Welcome to the first chapter of my first short story collection… Story. I've noticed that there is an immense lack of Dragon Hunters fanfictions, so I've decided to throw my hat into the ring! This collection of stories was made in an attempt to bring back the series "Dragon Hunters" in a written format with a bit of slash thrown in because… let's face it, I need it.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Dragon Hunters" the movie or the show. I am just a fan.

Warnings for future and/or present content: slash, violence, and gore

Now Gentle Ladies and Little Men, Rouge and Rouge-ettes: let my attempt at a collection begin!

Tales of Dragon Hunters

Another Day: Lights of Misfortune

"Gwizdo, you lazy good for nothing. Get off of the table and help me with the stew!" Jennyline shouted from the kitchen as more dishes fell to the floor. The Snoring Dragon Inn was packed today, with half its patrons enthralled by Gwizdo's storytelling and the other half complaining about how long the food was taking.

Gwizdo was probably telling his most amazing story yet to the other patrons of the Snoring Dragon Inn when he was rudely interrupted by Jennyline. He gave her a somewhat annoyed look as he quickly thought of an ending to his story. The tale was supposed to last for another 5 minutes, but he supposed he could kill the dragon while it was still asleep within the cave… All he had to do was add that it had woken up and had almost taken his head off before he had taken its. He gave the people sitting around him a dazzling smile and excused himself before jumping off the table and heading toward the kitchen.

"Alright, Jennyline, I'm here. You know I would be helping you all a lot more by finishing my story instead of peeling potatoes." Gwizdo complained as he sat down and started his routine of peeling. "They were eating out of the palm of my hand. If you had let me finish the way I wanted, me and Lian-Chu could have had an offer right at that table today."

Jennyline scoffed. "If I had let you finish the story the way you had wanted, you wouldn't have gotten off the table at all." She grabbed some of the newly cut potatoes and put them into the stew. "Everyone else has been working extra hard this week, while you goof around with my clients."

The Snoring Dragon Inn was much more crowded than usual these past few days because of a little day called Zour. The holiday was said to have been founded by a couple who had run into the middle of the woods late at night in order to escape their hectic lifestyles. The two had never been in the woods before so they soon found themselves lost within the dense brush. It is said that they stumbled around for hours before they caught sight of a pale, white light. They ran toward what they thought was freedom, but instead they found the secret mating grounds of Zupples, a species of dragon that only appear once a year. The little creatures were dancing in the pale moon light that the clearing provided them. The Zupples themselves have been said to emit beautiful lights from their hard exoskeletons, so the entire scene that the lovers stumbled upon would have been beautiful. In fact, it is said that the two were so awed by the lights, that they were turned into Zupples themselves. As Zupples, the couple lived the rest of their life free and happy.

It was just a stupid legend but it did manage to bring in a bunch of people every year to the Inn due to the fact that the forest the couple happened to have gotten lost in was said to be in an area near the Inn. The funny part about the legend was that Jennyline didn't know whether to hate it for making her so busy or love it for making her so much money.

Suddenly a callused hand gripped her shoulder. She stopped cooking and turned to face the client who dared step in her kitchen.

"What do you think you're doing in here!? This is my kitchen; client or not, you are not allowed to set foot in here!" She was about to pick up a broom and shoo him out when the man quickly explained.

"I am terribly sorry, Madame. I just wanted to speak with the fantastic dragon hunter you have here." The old man said, pointing to Gwizdo.

Jennyline narrowed her eyes in skepticism. "Oh? And what do you want with him?"

"Oh, I have no need of him but my daughter has taken an interest in his stories and has asked me to try and rent him for her so that she may get to know him better." The man gestured to the entryway of the kitchen as a very pretty young lady peeked her head in. A light pink blush decorated her cheeks as she waved weekly at them.

Jennyline peered at the girl, "And what will you have him do while he is in your service?"

The young ladies blush seemed to deepen as she shyly replied that she would only have him tell her more of his amazing stories and maybe, if he was willing, go looking for the Zour grounds with her.

"So you want to take one of my very few workers so he can just goof off? I'm sorry but I can't allow you to do that. I am simply too busy and very short handed right now." She began to dismiss them but the old man raised his hand to stop her.

"I can pay you and provide you with some of my own men to replace the one I rent from you." He nervously offered.

Jennyline couldn't believe her ears. She spoke with him more on what she would be getting in return and noted that the man was willing to pay 200 gold and supply her with 3 of his own men in return for her lazy good-for-nothing moocher? That was a deal she could not pass up. She raised an excited Gwizdo from his chair and roughly pushed him toward the woman still in the door way. The woman let out a surprised squeal as she caught the man before he could fall on her.

Her surprised sound managed to gain the attention of other patrons, including Lian-Chu and Zaza.

"Why is Gwizdo in that woman's arms?" Lian-Chu asked Zaza as he picked up another dirty dish from the crowded table.

"I don't know. Maybe she knows him?" She whispered back after pouring a glass of milk for a customer.

Lian-Chu didn't reply. Instead he focused his attention on the two who seemed to be in a loving embrace with a slight frown on his face.

It was 3 hours after he had been sold that Gwizdo realized that this trade may have been the best thing to ever happen to him.

The girl was easy on the eyes and she was fun to be with. She had even convinced Jennyline that since Gwizdo was in her service that he deserved to eat and drink alongside everyone else. It was fun to see how The Inn keeper had no choice but to agree with everything the man and his daughter said. It was the best vacation he'd ever had!

It seemed that Alicen (the girl who had bought him) was keeping him planted at the same spot at the table so he could keep telling her stories. He had tried a couple times to get up onto the table so that the whole Inn could hear him, but Alicen just pulled him back down into his seat. She clapped enthusiastically as he finished yet another of his stories depicting how he (with a little help from Lian-Chu) had defeated another monstrous dragon from destroying a poor village.

She gave out a heavenly sigh as she rested her head on her hands, "You must have girls fawning over you every waking moment of your life. You're such a heroic man!"

Gwizdo smirked and gave a dismissing wave, "Oh, sure! All the time! Lian-Chu and I always have to let them down gently. "

Alicen tiled her head to the side.

"Hm. This Lian-Chu… Your partner, how long have you known him?"

"We've known each other for as long as I can remember. We met at the Orphan Farm and we've been inseparable ever since!"

The girl let out another "Hm" in acknowledgement and edged closer to Gwizdo as he talked about his time at the farm.

Lian-Chu glanced over his shoulder at the two who were still talking after everyone else had gone to their rooms. It was strange to see someone so absorbed in such a one-sided conversation with Gwizdo, especially such a young lady.

He wasn't one to interfere with dealings of the heart, but since Gwizdo was his closest friend he had to make sure that he wasn't going to get hurt by this mysterious woman. His chest pinged uncomfortably as he approached the two.

"Gwizdo, can you help me clean up some?" He asked in his normal clam and friendly voice.

Gwizdo turned away from the girl, whose hand had managed to find his as he did, and looked at his friend, "Sorry, old pal, but this lovely lady right here has bought me up until Zour."

Lian-Chu frowned slightly as the girl smirked at him, draping her arm around Gwizdo's shoulders.

"Oh, yes. I most certainly did! Now, is this your friend whom I've heard so much about?" She said with a sickeningly sweet voice and a fake smile. The tall man noticed that as Gwizdo confirmed her inquiry, that the woman's eyes were an unusual shade of purple. She stared at him and he soon felt even more uneasy, another ping of pain went off in his chest again.

He winced a little and dismissed himself from their presence when Gwizdo started another story.

He hurried up with the rest of his work then went up stairs to his room to get some sleep. It was hours later, deep into the night when he heard the door to their room open.

Lian-Chu sat up from his bed and noticed a faint glow coming from the other side of the room "Gwizdo?" He asked.

The glowing flickered out in the darkness and his scrawny companion stepped into the moonlight. "What is it, Lain-Chu?" His friend replied as he walked around Hector toward the beds.

Lian-Chu silently let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "What took you so long? It's past the middle of the night."

Gwizdo put on his pajamas as he replied, "Alicen took me out to go look for the Zour grounds."

Lain-Chu's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "In the dark? Where did you look?" Young women like Alicen normally stay away from the woods at night.

Gwizdo paused as he climbed into his bed, "You know… I can't even remember. Oh well. It's not like we're actually going to find the grounds. I'm just doing what she tells me until the deal with her father and Jennyline is up."

Lian-Chu let the matter go as he laid back down into his bed.

"Night, Lian-Chu."

"Goodnight, Gwizdo."

The sign in front of the Sleeping Dragon Inn read: "Zour: 1 Day away. Come grab a bite at the Snoring Dragon Inn. The closest Inn to the Zour grounds! No vacancy." Gwizdo half smiled at his work. He did an amazing job, but most of the people who came to the Inn were illiterate so it didn't really matter if he did a good job or not.

"It looks amazing, Gwizdo!" The woman clinging to his arm said excitedly.

"Thanks, Alicen." He tiredly said. The young blonde had woken him up before sunrise so that he could tell her more of his stories. Before she could drag him out of the Inn, Jennyline found them and ordered Gwizdo to write a sign for the front of the Inn (No one else in her employment knew how to write). Normally working would irritate Gwizdo, but he actually felt the need to get away from his stories for a while. He convinced Alicen to let him do the work, only to have her cling to him the entire time.

She tugged him over to the edge of the island. "Come on. Let's sit down over there so you can tell me more of your heroic adventures!"

Lian-Chu was not in the best of moods. He had woken up early to see his partner being pulled away by Alicen and then he was glared at by her whenever she and Gwizdo came inside the Inn.

He watched the two intently from his place by the window. The Inn had died down somewhat. Most patrons went out to search for the Zour grounds so only a few stayed behind.

Lian-Chu's eyes narrowed more when he noticed Alicen putting her head against Gwizdo's shoulder. Something seemed off about Alicen. It irked him to think about how she looked at him and how she treated Gwizdo.

He heard the bench creek and knew that Zaza now sat beside him.

"I have a bad feeling about that girl." She said.

Lian-Chu continued his observation of the two as he replied.

"Me too."

Gwizdo had come back later than he had yesterday.

This time, however, he didn't step past Hector.

"Agh!" Hector let out a disgruntled noise as Gwizdo tripped on the blue dragon's small bed.

"Are you alright, Gwizdo?" The strong dragon hunter asked.

Gwizdo rolled off of Hector and trudged his way toward his bed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Big guy." He tiredly chuckled as he took off his hat and shoes. "Alicen just… took me out hunting again."

"Aren't you going to put on your pajamas?" Lian-Chu asked as he noticed his partner getting into bed fully clothed.

Gwizdo yawned. "No, no. I'm too tired…night,*yawn* Lian-Chu.."

"…Good night, Gwizdo."

Zour: Tomorrow! Come grab a bite at the Snoring Dragon Inn. The closest Inn to the Zour grounds! No vacancy.

Gwizdo, Lian-Chu discovered, was getting a lot less sleep because of the blonde woman. She had snuck into their room again that morning (at a time that seemed earlier than yesterday's) and stole Gwizdo away from his nice warm bed. He barely had time to put on his shoes and hat as she constantly provoked him to get out of the room.

The day had almost ended again with Gwizdo only coming inside once. He had not come inside to eat or to drink or even to use the chamber pot. The one time he came in was when Jennyline called him to her to request that he scribble out a part of the sign he had written yesterday and replace that part with another. Unlike yesterday, Gwizdo took some convincing to do this meager job. He argued weakly until he gave up and did as he was asked.

Lian-Chu was getting worried.

"I'm worried about him, Lian-Chu." Jennyline said from her place by the sink.

"He's done nothing but be around that woman all day. It looks like he's barely awake and she's doing nothing but smile and wave at him." She sighed. "It's as though she's drained the life out of him."

Lian-Chu jerked his head toward her. "Drained the life out of him…" He muttered to himself. It seemed like it. The woman didn't seem to want Gwizdo to sleep, eat, drink, or have company. It's as if she wanted him to waste away to nothing…

"I heard that Alicia had a father with her. Have you seen him lately?" He asked urgently.

The plump Inn keeper frowned slightly as she replied, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen him at all since we made that deal."

"Do you know what room he and his daughter are staying in?"

"I believe it is the one up the stairs at the end of the hall."

Lian-Chu nodded and rushed to get to the room. He knocked several times, but not hearing an answer, he pushed the door down.

Jennyline stood beside him when they saw the neat room.

"It's like they never even slept in their beds." She said. "There are no clothes or anything of theirs in here at all!"

A thought suddenly came to him. "I have to get Gwizdo." He said. Jennyline called after him, but he ignored her.

He brushed past Zaza in his haste out the door.

"Where are you going, Lian-Chu?" She asked.

The strong man turned to look when he noticed the two were not where they normally sat at the edge of the island. "Where are Gwizdo and Alicen?"

Zaza narrowed her eyes toward the forest in back of the Inn. "They went in there. I asked Gwizdo if he wanted any corn and he just ignored me. He looks really tired, Lian-Chu."

Lian-Chu bit his bottom lip. "I know, Zaza." He paused. "I need you to help me with something."

"Sure. What is it?"

"I need to find someone who can read."

"Are you sure you can't find anything in here about hypnoses or enchantments?" The strong man asked the young scholar in front of him.

The man got up from his seat and closed the Dragon Book. "I can't find anything in here about any of the things you've told me. I should be going out to find those Zour grounds for my book."

"Please, I know something has to be in there. Are you sure nothing resembles what I've told you?"

The scholar sighed and opened the book back up.

By the time the scholar had found the information he had been searching for, the sun had already set. Lian-Chu narrowed his eyes at the nearly full moon as he knew that he was running out of time.

He thanked the scholar for his help and headed off toward his, Gwizdo's, and Hector's room. Once there, he pulled Hector out of bed and headed off into the one place that he knew they would have a chance at finding Gwizdo, the place that Gwizdo had been drug off to almost every night before: the forest.

The blue dragon muttered complaints about being drug out of bed as he followed Gwizdo's scent through the dark brush.

"Schumting nawt rwight, Ian-Cu" (Meaning: Something not right, Lian-Chu.)

"I know, Hector. That is why we have to find Gwizdo soon."

They kept walking deeper into the forest and soon they found that the sun had risen part way in the sky.

Suddenly Hector dropped to the ground.

"Hector, what's wro-!" Lian-Chu cut himself off as he heard the little dragon's snores. He let out an annoyed sound. "We need to keep moving. Gwizdo could be in serious trouble…" He felt his eyelids become heavy and he soon found himself on the ground as well.

Three hours passed when Lian-Chu was awoken by light nudges to his shoulder. He let out an annoyed noise as he tried to ignore the nudges and go back to sleep.

"This is no time to sleep, Pal." A sleepy voice called to him. "You and Hector came all the way out here just to take a nap?"

Lian-Chu roused from his sleep at the familiarity of the voice.

It couldn't be…

"Gwizdo?" He asked as he opened his eyes. He had to blink a few times so that his eyes became accustomed to the light around him. He looked up to see if his friend was standing beside him, but only saw the bright blue sky. He closed his eyes again and felt himself drift back into sleep.

Must have been my imagination. Gwizdo couldn't have called out to me if he's in trouble…

Wait…

Trouble

Lian-Chu's eyes snapped open and he cringed at the bright light. He got up off of the ground and looked around him. He was still in the forest where he had fallen asleep. He looked to his left.

"Hector, get up. We have to find Gwizdo!" He said and started to pull the small dragon from his place on the ground.

"Ugh. Ector too ired… ant go leep." (Meaning: Ugh. Hector too tired… want go sleep.)

"No, Hector. Gwizdo's still in trouble!"

The two trudged on for the rest of the day until the sun was just over the horizon.

"I don't understand. This forest should not be very big, yet we have been walking all day."

When the sun finally sunk below, Lian-Chu caught sight of magnificent colors.

"Hector, what's that?"

Hector lifted his dirty noise from the ground. "'Gwizdo this way!" He pointed toward the lights.

"Then let's investigate."

Lian-Chu and Hector hid behind a tree as they watched the lights dance in the clearing.

The moon light lit up the area as tiny colorful lights danced in the clearing. The scene was so beautiful and calming, but it only slightly eased the stress in which the two travel-weary hero's felt.

"It's time, everyone!" A chipper voice spoke.

A thin, blonde woman stepped into the clearing. A smile was plastered onto her face as she lifted her arms up to the moon.

Hector almost let out a startled gasp but Lian-Chu quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

The young woman was none other than Alicen.

The woman pointed to the tree which she had passed on her way into the clearing.

"This man has traveled far, gone through so much, and wants to join us in our dance!"

A zombie-like Gwizdo emerged from behind the tree and dragged himself to the girl.

The lights in started to move franticly around the clearing as if they were trying to come to a decision.

Lian-Chu could wait no longer. He put his arm behind his back to remove the sword from it sheath and jumped into the clearing.

"I think not!" He shouted to the girl.

As soon as the words were spoken the lights froze and an eerie silence washed over the clearing. Lian-Chu held his ground, sword in hand, as he stared directly into the woman's eyes.

"Now release him before I have to ruin this magical night."

The woman looked frightened at first but then her agape mouth slowly turned into an insane smile. She started to laugh and the lights started to shake in the sky.

"You just couldn't keep away, could you? You had done a great job up until tonight!" She pulled Gwizdo to her. "This poor man needs to join us. Can't you see he's in pain?"

"He's only in pain because you've been hurting him!" He shouted.

"She hurt him, she hurt him. Did you hear that? She's lying!" Tiny voices could be heard from around them.

"I'm not lying!" The woman said. She tugged at Gwizdo's hair and moved his head to look up at the lights. "You see? He's in pain! He needs us! We need him!" She started tugging at his hair to move his face to all the lights.

"Stop it now!" Lian-Chu lunged at her. Acting quickly, Alicen moved Gwizdo in front of her.

Lian-Chu managed to stop his blade before it hit his friend. "Coward! What are you?"

"Isn't it obvious? I guess it's not because even the universes greatest dragon hunters couldn't tell when they were in the presence of a Scouter Zupple!"

"Scouter Zupple? I thought the Zupple dragons were just a legend." Gwizdo managed to groggily say.

Alicen looked shocked at Gwizdo. "H-how are you able to talk?"

"Gwizdo, can you hear me?" Lian-Chu asked hopefully.

The small hunter put his hand on Alicen's hand and removed her fingers from his hair as he steadied himself on his own two feet. "What the heck is going on here?" He asked.

The small lights in the sky moved more frantically at this new development.

How is this possible?

I think we know.

He's the one! He's the one!

Alicen started to look frightened and cringed as the voices grew louder and more consistent.

"No! No! He is not! Did you see how I lured this one out and he had no idea what had been going on for days!" She yelled.

For days?

What did you do?

She was doing something for days!

The hunter was telling the truth!

Lian-Chu managed to get closer to his friend as Alicen and the lights started fighting. Gwizdo could only stand in a daze until Lian-Chu grabbed hold of him.

"Are you alright?" Lian-Chu asked.

Gwizdo mumbled, "Where's my hat?" and tilted his head up to look at his friend.

"I'm going to get you out of here."

There is no need.

We have come to a decision.

Cover your eyes!

Lian-Chu did as he was told, covering both his and Gwizdo's eyes just as a hot white light flooded the forest. From behind the bush, Hector covered his own eyes as well.

You can open them now, dears!

The hunters opened their eyes to find that Alicen had vanished and the lights were now in an organized circle surrounding the clearing. Lian-Chu stood straight as one of the Zupples flew down from the circle and landed in front of him and Gwizdo.

I am terribly sorry about our scout. Please know that she has moved on from her position and will never bother you again.

"What's going on?" Lian-Chu asked.

The Zupple sighed, our kind know of the legend surrounding us. It is somewhat true, but it did not involve a couple seeking to find true freedom. No, we have been around for a very long time and are now only comprised of the souls of people seeking relief from pain. For a long time we have not gotten any new recruits to replace the Zupples that have died, therefore we sent out a scout to search for a tortured soul who would want to join us… we see that this one is not tortured. He is happy with his life and our scout only made his life harder.

Lian-Chu looked down at his friend, "A scholar told me that the Zupples were dragons that would steal people away to eat."

The Zupples let out clicking noise that must have been like laughter.

As I said, we are now only comprised of the souls of people. The true Zupple dragons moved on a long time ago. They could not reproduce like humans; they had to turn humans into Zupples in order to prolong the Zupple race. From there, we took over their job.

The Zupple moved closer to the unconscious Gwizdo, You should take your friend home. He's been through a lot these few days. We won't recruit him.

As Lian-Chu carried Gwizdo out of the clearing with Hector following close behind, a chubby man rushed out from the other end,

"I'm a tortured soul!"

You'll do.

Two days later Gwizdo opened his eyes.

"Good morning, Gwizdo." Lian-Chu's soft voice greeted.

Gwizdo groaned and rubbed his eyes, "What happened?"

"Do you remember anything that happened?"

Gwizdo frowned as he remembered what had transpired, "Kind of. I remember Alicen making me super tired and then finding out where the Zupples where. After that, I can't really remember much. How long have I been asleep?"

"Two days."

"Two days?! Jennyline's gonna—"

Just then Jennyline stepped in through the doorway with Zaza at her heels, "Jennyline's going to do what, Gwizdo?" She smirked.

"Uh…"

"It turns out" She began, "that Alicen girl had tricked me into giving you to her. Her 'father' never existed, and the help that I got in return for you were customers who had also been tricked into believing that they were to be paid for their services."

"Uh oh."

Jennyline pulled out a wooden spoon from behind her back and frowned, "So I had to pay them for what I thought was free labor. I had to pay them exactly 200 gold total!"

"Listen, Jennyline. I was tricked too! I almost got turned into a glowing bug because of her!" Gwizdo pulled the covers over his head to protect himself from the woman who was now coming closer to the bed. He started to shake when he felt himself being lifted from the bed in a hug, "but I am glad you are alright" Jennyline finished.

Zaza and Lian-Chu laughed at Gwizdo's surprised look as he was tightly hugged by the Inn owner.

"Uh, thanks."

Jennyline genially smiled at him and dropped him back onto his bed. "You'll just have to pay back the 200 gold. That's all."

Before Gwizdo could replay Jennyline walked back out the door, "Come, Zaza. Let's leave these two alone."

"Hee hee! See ya, guys!" Zaza said as she followed her mother out the door, shutting it behind her.

Gwizdo rolled his eyes and looked back to his friend, "What do you think of that? I almost get myself killed and she bills me for it!"

Lian-Chu just smiled and patted his friend on the back, "Just be thankful that you are alright."

"Yeah. I suppose I have you to thank for that, don't I?" Gwizdo said.

He stood up and planted a kiss on Lian-Chu's cheek, "Thanks, Big guy" and walked out of the room to convince Jennyline not to charge him, leaving a blushing Lian-Chu behind.

A/N: Did the ending feel a bit rushed? I wanted it to be cute… I hope it turned out cute! As with my other stories, reviews are appreciated. I would love to hear about the things that I need to improve on or the things that I did well. Also, if you have any suggestions for future Lian-Chu/Gwizdo stories that you want to see happen, I would love to hear them! I would love to work on someone else's idea if they don't mind not seeing their story being created for [possibly] a long time. I have a new policy of not uploading any chapters unless the whole story is complete so that delays a story being uploaded by A LOT. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you liked my story! :)