After the fiasco he had at his meeting with the human kid named Estrid, Launairk had grow certain yet disappointed and unimpressed that his relationship with the lesser races would not improve in any meaningful way, if a business partnership. The thought was weird for him, if not an unpleasant one, he was really all alone in this cold wasteland, while he had his very loyal kobold followers and fire elementals in a den bellow and in his lair, they were not the brightest ones, let alone capable of having constructive conversations with.

'A red dragon seeking some conversation, what are the odds? What even am I? Some kind of brass dragon stuck within a red dragon's body? Such stupid thought. At least I don't have the need to kidnap those who don't want conversation with me because my feelings are hurt. Well, I guess, point for me.'

Launairk stood from the ground and unfolded his large and majestic wings, flapping them strong enough to cause devastating winds, fortunately, at an empty local far from the village. He went far up into the sky and proceeded to probe over the village and its landscapes surrounding it, an activity, he admittedly really loved doing it, appreciating the greatness of his territory and its subjects, yet, harming no one while doing it.

'Well, around me the white dragons have at least showed some respect with my boundaries… Good, they can't engage into conversations anyway, this is why this place is how it is, there's no thought or care to grow into a better land… Hard to imagine other dragons who would live here… Ah, yes, silver dragons… Haven't met one yet, can't imagine its a bad thing, I feel their hate for my kind… And weirdly enough, I feel I hate them too… But why?'

Launairk could pass near hours flying around, just contemplating his territory and thoughts.

'Those poor creatures… Everywhere, they are nothing but pawns to dragons, thankfully, I am a benevolent emperor, to put mildly, will be. Sometimes… I think if I am doing the right thing… Every red dragon thinks I am a weakling, a small hoard not worth their attention, I see this as a good thing, they won't bother me for the time being, I can focus in what matters, my knowledge, hoard and in the locals. If I can make this apathetic village into the trading empire I envision, why wouldn't I be the greatest red dragon? I create wealth, not only steal it, an extraplanar concept for them… But to have is nothing. To keep is all. Such hoard demands a dragon strong enough to defend it.'

While in his flood of thoughts, Launairk realized a strange figure in the snow below him.

'Hmm… Who would this one be… Brownish skin… Tall humanoid figure… Don't recall any villagers like this, must be a traveler, or worse, an adventurer… To strike now would be wise, but if they survive my flames, this will get ugly soon enough, I don't intend such fights, not yet… On the other hand, approaching it might lead to the same… Best case scenario, its just a lost wanderer… Just keep distance…'

Launairk begun his descent from the skies into the lower lands in front of his lair, gracefully circling the mysterious individual until landing into the ground with a considerable shaking of the earth.

"You Traveler! You are entering my territory. Announce your intentions!" He roared.

The humanoid female begun to laugh hysterically for a good moment, as if she heard the funniest joke ever.

"Your territory, young one?" She said back.

Launairk stared at her, confused and angered, but the figure suddenly begun to multiply and surround him. He roared back, desperately trying to push the figures back away from him.

"I am not sure this is your territory, young fella." One of the figures said.

"I am pretty sure another dragon already claimed those lands…"

"Wasn't Arauthator?"

"No you fool. His territory is further north."

"Arveiaturace?"

"No, she stays in that island over there, but she claims water as far as I am concerned…"

"Then who?"

Launairk could only watch in confusion and disbelief as the many illusions around him continued to argue with each other as they surrounded him, but at that moment he had lost who was the actual illusionist.

"Enough!" He stomped into the ground, causing all the illusions to look back at him, "Illusionist! I have no quarrel with you, but I am done playing games, reveal yourself and we can talk this!"

All the illusions stared at him for a moment before laughing again, to his frustration, however, they all begun running at him, which caught him off guard, he stood ready and breathed fire at a couple of them, only to the fire pass through illusions. His eyes probed everywhere, the illusions disappeared.

Suddenly a gas spread around him, causing him to slow down in time.

From above, a brownish dragon landed nearby him, smiling in pure amusement.

"My… My… Looks like someone here can't take some light hearted fun, can you?" She walked closer to him, as she analyzed through his body.

"Such young one." She sighed, "You know… You are a weird one. A red dragon that wants to 'talk'? Peculiar indeed. I heard rumors… Among other dragons, that there was a weird red dragon north of the Sword Coast, they say he had barely any treasure, cared about those lesser creatures and above all, was a fool."

Launairk stared viciously at the dragon as she monologues.

"Alright. Alright. So, I have been watching you for a while, trading and interacting with that fishing village over there and I must say, almost gives me pity." She laughed, "When I heard you to be the dragon's joke, I couldn't resist to meet you in person, I could say that I far from disappointment."

The dragon then touched Launairk, causing the spell to undo itself and he fell into the ground after the stasis.

"You should polish your scales, dear." She said as she watched over his scales, "Snow covers you to the point I wondered if there was any fire in this body. Don't you have kobolds?"

"Why… Why won't you shut up!" Launairk roared out of his lungs at the dragon.

"Oow… Not even a little smile? I thought you wanted to talk." She replied.

"I want to know what you are doing here. What do you want from me?!" Launairk stood up from the ground, shaking the snow from his scales.

"Well. First proper introduction." She coughed, "I am Landishura, a friendly copper dragon from the neighborhood. I came here to be amused and laugh, however, mister 'Joke of the North' isn't being so funny as I was told he was."

"You think I am a joke?!" Launairk snarled.

"In physical form!" Landishura laughed, "You sit and wait your petty humans do the work, where is the fun in it? Red dragons should terrorize and conquer, not make deals with such little fire usage. I, of course, am a more active dragon to travel and prank around."

Launairk started to growl, his nostrils releasing smoke from the heating fire rage he was containing within.

"Getting heated, huh?" Landishura laughed, as she unfolded her wings, "Well, fine. You don't want to talk to me. We might fight then, it will be fun."

"I don't want to fight you. Just leave me be!" He snarled.

"Not convinced enough? Hmm." She replied.

Suddenly Landishura flapped her wings with a cocoon then bursting them open into a strong shockwave that traveled through the coast, hitting the mountain and causing an avalanche.

"No! My kobolds!" Launairk snarled as he stared his kobolds running into the cave as the avalanche overrun a few of them before reaching safety.

Launairk had finally snapped, his eyes turning bright yellow from the fury he contained for so long within. He jumped into Landishura, swiftly charging up his fire and breathing on her. She however, had created a magical shield who repelled his fire while only pushing her away.

"Bad choice, young one." Landishura smirked.

She charged her acid breath and released on him, who had too little time to react, hitting his head. He roared in pain while walking to the side. Suddenly a bright purple magical hand appeared and flashed over his eyes, smashing his head into the ground.

Landishura magically created another one and both of them started slapping Launairk's head.

"Stop. Slapping. Yourself. Stop! Its not funny! Oh who am I kidding, its very funny. Don't stop" She wheezed as she continue to beat him down into the ground, then using both hands to grab his head and take him off the ground, choking him.

"P-please!" Launairk yelped, causing Landishura to suddenly stop.

"Wait. Wait. Wait… A red dragon begging for mercy?" She stared at him for a moment, before coming very close, "Please, could you repeat it?"

She then put pressure into his neck again, beginning the chocking once again.

"P-please! I-Its E-ENOUGH!" Launairk cried out.

"AAH. Good." She said as she released him into the ground.

Launairk coughed long enough and stayed in the ground for a moment, as Landishura had just landed next to him.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Launairk snarled, "I have nothing. No reputation, no loyal followers, no treasure. I might as well not exist in the material plane."

"Oh please…" She mocked, "If I kill you, who is going to be the 'Joke of the North'? It would be such a shame. Besides, you still have one thing."

Landishura stared into the distance, and so did Launairk, the village…

"Wait! No, no, they have nothing to do with this!" Launairk begged, as he grabbed her claws.

"Shush." She snarled, as she scratched his arm, "This will be yet my greatest work. The joke was on you all along, young one, all it needs is the punchline."

She breath her slowing gas on him, causing him to slightly freeze momentarily, as she flew away and begun the utter destruction of the fishing village. The screams and cries of dozens of families echoed over his mind and very eyes, the devastation of the acid, the pain and suffering, he was just too weak to face it, she was an ancient dragon, he never had a chance…

After a few minutes, Landishura had returned to him and popped him out of the stasis of time. Launairk moaned, weakened and incapable of pose any resistance, the greatest of dragon tragedies.

"Its done, my dearest one. All your work, your plans, your hopes, erased in minutes." Landishura said, full of herself, "Its a tragedy, in all honesty, maybe a satyr, even a comedy, all in one."

"Now… What…" Launairk said, in such a defeated tone he might as well had become an undead dragon right there.

"Oh, I am glad you asked." Landishura said as she couldn't contain her excitement, "Now, I spread your legend… Or rather, MY legendary work, its not such a joke or prank anymore, enough with any of this. I simply ruined your existence… Which means, I don't need you anymore."

"W-Wait n-no!" Launairk yelped, even if he was so broken at this point, his life was still something he held dearly.

"Fine… I want to show you something, anyways." Landishura said, as she spoken magical words, creating a sphere around him, and then levitating him with her as she flew away into a considerable distant location.

After a few minutes, they had arrived at a large pit, Landishura had landed and with her the sphere that carried him, popping out of existence and then contemplating the dark pit below her.

"Look, young one. A great work of mine before you came to become the greatest." Landishura pulled him to look at it.

Inside the pit, countless of distorted skeletons of white dragons were in eternal poses from their merciless deaths, Launairk started in pure horror as all of them were with an eternal smile carved into them, forever to be remembered as the victims that don't laugh of Landishura's jokes.

"Of course, my audience here were not good listeners in life, so I made them loyal enjoyers of my jokes… In death, its all that is good from white dragons, anyways." She commented, "And you, you were too entertaining to kill, but your use for me has expired, now its my work to spread your legendary failure, you can join them!"

"No. No! Please, I will do anything, just don't kill me…" Launairk begged.

"Smile… For ME!" Landishura roared.

Even after all that happened to him in a day, heck, in a few dozen minutes, Launairk had to have the strength to smile in face so much, which he did, if nothing but pure and sheer will to survive, to live another day.

The red dragon smiled…

"That is it, my dear", Landishura said, as she touched his snout, "I am glad you enjoyed the show."

Speaking words from another tongue, she frozen him completely still into a gigantic ice cube, in his face, eternally frozen in a smile, her work of most value.

Landishura pushed his ice prison into the skeletons of her laughing 'audience', as she unfolded her wings and flew away, laughing hysterically.

Launairk stood there, smiling, his mind was still aware, in this eternal torment, incapable of reacting, moving, living his life, his eyes frozen closed, unable to see the world, unable to hear and to feel.

'Is this simply my destiny…? For the rest of times…?'