The Hunter and His Dragon

Alicante

***Magnus's POV***

The City of Glass with its large towers loom up before him as Midnight Sparkles trots into town. Heat bakes the air with humid moisture, making his skin itch. The city was already busy at work in shops and taverns for the day, making Magnus think it would be completely fine for him to go unnoticed on his way back home for a well deserved shower. Of course, the world didn't care for what he wants however. As he reaches Angel Square with its huge fountain and faded stone tiles he is reminded of that.

"Magnus! There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."

He turns with his horse to see none other than Clary Fairchild coming his way. The redhead has flaking purple-blue paint covering her arms, freckles dotting her face and shoulders. She wears a knee length flowing green dress made of the kind of material that flows in the wind.

"Biscuit! Good to see you too. I just got back from a hunt." Magnus observes.

Clary frowns at the mention of his hunting. Of all Magnus's friends, she and Simon were the ones who hated his job profession. Magnus finds this to be a bit ridiculous, considering that all dragons are irredeemable monsters that can never be changed. Nonetheless, he treasures her as a friend. She is like the little sister he never had.

"Are you ever going to realize that hunting dragons is wrong?"

Magnus snorts at the ridiculous question. "I don't know, maybe if a dragon confessed their undying love to me. Or perhaps if they sacrificed their life for me then I would consider."

Clary rolls her eyes. "Back to the drawing board then I guess."

"Hmm, speaking of drawing boards, I see that you've been painting again."

Clary brightens at the mention of this. Green eyes stare down at the flaking paint on her arms. The dress she wears is built with pockets. Upon closer inspection, Magnus can see a paintbrush head poking out from one of them.

"Yes I have! Mom's finally letting me work in the studio with her. She says I'm responsible enough now to not set everything on fire."

"On fire? I didn't think the studio had anything flammable in it?"

Clary laughs. "Oh, you'd be surprised at what my Mother comes up with on a daily basis."

"I believe you."

The last time he had seen Jocelyn Fairchild she had seemed just as crazy as ever. He couldn't help but feel bad for the woman. Her ex-husband Valentine had abused her for several years before Clary was born. Jocelyn managed to get away from him, but not without receiving a parting blow. The woman lived slightly disconnected from the world currently thanks to the brain injury she received. Thankfully, Jocelyn has a wonderful new husband named Luke to help take care of her. He is likely the most understanding person Magnus has ever known, with the patience of a saint to boot.

"Well, I suppose I should be getting on back to my home. See you later Magnus!"

"Bye Biscuit!"

The two part ways after that, allowing Magnus to make the rest of his journey back home. Being the prince of Alicante has its perks. One perk is that he lives in the most gorgeous castle. The walls are made of white washed stone, the slated gray doors made of fine dragon scales. A moat filled with alligators surrounds the place to block out intruders. Magnus hops off Midnight Sparkles before leading him gingerly over the drawbridge with his bridle in hand. After placing the horse in his stable for the day and instructing the stable boy named Raphael to take good care of his friend, Magnus makes his way into his home.

***Time Skip***

The dinner table is covered with food by the time he walks in. Tonight, the chef had outdone herself. A pile of steaks sat in the middle of the table, surrounded by a bowl of mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, a pitcher of red wine, a couple loafs a sweet bread, and a container of onion rings. His father, king Asmodeus sits in his chair across the room, cutting at the filet mignon sitting on his plate.

"Son. It's good to see you've finally decided to join me for dinner. How was your hunt today. I hear tell it was one of your best kills yet."

Unlike most people who aren't fans of talking about murder at the dinner table, Asmodeus revels in it. Magnus finds this a little strange but never has a problem bragging about his fantastic dragon slaying skills.

"Oh, it was nothing really. Just a kill so perfect that the dragon hardly even had time to get a word in before I slit its disgusting throat."

He takes a sip of his red wine, appreciating how it dyes his lips red. Like a predator who just caught its prey and landed the killing blow. Magnus revels in the imagery.

"Oh son, I'm so proud of you. If you're mother were here I'm sure she'd be proud of you too." Asmodeus said.

Magnus inclines his head at that. Considering his mother's love of dragons, he doubts she would feel the same way about his killing sprees his father does. But then she was murdered by a dragon so how should I know. When he was just a young boy, he was taught by his mothers that dragons are beautiful, amazing creatures that could do no wrong. Mother was enamored by the scaly lizards with wings. To this day he is stumped as to why.

"Did you have any luck finding their base?"

The dragon homeland is something his father has been searching for the past few decades for now. Like ants in an ant hill, this homeland was supposedly where all dragons came from. If only we could find it, then we could kill all dragons once and for all.

"Unfortunately no, but I did talk to Malcolm today."

"That old crazy warlock? What did he have to say this time?" Magnus hardly ever sees this warlock, not since that time the old guy had requested the head of the first dragon he had ever fought. To this day, he still has no idea what inside him kept him from killing the thing.

Perhaps it was those innocent, scared blue eyes. The way he begged me. . .

Asmodeus grins at him from across the table. Some juice from the steak hung out of the corners of his mouth. It was a rather uncivilized look, but father had gave that up some time ago after his wife had died. Barbarism is the best way, at least until the dragons have all been killed.

"He gave me a prophecy. A prophecy that will change everything."

"How so?" Magnus asks.

"Son, he told me the way for us to find the dragon homeland so we can kill those wretches once and for all."

"Really." Magnus straightens in his seat. "Do tell."

The next words that Asmodeus lets out fill him with shock.