~Tabitha's POV~

We sat on a ridge overlooking the city down below. The Venetians were still very much alive, thankfully, thought their city looked as though it was locked off from everything around them. It was a rather large place, surrounded by cliffs on all sides besides the small valley that lead into it. The valley was littered with bodies, thousands of them, demons being the primary target. A rotten pungent smell rose over all of us, though Tyron seemed to be the one that was most affected, as he had the most sensitive nose.

It had taken a number of days for us to finally reach this place. Thankfully we had managed to avoid most of Garagain's forces, though there were the occasional lot we had to take care off before they alerted the others.

"So, these are the people we need to convince to join us?" Tyron asked.

"Yep. Blu and Aaron both agreed securing an alliance with these folks will ensure our security economically with all their trade deals and contracts they have with others. Seems they're holding well on their own," Jordan, the mage of the group, said.

I nodded my head, "I feel like you should change form. Seeing you like you are might cause them to go into a panic."

The dragon snorted, "It'll be difficult either way."

Still, he took my advice and we watched as his form shimmered and shifted, shrinking down until he was back to his humanoid shape, about seven foot, with wings and tail. He looked over himself and shook out his wings and tail.

"This feels so weird," he muttered with a rumble, flexing his hands.

I sighed, pulling out some clothes from the bag we had brought with us, "Get dressed, it'll be a bit more appropriate. Also, since you're technically royalty cause you are mated to my brother, I feel like you should be meeting with them. So I asked kingston to give us an outfit the royal family used to wear for visiting foreign countries back in the day."

He grabbed the clothes, being a little careful and looked at them with a snort, "I feel like these are going to get ruined. If I have to change quickly anyway."

"Apparently they mold to the body, so I don't think you'll have to worry about that," I chuckled.

It was a two piece costume, made from a very smooth fabric, likely some sort of silk. It was mainly white. The top part had flaps that came down over the shoulders with red diamond patterns running down it with gold trimming and a sash that came over the chest to hold it in place, leaving ample room for his wings. The bottom part clipped around his waist, joining where his tail was in a kilt with two tail coats coming off the back and nearly touching the ground, also covered in the red diamond patterns with gold trimming. The last thing he put on were two vambraces with the same colour pattern. Once he was done adjusting his attire a bit he turned to the rest of us.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Pretty regal actually," I said, getting up from the ground.

"Good," he said, "It's actually quite comfy."

"Then we better get going," the mage said, "No use staying out here then."

We began to walk down into the valley. The smell down there was horrible, the dead bodies of the thousands of Garagain's minions scattered everywhere. Tyron found it especially difficult as his sense of smell was the best out of all of us, and I was nearly retching my guts out the smell was so bad.

As we approached the gate we noticed there were two fairly large guards on top of the wall, guarding the entrance. They had rather heavy looking armour on with a symbol of a rose in the claws of a raven on their chest. Rather large shields adorned their left arm, and there was an odd purple glow at the end of their spears.

"They have magical weapons," whispered a mage to me.

"Who are you and what are your business here?" said a guard, pointing his spear down towards us.

"We are not a threat!" I called out to them, "We come from one of the few surviving empires of Garagain's rampage."

"Oh really?" the man chuckled, then pointed to Tyron, "Then what is that?"

The red dragon growled softly, smoke floating from his mouth, "I do not follow that monster."

"He's one of the last remaining dragons," Jordan said, "We have come from Helvaria, and most of us are the last survivors of Teleran. We're lucky they allowed us shelter in their capital."

"Helvaria? Where is that?" the guard scoffed.

"Uh... you know... Helvaria. The ancient dragon empire? Fell a long time ago," said Tyron.

The guard looked at us blankly, before shaking his head, "Never mind that. You said you were Teleranians?"

I nodded my head. That was easier to explain than trying to get them to understand the lost dragon empire.

"We heard your capital was destroyed," the guard said.

"It was, but we managed to escape. I'm surprised you guys are still able to hold them back," I said.

"Ha, we have the most powerful army in the known world, we would not fall so quickly," the guard said, gesturing to his spear.

"You weren't up against Garagain himself," I muttered under my breath.

"That's why we're here. We're here on behalf of Teleran to ask for your help," said the mage that accompanied us.

The guard frowned down at us. He glanced at Tyron uneasily. The red dragon crossed his arms and shuffled his wings a little awkwardly. I guessed this would happen. As dressed up as he was, Tyron wasn't exactly the most friendly looking creature. The claws on his hands, large wings and horns. He nearly resembled one of the more powerful demons of Garagain's army, in all but colour anyway.

"I am not a demon," Tyron called out to them, "I am a dragon. Through and through."

The guard still seemed uneasy, "Hold on."

He disappeared while the other, who had remained silent thus far, watched us warily. I could understand their trepidation. Strange people arriving at their gate and asking for help was not something they had been expecting. Especially considering much of the world had been brought down around them. I wouldn't put it past Garagain to try and use some friendly looking faces to allow his forces to sneak into a city.

We were forced to wait for a little while, so we allowed ourselves to relax, as much as we could anyway with the smell of rotting corpses. I kept my eye out, wondering if there would be any attacks while we were stuck outside the gates.

"Curse the Gods. At this rate Blu will be overwhelmed with ruling Helvaria. On top of that he's pregnant which part of me is still wrapping my head around." Tyron growled in annoyance,

Nearly an hour later the guard finally arrived with whom I assumed to be the leader of this city. He was an older looking man with a grizzled battleworn face and grey wispy hair. Despite his age, he seemed reasonably healthy, and the sword at his waist and rather regal gold plated armour didn't seem to weigh him down at all.

"His armour and sword are magical as well," Jordan whispered to us.

"So these are the apparent survivors of Teleran?" He looked down at us, his eyes lingering on Tyron

"Yes sir."

The man nodded slightly, "I am known as Sir Coelum Inferos. I am the one in charge of this place. Why are you here?"

Jordan responded, "As you've heard sir... we are some of the last survivors of Teleran. We are looking for other survivors that could help us win back this world."

I nodded my head.

"Hmm, where are the rest of you?" Coelum asked.

"We have found respite in the lost kingdom of Helvaria," I replied, "The new king there has agreed to allow us to stay there."

Tyron glanced at me with a small grin before looking up, "That's why I am here."

"Helvaria?" Coelum frowned, "Isn't that the old dragon kingdom from long ago. I thought it was destroyed."

"It's begun to rise again," Tyron responded.

The older man nodded his head softly, pondering for a moment before replying, "You say all these things but I have no reason to trust you. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?"

We hesitated a moment, looking at each other.

"I don't know what to say," I said, "Only that we have come for help. We don't look like demons, and we don't work from Garagain."

"Oh! Wait, maybe if we can get a message crystal we can message the emperor and Prince Aaron."

"Message crystals can easily be faked," said Coelum, "And I have defended this city against hordes of the enemy to be so easily swayed into letting you inside."

"What can we do to make us trust you?" I asked.

"You," he pointed at Tyron, "We will allow you inside to be tested, but until we are satisfied your friends will not be allowed inside."

"Tested?" the red dragon growled.

"Yes. Do not worry. There will be no pain involved for you, unless of course you turn out to be darker than your scales reveal," the old man said.

He looked at us, before shrugging his wings, "Very well. If it will get you to trust us then may as well."

Coelum nodded, "Don't bother with the gate. I'm assuming you can use those wings of yours."

Tyron nodded. He glanced at us and gave a grim smile before leaping upwards with a flap of his wings.