Chardon growled as he watched the ashen-grey dragon approach. Black dragons tended to be controlled by the evil side. He knew that his forest home, Everest glade, was a target for liches and he was not going to risk his home, ever. On the right of the forest lay the Mocross swamps, a breeding ground for the liches and their corrupt reflections of nature.

            The grey seemed to be unafraid of him, but then again, most other dragons were not. Although quite large, Chardon was not very imposing. Being a dark green, he looked more peaceful than aggressive. However, that did not mean he was weak. The opposite was truer than his appearance. Thickly corded muscles held enough power to crack another dragon’s bones if necessary. Massive wings covered them as they lay folded on his back, hiding his massive body.

            The grey dragon stopped on the edge of the small clearing that held a crystal pool and the open mouth of Chardon’s home. Although he sometimes dwelt in caves, he also spent time amongst the forest canopy, feeling the warm blessings of sunshine and the cool breeze.

            “Chardon, I want to talk to you.”

            The grey smirked as he looked around. It seemed more the home of a pacifist recluse than the dwelling of one of the most powerful green dragons in existence. Of course, Chardon was known to few and even less ventured to Everest glade.

            Chardon growled silently as he looked the grey over. Massively built, he would be quite an opponent. Thick fore and hind legs, muscled body, the grey was quite impressive. Softly, he stepped out from the shady recesses of the forest he knew well. As he emerged into the light, the grey bowed his head in deference to him. Chardon did not bother, preferring to forgo formalities for caution.

            “What’s your purpose in coming here?”

            The grey smiled. Chardon was extremely blunt and he had expected that.

            “My name’s Reito, Chardon. My purpose is my own knowledge.”

            Chardon’s eyes narrowed.

            “Reito, the shadow dragon?”

            Reito nodded.

            “I see that you’ve heard of me.”

            Chardon snarled.

            “Leave.”

            He turned, leaving Reito behind him. He had no intention of talking to the shadow dragon at present. Blame it on prejudice, but Chardon disliked Reito. The grey padded silently after him, his claws making no sound on the ground.

            “Chardon…”

            He was interrupted. Several small black wyverns appeared, their empty eyes conveying only the need to main and torture. Screeching their raucous cries, they homed in on Chardon, their claws aimed to dismember. The green roared, his pale green eyes flashing angrily. Reito tensed, ready to battle these intruders. However, even before he had begun his charge forward, Chardon had dispatched most of them. He reached the green as Chardon tore out the throat of the last.

            “Chardon, who…”

            He was shoved aside roughly by Chardon. Stumbling back, he looked up only to see the green on the ground, pinned by a black mass vaguely resembling a large wyrm. The green was not moving, motionless on the ground, eyes blank and dull. Snarling, Reito unleashed a barrage of silver flames onto the creature. It screamed as it burnt and soon, a faint dusting of ash was all that remained.

            He nudged the green gently but obtained no positive response. Green blood trickled slowly from Chardon’s head and chest. Reito, forcing himself to remain clam, shouldered the large green onto his back and slowly, entered Chardon’s den.

            It was surprisingly relatively bright, with crevices where mini waterfalls formed and rapids flowed. Stalactite chandeliers and crystal pools ornamented the nature dragon’s den. Chardon’s ease with nature showed through within his rocky home. Reito, ignoring all these, came upon a flat clear area where Chardon evidently slept.

            Laying the green down carefully, Reito examined the dragon’s wounds. To his shock, they were not as deep as he had expected. In fact, they were quite shallow. Such wounds would not have felled a dragon as strong as Chardon; unless they were laced with poison.

            Chardon remained unconscious as Reito rinsed out his injuries, hoping that the water would remove some of the poison. The shadow dragon, tired out, curled up beside the green. He glanced out of the cave, watching a star progress slowly across the night sky. Occasionally he would look back at Chardon, only to see the green still unconscious.

            The pain was immense, almost overpowering. Like an acid, it burnt through him, turning every surface raw. Darn you Reito. You just had to be standing there, an open target. The wyrm was poisonous, he knew that. In fact, it was the most venomous one existing.

            He felt his own resistance crumbling before the onslaught of the poison. Green dragons were almost immune to all poisons. His own considerable resistance was what had prevented him from dying almost immediately from the toxins that ran rampant in his body. Now, with it failing, his will to survive was faltering. The comfort of death was attractive and its allure grew by each second, each second that the pain increased.

            When it was almost unbearable, he felt a suddenly decrease in the agony.  His natural resistance, failing under the waves of toxins, rebounded under the sudden decrease. Antibodies worked overtime, clearing out the toxins that threatened to kill Chardon. Soon, the dark allure of death had faded along with the poison of the wyrm. Chardon, tired out from his brief brush with death, drifted from sub-consciousness to sleep.

            Reito woke, only to find Chardon gone. Sounds of claws against rock drifted from down a corridor, telling him that either Chardon was there or someone else was in the green’s den. Quietly, he crept down the passage, only to bump into Chardon: an irritated Chardon, to be exact. Grinning sheepishly, he retreated back up the passage and out of the caverns.

            “Reito, there’s something I want to tell you.”

            He braced himself for it. Chardon could be extremely nasty when angry and he had seen the green in battle. It was not a pleasant prospect to be with an irritated Chardon, although it was better then being with an angry Chardon.

            “Yes, Chardon?”

            To his surprise, the green shifted a bit uneasily from foot to foot. Reito blinked. He had mistaking Chardon’s slight embarrassment for irritation.

            “Thank you. If it were not for you, I would have died.”

            Reito just stared at Chardon, slack-jawed. The green grinned. It was not a very pleasant grin.

            “Although, if it were not for you, I would have been able to remove that wyrm very easily with little risk to myself…”

            Reito began to back away as he realised Chardon’s intentions.

            “No, no, no… please, Chardon?”

            The green’s grin grew wider. Reito tried to retreat but found himself caught between a tight grove and Chardon. With a sinking heart, he waited for the inevitable. Chardon stepped beside him, looking deep into Reito’s silver eyes. He smiled. Then, just as Reito’s nerve was about to fail him, Chardon turned and walked off, a jaunty grin on his face.

            Reito, realising Chardon’s psychological punishment, growled unhappily to himself.

            “You’re a really nasty dragon, Chardon.”

            He got himself a dark stare, marred only by the smirk. Then, Chardon gasped in pain and stumbled to his knees. Reito rushed up to him, anxious about the green. Chardon shoved him aside with a wing as he got back to his feet shakily.

            “I’m all right. No need to worry.”

            Reito growled at the green, angry through concern.

            “You need to rest, Chardon. The liches are getting stronger as the Mocross swamps encroach on Everest glade. You’re the only one here to protect the forest.”

            Chardon nodded silently, hearing what he himself had known but had not wanted to acknowledge. Reito continued, glancing at Chardon with concern.

            “You may be the most powerful green still alive, but you’re only one dragon. No matter how powerful you may be, they can still bind you when they’ve got all the forest. Chardon, I…”

            He stopped. Chardon was standing at the clearing edge, his shoulders drooping. Reito padded over towards him.

            “Chardon? You okay?”

            The green shook himself, then he look at Reito.

            “You’re right. I can only do so much.”

            He left Reito alone at the clearing, entering his den where the shadows enveloped the dragon. The shadow dragon glanced out towards the swamps then followed Chardon.

            He found Chardon staring quietly at a crystal pool.

            “Chardon, you’re not the only one who’d protect the forest.”

            The green smiled faintly.

            “Reito, shadow dragon, free spirit that remains unchained, that’s your purpose in coming here, isn’t it?”

            Reito nodded. Chardon glanced at him and Reito noticed for the first time that Chardon was showing signs of age. How long have you walked this forest, Chardon?

            Chardon did not sleep that night. He watched the night sky, the stars as they danced across the velvet surface. How long have I looked at this sky? How long have I been here? He knew that without him, the forest would fall. A dragon guardian for the Everest glade, he alone had guarded it against the liches. However, while liches could grow in numbers, he did not. He watched the moon surrounded by its attendant clouds parade through the night.

            Reito woke as the dawn broke and looked around for Chardon. The green was not around and he was not present even within the forest. How long have you walked this forest, Chardon? He knew where he had gone. The Mocross swamps.

            He knew it was over even before he got there. Tiny green shoots were appearing all over the swamps. Reito knew that before long, the swamps would soon be no more and the Everest glade would be secure for a long time.  However, for the swamps to disappear, a large amount of green natural energy was needed.

            Chardon, why?

            As he looked around, he knew the answer. Liches lay dead within half created abominations, minions scattered around them, dead. He dreaded what lay within the centre of the swamps but it drew him towards it.

            There, Chardon lay, motionless. Reito landed beside him, fearing the worst. Chardon was not breathing. The lush greenery around him was the perpetuation of all that was growing and Reito sank to his knees, tears threatening to escape. A loud roar echoed within the forest and swamp, anguish and despair reflected deeply with its tones.

            Reito winged his round through the Everest glade. All around, he could still see the traces of Chardon’s careful nurturing. Chardon, why? As he looked around, he knew why. Trees, gnarled with age, reached to the skies, their branched fingers trying to pull down the clouds. Flowers, jewels of nature, sparkled within the morning light. Grass adorned the ground, mint plants at random placing, filling the air with the cool scent. Birds sang and the peaceful quiet of the forest filled his mind.

            Chardon, all this you made. All this, I’ll protect for as long as I live. Because, Chardon, I do this for you.

            How long have I walked this forest?

My whole life I have guarded it.

I am the forest, it nurtures me and I, it.

Without me, it cannot survive.

Without a guardian, it will not live.

Then that I thought impossible has happened.

The forest lives, through me.

No longer does it need a guardian,

But a nurturer, one who cares for nature.

Reito, I hand the forest to you,

New Guardian of Everest glade.

                                                            ~Chardon, Guardian of Everest glade