Chapter 1 | Dragon Estate 4

“Okay, so here’s the thing,” Xavier began. “After spending forever on all these journals, and the texts, I think I have it.”

Brooke rose from her seat. “You mean… you can stop all this?”

Xavier nodded. “At least… well, I can give it a try.”

Amora leaned back in her seat. “I’m intrigued. You seemed intent on undoing everything last time we discussed everything,” she said.

Together, he, Hayley, Brooke, Nicki, and Amora sat in the library. Xavier had finally hatched a formidable plan. In short, they’d fry all the branches of the hivemind, then neutralize the source of the corruption itself: a tainted shard. And then it was over. Who knew what came after the nightmare entity was defeated definitively, though Xavier fantasized here and there in his free time since creating the battle plan.

He hailed them to a meeting. From there, Xavier detailed the beginnings of his answer to the darkness that stole Meadow Song. “I think I had an idea of what you might have talked about last time,” Hayley said. “But, erm, well, perhaps you could explain it a little more?”

“There’s more,” he added. “I can go over that really quick, too.”

“Please!” Nicki chimed. “If this can save Meadow Song, I’m all in! Spill everything!”

Xavier nodded. “So, I think I get the anagram now. But the idea is we’re going to do what we did last time, but this time, I’m going to lock in a spell to the anagram and we’ll restart every portal in Meadow Song. Once that’s done, it’s just dispatching the last shard, which I think I can do with some assistance from the one we already have.”

“Hm. That could work,” Nicki said. “I like this idea! But… I don’t know, I don’t want any of us to get hurt and last time was fucking scary. So… well, if you think this is going to work, then I stand with you.”

“Me too,” Brooke said.

“And I as well,” Hayley said.

Amora smiled. “That includes me, dear.”

“Excellent. I told you all I would protect you and keep you safe. I’m going to honor that for eternity no matter what happens.”

Hayley blushed. “We will do the same,” she said.

“Of course,” Brooke echoed.

“Always! Oh, uh, you guys want to get some breakfast while we keep talking about this? I think Hayley wants to cook naked again,” Nicki teased.

Xavier smirked. “I won’t turn that down.”

“Steak and eggs sound delicious, honestly,” Brooke said.

“Count me in,” Amora added.

Xavier stood from the library table. “Well, let’s go eat.”

***

Hayley, clad in nothing but an apron, presented him with a generous meal of steak, hashbrowns, sausage and eggs. Xavier didn’t waste time, and dug in, very aware that his appetite had only expanded since arriving. It didn’t seem to put weight on him, but he didn’t think any of them would care. Though, Xavier didn’t want to gain weight. He was too fit, now. Sleep was too enjoyable, his body ached no more. That, and he had a feeling that the dragon girls quite enjoyed his figure, anyway.

He wasn’t ripped, but he was far from overweight. His body was a nice 14% or so fat. Xavier didn’t know if that was true—he would go to get it tested—but it matched pictures he’d seen online. Xavier took another bite of his steak, savored it, and smirked. “Damn, you really know how to grill a good meal.”

Hayley smiled. She lashed her tail and turned, hips swaying as she walked away. He appreciated her backside, happy to see her bare ass as she returned to the kitchen. Always astounding, he thought.  

Xavier loved seeing them all like that.

How could he not? They were all gorgeous. And they loved him, too. Xavier suspected Hayley enjoyed cooking for him naked. The others weren’t exactly outfitted with modest clothing. Nick’s low cut, thin crop top didn’t hide much. Xavier could see the cute under-breast of her supple tits.

Brooke, much the same, wore a bra that exposed mostly everything. Amora was simply naked, wrapped in fishnets and a few other items of inconsequential clothing. He smiled again, working through his food. “What’s everyone want to do for tonight?”

“Oh… I don’t know. Do we have time? When did you want to start on the plan?” Brook asked as she set down her orange juice.

“I have to finish a couple spells, so it won’t be until later this week, but we will do it soon.” Xavier watched Hayley returned, sitting next to him. She smirked. Xavier smiled back and continued. “I think we should have some fun while I’m finalizing the spells,” he explained. “So, I think some dates and more are in order.”

“Oh, count me in!” Nikki chimed.

Hayley giggled. “Me too, Xavier. What did you want to do?”

“I think some dinner nights, along with intense gaming sessions, sounds like a lot of fun. I need to get a check-up, too, to check on the overall condition of my body. I know the estate and my lineage essentially solve a lot of this problem, but it will be nice to have a recent picture,” Xavier explained.

Amora nodded. “I want to go.”

“We all do,” Hayley said, “but that would require a new potion for Amora, unless you can do it on your own?” she asked to Amora.

“I think I can manage something,” she said. “I haven’t seen anything of the human world in… well, since everything, honestly.”

Hayley nodded. “It’s quite different, some ways worse than others, though I think you’ll find it quite enjoyable with Xavier at our helm.”

“I appreciate that,” he replied.

“We sure hope so,” Brooke chuckled.

“Hm. You know…” Xavier leaned back in his seat.

Hayley tilted her head. “What, dear?”

“I think we should start doing stuff right after breakfast. How’s that sound?” he asked.

Brooke lit up. “Oh, hell yeah. What do you have in mind?”

Xavier tapped his chin. “Hm. Well, I think I owe each of you a walk.”

“Oh, you already walked around the estate with me a few times,” Hayley said. “Besides, I want to stay in and do the dishes.”

Xavier furled his brow. “You don’t have to.”

“I know!” Hayley sighed. “I just hate dirty dishes.”

“She does,” Nicki said.

Xavier nodded. “Mkay, fair. How about… Brooke. Want to go take a walk with me later in the day? Say… right before lunch time.”

“Hm,” she leaned forward. “Sounds fun. Up for a little practice?”

Xavier nodded. “Yeah. We can do that. And you can show me that little blacksmithing area you have for weapons and stuff. I never got a good look at it,” he grinned.

“Oh, we’ll definitely look it over,” she grinned.

“Um, instead of a walk can we do something else? If that’s okay,” Nicki asked.

Xavier nodded. “Sure, Nicki, what do you have in mind?”

“Well… I was thinking maybe we could go… I don’t know, outside? To… a… movie!”

“Sure, that sounds like a fun time to me,” he admitted. “We can watch whatever you want.”

Nicki beamed. “Eee! Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. Okay… cool!” she chimed.

Xavier smiled. “Pick one that looks fun to you.”

“Oh I will,” she replied.

Amora leaned forward and rested her chin on her clasped hands. “Maybe take me out later tonight, darling?”

Xavier nodded happily. “Of course!”

“Oh, Xavier, do you think after you’re back, we could spend some time in my lair? I’d like to enjoy that with you. I have several films I’d like to watch,” Hayley said. “I… would like that a lot.”

“I’m not going to say no,” Xavier said. “So, sure. Let’s have a good, solid day of fun while we sort out the victory plan. Everyone agree?”

All of them nodded, or smiled and echoed an agreeable response, to which Xavier smiled back. “Excellent. I’ll go get started,” he stated, rising from his seat.

Hayley paced to him and gathered his dirty dishes. “Was it good, love?” she asked, smirking at him.

He could glanced over the cleavage tucked behind her apron. Xavier traced a delicate hand over her hip and side. She shuddered lightly and a quiet moan of warmth and cinnamon drifted out from between her parted lips. “Oh… that felt great. Thank you, Xavier. I appreciate the approval, very much,” she said, smirking.

Xavier kissed her cheek and scratched gently behind one of her horns. She trembled a again, now burning bright with blush. A huff of sweet flame danced from her smiling mouth. “Oh my. I didn’t know you could do that,” he said.

“It’s sometimes,” the dragoness explained softly.

Brooke rose next. “Yeah, she does it more than us, but it does happen, but it’s really rare,” Brooke added.

“It’s cute,” Xavier said. “And it doesn’t injure me.”

“Yeah, until the bed burns up.” Brooke laughed.

Nicki let out a groan. “Ugh, bed and cuddles so good later, but without clothes,” she clarified.

Amora chuckled. “As it should be,” she said.

***

“Catch!” Brooke shouted.

Xavier opened his palms and clasped them around a speeding ball of dragonfire. He played with it for a moment or two, then threw it back to Brooke. A thin stream of smoke followed behind the flame as it sailed through the air. “Think fast,” Xavier called back.

“Ah!” Brooke narrowly caught it and then rested. She held it in her hand, studying the heat and flames. She seemed to be a little out of breath. “Wow, you’re getting pretty good at this, Xavier. I almost didn’t catch that one,” she said.

“Oh yeah?” Xavier said, approaching her.

She nodded. “Yeah, and it’s a lot brighter and hotter than usual. It doesn’t hurt, but I can tell. A lot bigger, too,” Brooke said. She pursed her lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this before. Have you been doing okay?”

Xavier nodded. “Yeah, why?”

Brooke shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Other than feeling a bit more motivated and getting into better shape, I really don’t feel that much different, honestly.”

Brooke studied the flame, then snapped her fingers. She extinguished the ball of dragonfire, and it collapsed with a rapid woosh. “Hm. Well, it’s hot that you’re getting better at this. You know, seeing you train and improve is a pretty big turn on. I find that way more charismatic than just naturally being well-endowed,” she said.

Xavier blushed and laughed. “Well-endowed, huh?”

Brooke grinned. “I don’t know if your cock has gotten bigger, but you fuck like it has. I’m not complaining. Not that it was ever a microdick or anything,” she laughed. “Though if it was, I’d find a way. I like you too much.”

“That’s nice to know,” Xavier laughed.  

“I hope so. You wouldn’t lose interest in me if I had no tits, or a loose vagina, would you?” Brooke laughed.

Xavier scoffed. “Please. I’d work with anything. I don’t give a shit what you look like. I care about how you treat me. Besides, like you said, I’d make it work.”

She smiled. “I love you, Xavier.”

“I love you, too, Brooke,” Xavier replied.

She smirked. “Hey, still want to see my blacksmithing shop or whatever the fuck it is? It’s just a shed, er, garage… whatever… of cool shit and lots of sharp stuff and sweet guns.”

“Hey, I’m all in,” Xavier said. “Show me. I know you were out there not too long ago.”

“Right this way, sir,” Brooke said, and offered her arm.

Xavier hooked to it and began a sort of escort-pose as they strode to Brooke’s workshop. They chuckled along the way, and when they got there, she opened the doors and offered him a wine cooler. “You know,” Brooke handed him the beverage. “Ever since you got us the updated internet, phones, computers… I’ve done some shopping. I got some more parts coming in, and I bought this minifridge.”

“When did you go to the waypoint house?” Xavier asked.

Brooke tapped her horn. “I was sneaky.” She sipped on her drink. “Actually, it was a couple nights back. Well, daytime. I used that ‘at-will’ spell thing you gave us in case I got any shit. But… to be honest… I kind of don’t want to go without you. Ever. I tried it once and… well, it just feels better to have you by my side, even if it’s for stupid shit like picking up a minifridge.”

Xavier smiled. He popped open the wine cooler. “Well, I appreciate that you’re able to be yourself,” he continued, “and that’s pretty cool.”

“Oh yeah, you think it’s cool?”

Xavier nodded. “Yeah. Well, not that you got uncomfortable. I’ll go with you from now on or at least have one of them go with you.”

Brooke smiled. “Alright. Well,” she leaned against the workbench, “want to get a tour of Brooke’s Blacksmithing Workshop?”

Xavier grinned. “Go for it,” he beamed. “I want to see what you’re doing here.”

She grinned. “Okay,” Brooke began, “let’s start with what’s by entryway over there, and we’ll work throughout the area. So,” she pointed to a long row of work gloves and aprons along the front left wall. “Those are some work gloves and my thick aprons, along with some safety goggles. We’re dragonesses and we heal fast, but it doesn’t mean it feels good to get shrapnel in our eyes.”

Xavier turned. He studied the thick, brown and gray leather aprons and clear, thick acrylic safety goggles. He stepped to the rack of work gloves. “These things are fucking thick,” he said. A smile pierced his face. “Like you.”

Brooke blushed. “I’m sucking your dick for that. Oh, look to the ground.”

Xavier did and looked over a series of shoes, then several huge sets of boots. He extracted one from the stone floor. “Oh wow,” he lifted it and rotated its bulk. “That’s surprisingly heavy.”

“Metal, carbon fiber, poly-leather, and rubber alloy tucked together in one ludicrously pricey package,” Brooke exhaled.

Xavier nodded. “Damn. Did you just get these? Do you need more?”

Brook shrugged. “I felt bad order what little I did, so I stopped. Those are older and could use some backup pairs.”

“Brooke,” Xavier turned to her. “Spend as much as you want on what you need for your activities.”

She blinked. “Uh… are you… what?” she seemed confused. “I…”

“I already told you to take care of yourself,” Xavier said. “So it extends to hobbies,” he finished.

Brooke flushed for a second, cheeks rosy. “Well fuck, Xavier. Okay. Wow… that means a lot. No one… I love you. Well you fucked up, because now I’m going to show you everything in here and what I need, too. I could study and build more weapons for all of us.”

“Weapons? What kind?” Xavier put the boots down. “Like, just firearms and blades?”

“Well,” Brooke started, “I had this idea to combine our dragonfire with the guns and melee weapons.”

“Oh. That sounds pretty cool. And useful. Care to tell me more?”

Brooke tapped a finger on her lip. “Well, we’re going to exterminate the corruption, right? And we’re going from portal to portal until we can figure out a way to just shut them all down, like you were talking about… we need to slay these things… and I wonder if maybe some of that Vayle magic you have could be added to the weapons, too. Imagine a submachine gun that fires of dragonfire-infused rounds with like, I don’t know… maybe enchantment on it or something,” Brooke said. “We could probably take them out a lot easier.”

“You know, you’ve got a point.”

“When you blew that fucking thing apart with your dragonfire, which I’ve never seen anyone do… I didn’t even know you could do that. Anyone could do that… it gave me some ideas. Hayley told me about how she had to control your awakening. I remember the heat when I held you and cradled you into your first time controlling it, and I can safely say… it’s the hottest dragonfire I’ve ever seen.”

Xavier, now, was blushing. “I… you got me turning red.”

Brooke grinned. “Ha! I knew I could do it one day. So… what do you think?”

“You really think it’s that different?”

Brooke nodded. “Yeah! I mean, I know it’s different. Maybe you’re just different from Vayle. Maybe you got something he didn’t, or maybe things are playing out a different way. I don’t know, but I have a feeling it’s coming together, and I should do this. You know those several rooms in the basement that kind of showed up?”

Xavier nodded.

“Well, that’s never happened before. We don’t… Hayley doesn’t know how to explain it, and Nicki’s unconventional nerdiness couldn’t find anything in any of the research. I haven’t asked Amora but… it’s just different. All of this is different. And that’s why I think we have a shot, a real shot at undoing whatever it is that took Meadow Song. And I think, Xavier, it’s going to be you. I think it was always going to be you. If that makes any sort of sense.”

“It does but… why now? What makes me different?” Xavier mused.

Brooke took a sip on her wine cooler. “You know, does it matter? We don’t remember much about our origins. Fuck, Amora can’t remember half of anything about herself. Does our past really make us who we are now, or are we in control of who we want to be as we desire? Sure, it might leave scars but… well, I don’t know, if I was a raging bitch war-machine that ate humans for lunch, I don’t remember doing it, and if I did remember, it wouldn’t change anything about how I feel about you. If I was the worst dragoness in the world, I wouldn’t go back to that…”

Xavier considered her word. “Hm. You may be right. Out there in the human world, everyone ties your past to your identity. You can’t be good if you did something bad once. There’s no real redemption in the eyes of the general public, for the most part. Maybe our past doesn’t matter. It doesn’t seem to be affecting our bonds. You know…” he set his wine cooler down. “I made a conscious decision to seal those bonds with all of you. I didn’t do it just because I was horny.”

“Is that so?” Brooke asked. “Nicki and Hayley showed me how to do it, a while back, before you got here. I got a refresher. Technically, I don’t think the Rhodes estate allows us to do binding things with whoever is here but… we… we just knew something about you.”

“Oh, did you violate your contract with my Rhodes lineage, Ms. Nightclaw, and so clandestinely?”

Brooke blushed. “I… I guess we did…”

“I’m kidding. Fuck the old rules,” Xavier said. He raised his wine cooler. “To the New Estate, and to a liberate Meadow Song. And to all of our bonds,” Xavier said.

Brooke raised her wine cooler. “To all of that, and to you, Xavier Rhodes.”

“Aw, shucks,” Xavier laughed. “You’re too sweet. So, what’s your first design going to be?”

She beckoned him with a finger. “Come here. I still need to show you the other walls. Check this out,” she winked. Brooke stepped over to a series of workbenches a couple of dozen feet back left side of her workshop, and smiled. She began. “This is where I kind of outline stuff. Blueprints. That shits.”

Xavier stood next to her and pursed his lips. “Yeah. Nice,” he leaned forward. “Oh wow, you’re going crazy on a ton of stuff,” he noted.

Brooke nodded. “Yeah. All these plans and fabrications are going to be really powerful. I hope. I’ll need you to cast some of your dragonfire into them, like batteries, basically. It shouldn’t need much. I can amplify it with some magic and stones,” Brooke explained. “Oh, and this is where I keep my foundry and burners.” Brooke led him over to another side of the workshop with several forges, a cauldron, presses, lathes and grinders.

Xavier studied them. “Damn. What all can you do with this stuff?”

“Oh, a lot. I wish I could get one of those big ass CNC machines, though. It’d be pretty nice. I could legit manufacture so much fine-tuned shit,” Brooke bemoaned, “and it’d be really rad.”

“Rad. Uh, why not? Just order it,” Xavier said.

“They’re fucking huge. There’s no way I could have it shipped to the waypoint and take it home. We’d need it delivered, and that’s not really possible,” she sighed disappointedly.

“Why not?” Xavier asked.

Brooke glanced over at him, then stared. “Because… we’re behind the barrier, and those without access can’t come through, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember. It was set by Vayl, right? Or at least mostly his doing?” Xavier clarified.

Brooke nodded. “Yeah.”

“Hm. Well, I’m a Rhodes, and last I checked, I’m the only one who can pseudoscrye, so it would follow that maybe I can play with the barrier as I please. Maybe like… I don’t know, throw off the maps, or fib on the GPS… mask some stuff. I made those spells for you, too, so all of you can just appear human or stay inside. I really don’t see why we can’t, you know, upgrade,” Xavier explained. He folded his arms.

“I mean… that’s not standard…”

“I know. Fuck it. Why not? You’re not scary or mean, you’re not someone to be hidden and ashamed of, and it might take a while, but we’ll work on people getting over the shock of seeing dragon girls. I’ll move the planet for you,” he said, “Hayley, Nicki, Amora. All of you.”

Brooke gulped. “I… do you think you can do that? And… wow. Okay. Are we really going to do this, are we really undoing that much of the old ways?”

“Yes.”

She grinned. “Well, Xavier, I won’t protest. Show a dragon girl what that one-of-a-kind magic can do!”

Xavier smirked. “Oh, count on it,” he assured her, beaming. “Oh, what’s this?”

He turned and plucked up an unfamiliar blade of some kind with embedded stones fashioned into the handle. It glowed upon picking it up, and noiselessly displaced the air around it.

The etched patterns along the shiny blade glowed and shimmered. Xavier turned it in his hand, catching a glimmer of light concealed between his hand and handle. Brooke smiled. She beamed, lit up. “Oh wow! It’s working! And that’s just a prototype!”

“What’s happening? It feels… really light,” he murmured.

“I was setting that up with some charge stones and a lot of prep, and I didn’t tune it to your signature yet, but just a general one, so it’s charging off your energy. I was hoping it’d make it lighter so it’s easier to wield, and it might be working!” Brooke gushed.

“This is pretty interesting.”

“Yeah. And, it should also inflict flame damage, too. The charge in it is your dragonfire energy,” Brooke said. “I don’t know if it’s going to manage to do that without tuning it some to you.”

“Can we test it, like, on something in here?”

Brooke slipped on a pair of heavy duty work goggles and leaned toward the glowing inscriptions, then licked her lips.

“What?” Xavier asked.

Brooke stood, placed her hand on her hips, then leaned back in and clicked her tongue. “Hold on,” she said. “I got something,” she murmured, giddy.

She disappeared over by the myriad of workshop tools. After coming around a corner, she met with him, and gripped an iron rod between two hands. “Cut this bitch.”

“Brooke,” Xavier said. “That’s… that’s fucking metal.”

She tossed him a set of work goggles. “Adorn my rad steampunk tempered hazard goggles for this demonstration.”

Xavier put them on. “Brooke,” he began again, “this is actual metal,” Xavier said. “Like, how… it’s literally wrought iron… and fuck, it’s like two or three inches thick, too!”

Brooke giggled. “Oh, that’s what she said.”

“Damn it, Brooke.” Xavier laughed. “It’s fucking metal.”

“I know!” Brooke said. She seemed to be trembling with anticipation and excitement. “Just do it!”

Xavier sighed. He raised the blade. “I will literally man-cry if I fucked up this beautiful piece of work.”

“You won’t,” she assured him.

Xavier adjusted the sword and held it out, realizing he’d yet to actually utilize one. “Wait, I’ve never used a real sword like well, any swords at all, honestly.”

She rolled her eyes. “Xavier, you got this. I believe in you. Come on, strike the rod for me. Momma wants to see some sparks!”

“I mean… do I just like, swing it and shit?”

Brooke nodded. “Yeah! Come on, slam that fucker down, give the girl a test drive!”

Xavier shrugged and let out a long breath. He felt a little bad questioning her, given he knew nothing about dragoness made swords, and she seemed intent on the result.

“Here goes,” Xavier muttered.

Please don’t fuck up her amazing work, I actually like this sword. Xavier swung the sword, striking the iron rod. He felt like it didn’t weigh anything at all, yet clearly sensed the impact that followed.

Brooke gasped. “Oh, holy damnation!” she lit up as the blade met with the rod.

Brook seemed lost in the moment. Sparks and flame shot from the iron and, in a fraction of a second, it split in half, the parted ends white hot. The blade caught into a hot, yellow and blood orange blaze as it swept downward before striking the rod. She held up each split piece, and stared at them with a giant smile.

The internal wind died down, and the workshop’s air stilled. “Holy fuck.”

Brooke squeed. Soot was dotted over cheeks and hair in blotchy streaks. “Gah! I’m so excited!” the dragoness wiggled.

Xavier smiled. “Hm. Yeah that was pretty fucking sweet,” he said. “Wow. The blade like, lit up, and was on fire, but like, not really on fire. Amazing.”

“I know! It felt light?”

Xavier nodded.

She jumped, cheering with a single fist. He breasts jiggled gently, and she came back down to a rest. Brooke lashed her tail with a wide, toothy grin. “Fuck yeah! Momma Brooke makes swords fit for slaying the demons of hell.”

“What about corruption, too?”

Brooke smirked. “Hell yeah. Imagine a shotgun, or something.”

“Dragon’s breath for real.”

“Oh… oh, yes. There will be dragon breath, my love,” Brooke giggled. She retrieved her sword from Xavier and held it up. “There will be dragon breath,” Brooke repeated with a maniacal murmur.

Xavier smiled. She looked good, and happy, and content. And he realized he’d always wanted to see her like that, and he just hadn’t put it into words. “I want to see you happy like this all the time, even if it’s bordering minor mania,” he said.

She laughed and set the blade down. “Ha! You mean it? It doesn’t freak you out that I really get into stuff? I’m super passionate about the things I like a lot and… shit, all of us are, honestly.”

“You should always feel happy and it brings me serious joy to see you so deeply passionate over your interests, dear.”

She grinned. “Oh, such a sweetheart. You think so? You like that? Even if I sound fucking crazy?

Xavier burst into laughter. “I wouldn’t care if you’re crazy, because I’m crazy, too, probably. And our crazy is exquisitely complimentary.”

“You think my nutso is hot?” she teased.

“Yeah,” Xavier replied confidently.

“Fuck, you’re so fucking hot,” Brooke snickered. “You know how to treat a dragon girl right.”

“You know, I’m glad. It pisses me off you weren’t ever treated this way. Honestly, I want all of you to feel as excited as you can be, every waking moment,” he explained.

Brooke blushed. “Well, want to see more of the shop, then?”

Xavier smirked. “Show me everything,” he said. “And then some.”

“Oh, certainly,” Brooke obliged. She led him to another furnace. “Oh, hot stuff? Don’t think I forgot about that walk.”

“Around the estate’s back forest and stream?”

She nodded. “Hell yeah. Kiss me on the trail gazebo, handsome.”

“Oh, I will,” Xavier replied. “More than once,” he added enthusiastically.

Brooke winked. “I’m not going to retract my words, mister,” she divulged.

He recalled, then, Brooke’s statement about her masterful lips on a particular part of his body.