With Burn and Sandstorm dead, and Blaze as Nightshade's prisoner, the fate of the Sand Kingdom had been reduced to a binary choice: Nightshade, or Blister. A genderbent bandit, or Coral's Crony. On a personal level, I couldn't stomach either one. The latter was a sworn enemy at this point, but the former sent their goons to mug me in the middle of the Palace, in what would've been my moment of triumph. But, as I mulled it over, I decided that I didn't care if Nightshade won, per se: I just wanted Blister to lose. The Warlord might be the Nightwing's puppet, but Blister was the Seawing's puppet, and between starting the war and my personal enmity with their Court, my choice was clear. Besides, Nightshade had survived the trial of the Eye, so at least on some level she was the better "Queen".

Having said that, the obvious question that follows is 'What am I going to do about it?' Despite the leaps and bounds the Rainwings were making, I didn't believe that they were anywhere near ready for war. There was still so much that needed to be done, so direct action was immediately ruled out. As we took a break during my first Council meeting, I went outside to think and consider what alternatives I had. As I did, I spotted three Rainwing dragonets playing just outside my Palace treehouse. One had turned invisible while the other two were chasing each other. They frolicked and wrestled and ran about, and it took them a few minutes to even notice that their friend was gone. When they did, the third dragonet would strike from above, jumping on them and wrestling them as they laughed.

It occurred to me then that Rainwings made for great spies and tricksters. It was so easy to blend in, cause some mischief, and sneak away without anyone being the wiser. This would be how we'd participate in the Sandwing War, I decided. Sowing chaos and discord throughout Blister's forces, keeping her off-balance, undermining her every action, being a general pain in her ass. Be the stinger to her heart that she never sees coming.

In the meantime, my work within the Rainforest would continue. There were more soldiers to recruit, new weapons to craft, preparations to make should the worst come to pass. And more importantly, there were promotions and responsibilities to be given out. Even the greatest kings and queens can't rule on their own...

February 16th, 4991

I was about to reignite my forge, when I heard a knocking at my workshop door. It was early in the morning, too early for most Rainwings to be up, let alone come and petition me. I smiled, knowing immediately who it was. "Come in." I called out. The door opened, and Majestic walked in.

"Your Majesty," She greeted me with a bow, "How may I serve you today?" Her expression was polite and professional, but the twinkle in her eye hinted that she suspected something more.

"Majestic," I said, gesturing to an empty spot on the floor, "Could stand over here, please. I'd like to take some measurements of you, if you don't mind."

"Measurements, my king?" She asked, turning a curious blue as she took her spot, "What for?"

"I could tell you," I teased, "But that would ruin the surprise. You like surprises, don't you?"

"Depends on what the surprise is." She countered. "Some are definitely better than others."

"I couldn't agree more." I brought out a line of marked rope serving as a tape measure, checking my desk to make sure I had paper and charcoal sticks. "Try not to move too much, I want to make sure this is as accurate as possible. You're free to talk, though, I appreciate conversing with my subjects."

"'Subjects' as in followers, or 'Subjects' as in experiments?" Her scales flashed lavender, her tone teasing.

"Definitely the former," I chuckled, "I've yet to build something that can talk back to me. Left wing out, please." That, and the most Burn's "subjects" ever got around to saying beyond screaming was "NO! PLEASE STOP!" and "I SWEAR I'M INNOCENT!" and "THAT'S SUPPOSED TO REMAIN INSIDE ME!" It's a blessing that I've learned to compartmentalize these things, otherwise I'd have offed myself years ago.

Her wing stretched out, and I brought my measure along the limb. Rainwing wings were the smallest of any Tribe in Phyrria, even smaller than the swamp-dwelling Mudwings and the aquatic Seawings. Majestic's wings, while one of the largest I've seen in the Rainforest, were still smaller than mine, which made me believe that they'd have difficulty travelling long distances. Something to keep in mind, when making plans in the future.

"Your Majesty," She began, "If I may ask-"

"Majestic," I interrupted, placing her wing back, "You don't have to refer to me as 'Your Majesty' or 'My King' all the time. When it's just the two of us, you can just call me Xero."

She nodded, then she had an idea, as her scales turned yellow. "As you wish," She offered, "As long as you call me Maggy."

"Deal." I extended her other wing - yep, same size. Perfectly symmetrical. "But you were saying, Maggy?"

"Why are you so smart?" She asked, gesturing to everything in the workshop. "How are you able to come up with all these, these amazing contraptions? You're able to turn scraps into works of art, and I can hardly weave a basket!"

I chuckled, jotting down notes. "Well, my parents were crafters. As a dragonet, they'd show me how to work wood and metal and turn them into things dragons used every day. I read a lot, and when I wasn't reading I was tinkering. All it takes is some creativity and a lot of practice, really. Just like your tail-ups."

"You like my tail-ups, don't you?" She smirked, her scales flashing yellow. "Or at least, you like watching me do tail-ups."

Of course she had to say that as I was measuring her tail, one paw holding the end of the rope on her rump. Professional, Xero. Be Professional. Keeping my composure, I cleared my throat and explained, "I must admit, I've never seen anything quite like it. It's fascinating, from a scientific perspective, of course." Maggy raised an eyebrow, giving me a knowing smirk. She knew a crappy excuse when she heard one, but took it in stride at least.

"But what about you?" I asked, changing the subject, "You take your position as a soldier seriously, far more than most of your unit. Everyone keeps on talking about this fight you had with a tiger and a dragonbite viper."

The Rainwing's scales turned dark blue and dark gray, and she looked away as her expression fell. "You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable," I added quickly, "I understand if it's a sensitive subject."

"No no, it's fine." Maggy insisted, then sighed. "When I was a hatchling, my best friend was a drake named Gallant. He was so small, not just compared to me, but to all the other dragonets. But boy, was he brave. He was always going out on crazy adventures, doing all kinds of stunts, getting into all sorts of trouble. I went along with him most of the time, to make sure he didn't get himself hurt or killed. He liked to pretend that he was protecting me, like some knight in shining armor. It was silly, but kind of cute, and he kind of became my little brother." She smiled a sad, nostalgic smile, her eyes distant with pleasant memories.

"What happened?" I asked, sensing this story wouldn't have a happy ending.

She exhaled. "Gallant wanted to find the center of the rainforest. He had this silly idea that there was some lost scavenger den filled with treasure, and he was going to share it with me if I went along. I knew we'd find nothing, but I didn't want him to get lost. We trampled through the underbrush for what felt like hours, not finding anything but having fun nonetheless. But then I went to grab a vine, only to learn at too late that it was the tail of a dragonbite viper. It raised its head and bared its fangs, and I knew I was about to die. Before the snake got me, Gallant leaped and knocked me aside. I fell to the ground as he screamed..." She looked down, her scales turning a mix of deep blue and red.

"I didn't think," She continued, "Everything just turned red then. I bared my fangs in anger for the first time in my life, and I spat all my venom at that snake's face. I could see the damned thing's skull before it even hit the ground. I grabbed Gallant and I flew as hard and fast as I ever had, and I got us back to the Village, but by then he, he was already gone."

I was measuring her forelegs when she stopped. I took her paw in mine. "I'm sorry," I said, looking into her eyes, "That sounds awful. I can't imagine what it must've been like."

"It was difficult for us," she agreed, "Some more than others. The Village mourned for him, of course, as we'd mourn for any lost dragonet. But then everyone moved on and just kept doing the same things they always did. But I couldn't. He might not have mattered that much to them, but he mattered to me, and I wanted to honor his memory. I wasn't going to lose any more friends, not if I could do something about it. So I trained. I worked harder and longer than anyone else, so I could defend myself. Then I joined the Army, so I could defend the rest of the Tribe."

I nodded, though this raised another question. "What does the tiger have to do with any of this?" I asked, measuring her neck.

Her scales flashed pink with embarrassment. "Yes, that." She sighed. "I like sloths. I don't like them like Exquisite likes them, but I've always had a pet in my life. When my last one passed, I went searching through the Rainforest to adopt a new one. When I found my little Scooter, she was snacking from her tree, not a care in the world. She noticed me coming up from behind, and she just looked at me and smiled, like she knew exactly why I was there. I almost didn't notice the tiger until it was about to pounce, but when I did... You ever play that game where you're blindfolded and have to hit a dangling box to get sweets?"

"Oh, like a piñata?"

"Yes. Now picture my tail as the stick, and the tiger's insides as sweets."

I glanced at her tail behind us, as it casually swung from side to side. Burn's tail was strong enough to pierce anyone's heart, but I've never heard of any dragon that could cut through a tiger with a tail swipe before. But seeing the muscles move under her purple scales, I couldn't help but think, Yeah, I could see her doing that.

Majestic flapped her ear frills. "I didn't want to kill it, but I wasn't going to let them kill my new pet. Someone saw me smack that tiger, and they went and told the rest of the Village. Queen Grandeur heard about it, promoted me to Sergeant, and the rest is history."

I smiled and nodded, stepping away to write down the final measurements. "Excellent," I told her, "That's everything I need to know."

"If you don't mind me asking, Xero," Maggy inquired, "What's all this for?"

"Simple, my friend," I explained, "I wanted to get to know you a little better, before I made my decision. Now I do, and my choice is clear."

"For what?"

"Maggy, do you know what every other Kingdom has that we don't?" The Rainwing's scales turned a thoughtful dark blue, before she shook her head.

"Every Queen," I explained, "Has an Honor Guard, a team of the very best soldiers responsible for protecting the Royal Family at all times. It's a position of highest prestige and trust, given only to the greatest warriors and closest confidantes. And I can't think of anyone I'd rather have leading such a group than you, Maggy."

The Rainwing did a double take, turning a surprised emerald. "You... You'd make me Captain of the Guard?"

"Yes. You're a strong, capable fighter. You're not only willing to give your life for a cause, but take life, too. You know how to lead and command, and perhaps most importantly, you're someone I wouldn't mind having at my side every day. As far as I'm concerned, you're the perfect candidate for the position."

Emerald turned to delighted lavender and proud indigo, and Maggy bowed deeply. "You do me a great honor, Xero."

"It's an honor you've earned," I told her, offering my paw, "And one I'm certain you'll continue to earn. Now rise, Captain Majestic."

She took my paw and rose to her feet. As her eyes once again met mine, impulse took hold of me, and I leaned down to kiss her paw. Pink rippled up her arm and through her body like a wave. Her jaw opened in surprise, her eyes twinkling as something clicked in her mind. She gathered herself, smiling approvingly, as though I'd pass some secret test.

"Is there... anything else you need of me?" She asked, trying to keep her tone neutral, but failing.

"No, that's all for now. You may go about your duties." I tapped the papers on the table. "I have weapons and armor to build..."

Even with my daily responsibilities to the kingdom (and spending time with Maggy and Batty), I still had enough daylight to tinker in my forge. There were still so many designs I brought with me, new ideas I wanted to try, new experiments to run. There's something rather calming and balancing, pushing aside all the worries and troubles of the day while you turn so much material into something new. It's like solving a puzzle.

I remembered the design I saw in my dream, the repeating crossbow. The rest of that nightmare I tried to bury and forget, but the blueprints, those stuck with me. Like an itch between my wings, the design wouldn't go away until I put ink to paper. Once I did that, I started building. Creating a mechanism that automatically loaded new arrows and fire was simple enough, using some of the techniques and tricks I developed working on the special crossbow I intended to give to Burn. The hardest part by far was creating the springs, which would produce the energy to fire the arrows. It's difficult to make the right kind of iron alloy to withstand the wear and tear of repeated use and produce enough force to kill a dragon (especially in a land where dragons don't use metal all that much). Fortunately, as King, I had access to every resource within the kingdom, and there were in fact a handful of Rainwings who worked an iron deposit near the Sky Kingdom border. After that, it was a matter of forging and smelting and woodworking, and then BOOM! Rapid-fire crossbow.

It was a work of art. Sleek, ergonomically designed, able to fold in on itself for ease of travel. It had an inner clip that could hold five arrows, greatly increasing the amount of ammo one could carry. The spring inside would launch the arrow farther than the old model, as well as make reloading quicker and easier, with the first bolt being armor-piercing within several dragon-lengths. And best of all, unlike my previous creations, this was going to be made for my Rainwings, and them alone.

With all that being said and done, all that remained was the testing and the demonstration. It was rather fortuitous, then, that Maggy finished up her selection process for the new Royal Guard, and brought 100 of our greatest and most effective warriors for my inspection. What better way to test out the best weapon in the world, than with the best soldiers in the world?

They came to the Arboreum, decked out in armor designed by me, but crafted by the newly trained blacksmiths of the Village. Painted in Royal Green - the semi-official color of the Kingdom - they lined up and watched as Majestic and I came out. I was wearing my work neck-belt with pouches, adorned in a crown of flowers typical of Rainwing royalty. Maggy stood next to me, adorned in the armor I just completed for her. Steel plates painted green with golden ivy trim covered her head and neck, her chest, legs and tail. Her scales were gold with excitement, and it was hard not to forget and think that she was Burn. A tiny part of me - the part that was infatuated with the Princess and strong 'nesses in general - felt gleeful. I hadn't known having a big sexy bodyguard was a thing I wanted, but now that I had one, it was like I knocked off something from my bucket list.

We tested the Xero-Model 2 Rapid Fire Crossbow (or the XM2 RFC) together. I went first, firing at a straw target ten dragon-lengths away. Half of my shots were slow, calculated and deliberate to ensure the aim was good, while the second half were as fast as I could shoot to ensure the reload worked as intended. In both cases, I found the results quite satisfactory.

Then it was Maggy's turn. If my demonstration was to prove how the device worked, her demonstration was to show what it was capable of in the paws of someone with training and skill. Her technique was inventive to say the least, holding it steady with her flexible tail as she aimed. She fired all five bolts as fast as the device would allow, faster than I thought possible. My shots were scattered across the target, but hers were a nice, tight grouping right in the bullseye.

Then she asked if someone could test it against moving targets, and some little hatchling came over with a bowl of mangoes. Flashbacks to my surprise coronation flitted in my head, as a guard tossed fruit after fruit up in the air away from the spectators. FITHP! FITHP! FITHP! Went the 'bow, each shot striking true and pinning its target against a different tree. Five arrows, five mangoes, five trees, all hit.

Damn good thing this wasn't a Challenge, and Maggy wasn't the ambitious type, or I might've been out of the job right then and there. Even so, I was still feeling tense as she turned back to me, and bowed deeply as she offered the 'bow back to me.

"Thank you, O Wise and Brilliant King," She declared dramatically, "For blessing us with such wondrous inventions! With your guidance and creations, surely a golden age has been brought upon us!"

Someone way in the back (to this day, I have no idea who) called out, "He's got to be an Animus!"

"Yeah," Someone else agreed, "An Animus King!"

"Wait, what?" I started, "No, I'm not an A-"

"Yeah, Hail the Animus King!" Yet another shouted.

"Hey, I'm not an Ani-!"

But I was too late, as a chant started running through the crowds, "Hail the Animus King! Hail the Animus King!" I was going to try and make them stop, to keep them from believing and spreading falsehoods, but I felt Maggy brush my wing with hers.

"Don't," She said, offering a comforting smile, "It's alright. Let them believe what they want, if it makes them braver and more committed. Besides, the way you made this armor in a day and fit me like a glove? If that's not magic, I don't know what is."

I didn't buy that argument, but I let the matter slide. If believing that their weapons were somehow enchanted made them want to train more and be more determined in battle, it'd be self-defeating to tell them they're wrong, wouldn't it? If I knew what this would build up to, the cult of personality that would spawn from it, I would've been a lot more adamant of nipping it in the bud. Though considering everything else that came out of it, perhaps I made the right choice...

February 19th, 4991

"You wanted to see me, my king?"

"Yes, Sparkling, come in." The little Rainwing entered the throne room, looking more curious than nervous. The more I interacted with him, the more I realized that very little seemed to fluster him. Ice water flowed through his veins, it seemed. All the more perfect to accomplish what I had in mind for him.

"So," I began, gesturing to his wrist, "What do you think of your present?"

Sparkling inspected the leather glaive on his right foreleg, flicking his wrist. A steel blade popped up and locked into place with a click! "I think I could like this." He said, nodding approvingly. "I've taken it out hunting already. I can verify it works quite nicely."

I smiled and nodded. "I hoped you'd like it. I had you in mind when I made them. The crossbows are very much a tool, a mass-produced product to give to the average soldier. But the wristblade? That's a work of art, a one-of-a-kind."

Sparkling re-sheathed his blade, and stepped forth. "You want me to go after someone?" He asked. "A Queen, perhaps?"

"Correct." I got off the throne, walking over to a nearby table where three posters - two female Sandwings and a male Nightwing - were laid out. "These," I explained, "Are your targets: Princess Blister, her attendant Tanwen, and 'Baron' Hallowglide. Each of them in their own way has wronged me, and left my homeland in the awful state it is now. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, would be to go to Blister's camp in Hawkstone, and eliminate any or all of these targets."

Sparkling approached my side, staring intently at each picture. Memorizing them.

"You know I've never left the Rainforest before, right?" He reminded me.

"Yes."

"And you know I've never killed a dragon before?"

"Would you like to?" I asked. "In the service of your King and your Kingdom?"

"Will killing them make us safer?"

"Yes. So long as Blister lives, and I'm here, we're not safe. I truly believe that if she finds out I'm here, she won't rest until I'm dead, and you're all at her mercy. Tanwen has been at her side since day one, and Hallowglide is a crime boss who weakened my homeland to secure more power for himself and his lackeys. They may not be as dangerous, but they're not innocent dragons."

We stood there, looking at each other as I waited for the little dragon to give me his answer.

"Have any preferences?" He asked, after an uncomfortably long pause. "In how I get them, I mean?"

"Blister's death must look accidental or natural." I instructed, "Any sort of foul play will just make dragons suspect Nightshade or Smolder. I want you to spit your venom in Hallowglide's face, as he spat in the face of my home. And as for Tanwen... well, I do have a fair amount of respect for her. She has a talent for understanding and building the Court. I'd prefer if you could bring her back alive, but if that's impossible, just make her death quick and painless. She deserves that much."

"Understood, my king." He said, bowing. "If I come across any other important intelligence while in their camp, I'll let you know."

"Thank you, Sparkling." I said, extending my paw. "You're doing your kingdom and the world a tremendous service."

"Of course, Your Majesty." He shook it. "I won't let you down."

If only that were true.

A/N: I will also be posting and writing a secondary, supplemental story for the Xerophilous Saga. If you want to know more about characters like Flying Fox, Sparkling and other prominent OCs that make up Xero's Journey, please give "Xerophilous Saga: Side Stories" a try.