Ch: 2 Of Knight and Dragons

"I can't believe Asmodai is making you do his dirty work!" groused Drum, once more in his Magician's garb, as he walked alongside Axia through Magic World Pavilion, the city's main thoroughfare. The two were headed towards Magic World's transit terminal, a facility for transporting supplies between worlds, to fulfill a task that Axia had been assigned by Asmodai. Drum had had his doubts when Axia told him about his deal with Asmodai, and they'd only deepened once he'd heard all the details.

According to Axia, Asmodai had heard about his plight somewhere down the line, and had offered him a way to travel to another world for training, as well as access to the apparently restricted area of the library Drum had initially found Axia in. Of course, like anything that involved Asmodai, it came with a catch. At first glance, it wasn't a particularly dangerous catch, but the job of 'delivering supplies to a client in Legend World' sounded more like the Demon Lord was shirking his responsibilities rather than altruistically offering Axia a chance to gain more worldly experience.

"Aw, don't be so mad, Drum-kins. I'd say our time together more than makes up for it!" cooed Axia, affectionately leaning up against the red dragon. Drum braced himself, half-expecting to be knocked back by one of Axia's aggressive hugs, but Axia kept his contact short as he continued to fantasize. "Besides it'll be worth it if I can travel to another realm. Especially one like Legend World, with such a rich history… Just thinking about it makes me giddy!" He clutched his staff to his side in his excitement, practically bouncing as he walked. "Legend World is where many of the greatest Heroes hail from! Could you just imagine if I managed to get a new form there? It'd be so majestic…!"

Drum couldn't hide a smirk at Axia's gushing, eyes glittering with excitement at the prospect of a regal look. When he wasn't the target of that intense enthusiasm, the look suited Axia. "I don't think I've ever seen you look so eager about traveling before. 'Sides, you're really just gonna be a glorified delivery boy. Not a whole lotta majesty there."

"Well, I've never gone to another world before, not counting Earth. I never thought I'd get the chance. Plus," Axia said firmly. "I'm a Dragowizard of my word. What sort of Buddy would I be if I backed out of a promise?"

Drum nodded, but still frowned skeptically at the idea. "Still kinda seems like a sour deal to me."

"There's no reason to be so grumpy, Drum-kins. Asmodai just has a different way of doing things." Drum snorted loudly at that. "Besides he's given me the opportunity to get a glimpse at another World. I can't just say no to that."

Drum still looked unconvinced and stayed silent as he trudged through the Pavilion. His aversion to the topic was not lost on Axia, and it was beginning to put him on edge.

"I thought Asmodai was your friend," pleaded Axia. "Why are you so adamant about not trusting him? Has he really done something so bad that it's earned your mistrust?"

"It's nothing like that. If Asmodai says this'll help you, then it probably will," Drum sighed as he tried to explain himself. "The guy's just sorta underhanded, is all I'm saying. Even to his friends. Heck, especially to his friends. I don't want you getting involved in some scheme of his."

"He didn't seem all that bad. A little eccentric, I'll admit, but…"

"'Eccentric'. That's a good word for it," scoffed Drum, stomping ahead of the teal dragon.

Axia looked at Drum worriedly, musing over what he'd said. It had taken a lot to agree to the Demon Lord's proposal, and now his resolve that he'd spent so long building up - that this was the right thing to do, that this is what he should do, that this was what Drum would do - was shaken to the core. Axia stared down at the road, fidgeting with his staff unconsciously as his mind clouded with doubt. The two fell into a tense silence and continued down the city streets, with only the sound of the passers-by to fill the air.

It wasn't until they wandered into a shopping district, where the steady stream of wizards turned into a current, that Drum noticed the magicians and demons giving him odd glances or moving out of his line of sight entirely. He huffed a little, prepared to chalk it up to them not being used to seeing a dragon his size in a bad mood, until he realized how deep he was scowling. His jaw almost ached from his pronounced frown, and he soon realized he hadn't relaxed his expression since the discussion about Asmodai's involvement.

Man, what's gotten into me? thought Drum, rubbing his temple in frustration as he steadily calmed down. Sure Asmodai can go overboard, but it's always in someone's best interest, isn't it? I hope Axia isn't taking it too hard. He glanced back at the Dragowizard and winced when he saw the teal dragon's downcast look. Great, I probably ticked him off by being so stubborn. And I was actually having fun on this trip.

Though meant as a joke, Drum was honestly surprised at how much he was enjoying his little outing with Axia. He'd expected the Dragowizard to be clinging to him every step of the way, especially after the night before, but Axia had respected his personal space, for the most part. Even now, he was looking straight ahead, seemingly lost in thought. Perhaps a bit too lost…

"Still thinking about what I said?" asked Drum, but frowned when he didn't get a response from the pensive dragon. He reached out and grasped onto Axia's shoulder in an effort to reassure him, but Axia yelped, startled, and stumbled forward as he lost his footing. Drum threw an arm out in front of the falling dragon, but Axia quickly propped out his staff to balance himself first. "Sorry!" Drum apologized. "I didn't know you were so out of it. I just wanted to make sure you were…"

Drum trailed off when he realized Axia's hadn't straightened himself back up; the Dragowizard remained leaning against his staff, downcast eyes burning a hole in the ground.

"Axia…?"

"Do you think it's a good idea?" Axia asked quietly. "Accepting Asmodai's offer, I mean. Would he… is there a chance he might… just use me?"

Drum paused and looked away for a moment, not saying anything. Axia tightened his grip on on his staff, growing more apprehensive as the seconds crawled by silently. He was almost ready to turn around and head back when Drum finally spoke.

"No," said Drum. His voice was almost lost amongst the ambient sounds of Magic World, but Axia managed to hear it just fine. "Asmodai is… a lot of things, but he's no traitor. But he also isn't exactly known for putting on the kiddy gloves. He's still a Demon Lord, after all, and he'll play with your mind if he feels like it'll help you in the long run. I… just don't want to see you getting hurt out there."

Axia's eyes were full of stars at Drum's admittance. He'd never heard the Armordragon make a remark like that before, and he desperately wanted to express his joy. Thus far, he'd been refraining from any overly conspicuous affectionate gestures while in public, but it took a lot for him to not charge into Drum and hug him at full speed.

Axia's silent pleading was almost palpable; the poor wizard looked practically ready to burst if he wasn't able to give him a hug. Drum sighed and looked around. The crowd had thinned out considerably while they had been talking, with only a few stray passers-by in sight. He turned back to the desperately eager Dragowizard, who, upon realizing Drum's intentions, was now smiling so widely that Drum was sure he'd sprain a muscle if he were any more excited. I can't believe I'm saying yes to this, he thought, hesitantly raising his arms. Could be worse, though. At least he's asking first.

Upon being given the all-clear, Axia practically jumped onto the larger dragon, nuzzling against him as close as he could. "Oh, Drum-kins! You know just what to say to make me feel better!" Drum held in a groan, unused to being hugged so openly, but he did have to admit that it did the trick. Axia's nervousness had melted away at being held in his arms. He was pleasantly surprised to notice that the admittedly sparse crowd didn't seem to pay them much mind, in spite of Axia's rather blatant display of affection.

In possibly the most surprising event to happen that day, it was Axia that broke off their embrace. He grinned up at Drum, eyes still shining full of admiration as he resumed his pace. "C'mon, Drum! We still have a job to do!" he chirped, his enthusiasm returned in full force as he walked briskly towards the terminal again. Drum actually had to jog a bit to catch up to him, and soon they were off once more.

With their renewed pace, it wasn't long before they reached the transit terminal. The unassuming black building contrasted shockingly against the more colorful and vibrant buildings that surrounded it in the Pavilion, but neither thought much of it, especially once they'd made it inside. Piles upon piles of crates and boxes were stacked and lined up around the building's inner walls, each waiting to be loaded up into one of the various coach-style carriages that stood in the middle of the large room. Despite being so packed, there didn't immediately seem to be anyone on duty.

"Hey!" Drum called out into the spacious room. "Anyone in here?"

There was a yell from one of the looming piles, and a skinny blue demon in a construction hat and a vest, overflowing with pockets, skidded out from the back of the hall and ran up to them. He stared at them both for a moment - though Drum wasn't sure how, since the hat covered his eyes completely - before recognizing one of them.

"Oh, thank the Demon Lords! Axia!" he exclaimed, snapping his fingers at the realization. "I was wondering when you'd get here. Asmodai… well, he never showed up, of course, and all these supplies need to be shipped out to Legend World!"

The dragons stared at the amount of crates that were stacked up. The nearest pile was easily twice as high as both of the two of them put together, and some of the boxes looked like they'd strain even Drum's newfound strength.

"Wh- wha-" stuttered Axia, neck craning to see the tops of the daunting stacks. "Asmodai never said anything about carrying the entire terminal warehouse to Legend World!"

The demon seemed taken aback, before grinning. "Oh, no. Not all of these," he assured them, and gestured to a pile in the back of the room. "Just the one." True to his word, only that pile had boxes labeled with the crest of Legend World's flag, and the pair now noticed that some of the other stacks had the crests of various other worlds decorated on them, including a few neither recognized. Of course, the Legend World pile was still easily the largest of them all; from how wide it'd had to be stacked it was practically a pyramid. "Asmodai said you'd be taking over for us, and that you'd handle all the Legend World stuff, so we shouldn't worry about it. Though I guess my crew took it more as 'take the day off and let it all pile up'!"

Drum frowned at the demon's phrasing while Axia was busy stuttering in disbelief.

"I mean- I- just- but-"

"Here, since you don't have an affiliation with it, you'll need this badge to travel to Legend World," the demon continued, ignoring Axia's nervous breakdown. "Oh, and you'll need the invoice. Make sure the client signs it so we can process it. Trust me, you do not want to start a case with some of the fairies they've got over there. There have never been a more ruthless bunch of lawyers than those from Oberon's forest." He shoved clipboard with a badge clipped onto it into Axia's claws, then saluted the pair with two fingers. "That should be everything. Good luck out there, and remember, the most important thing is to have fun! Oh, and also-"

There was a flash of light, and he was gone as he had been - inexplicably so. Both dragons stared dumbly at where the skinny demon had stood, before Axia sighed in defeat. He walked up to the large pile, adjusting his monocle as he examined it.

"What are you doing?" asked Drum, shaking himself from his demon-induced bemused stupor.

"Trying to find out the best way to move these," replied Axia distractedly. "It'll be tricky, but I should have a spell that can…"

Drum scowled. "No way! Here, I'll take care of this."

"B-but Drum-kins, I-"

"I'm not letting you kill yourself over something Asmodai couldn't do himself!" Drum slammed his staff into the ground, piercing through the floor as he did so, and walked up to the intimidating Legend World pile, muttering all the while. "It's one thing to be a delivery boy, but if that jerk's gonna try and use you for free labor, he's got another thing coming!"

Axia opened his mouth to object, but his voice failed him as Drum managed to lift up one of the largest crates by himself. The thing was larger than he was, yet he lifted it with barely any sign of strain - other than the red dragon's arms flexing, his muscles straining ever so slightly against the weight.

"I-if you insist," he managed to stutter out as Drum dropped the crate into one of the larger carriages. And this is him in his Magician form, thought Axia, feeling himself heating up. This is the weakest he gets when it comes to physical strength.

As Axia stared and began to simmer slightly, Drum continued shoving crates into the carriage. Like most of the carriages that brought in books to Magic World's Libraries and Universities, the vehicle had been enchanted to fit a lot more cargo than it looked, a fact Drum readily discovered when he managed to fit 5 of the boxes into the carriage without, as its external dimensions would suggest, ripping it apart from the inside. After confirming that they would all fit, he became a well-oiled machine, heaving the large boxes into the carriage with hardly any trouble at all.

Despite having witnessed Drum's strength before, Axia couldn't help but be impressed at how effortlessly he handled the workload. But even as he admired the red dragon's strength, he couldn't help but feel a touch envious. Even with the spell I was planning, it'd take almost twice as long to move that much material, he mused. To think that Drum had gotten to such a point. Maybe after this, I'll be that strong…

It didn't take long for Drum to have almost finished the pile; he was completely in his element, so much so that he hadn't even noticed Axia's eyes on him throughout the routine. But eventually, with only a few boxes left, the strain began to show, and it was with a sigh of relief that he fell back against the now full carriage, grinning stupidly at his fellow Dragowizard.

"See?" he boasted tiredly, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "Piece of… piece of cake for me." He grabbed his staff out of the floor and leaned against it, looking quite pleased with his handiwork. After recovering his breath, Drum suddenly had an alarming realization, and he looked around the room. "So, uh… What's gonna pull this thing?"

Axia brightened up at the question. "Just leave that to me, Drum-kins!" he declared, grinning with excitement, before jumping up onto the carriage's seat. Then, he gave a loud whistle that seemed to reverberate around the room and echoed a lot longer than it should have.

As it faded out, Drum was about to ask the Dragowizard what had happened when he saw a flame flickering in the air in front of the vehicle. A second ball of flame joined it and they both immediately expanded, taking the forms of ethereal blazing horses. A pair of reins materialized out from their manes and flew into Axia's outstretched hand, the teal dragon smiling as he grasped the reins and felt the connection become secure.

"These are nightmares," explained Axia. "They're loaned from Legend World, and they're here to transport us to our client."

Drum was speechless at the impressive display of magic. He never would've imagined it, but seeing the Dragowizard summon two flaming steeds with such ease was an incredible sight. "That was so cool…" he murmured, and Axia beamed wider than ever.

The Dragowizard, still grinning happily, gestured for rum to climb up onto the seat. Drum shook himself out of his trance and jumped up beside him, sitting close to Axia's, to the delight of the smaller dragon.

"So, how'd you manage to that?" asked Drum, wearing his own goofy grin as he looked down at the blazing nightmares. "That summoning thing was wicked!"

Axia blushed at the praise, and managed to put some pride in his voice as he replied. "It's something I've been training with. Though…half of it is the badge giving me a link to Legend World, but it still takes a lot of power to manifest Legend World creatures over here."

"You were working on a skill like that and you're still worried about not becoming stronger? You're way too down on yourself." The red dragon sighed, resting his arms behind his head. "Man, that was cool. I'm kinda jealous, honestly! All I can do is blow stuff up."

Axia watched with amazement at how Drum was acting. It was a nice departure from his normal gruffness, and he had to admit it was kind of endearing. It was nice to know Drum had things he got excited about, other than pudding. He looked back to the nightmares, thinking things over. Already, he was feeling a little tired as the exertion of using such high level magic caught up to him. He cursed his own limits, but was thankful for the olive branch that Drum inadvertently provided.

"Do you wanna hold their reins while we travel, Drum-kins?" he asked.

Drum opened his eyes, apparently getting ready to take a nap himself, but all hopes of relaxation fled his body when he heard the teal dragon's offer. "Are you kidding?" he yelled. "That'd be awesome!"

Axia giggled softly at Drum's enthusiasm. "Alright, hold your hand out then."

Drum did so, and Axia immediately grasped tightly onto it with his own hand. Drum was almost about to quip about this just being an excuse to hold hands, when he felt a wave of crackling energy pass through the connecting between their claws. Suddenly, the reins felt so natural to him, as did the nightmares they connected to, as if they were merely an extension of himself. Usually, trying to tame any kind of beast of burden ended up with him flat on the ground and regretting his decision, but the sorcerous link with the nightmares had made them completely docile.

He glanced over to Axia to see him smiling calmly. "They're all yours now, Drum-kins. Just crack their reins and we'll be off."

"Alright, let's get this show on the road!" shouted Drum, flicking the crackling reins roughly. Beside him, Axia held the Legend World badge up, and it shone like a tiny star as before them, its light illuminated a gleaming white circle in the air. The ethereal horses trotted through it, and with only a split second to notice the shift, they were somewhere else.

The carriage arrived on a long dirt trail surrounded by countryside; a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Magic World. It could easily have been mistaken for somewhere on Earth. The carriage moved relatively smoothly on the uneven road, despite being crammed with so many items. Its passengers were not quite so lucky.

"Not much room on these things, is there?" grumbled Drum, keeping his legs pressed together as the pair of them were rocked from side to side. He smirked as he looked over at his companion and saw Axia's serene smile. "Not that I see you complaining."

"What do I have to complain about?" replied Axia happily. "This was just going to be a delivery mission to another world with me all by my lonesome. Now I've got my Buddy to help me, which automatically makes it better!" He finished by nuzzling up against the bigger dragon, before another jolt in the road knocked them apart.

Drum smiled, amused at the Dragowizard's affection, but considerably more comfortable with the gesture now that they were alone. He turned his gaze back to the nightmares pulling the carriage, feeling the light tingle in his claws from their magical energy, while also feeling the warmth of the teal dragon laying against him. It was almost relaxing - if it weren't for the cramped conditions, the clunking sounds of the nightmare's hooves hitting the dirt and the irregular squeak of the carriage wheels.

A light yawn interrupted the other noises, and Drum turned to find the dragowizard at his side shaking himself awake. He'd clearly been able to relax, after all.

"Sorry Drum-kins," Axia said groggily, rubbing his right eye to clear the sleep from it. "I guess that spell took more out of me that I thought."

Guess that explains why he's not as energetic, Drum mused. "No problem," he said aloud. "I mean, we did stay up pretty late last night studying and all."

Axia smiled bashfully, clearly happy to relive the moment. Drum was still a little surprised at how that night turned out, and even more so with how easily he was talking about it, but chalked it up to them being in private. He doubted that he'd behave like that with other people present, but for now, he took amusement in being able to make the usually extroverted dragon blush at such a simple statement.

"I haven't had a good night's sleep in some time, anyway," remarked Axia, yawning as if one cue. "Most of my time recently has been spent practicing my magic or staying up researching. It's just like back when I was still studying, though there aren't any grouchy professors berating my work."

"I know the feeling. Father always got on my case if he thought I was slacking off." Drum smiled and jostled the reins slightly, an action which had no effects whatsoever on the flaming horses. "You can take a nap if you want, I think I've got the hang of this."

"Well… if you're sure," Axia replied muzzily, before being interrupted by another yawn. "I think I'll take you up on that offer. Wake me up when we get to the next town. It shouldn't take long now."

Drum nodded, and smiled to himself as the smaller dragon curled up against him, his staff leaning across him as a makeshift seatbelt. WIthin a minute, he was breathing deeply, fast asleep and totally oblivious to the bumps in the road. Drum turned back to the path ahead, and relaxed, listening to the ambience of their journey once more.

So far, Drum hadn't seen any signs of civilization; he began to wonder if there would be no end to the road, but he resolved to wait it out until Axia had fully rested. He was no stranger to an all-night training session, and wouldn't interrupt Axia's recovery nap unless it was absolutely necessary. Even so, with the road stretching on endlessly ahead, he still wondered when they'd arrive at wherever they were going, and he found himself thankful that he had some company.

His worries were put to a halt when, at last, a small town came into sight. Various townsfolk wandered around the previously empty road, and the carriage rattled as its wheels hit cobblestones. Despite being the only horse drawn vehicle on the road - and despite the spectacular horses in question - the denizens ignored it in favor of their own activities, leaving the carriage and its occupants plenty of space as they moved further into the village.

This is the place? wondered Drum, looking at the small, rural buildings passing by. Looks a little small for a trading hub.

They continued on through the small hamlet, passing inauspicious houses and small shops, until the horses stopped in front of a large building, which, based on its sign showing a rich, liquid being poured into a goblet, was probably a tavern.

"Hey, why'd you stop?" yelled Drum, but the nightmares were unresponsive, their flickering manes the only evidence that they were even still active. "We're stopped at a tavern! This is no time to get a drink!" He turned to ask Axia, but stopped when he saw the dragowizard still sound asleep. He's still out of it, thought Drum. Guess that means I'm on my own. He sighed, and leaned back against his seat, resigned to listen to the ambience of the town.

His relaxation was disturbed only a few moments later when a surprisingly familiar person walked out of the tavern, heading straight for the carriage. It was someone he hadn't seen since the Gaen Cup, but the events at Sengoku Academy had made sure that he'd never forget that face. Admittedly, with his antiquated silver armor, he blended in well enough with the townsfolk, but he was unmistakable nonetheless.

"Shosetsu Kirisame?" asked Drum. The swordsman glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Drum Bunker Dragon," Shosetsu replied. "It has been a while."

"Sure has. What are you doing here?"

"I should think that I am more suited to be asking that. I do specialize in Legend World, if you'll recall. As far as I'm aware, you have yet to be so formal with the world." He appraised Drum silently. "Unless you're here to change that?"

"No, I'm not doing any training right now," replied Drum. "Taking a break from it, actually. I'm here to help a friend." He shifted aside slightly to reveal Axia's sleeping form. "Axia's here with me. You know, the huggy Dragowizard that was with us when we all showed up at Sengoku?"

"Ahh yes, I remember him," said Shosetsu, chuckling softly as he remembered the energetic dragon nearly pouncing on Drum after their fight with his teammate, Raremaro. "So, what brings the two of you here, then?"

"We're here to deliver some supplies. You know if there's a trading district or anything like that nearby? These two aren't budging an inch." He cracked the reins for emphasis, earning no reaction from the nightmares.

"It seems fate has brought us together somehow," murmured Shosetsu, which got a baffled look from Drum. He continued. "I have good news for you, Drum Bunker Dragon. I have worked with these creatures before, and can tell you that they have a spell cast on them that will have them halt once they reach their destination. Which, in this case, happens to be this tavern, where I was waiting."

"Sweet, so we just gotta find who all this is for then." Drum looked over Shosetsu at the large building. "That shouldn't be too difficult."

The swordsman chuckled softly. "You misunderstand. I was the one waiting here for these supplies. Your search is already over."

There was a moment as Drum processed Shosetsu's reply, but when he did, he all but yelled out, "You mean you're the client!?"

Axia gasped as he was woken up from the shout, sitting up and looking around sleepily. "What about the client… what?"

"My apologies," Shosetsu said, bowing his head slightly. "I did not intend to rouse you so suddenly. Are you alright?"

"He's fine," Drum replied, while Axia shook himself awake, "just a bit overworked. What about you? You've ordered a mountain of supplies! What are you even gonna do with it all? I mean, with this much stuff, it looks like you're gonna spend a few months out traveling."

"Something like that," replied Shosetsu. "If you're truly that curious, I suppose there's no harm in telling you about it. After all, you have come all this way." He gestured to the tavern behind him, before turning and beginning to walk back into it. "Please, let's head inside. This place isn't particularly busy this time of day, and I imagine both of you would like to b out of that carriage."

"Yeah, Drum agreed, but then paused. "Is it okay to leave all this stuff out here though?"

The swordsman having already gone back inside, it was Axia that answered him, "The carriage is locked so that only he can open it, Drum-kins. Magic World takes its packaging very seriously." The dragowizard held out a hand. "Could you help me down? I'm still a little groggy."

Drum nodded and held out an arm. I was hoping for a hand, Axia thought, but ashe braced himself on the red dragon's arm, he smiled softly in admiration as he felt the strength hidden within those muscles. But this is nice too.

"You alright up there?" Drum's voice brought Axia out of his daze, his gaze turning to see Drum's amused expression at his stopping midway through getting down. 'Dragon got your tongue?' The phrase from the night before repeated itself crystal clear in his mind, and he had to shake his head to suppress the blush he felt rising.

"Just fine, Drum-kins," he said at last, taking a moment to squeeze Drum's arm before leaping out of the carriage. "Shall we?"

Drum rolled his eyes, a grin on his face as he lead the way into the tavern. True to Shosetsu's word, the place was almost devoid of patrons; Shosetsu himself was sitting in a booth tucked near the back.

"Nice of you to wait for us," muttered Drum as they reached the human.

"You two seemed… preoccupied," answered Shosetsu. "And I didn't want to interrupt." He smiled as the two looked at each other, clearly not expecting the swordsman to have noticed their interaction. "Or lose my seat," he admitted after a moment. "This section is quartered off well enough so that there should be no chance of anyone eavesdropping."

"So what's so secret that you're doing all this weird incognito stuff?" asked Drum, warily eyeing the human as he took his seat.

"I assure you, it's nothing against either of you," said Shosetsu. "I trust you both, but I don't want this being overheard by the wrong people. It's a… concerning situation." Both dragons looked apprehensive at the enigmatic response, and he took a breath as he considered his words. "I'll start from the beginning. You are both familiar with the legend of the Sword of the King, Excalibur, yes?"

"I've read about it," Axia said as he sat besides Drum. "Back in school, I took a supplementary course on legendary artifacts. But there really wasn't much about it, beside the fact that it existed."

"And we've seen you use the sword," Drum said, recalling the swordsman's use of the blade at Sengoku. "It fit you a lot better than that creepy mask you got from the Dark Core."

"Yes, that power… I have neglected to properly apologize for my behavior back then as well. Especially to you." Shosetsu sighed deeply and bowed his head towards Axia. "I fell into temptation and accepted a cursed power that was not my own. It was a foolish mistake."

"It's alright Sho-sho," said Axia, which caused both Drum and Shosetsu to look at Axia with surprise at the name, but if Axia noticed, he didn't say anything. "You managed to overcome that darkness in the end. It's no wonder Excalibur let you wield it."

"Yes," replied Shosetsu, pausing for a moment as he reworked the story in his mind. "And if you know the legends, you know that I am not the only one to have been accepted by Excalibur. King Arthur's legend is based on his prolific use of sword after all; he accomplished many great and noble deeds while using it, and he is far from the only warrior of Legend World who has wielded it. But there is more to Excalibur's tale than what was written." He reached to his side, puling out a blue-bladed sword from its sheath. "Durandal, could you tell them what you told me?"

"Certainly," the sword replied. "Excalibur was forged with the intent of being the greatest weapon of all time, a weapon of righteousness to strike down all evil. However, forging such a powerful weapon is not without consequence. At the time of its creation, it radiated power so immense that were it to be wielded in that state, it would instantly destroy its user. So it was given to the guardian of a lake deep within a mystic forest, and was kept there to allow its power to be released into the waters of the lake until Arthur had proven himself worthy. And although he did claim the sword, legends say that the lake that had absorbed the overwhelming power in Excalibur's blade now holds a portion of its might, and that whoever bathes in its mystic water shall have that power bequeathed upon them. The incredible power of Excalibur's other half…"

Both dragons sat in silence for a while, taking in Durandal's tale. It was Drum who found his voice first, only to simply remark, "That sounds intense."

"If only that was the end of it," continued Shosetsu. "Naturally, many vile monsters have also heard of this power over time, especially after Arthur's victories with the blade. All such unworthy challengers were repelled by the lake, or by Arthur himself. But there was one who now who seeks out this power, and is in a perfect position to claim it for himself."

"A whelp who fell into darkness, betraying his friends and his king for his basest desires," spat Durandal. "The Traitorous Knight, Lancelot."

"Lancelot…" Axia rolled the name on his tongue. "Wasn't he one of the Knights of the Round Table?"

"Yes, once," answered Durandal. "But he lost the right to call himself a knight long ago. Of course, Lancelot was among the strongest warriors in the land, second only to Arthur himself. He had his own slew of accomplishments and was a prominent member of Arthur's court. But every man has his vices. Lanclot had eyes for the King's wife, Guinevere, and she for him. Even as the two fulfilled their royal duties, they consorted in secret, right under the court's nose."

Drum scowled hearing that, but it was Axia who sprung up, fists shaking in anger. "They both knowingly went behind Arthur's back like that? With no regard to the sacred bond they had to one another!?" He sat back down, fuming to himself. "To think such a prominent knight would do such a thing. It's unforgivable!"

Drum and Shosetsu stared at the Dragowizard, startled by his outburst. Drum had never seen Axia so enraged before; he'd thought such an emotion would be almost impossible for the upbeat dragon.

Shosetsu cleared his throat, defusing the tension in the air. "You are correct," he said. "Such actions strictly go against the Knight's Code set down by Arthur. Even worse, though, was that he had persuaded Guinevere into revealing the location of that sacred lake, most likely to enhance his own power and defeat Arthur. Still, Arthur was not blind to Lancelot's scheming and was quick to act. He caught Lancelot before he set off, and the King's court ruled that he was to be sent into an enchanted forest to repent for his treacherous actions."

"An enchanted forest?" snorted Drum, his disgust at the disgraced knight's actions resurfacing. "How was that meant to make him repent for anything?"

"It was enchanted by Oberon, the King of the Fairy Folk, and a master of illusions," clarified Shosetsu. "The forest was designed to inflict an intruder's worst fears upon them. Its spell takes a person's memory and twists it into its illusions, turning it against them in terrible, unimaginable ways."

"That… that seems a bit harsh…" Axia trailed off, his anger lowering to a small simmer. Once more, he drew curious stares from the other two. "I'm not saying he shouldn't face retribution," he continued, clutching Drum's arm, "but it shouldn't be torture. Especially not.. that sort of mental punishment. That wouldn't solve anything…"

"The path of a knight is unforgiving in situations like this. Indeed, were Arthur a lesser person, he'd have every right to execute Lancelot for what he did." Shousetsu sighed, seeing the Dragowizard's still unsure. "However, the court was not without mercy. The forest that Oberon enchanted was the very one that housed the sacred lake he sought after. If he could conquer his inner darkness and prove himself a true knight once more, then the spirit of the lake would guide him home, and he would return to his brethren with all his sins forgiven."

While Axia had relaxed hearing the condition given, Drum looked skeptical. "If he's still causing you grief, then something tells me he didn't exactly become one with his inner knight in there."

"Sadly no," confirmed Shosetsu, shaking his head. "They say that whatever Lancelot saw in there drove him to madness. He was so overcome with grief that he lost faith in himself and all those around him. Yet, it was in that grief that he found the power to escape the forest's curse… or so they say."

"He returned months later to challenge King Arthur, with his eyes set on Excalibur," continued Durandal. "He had amassed a large army of defectors to Arthur's rule and attempted to lead a coup against the King. Though he waged a fierce attack, his forces was repelled and disbanded. Lancelot himself was captured, and as punishment for his betrayal, Arthur banished him and his accomplices from the kingdom. As well, he had Merlin cast a spell on him that would prevent him from partnering with a human as a Buddy, cursing him to wonder the land in eternal penance, until his dying days."

Axia, his earlier apprehension returning in full force, clung tightly to Drum's side, while Drum himself stared uncertainly at the swordsman. Shosetsu, meanwhile, seemed irritated by the recount.

"Obviously that was not the case," he said. "Now, for the second time, there are signs of a resurgence. A written declaration of war was sent by Lancelot to Arthur several days ago, with a demand that he be allowed access to the lake. If he's denied, he claims he'll ravage the entirety of Arthur's kingdom."

"I thought you said Oberon was the one who enchanted the forest," said Drum. "Why isn't Lancelot asking him to remove it?"

"You have not dealt with the fairy folk before, Drum," remarked Shosetsu, "They are proud and fickle. Oberon would ignore any threats a worm like Lancelot would send him, and he will not answer to anyone other than those he respects. However, Arthur and Oberon are on good terms, and as the forest was enchanted at Arthur's request, it wouldn't be out of the question for him to remove the enchantment - but only, once more, at Arthur's request."

"So he's back, but he obviously doesn't have enough power to dispel the curse, otherwise he wouldn't need to use such a roundabout strategy," mused Axia. "But why is he just now starting to attack the lake? No one around here seems to be preparing for an invasion."

"That's the most troubling thing," answered Shousetsu, glaring down in worry. "There was no signs of an army gathering, nor any signs of a revolt brewing until now. There has to be something more to this, it makes no sense for him to just come out of seclusion just to declare open war. W just don't know what."

"So, what's your theory then?" asked Drum. "Because to me, it sounds like there's gotta be somebody else pulling the strings."

"I'm not sure of that," replied the swordsman, sighing. "But whatever the case may be, I was requested to use my talents as a Buddyfighter to repel this menace for as along as I can. That is why I am here. An army of that size cannot stay hidden for long, so I am to intercept their troops before they reach the forest. Or, failing that, prevent them from reaching the lake."

"But you have no idea what you're going up against!" Axia brought up. "No matter how good you are, even the strongest Buddyfighter in the world would have trouble going against an entire army! And you don't even know what kind of monsters you're up against! There might be even bigger monsters helping him."

"Axia's right," agreed Drum. "I saw some of the nastier Legend World monsters when I was training in my worlds, and even I could only take out a coupe of 'em. Even Gao using his Future Force probably couldn't take out too many of those kinds of monsters, and you haven't even got that! If this guy's got an army of them, you're gonna get creamed!"

"So what do you propose I do then?" askedShosetsu sharply, agitation creeping into his tone. "Simply let the lake be invaded, let Arthur's usurpers run free? The letter marked tomorrow as the date for their attack, and the enchantment still stands. This was a deliberate attempt to prevent Arthur from being able to retaliate, and there is no one else. If I don't intercept Lancelot and prevent him from reaching that power, then who will?"

"You humans are so stubborn," Drum snorted loudly, bringing his hands down on the table and standing up, his large form towering over the human. "If that's all there is to it, then I'll come with you! We put a lot of effort into rescuing you from Disaster Force and I'm not gonna let you get yourself killed over this."

Despite the difference in height, Shosetsu met the dragon's glare unflinchingly. "Really, that's not necessary-"

"You bet your butt it's necessary!" growled Drum, pointing a claw at the swordsman. "There's no way I'm letting you face an actual army by yourself. Like it or not, I'm coming with you. And that's final."

"If Drum's going, I'm going as well," added Axia, standing as well. "If worst comes to worst, and you end up in the forest, you two need someone who knows how to repel illusion magic. And I'm just the Dragowizard for the job!"

Shosetsu looked at the pair curiously, slight frustration still marring his features. "Wouldn't you be weakened without your Buddy?" he asked.

"No way! We'll be working as a team, won't we?" Drum grinned cockily back at him. "If anything, we'll be stronger than ever working together."

"Besides, Drum and I are practically Buddies anyway. We can handle anything some spooky old forest throws at us," agreed Axia, leaning against Drum's chest, taking great pleasure at the red dragon's acceptance of the contact. Said dragon was looking away from the cuddly Dragowizard, but wasn't doing anything to push him away.

Shosetsu raised an eyebrow at the display, but kept silent. Instead, his Buddy broke the ice for him.

"It would be prudent to increase our numbers," said Durnadal. "You have grown stronger, Shosetsu, but there are dangers out there that I alone cannot protect you from."

"That may be so," allowed Shosetsu begrudgingly. After a moment's glance at his Buddy, his gaze returned to the two dragons, more intense than ever, and almost making them flinch. "But before we agree on anything, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. This won't be like a Buddyfight. You have neither an affinity to me, nor for Legend World as a whole. It's possible - even likely - that you could be put in considerable danger if something happens to one of you, and there's just as high a chance that I wouldn't be able to do anything to help. Do you understand what you're agreeing to?"

He had intended to deter the two dragons, to make them understand what was at stake so that they would instead enjoy their time together. However, as Shosetsu looked between the pair's firm stares, he realized that it's seemed to have only strengthen their resolve to help him

"We've been in some crazy situations before," stated Drum after a moment. "If I let something like this scare me, I could hardly call myself an Armordragon."

"Same for me," concurred Axia, "We Dragowizards have our own sense of pride, and I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I let you march off on your own like this."

"That's how you both feel?" Neither dragon wavered at his question, their eyes firm with determination. Shosetsu sighed, reluctantly nodding in acknowledgment. "Very well. I'll accept your offer."

"Glad to hear it!" said Drum cheerfully, breaking off the stare and grinning widely.

"You'll see, you'll be much better off with a dragon escort," chirped Axia. "And it's always more fun to travel with friends!"

Even as the dragons began chatting between each other, Shosetsu's frown didn't fade, and he rested his head on his hands as he watched them.

"Don't be so melancholic," said Durandal quietly. "They will be of great assistance to you."

"I have no doubt about that," the swordsman muttered, his hands hiding his mouth from the two dragons. "I'm already in Gao's debt. It'd be a poor reflection upon me if something were to happen to his Buddy, and his friend."

"But there's something else weighing on your mind, isn't there?" added Durandal.

Shosetsu's eyes narrowed as he remembered the pair's fight against Raremaro at Sengoku. Gao had cleverly used the two dragons' abilities together to bring the match to a quick end. Though they worked well on the battlefield, they'd seemed mismatched off of it. He distinctly remembered Drum vehemently resisting Axia's attempts to display affection. Now, as he watched them, he noticed their change.

"They seem to be in better relations since our last encounter," said Shosetsu, after a moment's thought.

Axia was leaning in just a little closer to Drum than would be considered appropriate, and yet Drum seemingly had no qualms with it, chatting to him just as well as he would his Buddy. It was a far cry from the reluctant dragon he remembered, shoving the Dragowizard away with all his might.

"A lot can happen in the time they've been apart," considered Durandal. "Perhaps it simply took longer for Drum to realize his feelings."

"It's a possibility. But Axia wasn't with him during the final confrontation with Kyoya. So when could they have…?"

"C'mon Sho-sho!" called Axia, disrupting the swordsman's thoughts. "All this talk about traveling is getting me excited!"

"Right, I'm coming", said Shosetsu, and watched as Axia practically bounced out of the tavern. Drum, on the other hand, seemed content to wait for him. "Does he always give out nicknames like that?"

"Only with friends," answered Drum. "You get used to it after a while. I'm more surprised he managed to come up with one for you. Your name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, ya know."

"So I've been told," the swordsman replied. In truth, he'd never had any complaint about his name before, but his remark seemed to appease the dragon, and the two set after the energetic Dragowizard. As they boarded the carriage, the two dragons were in high spirits, while Shosetsu mounted one of the horses parked to the side of the tavern.

"Let's be off," said Shosetsu firmly. "Time is short, and we need to reach our base camp before dark." Then, giving his horse a quick tap on the sides with his foot, he began to head off. After a glance at Axia, Drum took hold of the ethereal reins again, but the nightmares didn't move.

"So, are they gonna start up again," started Drum, "or…?" His question was interrupted as the nightmares began trotting after Shosetsu, jostling their passengers. "Well, okay then!" he groused. "Why don't you give me some warning next time!"

Axia couldn't help but smile at the other dragon as they began to head down the well worn road.