It was a dark, cold rainy evening. The water infiltrating the mountain was dripping from the natural cracks of the cave I call home. Not a huge deal though, I dealt with that leaky stone long ago. The rain splashing outside made for a peaceful ambiance.

I was writing a letter to a distant dragon friend when, suddenly, I heard some waterlogged boots entering the cave with heavy footsteps. I figure somebody got lost and needed some help for the night. While the usual visitors would be panicking or in tears, this one was silent. I heard a sword dragging across the floor and a tired grunt, so I put my letter and pen aside and got up to investigate.

I arrive near the entrance, facing them. My eyes glow faintly in the dark, sinister ambiance, and I unsheathe my own sword, tip resting on the ground. I starred at the visitor. Was it a knight, a dragon slayer sent to their demise, something else ? I couldn't tell.

The wind was howling, yet the room remained silent. After what felt like an eternity, the human figure broke the silence and spoke, trembling: « Dragon, your r-reign of terror is over ! By the order of… (sneeze)… the order of lord Charles the fifteenth, y-your life is forfeit ! » I made my usual grand entrance so my opponent could gauge what they were up against. I dragged the tip of my sword across the ground and drew a couple of magical symbols. I lit up the torches leaning against the stone walls. I used my fiery breath weapon to light up the chandelier above.

I took a look at the young adult in front of me. No wonder he was quiet and I heard a sword scraping the ground. My mysterious visitor was no ordinary lost tourist, it was a dragon slayer sent to his own demise. He looked extremely weak and tired, his sword looked a burden to hold. One could think he would fall from swinging its weight. His clothes and boots were drenched in water due to the weather. His eyes ? Bloodshot of fatigue and inability to sleep, yet determined to carry out the orders of his governor even though he knew what would happen. His face was a ghostly pale color. It looked more like a cake covered in whipped cream with two raspberries. His respiration was heavy, he could barely stand. His sword was a classical one, although it had a distinctive foul smell, dragonsbane, a toxic substance a human wouldn't survive to in prolonged contact. It can also debilitate a young dragon for a moment, not just outright kill them, but make them an easy target for killing for a second slayer.

I replied the slayer: « I, appointed keeper of the adventurer's guild's memories, mysterious magician, will… » After realizing what I had in front of me was a weak slayer unable to do anything, I interrupted my usual announcement: « Look at yourself, I said in a softer voice, you're more pale than porcelain, and you would die in front of me just by just swinging your sword. There's no honor to be had battling a sick, tired, defenseless young adult like you. Plus your blade has a foul smell, I bet they gave you one coated in dragonsbane, didn't they ? »

The human looked at me somewhat bewildered. He was surprised I wasn't just jumping at his neck with my own sword. He was probably thinking I had setup a trap and I was luring him into it to make him an easy target.

« Surprised I didn't just pounce at your neck ? » I added, « Well, if you wish I can prepare a campfire and take care of you. Maybe we can…
– I'm not here t-to talk w-with you ! I need no d-d-dragon to take care of me. I am here to e-execute an o-order, the order to end y-your reign of terror !
– Well, if you are that determined, go for it. Prove me you're fit enough to have a duel ! If you do well, I'll be more than happy to show you what I'm capable of. Come forth, and swing your blade as your kind always does. »

The dragon slayer charged me sloppily in his wet boots, barely able to lift his own weapon, let alone swing it. I prepared for a parry and disarm move. A loud clang of metal clashing resonated throughout the cave. I could feel the slayer's grip was weak through the force it imparted. Another sound of metal clashing resonates, as I effortlessly sent the slayer's blade to the ground without using any tricks. I managed to knock him back a couple meters away as he struggled to keep his balance. Seeing no immediate danger, I sheathed my sword.

« Well done, but already disarmed ! », I announce, « As I have said, look at yourself one more time and consider my offer. I have no intention of killing you anyway because I know your governor will frame me as a soulless monster that must be dealt with, while I was simply defending myself. Don't ask me how I know. Your king must not know my titles, for I regularly receive human visitors and they're delighted I keep them company ! », with a little snark.

The weak slayer was struggling to stand after that considerable effort of charging me and getting knocked back. Suddenly, he folded like wet cardboard, squeaking, grunting, pleading: « I concede. Please, help me, get me out of this misery, I can't bear it anymore. » Luckily for him, a log acting as a bench was nearby to catch his fall. He looked so spent when I first saw him, I assumed folding like that was not a theatrical move to catch me off guard. He was really exhausted from all the traveling and most certainly from breathing in the fumes of dragonsbane off gassing from his blade. I reply to his plead: « Now you're coming to your senses. Looking at you, that foul substance really got you. Anyway, take your boots off and get some rest, I'll take care of the rest. »

I gathered some logs from the stockpile and lit up a camp fire. Then, I filled a bucket with fresh water from the cave spring in the kitchen. I considered grabbing some leftover snack I cooked earlier and offer it to him, but opted not to. « Here, I got some water for you », as I set the bucket with a cup next to the bench, « You can get some much needed sleep, I'll stick around and watch over you. » After drinking some water, the human immediately fell asleep. I set the boots to dry near the fire. It was emitting a warm glow, the wood crackling as it burned, complemented by the gentle noise of rain splashing outside. As for the human's sword, I resolved to dunk it in a tall column of water to neutralise the remaining bits of dragonsbane.

The night was pretty uneventful, at some point it had stopped raining. The human was sleeping soundly and barely moving. I finished writing the letter for my dragon friend mentioning the human, kept the campfire lit, made sure the boots were drying evenly, washed off the sticky bits off the blade and studied its engravings. It had overall some useful information, such as the kingdom the human came from. I'll pay them a visit when this human is better. I also prepared a small potion to help him with the side-effects of dragonsbane intoxication. Maybe, one positive interaction with a dragon, even if it were a wolf-dragon, would make the human's mind change on the matter; one can always dream. One thing is sure, a dragon would call me crazy for taking care of somebody with the intent to kill. He's not the first slayer I dealt with, and he will not be the last.