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"No, no, NO!" the earl shouted and tossed his half-filled glass of wine at the wall, which shattered into little pieces under a rattling sound. He sat furiously on a chair and folded his arms over his chest.

"What have you been thinking? Why have you tortured the dragon so much? And why the HELL have you let them both escape?"

The man with the scar twisted his mouth into a dark expression, his face stained with anger.

"My job was to kill the green dragon and capture the other two. How I kill a dragon is my buisness," he replied quietly, almost whispering.

The earl jumped from his seat, "You idiot! Dont you get it? Now we have a dragon as our enemy! My city isn't protected against dragon attacks. What if he calls for help?"

He fell exhausted onto his chair again. The scarred man stepped before the earl, "He wont find any help...," he said with a smile on his face,

"...because he's the only one left in this world."

It was snowing. The snowlakes fell down onto the dry ground of the forest, silently and softly, until everything was covered under a big mantle of snow. The forest was quiet, no birds chirped. Only the cold wind blowing through the firs was heard. George breathed warm air into his hands and rubbed the afterwards. He was in search of firewood, but it was not an easy task, because the thick mantle of snow robbed him of his sight and warmth.

"For you, Nakhir...," he thought while he trudged the snow.

Nakhir was lying on his left side. His breath was heavy, because the wound on his right hindleg, inflicted by the fight with the scarred man was terribly sore and festering. As George came back, the dragon opened his eyes and lifted his head.

"I'am glad, you're back again," he spoke in a strained voice and sent him a smile.

"Sch... No talking, safe your energy," he said and gave him a kiss on his muzzle.

For over two months now they're on escape, followed by the men of the earl. It was hard for the two, both physically and psychologically. Nakhir's wound forced them to stay on the ground, the icy cold caused them a lot of effort and they had to avoid contact with others. The flight has changed them. Nakhir's scales were unkemp and had many scratches. His wings had cracks and overall he looked very exhausted. The same applied to George. He had several scrapes over his body and his eyes were tired. He knelt down and examined Nakhir's wound. It was full of pus and the adjacent scales looked unhealthy black. He took some of the snow and pressed it against the hot wound.

"We have to do something... You could get a blood poisoning ad then..." George said nothing more, because he didn't want to imagine it. The grey dragon nudged him with his muzzle.

"Come here," he said gently. "You have done so much for me today, you should get some rest. Maybe tomorrow I will feel better."

George was skeptical, but he realized, he couldn't do much more for the dragon and cuddled onto Nakhir's warm belly.

The next day, the sun was shining. The warmth melted the snow and in the forest, you could hear the meltwater dripping from the trees. Nakhir was awake. It was an agony for him to sleep, because his wound throbbed in pain. He closed his eyes and calmed his breath. Slowly, but surely the feeling, that he won't make it, crept over him. Fear and despair took over his mind. He raised his head to examine the wound.

It's condition had worsen over night. Some scales fell off, revealing the view on his leathery hide. Varicose veins covered the hide and they discolored in black.

Tears began to roll down over Nakhir's cheeks. He was frozen in terror.

"No... it shouldn't end like this..."

He knew, he had only a few days or even only hours left. None could help him now. His wound remained untreated far too long. The grey dragon closed his eyes and cried unrestrianedly. He didn't know, how he should tell George, wether he should tell him at all. He wrapped his head around the human and sobbed on quietly.

The clouds darkened, covering the sky and it began to rain. The cool wet dripped onto George's face and waked him unpleasantly. He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Good morning my dragon," he said smiling. "How are you d-" His voice faltered as he realized Nakhir crying.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" he asked full of concern, though he guessed it already. His gaze slowly shifted onto Nakhir's hindleg.

"Nakhir... your.... your leg..." he uttered in a trembling voice. He looked away quickly, he didn't want to see it... didn't want to accept, that the only being he loved, had to die in such a gruesome manner.

George got panic. "No... there will certainly be a way to cure you, it has to be..."

Nakhir gave him a kiss on his mouth. "Don't bother...," he spoke gently. "None can help me now. At first, I couldn't believe it either, but now I accepted. Please, don't torture me with hopes..." Again, tears started streaming down his cheeks.

"But... I don't want to lose you... I couldn't make it...," George said and hugged the grey dragon crying. Both remained in this position to comfort each other.

"I love you...," Nakhir whispered.

A man was running fast through the streets of the magnificent town Ellinav. His goal was the palace of the earl. He was tall, thin and meandered skillfully through the busy roads and alleys. Sometimes, he jostled someone roughly, though he didn't really care, because his matter was of great importance.

Shortly, he arrived at the large entrance of the palce, but two big guards prevented him from entering.

"Who are you, that you dare running like a madman into here?" one of the guards asked grimly.

The man caught his breath and answered determined, "Sir, I am a courier and I have to tell the earl an important message."

The two guards exchanged a glance. "All right, we guide you to him."

They went through richly decorated corridors to the chamber of the earl. After a short distance, they stopped in front a door.

"Here we are. Recite youre concern and then come back immediately."

The courier entered the room. The earl was standing in front of a map lying on the table and glanced curiously with tired eyes at the courier.

"Speak!" he said calmly.

"I'm a courier of the adjacent kingdom, sir. I bring a message from a hunter, who had supposedly seen the wanted grey dragon, Nakhir and his companion, George in the forest near the Raunaj-canyon."

Instantly, the earl was wide awake. He stormed at the door, teared it open and called, "My adviser, fast!" Immediatly, the guard dashed away to execute the order.

The earl turned excitedly to the courier. "When was that?"

"This morning, sir. He also said, the dragon is hurt at the leg."

"Excellent, this raises the chance, that they are still at the same place."

A moment later, the door opened and the man with the scar entered the room. He cast the courier a disparaging glance and asked the earl only, "Where?"

"In the forest, near the Raunaj-canyon. Take as many men as you like. Kill the dragon and bring me the boy."

"I will enjoy exterminating this brood," the scarred man spoke in his deep, throaty voice and got down to work.

"Sir, if I may ask, what are you going to do with the boy?" the courier questioned. The earl went over to the window and looked outside. "He will be executed for public treason. And you should better go now or I'll let my guards carry you out."

George leaned on Nakhir's belly. The sun was shining on bare deciduous trees and evergreen firs and the air smelled pure and fresh after the rain. The two were talking, but most of the time, Nakhir only listened to save his strenght. George told him about his past, before he got to know Nakhir. On some passages of his life, he laughed, on others he fell into deep sorrow. The grey dragon enjoyed his presence and for a brief moment, the wound seemed forgotten. However, in reality his condition worsened... he felt his heart beating slower and breathing was harder than ever.

"George, I... want to... ask for something..." he said strained. "When I'm gone... could you please... burn my body? I... want to become... one with my element... the fire..."

A tear started to roll over George's cheek. "Of course... everything you want," he spoke sniffling. The dragon smiled weakly and gazed at the sky.

"There is still so much... I wanted to tell you. It makes me sad, that... dragons and humans... can't live peacefully... together. And it... makes me even more sad, that my race... is going to become... extinct."

"Nakhir...," George said compassionately.

The two kissed so intense, as if it were their first time ever. All their love, emotions and feelings were concentrated in this one, passionate kiss. Moments later, the grey dragon slowly broke the kiss and looked at George with a loving smile.

"Thank you..." Nakhir whispered and closed his eyes...

...forever.

Silence befell the forest, only crows, which are circling in the sky, were heard. The wind swept leaves over the wet ground. George knelt before the dead dragon, stunned. He couldn't believe it. Unimaginable grief came over him. He embraced Nakhir and cried like never before.

"THERE THEY ARE!" someone shouted from afar.

George frightened and looked around panic-stricken. In the distance, a small group of horsemen, led by the man with the scar, galloped in his direction, quickly.

"No...," George whispered horrified. He was paralyzed. He was no warrior and not particulary strong, either, so fighting was not an option. After some moments the horsemen circled around him and aimed their spears in his direction. The man with the scar stepped forward and said with a mocking tone,

"Well, what do we have here? You thought, you could run away forever." His gaze fell upon Nakhir. "It seems like nature has done the task of killing the dragon for me. That's too bad. Oh well, but it will be my pleasure to see you hanging at the gallows."

George sat on the ground and buried his face in his hands. "Sentenced to death...," he thought, no longer able to fulfill Nakhir's last wish. The scarred man laughed, got off his horse, drawed his sword and hit George's temple with the handle, so he slumped unconsciously to the side.

George opened his eyes. He was lying on a wet brick floor and a musty smell rose to his nose. Next to him stood a non-coated bed and a bucket. Above him at the ceiling, moonlight shone through a barred hole with the size of a plate, lightning the room, slightly. Now, he noticed a heavy wooden door next to the bed, blocking the way to the outside.

"A prison...," he thought.

Sorrowful, George moved on the bed and stared without expression at the wall.

He had lost everything, even his sense of life...

A couple of hours later, George heard the door being unlocked and it opened with a loud creak. The earl was entering the room. He looked different from what George had in his memory. His beard was untrimmed and unkempt, deep rings were drawn under his eyes and his clothes were creased.

"I have a message for you," he spoke sternly.

George ignored him.

The earl took adeep breath and said in the same serious voice, "You are free and hereby I banish you from my kingdom. Your dragon is dead and therefore his race. Thus, you are no longer a threat to me."

George continued staring at the wall and said nothing.

"You should show more gratitude, since I saved you from certain death!"

This time he gazed at the earl with a look as empty as the room. The earl shuddered and walked toward the door. "With the first sunbeam, two guards will come to guide you out of the city. They will also tell you what happens, if you don't stay away from my kingdom. "

After that, he opened the door and walked out wordlessly.

As it dawned, George was already escorted by two guards, the earl mentioned. They led him silently through the empty streets. Now and then, he saw a beggar sitting on the wayside. Memories started welling up inside him. Last time he was in Ellinav, motivation and ambition filled his heart, but this time he left it as a broken man.

After a while, they reached the main gate of Ellinav. One of the guards removed his handcuffs and said, "The earl has banished you, which means you must never set foot on this kingdom again. However, if you do so, you will be sentenced to death without trail."

George didn't care about the guards and made his way to Raunaj-canyon, fast. There was only one purpose left in his life: The fulfilling of Nakhir's last wish.

He sprinted through fields and meadows, not caring about the world around him. The forest, where Nakhir was laying, seemed further away than expected. He ran without ceasing, without eating or drinking... lost in thoughts and drowned in grief. The sun was setting and after a long way, he stood before the dead body of the dragon. He looked, as if he was sleeping. Only the wound on his right hindleg indicated, that he suffered a lot of pain. George sat on the ground before Nakhir and looked at him for a while. Sometimes, he felt a tear running over his cheek.

"This is it...," he thought. "The bitter truth."

He wiped the tears from his face and began searching for dry wood. The work distracted him only a little. He used the time to think about his life, about the past and what was going to come.

He made a decision...

Everything, he loved, was taken from him...

Everything, he did, resulted in contempt and banishment...

Everything, what's worth living for, is now gone...

George eyed his work. Nakhir was surrounded by small and large, thick and thin branches. Using two flints, he found at the search for wood, he kindled the fire. It crackled and sparks flew through the air. The flames, prancing around the dragon, illuminated his scales in a strange hue.

The last wish of Nakhir, the grey dragon, was fulfilled.

Meanwhile, the night closed in. It took George a great overcoming, to let go the dragon, but his time had come. Slowly, he strolled to Raunaj-canyon. Except for a few crickets chirping wildly, it was quiet.

Before him yawned the deep abyss of Raunaj canyon. The bottom of the canyon was not visible in the darkness. George's heart was pounding and his knees were trembling, yet there was no turning back. He turned his back at the canyon to see his love for the last time. In the distance, he saw the flames and heard the crackle of wood faintly.

George took a deep breath and spread his arms...

He smiled...

...and let go.

The End