her took his breath away. Her brilliant red hair and pale, white skin seemed to glow in the moonlight giving her an otherworldly aura. At the same time, her green eyes reflected the stars above, sparkling brightly.

“Kai,�� Azel called out to her as he approached to make sure he didn’t frighten her, “Sorry, did I make you wait long?��

The girl turned toward him, smiling brightly, “Azel! No, I just got here not too long ago myself. I was just looking at the stars. Will you join me?��

“Of course,�� Azel joined her atop the cliff and pulled her close. Despite the chilly night, her body still felt warm, as though the chill didn’t affect her. Yet, Kai leaned into his arms all the same. They sat together like that watching the stars and talking about nothing in particular.

Eventually, silence fell between them though they continued to stare at the beautiful night sky. Around that time, Azel noticed the shadow of a dragon take off from the volcanic island in the distance. The fact that it was still visible despite the distance showed just how massive the creature was. The sight stirred a sense of wonder and fear deep within him.

“Dragons really are strange creatures, aren’t they? They live for hundreds of years, and their wings can take them all over the world. Yet they choose to live on such a small island in the middle of nowhere.��

Kai looked up at him, a surprised look on her face, “Azel, you’re not scared of dragons?��

“Well, I know the people of this town fear them and worship them like gods. Still, I’ve never met one face to face, so I can’t say for sure, but they mostly don’t bother us humans, right? If anything, I’m more worried about pirates than them. Crazy, right?�� Azel chuckled to himself at the ridiculousness of the idea.

“I see,�� Kai stared at him for a long moment, her expression a mixture of both relief and fear. 

In the two years that he had been meeting Kai up on this cliff, he had seen her act this way a few times. In the past, he had always brushed it off, but not this time. Azel had already decided that this next voyage would be his last. He had finally saved up enough money to start a small business of his own and intended to ask Kai to marry him when he returned. What kind of husband would he make if he ignored such a troubled expression?

“Is everything alright? If something is bothering you, please tell me,�� He brought his hand up and gently stroked her cheek, “If there’s anything I can do to help, I will.��

“No. It’s just that when you mention things like pirates, I can’t help but worry,�� She looked out at toward the sea for a moment before reaching under the simple dress that she wore and pulling a simple pendant out from under it, “I know this sounds silly, but would you take this with you as a good luck charm? It-it’ll help me sleep better at night, knowing you have it with you.��

Azel stared at the pendant for a long moment, wondering if he should really take it. It looked rather expensive, and he had never seen her wearing it before, meaning she had bought it just to give to him. Still, if it would help wipe the troubled expression from her face, he would gladly accept it.

“Of course,�� He took the pendant and placed it around his neck, “I’ll treasure it.��

***

“What in the world are pirates doing this close to the port!?�� Azel whispered as the small fleet of ships drew closer to them. It was only a day since they had left port, and the waters that they were in were typically patrolled by the Crystalis Navy. Thanks to that, pirates didn’t usually attack ships here, and merchant ships like theirs could rest easy.

However, today appeared to be a rare exception. Almost as if from nowhere, the small fleet of ships suddenly appeared in front of them. Most likely, they had been using some form of magic to conceal themselves. With so little warning, they had no chance of outrunning the pirates and had been forced to surrender immediately. Even now, they were waiting to be boarded. Hopefully, they would just take the goods and spare the crew.

Azel clutched the pendant he wore around his neck as he watched the ships approach nervously. Silently, he prayed that he would make it back to see Kai again. Just as the ships drew close enough to begin boarding them, an angry roar filled the air, and absolute chaos broke out. 

Looking up into the sky, he saw a massive red dragon with horns like that of a gigantic ram on its head. The beast dove toward the fleet of ships, mouth opened wide. A moment later, a stream of fire spewed forth from its maw, lighting several ships ablaze. Almost immediately, panic set in amongst the pirates. The ships that hadn’t been attacked turned and tried to flee. Meanwhile, those on the burning ships dove into the water to escape the flames. 

For a moment, it looked as though Azel and his companions might be saved. However, luck wasn’t on their side. As the pirates abandoned their ship, it continued to drift toward them. Azel, awestruck by the majestic dragon’s righteous fury, failed to notice his comrades�� calls to brace for impact. The pirate ship slammed into theirs with enough force that it flung Azel from his feet. Slamming into the railing, Azel lost consciousness as he tumbled into the water below.

***

The next thing Azel knew, he was staring up at a rough stone ceiling that towered far above him. Sitting up to look around, he found his body ached, and his clothes were still sopping wet. Apparently, he hadn’t been out for very long. Looking around, he found himself in a massive cave with equally massive doors at the entrance. 

Unable to bear his body’s aching anymore, he slowly leaned back, only to find himself propped up against something rather warm and hard. He made to turn around, but before he could, a massive reptilian head circled around in front of him and looked him in the eyes.

“Good. You’re awake,�� Inside his head echoed a strange yet somehow familiar voice, “That’s a relief. Are you hurt anywhere?��

For a long moment, Azel couldn’t find any words. A mixture of fear and awe paralyzed him as he stared back at the massive red dragon before him.

“Azel? Hello? Can you not hear me?��

The sudden mention of his name snapped him out of his stupor, and he hesitantly asked, “Do I know you?��

“Ah, right, you wouldn’t recognize me in this form. Just a moment,�� The massive head withdrew from his vision. A moment later, whatever he had been leaning against disappeared, and he tumbled backward. However, rather than his head smacking against the hard stone, it landed on something much softer. 

Looking up, he found Kai staring down at him with a mischievous grin, “Surprised?��

“Kai, y-you’re a dragon?”��

“Well, that’s not quite right,�� She slowly pulled Azel to his feet, lending him her shoulder. Despite her tiny frame, she could easily support his weight, “It’ll be faster for me to just show you.��

“Show me what?�� Azel asked, but rather than answering him, she simply walked to the door. As they approached, he noticed a smaller, human-sized door that he had missed before. Pulling it open, Kai led him outside.

For a moment, Azel shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight overhead. Once they adjusted, he found himself looking at a small village full of people built into the side of a massive volcano. However, they weren’t ordinary people. Some had reptilian eyes or tails, others had horns or scales dotting their skiing, and some even had small dragon wings sprouting from their backs.

“What is this place?�� Azel stared at them, his mind not filled with fear or disgust, but wonder. All his life, the people of the port town had treated the dragons as gods, creatures to be feared or revered. Yet, here they were taking on forms not much different from his own. Then, as if to add to his surprise, Kai stepped in front of him. Before his eyes, she sprouted curved horns, like those of a ram, and a small pair of dragon wings where none had been before. 

“Welcome to Flamepeak, home of the dragonkin, Azel,�� She said with a smile, “Allow me to reintroduce myself. My full name is Shrurolkai, a red dragonkin. I hope we can continue to get along, Azel.��

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Kel trudged through the fey wood, his breathing heavy as he searched for any familiar features. Behind him, his companions limped along, beaten, and battered from their previous battles. Based on the sun’s position, he was sure they were headed in the right direction. Yet, it almost felt like they were wandering in circles. In other words, they were completely and utterly lost. 

“Kel, let’s take a break here and try to get our bearings,�� Davi, the party’s swordsman and resident tank, called out from behind. Kel looked back at him and started to argue. The sun was rapidly setting, and they didn’t have time to loiter around. However, his protest died in his mouth when he saw just how exhausted everyone looked.

“Alright, get some rest. I’ll make sure the nearby area is safe,�� Gritting his teeth, he forced out a reply before disappearing into the nearby foliage. He carefully checked the area, looking for any signs of danger, kicking himself all the while.

“How could I have been so stupid. I should have listened to Davi and turned back while we still had the chance.��

Kel kicked at a nearby tree as he remembered his foolish decision to press further into the woods. It was the party’s first real mission since they had become adventurers. It was nothing too crazy, a simple goblin extermination quest. All they had to do was bring back five goblin ears, but it was still far more dangerous than the usual herb gathering that they did.

Still, they had completed the task successfully with almost no trouble, picking off scouts that were isolated from their comrades. Unfortunately, Kel had let their success go to his head and insisted that they press deeper into the woods and claim some bonus trophies. Even though the quest specified five ears, the guild would pay them for any extras they brought back. 

The rest of the party had been hesitant, but he had managed to convince them in the end. So, they headed deeper into the woods in search of more goblins to hunt. That was where everything went wrong. Since they had never gone this deep into the woods before, they weren’t familiar with the terrain. Before long, they walked right into a goblin trap, and Sylvia, the party mage, was pretty severely injured. In the end, they managed to fight off the goblins and make their escape but ended up lost. 

“It looks like it’s all clear,�� Kel returned to his party members, glancing over at the injured Sylvia, “How’s your injury?��

She smiled back at him, not a hint of resentment on her face, “It still hurts a little, but I should be fine thanks to Mary’s healing magic.��

The party healer, Mary, looked down at her with a concerned expression, “All I’ve done is close the wound. You still lost a lot of blood, so try not to push yourself too hard.��

“I’m sorry, this is all my fault,�� Kel clenched his fists in frustration, his eyes glued to the ground, “If I hadn’t insisted on us going deeper into the woods, none of this would have happened.��

A heavy hand slapped him on the shoulder, “What are you saying? We all made the decision as a party. There’s no reason to blame yourself.��

“That’s right!�� Sylvia chimed in, “Besides, I’m the one who let my guard down and got myself injured. There’s no reason for you to blame yourself, Kel.��

Kel could only smile wryly at his good-natured companions. No matter what they said, he knew that this whole situation was his fault. Still, it did give him some solace that they were willing to forgive him and shoulder the blame. However, just as his mood started to lift a little, it was brought crashing back down.

From somewhere in the foliage, he heard the familiar cackle of goblins, not just one or two, either. It sounded like a whole unit of them were headed their way. The others seemed to have heard it too. They all stared off into the woods, their faces turning pale. As beat up and tired as they were, there was no way they could fight off that many goblins, and with Sylvia’s injury, they probably couldn’t outrun them either.

“Davi, take Sylvia and get out of here,�� Kel looked at his friend with a serious expression, “I’ll buy you guys some time and follow you after that.��

“Are you out of your mind!?�� Davi glared at him, the anger clear on his face, “There’s no way you’ll get away on your own.��

“I have a better chance than we do as a group. Besides, I still have this,�� From his satchel, he pulled out a small smoke bomb that the guild gave all adventuring parties when they first started out, “If I use it correctly, I might just be able to slip away.��

Davi stared at him, his expression wavering as he struggled with his own ideals and the reality of their situation. In the end, reality won out, “Alright. Don’t you dare go dying on us though,��

Turning on his heel, Davi grabbed Slyvia and threw her over his shoulder.  

“Davi!? What are you doing?�� Sylvia immediately started causing a fuss, “Put me down this instant!��

“Sorry, no can do,�� He looked over to Mary who was already preparing to go, “We’re getting out of here. Whatever happens, don’t stop running.��

“Got it,�� However, rather than immediately running off, she turned back toward Kel with a worried expression. After a quick chant, he felt some of the fatigue lift from his body, “I’m sorry, but that’s all I can do for now.��

Kel smiled back at her, confidently, “Thanks, Mary. That’s more than enough. Take care of Sylvia for me, okay?��

With a brief nod, she joined up with Davi, and the pair began their hasty retreat through the forest. The last Kel saw of them was Slyvia’s distressed look as they faded into the foliage, her eyes pleading with him to come with them. Gritting his teeth, he turned his back and faced toward the sound of the approaching goblins.

Slowly the cackling grew louder and was soon joined by the sounds of footsteps and foliage being forced aside. Kel drew his twin daggers and lowered himself into a fight pose. His heart beat louder and louder as the goblins drew closer. Then, as if it had never been there at all, the goblin squadron’s sounds disappeared. 

Kel stood there, frozen, for a long moment, unsure of what to do. Then, he heard a faint rustling coming from the bushes in front of him. However, this wasn’t the sound of a goblin, but something much smaller. Curiosity finally getting the better of him, Kel slowly crept forward, drawing closer to the bushes. Slowly he reached out toward the bush with his hand.

Then, out of nowhere, a tiny humanoid figure with butterfly-like wings burst out of the bush, right into Kel’s face. He was so startled that he instinctively tried to swat the creature away. However, the sudden and unplanned movement caused him to lose his balance to fall on his rear.

The creature stared down at him for a moment before bursting into bell-like laughter. It was soon joined by a chorus of other similar laughs as more and more of its kind floated out from their hiding spots in the foliage. For a long moment, Kel sat there, trying to piece together what was happening. When he finally did, he flopped back onto his back and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

“Pixies! It was just pixies!��

The creatures were famous amongst adventurers who regularly visited the fey wood. They frequently played tricks on those that wandered into their territory. One could say they were a bit mean-spirited, but other than that, they were entirely harmless.

For a long moment, Kel lay there, basking in the sense of relief that he felt as the little pixies laughed at him. However, as he stared up at the sky, he noticed something that made his heart sink once more. The sun, which had previously been setting on his right, was now on his left. 

“It wasn’t just the goblins,�� He glared at the pixies angrily, “We’ve been going in the wrong direction this entire time because of you!��

The only response he got was more bell-like laughter. With one last frustrated glance at the pixies, Kel turned and raced after his companions, desperate to catch up with them before they got too far. After all, they were headed in the entirely wrong direction, deeper into the forest. 

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