I finished this days ago but was always too sleepy to posty posty anything! However, here I have landed 5,475 words of story content, so that is a nice prize, right? At least you know why this took so long for me to get out!

As promised, a happy Grayson's kid is alive fic. There is mild angst (more like there is action going around but like no one dies), that fun stuff. At least the baby is alive! That is what matters, and at some point I am writing something set in this universe where he is riding baby dragon around and being cute!

Just another thing to note, I took some creative liberties with time lapses. It is still four years since Drake and Grayson separated, and 2 since Grayson took the egg. The son is about 3 when Grayson and Drake reunite. After that, action slows down, so the son is now about 4-5 years old in spite of some canonical things going on. If I ever revisit this again, he would be 7 during The Magic Library events.

Let's Go On An Adventure


The world burned around him, but Grayson shifted his cloak over the lower part of his face and kept going. He held protectively in his arms the most precious thing that he had left, and on his back he carried his second prized possession. Despite the danger, he kept running away from the place that he used to call home, carrying his infant son away from harm. He blinked back tears as he thought of his wife, but it was too late to go back. He couldn't go back. He had to keep going before he lost his son, too.

Arrows whizzed past him, and another stuck into a tree just inches from his face. Grayson didn't know how to escape without endangering his son, and of course Andruin was now crying for his mother, but he had to keep going. Both of their lives depended on it.

He didn't look back. He couldn't look back. However, when he neared the river, Grayson knew that he was going to have to make a choice. If he jumped in, he may drown, and so would his son. If he didn't he'd either be shot or taken back to the Empire as a prisoner, and Andruin would be killed like Kathryn was.

He took a deep breath and turned around to face his assailant. Shifting Andruin's weight all into his left arm, he raised his sword, which was chipped from constant use and lack of care. It was not his normal sword, but it was the only one that he had after he watched all of his possessions burn.

Standing in front of Grayson was Luke, his old friend, a traitor. His purple hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat, and the man lowered his mask from where it covered his mouth.

"Give me the egg, Grayson, and I will let you and your son go." The offer was so tempting, and when he heard Andruin's whimper he nearly shrugged off his backpack to give to the assassin. Grayson's hand moved to the strap, but then he remembered the dangers. He had to keep it from the Empire no matter the cost.

Whatever it takes.

"I can't do that, Luke. I will not let this egg fall into the wrong hands again." He knew what the Emperor planned to do with it, but Grayson wished that it wasn't up to him. He never thought that the fate of the world would rest in his hands again after he and Drake left Ironmyre. Both victories came at a cost, but at least the dragon's egg could one day mean something. As long as he was alive, the Empire would not get the egg.

The assassin notched another arrow, this one pointed at Grayson's neck, dangerously close to his son, and he shielded the blond child's head. "One more chance."

And just like that, a baby's cry sounded loudly between them; Grayson continued to cradle his son, though he noticed that Luke's bow quivered.

"You won't do it," Grayson called his bluff, watching his former friend. He could never forgive him for what he had done, but even though he no longer knew the man, he knew Luke wouldn't want the death of a child on his conscience.

And then the former commander turned to run, and the assassin did not follow.


Grayson stared at Drake with starstruck awe. It had been four years since they had last seen each other, and now evidently his former friend could use magic. If there hadn't been more pressing matters, Grayson would have considered asking for Drake's help in hatching the egg. After all, there was no coincidence that Drake could use magic now that there was one last dragon's egg left in the world.

However, Grayson couldn't be sure if he could trust him. He scrutinized the half-demon, unperturbed by his strange appearance. After everything he has seen, it hardly fazed him anymore. He was more disturbed that he wanted to trust him despite knowing what happened when he told people the wrong things. He learned that the hard way when he told Luke about the egg.

It seemed that it wasn't his decision to make. As he tried avoiding looking at that spot in the wall, the bricks opened up just a crack. Grayson hissed when he saw his son peeking around the edge. Did he not tell him to hide whenever Grayson wasn't there to keep him safe?

"Dad?," Andruin said fearfully, and he stared wide-eyed at Drake. Grayson's heart sank, and he knew that he couldn't keep this secret like he originally wanted to.

"Is that…" Drake stared at Grayson with pointed eyes, and his stare was too intense with the demon half of him surpassing the more human form. "Grayson, who is that?"

Grayson sighed, and he pulled Andruin close to him, a stance he often adopted in the two years that he had been on the run. "This is my son, Drake," he answered finally. The silence stood between them, and Grayson hoped that Drake would not ask any more questions. Grayson's time in the Empire had been a personal one. For the first time he had been in a place where he felt that he belonged, and then he lost everything barely two years later. He did not want to talk about his wife, not even to Drake.

Drake nodded slowly. "I… see," he answered, and there was some understanding in his eyes. He wouldn't ask Grayson for the truth, not unless if Grayson prompted him to. Grayson wouldn't bring it up unless he had no other choice.

He turned his son to face him. "I thought that I told you to stay inside," he admonished quietly. Next time Grayson may not be conversing with a friend, and he would take his son's location to the grave if he must. Andruin knew where Grayson kept the egg, and if it ever came down to it, the boy would take the egg and run while Grayson stayed behind and fought off enemy soldiers. However, that plan would not work if Andruin didn't do as he was told.

To his credit, his son looked a little ashamed. "I heard voices," he admitted, and he buried his face into Grayson's jacket. At that moment, the former commander was just glad that it was Drake of all people who had found him and not an assassin or mercenary. He feared the day that he would not come home, leaving his son alone. He couldn't do that, and now Grayson was just thankful to have one more ally.

"This is Drake," Grayson introduced, indicating the half-demon. "You remember Drake, don't you? From the stories I have told you?"

Of course Grayson had told him. He hadn't told his son everything, but whenever he tried to get Andruin to go to bed he would talk of his adventures before he came to the Empire. Someday he would tell him the complete truth, but not yet. He wouldn't tell Andruin everything until he was older and would understand that He was more than just a story told to keep him from misbehaving. The demon was real, and so was Drake and Armen, his former brothers-in-arms and the last links he had to his former world.


In the end, Grayson did tell Drake about the dragon's egg. He kept a careful eye on Andruin as he played with the slime outside, and he and his former friend stared into the distance, contemplating the egg and Armen.

"I would go with you, but…" Grayson couldn't go very far when he had his son to take care of. He wished that he had the freedom to join Drake on his quest to save Armen, but while Andruin was still a helpless child, he could not. He would have to remain here until his son was old enough to protect himself, and even then Grayson would worry about his well being if he was not there to protect him.

"It's all right, I understand." Grayson could see that Drake wanted to ask more about what had happened to Grayson during the four years they had been separated. There was so much that Grayson wanted to ask about too, like where he had learned magic from and what he had learned about the demon since they left Ironmyre.

Grayson could see the sun beginning to set and knew that Drake may have to leave soon (though he would offer his spare bed to him if Drake needed to stay the night). If he couldn't leave his home for more than just a supply run to the nearest village, he could at least offer his help in other things. He had more than enough money if Drake needed it, and judging from the state of his clothes, he probably did. Hell, he would even give Drake the sword in his basement if the hybrid asked for it, though admittedly he hadn't told Drake that he had gone back to Ironmyre for the remnants of the Fiery Sword.

"Do you need money? Weapons? Anything? If there's anything that you need, I can give it to you." Grayson folded his hands across the stone barrier overlooking the courtyard, listening to the birds' chirping and the joyful laughter of his child. "I want Armen back, too."

Drake laughed nervously. It was an empty laugh as there was no real humor in the situation, but Grayson knew that it was the hybrid's way of expressing his gratitude. "Thanks, man. I really appreciate it, and I know that Armen would too."

And yet Grayson still believed that he should have done more.


Drake came by often now. Every couple of weeks or so Grayson would hear some sort of whizzing noise, and he knew that it came from the teleportation circle that Drake had set up in the courtyard. Mostly he came bearing updates, but he had turned up no real leads by himself. Grayson would pore over any texts regarding demonic possession and would share his findings with Drake over dinner, and yet nothing they did brought them closer to saving Armen. If Grayson could, he would travel with Drake to find answers, but Andruin was more important than any quest. He was the sole provider in his son's life, and he couldn't leave him here alone.

Speaking of his son, Andruin had grown quite attached to his "Uncle Drake." Although he had been distrustful at first, he quickly grew to appreciate having someone else who wasn't his dad around. He eagerly asked Drake for his side of the stories Grayson had told him when he was a baby, and Drake would oblige (with some of the darker details omitted, obviously). And in this way, Grayson learned more about his friend, too, and he knew that he was right in trusting him. So far Drake had not stabbed him in the back yet, and Grayson didn't think that he was going to.

Then came the day when the mercenaries returned. All clothed in drab trench coats that helped them blend in with the earth, they swarmed his house. Grayson had all but shoved his son through the trapdoor that led to his map room, but not before Andruin got caught in the crossfire between Grayson and one of the mercenaries that wanted them dead.

To Andruin's credit, he wasn't crying. Perhaps he was just shocked. There was too much blood seeping from his side, but Grayson's rational side reminded him that this was treatable. They just needed to get out of here. He carried his young son to one of the tables and sat him down on top of that. There wasn't much that Grayson needed to grab, and he pulled out a backpack. It was a shame that he had left most of their food upstairs, though he had some of his magical berries and water bottles down here. Those along with his emergency cookie jar would have to do until he could get to a village to restock on supplies.

He also gathered his maps to the Magical Library from the table. It was ruefully incomplete, but if he could figure out where these maps led, he'd be one step closer to hatching the dragon's egg. However, all of this had to wait until Andruin was old enough to take care of himself. There was no way that Grayson was ever going to leave his one and only son alone for more than a few days.

Grayson remembered the mystical key that he had felt drawn to ever since he found it in the vaults beneath the Emerald City. He remembered the pair of golden rings in a small pouch that he attached to his belt so they would not be lost. He remembered all of his money, his primary lifeline for the Badlands. He gathered bandages and healing potions, but there was no time to treat Andruin here when there were mercenaries baying for their blood upstairs.

He took the sword reforged from the Fiery Sword from the wall, but this was equipped to his belt for easier access. Finally, he opened the secret hatch to where he had the dragon's egg hidden away. He cast the thing a look of disgust before he shoved it down into his backpack so he wouldn't have to look at it again.

Oh, there was one last thing to grab. He picked out some mystical looking stone and observed it under his eyes with a frown. He didn't know how the magic worked, but Drake told him that if he ever needed to get to his house to use the stone on the teleportation circle at the end of Grayson's secret passage. Although there was another teleportation circle in Grayson's courtyard, Grayson knew that it would be destroyed should he ever be forced to abandon this place. By abandoning it, it would mean burning everything to the ground and destroying all evidence that would lead the Empire to Drake.

He turned back to Andruin, who looked far too young to have any blood on him. At least the boy had the proper sense to continue pressing Grayson's scarf to his wound to staunch the blood flow. "All right, I need to do something, but you need to go on ahead through the passage. I'll be there soon, buddy, okay?"

Andruin nodded, or was he just shaking? Now tears were spreading to his eyes that were too reminiscent of his mothers. Grayson smiled grimly at him before he opened the door and ushered the boy through. Then he took his flint and steel and prepared to set everything alight with the same flames that consumed his home once before.


"Drake?" Grayson called out between coughs from the smoke inhalation. He looked around the mystical mountain, recognizing it from when he explored the Badlands a while back. It was different from how he remembered it, but he assumed that Drake had made his mark on the place. He set Andruin down against a stone pillar before he walked forth. The magic from the portal faded, and he tried to not feel too sick from the sudden transportation that brought him here upon throwing the stone into the runes.

He looked around, but there wasn't any sign that Drake was home. He could tell that someone with magic lived here; there were various sigils set up around the place as well as a few magical looking artifacts on display. He found Drake's room easily, though there were vines covering the entrance to another room with two smaller beds. Drake had talked before of preparing an extra room for Grayson and Andruin if they ever needed it, but Grayson had never taken him up on that offer. Aside from a few trips into the Black Forest, he never took Andruin outside of the Ironmyrean castle that he had found.

He turned back around so that he could take Andruin to the room he could only assume was theirs. He hadn't been able to pick up much healing supplies during their escape, but they could make do with what they had until Drake returned. The last time Drake had come by, he mentioned these catacombs past the border that were the ruins of Armada. He must be exploring those, and Grayson hoped that he would be safe despite traveling alone.

"You're very brave, buddy," Grayson told his son gently as he treated the wound. They were lucky. If the Empire had killed his son, he didn't know where he'd be. They had gotten too close this time, and for once Grayson envisioned killing the emperor himself whenever he got his chance. He had to look out for his family, for Andruin and Drake both. He wouldn't let them take someone from him again.


Grayson cleaned up around the mountain while waiting for Drake to return. He didn't touch anything that looked magical, but he cleared some vines and dealt with a small lizard infestation in the wall. He felt guilty for staying here without Drake's knowledge, but he had nowhere else to go. With a child with him, he couldn't keep moving. At least he didn't think Drake would mind too much, and when he returned Grayson would explain everything.

Currently Grayson was in the secret area that Drake had carved out to hide his diamond in. Being a skilled treasure hunter, it hadn't been too hard to find, though it did take him longer to find the room with the diamond inside. Grayson had known that Drake had it, but still, seeing it for himself left him awestruck. While he was here, it was Grayson's responsibility to look after the Sacred Diamond even if he didn't understand the wards put in place. As long as they were doing their glowing magical thing, He shouldn't be able to find this place.

Today, however, when Grayson went to check on the wards, they were strangely silent. The buzz of magic was gone, and the sparks were still. Everything was frozen and silent, and the hairs on the back of his neck raised. Slowly, very slowly, Grayson reached for his sword, which had been reforged from the only weapon that could kill Him.

Boom!

The ground quaked, and Grayson managed to catch himself on the wall before he lost his balance. Dust and rocks fell from the cavernous ceiling, temporarily blinding him. He lifted his arm to shield his eyes, but the air was still thick from the fallen rubble. Shining through the dust was the sun which shone through the hole in the mountain. Everything was blown to hell, all except for…

The Sacred Diamond.

Grayson wasted no time in drawing his sword, but it was so difficult to see through the clouds of dirt left from the explosion. He pushed forward until he was at the edge of the platform (or what was left of it). A silhouette was basking in the dusty air, and they were too close to the diamond for Grayson's liking.

"Stand back," he commanded, refusing to be cowed even when Armen turned in his direction. It had been five years now since Grayson last saw him in Ironmyre, but minus a few details like the deteriorating skin and the pale eyes, he didn't seem to have changed at all. But he knew that he was different, that this wasn't really his old friend. Armen was as good as dead unless Drake managed to find a way to save him on his own.

"And what do you plan to do?" the demon taunted, and he didn't even sound like the Armen Grayson remembered. He reached out towards the diamond encased in titanium, and he didn't so much as flinch as the magic that kept it in place would have shocked him. "You can't stop me."

Grayson raised the sword to be level with Armen's chest. He was the only thing standing between the demon taking the diamond. "This sword," Grayson revealed to the demon, "was reforged from the remnants of the Fiery Sword. It can kill you." He already knew that He didn't know the truth of his sword. Drake was the only one whom he had told, and that was long after they reunited.

Armen looked at him in what Grayson hoped was some fear. It was impossible to read the demon's emotions, if there were any. Then the demon scoffed with a shake of his head. "No it cannot." The worst part was that Grayson didn't know if the remnants of the Fiery Sword would be able to do anything to Him, but it was the only weapon that he possessed that could work on Him.

"Do you want to try it?" Grayson snarled, and he walked slowly, brandishing the purple sword at the demon. If he moved too quickly, the demon would only stop and kill him quicker. Right now, he needed to draw the demon's attention towards him and not the Sacred Diamond. Then, if he saw his opening, he had to take it.

The demon seemed to realize something, and it wasn't the danger of the situation. "And if you do kill me…" The demon stopped to leer at him. That smile was too close to the real Armen's smile, or what Grayson remembered it. "You will kill Armen."

"He would understand," Grayson grunted, but he faltered. He was sure that this would have been what Armen wanted given that he had sacrificed himself to save him and Drake years ago. It would have been what Grayson wanted if he was the one being possessed. However, could he really bring himself to kill one of his only friends?

The demon pried open the titanium which kept the diamond safe, and Grayson took another step forward with a snarl. Then the demon looked at him with a simpering, knowing smile. "But will Drake?" His advance on the demon stopped. The words cut through him like the sword he was holding. He knew what the answer was. No matter what happened, Drake wasn't going to give up on Armen. Grayson didn't think he'd forgive him for killing his only friend.

The demon took advantage of Grayson's hesitation and lunged at him. He knocked Grayson's sword away and quickly wrapped His hands around his throat.

"You have been a thorn in my side for too long," the demon spat as He choked him. Grayson's vision started to turn grey and starry, and he desperately tried to pry at the fingers preventing him from breathing. His efforts were in vain. "And now you will die."

Was this how Grayson was going to die? Not at the hands of the Empire like he always thought but being strangled by a demon wearing the face of his friend? His strength dwindled by the second, and he was unable to struggle any longer. His eyes began to shut involuntarily, but he couldn't… couldn't…

Andruin, I'm sorry.

That was Grayson's lost cohesive thought before the ground shook again. The demon was forced to let go, and he was on the ground heaving and clutching at his bruised throat. Where there was black in his vision it was now startlingly too bright. So many colors danced before him, and every sound was loud, just not as loud as his breathing was to him.

A blurry figure was then beside him helping him stand up. It took Grayson too long to realize that Drake was telling him something. "-and you weren't there, so we came to look for you here instead. What happened?"

"He took the diamond," Grayson wheezed, and it hurt. Drake's face was becoming clearer. "I tried to stop Him, but He overpowered me. I tried…"

Drake looked troubled for a moment, and he glanced over at the torn titanium. The demon was long gone, and as Grayson looked at it as well, all he felt was disappointed in himself. He should have stopped this from happening. He let the diamond slip through his fingers, and now the demon possessing Armen had it. Then again, what could Grayson have done? He couldn't kill Armen.

Drake swallowed. "That doesn't matter right now. Are you hurt? Come on, let's get you outside. I found some health potions that might do you some good." The mage looped one of Grayson's arms around his neck, and he let him, albeit reluctantly.

"The sword," Grayson grunted as an afterthought. He couldn't leave it here, especially since the demon now knew of its existence.

Drake looked over in its direction, but he didn't move to take it. "I'll grab it afterwards, but you need to rest, Grayson. I'll have Mia look you over, and I'll come back for it, all right?"

But they couldn't leave the sword. The demon could come back… where did He go, anyway? Why did He leave when He could have killed them? Why wasn't Grayson dead? His throat hurt when he tried to talk, so he shook his head and pointed in the general direction of where the sword was. Couldn't Drake see that the sword was more important?

Drake's stubbornness was equal to Grayson's in that moment. "You first, man. Don't worry, He won't be back for it any time soon." He started dragging Grayson towards the exit, and eventually he had no choice but to comply even if he didn't want to leave the sword. "I used a banishing spell on Him before he had the chance to, you know…" Drake eyed Grayson's bruises with concern. "It won't last forever, but it was a powerful spell. By the time He's back, we'll be ready."

Grayson didn't understand magic. It died out when the dragons did, though it returned when he found the dragon's egg. He understood anything that pertained to that stupid egg, but nothing else about magic made any sense. If Drake said that it was a powerful spell, then he would trust him. However, he still did not feel safe about leaving the sword behind. If the demon got ahold of it, who knows what could happen.

He never thought that he would see the sun again, but it was shining freely into his face instead of being clouded with dust and smoke. He coughed more dust from his lungs, and it hurt so much to breathe. He doubted that the bruises around his throat would fade any time soon, and he felt self-conscious of them.

When he was laid to rest in Drake's bed — yes, his bed because Grayson's was too far off, Grayson indicated the secret door. Go back for the sword. I'll be fine. Although Drake looked worried, he obliged. He disappeared through the passage, and a few minutes later he returned with the purple sword in his hand. He passed it to Grayson who laid it by his side, though he would have felt safe without it because Drake was here.

Then, holding the hand of an unfamiliar woman, Grayson's son ran into the room. "Dad!" Andruin exclaimed as he bounded over to Grayson's sickbed. "Did you feel the earthquake? I almost fell down, but Miss Mia caught me!"

Grayson supposed that was the name of the stranger, and he smiled at the woman gratefully. Then he noticed something about her, and his eyes widened. Gesturing towards his own ears, he croaked, "You're an elf?"

"She's a what?" Evidently Drake didn't know that much about his new traveling companion because he was looking at her like she had grown a second head. "Elves are real in this place?"

Mia's lips quirked. "Really, Drake, and after all that we have been through together?" She didn't look very offended. "I'm Mia, and you must be Drake's friend."

When she didn't offer his name, he supplied it for her. "Grayson. I guess he hasn't told you much about me." To be fair, Grayson preferred it that way. He had been trying to keep a low profile for two years now, and Drake's and Andruin's were the only faces that he saw regularly. If Drake told the wrong people who his friend was, there would be more trouble than was necessary.

Mia shook her head. She looked friendly enough. "No, he's been really tight-lipped about everything he's been doing. We split up after we finished exploring these really cool ruins we had found, then a few minutes later, he came back and said that you were in trouble. Then we came here, and by the way, Drake," Mia turned to look at Drake who was trying to melt into the wall, "your magic is really awesome."

Yeah, Grayson figured that seeing his house on fire would have sent Drake in a panic, but he didn't have any way to contact the mage. Later he would ask Drake what he had really been up to, but he didn't want to bring it up around Mia. He barely knew her, though if she was an elf, she was probably no friend to the Empire. Still, he didn't want to risk it.


Drake and Mia had met at an inn where Drake stayed at for the night. They chatted for a bit before Drake used magic to raise a sunken ship where Mia's artifact had been lost. After that, they decided to go to the ruins of a city Grayson had told Drake about (Armada, Grayson had to remind him). The ground had collapsed, trapping the pair underground for days. That was why it took Drake longer than usual to return home.

Drake had teleported to Grayson's house first to give him something he had found, but everything was up in smoke. He went back to Armada to find Mia because he knew Grayson would need help, and when he saw Andruin all by himself when the mountain started to shake, he ran as fast as he could to get to Grayson. He had saved him, and Grayson was grateful.

"What was so important that you had to give me when you left Armada?" Grayson asked finally. It was evening now, and Mia was tending to a fire outside and entertaining Andruin so they could talk.

Drake glanced outside before moving over to his backpack. "I don't know how much you had been able to save during the fire," he murmured into the folds of the backpack, which made him hard to hear, "but I found this. I thought it might interest you."

He stood up and unraveled a water-damaged piece of parchment. Age had gotten to it, but Grayson had seen many maps like that before. Immediately he recognized it, and he didn't have to pull out his incomplete map to know where it led.

"The Magic Library," he confirmed softly. He had been searching for it for three years now, though he had never been able to get very far with his young son in tow. "Are you going to go?"

Grayson would give Drake the maps if he said yes, though he didn't know if Drake would be able to read them. Grayson was the better tracker of the two and was better suited to hunting down the Magic Library, but he couldn't leave his son alone. The only option would be to take Andruin with him, and he wasn't comfortable with taking Andruin into the outside world on his own.

Drake was watching him closely. "No, I don't think I will." He smiled wryly and returned to the chair he had been sitting in to tell his story. "Not without you, anyway."

They would have to plan. It would be a long and dangerous path, but Grayson knew that he had to go. He would have to take Andruin with him into the heart of the Empire to find the Library, but with Drake by his side, they could do it.


By the end I didn't know what I was doing, so I just rolled with it! I always knew that Grayson would be there for Herobrine's Diamond Heist and get caught in the crossfire because home burning down, and I worked around it. By the end it was less about the kid which makes me sad, but I'll do more with him!

And yes, I named him for the sword and left the sword unnamed because I am who I am and I am who I was and I am who I will always be.

CJ: Are you flip flapping now? I hope you are! And I am working hard on more feelsy stuff, so stay tuned!

You know, I don't know what next to post. Maybe I'll do something related to Armen (and throw Collin in there) as something a little different... I dunno! I don't have anything with substantial content written for it!

~Lya200~