And for Ian, this was an opportunity. If he played it right, he could improve their relationship.
He called out to the dragon and promised to improve his nest with magic.
"Is this true?" the drake asked hopefully.
But in exchange, Ian said, he would ask him for one favour.
Morning came. Ian went over to the cart in which the merchants were sleeping. He poked Leek in the forehead, but the old man was having such a pleasant dream that he did not want to wake up at all.
Ian began to get irritated, and whispered in his ear that if he did not wake up, he would pull his finger off.
The old man's eyes opened at once. Seeing Ian's face right above his own, he became very frightened and screamed loudly. He jumped up. The others woke from the scream, and because he rose so suddenly the cart tipped over, and everyone fell to the ground.
Cassie rubbed her bruised forehead, and the old man finally came to his senses and asked Ian in surprise what was going on. He was sure he had heard the dragon roar. He said that right after that, everyone passed out.
Why did I ever get involved with these people, Ian thought.
"So the drake went back to its nest?" Cassie asked.
He answered that it was waiting for them up above, and the merchants hugged one another in fear and asked whether it was waiting to eat them.
Ian said that it was waiting for him. He had made a deal with it to save them all.
Cassie frowned, and the merchants were so touched that he had fought the monster for their sake.
He rolled his eyes tiredly and realised that he had gone too far. He had promised to fix its nest if it let them go.
Suddenly Leek stood at attention, and together with the merchants he began chanting the name of the great mage, Ian Alletus Raven, and Ian stared at them in surprise. They performed a magnificent song in his honour. They sang about how he had defeated the roaring drake, scolded it, and finally forced the dragon to surrender.
They almost burst into tears, so impressed were they by his feats, and they declared that from that day on they were one in body and soul with the mage, and would protect him with their own lives.
He thought they were talking nonsense, and told them to be ready to hit the road by the time he came back — but just don't leave without him.
"Don't worry," Leek told him. "We are one in spirit and body."
While they were counting the mercenaries, Cassie, looking suspicious, quietly followed Ian.
When he climbed the mountain, the drake led him to his nest, which turned out to be an ordinary cave. He looked around and let out a sigh, which made the dragon indignant. What kind of reaction was that? It was too late to retreat now.
He waved his arms excitedly, assuring it that he had no intention of retreating. He was only looking the place over.
He was already sleepy, and he also had to use Moronius. It would not be easy. He needed to figure this out quickly and rest. If he removed those protruding stones and levelled the walls, it would become much more spacious.
He closed his eyes and turned to the earth, and it asked him again what he wanted.
He said that he came with a request, and it immediately refused him. It was in a bad mood and it was busy now.
He sighed heavily. It was truly angry with him.
He told the drake that the earth refused to speak to him. He would try again when it was in a better mood, though it would most likely just get angry again.
The dragon said that if the earth rejected him, then nothing could be done. He was very upset. After all, she was not his destiny. He was grateful to him. He had tried so hard, for someone like him.
Ian said his name regretfully, and the dragon asked what his name was. He told him his own — and then the drake introduced himself in return.
His name was Longtail.
Ian extended his hand, inviting him to become friends, and Longtail shook it with his claw. That was how their friendship began. Now Ian could ask him for help, and he would gladly respond. He had acquired the skill — but he felt so ashamed that he could not help his friend in any way.
The drake distracted him from these thoughts by pointing to his treasures. In honour of their friendship, he said, he wanted to give him a gift. Let him take whatever he wanted.
Ian glanced over the pile of gold. It was just as his teacher had said. Dragons love to collect treasures. It looked like drakes were the same. What a pity. If the earth could see these treasures, it would fulfil his request immediately.
He picked up a crystal, and an idea occurred to him. What if he really used it?
He asked Longtail for permission to draw something on the floor, and the dragon tilted his head to one side, intrigued.
Ian drew a magic circle on the floor and set the crystal in its centre. He had forgotten about the method his teacher had taught him. If an ancient secret is stubborn, you can simply present it with a gift by means of a magic circle.
The drake asked what he was doing, and he replied that he would soon see for himself.
He called to the earth again, and it asked what it was this time.
He asked it to move the stones and straighten the walls.
The earth thought for a few seconds, and then accepted his offering, and the crystal glowed brightly. The cave walls immediately began to smooth themselves out, and the passage widened.
Longtail was blinded by the bright light, and when he saw what had happened to his nest, he was very surprised.
Instead of a cramped cave, a huge decorated hall had appeared, lit by sunlight falling through a hole in the mountain.
Ian said that this was his gift to him, and Longtail was simply delighted. Ian was pleased to see how happy he was. It seemed he was about to cry.
The drake rushed off to inspect his new home. It was so spacious and bright, and there was a wonderful smell. He asked whether he had created that smell with magic too.
Ian answered that the smell was no longer his doing.
Longtail grabbed his hands and began to thank him. Now he would not be ashamed in front of her. It would be safe here, even when the children came.
Ian said that he was not interested in such details. In any case, he was glad that he liked everything.
Suddenly a strange feeling came over him. He asked Longtail to let go of him and brought a hand up to his head, and then he felt something warm beneath his nose. His nose was bleeding.
Longtail called out to him worriedly and asked whether he was all right.
His eyes rolled back. He fell and lost consciousness.
Longtail picked him up, not knowing how to help his friend — and at that moment Cassie's voice was heard from above.
She ran into the cave, collided with the drake, and stopped abruptly.
Longtail carefully laid Ian down on the ground and growled at the girl, which made her very nervous. She asked him to wait and listen to her. Pointing first at herself and then at Ian, she said that she was a friend, and asked him please not to eat her.
Smiling nervously, she asked him not to be angry, and it seemed that he understood everything.
Ian groaned. They both looked at him, and decided that they had better do something.