Oliver felt that he was lost in a dream. Draco's embrace and kisses felt like he was being devoured, and he was ready to give in and surrender to him.
He desperately needed more. Decades worth of more.
And if Draco's all-consuming kiss, he would have given Oliver anything and everything.
They broke from each other, leaving each other breathless. Draco's eyes had changed, the red had darkened, and his pupils elongated to thin diamonds. Oliver had seen this appearance before but thought it was an illusion. Now he could truly see that this was the beast hiding within Draco, and Oliver yearned for it.
Draco was more animalistic in this form, and a low purr vibrated through him. Oliver had to bite back a curse because he nearly melted.
Oliver curled his fingers in Draco's hair. "How about we—"
His words were cut off by shouting on the training grounds. The voices sounded urgent. Oliver and Draco stood up and moved toward the window to see the chaos unfolding. His men were running around, and his commanders were giving orders.
"Shit," Oliver murmured. He and Draco rushed to dress and left the room.
As Oliver stepped out into the training grounds, he was taken back by the panic of his men. He grabbed one man who was rushing towards the stables.
"Soldier, what's happening?" Oliver asked.
The man was panting. "Boss... one of our surveillance troops, was attacked by Ravagers. They escaped into the Misty Passage... but..."
Oliver jerked his head towards the Asksno Peaks that lined the Misty Passage and paled. It was covered in a dense fog, which was the perfect environment for the worst predators. "Fuck... Silver Wraiths."
"Yes, boss."
"How many men out there?"
"Nine are still out there, boss. One soldier was able to escape and bring back the news. We're trying to gather men for a rescue mission. Commander Ian was going to look for you."
Oliver's eyes swept over the area, and he could see the fear brewing in his men. Silver Wraiths were terrifying creatures if you didn't know how to beat them.
The aura around him changed, and he stood taller than before. He placed two fingers in his mouth and released an ear-splitting whistle.
"Halt!" His powerful voice reverberated through the manor, and everyone stopped moving. "Our best spearmen and archers need to report to me immediately. Everyone else needs to go to the storage rooms and gather medical supplies, spears, longbows, and steel arrows."
The disorganization from before seemed to disappear as the men followed his orders. Ian came running up to him with several men who were spearmen and archers.
"Boss, you've heard?" Ian asked.
"I have. Make sure I have the men I have asked for." Oliver said as he started to make his way to the stables.
He was saddling Boreas when Draco followed him. He nodded toward Oliver and started to saddle his own horse.
"So we're going on a rescue mission?" Draco said casually.
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "We?"
Draco grinned. "You asked for the best spearmen and archers. I believe I fit into both of those categories."
Oliver laughed. "Are you sure you want to risk your life hunting Silver Wraiths?"
"You obviously have a plan." Draco shrugged. "And I have a feeling you're not someone who allows his men to die easily."
Oliver's hand faltered on a strap. "That's the goal." He said with a sigh.
Draco reached over and placed his hand over Oliver's, helping him finish securing the strap. He leaned close to Oliver. "Are you worried?"
"I have men unaccounted for and others relying on me to lead them safely through a battle against monsters. I would be a careless leader if I weren't worried."
Draco's fingers interlaced with Oliver's. "This is one reason why I want to join you. You're a good leader."
A small smile crept up on Oliver, and he felt a sense of security with Draco encouraging him. At the same time, his blood boiled with anticipation because he was going to fight alongside Draco for the first time. Finally, they could fight on the same side.
"And the other reason?" Oliver asked, masking the excitement in his eyes.
Draco smirked. "Call me overprotective." He turned back and finished packing his gear.
Oliver stared at his back for a moment. This protectiveness and care filled him with warmth. With a small smile, he finished his preparations.
He was about to mount his horse when a large group of men approached the barn. Some had spears and arrows in hand, and others were fidgeting nervously.
Oliver glanced over them as he crossed his arms across his chest. They were like new soldiers entering the war. "Are you nervous?" He asked them
"No, Boss!" The group of soldiers lied.
Oliver snorted. "Don't bullshit me. Are you nervous?"
Sal, the soldier who had traveled with him from the capital, stepped forward. "Yeah, boss. I feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest."
Oliver laughed a little and placed his hand over his own heart, feeling the proud beats gifted to him by the dragon.
"That's good. It's good to be nervous." He closed his eyes and felt the chilling winds wrap around him. "Being nervous awakens your body and prepares your senses for war... You're racing heartbeat isn't the signal to retreat, but the sound of your own war drum."
He opened his eyes and saw many men with their hands on their chests.
"And if you still cannot trust your bodies or senses, trust me instead. Trust that I will never lead you into a hopeless situation because your lives will always be my priority." Oliver said with a reassuring smile.
A fevered looked was burning in everyone's eyes, and they loudly cried out, "Yes, Boss."
"Good, let's go kill some overgrown birds." Oliver laughed as the men cheered.
The march into the Misty Passage was quiet, despite the previous furor. A dense fog sat above them like an ominous cloud. It amplified their unease alongside the eerie noises that surrounded them. The woods around them creaked and groaned, echoing off the mountain walls. The passage was unnerving because it played with your senses and fed your anxiety.
Only Oliver and Draco seemed calm.
"So, how do we kill Silver Wraiths?" Draco asked quietly in the lonely passage.
"Simple. Take out the wings and stab it in the back of its head." Oliver answered.
Draco hummed happily. "Seems easy enough. I've killed ice serpents, trolls, and even a few frost basilisks, but I have never been able to fight a Wraith."
Oliver gave him a long look. "What about a hydra?"
He couldn't forget how Draco was injured in his last life. A terrible battle with a hydra ripped apart his face and throat, stealing his voice forever.
To Oliver's surprise, Draco laughed. "Hydra? Where did you come up with that?"
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are hydras not real? I heard there were some in the north."
Draco was confused at first, and then realization hit him. "Oh! I never expected those stories to be still circulating."
"What do you mean?"
Draco looked around and confirmed that no one was able to hear him. He moved his horse closer to Oliver. "It's an old story the Lyrell family would tell to protect ourselves."
"Why would you need protection?"
Draco gave him a long look and took a deep breath. "Because of our shape-shifting. Sometimes it doesn't go as planned."
Oliver shook when he heard this. Was that what happened to Draco?
Draco noticed his silence and decided to elaborate. "Because the Lyrell family has the blood of dragons, a powerful member can shapeshift into a dragon. During a shift, it is a battle between wills: the man versus the dragon. If done successfully, we can turn into a dragon at will. If not, then we become trapped in the body of a monster. However, there were instances where someone would half-shift, which is unbearably painful. The person often would harm themselves, ripping apart their flesh and limbs, trying to remove the dragon under their flesh forcibly."
Oliver grabbed Draco's arm and held tight. "What would cause a Lyrell to fail in a transformation or half-shift?"
Draco reached over and placed his hand on top of Oliver's. "Your state of mind and tenacity will determine the outcome of your shift. This means that intense emotions can trigger a transformation. Perhaps that is the Lyrell curse... A dragon is hot-headed, impatient, and impulsive. They do everything intensely, and that was one characteristic passed down the bloodline. It's easy to lose your composure and ignite a shift. Either you succeed, you fall into madness, or you try to tear yourself apart. "
He sighed lightly. "The worst fate is to become a mad dragon, in my opinion. At least a half-shifter can keep his human mind most of the time... Still, the Lyrell family had to find a reason to explain their injuries, not wanting the world to know of the shifting difficulties, so the stories of fierce hydras were spread."
"Should you be telling me this?" Oliver asked, worried that Draco would hear the tremble in his voice. Draco had survived whatever forced him into a transformation. But what could force Draco into a state where he would rip his own throat open?
"The Lyrell family has not seen anyone shift for a millennium. It's now only a legend."
Oliver didn't realize that Draco was still holding his hand. "But what do you need to make the transformation successful? Aren't the risks too high?"
"Are you worried about me?"
"Naturally..." Oliver's voice trailed off as he turned and looked at Draco. He didn't realize that Draco was so close.
Draco smiled broadly. "Having a lover near helps during a transformation."
Oliver flushed but didn't pull away. "I think you're teasing me."
Draco chuckled. "I can assure you that I'm not. A lover helps stabilize that one shred of sanity amidst the dragon's madness. However, it's not guaranteed that a lover would be brave enough to face his partner while transforming... wouldn't you be wary that your partner in dragon form will kill you?"
Oliver thought about it but shook his head slightly. "That's not the death I'm frightened of."
"Is there a death that you fear?"
Oliver's smile held many emotions. "Dying alone... so if my lover killed me, at least I wouldn't be alone."
Draco's gaze turned serious. "I would never kill you as a man or dragon."
"I know." Oliver laughed lightly.
Oliver's laughter died on his lips when his eyes caught movement in the fog above him. He broke from Draco's grasp and jumped off the horse, grabbing a spear on his way down. With a powerful twist of his waist, he launched the spear into the sky.
The passage rumbled with a screech, but Oliver didn't stop. He grabbed another spear and held it in position, watching the fog distort above them.
The fog swirled and folded until it distorted, and a massive figure emerged. A grey and white bird struggled in flight because a spear was lodged into one of its wings. Oliver smirked and launched the second spear, which pierced the second wing.
Another loud screech ripped through the area, and the Wraith started to fall. Oliver grabbed the third spear and rushed toward the bird. Right before it hit the ground, Oliver jumped high in the air, twisted his body, and descended on top of the Wraith. With a powerful strike, the spear plunged into the back of the Wraith's head. The large creature spasmed and then let out a groan before it fell still.
Oliver pulled out the spears from the Wraith's head and wings methodically. He looked up at the stunned faces of his soldiers. "Easy, right? Group up, protect each other's backs."
Draco was the only one to respond. "Can I get the next one?"
"Have at it. Apparently, we are in the middle of a nest." Oliver walked up to him, handed him a spear, and then pointed to the fog above. "See how it is moving?"
Draco grinned and leaned close to Oliver. "So that's how you determined its location."
He shifted the spear in his hands and stepped back. His arms bulged, and he launched the spear into the fog. The intense velocity of the spear released a loud whistle that ended with a dull thud. Within moments a Wraith fell from the sky with a spear pierced into its chest.
Oliver sighed. "Damned strength of a Lyrell."
The Wraiths typically hunted and nested together, so when the blood of their kin permeated the air, they started to stir in the fog above them. He had his men ready their bows and spears while they watched the patterns.
Another Silver Wraith dove down but was hit with Ian's spear. His soldiers quickly followed his lead and eventually took down the Wraith. But when one fell, another appeared. Oliver and his men worked together, taking them down together. Oliver would shout out directions and commands, and they followed him entirely.
But the Wraiths seemed endless. Draco snarled into the sky, and an intense heat surrounded him, melting the snow under his feet. A deep red flame appeared in his hands. It was so dark that it was nearly black, and the danger it emitted was enough to send chills up Oliver's spine.
Draco raised his hand in the air, and the fire roared as it burned into the fog. Screams of the Wraiths made the mountain walls tremble, and four fell from the sky, landing in a burnt and bloody mess.
The cries from the other Wraiths lurking in the fog sounded frightened and faded away. The fog above their heads stilled, and the men sighed in relief.
Oliver raised an eyebrow and gave Draco a surprised look. "Fire?"
Draco smirked. "Dragon fire, to be exact."
He had never seen Draco use magic before. Did Draco hide his magical abilities in his previous life? He would have easily defeated Oliver and decimated his army if he had used this kind of magic, even if the Anima Wish didn't strengthen it.
Oliver shook his head with a small smile. Draco hated the was almost as much as he did. Draco hid his magic because he was merciful.
"You're not worried about exhausting yourself?" Oliver asked finally.
"Remember how I said we are hot-headed and impulsive?" Draco clicked his tongue. "I was already ticked off the moment we left the bedroom. I was having a delightful morning, but these winged rats interrupted it."
He gave Oliver a cocky smirk as he jumped back on his horse. Oliver felt his cheeks warm, and he cursed under his breath.
This man made him feel like a lovelorn child.
"We're moving," Oliver called to his men and urged them to march forward again.
They quickly continued down their path, leaving the Silver Wraith carcasses to the scavengers. They rode for about an hour when Oliver stopped his men. He could hear men fighting up ahead. His eyes narrowed, trying to focus on the figures behind the treeline. He could see a group of men trying to fend off a pack of Cinderwolves.
"Archers," Oliver said and pointed toward the commotion. The archers jumped off their horses and rushed toward the area while the rest of the men silently followed.
When everyone was in position, Olivier signaled to attack, and a dozen of arrows were released from their bowstring. Cries from the wolves were heard, and those who weren't killed ran off into the trees.
Oliver and the others emerged from the shadows, and his eyes brightened when he saw nine men grouped together. Although they were beaten and haggard, each missing man was accounted for.
When they saw Oliver, they gave exhausted cheers and collapsed on the ground. Oliver and a few others went to the wounded and started treating them while Draco and the remaining men stood guard.
Once he was satisfied with the condition of his men, his concern shifted to the fog that became heavier. It was difficult to see and created a dangerous scenario with Wraiths and beasts.
Oliver gathered everyone. "The fog should clear up in a day. In the meantime, we should find shelter."
"Boss." One of the injured men spoke up. "There is a cave half a kilometer to the north. We were able to discover it when avoiding the Wraiths."
Oliver patted him on the shoulder. "Good job. Gather the supplies and horses."
Everyone but the injured traveled on foot as they carefully watched for a possible attack. When Oliver saw the cave ahead, he stopped the group. "I'll check the conditions inside first."
He took off before anyone protested and entered the dark cave. He could smell the stale air, and a warm breeze fluttered his hair. He knelt, and his hand touched the rough ground. This was a path that had not been used for a long time.
He moved to the walls and felt the same rough texture. This was not a man-made or altered cave like the others before. But this forest was inhabited by pack animals that required shelter from the elements, so why was it empty?
He stared into the cave's depths but could only see darkness. He clenched his jaw and decided to risk it. His men needed shelter to heal. They couldn't take them out to face the Wraiths now.
He called the men in to set up camp. Oliver readied himself for a long night, but as he swept his eyes across his men. He lingered on the warm red eyes looking back at him.
At least he wasn't alone.